AN IMPROVEMENT IN WASHER CLOTH TO BE USED IN SPINNING OR SIMILAR MACHINERY
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Aitken, of Irwell Vale Mill, Helmshore,
near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN WASHER CLOTH TO BE USED IN
SPINNING OR SIMILAR MACHINERY."
Sealed the 22nd March 1870, and dated the 20th November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Aitken at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th November 1869.
I, THOMAS AITKEN, of Irwell Vale Mill, Helmshore, near Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN WASHER CLOTH'
TO BE USED IN SPINNING OR SIMILAR MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to obtain a perfect uniformity of drag
or friction upon the bobbin in the process of throstle spinning by
employing the improved "washer cloth" herein-after mentioned.
In the present system the woollen washer cloth (that generally used)
is manufactured so as to be when in use pressed against the spindle
and acting detrimentally by depriving it of its oil or lubricant until the

page_text: cloth is saturated, when it is unfit for further use; the result of this is
that the requisite drag is destroyed.
This Invention consists in the application or insertion of metal eyelets
or washers (to fit the gauge of the spindles) in a description of cotton
cloth called a "manifold cloth" or washer cloth made of the requisite
thickness or density, and the cloth is adjusted on the rail in such a
manner that no contact exists between the eyelet and spindle, which
latter is in contact with nothing but the throstle bobbin.
The improved "washer cloth" may be washed any number of times
without shrinking so as still to accurately fit the gauge of the spindles,
whilst the woollen cloth in washing felts and contracts so that it cannot
be put upon the throstles without stretching and fitting tightly against
the spindle, which is thereby deprived of its lubricant.
The advantages gained by the introduction of the metal eyelets in
and the application of the improved cotton cloth are perfect insulation
of the spindle, economy of oil and power, and the object desired perfect
uniformity of drag.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Aitken in the Great Seal Patent on the
20th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
AITKEN, of Irwell Vale Mill, Helmshore, near Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Aitken, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Aitken, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Aitken, my exccutors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "As IMPROVEMENT IN WASHER CLOTH

page_text: TO BE USED IN SPINNING OR SIMILAR MACHINERY," upon. the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas Aitken, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Aitken, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object the obtaining a perfect uniformity of
drag or friction upon the bobbin in the process of throstle spinning, and
consists in the introduction of metal washers or eyes into what is com-
monly called or known as washer cloth for producing drag or friction
upon the bobbin in the process of throstle spinning, applicable also to
doubling throstles or any other machine where the drag is caused by the
gravity of the bobbin upon a cotton or woollen washer and working
upon and around a vertical spindle.
In the system hitherto in use the woollen washer (the fabric most in
use) is torn or manufactured- into strips of the desired width, and
punched with holes down the centre to fit the required guage, but this
is done so inaccurately that the washer is always in contact with the
spindle, thereby robbing or depriving it of its oil until it (the cloth)
becomes saturated, when it is unfit for further use. This is very objection-
able, but particularly where the "sliding rail" is used, as it deprives
the spindle working through the collar of its oil, and also (and this is
important) of the oil that should act as a lubricant between the spindle
and the bobbin.
There has been in use a washer cloth made from cotton or cotton
waste woven of so loose a texture as to enable it to be pressed on the
spindle through the interstices of the cloth, but this, from reasons above
stated, is objectionable, as it is in close contact with the spindle and
wipes away the oil as effectually as the application of cleaning waste.
By this Invention I. recommend to be adopted a cloth made from
cotton which I call a "manifold cloth," though I do not confine myself

page_text: to the particular mode of manufacture, as it may be manufactured of
any density or thickness to suit the requirements of the trade or the
fancy of the user.
This peculiar manufacture of cotton washer cloth may be washed any
number of times and still accurately fit the gauge of the spindles, whilst
in woollen (in washing) the cloth felts or runs up so much that it cannot
be put upon the spindles without stretching, fitting tightly against every
spindle, and of course taking off the oil, as previously stated. A very
common cause of mischief produced by the spindle being dry is the
cutting of the collar when a new and tight band is put upon it to replace
either a broken or slack one.
In order that this Invention may be more distinctly understood, I
have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and
have marked the same with figures and letters of reference corre-
sponding with those in the following explanation thercof, that is to
say:-
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan
view of a short length "eyeletted washer cloth;" Figure 2 is a vertical
section of the eyelet and cloth through the line A, B, Figure 1; and
Figures 3 and 4 represent the different parts the combination of which
forms the eyelet.
In Figure 1, c represents the spindle insulated from the washer cloth,
showing a clear space between the eyelet a and the spindle c¹. In
Figure 2, d' represents (or shows) the bobbin resting upon the washer
cloth.b, e being the rail upon which the washer cloth rests, and in which
the collars (through which the spindles c³ run) are placed.
The eyelets may be made of sheet brass or any other suitable metal,
and each is constructed of one or more parts, as shown at Figures 3
and 4, c being a small annular ring, and d another ring made to fit into
the ring c, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and also illustrated by the
dotted lines in Figure 3.
Having [now described the nature and object of my said Invention
for "An Improvement in Washer Cloth' to be used in Spinning or
similar Machinery," together with the manner in which the same is
to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I would
remark in conclusion that what I claim as my Invention is, the intro-
duction of the metal eye effecting perfect insulation of the spindle from
the washer cloth, also the application of washer cloth manufactured from

page_text: cotton to accomplish the object desired (uniformity of drag), though I
do not confine myself to cloth made from cotton (as woollen or some
other fabric may be used), but of such a character as to suit the require-
ments of the trade, and to the spinning and doubling of all counts of
yarn for which the throstle or any machine upon the same principle
may be specially adapted.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Aitken, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
THOS. AITKEN. (L.S.)