THE London JOURNAL AND REPERTORY OF Arts, Sciences, and Manufactures. CONJOINED SERIES. No. CXII. Recent Patents. To THOMAS AITKIN, of Chadderton, in the county of Lancaster, manufacturer, for his invention of certain improvements in the machinery or apparatus for drawing cotton and other fibrous substances.-[Sealed 28th January, 1840.] THESE improvements in the machinery or apparatus for drawing cotton and other fibrous substances, consist in the construction and arrangement of certain mechanism, and in the application of the same to ordinary drawing-frames, used in the preparation of cotton and other fibrous substances. They are designed for the purpose of forming a more perfect and even "drawing," (as it is termed); that is,-causing the ordinary drawing-frame to prepare the filament or sliver of cotton, as it comes from the carding-engine, and is proceeding to the slubbing or roving process, VOL. XVIII. consequently to draw it in an even and level state, and prevent the possibility of forming an uneven sliver or drawing, by ensuring it entirely free from any knots, lumps, or other inequalities of thickness throughout; and also preventing the occurrence of thin, or, as it is termed, "single" places in the drawing, owing to any one of the slivers, which are being converted into a drawing, breaking off or otherwise failing, from the can becoming empty, or any other accidental cause. This improvement is effected by means of a self-acting apparatus, which is caused to throw the strap off the driving pulley of the drawing machine, and, thereby to stop its revolutions, simply by the breaking or failure of any one of the slivers or filaments of cotton from the carding-engine, which are under the process of drawing. Having above stated the object of my improvements, I will proceed to describe the particular construction of the apparatus, and also the operations of the same, in order to illustrate its practical application to ordinary drawingframes; and, in order that my invention may be fully explained, and more perfectly understood, I have attached to these presents a sheet of drawings, containing several representations of my improvements, and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference,-having placed similar letters upon corresponding parts of the mechanism in all the figures; and I would here remark, that for the sake of illustration, I have represented, in the drawings attached, all the general parts of an ordinary drawing-frame, in connection with those parts which constitute my improvements. Plate VII., fig. 1, is a front elevation of that side of a drawing frame at which the slivers of cotton enter as they are brought from the carding-engine, and representing my improvements attached; fig. 2, is a plan or top view of the same; and fig. 3, is a partial section, taken through about the middle of the machine. The ordinary parts of the drawing-frame are shewn at A, A, which represent the side standards; B, B, the drawing rollers; and c, c, the conducting rollers, which lead the slivers, as they are drawn, into the cans below. The slivers of cotton from the cardingengine, shewn as being formed into a "drawing," are seen at E, E, E, E. The small apparatus which forms the main feature of my invention, is represented enlarged, in fig. 3, and as applied to the drawing-frame at a, a, a, a, in figs. 1 and 2. It consists of a small cone or trumpet, which is supported by swivels upon the centres b, each cone in the series being independent of the others. Now, as the slivers E, E, are introduced into the drawing-machine, they are collectively passed through the larger cone c, (which is formed in a plate, and fixed in front of the machine, but removed in figs. 1 and 2, to shew the other parts more clearly); hence they proceed separately through the smaller cone a, a, a, a, passing between the feeding rollers d, d, to the ordinary drawing rollers B, B. The cones or trumpets a, a, are kept in their upright positions, simply by the tension of the sliver as it passes through them; and thus it will be seen, that should any knot, lump, or inequality be arrested, and the sliver held by the larger cone c, or any weak thin place occur after it has passed this cone, the feeding rollers still revolving, will pull the sliver and break it off, which will immediately cause the small cone a, to fall back on its centre, as drawn in dotted lines in fig. 3; and its weighted end e, will strike against the wire ƒ, and cause the bell-crank lever g, upon the shaft h, to run up a notch in the inclined slot i, cut in the strap-lever k, k, (see plan, fig. 2,) and thus the weight and chain l, l, passing round the pulley m, and excentric n, will instantly traverse the strap-rod, through the driving-strap o, on to the loose pulley, and thus stop the machine, and prevent the drawing making "single" or thin and uneven places. There is a strap-lever p, for setting it on again by hand, when the "piecing" is made, and also a stud or pin q, for throwing the strap off by hand if desired. The top feeding roller may be easily raised by depressing the compound hand-lever r, in the direction of the arrow, as shewn by the dotted line. Fig. 4, shews one of the cones a, with the larger cone c, fixed upon it, and falling with it, instead of being formed in a plate and fixed upon the machine; this, in some cases, may be preferable, owing to the increased friction obtained. It will be seen that these cones are also provided with a moveable lip and retaining spring, which is designed for the purpose of allowing any slight inequality to pass through without breaking the sliver, providing it is so small as not to injure the evenness and regularity of the drawing. Having now explained the object of my improvements, and the manner of carrying the same into practical operation, I desire it to be understood, that I claim, as my invention, the particular construction of mechanism or apparatus, and the application of the same to drawing-frames or machines for drawing cotton and other fibrous substances, as shewn in the drawings attached to these presents, and above particularly described; and also the application of the funnel or cone a, working on a swivel or centre, for the purpose either of giving an alarm, or stopping the machinery in all situations where it may be applied.-[Inrolled in the Petty Bag Office, July, 1840.] To JOHN UPTON, late of New-street, Southwark Bridgeroad, but now of Horsleydown-lane, in the county of Surrey, engineer, for his invention of an improved method or methods of generating steam power, and applying the same to ploughing, harrowing, and other agricultural purposes; which method or methods is or are also applicable to other purposes to which the power of steam is or may be applied.-[Sealed 4th November, 1837.] THIS invention is said to consist firstly,-in improvements in the construction of boilers for generating steam; and, secondly, in improvements in rotary engines, which may be employed for working ploughs, harrows, and other agricultural instruments. The improved boiler is shewn in vertical section in Plate VII., at fig. 5. It is constructed of series of tubes containing water, placed within a box or casing, in which the fuel is made to burn; and its flame and heated vapours playing against the outer surface of the tubes, causes the water to boil within the tubes, and the steam to be thereby generated. A horizontal cylindrical tube a, receives the water from a tank by a suitable pipe not shewn in the figure; and b, is a similar tube, but of larger diameter, situate above, into which the water flows from the former, and the steam rises through the several tubes. Two series of vertical tubes c, c, bent at top and bottom, are inserted at their ends, into the two horizontal cylinders a, and b, and thereby form communications for the flow of the water. Two other series. of bent tubes d, d, are likewise inserted into the horizontal cylinders, and form communications therewith. These two series of bent tubes d, d, cross each other, and at the parts where they intervene, constitute a grating to hold the upper fire e; there is also a lower fire, f, sup |