Modern Cotton Spinning Machinery, Its Principles and Construction

(383) With reference to the details of the machine it has latterly become the practice to drive both tin drums positively, so that there is no variation in the twist of the yarn on different sides of the machine. Such an arrangement—made by Messrs. Asa Lees and Co., Limited—is shown in Fig. 203, the course of the ropes being clearly indicated by the figures attached. The lift of the spindles varies from 5 to 6 inches, and their gauge from 2¹⁄₂ to 2³⁄₄ inches. The diameter of the front roller is usually 1 inch.

(384) Akin to the ring spinning machine is that employed for doubling. It is, however, heavier in construction, and has a different arrangement of rollers. The rings used are as large as three inches in diameter, and the spindles have a lift of six inches. The travellers are of a different shape, being made to engage with both the top and bottom flange, or bead of the ring. There are two systems of doubling pursued. In the English system the delivery rollers are placed in front of longitudinal water troughs, so that the yarn may be either passed through the water or not as preferred. In the Scotch system the rollers are placed above the water troughs, and the bottom rollers can, by means of a special arrangements, be lowered into the water. In both cases there are but one line of rollers usually, and, in the case of Scotch doublers these are invariably brass covered. The rollers are much heavier than those used in spinning, as the delivery of the yarn is accomplished by the nip of the top and bottom rollers, the former not being weighted in any way. In the Scotch frames the rollers are carried by short arms securely keyed on a longitudinal shaft, which, by means of a worm and worm quadrant, can be oscillated so as to lower or raise the rollers into the water trough. In the English system of wet doubling, the yarn is taken underneath a glass rod immersed in the water in the trough, and then through the rollers. It is not necessary to deal further with the details of this machine, as it is practically similar to the spinning machine.

(385) There is a large trade done in “double” yarns—that is, yarns composed of two threads twisted together—these being used for the warps of some of the stronger calicoes, and in the finer grades for many other purposes, such as the manufacture of lace. There is no difficulty in producing these, but the manufacture of sewing thread involves a more elaborate treatment. In carrying this out the yarn is first wound on a machine provided with a detector mechanism, and known as a doubling winding machine—this being described in the next chapter. The object of this machine is to enable a two-fold yarn to be produced free from knots of large size, from single, and from slack places in any of the strands, this producing “corkscrews.” The latter is the phrase used, when one end of the yarn being twisted has been more slackly wound than the other, thus becoming bagged, and resulting in it being twisted round the other irregularly. These are very objectionable, and not permissible in producing sewing thread, as they cause thick places which catch in the eye of the needle. Having obtained the two-fold yarn, the next operation is that of “cabling”—that is, the twisting together of three of the double yarns. These are, therefore, again wound on to a bobbin or spool on a similar machine to that previously used, and are then twisted together into a six-fold or “six-ply” thread. The advantages of doubling winding will be more fully explained when the machine is described.

(386) In order to enable some idea of the class and weight of the travellers used, the relative speeds of front roller and spindles, and production, a table is appended to this chapter in which a few representative counts are selected. Other tables give the result of a number of tests made with the Emerson Power Scale and other instruments, which enable the amount of driving power required to be ascertained.

(387) The consideration of the various machines employed in spinning being now concluded, a few words may be said generally about the whole system. Before doing so, however, it may be as well to define the meaning of one or two words which are habitually used to define the relative fineness of the yarn. It will be noticed in the table appended to Chapter X. that the roving was described as such a “hank” roving, while the yarn is said to be of certain “counts.” Although apparently contradictory, these terms are not really so, being simply different expressions of the same fact. The standard upon which all definitions of the fineness of yarn are based is the “hank” of 840 yards. A hank is the thread wound into coils of 54 inches circumference until a length of 840 yards is obtained. That forms the basis by which the “counts” of yarn are calculated, and the “counts” are simply the number of such “hanks” in one pound weight. In ascertaining the “hank” of roving a certain length is wrapped into a coil and weighed. The weight is obtained in grains, and that sum is then divided into a constant number obtained as follows: The number of yards of roving taken is multiplied by 100 and divided by 12. This practically means taking 8·33 as a constant number and multiplying it by the number of yards of roving wound. The same procedure is pursued with the lap and sliver on the scutching, carding, and drawing machines. It is no part of the scheme of the present work, however, to do more than glance at these modes of calculation, as there are many books of rules already in existence, but it may just be stated that the amount of twist which is put into any yarn is determined by the following method: The square root of the count is taken as the basis of the calculation, and is multiplied for mule twist by 3·75, for ring frame or extra hard twist by 4, and for weft yarns by 3·25. The product of these calculations give the twist per inch for any counts of yarn it is desired to spin. The three multipliers thus given are sufficient for ordinary uses, but if yarn is spun for doubling purposes the multiplier is 2·75, and if for hosiery purposes 2·50.

(388) In conducting the manufacture of cotton into yarn, it is desirable to remember that a gradual reduction in its substance is wanted, and all the draughts throughout the whole series should be carefully graded to ensure this. It is extremely undesirable to overstrain the cotton at any point, and this would be the inevitable result, unless the whole of the speeds were designed to give a gradual reduction. This is a factor which it is unwise to neglect, and by a little careful observation, the correct draughts throughout the process can easily be arrived at. It is, however, essential, if it is desired to produce a good yarn, that the mode of obtaining it should be carefully thought out before passing the cotton through the scutchers. Practically, the hank drawing and hank sliver are the same, but the former is obtained from several slivers, so that there is at this stage a considerable reduction. After this point the attenuation should be steadily kept in view, until the completion of spinning. In conclusion, it may again be urged that cleanliness and care in the use of spinning machines will well repay the spinner. It is worth his while to see that the machinery he employs is well made to begin with, and is kept in good order subsequently. By doing so, he will ensure the production of a good yarn, which cannot be spun in profitable quantities, without an undue amount of waste, on machines which are neglected and allowed to fall out of repair.

Table 4.

PRODUCTION OF RING SPINNING FRAMES FROM ACTUAL TESTS. MESSRS. HOWARD AND BULLOUGH’S MACHINES. RABBETH SPINDLES.

Note.—With elastic spindles an increase of production occurs of about 20 per cent.

Table 5.

POWER TESTS OF RING SPINNING MACHINES MADE AT THE DWIGHT MANUFACTURING CO., CHICOPEE, U.S.A., APRIL, 1885, BY MR. H. S. CHASE.

Table 6.

TESTS MADE AT LONSDALE, RHODE ISLAND, U.S.A., BY MR. W. S. SOUTHWORTH, NOW SUPERINTENDENT OF THE MASSACHUSETTS COTTON MILLS. SAWYER SPINDLES.

The weight of the Spindle was 3·98 ozs., of the Full Bobbin 2·23 ozs., and of the Empty Bobbin 0·71 ozs.

Table 7.—Extracted from the Journal of the Franklin Institute.

TEST OF RING SPINNING SPINDLES, MADE AT CALLAGHAN’S MILLS, ANGORA, U.S., BY Mr. S. WEBBER, 13th MARCH, 1890. COUNTS SPUN 30’s.

Table 8.—Extracted from the Journal of the Franklin Institute.

TEST MADE BY MR. S. WEBBER, AT THE GLOUCESTER GINGHAM MILLS, GLOUCESTER, NEW JERSEY, U.S., ON THE 17th MARCH, 1890. COUNTS SPUN, 26’s.

Note.—Tables 7 and 8 are merely given because they throw considerable light on the question of the power required for ring frames. The Bates spindle is not described, as it is a new form and has not yet been thoroughly tried practically.

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