US550790A

US550790A - Self-acting mule

Info

Publication number: US550790A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 1912-12-03

Description

(No Model.) 5 Shets-Sheet 1. G. G. HAWKINS. SELF ACTING MULB- 5 sheets sheet 2;

(No Model.)

' a. 0. HAWKINS.

. H SELF ACTING MULE. N0. 550,790. Patented Dec. 3, 1895.

(ND Model?) v 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

a. O..H AWKINS. SELF ACTING MULE. NO. 550,790. Patented Dec. 3, 1 895.

MRI 3 \Q [Sill/I10.

AN DREW B.GRAHAM. PHOTB-UTHDWASMRSIDN I);

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4. G. G. HAWKINS. SELF ACTING MULE. i No. 550,790. Patented Dec. 3, 1895.

- l E' 2 7 y i a2 I0 /i /3 ANDnEW L GRAHhM PHOTO UThO WASHINGTQH m:

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

G. 0. HAWKINS.

SELF ACTING MULE.

No. 550,790. Patented DeoLS', 1895.

Jig-7 2 Mile 1 I a" w vcesses. I he;

azawww 'eiherd ewlcs- 7 ANDREW B GRAHAM.PHOIB'UYNOWASNINGTOND c,

IJNiTnn STATnsj PATENT Urnrcn GARDNER O. HAWKINS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SELF-ACTING M U LE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,790, dated December 3, 1895.

Application filed July 10, 1895. Serial No. 555,474. (No model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GARDNER O. HAWKINS, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Self-Acting 'Mules, of which the following description, in connection with the accompan ing drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

It is 110w the usual practice to drive self-acting spinning-mules from a head-stock which receives power by means of a suitable belt from shafting, the different operations of the mule being derived from the head-stock by various mechanisms, the functions of drawing the carriage in and out being performed by means of scrolls and ropes or by racks and gearing, both of which are objectionable. This results in a large and most complicated mass of mechanical details, taking up much room, requiring a comparatively large amount of power relatively to the work to be performed, and by reason of the very large number of parts the first cost of the mule is very great and the running expenses caused by wear and tear mount up to an excessive yearly amount. Variations in the timing of the different parts also causes improper stretching or kinking of the yarn, so that the product is not uniform.

The many and varied operations and m ovements of parts necessary in a self-acting mule have heretofore precluded the simplification thereof, with a consequent reduction in cost and necessary power to actuate it.

The essential operations of a self-acting mule are substantially as follows: drawing the carriage in and out, rotating the spindles mounted on the carriage to draw and twist or spin the yarn as the carriage is drawn out, reversing the direction of rotation of the spindles for a few turns at the outer end of the travel of the carriage during the backing off, rotating the spindles as the carriage is drawn in to wind the yarn thereupon, the speed of rotation being gradually decreased as the cops increase in size, and shaping the cop.

Inasmuch as the head-stock is stationary and the carriage continually moving in one direction or the other as it is drawn in or out, the means for transmitting and controlling the direction and speed of rotation to the spindles on the carriage and for causing the proper movements of the latter must necessarily be extremely complicated, and so much power is required to overcome the friction of the different parts of the mechanism, composed largely of idlers, that considerably more power is required to operate the mule thanwould be otherwise necessary and the backlash and lost motion introduced by the complicated mechanism is a constant source of trouble.

i In my experiments and studies to simplify the construction of and to reduce the power necessary to operate self-acting mules and to increase their rapidity and precision of operation I have discovered that the head-stock, with its complicated and cumbersome mechanism, may be dispensed with entirely by transferring the driving power directly to a self-propelling carriage, the rotation and control of the spindles and their co-operating devices and the in and out movements of the carriage being controlled directly from the carriage itself. I am thereby enabled to so reduce the number of necessary parts as to proportionally lower the first cost of production and to do away with the larger portion of the running expenses, and, furthermore, I make the operation of the mule more positive and direct than has heretofore been possible, obviating slip and backlash, and the mule can be run at a much higher speed than is now possible to produce good work. The reduction of parts decreases the friction to be overcome and thereby requires less power to operate a mule constructed in accordance with my invention, compared with the present self-acting mules known to me, spindle for spindle, and as slip is avoided I am enabled to produce more uniform results with an increased output.

In spinningor twisting yarn on a mule it is necessary to adjust the angle of the spindles according to the number of the yarn to be produced; but, so far as I am aware, such adjustment must now be made when the mule is inoperative on one section of spindles after another, the skill and judgment of the operator being wholly relied upon to properly adjust the whole series equally, and asit is a long, tiresome, and dirty job to properly adjust the spindles it is very frequently shirked and neglected. The adjustment is effected ICO by moving the upper bearing or bolster-rail relatively to the lower bearing or step-rail, the step-bearings being cupped out sufficiently to permit such movement of the spindles. The spindle-whirls are thus moved toward or away from the driving drum or cylinder, and consequently the driving-bands are slackened or strained, an d it is impossible to obtain uniform speed of rotation for the spindles, and as the mule must remain idle during adjustment the output will be diminished.

Ihave herein provided means for so mounting the spindles that the entire series at one or the other side of the carriage may be instantly and accurately adjusted to any desired angle without changing the tension of the driving-bands and without stopping the operation of the mule. This is a most valuable feature, for in operating spinning-mules the yarn will often snarl on the spindles on account of the angles of the spindles being improperly adjusted to the number of the yarn being spun, and by means of my invention the attendant can regulate the angle until the yarn runs smoothly and properly. So, too, a mule may be run one day upon one number of yarn and the next day it may be desired to .run it on an entirely different num ber, and by the ready and rapid adjustment I have provided the mule can be changed whenever desired from one to another numher of yarn.

I have herein provided means for positively effecting the drawing-out movement of the carriage at a uniform speed and for running the carriage in with a positive acceleration and diminution of speed by simple and positively-operating mechanism on the carriage itself, a common actuating-shaft, hereinafter termed the motor-shaft, being mounted on the carriage and continuously rotated at a constant speed.

The devices for changing the direction of movement of the carriage at each end of the stretch, so as to spin and wind alternately, act to connect the drawing-out or the running-in movements with the motor-shaft, and such devices are instantaneous in their operation and readily adjustable to conform to the various conditions under which the mule should Work on different kinds of yarn.

Many of the particular devices herein shown and described are common to self acting mules now in use, and such parts I have not described in detail, confining myself more particularly to those parts which form the gist of my invention.

Figure 1, in side elevation, represents a selfacting mule embodying my invention, the

3 is 'a front elevation of the carriage and parts shown in Fig. 2 and likewise broken out at the ends to save space, the longitudinal running-in shaft being also broken out at the center of the carriage to more clearly show some of theparts behind it. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the carriage, taken on the line m, Fig. 2, looking toward the left. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the carriage, taken on the line w 00, Fig. 2, looking toward the right. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical view of a modified form of means for transmitting power to the carriage, to be hereinafter referred to. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional View of the carriage, taken on the line 00 :0 Fig. 3, looking toward the left. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one form of builder-rail.

Referring to Fig. 1, the creel-frame A, to support a series of creels A- at one end of the apparatus, the quadrant B, having a toothed segmental surface 6 in engagement with a driving-pinion Z), fast on a rotatable shaft b mounted on a fixed part of the frame A at the opposite end of the mule-frame, and the central tie-rod A (shown only in Fig. 1) may be and are all substantially as usual or common in self-acting mules, the creel-frame being provided with suitable drawing .or feed rolls A (shown only in section in Fig. 1) of well-known construction and driven in usual manner.

In Fig. 1 the fixed supports and bearings for the feeda'olls have been omitted for the sake of clearness, inasmuch as such parts are old and well known, they forming no part of this invention.

A series of tracks 25 29, Figs. 1 and 2, at each side of the longitudinal center of the muleframe extend along the floor from front to back of the frame in parallelism, the trackst being'arranged near the outer ends and the tracks 6 toward the center of the carriage now to be described.

The carriage is very long in order to acco1n modate a large number of spindles and comparatively narrow, and it has a considerable weight to support, aswill presently appear, and in order to combine strength and rigidity with lightness I have herein shown the carriage as substantiallya lattice-girder formed of two oppositely-turned angle-irons c 0, extending from each end of the carriage to a point near the center, the horizontal webs of the angle-irons being connected by latticeplatesc (Mostclearlyshownin Fig.2.) The lattice-girder thus formed is securely bolted to inner transverse truck-frames and adjustably to outer truck-frames 0* by means of screw-bolts 20 passing through'threaded cars 21 on the vertical webs of the an gle-irons and into truck-frames 0 the latter being located substantially at the ends of the girder, while the frames 0 are located toward the center of the carriage and support the interrupted ends of thegirder, as will be seen by reference to Figs. 1 and 2, so that the girder proper is interrupted at the central portion of the car- IIO riage to support the operating mechanism thereat.

Shaft-s c and c are extended from one to the other of the outermost truck-frames c and through the intermediate frames at the front and back of the carriage, rotating in suitable bearings in said frames and having secured thereto, preferably, grooved or flanged wheels T T, which run upon the tracks 15 t. These shafts and their attached wheels are positively and independently rotated, the shaft 0 acting as the driving-shaft when the carriage is running in and having a gradually accelerating and diminishing speed, while the shaft 0 is positively rotated at a uniform speed in the opposite direction to move the carriage out, and it will be hereinafter designated as the drawing-out shaft.

The inner frames 0 are rigidly connected by suitable bolts to a center plate or casting O, which serves to not only rigidly connect the girders forming the two ends of the carriage, but also to form a support for the spindle-operating mechanism to be described and the clutches intermediate the motor-shaft and the running-in and drawing-out shafts.

A drum-shaft D is extended from one end of the carriage to the other and is supported in suitable bearings 5 and 6 at its outer ends and toward the center of the carriage, respectively, the latter bearings being secured to the connecting-plate O, and the said drumshaft, as herein shown, passes through a motor M and is additionally supported thereby, as will hereinafter appear.

The spindle-driving drums or cylinders D are suitably secured to and rotate with said shaft betweenthe bearings 5 and 6 at each side of the center of the carriage, and bands D (shown only in Figs. 1 and 2) are passed about the drums to drive the whirls w of the spindles S, each spindle preferably having its own driving-band, although a continuous band engaging all the spindles may be used, if desired.

As best shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, the spindles S are mounted in a bolster-bearing s and a step-bearing s in bolster and step rails y y, respectively, secured atintervals to yokes y which are pivoted at g to upturned standards 1 preferably bolted to the vertical flange of the angle-iron 0, so that the entire series of spindles at each side of the center of the carriage may be rocked on the horizontal pivots 1 of the yokes in unison, as desired, it being evident that when the bolsterbearings are moved in one direction the stepbearings will be moved inan opposite direction in unison and by a like amount, so that the angle of the spindles may be most acourately adjusted, as desired.

The whirls w are located opposite to the pivotal points of the yokes y so that pivotal movement of the latter will not vary the tension of the driving-bands D in adjusting the angle of the spindles, and consequently the speed of rotation will be maintained uniform irrespective of the angle at which the spin dles may be adjusted.

To conveniently adjust the angle of the spindles according to the number and condition of the yarn to be produced, I have herein shown the yokes as connected by links 11 to arms y on a longitudinal rock-shaft y, two of such rock-shafts being shown, one at each side-of the carriage and extended the length thereof.

Partial rotation of the rock-shafts in one or the other direction will, it is obvious, adjust the angle of the spindles through the mechanism described, and any suitable locking device may be used to hold the rock-shafts, and consequently the spindles, in adjusted position. One such simple form of locking device is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the stationary locking-plate g being provided with a notched segmental periphery, one or other notches of which may be engaged by a suitable bolt 1 on an arm y", fast to the projecting end of the rock-shaft, although it is obvious that any other suitable locking device may be used in place thereof.

Obviously all of the spindles at one or the other side of the center of the carriage will be adjusted simultaneously and by a like amount by the adjusting mechanism de-.

scribed and that without stopping the operation of the mule, as it is sometimes desirable to change the spindle-angle while the mule is running, in order to perfect the operation thereof.

I have herein shown the carriage as self-propelled by means of an electric motor supported on and moving with the carriage, the current being conveyed to and from the motor by

suitable wires

10, 11, 12, and 13, a four-wire system being shown, the coils in the wires being amply sufficient topermit the travel of the carriage.

A motor having commutator-brushes cannot, of course, be used ordinarily in a spinningmill on account of the sparking, and I prefer to use what is known as the Tesla polyphasemotor, such a motor being illustrated in the drawings, bolted securely to the connectingplates C, the rotating member of the motor being attached to a hollow shaft or sleeve m, surrounding and adapted to rotate independently of or with the drum-shaft D, the hollow shaft or sleeve 7% being herein termed the motor-shaft. The motor is in continuous operation, and consequently the motor-shaft m will also rotate continuously, and I have provided means for at times automatically connecting the drum-shaft to and to rotate with the motor -shaft and to disconnect it therefrom, and also for transmitting the rotation of the motor-shaft to the drawing-out and running-in shafts c and 0 respectively.

The motor shaft or sleeve m has fast thereon a worm m in engagement with a Wormwheel m (see Figs. 3 and 4,) mounted on a shaft m supported in suitable bearings on the plate 0, the said shaft m having fast thereon bevel-gears n and at opposite sides of the worm-wheel.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the bevel-gear a is in mesh with a like gear (Z, loose on the drawing-out shaft c and having secured to or forming part of it one member, as (1, of a frictionclutch, the other member, (F, of the clutch being mounted upon the shaft 0 to rotate therewith by being splin ed and longitudin ally movable thereon, all as is common in frictionclutches of this character.

The hub 61 of the movable member of the clutch is engaged by a yoke-arm d, (see dotted lines, Figs. 2 and 4,) extended through a suitable opening in and pivoted to the plate 0, the lower end of the yoke-arm projecting below said plate and to be acted upon by a suitable actuator (1 attached to the floor at the inner end of the travel of the carriage (shown in Figs. 2 and at) and having an inclined operating-face of such shape as to throw the clutch d d into operative position to positively rotate the shaft 0" in the direction of the arrow 200, Fig. 2, when the drawin g-out movement of the carriage is to begin.

hen the carriage reaches the outer end of the stretch, it is necessary to unclutch the shaft 0 from connection with the motor mechanism, and this is accomplished by means of Y clutch to be engaged at times by the co-operating member 0 of the clutch, which is splined onto the shaft 0 to rotate therewith and being longitudinally movable thereon. The member 0 is moved longitudinally into and out of engagement with the member 0 by means of a yoke-arm 0 (best shown in Fig. 3,) pivoted in and ext-ended through the plate 0 and extended below the said plate to be engaged by an actuator 0 on the floor of the room to throw the clutch 0 0 into operative position just after the clutch d d has been released, the momentum of the carriage at each end of its travel being sufficient to cause one clutch to be thrown in after the other is thrown out. The shaft 0 has fast thereon an elliptic gear 0 Figs. 2 and at, in mesh with a second elliptic gear 0 on an intermediate shaft 0", mounted in the carriage-frame, said intermediate shaft having fast thereon a gear 0 in. mesh with a pinion 0 on the running-in shaft 0 so that rotation is transmitted to the said running-in shaft through the elliptic gears o and 0 the gear 0 and the pinion o The elliptic gears impart to the shaft 0 a slow rotation at the beginning, gradually accelerating the speed at first and then later diminishing it as the carriage is run in, the

shaft being rotated while running in in the direction of the arrow 300, Fig. 2.

\Vhen the carriage arrives at the inner end of its travel, the clutch o o is rendered inoperative by means of an actuator 0 at the illner end of the path of movement of the yokearm 0 just before the actuator d throws the clutch d (Z into operative position.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the drawing-out movement of the carriage, away from the creel-frame, will be a regular uniform movement, while its movement toward the creel-frame or running in willbe a variable one, graduallyaccelerated to maximum speed and thereafter diminishing till it reaches the inner end of its travel, and by adjusting the clutch-actuators the timing of the travel of the carriage can be regulated as may be necessary.

The motor-shaft m, which rotates continuously with the armature of the motor M, as herein shown, has fast thereon one member, as 6, (see Fig. 3,) of a friction-clutch, which maybe of any suitable construction; but herein I have broken out the member 6 of the clutch to show an inclosed split ring 6, normally surrounding the drum-shaft D loosely, said split ring being tightened upon the said shaft by means of a lever 0 (see dotted lines,

Fig. 3,) having an eccentric end mounted in the member 6 to bear upon and at times compress the ring 6 upon the shaft, the lever a rotating with the clutch. Rotative movement of the eccentric end of the lever compresses the split ring a. This clutch forms the subjeetmatter of United States Patent No. 239,933 and Reissue No. 10,365, granted August 14:, 1883, to Thomas F. Carver, and'as it is not of my invention and clearly shown in said patents, to which reference may be had, I do not deem it necessary to show its construction in detail.

The lever e is moved into operative posi tion by means of a suitable cone e loosely mounted on the drum-shaft and longitudinally movable relatively thereto by means of a lever 6 pivoted at e to a stand on the plate 0, the depending end of said lever being engaged by a suitablecam-shaped actuator a (see Fig. 2) at the inner end of the travel of the carriage to move the clutch e 6 into operative position to connect the motor shaft or sleeve m with and to rotate the drum-shaft D at full speed, so that during the drawing-out movement of the carriage away from the creel-frame the driving-drums Dare rotated at their highest speed to in turn rotate the spindles S to spin or twist the yarns. At the outer end of the travel of the carriage the clutch c e is thrown out of operative position by a cam-like actuator 6 (See Figs.2 and 3.)

When the outward movement of the carriage is stopped, the backing off, which is the rotation of the spindles backwardly, is then effected prior to running in and winding on,

the fallerwire at the same time being depressed to be ready for the winding on, and referring to Figs. 2, 3, 5, and 8 the backingoff operation will now be described. shaft m is extended toward the front of the carriage and supported in a bearing m on the plate 0, and a bevel-gear mifast on the shaft, is in mesh with a similar gear m, fast on an intermediate shaft m rotatable in bearings 7. A sprocket or other suitable wheel hi fast on the shaft m is connected by a chain or beltm with a second sprocket m fast on a short shaft m, rotatable in suitable bearingsupports and having loosely mounted thereon a gear m in mesh with a gear Z2 fast on the drum-shaft. The intermediate shaft m rotates continuously in the direction of the arrow 4500, Fig. 2, and by or through the intermediate connections the shaft in is rotated continuously in the same direction as the rotation of the shaft m Obviously the loose gear m will be rotated by the gear Z) during the spinning or twisting; but when the clutch e is thrown out of operation the gear on is temporarily clutched to the shaft m to rotate the drum shaft D and thereby the spindles backwardly to effect the backing off. The hub of the gear m forms one member m of the clutch, the cooperating member in being splined to and longitudinally movable on the shaft m by an operating-lever m pivoted at in and extended through an opening in the plate C, as shown in Fig. 3, to be engaged and moved by an actuator m", which is shaped, as shown in Fig. 2, to move the clutch into operative position at the end of the stretch and back off the spindles, the momentum of the carriage taking the lever 471 beyond the end of the actuator, so that the spring .9 will move it to release the clutch, the spindles being then ready for the winding on.

\Vhen the carriage begins its travel toward the creel-frame and while running in, the drums D" are rotated by other mechanism now to be described, it being understood that when running in the drum-shaft D is entirely disconnected from the sleeve 0% by or through the clutch mechanism just described.

The'quadrant B to regulate the winding on in usual manner is driven by a band or rope I), (see Fig 1,) secured at its ends to the carriage in any well-known; manner at h the said band passing around an idler b loose on the drawing-roll-actuating shaft A, and rotating the, actuating pinion h by or through the pulley b fast on the shaft (7 The usual sliding nut Z1 of the quadrant is connected loosely with the winding-chain b in usual manner, one end of said chain being secured to the chain drum Z), the said drum being shown best in Fig. 2 as mounted on a portion of the motor-frame, said drum having attached thereto a gear If in engagement with a gear bisecured to or forming part of one member I) of the windingon clutch, the other sliding member Z9 of said clutch being actuated in usual manner through a lover I)", controlled by the faller The mechanism, to throw the clutch into operation 'at the beginning of the winding on and to throw it out of operation when the carriage has completed the running in.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the member b of the clutch is splined on an auxiliary shaft Z7 having fast thereon a gear I), which is in mesh with a gear I), fast on the drum-shaft D, and, as will be readily understood, the drum-shaft will be rotated when the carriage is running in to wind the previously-twisted yarn upon the spindles S. The winding-on motion of thespindles S is thus attained while the carriage is moving away from the sliding nut of the quadrant at a speed greater than the speed of the nut. riage over the quadrant-nut thus gives motion to the spindles in usual manner and at the first wind on the bare spindle the quad rant-nut will start at a point near the bot tom of the quadrant-frame B.

At the next wind the speed of the cylinder should'be diminished in proportion as the yarn wound. on in the previous wind has increased the diameter on which the winding is now to be effected, and this is accomplished by the raising of the quadrant-nut to give the proper spindle speed to wind on after each successive draw. The spindle speed is diminished at the beginning of each winding on until the cone, is formed, and then the winding-on motion is substantially uniform until. the full cop is formed. The quadrant-nut h" is raised or lowered by rotation of the screw h the r0- tation being imparted thereto through bevelj with a feed-sheave a.

gears (not shown) and of Well-known construction and forming no part of myinvention, the actuating-gear being secured to and to rotate An endless cord at is passed around the sheave a, then around an adjacent guide-pulley a one portion of the cord or band being carried forward around an idler a at the base of the creel-frame, thence over an idler on the carriage and a sheave ca, fast on a shaft a, mounted rotatably in the carriage, and back to guide-pulley a As the carriage moves back and forth the shaft (i will be rotated first in one and 1 then in the other direction bythe cord a, and

the feed-sheave awill not be rotated. If,

i however,therotation of the shaft o is stopped,

the friction of the cord passing around it will act topu'll one side of the cord in the direction of movement of the carriage, rotating the feed-sheave (I, and through the interven- 3 arm.

A toothed wheel or cscapement a is secured to the shaft a to be engaged at the proper time by a device, to be described, to thus stop rotation of the shaft a and cause the quadrant-nut b" to feed-along.

hen the carriage is moving toward the quadrant during. the drawing out, the quadrant-chain 19 must be wound upon the chain-,

I drum Z) to "take up'the slack, and to. do this The gain of the can IIO I have attached to the chain-drum a preferably grooved pulley I), about which is passed one or more times a cord or band Z1 fixed at one end to the creel-frame A or otherwise, the said cord or band after passing around the pulley b being led back over an idler Z9 on the carriage and thence to the quadrantsupport B to which it is secured, and it will be evident that as the carriage is moved in one or the other direction the chain-drum b will be correspondingly rotated by or through the band or cord Z2 described.

When the carriage is running in, the quadrant-chain will rotate the drum b in the direction of the arrow 600, Fig. 2, the band or cord Z9 slipping around the grooved pulley b more or less, according to the speed imparted to the drum by the chain, and when the carriage is drawing out the cord Z9 will rotate the drum in the direction opposite to the arrow 600 to wind the chain thereupon.

The sleeve m has fast thereon a grooved sheave m, about which is wrapped one or more times an endless band m (shown only in Fig. 1,) extending around an idler m at one end of the travel of the carriage and also around a suitable sheave m adjacent the creel-frame, mounted on a shaft m to which is adjustably attached a friction-disk m in engagement with the flat surface of a second friction-disk m fast on an upright shaft m, provided with a bevel-gear m in mesh with and to rotate the larger bevel-gear on, loose on the driving-shaft of the drawing-rolls A and connected thereto at times by a suitable clutch mechanism in usual manner, as is common in self-acting mules.

By adjusting the friction-wheel m toward or away from the center of rotation of the disk m the speed of the latter may be varied to vary the speed of the drawing or feed rolls.

An arm f is rigidlysecured to and projects in front of the faller-shaft f, and to this arm is attached a chain f passed around an idler f mounted on a bracket f on the standard 105 of the carriage, (shown only in Figs. 5 and 7 to avoid confusion,) the chain passing thence to a drum K, which is rotated during the backing off by the shaft 5 by means of the usual click motion within the drum K, the teeth thereof being so set as to engage only at such time. hen the drum is thus rotated, it winds up the chain f and brings the fallerwire F down upon the threads, (not shown to avoid confusing the drawings,) depressing them toward the bottom of the cops. The arm f is bent over rearwardly from the fallershaft at f, and the upper end of the locking-bar 7b is pivoted thereto, said bar being connected by a link it to the bracket f. The lower end of the locking-bar is provided with a shoulder 7L2, adapted when the bar is lifted to swing over upon a suitable roller or other stud 7L3 on the builder h. The faller being locked, the carriage begins to run in, and while the spindles S wind up the thread on the cops the faller gradually rises as the builder runs down the part 72 of the copping-rail shown in Fig. 8. The builder 71 has bearings in the carriage, and is provided with a friction-roll 7L W1llCh*tI'ZtVGlS upon the copping-rail.

The copping-rail may be of any usual or desired construction and forms no part of my invention; but in Fig. 8 I have shown in elevation the form of copping-rail forming a part of United States Patent No. 147,590, granted February 17 1874, to \l. W. Bancroft, to which reference may be had.

Any usual counterweight or spring may be applied to the faller-shaft to lift it, and to avoid confusion in the drawings I have omitted the same. 7

The cops are built up in successive stages, the range of the faller-wire F gradually increasing as the size of the cops increases by means of the copping-rail, the two-part rail 7 2 (shown in Fig. 8) being hinged together and moved vertically by the three inclines or wedges U, as in the patent referred to, the wedges being connected by a rod 1 and actuated by means of a threaded rod 2, which is operated in usual manner and engages an car on one of the wedges. When the spindles arrive at the drawing-rolls A, the usual stop engages the end h of the locking-bar h and removes its shoulder 77,2 from engagement with the builder, thereby releasing the faller, so that the faller-wire F rises clear of the threads.

The faller-wire F is carried by the sharplycurved or sickle-shaped arms F between its ends and by the end arms F attached to the faller-shaft f, and the counter-faller wire G is carried by intermediate arms G and end arms G secured to the counter-faller shaft g, and during the winding the counter-faller wire G bears up constantly against the under side of the threads in usual manner by means of the usual counterbalancing weight or spring to maintain the proper tension of the threads. During the spinning the counter-faller wire G is held up just beneath the threads, but without touching them.

Both the arms F and G are shown in the sectional views, Figs. 4, 5, and 7, and in Fig. 1, but they have been omitted in Figs. 2 and 3 to avoid confusion, and in both of the latter figures the escapement-controlling chain, the builder, an d the locking-lever have been omitted to avoid confusion.

As has been hereinbefore referred to, the escapement-wheel a is adapted at times to be stopped in its rotation to thereby, through the cord or band a, move the quadrant-nut b" away from the center of movement of the quadrant-arm as the cops increase in diameter. This stoppage of the escapement a is effected, as herein shown, by a latch a on a lever a, pivoted on the carriage and having a grooved roll or sheave a thereon, and a chain a is connected at its ends to the arms F and G2 above it, the latter fast to the counter-faller shaft and passed about the sheave a The depression of the counterfaller toward the lower part of the cop allows the latch a to drop into engagement with and stop the escapement-whe'el a and as the carriage runs in it drags the band or cord (1, with it, turning the threaded rod Z) to move the nut I) outward. Then the backing-off motion ceases and the carriage begins to run in for winding on the stretch of thread spun, the counter-faller wire G is at its highest position to compensate for the additional length of thread nneoiled from the spindle by the backing off. The nut b is still in the same position on the quadrant-arm as it was at the conclusion of the winding of the previous stretch, while the diameter of the cop has increased by the last winding, and as the carriage begins to run in the winding of the new stretch commences at too high a speed for the proper windin g on and begins at once to take up the thread given off by the backing off in order to depress the counter-fallen The counter-faller is thus immediately depressed and by means of the controlling-latch engaging the escapementwheel a causes the nut b" to be moved away from the center of quadrantarm B until the speed of the winding is diminished sufficiently to permit the counter -faller to rise high enough to withdraw the latch a from the esoapement-wheel. This movement is substan tially the same or equivalent to that employed in self-acting mules now in use, and is not of my invention.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the head-stock has been entirely dispensed with and that all the varied and more or less intricate movements of the several mechanisms of the mule are operated from a motor on the carriage by intermediate connections, and by dispensing with the use of scrolls, fast and loose pulleys, and beltshifters the time of operation of the different parts is greatly reduced, the operations also being performed in a much more positive manner than heretofore and with little or no slip or backlash.

The motor on the carriage is in continuous uniform operation while the mule is running, and when using an electric motor of the Tesla polyphase type there isabsolutely no generation of static electricity, which would be most objectionable and which is generated to so large an amount by the numerous belts and bands in the self-acting mules now known to me.

I prefer the style of motor named on account of the absence of static electricity 5 but my invention is not restricted thereto, and instead of an electric motor I may continuously rotate the motor shaft on the carriage by means similar to that shown in Fig. 6. In said Fig. 6 the motor-shaft R, which is mounted on the carriage and corresponds to the rotating member of the electric motor, has secured thereto a grooved pulley R, around which is passed an' endless band R the latter passing about a guide-pulley R at one end of the mule-frame (not shown) and about a pulley or sheave R at the other end, secured to and forming part of a belt-pulley A belt R conveys power from any suitable source to and to rotate the belt-pulley R and sheave R such rotative movement being transmitted to the pulley R on the carriage, the latter being free to move forward and back, as described, while its motor-shaft R is constantly rotated in one direction. IVhen the speed of the carriage is increased or diminished, the band B will slip on the pulley R, as it will be remembered that the carriage has a variable speed when running in; but the belt R runs at a uniform speed at all times.

My invention is not restricted to the exact construction and arrangement of parts herein shown, as it is obvious that the same may be varied or rearranged without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim- 1. In a self acting mule, a carriage, a propelling motor therefor mounted upon it, and connections between said motor and a stationary source of power, substantially as described.

2. In a self-acting mule the following inoperating shaft for said mechanism, mounted upon the carriage, substantially as described.

3. In a self-acting mule the following instrumentalities,viz :a spindle carriage running-in and drawing-out mechanisms thereon; a continuously rotating shaft 011 the car riage; and clutch devices between and to connect said shaft with one or other of said mechanisms, substantially as described.

at. In a self-acting mule, drawing rolls; a carriage; means thereon to move it toward the rolls at a Variable speed; means carried by and to move the carriage away from the rolls at a uniform speed; a motor on the carriage; and connections between said motor and the propelling means, to positively operate them, substantially as described.

5. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; sup porting wheels therefor and their rotatable shafts,running-in mechanism on the carriage, including variable speed gearing, to positively rotate one of said shafts; a continuously rotating motor on the carriage, and a clutch intermediate the running-in mechanism and the motor, substantially as described.

6. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; supporting wheels therefor and their rotatable shafts running-in mechanism on the carriage, including elliptic gears connected to and to rotate positively one of said shafts; a continuously rotating motor on the carriage, a clutch between the said gears and the motor, and means to operate the clutch at the inner and outer ends of the stretch, substantially as described.

'7. In a self acting mule, the following instrumentalities, viz:a carriage; means to move it; a pivotally mounted spindle support on the carriage; a series of spindles on said support; aspindle driving drum; connections between it and the spindles, to rotate the latter, a rock-shaft parallel to said support, and links intermediate said support and rockshaft, to swing the spindle support on its pivots to adjust the angle of the spindles by partial rotation of the rock-shaft, substantially as described.

8. In a spinning mule, a carriage; a spindle support thereon, comprising a bolster and a step rail; rigid connections between them; journals for said support adjacent the spindle whirls, and a series of spindles; combined with spindle driving mechanism, a rock-shaft parallel to said spindle support, links connecting said support and rock-shaft, to rock the support upon its pivots to adjust the angle of the spindles when the rock-shaft is partially rotated, and a locking device to retain the rock-shaft in desired position, substantially as described.

9. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; a motor thereon; a sleeve attached to the rotating member thereof; a series of spindles mounted "on the carriage; driving drums therefor; a drum shaft attached to said drums and extended through the motor sleeve, and means to connect and disconnect said shaft and sleeve, substantially as described.

10. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; a drawing-out and a running-in shaft; an electric motor mounted on the carriage independent connections between the rotating member of said motor and said shafts, a clutch in each of said connections, to throw the motor into operative connection with its respective shaft, and means to operate said clutches,

substantially as described.

11. In a self-acting 1l1l1l,t carriage; propelling mechanism thereon, \spindle driving mechanism, including a drum; a continuously rotating operating shaft or sleeve on the carriage; means to connect it to and to rotate the drum while the carriage is drawing out; backing-off gearing driven by the operating shaft, a clutch intermediate the backing-off gearing and the drum, and an actuator to move the clutch into operative position at the outer end of the stretch, to back-off the spindles, substantially as described.

12. In a self acting mule, a quadrant, means to operate it; a carriage; propelling mechanism mounted thereupon, to move it in and out; spindles and spindle driving mechanism on the carriage; winding on mechanism, including a drum and a flexible connection between it and the quadrant; a clutch intermediate the spindle-driving and winding-on mechanisms; a sheave secured to the drum, and a flexible band or cord passing around the sheave and secured at the opposite ends of the travel of the carriage, to rotate the drum as the carriage is drawing-out, substantially as described.

In a self-acting mule, drawing-rolls; a carriage; a continuously rotating operating member mounted thereon; connections including friction clutches, between it and the running-in and drawing-out mechanisms, to propel the carriage; and actuating means for the drawing rolls driven by said operating shaft, substantially as described.

1i. In a self-acting mule, the following instrumentalities, viz:a carriage, an electric motor thereon having a continuously rotating member; running-in and drawing-out mechanisms on and to move the carriage in one direction or the other; and connections, including a clutch, between each of said mechanisms and the rotating member of the motor, to be positively actuated thereby, substantially as described.

15. In a self-acting mule, the following instrumentalities, viz:a carriage; means to move it in and out; a series of spindles on the carriage; spindle driving mechanism, a motor on the carriage, and connections between it and the propelling means and the spindle driving mechanism, substantially as described. 1

16. In a self-acting mule, a carriage adapted to run in and draw out, and propelling mechanism, including an electric motor, for and mounted upon the carriage, substantially as described.

17. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; mechanism thereon to run in and draw out the carriage; a continuously rotatin g operating member, and a spindle driving shaft on the carriage, combined with a clutch intermediate said shaft and the operating member, to rotate the spindles at times, and clutch controlling devices, substantially as described.

1 S. In a self-actin g mule, a spindle carriage faller mechanism, and a backing-off motion, on said carriage; connections between said backing-01f motion and the faller mechanism to depress the faller during the backing-off; and a motor on the carriage to actuate the backing off motion, substantially as described.

19. In a self-acting mule, a spindle carriage a faller shaft thereon; a locking lever connected to the shaft; a builder mounted in the carriage, and a copping rail to control the builder, combined With a motor on the carriage, and connections between said motor and faller shaft, to turn the latter and move the locking lever into engagement with the builder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GARDNER O. HAWKINS.

Witnesses:

J OHN O. EDWARDS, AUGUSTA E. DEAN.

IIO