IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WINDING COPS, AND IN THE TREATMENT OP COPS FOR WARPS AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Combe, of Belfast, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WINDING COPS, AND IN THE TREATMENT
OP COPS FOR WARPS AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 25th July 1862, and dated the 17th February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Combe at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
February 1862.
I, JAMES COMBE, of Belfast, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WINDING COPS, AND IN THE
TREATMENT OF COPS FOR WARPS, AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
These improvements in machinery for winding cops consist, first, in the
application of a lever or other arrangement, acted upon by a weight in such
a manner that the resistance of the spindle to descend in the operation of
winding may be regulated to any required degree, and in so adapting such
arrangement that it can be used by the winder as a treadle for the purpose
of withdrawing the cop from the cup, to piece an end when it breaks, and of
doffing the cop when it is wound.
Second, in an improved arrangement of a socket working in one bearing
carrying a pulley or pinion capable of being made fast or loose by means of a
spring clutch, such sockets with fast or loose pullies or pinions having been
hitherto made use of working in two bearings.
Third, in an arrangement for lessening the friction and chafing of the yarn
when winding, by substituting rollers for the conical cups or guides at present
in use.
Fourth, in an improved mode of working the traverse in cop winding
machines, whereby the solidity of the cop is made more uniform; this is

page_text: accomplished by making the traverse quicker when the small end of the cop
is winding, and slower when the thicker part is winding.
Fifth, in applying a positive motion endways to the spindles, so as to relieve
the yarn from the whole or any part of the pressure against the cup or any
substitute for the cup. For some kinds of work this application will allow
of dispensing with the cups, or any substitution for the cups.
The objects of these improvements are to simplify the winding machine,
and make it more easily worked, by enabling the attendant to perform several
of the necessary operations with the foot, thus leaving the hands at liberty, and
also to adapt it to carry out the last part of my Invention, consisting of
improvements in the treatment of cops. These improvements consist in
winding cops of wet spun material from the spinning bobbins or otherwise, in
its wet state, for which purpose I use spindles arranged as above, which cause
the cops to bear with a light pressure in the cup; or against the rollers.in the
process of winding, in order to avoid chafing and abrading the wet yarn, and
afterwards subjecting the cops to a process of drying by the combined or
separate action of heat and currents of air, such wet spun yarns having hitherto
been subjected to the drying process on bobbins, which was objectionable and
disadvantageous on account of the great quantity of waste made, the heavy
expence, and the injury suffered by the yarn, by the necessity for either drying
it very quickly or employing a very large stock of bobbins. The cops on the
other hand being composed of nothing but yarn, allow any desired length of
time to be devoted to the drying, and they can be stored or sold in any
quantities without inconvenience.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Combe, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
COMBE, of Belfast, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Combe, Her special license that I, the said James Combe, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Combe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the

page_text: 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 MACHINERY
FOR WINDING COPS, AND IN THE TREATMENT OF COPS FOR WARPS AND OTHER
PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Combe,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 James Combe, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the, Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The nature of these improvements will be understood from the following
description in connection with the accompanying Drawing, wherein the same
letters of reference apply to the same parts.
Fig. I is a half section and half end view shewing the general arrangement
of the machine with the application of the improvements comprised under the
first and fourth heads of this Specification. Fig. 2 is a half section of a
machine with the arrangements and improvements described under the first
and fifth heads. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of part of the machine described
under the second head. Figures 4 and 5 shew the improvement described
under the third head. Figures 6 and 7 are front views of parts described
under the first bead.
The first part of these improvements consists in the application to weft winders
of a lever a, Fig. 1, for the purpose of regulating the resistance of the spindle
to descend in the operation of winding. The lever a is supported by a fulcrum
bar or rail a', in the middle of the machine so that it will be free to rock
thereon. One end of this lever is provided with notches to receive a weight
a², which by being moved towards or from the centre is intended to regulate
the pressure upon the spindle. The other end of the lever is flattened to
form a treadle a³, for the foot of the worker. This flat end passes through a
slot in the lower end of the connecting rod, b, (also shewn detached in the
front view Fig. 6). In the top end of the connecting rod b, is the foot step
of the spindle c. Immediately above the foot step is a collar f, which is fixed
on the spindle, and is acted upon by the connecting rod b, when the attendant
desires to bring down the spindle c, in order to piece an end or doff the cop.

page_text: This connecting rod b, is steadied at the top by the spindle c, and at the foot
of the guides (see Figures 1 and 6). Each spindle c in the machine is
similarly provided with a lever and weight.
Another arrangement for applying the pressure which is more convenient
for making large cops is shewn in Figures 2 and 7, in which chains are used
instead of levers. The weight in this instance is attached to two chains which
pass over a pair of pulleys d, one on each side of the spindle. These chains
are fastened to a small frame e, (shewn in section at Fig. 2, and in front view
at Fig. 7,) which carries the foot step for the spindle a, and acts upon the
collar f, in lowering the spindle. The chains are continued through the
frame e, and to them are fastened (below the frame) cross bars e¹, e², which
form rounds to receive the pressure of the foot of the attendant when it is
required to pull down the spindles to piece an end, or doff the cop. To
regulate the pressure on the spindle c, the weight g is made in parts so that
its drag may be readily increased or diminished at pleasure.
The second part of this Invention consists in an improved arrangement of
a socket spindle. This is best shewn in the enlarged sectional view Fig. 3,
wherein h is the socket working in a bearing h¹ carrying a pulley or pinion h²,
capable of being made fast or loose by means of a spring clutch h³. The
socket his connected to the spindle by means of a key i fitting freely into a
groove in the spindle, and also to the spring clutch box by the key k. The
clutch box ³ is pressed into contact with the wheel or pulley by the spring
h, and it thus serves to connect the spindle in the socket h with the driven
wheel or pulley, which spindle is driven only so long as the clutch box is in
action. To stop the spindle the clutch box h³ is raised free of the pulley or
pinion, which is thus allowed to run loose upon the socket. The clutch box
is raised by means of a lever and weight h³ (see Figures 1 and 2). This part
being an application of an Invention for which Letters Patent were granted
to the present Inventor, on December Seventh, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-nine, No. 2774.
The third part of the Invention consists of an arrangement for lessening the
friction and chafing of the yarn when winding. This I effect by substituting
rollers for the conical cups or guides at present in use. The improvement is
shewn at Figures 4 and 5; Fig. 4 being a sectional end view, and Fig. 5 a
front elevation of the rollers in position; there being on each side of the
spindle a conical roller turning freely on inclined fixed studs carried by
brackets from the framing.
.
The fourth part of this Invention consists in an improved manner of
working the traverse of cop winding machines. The arrangement is shewn in

page_text: Fig. 1, where m is the shaft that carries the guide wires. On the end of the
driving shaft of the machine is a crank n, to which is attached short con-
necting rod n'. This rod is connected to the rod n³ and the radius lever n³ by
means of a pin n'. The rod nº is connected to the traverse shaft by means of
a coupling and lever n³. The effect of this arrangement is, that whilst the
crank n is passing through the part of its revolution furthest from the con-
nection n' it communicates very little motion to the rod n³, whilst the effect is
just the opposite on the other side, where the motion is proportionately
increased. The effect of this is to make the traverse slower when the yarn is
being laid on the outer circumference of the cop, and so to equalize the
substance of the cop.
The fifth part of this Invention consists in applying a positive motion end-
ways to the spindle. This is effected in the following manner :-Over each
spindle (see Fig. 2) is a toothed rack o supported in a bracket o' tight
enough to slide, but not so slack as to fall except when it is pressed down by
the small pinion o³, with which it is in gear. This pinion o³ is carried on the
radius arm o³ in gear with the pinion o', which is on a shaft o³ running the
whole length of the frame. This shaft o' is driven slowly by gearing from
the first motion shaft p of the machine. To the pin or centre of the pinion o
on the radius arm o³ is attached a connecting rod r, which is formed with a
slot in its inner end, and works on a stud on the lever h³. When the
spindle is stopped this lever falls back, and the stud in its passage pulls
back the connecting rod r and radius arm o³ with the small intermediate
pinion o², thereby drawing the pinion out of gear with the
sequently arresting its pressing down action on the spindle.
is complete and doffed, the rack o is pressed up to its position ready to begin
a new cop by the rising of the spindle. The object of this arrangement is to
relieve the yarn from the whole or any part of the pressure against the cup or
substitute for the cup. For some kinds of work this application will allow
of the cups, or substitute for the cups, being dispensed with.
rack, and con-
When the cop
The objects of these improvements are to simplify the winding machine and
make it more easy to work by enabling the attendant to perform several of the
necessary operations with the foot, thus leaving the hands at liberty; and also
to adapt it to carry out the last part of the 'Invention, consisting of improve-
ments in the treatment of cops. These improvements consist in winding cops
of wet spun material from the spinning bobbins, or otherwise, in its wet state;
for which purpose I use spindles arranged as above, which cause the cops to
bear with a light pressure in the cup or against the rollers in the process of
winding, and avoid the chafing and abrading of the wet yarn. I afterwards

page_text: subject the cops to a process of drying by the combined or separate action of
heat and currents of air. Hitherto wet spun yarns have been subjected to
the drying process on bobbins, which is objectionable and disadvantageous on
account of the great quantity of waste made, the heavy expense, and the
injury suffered by the yarn by the necessity for either drying it very quickly,
or employing a very large stock of bobbins. The cops,. on the other hand,
being composed of nothing but yarn, allow any desired length of time to be
devoted to the drying, and they can be stored or sold in any quantities
without inconvenience.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "improvements in
machinery for winding cops and in the treatment and application of cops for
warps and other purposes, and having explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part
recited Letters Patent, I claim,-
Firstly, the method described under the first head for regulating and giving
the necessary resistance to the spindles of weft winders in their descent, and
the arrangement for facilitating the piecing and doffing, as described.
Secondly, the arrangement of parts, as described under the second head, for
communicating motion to the spindles..
Thirdly, the use of antifriction rollers, as described, for preventing the
chafing of the material being wound, in place of the cups, or substitute for
cups, at present in use.
Fourthly, the arrangement described for obtaining a varying traverse in
cop winding machines, for the purpose of increasing the solidity of the cops.
Fifthly, the obtaining a positive motion endways to the spindles, in the
manner and for the purpose above set forth.
Sixthly, the method of treating cops of wet yarn, as described.
In witness whereof I, the said James Combe, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JAMES COMBE. (L.8.)