An Improved Self-acting Mule with Electrical Driving-gear.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Self-acting Mule with Electrical Driving-gear.
We, WALDEMAR BRETSCHNEIDER, Director of the Sachsische Kammgarnspin-
nerei, of No. 47, Harthau, and WILHELM LAUTH, Engineer, of No. 49B,
Harthau, in the Erzgebirge, Saxony, in the German Empire, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
Our invention relates to a self-acting mule with electrical driving gear, in which
the electromotor, which always rotates in the same direction, is mounted on the
carriage; and the shaft which is mounted in the headstock and controls the draw-
ing-in and out of the carriage (heretofore the main driving-shaft), is caused to rotate
continuously in the same direction by means of the drum-band or cord running
over the rim-pulley, in the well-known manner. The drum-shaft, from which the
spindles are driven, can be connected to the electromotor by two couplings or
clutches in such a manner that it can be first driven directly thereby and then,
by the intercalation of gearing, set slowly in rotation in the opposite direction.
In constructing a self-acting mule according to our said invention we prefer-
ably proceed as follows, viz. :-
The electromotor is mounted on the carriage in such a manner that its hollow
shaft embraces the drum-shaft, from which the spindles are driven in the well-
known manner. On the drum-shaft is secured a toothed wheel which gears with
a toothed wheel mounted on a counter-shaft adjacent thereto.
On the hollow shaft of the electromotor, the driving-band pulley is secured on
the one side to a half-coupling or clutch-section and on the other side to a toothed
wheel. The motion of the latter is transmitted, by means of spur-gearing to
a gear-wheel which rotates freely on the drum-shaft and to which is attached a
half-coupling or clutch-section forming part of a second coupling or clutch.
On the drum-shaft are moreover mounted two half-couplings or clutch-sections
in such a manner that they must take part in the rotation of the shaft but can be
moved or slid thereon so that they can be brought into or out of engagement with
the corresponding half-couplings or clutch-sections above mentioned, as required.
Over the driving-band pulley of the electromotor runs the band which is guided
over suitable guide-pulleys and sets a shaft on the headstock in rotation by means
of a suitable pulley, which shaft, in the self-actors heretofore generally employed,
served as the main driving-shaft, and from which the shafts for drawing in and
out the carriage are actuated.
In drawing out the carriage, the first coupling or clutch, is put into gear so that
the drum-shaft is coupled directly to the electromotor. On the completion of the
drawing-out of the carriage the first coupling or clutch is thrown out of gear and
the second coupling or clutch into gear, so that the drum-shaft is slowly turned
back by means of the intercalated gearing to effect the backing-off of the threads.
The drawing-in and the winding on of the threads is effected in the well-known
manner.
The parts for arresting the backing-off of the threads, as well as those for winding

page_text: on the threads during the drawing-in of the carriage (which, in the self-acting
mules heretofore employed, were arranged on the drum-shaft) are arranged, in
the mule forming the subject of this invention, on the counter-shaft which is
connected to the drum-shaft by means of gear-wheels as above mentioned. In
this manner no alteration is necessary in the construction and method of operation
of these parts.
Our self-acting mule has the advantage over those heretofore employed, that
the otherwise inevitable losses of power in the transmission bands and gearing are
obviated, and also that the interval of time which elapses between the first and
second periods of the spinning (between the spinning and the backing-off) is con-
siderably shortened. Heretofore, in the transition from the first period to the
second, it was necessary to stop and run backwards, the main shaft of the headstock as
well as the band and the pulley for driving the drum-shaft, in addition to the
spindles, whilst in our arrangement only the drum shaft with the spindles need
be brought to rest, since the first coupling or clutch is simply thrown out of gear.
Likewise, a saving of time takes place at the beginning of the first period of the
spinning, since here the above-mentioned swinging or reciprocating masses, which
are continually in motion, act to assist the motion of the spindles as they begin
to rotate.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
An Improved Self-acting Mule with Electrical Driving-gear..
We, WALDEMAR BRETSCHNEIDER, Director of the Sachsische Kammgarnspin-
nerei, of No. 47, Harthau, and WILHELM LAUTH, Engineer, of No. 49B,
Harthau, in the Erzgebirge, Saxony, in the German Empire, 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:-
Our invention relates to a self-acting mule with electrical driving-gear, in which
the electromotor, which always rotates in the same direction, is mounted on the
carriage, and the shaft which is mounted in the headstock and controls the draw-
ing-in and out of the carriage (heretofore the main driving-shaft), is caused to rotate
continuously in the same direction by means of the drum-band or cord running
over the rim-pulley in the well-known manner. The drum-shaft, from which the
spindles are driven, can be connected to the electro-motor by two couplings or
clutches in such a manner that it can be first driven directly thereby and then,
by the intercalation of gearing, set slowly in rotation in the opposite direction.
A self actor of this kind, as far as concerns its essential parts, is shown in the
accompanying drawing in longitudinal section through the headstock in Figure 1,
and in plan in Figure 2.
The electro-motor A is mounted on the carriage D, which is only shown diagram-
matically, in such a manner that its hollow shaft B embraces the drum-shaft C,
from which the spindles are driven in the well-known manner. On the drum-
shaft C is secured a toothed wheel N which gears with a toothed wheel U mounted
on a counter-shaft T adjacent thereto.
1
On the hollow shaft B of the electromotor is secured, on one side, the driving-
band pulley F with a half-coupling or clutch-section G, and on the other side,
a toothed wheel E. The motion of the latter is transmitted, by means of spur-

page_text: gearing P, Q, R, to a gear-wheel S which rotates freely on the drum-shaft C
and to which is attached a half-coupling or clutch-section O¹ forming part of a
second coupling or clutch.
On the drum-shaft C are moreover mounted two half-couplings or clutch-
sections G and O in such a manner that they must take part in the rotation of
the shaft but can be moved or slid thereon so that they can be brought into or
out of engagement with the corresponding half-couplings or clutch-sections G or O¹
as required.
:
Over the driving-band pulley F of the electromotor runs the band H which
is guided over suitable guide-pulleys I, K, L and sets a shaft W on the headstock
in rotation by means of a pulley M, which shaft, in the self-actors heretofore
generally employed, served as the main driving-shaft, and from which the shafts
for drawing-in and out the carriage are actuated...:
In drawing out the carriage, the first coupling or clutch G G₁ is put into gear
so that the drum-shaft C is coupled directly to the electromotor. On the com-
pletion of the drawing-out of the carriage the first coupling or clutch G G¹ is
thrown out of gear and the second coupling or clutch O, O' into gear, so that the
drum-shaft C is slowly turned back by means of the intercalated gearing
EPQRS to effect the backing-off of the threads.
The drawing-in of the carriage and the winding on of the threads is effected
in the well-known manner.
The parts for arresting the backing-off of the threads preferably consist of the
following known arrangement, comprising a ratchet-wheel which is keyed on the
shaft T; near this on the shaft T is a loose wheel with a pawl and spring, which
are so arranged that the wheel is carried or moved with the ratchet-wheel as soon
as this ratchet-wheel, with the shaft T, turns in the opposite direction to the
direction of winding. In this manner a chain is wound up, which depresses the
faller-wire and thus interrupts the backward motion of the spindles and con-
sequently the backing-off, while the snails or fuses are also simultaneously set
in motion for drawing-in the carriage. For the winding-on of the threads, there
is a second ratchet -wheel and loose wheel with a pawl and spring on the shaft T.
This wheel is in connection with the quadrants through the quadrant drum and
quadrant chain. The proper rotation of the spindles or of the drum shaft and
therefore of the shaft T with the loose wheel, the pawl of which has engaged in
the ratchet-wheel, is thus effected since the point at which the quadrant chain is
coupled to the quadrants is moved in the same direction but at a smaller velocity
than the carriage. If desired, however, other suitable mechanism can be employed
for arresting the backing-off of and for winding on the threads.
Our self-acting mule has the advantage over those heretofore employed, that
the otherwise inevitable losses of power in the transmission bands and gearing are
obviated, and also that the interval of time which elapses between the first and
second periods of the spinning (between the spinning and the backing-off) is con-
siderably shortened. Heretofore, in the transition from the first period to the
second, it was necessary to stop and run backwards the main shaft of the headstock as
well as the band and the pulley for driving the drum-shaft, in addition to the
spindles, whilst in our arrangement only the drum shaft with the spindles need be
brought to rest, since the first coupling or clutch G G¹ is simply thrown out of gear.
Likewise a saving of time takes place at the beginning of the first period of the
spinning, since here the above-mentioned swinging or reciprocating masses, which
are continually in motion, act to assist the motion of the spindles as they begin
to rotate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A self-acting mule with electrical driving-gear, comprising an electromotor
arranged on the carriage and rotating continuously in the same direction, which

page_text: motor, by means of the drum-band or cord, continuously sets in rotation in the
same direction the shaft mounted in the headstock that regulates the drawing-in
and out of the carriage, and, by means of two clutches or couplings, is first coupled
directly with the drum-shaft in order to drive the spindles in the drawing-out
of the carriage, and afterwards, by the intercalation of gearing, is coupled so that
the drum-shaft rotates slowly backwards to effect the backing-off of the threads:"
2. In an electrically-driven self-acting mule, the arrangement of the parts for
arresting the backing-off of the threads, as well as those for winding on the threads,
on a special shaft set in rotation from the drum-shaft, substantially as described.
Dated the 26th day of February 1898.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.