IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR TWISTING OR SPINNING SILK OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR TWISTING OR SPINNING SILK OR OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIALS." A communication from abroad by Antonin Bertholon,
of Charmes, France. Silk Thrower.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th December 1881.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the Firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR TWISTING
OR SPINNING SILK OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS." [A communication from
abroad by Antonin Bertholon, of Charmes, France, Silk Thrower.]
This Invention relates to machinery for twisting, spinning, or throwing silk
and other fibrous materials and consists in various improvements hereinafter
described.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a regulating bar or rod
the movement of which takes place from the front to the rear and directs the
thread guides in a direction opposite to that which is given to them in ordinary
machines. The bobbins or spools are turned and well balanced and may be made
of copper, zinc, or iron. They are designed to have a rapid rotation which' is
effected without difficulty. There is a division or partition behind and another in
front of the frame and a thin glass rod upon which the silk thread bears on its
passage from the spindles to the spools. The latter are inside the machine. I
also provide a leather belt working horizontally upon a platform and imparting
with perfect regularity, motion to the aforesaid spools upon which the twisted silk
is wound. The manner in which this belt works is an improvement and the same
may be said with respect to the regulating devices and the position of the spools
inside the machine. I employ small spindles which are about 25 centimetres in
height. There are also bearing pieces the two parts of which are joined by means
of a screw at the rear with perfect accuracy so that these pieces are subjected to

page_text: very slight wear and are always in such a condition as will ensure the proper
working of the spindles. There is also an upper curved cross bar or the ordinary
kind with which these pieces are connected also a lower curved cross bar of the
ordinary kind, this arrangement allowing the space between these two bars to be
closed by a light partition on each side which excludes dust. With this com-
bination the oil in the oil receptacles is caused to remain pure and limpid and lasts
much longer without requiring renewal than is the case in machines of the ordinary
construction, thus ensuring economy with regard to time and oil and to the main-
tenance of the machine. The oil receptacles are in the lower curved cross bar and
are made of cast metal. I also provide a twisting device or flyer of improved
construction which forms an important part of the present Invention and which
will be hereinafter described.
With a machine constructed according to my Invention, the two most important
and most difficult operations, namely the spinning and twisting are effected with a
rapidity heretofore unknown and with a much better result, moreover the intrinsic
qualities of the silk are preserved to a greater extent than heretofore. The new
arrangement, the form, and the dimensions of the parts according to my Invention
permit of the employment of three times the number of spindles compared with
those heretofore employed and of working at a speed at least fifteen times greater
thus-affording-the-means-for-increasing-the-production_in_the_ratio_of_eighteen
one and this advantage being obtained without the slightest inconvenience or
difficulty. Thus with the spindles a speed of 12,000 revolutions per minute may
be obtained with great facility as compared with 2000 revolutions obtained in
machines as heretofore constructed. This speed may even be increased.
to
The arrangement and form of the spindles and of the metal spools is such that
the spindles inay be placed at a distance of 5 centimetres from each other instead
of at a distance of 15 centimetres as heretofore. By reason of the rapidity and
facility with which the two operations of spinning and twisting are effected
according to my Invention I obtain considerable advantages with respect to waste
material, time, and labour.
I will now proceed to describe my improved twister or flyer which may be used
at any possible speed; it provides a draught which is regular and easy and conducts
the threads in a perfect manner. It is very durable and will remain in working
order for from fifteen to twenty years, at let, not requiring any attention.
The twister is turned in the lathe being made of conical form with a small head
or stud at the top and having two spiral turns of thin iron wire below the head,
the end of which wire is formed into a guide with an opening for the thread.
This twister or flyer may be made of wood or metal as desired and may, if
preferred, be a part of the spindle instead of being attached thereto. According to
one part of my Invention I provide a novel device which may be adapted to the
guides or may be used separately therefrom, that is to say I provide a small
toothed wheel-which revolves in a downward direction and is prevented from
turning in an opposite direction by a pawl; the thread readily penetrates to the
bottom but cannot come out again without breakage so that all knots or thick
parts being arrested in the guide must be removed in order to tie the ends. The
attendant therefore cannot cause the end to skip, and is compelled to do the work
well.
The above described improvements although specially described with respect to
silk may obviously be used for other textile materials.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Harris Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th Juno
1882.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the Firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR TWISTING
OR SPINNING SILK OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS." A communication from
abroad by Antonia Bertholon of Charmes, France, Silk Thrower.
This Invention relates to machinery for twisting, spinning, or throwing silk and
other fibrous materials and consists in various improvements hereinafter described.
In the accompanying Drawings
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of machinery constructed in accordance with
the said Invention.
Figure 2 represents a device for guiding and retaining the thread.
Figure 3 represents the head of the improved twister or flyer and
Figure 4 represents a vertical sectional elevation of a modification of the said
Invention.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a regulating bar or rod A
which is moved backwards and forwards and conducts the thread-guides B in a
direction opposite to that which is given to them in ordinary machines. The
bobbins or spools C are turned and well balanced and may be made of copper, zinc,
or iron. They are designed to have a rapid rotation which is effected without
difficulty. D is a division or partition behind, and E is another division in
front of the frame, and F is a thin glass rod upon. which the silk thread
bears on its passage from the spindles to the spools. The latter are inside the
machine. I also provide a leather belt G working horizontally upon a platform
and imparting notion with perfect regularity to the aforesaid spools upon
which the twisted silk is wound. The manner in which this belt works is
an improvement and forms a feature of the said Invention, and the same may
be said with respect to the regulating devices and the position of the spools inside
the machine. I employ surall spindles H which are about twenty-five centimetres
in height. The two parts of the bearing pieces I are joined by means of a screw
at the rear with perfect accuracy so that these pieces are subjected to very slight
wear and are always in such a condition as will ensure the proper working of the
spindles. The upper curved cross-bar J with which the pieces I are connected, and
the lower curved cross bar K, are of the ordinary kind, and the cross bar J is placed
directly above the cross-bar K this arrangement allowing the space directly between
these two bars to be closed by a light partition on each side which excludes dust.
With this combination the oil in the oil receptacles is caused to remain pure and
limpid and lasts much longer without requiring renewal, than is the case in machines
of the ordinary construction, thus ensuring economy with regard to time and oil
and to the maintenance of the machine. The oil receptacles L are in the lower
curved cross-bar K and are made of cast metal. I also provide a twisting device
or flyer M of improved construction which forms an important part of the present
Invention and will be hereinafter described.
With a machine constructed according to the said Invention; the two most
important and most difficult operations, namely the spinning and twisting are
effected with a rapidity heretofore unknown and with a much better result; moreover
the intrinsic qualities of the silk are preserved to a greater extent than heretofore.
The new arrangement, the form, and the dimensions of the parts according to my
Invention permit of the employment of three times the number of spindles usual
in machines heretofore employed, and of working at a speed at least fifteen times

page_text: greater, thus affording the means for increasing the production in the ration of
eighteen to one, and this advantage being obtained without the slighest inconvenience
or difficulty. Thus with these spindles a speed of 12,000 revolutions per minuto
may be obtained with facility as compared with 2000 revolutions obtained in
machines as heretofore constructed. This speed may even be increased.
The arrangement and form of the spindles and of the metal spools are such that
the spindles may be placed at a distance of 5 centimetres from each other, instead
of at a distance of 15 centimetres as heretofore.
By reason of the rapidity and facility with which the two operations of spinning
and twisting are effected according to my Invention I obtain considerable
advantages with respect to waste material, time, and labor.
I will now proceed to describe my improved twister or flyer which may be used
at any possible speed. It provides a draught which is regular and easy and conducts
the thread in a perfect manner. It is very durable and will remain in working
order for from fifteen to twenty years at least requiring very little attention.
The twister or flyer is turned in the lathe being made of conical form with a
small head or stud at the top and having two spiral turns of thin iron or steel wire
below the head, one end of which wire is formed into a guide with an opening for
the thread. This twister or flyer may be made of wood or metal as desired, and
may, if preferred, be a part of the spindle instead of being attached thereto.
This device is very simple and forms an essential feature of the said Invention,
it also has a great effect in improving the draught of the thread in winding off or
reeling, and this effect is greater as the speed of the spindle is increased. In order
that the advantages presented by this device may be properly understood it is
necessary that the following observations should be made relative to its action.
To open silk in good condition it is necessary first to ascertain the properties of
the silk thread and to trace it back to its origin, that is to say, to become acquainted
with the operations performed by the silk-worm. With this knowledge the most
correct means may be applied for the successive treatment of the silk, and the two
most essential operations of spinning and twisting are thereby most effectually
performed with due relation to the nature of the material, By a practical
investigation one is led to the conclusion that to obtain the best results it is
necessary to conform as nearly as possible to the method of working carried out
by the insect producer. To imitate this method of working the spindle, the bobbin
and the twister or flyer should be connected together in a compact and inseparable
manner so as to form a single piece without inequality in its movements. By this
combination and by means of this twister or flyer, the uniform working of the
pieces is similar to the working of the insect and initates as nearly as possible
the work of nature, and consequently this improved twister or flyer cannot often
be supplied with sufficient material to interfere with its action and its working is
seldom defective or insufficient its power of production is therefore very considerable.
The great obstacle that has been met with in silk throwing or twisting heretofore
has been the difficulty in obtaining an easy draught, which is overcome by the
present Invention.
In Figure 2 is represented a novel device which may be adapted to the guides
or may be used separately therefrom, that is to say, I provide a small toothed
wheel which is free to revolve in one direction but is prevented from turning
in the opposite direction by a pawl so that the thread readily passes through the
device in a downward direction but cannot come out again without breakage, and
all knots or thick parts arrested in the guide should be removed in order to tie the
ends. The attendant therefore cannot cause the end to slip and is compelled to do
the work well.
A modification of the said Invention is shewn in Figure 4. A' represents &
pulley or drum for driving the spindles B' by means of a belt. C'C' represent
the bobbins. D' D' rings of iron or steel wire forming the twisters or flyers and
open at their extremities, and E' E' small rods of glass or metal upon which the
threads bear. The guides F¹ are fixed to the regulating frame, and I provide

page_text: bobbins G upon which the threads are wound after they have been twisted.
HH' represent pulleys for transmitting motion to the said bobbins G¹ by means
of belts, and JJ represent toothed bevel wheels for imparting motion to the
pulleys H' from the shaft carrying the drum A!. The bobbins C¹ are supplied
with a single thread of silk, or with double threads, according as it is desired to
form thrown silk or weft silk, or for spinning or twisting, and the said bobbins are
afterwards placed upon the spindles B. These spindles receiving motion from the
drum A impart an equal motion to the bobbins C which are made of wood and
arranged to revolve with the spindles. The single or double threads of silk pass.
under the rings D' fitted upon the neck or recessed part formed on the end of each
of the spindles. These threads afterwards pass over the rods E¹ which extend
along the whole length of the machine, the said threads then pass into the guides F¹
which are fixed upon a frame capable of adjustment to place the threads in their
proper position relative to the bobbins G¹. The latter are of metal and receive
motion by means of belts driven by the pulleys H¹ upon which they bear at their
lower part. The motion is communicated to the pulleys H' by the drum A' by
means of the bevel wheels J J", the amount of twist given to the silk being
regulated by the ratio existing between the speed of the spindles and that of
winding the silk upon the bobbins G. Any desired variations in the amount of
twist are obtained by employing bevelled wheels of different sizes, and the twist
is made right-handed or left-handed according to the direction in which the
spindles are turned the rings D¹ having their openings placed in the proper
direction.
The silk may be wound upon bobbins or upon any other suitable devices the
proportions of the bevel wheels being regulated by the amount of twist it is desired
to obtain.
The above described improvements, although especially designed for silk, may
obviously be used for other textile materials.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
The improvements in machinery for twisting or spinning silk or other fibrous
materials substantially as herein before described and represented in the accom-
panying Drawing.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Harris Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of Juue in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
HENRY H. LAKE.
(L.S.)