IMPROVEMENTS IN REELING MACHINES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM, of Ward Mills, Dundee, in the County of Forfar,
North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REELING MACHINES," to be as follows, that is to say:―
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and action of
reeling machines, and comprises parts for stopping any reel when any yarn which
is being wound upon it breaks or fails, and also for stopping a reel when a
predetermined quantity of yarn has been wound upon it.
Ju carrying out my Invention instead of employing the long reels of ordinary
reeling machines I use comparatively short reels, the maximum width or the
maximum dimension parallel to the axis being determined by what is required for
the convenient removal of the yarn from the reel when wound. Each reel may be
made of less width than the maximum indicated; and it and the parts connected
with it may be arranged for simultaneously winding yarn from two or more
bobbins. When the yarn is wound in sets of successive "cuts" it will generally
be wound from two bobbins; but several cut-like or other comparatively small
quantities may be simultaneously wound on each reel from several bobbins.
Each reel is made with six or other convenient number of spokes with cross ends
to receive the yarn, and one of the spokes is jointed so that its outer part and cross
end can be turned inwards to render the yarn slack when about to be taken off.
The jointed spoke is made with disk-like bosses at the joint which are connected
by a pin binding the two together; and the outer part is fitted with a catch lever
having a pin which enters a hole in the joint disk of the inner part to securely
hold the outer part when turned out. The catch lever is grasped by the hand
when taking hold of the outer part of the spoke to turn it inwards and the pin is
thereby taken out of the hole.
The reel is fixed on a short spindle carried in a bearing on a frame bracket and
is driven by means of a pulley on this spindle which pulley is acted on frictionally
by a driving pulley carried by a movable bracket. The driving pulley is in the
same piece with a grooved pulley driven by a cord from one of a series of pulleys
on a shaft extending along the middle of the machine and serving for driving a
D

page_text: number of reels arranged along both sides of the machine. The driving pulley is
below the reel pulley and when driving the latter is held up in contact with it
by a vertical controlling bar the lower end of which is connected to the movable
bracket carrying the driving pulley an adjustable spring being interposed for
regulating the driving pressure.
The reel spindle, by means of a worm upon it or by means of a worm on a
spindle at right angles and driven by means of two small bevil wheels, the ratio of
which to each other may be different in different cases, actuates a toothed counting
wheel which brings about the stoppage of the winding action whenever a certain
quantity for which the parts are arranged has been wound on the reel. The
counting wheel is fixed on a tubular spindle having also fixed for it a wheel made
with a cylindrical flange; and when the controlling bar is lifted up (by means of
a handle formed on its upper end for the purpose) so as to raise the driving pulley
into contact with the reel pulley, a spring catch on this controlling bar engages
upon the flange of the wheel on the counting-wheel spindle. This flange is
notched at a particular part, and when as the winding action proceeds, the notch
is brought round to the top, the catch of the controlling bar drops through it, the
bar, movable bracket, and driving pulley descend and the driving action ceases.
The movable bracket is centered on a stud and is made with an arm provided with
a brake block or pad which is pressed against the reel pulley so as to stop its
motion whenever the movable bracket turns down in consequence of the controlling
bar ceasing to hold it up. Instead of the catch of the controlling bar resting on
the flange of the wheel as described it may rest on a fixed projection and the
wheel may be made with a cam projection for pushing it off such fixed projection
at the proper times. The wheel may be made with a single notch or cam pro-
jection to act once for each revolution, or it may be made with two or more
notches or projections. A locking lever is provided in connection with the
controlling bar to lock that bar whenever it descends in consequence of the action
of the counting wheel, this locking lever being made with a projection at its upper
end to engage over a locking piece on the controlling bar, and at its other end
having a projection which is retained by a flange on the wheel on the counting-
wheel spindle until a notch in that wheel comes round and allows the projection to
escape whereupon it is moved into its locking position by a weight or spring.
The controlling bar is also released whenever a yarn breaks or fails as hereinafter
explained, but when a stoppage occurs through such breakage or failure without
the full quantity of yarn having been wound the attendant worker knows that
such is the case from the position of the locking lever.
The bobbins from which the yarn to be wound on the reel is drawn are placed
on tubular wooden spindles which run on metal spindles fixed to an inclined bank
or shelf: The tubular spindles have a uniform friction on the metal spindles and
the bobbins turn with the tubular spindles; and the tubular spindles are prevented
from being drawn off along with the bobbins by small sliding catches. The
bobbins are paced by loose flannel washers, the bobbins turning on the washers or
the washers turning with the bobbins and acting frictionally on the bank or shelf.
The yarn from each bobbin passes down to a nearly balanced detector lever, and
under a guide or pulley fixed to its inner end and so as to hold up that inner end;
and the yarn may also pass over the front end of the detector lever so as to have
a double action on it and so as to allow of its being made with a greater weight
for turning it when the yarn breaks or fails. When there is a single yarn to
each reel the detector lever may be itself fitted with the part for acting on the
controlling bar, but when there are two or more yarns to each reel, their primary
detector levers or droppers which may be substituted for such levers are arranged
all to be able to act on one secondary lover which acts on the controlling bar. The
primary or secondary lever which acts on the controlling bar does so by turning
up a stud or piece on it into the path of one end of a throwing-off lever, which is
kept constantly vibrating by a cam on a horizontal shaft extending along the

page_text: middle of the machine. When the throwing-off lever encounters the stud of
the primary or secondary lever it pushes it against a stud fixed to the controlling
bar and moves that bar so that its catch becomes free from its support and the
bar drops whereupon the winding action stops as hereinbefore explained. The
stud of the primary or secondary lever is carried by a spring which allows of its
being moved across by the throwing-off lever; and a small stud or projection on
the end of the stud of the controlling bar prevents the stud of the primary or
secondary lever from getting into a position to be acted on improperly by the
controlling-bar stud when the controlling bar is subsequently raised.
After passing the detector lever or dropper the yarn proceeds to a movable yarn
guide from which it descends to the reel, their being on the inner side of this
movable guide a clearer or notched plate which prevents knots or thick parts from
passing. The movable yarn guide is fitted to slide upon a bar made with divisions
corresponding to the positions for the several cuts of a set, and the guide is made
with a pin or projection to enter one of a series of holes made in the bar to hold
the guide in any one of its several positions.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Reeling Machines.
I, WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM, of Ward Mills, Dundee, in the County of Forfar,
North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, .to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and action of
reeling machines, and comprises parts for stopping any reel when any yarn which
is being wound on it breaks or fails, and also for stopping a reel when a predetermined
quantity of yarn has been wound upon it.
In carrying out my Invention instead of employing the long reels of ordinary
reeling machines, I use comparatively short reels, the maximum width, or the
maximum dimension parallel to the axis, being determined by various considerations
and especially by what is required for the convenient removal of the yarn from the
reel when wound. Each reel may be made of less width than the maximum
indicated; and it and the parts connected with it may be arranged for simulta-
neously winding yarn from two or more bobbins. When the yarn is wound in
Bets of successive "cuts" it will generally be wound from two bobbins; but several
cut-like or other comparatively small quantities may be simultaneously wound on
each reel from several bobbins. Each reel is made with six or other convenient
number of spokes with cross ends to receive the yarn and one of the spokes is
jointed in a peculiar manner so that its outer part and cross end can be turned
inwards to render the yarn slack when about to be taken off.
The reel is fixed on a short spindle carried in a bearing on a frame bracket and
is driven by means of a toothed wheel on the spindle which wheel is acted on
by a driving wheel carried by a movable bracket. Frictional pulleys may be
substituted for the toothed wheels but the toothed wheels are in practice found
to be preferable. The driving toothed wheel is in the same piece with a grooved
pulley driven by a cord from one of a series of pulleys on a shaft extending along
the middle of the machine, and serving for driving a number of reels arranged
along both sides of the machine. The driving wheel is below the recl wheel,
and when driving the latter is held up in gear with it by a vertical controlling
bar the lower end of which is connected to the movable bracket carrying the
driving wheel.
A counting wheel driven from the reel spindle brings about the stoppage of the
winding action whenever a certain quantity for which the parts are arranged has
been wound on the reel. The details connected with the counting wheel and
stopping and starting mechanism, together with detector details which bring about
the stoppage of the winding action when a yarn breaks or fails, are hereinafter
particularly described.
The bobbins from which the yarn to be wound on the reel is drawn are placed
on tubular wooden spindles which run on metal spindles fixed to an inclined bank
or shelf.
The tubular spindles have a uniform friction on the metal spindles, and
the bobbins turn with the tubular spindles; and the tubular spindles are prevented
from being drawn off along with the bobbins by small sliding catches.

page_text: And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append three sheets of explanatory drawings
to be hereinafter referred to and representing reeling apparatus made with my
improvements.
Figures, 1, and 2, on sheets, 1, and 2, of the accompanying drawings are sectional
elevations showing opposite sides of a reel and parts connected therewith. Figures, 3,
and, 4, on sheet, 3, are face and edge views (enlarged) of a wheel fixed on the
spindle of the counting wheel and connected with the stopping mechanism.
Figure, 5, is a side elevation of part of the machine and showing one reel as
viewed at right angles to figures, 1, and 2; and figure, 6, is a plan of some parts
shown in figures, 1, 2, and 5. Figures, 7, 8, and 9, show a modified form of yarn
guide. In these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same
or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The framing of the machine consists principally of transverse standards, 10,
supporting and connected by a central longitudinal girder or beam, 11, on which
are fixed various brackets. A saddle-shaped main bracket, 12, made with several
arms serves for carrying each pair of reels of which one is on each side of the
machine. Each reel as shown in the drawings and the parts connected therewith
are arranged for simultaneously winding yarn from two bobbins. The reel is made.
with six spokes, 13, 14, with cross ends, 15, to receive the yarn, and one, 14, of the
spokes, is jointed to the centre disk or boss, 16, of the reel, the spoke being made
with a disk, 17, at its inner end which is fitted to turn on a joint pin, in contact
with a raised surface formed on the boss, 16. A catch lever, 18, jointed upon the
spoke, 14, is made with a pin at its inner end to pass through a hole in the spoke
and spoke disk, 17, into a hole in the boss, 16, so as to lock the spoke in its closed
position there being stop pins in the boss, 16, to limit the movement in either
direction. The catch lever, 18, is grasped by the hand when taking hold of the
spoke, 14, to turn it inwards or outwards and the pin is thereby taken out of
the locking hole. A spring applied to the catch lever, 18, makes the pin enter the
locking hole when the spoke has been turned round to it.
The spoke, 14, extends across its joint disk, 17, and is made with an elongated
hole for the centre pin to pass through, which elongated hole allows of the spoke
being moved inwards a short distance before being turned or folded to one side,
and of its being thereby more easily freed from the yarn.
The reel is fixed on a short spindle carried in a bearing, 19, formed on a bracket
arm, 20, and having fast on its end beyond the other end of the bearing a toothed
wheel, 21, by means of which it is driven; and this wheel, 21, is driven by a
toothe wheel, 22, carried by a movable bracket, 23. The wheel, 22, is in the
same piece with a pulley, 24, driven by a cord from one, 25, of a series of pulleys.
on a shaft, 26, extending along the middle of the machine, and serving for driving
a number of reels arranged along both sides of the machine. The movable
bracket, 23, is centered on a fixed bracket arm, 27, and the driving wheel, 22,
carried by the movable bracket, is below the wheel, 21, on the reel spindle, and
when driving the latter is held up in gear with it by a vertical controlling bar, 28,
the lower end of which is connected to the bottom of the movable bracket, 23.
The reel spindle, by means of a worm, 29, on a spindle at right angles to it and
driven by a pair of bevil wheels, actuates a toothed counting wheel, 30, indicated
by a dotted circle in figure, 1, which is carried on a stud fixed to a bracket arm, 31,
and which brings about the stoppage of the winding action whenever a certain
quantity of yarn, for which the parts are arranged, has been wound on the reel.
The counting wheel, 30, is fixed on a tubular spindle having also fixed on it a
wheel, 32, shown separately in figures, 3, and 4, and made with a cylindrical
flange, 33; and when the controlling bar, 28, is lifted up, by means of a handle, 34,
fixed at its upper end, so as to raise the driving wheel, 22, into gear with the reel
wheel, 21, a spring catch, 35, on this controlling bar engages upon the flange, 33,
of the wheel, 32, on the counting wheel spindle. This flange, 33, is notched at a
particular part, and when as the winding action proceeds the notch, 36, is brought

page_text: round to the top, the catch, 35, of the controlling bar, 28, drops through it, the
bar, 28, movable bracket, 23, and driving wheel, 22, descend and the driving,
action ceases. For the purpose of insuring the action of the catch, 35, with
certainty and accuracy at the proper times, the cylindrical flange, 33, of the
wheel, 32, is made with a slight depression round the part on which the catch
rests when the notch, 36, is approaching it, and a bevilled surface is formed at the
inner side of the depression and terminates at the notch. The bevilled surface acts
on the nose of the catch, 35, and prevents it from hesitating to drop when the
notch is brought under it. Whenever the movable bracket, 23, in descending
carries the driving wheel, 22, out of gear, it at the same time applies a brake to
a pulley, 37, fast on the reel spindle so as to stop the motion of the reel as quickly
as possible. This brake consists of a leather strap, 38, having one end fixed to the
controlling bar, 28, whilst the other end is fixed to a short bar, 39, secured by a
pinching screw in a socket formed for it in an arm of the movable bracket, 23.
The bar, 39, is made with a roughened surface and can be adjusted in its socket
to tighten the brake strap, 38, when required. The movable bracket, 23, is made
with a weighted arm, 40, to partly counterbalance the weight of the parts connected
to the bracket and to prevent it from acting too violently.
Instead of the catch, 35, of the controlling bar, 28, resting on the flange, 33, of
the wheel, 32, as described, it may rest on a fixed projection and the wheel may
be made with a cam projection for pushing it off such projection at the proper
times. The wheel, 32, may be made with a single notch or cam projection to act
once for each revolution, or it may be made with two diametrically opposite
notches, 36, as shown in figure, 3, or with more than two notches or projections.
A locking lever, 41, is provided in connection with the controlling bar, 28, to lock
that bar whenever it descends in consequence of the action of the counting wheel
and wheel, 32, this locking lever being provided with a projection or pin, 42, at its
upper part to engage over a projection, 43, on the controlling bar, 28, and at its other
end having a projection, 44, which is retained by the flange, 33, on the wheel, 32,
until a notch, 45, in that flange comes round and allows the projection, 44, to escape,
whereupon it is moved into its locking position by a weight, 46, or it might be by
a spring. The controlling bar, 28, is also released whenever a yarn breaks or fails
as hereinafter explained, but when a stoppage occurs through such breakage or
failure without the full quantity of yarn having been wound, the attendant worker
knows that such is the case from the position of the locking lever, 41. And to
reduce the possibility of making mistakes about the position of the locking lever, 41,
it is made with a small projection, 47, near the handle at its upper end, whilst a
mark is made by means of a piece of white delf or in any other convenient way
on the bracket arm, 48, such mark being covered by the projection, 47, when the
locking lever, 41, is in one position and uncovered when it is in the other position,
the uncovered position being by preference the one assumed when full quantity of
yarn has been wound.
The bobbins, 49, from which the yarn to be wound on the reel is drawn are
placed on tubular wooden spindles, 50, which run on metal spindles fixed to an
inclined bank or shelf, 51. The tubular spindles, 50, have a uniform friction on
the metal spindles, and the bobbins, 49, turn with the tubular spindles; and the
tubular spindles are prevented from being drawn off along with the bobbins by
small sliding catches, 52, which are moved over small flanges on the bottoms of the
tubular spindles such flanges entering recesses made for them in the bank or
shelf, 51. One of the catches, 52, with a tubular spindle, 50, is shown in a small
detached face view near the part in figure, 2. The bobbins, 49, are paced by loose
flannel washers, 53, the bobbins turning on the washers, or the washers turning
with the bobbins and acting frictionally on the bank or shelf, 51. The yarn from
each bobbin, 49, passes down to a nearly balanced detector lever, 54, centered on
a small bracket, 55, and under a guide or pulley, 56, fixed to its inner end and so
as to hold up that inner end. The yaru also passes over the front end of the
detector lever, 54, or rather over a lateral oxtension or part, 57, of that lever

page_text: bended so as to be parallel to the axis about which the lever turns; and in this way
the yarn has a double action on the lever, which may consequently be made with a
greater weight for turning it when the yarn breaks or fails.
When there is a single yarn to each reel the detector lever may be itself fitted
with the part for acting on the controlling bar, 28, but when there are two or more
yarns to each reel, their primary detector levers, 54, (or droppers which may be
substituted for such levers) are arranged all to be able to act on one secondary
lever, 58, which acts on the controlling bar, 28. The (primary or) secondary lever, 58,
which acts on the controlling bar, 28, does so turning up a stud or piece, 59, on it
into the path of one end of a throwing-off lever, 60, which is kept constantly
vibrating by a cam, 61, on a horizontal shaft, 62, extending along the middle of
the machine. The secondary detector lever, 58, is centered on a projection on the
bracket arm, 48, to which projection is also attached the small bracket, 55, carrying
the primary detector levers, 54; and this secondary lever, 58, is made with a lateral
extension at its inner end to receive the downward impact of either of the primary
detector levers, 54, when falling in consequence of its yarn breaking or failing.
The throwing-off lever, 60, is centered on a bracket arm, 63; and when the stud, 59,
at the front end of the secondary detector lever, 58, is raised the lever, 60, pushes
the stud, 59, against the enlarged head of a stud, 64, fixed to the controlling bar, 28,
and passing through a vertical guide slot in the bracket arm, 48. This action moves
the controlling bar, 28, so that its spring catch, 35, becomes clear of the flange, 33,
of the wheel, 32, on the counting wheel spindle, and the bar drops, whereupon the
winding action stops as herein before explained. The stud, 59, of the (primary or)
secondary lever, 58, attached to that lever by a spring blade which allows of its
being moved across by the throwing-off lever, 60; and a small stud or projection
on the end of the stud, 64, of the controlling bar, 28, prevents the stud, 59, from
getting into a position to be acted on improperly by the controlling-bar stud, 64,
when the controlling bar is subsequently raised. The controlling bar stud, 64, has
on it a helical spring between the head at its inner end and a washer which last
bears against the inner side of the bracket arm, 48; and this spring tends to draw
the controlling bar, 28, into its proper position when raised and so that its catch, 35,
may get upon the top of the flange, 33, of the wheel, 32, on the counting-wheel
spindle.
After passing the detector lever or dropper, each yarn proceeds to a movable yarn
guide, 65, from which it descends to the reel; and there may be on the inner side
of this movable guide a clearer or notched plate to prevent knots or thick parts
from passing; no clearer is, however, shown in the drawings. In the example
shown in the drawings there are two guides, 65, for the two yarns which are wound
on the same reel. One guide, 65, is formed in a small block, 66, to which the other
guide is attached by a rod; and the block, 66, is fitted to slide upon a bar, 67, fixed
to the end of the bracket arm, 48, and made with divisions corresponding to the
positions for the several cuts of a set. The guide block, 66, is made with a pin or
projection to enter one of a series of holes made in the bar, 67, to hold the guide
block in any one of its several positions. In figures, 7, 8, and 9, a modified and
more convenient form is shown, of the guides, 65, with the rod or wire connecting
them, and the block, 66, figures, 7, and 9, being end views and figure, 8, a side view.
Instead of a closed eye through which the yarn has to be threaded, there is in each
case at one one side of the guiding passage a horn projecting up beside but not
touching the rod or wire which crosses over the passage, and allowing the yarn to
be easily placed within the passage.
The pulley-like guide, 56, at the inner end of each detector lever, 54, consists by
preference of a middle part of hard castiron or steel held between two disks which
with the middle part are fixed tightly together by means of a small nut screwed on
the bent end of the wire forming the lever. This nut can be loosened and the
middle part can be turned round when any part of it has become too much worn.
The disks have bent horns, 68, formed on them in a manner to overlap each other
and confine the yarn whilst offering no difficulty in placing the yarn.

page_text: The driving and stopping mechanism is arranged all to one side of each reel, and
a vertical plate or sheet, 69, of thin metal is fixed to the outer side of it, as a shield
to prevent the catching on it of yarn when being removed from the next reel on
.that side. This shield is also a protection to the attendant worker when taking off
the yarn.
In figure, 1, the parts are shown as when winding; and in figure, 2, they are
shown as when the predetermined quantity of yarn having been wound, the
wheel, 32, on the counting-wheel spindle has just released. the controlling bar, 28,
and the catch lever, 41. When restarting the winding action, the attendant worker,
draws up the controlling bar, 28, and moving out the upper end of the catch lever, 41,
makes it projection, 44, enter back through the notch, 45, in the wheel, 32, and it
becomes engaged under the flange, 33, of that wheel as soon as the action commences,
'whilst the catch, 35, of the controlling bar, 28, becomes similarly engaged on the
top of the flange, 33. When a yarn breaks or fails before the full quantity has
been wound the catch lever, 41, is not interfered with, whilst in drawing up the
controlling bar, 28, to restart, its spring catch, 35, yields in passing across the
flange, 33, and springing out again engages on the top of it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination of parts constituting my improved reeling mechanism
substantially as herein before described.
2. The improved construction of reel having a spoke jointed and arranged
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein before described.
3. The combination in one machine of a series of short reels each with its
separate driving, counting, and stopping mechanism, and arranged substantially as
.hereinbefore described.
4. The combination of driving and stopping mechanism and consisting of the
controlling bar connected to the movable bracket which holds a driving wheel or
pulley in or out of gear with a wheel or pulley on the reel spindle, together with
the notched wheel on the counting-wheel spindle for supporting and letting go the
controlling bar, substantially as herein before described.
5. The arrangement of tubular wooden spindles running on fixed metal spindles
for carrying the bobbins combined with their catches, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
6. The combination of parts forming the detector and stopping mechanism
substantially as hereinbefore described.
7. The arrangement of the movable guide block and bar on which it is carried
for separating the cuts or portions of yarn substantially as herein before described.
Dated this sixteenth day of December 1885.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.