GB553387A - An improvement in or relating to self-acting mules - Google Patents

Abstract

553,387. Spinning mules. HINCHCLIFFE, H., and STANGER, F. H. Jan. 12, 1942, Nos. 431 and 4790. [Class 120 (ii)] In a self-acting mule the carriage is run at a constant speed and the spindle at a varying speed during the outward run of the carriage, the usual side shaft being driven through change gearing from a shaft driven by a belt and fast and loose pulleys from a countershaft receiving a constant speed drive while the rim shaft is driven by a belt or clutch from a variable speed drive and the means controlling the belt or clutch is linked to the belt-shifting means of the shaft driven from the countershaft; the front, roller shaft is connected by gears and a sliding clutch to the back shaft. As shown the constant speed motor a drives the countershaft b which drives shaft d through a belt b<SP>2</SP> and fast and loose pulleys c, c<SP>1</SP>, the shaft d being connected by change gearing e with the side shaft f geared by bevel pinions f to the front roller shaft g. The variable speed motor m drives the drum k which drives the spindles only and is connected by a belt i<SP>6</SP> to fast and loose pulley j<SP>2</SP>, j<SP>1</SP> on the rim shaft j<SP>2</SP>, the fork h controlling the position of the belt b<SP>2</SP> being linked by levers &c. i - - i<SP>4</SP> to the fork i<SP>6</SP> controlling the position of the belt i<SP>5</SP>. The front roller shaft g carries a gear n geared to a gear n<SP>2</SP> loose on the back shaft n<SP>3</SP> and carrying a clutch member n<SP>4</SP> adapted to engage a slidable clutch member n<SP>5</SP> keyed to the shaft and, to ensure that the member n<SP>4</SP> will engage with certainty the member n<SP>5</SP>, the gear n<SP>2</SP> is rotated slowly while the back shaft is at rest, the change gear on the side shaft f being geared to a ratchet wheel r<SP>2</SP> driven by a pawl on a gear r driven from the rim shaft j<SP>2</SP>; other means, e.g. a ratchet quadrant moved by the carriage as it approaches the end of its inward run, may be used to set the gear n<SP>2</SP> in motion before the clutch member n<SP>4</SP> is moved to its engaging position. The backing- off motion and pulling-up motion are driven from the countershaft b which carries a pulley connected by a belt p<SP>1</SP> to a pulley on a shaft p<SP>4</SP> geared to a pinion p<SP>6</SP> loose on the rim shaft f<SP>2</SP> but adapted to be clutched thereto for the driving of the rim shaft when backing- off while the belt i<SP>6</SP> is on the loose pulley j<SP>1</SP>; a pulley p<SP>3</SP> loose on the shaft p<SP>4</SP> is connected to the pulling-in scroll and is driven by the belt p<SP>1</SP> when this is transferred to the pulley p<SP>3</SP>. The back shaft may be driven by a third motor instead of from the shaft g.