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.
[Illustration: 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 bobbins are 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 56-1/4 inches 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. 205 is used. This is a partial side elevation
of one end of a bobbin reel. The barrel =B= of 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 staves =A= are shown without
their connecting arms. On the end of the barrel a worm =C= is fixed,
which gears with the wheel =D= on the shaft, to which a lifting catch
or pawl =E= is fastened. This engages with the coarsely pitched rack
=F=, and every revolution of the wheel =D= causes the pawl to raise =F=
one tooth. The teeth =F= are formed at the lower end of the bracket or
“rack” =G=, which is guided by and glides in the frame. The upper end
of =G= is formed with seven steps, and a finger or pin, placed at =H=
in a bracket fastened to =K=, is constantly pressed against the face
of =G= by means of a spring exercising a longitudinal pull on =K=. The
raising of =G= to the extent of one of the teeth =F= is sufficient to
allow the pin =H= to 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
wheel =D= to make one revolution every time the swift has made 80
revolutions. The length of the hank being 1-1/2 yards—54 inches—that
number ensures 120 yards being wound prior to the rack =G= being lifted
one tooth. If it is desired to shorten the hanks, a smaller wheel must
be substituted for =D=, 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 called the
“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 barrel =A= (Fig. 206) is fitted into a round shell
=B=, 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.
[Illustration: FIG. 206.]
(395) Messrs. Guest and Brooks have recently introduced the skeining
motion shown in Fig. 207. In this case the rack =G= is driven, not
by a lifting tooth, but by means of the pinion =E= gearing with a
finely-pitched toothed rack =F=. In this way a continuous motion is
given to =G=. At the upper end of the latter, a bracket or arm =M= is
formed, having fixed at one end a centre pin =O=, on which the bracket,
or arm, =P= can be oscillated. The position of =P= is fixed by means
of a bolt and nut passing through it and the slot =R=. The stepped
portion of =G=, instead of being cast, is obtained by the use of six
bars =L=, which have a certain vertical movement given to them by
small pins engaged in the slot =Q= formed in the arm =P=. The pins are
fastened in the bars, and it is clear that the vertical elevation of
the arm =P= will shorten or lengthen the steps formed by the difference
in the length of the bars =L=. 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 pin =K^{1}= with them
successively, will take place at proportionate intervals, and =K^{1}=
being fixed in the bracket =K= which is attached to the guide rail =H=,
a shorter or longer lea will be formed prior to the traverse of =H=
taking place.
[Illustration: 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 of the
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.
[Illustration: FIG. 207. J.N.]
[Illustration: 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 perfect thread 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.
[Illustration: FIG. 209.]
(398) In Fig. 209 a perspective view of a doubling winding machine
made by Mr. Joseph Stubbs, and in Fig. 210 a transverse section of the
same machine, are given. Mounted on a shaft, extending longitudinally
of the machine, is a series of drums =A=, which drive by frictional
contact flanged bobbins =B=. The latter are held in the head of forked
cradles =C=, and revolve freely upon a small spindle. The lower ends
of =C= are subjected to the pull of weights =J=, connected with them
by chains, as shown by the dotted lines. Coupled to the tail of the
cradle =C= is a double frame =E=, 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—corresponding in number to the
strands to be wound. The wires are formed at their upper ends =G= with
a curl, and their lower ends =F= are straight. Immediately below the
box a three winged wiper =H= revolves 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 bracket =O=, 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 rail =Y=, 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 eyes =G= and
upwards over a light roller =X=, then through a guide wire =W=, secured
to the rod or rail =Z=. 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 wire
=W= the yarn is taken to the bobbins =B=, and as the two bobbins are
by reason of their position on each side of the drum =A= driven 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 end =F= of the detector wire is kept out of the path of the
wiper =H=, but when, from the failure, breakage, or slack tension of
an “end,” this sustaining power is withdrawn, the end =F= of the wire
affected comes in the path of =H=. This causes the oscillating box
to swing on its centres, and thus to release the holding down catch
=I=, which usually keeps the pivoted frame =E= pressed downwards.
This release is followed by a certain movement of the cradle =C=, set
up by the pull of the weight =J=, and brings the bobbin =B= on to a
brake surface =D=, 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 box =T= is 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 bobbin =B= is driven by
frictional contact with a drum =A=, revolving rapidly, and is held in a
weighted frame =C=, hinged at its inner end. =C= is raised by a bracket
or arm =D=, mounted on the same pin. At the inner end of =D= is a slot
in which a finger fixed on the stem of the burner =E= engages. The
burner derives its gas from a tube =G= running along the frame, and is
fixed in a swivel joint, being generally of the Bunsen type. The thread
is drawn from the bobbin =K=, mounted on a freely revolving spindle,
and is passed two or three times, as shown, over the grooved bowls =H=,
these being formed with four grooves for the purpose. A guide =I=,
receiving a longitudinal reciprocatory motion, guides the thread on to
the surface of the bobbin =B=. As the thread passes rapidly through the
gas flame from the upper end of the burner =E=, the “ooze” is rapidly
singed off. When an end breaks or is “burnt down” the lever =D= is
raised so as to lift the frame =C= and bobbin =B= out of contact with
the drum =A=, and is sustained by a catch during the time of piecing.
The same movement causes the burner =E= to 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.
[Illustration: 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. 210 and 211,
and to wind the yarn into a similar shape on a wooden or paper tube
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.
[Illustration: FIG. 211. J.N.]
[Illustration: FIG. 213.]
[Illustration: 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 and Ayrton 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 beams are 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 1-1/4lb. 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.
[Illustration: 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, and afterwards 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 10-1/2 hours.
(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.
[Illustration: page decoration]