A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines / containing a clear exposition of their principles and practice

by Andrew Ure

[Figs. 994.] and [995.] show the shape of the full bobbins, produced by the action of these two different traverse motions.

The upper part of the machine being exactly the same as the under part, it will be sufficient to explain the construction and operation of one of them.

A, A, are the end upright frames or standards, between which are two or three intermediate standards, according to the length of the machine. They are all connected at their sides by beams B and C, which extend the whole length of the machines. D, D, are the spindles, whose top bearings a, a, are made fast to the beams B, and their bottoms turn in hard brass steps, fixed to the bar C. These two bars together are called, by the workmen, the spindle box. The standards A, A, are bound with cross bars N, N.

c, c, are the wharves or whorls, turned by a band from the horizontal tin cylinder in the lines of E, E, [fig. 988.], lying in the middle line between the two parallel rows of spindles D, D. F, F, are the bobbins containing the untwisted doubled silk, which are simply pressed down upon the taper end of the spindles. d, d, are little flyers, or forked wings of wire, attached to washers of wood, which revolve loose upon the tops of the said bobbins F, and round the spindles. One of the wings is sometimes bent upwards, to serve as a guide to the silk, as shown by dotted lines in [fig. 990.] e, e, are pieces of wood pressed upon the tops of the spindles, to prevent the flyers from starting off by the centrifugal force. G, are horizontal shafts bearing a number of little spur wheels f, f. H, are slot-bearings, similar to those of the doubling-machine, which are fixed to the end and middle frames. In these slots, the light square cast-iron shafts or spindles g, [fig. 989.], are laid, on whose end the spur wheel h is cast; and when the shaft g lies in the front slot of its bearing, it is in geer with the wheel f, upon the shaft G; but when it is laid in the back slot, it is out of geer, and at rest. See F, F, [fig. 986.]

Upon these little cast-iron shafts or spindles g, [fig. 991.], the bobbins or blocks I, are thrust, for receiving, by winding-on, the twisted or spun silk. These blocks are made of a large diameter, in order that the silk fibres may not be too much bent; and they are but slightly filled, at each successive charge, lest, by increasing their diameter too much, they should produce too rapid an increase in the rate of winding, with proportional diminution in the twist, and risk of stretching or tearing the silk. They are therefore the more frequently changed. K, K, are the guide bars, with the guides i, i, through which the silk passes, being drawn by the revolving bobbins I, and delivered or laid on by the flyers d, d, from the rotatory twisting-bobbins F. The operation of the machine is therefore simple, and the motions are given to the parts in a manner equally so.

Upon the shaft of the tin cylinder or drum, exterior to the frame, the usual fast and loose pulleys, or riggers, L, L′, are mounted, for driving the whole machine. These riggers are often called steam-pulleys by the workmen, from their being connected by bands with the steam-driven shaft of the factory. In order to allow the riggers upon the shafts of the upper and the under drums to be driven from the same pulley upon the main shaft, the axis of the under drum is prolonged at L, L, and supported at its end, directly from the floor, by an upright bearing. Upon the shafts of the tin cylinders there is also a fly-wheel M, to equalize the motion. Upon the other ends of these shafts, namely at the end of the spinning-mill, represented in [fig. 988.], the pinions 1 are fixed, which drive the wheels 3, by means of the intermediate or carrier wheel 2; called also the plate wheel, from its being hollowed somewhat like a trencher. 1, is called the change-pinion, because it is changed for another, of a different size and different number of teeth, when a change in the velocity of wheels 2 and 3 is to be made. To allow a greater or smaller pinion to be applied at 1, the wheel 2 is mounted upon a stud k, which is movable in a slot concentric with the axis of the wheel 3. This slot is a branch from the cross bar N. The smaller the change-pinion is, the nearer will the stud k approach to the vertical line joining the centres of wheels 1 and 3; and the more slowly will the plate wheel 2 be driven. To the spur wheel 3, a bevel wheel 4, is fixed, with which the other also revolves loose upon a stud. The bevel wheel 5, upon the shaft l, is driven by the bevel wheel 4; and it communicates motion, by the bevel wheels 6 and 7, to each of the horizontal shafts G, G, extending along the upper and under tiers of the machine. At the left-hand side of the top part of [fig. 988.] the two wheels 6 and 7 are omitted, on purpose to show the bearings of the shaft G, as also the slot-bearings for carrying the shafts or skewers of the bobbins.

If it be desired to communicate twist in the opposite direction to that which would be given by the actual arrangement of the wheels, it is necessary merely to transpose the carrier wheel 2, from its present position on the right hand of pinion 1, to the left of it, and to drive the tin cylinder by a crossed or close strap, instead of a straight or open one.

The traverse motion of the guide is given here in a similar way to that of the engine, ([fig. 975.]) Near one of the middle or cross-frames of the machine (see [fig. 990.]) the wheel f, in geer with a spur wheel h, upon one of the block-shafts, drives also a spur wheel m, that revolves upon a stud, to which wheel is fixed a bevel wheel n, in geer with the bevel wheel o. To wheel o, the same mechanism is attached as was described under figs. 979. and 980., and which is here marked with the same letters.