CHAPTER XIII.REELING, WINDING, AND SPOOLING MACHINERY.

(389) There are two main classes of goods in the manufacture of which yarn produced as described is used. By far the greatest bulk is utilised in weaving fabrics of various kinds; and, before it can be so employed it necessarily requires treatment by a series of machines. With all the processes so involved it is not intended to deal, but there is a second class of manufacture—the production of thread—which requires special machines, and is worthy of separate treatment. It is also a very common practice in England to form yarn into hanks, a number of which are packed together, and formed into a “bundle.” In this shape large quantities of yarn are shipped, being afterwards employed abroad in the manufacture of cloth. A brief description of the machines used in this connection will therefore be given, and as the simplest mode of dealing with the material, reeling will be treated first.

(390) The yarn, spun either in the form of a cop or on ring bobbins, can be formed into hanks by means of a machine known as a “reel.” It depends upon whether it is employed to wind the yarn from cops or bobbins whether it is known as a “cop” or “bobbin” reel. In either case the hank is wound upon a “swift” or “fly,” consisting of a central barrel or roller, which has centres or axles formed at each end. The latter revolve in bearings in, or attached to, the framing, and the “fly” can be driven either by hand or by a belt from the line shaft or counter shaft. On the barrel is fitted a number of light wooden or iron frames, to the arms of which are attached longitudinal bars or “staves” of timber. These are made about 2 inches wide, and are rounded on their outer edges, being well polished and smoothed so as not to adhere to the yarn. The arms, as ordinarily constructed, are made double with a central boss, so that each has two “staves” fixed to it. When desired, the whole of the arms can be oscillated so as to bring the staves together, and the hanks wound upon the swift are thus left loosely hanging upon them. By drawing them to one end they can be easily slipped off when that end is raised. The number of hanks usually formed at one time is forty on each swift, and ordinarily one swift only is used in a cop reel and two in a bobbin reel. The appearance of the last named machine is well shown in Fig.204, which is a representation of a double bobbin reel as made by Mr. Joseph Stubbs.

Fig. 204.

(391) The general description thus given of the reel enables some of its details to be more particularly described. If cops are to be “reeled” they are placed on “skewers”—which correspond in size to the upper portion of mule spindles—fixed in a creel board. The cops are held at such an angle that the yarn draws easily off the cop nose. The threads are slipped into slits formed in a guide plate fixed to a guide rail sliding in suitable bearings. The same course is taken with the bobbin reel, but, in this case, the bobbinsare mounted in a somewhat different manner. Ring bobbins require a special arrangement to enable the yarn to be easily drawn off without running into “snarls.” The purpose of the guide rail is to traverse the yarn so that the threads may be laid in one of two ways. Either the full hank of 840 yards is wound into seven smaller ones—each containing 120 yards—known as “leas”; or it is “cross wound”—that is, a rapid reciprocal motion is given to the guide rail, so that the coils are laid across each other throughout the whole length. The latter is the usual procedure when it is intended to dye or bleach the yarn, and the former when it is to be shipped. The diameter of the swift across the staves is usually sufficient to enable a hank of 54 inches circumference to be wound. In France a hank of 561⁄4inches is adopted, and the number of coils in it are correspondingly arranged.

(392) If the hank is intended to be wound in seven “leas” the arrangement shown in Fig.205is used. This is a partial side elevation of one end of a bobbin reel. The barrelBof the swift is made of a light wrought iron tube, into each end of which plugs, reduced at end, are welded, so as to form the journals for the barrel as described. On the end of the axle the fast and loose pulleys are placed, so that the machine can be easily driven. The stavesAare shown without their connecting arms. On the end of the barrel a wormCis fixed, which gears with the wheelDon the shaft, to which a lifting catch or pawlEis fastened. This engages with the coarsely pitched rackF, and every revolution of the wheelDcauses the pawl to raiseFone tooth. The teethFare formed at the lower end of the bracket or “rack”G, which is guided by and glides in the frame. The upper end ofGis formed with seven steps, and a finger or pin, placed atHin a bracket fastened toK, is constantly pressed against the face ofGby means of a spring exercising a longitudinal pull onK. The raising ofGto the extent of one of the teethFis sufficient to allow the pinHto slip on to the next step, and thus the yarn is wound on to a fresh portion of the surface of the swift. This takes place regularly until seven small hanks are wound, when the machine is automatically stopped.

(393) The length of yarn in each of these “skeins” or “leas” is ordinarily 120 yards, and it is, therefore, necessary to cause the wheelDto make one revolution every time the swift has made 80 revolutions. The length of the hank being 11⁄2yards—54 inches—that number ensures 120 yards being wound prior to the rackGbeing lifted one tooth. If it is desired to shorten the hanks, a smaller wheel must be substituted forD, and to get the desired amount of exactitude, it is sometimes necessary to use a series of change wheels.

(394) It was shown that in order to remove the hanks from the reel, it is customary to close up the swift, and, after gathering the hanks at one end, to lift it and thus remove them. There are two chief objections to this course. First, a considerable danger exists of the yarn being soiled by contact with the greasy bearing; and second, the task of lifting a heavy swift with 40 hanks of yarn on it is sometimes too great for the attendant, who is generally a woman. It is customary, therefore, especially in bobbin reeling, to fit the machine with a “doffing motion”—the operation of stripping a spindle or other surface of yarn being known as “doffing.” The staves are fixed on the ends of the arms of an iron spider, and two of them are sustained by a hinged frame which can be released so as to oscillate in a forward direction, thus “dropping” the two staves attached to it. This is calledthe “drop motion.” The hanks are thus released, and can easily be drawn up to the doffing motion. There are three forms of this. The first consists of a wheel, grooved on its periphery and fitting in a circular bracket turned to correspond. The centre boss of the “doffing wheel” bears one end of the swift, and a segment is removed from the wheel, so as to leave a space into which one side of the hanks can be placed. By giving the wheel a half turn the hanks are brought to the front of the swift, and can be easily removed. Another form, which was introduced by Mr. Joseph Stubbs, was called the “gate” doffing motion, owing to the fact that a hinged bracket similar to a gate was used, by removing which the end of the swift was left free. The movement of opening the gate oscillated a lever, on which was a cross bar enabling the swift to be sustained during the operation of doffing. A further improvement by the same firm bears the name of the “bridge” doffing motion, and is shown in Fig.204. It simply consists of a small bracket bridging a gap formed in the frame end, in which a longitudinal slot is made, and at each end of it pivots are formed upon which it can be oscillated. The end of the swift barrelA(Fig.206) is fitted into a round shellB, in which the lubricant is retained, and a nipple on which slides in the slot in the bridge bracket. The doffing is effected by simply allowing the hank to be drawn into the gap named, and then by a smart push making the bridge bracket rest upon its pivots at the other side of the gap. This enables the hanks to be easily lifted, after which a pull is sufficient to restore the swift to its working position. The position of the bridge in its working position and during doffing, is shown on the left and right hand side respectively of Fig.204. This motion is an undoubted improvement on its predecessors, and oiling of the hanks is practically unknown.

Fig. 206.

(395) Messrs. Guest and Brooks have recently introduced the skeining motion shown in Fig.207. In this case the rackGis driven, not by a lifting tooth, but by means of the pinionEgearing with a finely-pitched toothed rackF. In this way a continuous motion is given toG. At the upper end of the latter, a bracket or armMis formed, having fixed at one end a centre pinO, on which the bracket, or arm,Pcan be oscillated. The position ofPis fixed by means of a bolt and nut passing through it and the slotR. The stepped portion ofG, instead of being cast, is obtained by the use of six barsL, which have a certain vertical movement given to them by small pins engaged in the slotQformed in the armP. The pins are fastened in the bars, and it is clear that the vertical elevation of the armPwill shorten or lengthen the steps formed by the difference in the length of the barsL. In this way skeins, or leas, of any desired length can be wound, it being obvious that, if the steps be shortened or lengthened, the engagement of the pinK1with themsuccessively, will take place at proportionate intervals, andK1being fixed in the bracketKwhich is attached to the guide railH, a shorter or longer lea will be formed prior to the traverse ofHtaking place.

Fig. 205.J.N.

(396) The hanks being reeled, they are, if cross reeled, dyed or bleached, and, if in leas, bundled. This operation is effected in a machine called a “bundling press” (Fig.208) consisting of two strong frames securely fastened together by stays, and in which the bearings for the necessary driving straps are formed. Bundles are usually either 5lbs. or 10lbs. weight each, and are generally fastened with five strings. To the upper part of each of the frames wrought-iron plates, extending upwards, are fastened, narrow spaces being left between each pair of plates, so that the strings or bands for tying up the bundles can be easily passed round them. To the upper end of one set of plates cover bars are hinged, which can be pulled down on to the top ofthe other set, where they are locked by bars hinged to the latter. In the space between the two sets of vertical plates an iron table rises and falls, and it will be readily understood that the elevation of the table, when the top plates are closed and locked, compresses the bundles. The extent to which the pressure is exerted depends on the throw of two eccentrics fixed on the main shaft, these being connected by means of strong rods to the underside of the sliding table. By this arrangement the amount of pressure is strictly limited and cannot become excessive. After the bundle is pressed it is tied up and the pressure released, the top bars unlocked, and the bundle removed, in addition to which a knocking off or stop motion is fitted. In an improved form of press, invented by Mr. Thomas Coleby, the top plates are automatically and simultaneously released.

Fig. 207.J.N.

Fig. 208.

(397) The procedure thus followed is that which is adopted in the case of yarns for export only. Where it is intended to twist them into thread a special machine is employed to wind the several strands together prior to doubling. Machines of this class are called “doubling winding” machines, and they enable a more perfectthread to be produced than is otherwise possible. When yarn is “doubled” by twisting together threads drawn singly from cops or bobbins placed in a creel, there are two chief evils existing. If one of the threads breaks, a certain length of the single thickness may be wound on the doubling bobbin, with the result that a faulty place in the finished article is found. There is, in addition, the difficulty that the broken thread may become wrapped round the top roller, producing a “roller lap,” which is so much waste. The production of “single” and of “roller laps” is undesirable, and should be avoided if possible. Further, if the two threads in passing through the feed rollers are not both at the same tension, one becomes loosely twisted round the other in a manner which is technically known as “corkscrewing,” as explained in paragraph 385. When thread is used for sewing machine, lace, or similar purposes, either of these faults is very objectionable. By using a machine in which the strands to be twisted are wound together before being so treated, and in which detector mechanism is employed, a finished thread is produced, which is generally quite free from the defects named.

Fig. 209.

(398) In Fig.209a perspective view of a doubling winding machine made by Mr. Joseph Stubbs, and in Fig.210a transverse section of the same machine, are given. Mounted on a shaft, extending longitudinally of the machine, is a series of drumsA, which drive by frictional contact flanged bobbinsB. The latter are held in the head of forked cradlesC, and revolve freely upon a small spindle. The lower ends ofCare subjected to the pull of weightsJ, connected with them by chains, as shown by the dotted lines. Coupled to the tail of the cradleCis a double frameE, which carries at its outer extremity a swinging or oscillating box or frame, in which are placed a series of small wires—known as detector wires—correspondingin number to the strands to be wound. The wires are formed at their upper endsGwith a curl, and their lower endsFare straight. Immediately below the box a three winged wiperHrevolves at a rapid rate. The operation of this mechanism is as follows. The cops to be wound have skewers thrust into them, which fit in adjustable cast iron brackets fixed on a longitudinal rod in the bracketO, fastened to the “bottom box.” In the case of bobbins, special provision is made for holding them. In any case, the yarn is drawn upwards through a guide plate fixed as shown, over a flannel-covered curved railY, the friction of which is sufficient to ensure a sufficient tension being put upon the yarn. Each “end” is then taken through one of the detector eyesGand upwards over a light rollerX, then through a guide wireW, secured to the rod or railZ. To the latter a reciprocal lateral motion is given, corresponding in length to the length of the bobbin between the flanges—in other words, to its “lift.” After passing the guide wireWthe yarn is taken to the bobbinsB, and as the two bobbins are by reason of their position on each side of the drumAdriven in opposite directions, the yarn is taken on to them at different sides of the centre of the bobbin barrel. So long as the “ends” are being wound, the lower endFof the detector wire is kept out of the path of the wiperH, but when, from the failure, breakage, or slack tension of an “end,” this sustaining power is withdrawn, the endFof the wire affected comes in the path ofH. This causes the oscillating box to swing on its centres, and thus to release the holding down catchI, which usually keeps the pivoted frameEpressed downwards. This release is followed by a certain movement of the cradleC, set up by the pull of the weightJ, and brings the bobbinBon to a brake surfaceD, by which its motion is instantaneously arrested. To piece up, the bobbin can be drawn forward into the position shown on the right hand side of the drawing in dotted lines, so that it can be turned back as much as required. The position of the parts before and after an “end” has failed is clearly shown on each side of the drawing respectively. It only remains to be said that a boxTis fixed on the position shown, on which the wound bobbins can be placed prior to removal. Although the yarn is wound at a speed of 4,000 to 5,550 inches per minute, a broken end is usually arrested before it reaches the bobbin.

(399) In preparing thread for the lace trade it is the practice to remove the loose fibres, or “ooze,” projecting from its surface. This is done by a machine called a “gassing” frame, a sectional view of one head of which, as made by Mr. Stubbs, is shown in Fig.211. This represents one side of a machine only. The bobbinBis driven by frictional contact with a drumA, revolving rapidly, and is held in a weighted frameC, hinged at its inner end.Cis raised by a bracket or armD, mounted on the same pin. At the inner end ofDis a slot in which a finger fixed on the stem of the burnerEengages. The burner derives its gas from a tubeGrunning along the frame, and is fixed in a swivel joint, being generally of the Bunsen type. The thread is drawn from the bobbinK, mounted on a freely revolving spindle, and is passed two or three times, as shown, over the grooved bowlsH, these being formed with four grooves for the purpose. A guideI, receiving a longitudinal reciprocatory motion, guides the thread on to the surface of the bobbinB. As the thread passes rapidly through the gas flame from the upper end of the burnerE, the “ooze” is rapidly singed off. When an end breaks or is “burnt down” the leverDis raised so as to lift theframeCand bobbinBout of contact with the drumA, and is sustained by a catch during the time of piecing. The same movement causes the burnerEto be pushed at one side out of the path of the thread, and the restoration of the parts to the position shown again brings it gradually under the thread, but not until after the winding has commenced.

Fig. 210.J.N.

(400) In addition to these machines, where lace yarns are made it is sometimes the practice to use a “clearing frame.” This is an ordinary vertical spindle winding machine, but the yarn is passed through an adjustable nick, which is finely set, so as to catch or stop any knots or other unevenness in the yarn. This calls the attendant’s notice to the defect, and the thread is re-pieced, so as to remove the lump or knot. The best and most widely used “clearers” are those known as “Suggitt’s” patent, and consist of two cast iron plates, one fixed and the other adjustable. Vertical faces are formed on these, which come up to one another throughout their whole length, thus providing an opening or fine nick through which the yarn can be drawn.

(401) During the past few years it has become customary to dispense with the large flanged bobbins, such as are shown in Figs.210and211, and to wind the yarn into a similar shape on a wooden or papertube or spool. To do this it is necessary to give a very rapid reciprocal traverse to the guide rail, which is obtained by using a quick pitched cam, one revolution of which will give the double traverse required. In this way, instead of the yarn being wound in fine spirals, it is wrapped in coarsely pitched layers, and it is found that when wound in this manner a cylindrical spool or bobbin can be obtained which does not require the large wooden flanges to prevent it from unravelling at the ends. This object is attained in a winding machine made by Mr. Samuel Brooks by forming a slot, corresponding to the cam course, on the surface of the pulley driving the bobbin. The yarn is taken through the groove on its way to the bobbin, and the groove thus acts as a guideway or course. Messrs. Dobson and Barlow employ a quickly pitched cam, and have recently adapted the principle to gassing machines. Messrs. John Hetherington and Sons also make a machine on the same principle, but all the different methods employed have—where a guide rail is actuated—the fault that the working of the cam is rather noisy, and there is still room for an effective noiseless motion of this character.

Fig. 211.J.N.

Fig. 213.

Fig. 212.

(402) Sewing thread requires a special set of machines to fit it for the market. It is sold in one of two forms, either bright or soft finished. Bright thread is polished by being subjected to the action of a rapidly revolving brush. Some of the machines for this purpose made by Messrs. Shepherd andAyrton are illustrated, and will serve to show the principle of this class of appliances. The doubled thread is formed into a beam, having first been wound on to special bobbins, 360 of which are placed in a creel, and the threads from them laid side by side on the beam, which is a cylindrical barrel with large flanges at its ends. The thread is then collected into a chain, or loose untwisted rope, and is bleached or dyed by means of a special plant which it is not necessary to describe. Having been so treated, the material is wound on to a beam shown in the machine illustrated in Fig.212, which is provided with a special adjunct in a machine known as a holding back machine, by which the required tension is put on the thread. After being beamed for the second time the thread is passed through the machine shown in Fig.213. The beam on which it has been wound is shown at the right hand side of this illustration, and contains, as stated, 360 threads. These are first taken through a size box, in which a pure size or starch is placed, and are then passed through the bristles of two cylindrical brushes. The brushes revolve at a high velocity, and thoroughly polish the thread without altering its shape, it being very desirable to preserve its rotundity. At the end of the machine, after being dried, the threads are wound on three brass beams, each divided equally by a central flange. 120 threads are wound on each beam, 60 of these being in each of the divisions, These beamsare placed, with the threads on them, contiguous to a special form of winding machine, where they are wound on to wooden spools or bobbins, each of which, when full, contains 11⁄4lb. of the finished threads. These are used to feed the spooling or balling machines afterwards described. In preparing soft thread—that is, unpolished thread—a similar procedure is followed, except that, after bleaching or dyeing, the threads, after being dried, are wound on to the second beaming machine. This system is—with special modifications adopted by various manufacturers—the one universally employed. The polishing machine will polish 120lbs. weight of 30’s 3-cord thread in 10 hours, and soft thread can be produced in the same numbers at a rate of 5,670lbs. in 56 hours. The cost in wages of this system is much lower than that of the older method of hank polishing, in addition to which fewer knots are made in the thread, owing to the longer lengths treated continuously.

Fig. 214.

(403) When thread is finally produced, by the processes described, in a suitable condition for sale, it is necessary to form it into small reels or bobbins, or into balls, each containing from 100 to 500 yards. The reels on which thread is wound for sale to the consumer are small bobbins in which a short barrel is used, with a head or flange at each end. The flange is bevelled on its inner side, and the length of the opening between the flanges is greater at their peripheries than at their roots. The reels are filled with thread by the action of a machine of great ingenuity called the “spooling machine.” This was originally invented by the late Mr. Wm. Wield, and is now made by his successors, Messrs. Shepherd and Ayrton. A perspective view of it is given in Fig.214, and, as there shown, it has eight heads. The empty spools are placed in a trough, the mouth of which terminates immediately behind the winding head. The latter consists of two spindles which grip the spool in the centre, being formed conically at their extremities, so that they get a firm grip of the hole in the centre of the barrel. The operative mechanism in this machine is fixed in the double frame, or “headstock,” shown at the right hand of the machine, and drives, by means of longitudinal shafts and wheels, the spindles of the whole of the heads. The thread is guided by steel guides, threaded on their underside to correspond with the pitch of the spirals formed by the thread, upon which during winding they rest. The guide rods, upon which the guides are fixed, receive an oscillatory movement after the reels are filled, so as to leave the space free for the removal and replacement of the spools. In addition to this they have a reciprocal horizontal traverse equal in length to the length of the spool, and gradually increasing as the surface upon which the thread is wound increases, owing to the bevel of the heads of the reels. This reciprocal movement is obtained from the revolution of a finely pitched screw on a roller, with which two half nuts alternately engage, one on each side of its centre. As these are thrown into gear they give a traverse to the guide rail in each direction, and it will be easily understood that the period of their engagement determines the length of the guide traverse. In commencing to wind a set of reels the first operation is to place them between the spindles. One reel falls out of each trough on to a plate, which rises so as to hold the reel or spool between the open spindles. The spindles close upon the spool, which immediately begins to revolve and draw thread from its bobbin, which, with its fellows, is held in a suitable creel. The thread is passed through a spring tension clip, which holds it sufficiently to keep it tight, andafterwards over the guide referred to. Winding goes on until the required definite length is wound on, when it automatically ceases. Immediately this occurs a knife placed in an arm descends and cuts a nick in one end of the spool, and the thread is drawn into this nick. In this way the end is secured, and, as soon as this is effected the thread is drawn over a knife and cut. The spindles then open and the spools fall down a shoot. Another set of spools is then fed, as described, and the ends of the thread are so held that, immediately the spindles begin to revolve, they are drawn on to the spools, winding thus beginning automatically. Owing to the perfect automaticity of the machine a high rate of speed is obtained, and 26 gross of spools, each containing 200 yards of thread, can be produced from a machine in 101⁄2hours.

(404) There are spooling machines in which the operations of feeding and emptying the spools are carried out manually, but, as thread making is now mostly carried out in large establishments, their use is not great. In some cases, especially for “crochet” cottons, the thread is wound into balls. In this case it is wound on short cylinders, revolved at a slow speed, round which a flyer rotates. Through an eye in the flyer the yarn is passed, and is wound on to the cylinders by the superior speed of the flyers. To the former an alternate oscillating movement is given, by which the coils of thread are wound in coarse spirals. In the end a barrel shaped spool is formed. As a rule the “balling” machine is worked by hand, but a machine has been made by which the operation is nearly an automatic one. The use of balling machines is, however, limited, and there is not the necessity for an automatic machine, such as exists in spooling thread.

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