IMPROVE- MENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES."
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morrison and John Mitchell, both of
Hadfield, in the County of Derby, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morrison and
John Mitchell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 1st April 1873.
We, WILLIAM MORRISON, and JOHN MITCHELL, both of Hadfield, in
the County of Derby, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention'
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES," to be as follows:-
The first part of our Invention (which we call the "nosing motion") is"
designed for the purpose of improving the winding-on and formation of
the upper part of the cone of the cop called the "nose," and it consists
in the use and employment of a shaft placed transversely in a horizontal.
position in front of the headstock. To that end of the shaft situated.

page_text: near the quadrant a curved piece or "snail" is fixed, and a chain attached
thereto is linked to the chain of the quadrant. Below the quadrant a
ratchet wheel is keyed on the said shaft which is acted upon inter-
mittently by a pawl turning on a stud fixed to an arm which is placed
loosely on the shaft at one side of the ratchet wheel. This pawl is
provided with a tail piece, and a light chain connected to the same is
attached to one of the arms of the quadrant.
A two armed lever turning on a fixed stud is provided near the
copping rail, one arm of the same being connected to the said rail, and
the other carrying a stud so placed as to extend below an arm or finger
keyed to the other end of the above mentioned horizontal shaft, and so
to form a rest or stop for the said arm.
"
When at the time of winding-on the quadrant is turning inwards, the
chain connected to one of its arms is tightened, and lifting the tail piece
of the pawl brings the latter into gear with the ratchet wheel, thereby
turning the shaft a portion of a revolution in an outward direction, and
causing the snail to wind on the above first mentioned chain which in
turn acts upon the main chain of the quadrant.
As during the going out of the carriage. the quadrant turns back-
wards, the chain connected to the tail piece of the pawl is slackened,
and the shaft and snail turn round towards their former position until
the arm secured to the other end of the shaft is stopped by the stud on
the lever in connection with the copping rail. As this rail falls
gradually during the formation of the cop the arm of the lever carrying
the stud rises, thereby stopping the shaft in its return movement in a
continuously retreating position, causing in this manner a gradual
increase in the winding of the chain on to the snail. This combined
action of the quadrant and the copping rail on the winding of the chain
on to the snail influences the winding-on of the yarn on to the spindles
in the manner required.
The second part of our Invention is designed for the better regulation
of the motion which is imparted to the strap or cord employed for the
turning of the screw of the quadrant, and which is generally called the..
"strapping motion."
In the arrangement at present in use a chain fixed to an arm on the

page_text: lever, and thence upwards to the arm of the under faller to which it is
connected. In our improved arrangement we employ two bowls of
different diameters, cast or otherwise fixed together, and turning on the
stud fixed to the end of the brake lever. A chain attached to the above-
named arm on the faller shaft is connected to the smaller bowl and a
second chain attached to the arm of the under faller is connected to the
larger bowl. By this means the combined action of the fallers on the
brake lever is rendered more sensitive, and the turning of the quadrant
screw is regulated and performed in a superior and self-acting manner,
thereby also improving the winding on and the formation of the cop.
The third part of our Invention applies to what we term the "snarling
motion," and is designed for the purpose of preventing the formation of
snarls." It consists in the lifting and regulating by self-acting means
of the incline attached to the carriage, which acting on the strap fork
forces the strap on to the fast pulley. This incline is hinged to the
carriage at one end, and the other end is usually provided with a set
screw, by means of which the same has been gradually raised by hand
during the formation of the cop.
1
In our improved arrangement the movable end of the said incline is
provided with a bowl, and a chain attached to the faller shaft passes
downwards round the said pulley and then upwards to the arm of the
under faller to which it is linked. As the faller shaft during the
formation of the cop turns gradually backward the said chain is wound
on to it, thereby raising the end of the incline and causing the contact
thereof with the strap fork to take place sooner. The position of the
incline is also partly determined by the arm of the under faller to which
one end of the chain is attached. In order to prevent any undue
depression of the faller wire when the incline comes into contact with
the strap fork, a stud is fixed in the weight lever hinged below the
carriage. When the carriage runs in and at about the time the above-
named contact takes place, the said stud (which may also carry a bowl)
passes under a curved arm hinged to a bracket fixed to the floor and
held down by a strong spring. By this means the ordinary counter-
weights of the under faller are assisted so as to overcome the pressure
of the incline when acting upon the strap fork.

page_text: SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters.
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said William
Morrison and John Mitchell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
Morrison and John Mitchell in the Great Dear Patent ♥me
11th October 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
MORRISON and JOHN MITCHELL, both of Hadfield, in the County of
Derby, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said William Morrison and John Mitchell, Her
special license that we, the said William Morrison and John Mitchell
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said William Morrison and John Mitchell, our executors, 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 expressed,
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, tho said William Morrison
and John Mitchell, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or one of our, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 on or before the Four-
teenth day of October, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Morrison, on behalf of
myself and the said John Mitchell, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
The first part of our Invention, which we call the "nosing motion," is
designed for the purpose of improving the winding-on and formation of

page_text: the uppper part of the conc of the cop called the "nose," and it is
illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the Drawings accompanying this
Specification. It consists principally in the use and employment of a
shaft a, a, placed transversely in a horizontal position in front of the
headstock b, b. To that end of the shaft a, a, situated near the
quadrant c, c, a curved piece or "snail" d, d, (see enlarged view
Fig. 1*) is fixed, and a chain e, e, attached thereto is linked to the
chain ff, of the quadrant c, c. Below the quadrant a ratchet wheel g, g
(see Fig. 2, and enlarged view at Fig. 4), is keyed on the said shaft a, a,
which wheel is acted upon intermittently by a pawl h, h, turning on a
stud fixed to an arm i, i, which is placed loosely on the shaft a, a, at
one side of the ratchet wheel g, g. This pawl h, h, is provided with a
tail piece k, k, and a light chain 1, 1, connected to the same is attached
to one of the arms of the quadrant c, c.
A two-armed lever m, m, (see Fig. 2, and enlarged at Fig. 3) turning
on a fixed stud is provided near the copping rail n, n, one arm of the
same being connected to the said rail, and the other carrying a stud o so
placed as to extend below an arm or finger p, p, keyed to the other end
of the horizontal shaft a, a, and so as to form a rest or stop for the said
arm..
When at the time of winding-on the quadrant c, c, is turning
inwards, the chain 1, 1, connected to one of its arms is tightened, and
lifting the tail piece k, k, of the pawl h, h, brings the latter into gear
with the ratchet wheel g, g, thereby turning the shaft a, a, a portion of
a revolution in an outward direction, and causing the snail d, d, to wind
on the chain e, e, which in turn acts upon the main chain f,f, of the
quadrant c, c.
As during the going out of the carriage the quadrant turns backwards,
the chains 7, 1, connected to the tail piece of the pawl h, h, is slackened
(as shown at Fig. 4), and the shaft a, a, and snail d, d, turn round
towards their former position until the arm p, p, secured to the other
end of the shaft a, a, is stopped by the stud o, o, on the lever m, m, in
connection with the copping rail n, n,. (as shown at Fig. 3). As this
copping rail n, n, falls gradually during the formation of the cop,
the arm of the lever m, m, carrying the stud o, o, rises, thereby stopping
the shaft a, a, on its return movement in a gradually. retreating position,
'

page_text: causing in this manner a gradual increase in the winding of the
chain e, e, on to the snail d, d. This combined action of the quadrant c, c,
and copping rail n, n, on the winding of the chain e, e, on to the
snail d, d, influences the winding-on of the yarn on to the spindles in
the manner required.
A modification of this part of our Invention is shown at Figs. 5 and 6,
wherein the chain e, e, attached to the main chain f,f, after passing
over pulleys g, g, is connected to one end of a horizontal lever h, h, the
other end of which is connected by a link i, i, to the sliding plate k, k,
which regulates the height of the copping rail n, n.
1
Figs. 7 and 8 show a further modification wherein the chain e, e,
after passing round a pulley g, g, is connected to one arm of a lever h, h,
the other end of which is attached by a link i, i, to a lever j, j, keyed
upon the transverse shaft a, a, on the other end of which is keyed a
lever m, m, connected by a link o, o, to the sliding plate k, k, of the 1
copping rail n, n.
,
*
,
Figs. 9 and 10 show a still further modification in which the auxiliary
chain e, e, is dispensed with, and the main chain f, f, after being
attached to the nut of the quadrant. c, c, passes under a stud *.
connected to a lever h, h, having a fulcrum at 9, 9, and connected by a 2
link or rod i, i, to one arm of the quadrant c, c. One arm of a
lever j, j, acts against a nut 1, l, secured on this rod i, i, and the other
arm is connected by a link m, m, to the sliding plate k, k, of the copping
rail.
The second part of our Invention, which is designed for the better a
regulation of the motion which is imparted to the strap or cord employed
for the turning of the screw of the quadrant, and which is generally
called the "strapping motion," is illustrated by Figs. 11 and 12* of the
Drawings..
In the arrangement at present in use a chain fixed to an arm on
the faller shaft passes downwards round a bowl on the end of the break
lever, and thence upwards to the arm of the under faller to which it is
connected.
In our improved arrangement we employ two bowls of different
diameters q and r (see also enlarged detached views Fig. 11*), cast or

page_text: otherwise fixed together, and turning on the studs fixed to the end of
the brake lever t, t. A chain u, u, attached to the arm v, v, on the
faller shaft w, w, is connected to the smaller bowl r, r, and a second
chain x, x, attached to the army, y, of the under faller is connected to
the larger bowl q, q. By this means, the combined action of the fallers
on the brake levert, t, is rendered more sensitive, and the turning of
the quadrant screw is regulated and performed in a superior and self-
acting manner, thereby also improving the winding on and the formation.
of the cop.
A modification of this motion is shown at Figs. 12 and 13. In this
case the pin s, on which the bowls q and r turn, instead of being carried
by the brake lever is supported by a pin or stud t, t, which rests on a
three-toothed ratchet wheel w³, w¹, keyed on "the axis of the rope
pulley z, z. This pin t, t, is provided with a catch lever x¹, x¹, which
holds it up out of action until the quadrant gets over the centre, when
it is knocked off by coming into contact with a bracket ¹, ¹, fixed to
the floor. This same arrangement of double bowls and chains may
also be applied at the front of the carriage to the chain of the winding"
faller to give slack chain as the cops approach completion, as shown at
Fig. 14.
The third part of our Invention applies to what we term the "snarling.
motion," and is designed for the purpose of preventing the formation of
"snarls." It consists in the lifting and regulating by self-acting means
of the incline attached to the carriage, which acting on the strap fork
forces the strap on to the fast pulley. This incline is hinged to the
carriage at one end and at the other end is usually provided with a set
screw, by means of which the same has been gradually raised by hand
during the formation of the cop..
.
In our improved arrangement, which is represented at Fig. 14 on the
Drawings, the movable end of the said incline 1, 1, is provided with a.
bowl 2, 2, and a chain 3, 3, attached to the faller shaft w, w, passes
downwards round the said pulley 2, 2, and then upwards to the arm y, y,
of the under faller, to which it is linked. As the faller shaft w, w,
during the formation of the cop turns gradually backward the said
chain 3, 3, is wound on to it, thereby raising the end of the incline 1, 1,
and causing the contact thereof with the strap fork 5, 5, to take place.
.

page_text: with the curved arm 8 attached to a bracket fixed to the floor and held
down by a strong spring.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morrison, on behalf of
myself and the said John Mitchell, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, this Twenty-seventh day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.