CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SPINNING COTTON OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Ashton Lightoller, of Chorley, in the
County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SPINNING COTTON OR OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Sealed the 8th July 1859, and dated the 13th January 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Ashton Lightoller
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 13th January 1859.
I, RICHARD ASHTON LIGHTOLLER, of Chorley, in the County of Lancaster,
Cotton Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SPINNING COTTON OR
OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:
This Invention relates to that description of machinery employed for
spinning known as hand mules and self-acting mules, and is designed for the
purpose of giving a slower motion to the front or "drawing rollers," and the
carriage and spindles simultaneously with and during the second "stretch"
of the yarn. The method by which the first and second stretch is at present
effected in such machinery is as follows:-First, motion is conveyed by
gearing to drive the "rollers" for drawing the cotton, and also for running
out the carriage and spindles termed the "first stretch," the drawing rollers
then stop, the carriage still continuing its motion, and thus the second stretch

page_text: is produced, or in some machines this is effected by means of a "scroll" or
pulley, or small drum upon which a band is coiled, and connected to the
carriage for drawing out the second stretch, being accomplished by the said
band coiling upon a smaller scroll or pulley, or during the time the band is
being coiled, and in other instances two trains of gearing are employed, one
being quick for turning the rollers and drawing out the carriage, a coupling
is then drawn out of gear with the quick, and thrown into gear with the slow
motion for producing the second stretch. My improvement consists in a first
train of gearing for driving the "drawing rollers," and running or drawing
out the spindle carriage for the first stretch, when the before-named coupling
is thrown out of gear and into gear with a second or slower motion, so as to
turn the drawing rollers and advance the carriage at a slower speed, during
which time the second stretch is produced, when the drawing rollers can be
stopped by a second and independent coupling or catch box, and the carriage
still continue its motion outwards until such catch box is again thrown out
of gear.
•
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Ashton Lightoller in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th July 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ASHTON LIGHTOLLER, of Chorley, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Ashton Lightoller, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Ashton Lightoller, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Richard Ashton Lightoller, 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 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 "CERTAIN IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SPINNING COTTON OR OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS," upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said Richard
Ashton Lightoller, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,

page_text: 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 nex
and immediately after the date of the said Letters. Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Ashton Lightoller, 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 and accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to that description of machinery.employed for spinning
known as hand "mules" and "self-acting mules," and is designed for the
purpose of giving a slower motion. to the front or "drawing rollers," and the
carriage carrying the spindles simultaneously with and during the second
"stretch" of the yarn. The method by which the first and second stretch is
at present effected in such machinery is as follows:-First motion is conveyed
by gearing to drive the "rollers" for drawing the cotton, and also for "running
out" the carriage and spindles termed the "first stretch," the drawing rollers
then stop, the carriage still continuing its motion until the second "stretch"
is effected or produced, or in some machines this is effected by means of a
"scroll" or pulley, or small drum, upon which a band is coiled and connected.
to the carriage for drawing out, the second "stretch" being accomplished by
the said band coiling, upon a smaller "scroll" or pulley, or during the time
the band is being coiled, and in other instances two trains of gearing are
employed, one being quick for, turning the rollers and drawing out the car-
riage, a double acting coupling is then drawn out of gear with the quick, and
thrown into gear with. the slow motion, operating upon the carriage only for.
producing the second "stretch.""
gear,
My improvement consists in the employment of a first train of gearing for
driving the "drawing rollers," and running or drawing out the spindle car-
riage for the first stretch when a double-acting coupling is thrown out of
and into gear with a second or slower motion, so as to turn the drawing rollers
and advance the carriage together at a.slower speed, during which time the
second stretch is produced, and the drawing rollers can be stopped by a
second and independent coupling or catch box, and the carriage still continue
its motion outwards until its catch box is thrown out of gear.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings illustrative of that por-
tion of the mule known as the "headstock," from which the various motions
are derived and imparted to the several actions of the machine, the Drawing
being made upon a scale of about one inch and a half to a foot, and having

page_text: similar letters of reference marked upon corresponding parts of the machinery
throughout.
Fig. 1 is a side view of the "headstock" of a self-acting mule; Fig. 2 is
an elevation of the back of the same; and Fig. 3 is a detached view of the
arrangement of levers and catches for actuating the different actions in the
headstock by the advancement of the spindle carriage. The consecutive
motions of the various parts and the general action of the machine will be
readily understood by the following lettered description thereof.
In Figs. 1 and 2, a, a, is the framing of the machine; b, the shaft driving
the drawing rollers c, c, upon which the "differential motions" are placed
for causing the alteration of speed of the drawing rollers and motion of the
carriage; d is a sliding rod supplied with a spring e, and upon which is secured
the catch f in connection with the lever and weight 9, more clearly seen
in Fig. 3; h, h, are two recessed levers, one within and the other outside the
framing, and furnished with projecting arms or fingers 1, 2, 3, which are
struck by the advancing spindle carriage to actuate the several corresponding
motions in the "headstock." The first arm being struck as the carriage-runs
out at the quick speed, for the first "stretch," draws the rod d, and causes
the bowl i upon it to come against the inclined plane of the lever k, and lift it
so that the lever k is caused to move the double-acting catch box lout of gear
with the quick wheels m, and into gear with the slower motion n, by which
means the drawing rollers and carriage are driven at a slower speed. The
carriage next comes into contact with the second arm 2, which draws the
rodd further, and brings the bowl o into contact with the lever p, and so lifts
it until it is caught and retained by the vertical bar or arm q, by which means
both levers and p are held up, one resting on the other by a projecting
stud k¹. The effect of this motion is to cause the lower end of the lever p to
throw the catch box r out of gear and stop the rollers; the carriage is still
caused to advance at a slightly slower speed regulated by the scroll s, twisting
and drawing the thread until the third arm 3 is struck, which draws the rod
to its fullest extent, and causes the finger t secured upon it to come into
contact with the finger u, and so move the lever v, and throw the scrolls out
of gear by releasing the catch box w, and stop the carriage. The carriage is
now "run in" by the usual means, and in running in comes into contact with
the bent lever x, which draws the rod d back again, lifting the weight g, and
replacing the various parts in their former position, and leaving the entire
machine ready for a similar succeeding movement.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of performing the same, I wish it to be distinctly understood that 1

page_text: claim imparting a slower motion to the drawing rollers and carriage, and also
a diminishing motion to the carriage simultaneously during the second stretch
in mules for spinning, and also the arrangement of mechanism for and the
novel method of actuating the required differential motions, the whole of
which is herein-before described, set forth, and fully exhibited in the Drawings
attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Ashton Lightoller, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
RICHARD ASHTON LIGHTOLLER. (L.S.)