Read Ebook: Scientific American Supplement No. 362 December 9 1882 by Various

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NEW ELECTRIC STOP MOTION.

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 illustrate some of the applications of the electric stop motion in connection with cotton machinery. The merit of this invention lies in simplifying the means by which machinery may be stopped automatically the instant, its work, from accident or otherwise, begins to be improperly done. The use of electricity for this purpose is made possible by the fact that comparatively dry cotton is a nonconductor of electricity. In the process of carding, drawing or spinning, the cotton is made to pass between rollers or other pieces forming parts of an electric circuit. So long as the machine is properly fed and in proper working condition, the stopping apparatus rests; the moment the continuity of the cotton is broken or any irregularity occurs, electric contact results, completing the circuit and causing an electro magnet to act upon a lever or other device, and the machine is stopped. The current is supplied by a small magneto-electric machine driven by a band from the main driving shaft, and is always available while the engine is running.

Fig. 3 shows the general arrangement of the apparatus as applied to a drawing frame. In the process of drawing down the roll of cotton--the sliver--four things may happen making it necessary to stop the machine. A sliver may break on the way from the can to the drawing rollers, or the supply of cotton may become exhausted; the cotton may lap or accumulate on the drawing rollers; the sliver may break between the drawing rollers and the calender rollers; or the front can may overflow. In each and all of these cases the electric circuit is instantly completed; the parts between which the cotton flows either come together, as when breakage occurs, or, if there is lapping, they are separated so as to make contact above. In any case, the current causes the electro-magnet, S, against the side of the machine to move its armature and set the stop motion in play.

Figs. 4 and 5 represent in detail the manner in which electric connection is made in two cases requiring the intervention of the stop motion. In Fig. 4 the upper part of a receiving can is shown. When the can is full the cotton lifts the tube wheel, J, until it makes an electrical connection, and the stop motion is brought into instant action. In Fig. 5, the traction upon the yarn holds the hook borne by the spring, F, away from G, and the electric circuit is interrupted. A breakage of the yarn allows this spring to act; contact is made, and the stop motion operates as before.

This simple and efficient device is exhibited by Howard & Bullough & Riley, of Boston.

NEW POSITIVE MOTION LOOM.

Fig. 6 shows the essential features of a positive motion loom, intended for weaving narrow fabrics, exhibited by Knowles, of Worcester, Mass. The engraving shows so clearly how, by a right and left movement of the rack, the shuttle is thrown by the action of the intermediate cogwheels, that further description is unnecessary.

SPINNING WITHOUT A MULE.

At the recent semi-annual meeting of the New England Cotton Manufacturers' Association, held at the Institute of Technology, Boston, the following paper on the Harris system of revolving ring spinning was read by Col. Webber for the author:

It is well known that one of the most serious difficulties in ring spinning is the variable pull upon the traveler, caused by the difference in diameter of the full and empty bobbins, and this is especially noticeable in spinning weft, or filling, when the diameter of the quill at the tip is not over 3-16 of an inch, while that of the base of the cone, or full bobbin, is from an inch to an inch and one-eighth. This variation in diameter causes the line of draught upon the traveler, which, with the full bobbin, forms nearly a tangent to the interior circle of the ring, to be nearly radial to it with an empty one, and this increased drag upon the traveler not only causes frequent breakage in spinning, but also stretches the yarn, so that it is perceptibly finer when it is spun on the nose of the bobbin than when it is spun on the bottom of the cone.

Endeavors have been made to compensate for this difficulty by making a less draught at that period of the operation; but we believe the principle of curing one error by adding another to be wrong, and aim by our improvement to avoid the cause of the trouble, which we do by giving a revolving motion to the ring itself in the same direction as that of the traveler, at a variable speed, so as to aid its slip, and reduce its friction on the ring. This we accomplish by means of a shaft with whorls on it, located directly over the drum for driving the spindle, from which bands drive each ring separately; and attached by cross-girts to the ring-rail, and moving up and down with it.

This shaft is driven by a pair of conical drums from the main cylinder shaft, and is so arranged with a loose pulley on the large end of the receiving cone as to remain stationary while the wind is on or near the base of the bobbin, or nearly parallel to the path of the traveler.

When the cone of the bobbin begins to diminish to such a point as to materially increase the radial pull on the traveler, these conical drums are put in operation by a belt shipper attached to the lift motion, which moves the belt on to the cones, and gives a continually accelerated motion to the rings, so that when the wind reaches the top of the bobbin the rings will have their maximum speed of about 300 revolutions per minute, or about one-twentieth the number of revolutions of the spindle at this point, if the latter make 6000 revolutions per minute, and this we find in actual practice to produce results which are highly satisfactory.

As the lift falls again, the belt is moved back on the cones, giving a retarding motion to the rings, until it reaches the point at which it began to operate, and is then either moved on to the loose pulley, and the rings remain stationary, or for very fine yarn are kept in motion at a slow speed. We are often asked if this does not affect the twist, but answer that it does not in the least, as the relative speeds of the rolls and spindles remain the same, and the only thing that can be affected is the hardness of the wind upon the bobbin, and this is adjustable by the use of a heavier or lighter traveler, according to the compactness of cop required.

We claim by means of this improvement the ability to use a much smaller quill or bobbin, and consequently holding as much yarn in a less outside diameter, enabling us to use a smaller ring, thus saving power both in the weight of bobbin to be carried and in the distance to be moved by the traveler; and we believe the power to be saved in this manner and by the diminution of the dead pull on the traveler, when the wind is at the tip of the bobbin, to be more than sufficient to give the necessary motion to the revolving rings. We are as yet unable to answer this question of power fully, as we have not yet tested a full size frame, but we propose to do this in season to answer all questions at the next meeting of your association.

The same invention is also applicable to warp spinning, by giving the ring a continuous accelerating and retarding motion, in which the maximum speed is given to the ring at the first start of the frame when the bobbin is empty, sufficient to diminish the strain on the yarn, and gradually reducing the motion at each traverse of the rail, as the bobbin is filled; but we claim the great advantage of our invention to be the capability of spinning any grade of yarn on the ring frame that can be spun on the hand or self-operating mule, and in proof of this we call your attention to the model frame now in operation at the fair of the New England Manufacturers' and Mechanics' Institute, where we are spinning on a quill only 5-32 inches diameter at top, and where we can show you samples of yarn from No. 80 to No. 400 spun on this frame from combed roving from the Conant Thread Company and Willimantic Linen Company, which we believe has never before been accomplished on any ring frame.

We invite you to examine this invention at the fair, and also call your attention to the adjustable roller beam, by means of which the rolls can be adjusted at any desirable angle or pitch, so as to throw the twist more or less directly spinning, and an improvement in the quality of the yarn from the same cause, which will increase the production from the loom, and finally eradicate other objectionable features of the labor question, which so often disturb the peaceful harmony between labor and capital.

Mr, Goulding asked if it had been demonstrated whether more or less power was required for the same numbers than effect of running the machine a little out of true, and the reply was that the advantage of the new method over the old would be more apparent in such a case than with a perfect frame. In regard to speed, the inventor proposed as a maximum rate, when the wind was at the tip of the bobbin, 300 revolutions per minute, but from this point the speed would diminish.

Conant Thread Company and Willimantic Linen Company, which we believe has never before been accomplished on any ring frame.

We invite you to examine this invention at the fair, and also call your attention to the adjustable roller beam, by means of which the rolls can be adjusted at any desirable angle or pitch, so as to throw the twist more or less directly into the bite of the rolls, according to the character of the yarn desired, or the quality of the stock used.

Finally, we claim, by the use of this invention, to be able to spin any fibrous material which can be drawn by draught-rolls, of any required degree of softness of twist, such as can be spun by any mule whatever, and to do this with the attention only of children of from twelve to fourteen years of age.

We also claim an increased production, owing to less breakage of ends, from the yarn not being overstrained in spinning, and an improvement in the quality of the yarn from the same cause, which will increase the production from the loom, and finally eradicate other objectionable features of the labor question, which so often disturb the peaceful harmony between labor and capital.

Mr. Goulding asked if it had been demonstrated whether more or less power was required for the same numbers than by other methods, and Col. Webber replied that no more power was required to move the rings than was saved by friction on the ring and the saving of weight of the bobbins. He thought it required no more power than the old way.

Mr. Garsed inquired of Col Webber what would be the effect of running the machine a little out of true, and the reply was that the advantage of the new method over the old would be more apparent in such a case than with a perfect frame. In regard to speed, the inventor proposed as a maximum rate, when the wind was at the tip of the bobbin, 300 revolutions per minute, but from this point the speed would diminish.

It was suggested by a member that the only advantage of a revolving ring was to relieve the strain on the traveler just to the extent of the ring's revolutions. If the ring were making 300 revolutions per minute, and the traveler 6,000, the strain on the latter would be equal to 5,700 revolutions on a stationary ring. Col. Webber, however, thought that the motion of the ring gave the traveler a lift that prevented its stopping at any particular point, and cited the fact that all numbers up to 400 could be spun with this ring as proof of its superiority over the old method.

NEW GAS BURNER.

Speaking at the last meeting of the Gaslight and Coke Company, Mr. George Livesey said many things with a view to inspire confidence of the future in the minds of timid gas proprietors. Among others he mentioned the advances now being made by invention in regard to improved appliances for developing the illuminating power of coal gas, with especial reference to a new burner just patented by Mr. Grimston. Mr. Livesey passed a very high encomium upon the burner, and this expression of opinion by such an authority is sufficient to arouse deep interest in the apparatus in question. It is therefore with much pleasure that we present our readers with the following early account of Mr. Grimston's burner, for which we are indebted to the inventor and Mr. George Bower, of St. Neots, in whose manufactory the burners are now being made in all sizes. It should be premised, to save disappointment, that the invention is yet so fresh that its ultimate capabilities are unknown. The accompanying illustration, therefore, represents the bare skeleton of one of the first models; and the actual performance of only the very earliest burner, made in great part by Mr. Grimston himself, has been fully tested. Before proceeding to describe the invention, a brief history may be interesting of how it happened that Mr. Grimston, an electric lighting engineer, became a gas burner maker. The story will undoubtedly help to explain the reasons for many of the characteristics of the new burner.

When the gas is lighted at the burner, and the glass closed, the burner begins to act at once, although some minutes are necessarily required to elapse before its full brilliancy is gained. The cold air passes in through the tubes provided for it, and when these are heated to the fullest extent on their outside, by the hot fumes from the burner, they so readily part with their heat to the air that a temperature of 1,000? to 1,200? Fahr. is easily obtained in the air when it arrives inside, and commences in turn to heat the burner-tubes. The air-tubes are placed so as to intercept the hot gases as completely as possible; and also, of course, obtain heat by conduction from the sides of the annular body. It is evident that the number and dimensions of these tubes might be increased so as to abstract almost all the heat from the escaping fumes, but for the limitations imposed, first, by a consideration of the actual quantity of air required to support combustion, and, secondly, by the obligation to let sufficient ascensional power remain in the gases which are left to pass out through the upper chimney. If the gases are cooled too much, they will either fall back into the lamp and extinguish the flame, or will be removable only by the draught of a long chimney. It will probably be the aim of the inventor to balance these requirements, and so to produce burners with very short or longer chimneys, according as appearance is to be consulted or the highest possible effect produced. The burner is a ring of brass tubes of considerable diameter, in proportion to the quantity of gas consumed, and thus provides for the delivery of gas expanded by heat. In connection with this device an explanation may be found of the failure of the British Association Committee on Gas Burners to find any advantage from previously heating the air and gas consumed. The Committee did not make the necessary provision for the increased bulk of the combustible and its air supply, caused by their heightened temperature; and the same quantity of gas measured cold could only be driven through the ordinary small burner holes at a velocity destructive of good results. Herr Frederick Siemens perceived this in his early experiments, and not only increased the orifices of his burners, but provided for the closer contact of the more rarefied gas and air by the use of notched deflectors, which are now an essential part of his apparatus. Mr. Grimston also uses separate tubes of large area for his hot gas, but dispenses with deflectors, save in so far as the same duty may be performed by the plain lower edge of the inner cylinder of the lamp body, and the indentation of the glass beneath, which, as will be noticed, is made to follow the shape of the flame. It only remains now to speak of the flame and its qualities. It is, in the first place, a flame of hot gas, burning at an extremly small velocity of flow, and wholly exposed to view from the exact point which it is required to light. In this latter respect it differs materially, and with advantage, from the Siemens burner, which, while presenting an extremely brilliant and beautiful ball of flame outside its central tube of porcelain, may yet be tailing smokily downward inside this opaque screen, and thereby causing unperceived waste. The flame of the Grimston burner, on the other hand, is quite exposed, and all its light, from the ends of the burner-tubes to the point where visible combustion ceases, is made available for use. As a perfect Argand flame in the usual position has been likened in form to a tulip flower, so the flame of this burner presents the appearance of an inverted convolvulus. So far as he has already gone, Mr. Grimston prefers to keep the tubes of the burner at such a distance from each other that the several jets part at the point where they turn upward, so that the convolvulus figure is not maintained to the edge of the flame. From its peculiar position the light is, of course, completely shadowless as regards the lamp which affords it; and this, of itself, is no small recommendation for a pendant. It shows well for the simplicity and effectiveness of the perfected burners that Mr. Grimston's experimental example, although necessarily imperfect In many ways, burns with a remarkably steady light, of great brilliancy, which is assured by the fact that the products of combustion are robbed of all their heat to magnify the useful effect, so that the hand may be borne with ease over the outlet of the chimney. With respect to the endurance of the apparatus, it will be sufficient to remark that there is nothing in the gas or air heating arrangements to get out of order, and they are all easily accessible while the burner is in action. The glass is not liable to breakage, although it is in close proximity to the flame, as may be gathered from the testimony of the inventor, who has never broken one, notwithstanding the severity of some of his experimental studies upon his first lamp. The consumption of gas in the first working-model burner made by Mr. Grimston was 10 cubic feet per hour, and its illuminating power averaged 60 candles. The diameter of this burner was 1 1/4 inches across the tubes. It is scarcely necessary to state that if this high duty, which was obtained with the ordinary 16-candle gas of the Gaslight and Coke Company, can be maintained, to say nothing of being exceeded, in the commercial article, the Grimston burner, with its other advantages over all existing methods of obtaining equal results, has a great future before it. For example, it does not require a separate air supply under high pressure, or any extra material to render incandescent, and it may be turned on full immediately upon lighting. It throws a shadowless light, and lends itself to ventilating arrangements; and it is not by any means cumbersome, delicate in construction, or costly in manufacture. One of the greatest advantages to which it lays claim is, however, the power of yielding almost as good results in a small burner as in a large one. This is a consideration of great moment, when it is remembered that the tendency of most of the high power burners hitherto introduced is to benefit the lighting of streets, large interiors, and, generally speaking, points of great consumption. Meanwhile, the private user of burners, consuming from 3 to 5 cubic feet of gas per hour, has been left to attain as best he might, by the use of burners excellent of their kind, to the maximum effect of the standard Argand. Now, however, Mr. Grimston seeks to make the small consumer partake of the advantages erstwhile reserved for the wholesale user of large and costly Siemens and other lamps, and he even looks to this class of patrons with particular care. The example which we now illustrate, in Fig. 1, is a sectional presentment precisely half the actual size of a 5-foot burner, which it is intended to prepare for the market before all others. Another simple form of the burner, with vertical tubes, will, we understand, be introduced as soon as possible. It will be readily understood that the principle is capable of being embodied in many shapes; and it is satisfactory to learn that the inventor is quite alive to the necessity of producing a cheap as well as a good burner.

DEFTY'S IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS BURNERS AND HEATERS.

Among other inventors who have turned their attention to gas consumption is to be found Mr. H. Defty, who has made several forms both of heating and lighting burners. Mr. Defty has sought in the latter to apply the principle of heating the air and gas in a simple manner, with the object of obtaining improved photometrical results. The double-chimney Argand, as tried many years since by Dr. Frankland and others, makes a reappearance in one of Mr. Defty's models, illustrated in the accompanying diagram .

Here we have the double-chimney, a and b, for heating the air supplied to an ordinary Argand, by causing it to pass downward between the two chimneys, and inward to the point of combustion through a wire-gauze screen, c, under the inner chimney; but, in addition thereto, Mr. Defty hopes to gain an improved result by causing the gas to pass through the internal tube, s, which rises up in the middle of the flame. The gas, which enters at e, is made to pass up through the inner tube and down through the annular space to the burner.

A more important form of lantern is the subject of the next diagram , which shows a suspended globe lantern in which there is an attempt made to heat the air by the waste heat of the products of combustion. It will be perceived by the diagram that a globe lantern is furnished with a double chimney; the annular space, C, between the inner and outer chimneys allowing for the access of air in a downward direction. At the lower of this annular channel are the tubes D, protected by the graduated mesh, E, and which admit the air to the burner below. The products of combustion of the flame rise through the inner chimney, passing around the tubes, and thereby giving up some of their heat to the incoming air. Farther up, the chimney is partly filled with the convoluted gas-pipe, A, which also takes up some of the waste heat, and delivers the gas to the burner at a correspondingly high temperature. A very simple method of lighting this burner, which in itself does not present anything remarkable, is arranged at the lower part of the globe, where a hole is cut and a loose conical glass plug may be pushed up to allow of the passage of the lighting agent, and is then dropped in its place again. Formal tests of the performances of these burners are not available; and the same may be said of the heating burners which are shown in the following diagrams.

The first of these is called by Mr. Defty a "pyramid heater," and is designed to heat the mixture of air and gas before ignition, by conduction from its own flame. The inventor claims to effect a perfect combustion in this manner with considerable economy of fuel. It is evident, however, that a good deal of the gas consumed goes to heat the burner itself.

The next and last of Mr. Defty's productions to be at present described is the so-called "crater burner," shown herewith . This is an atmospheric burner which is purposely made to "fire back," as well as to burn on the top of the apparatus. The body of the burner, like the pyramid heater just described, is full of fire-clay balls, which become very hot from the lower flame, and thus, after the burner has been for some time in action, a pale, lambent blaze crowns the top, apparently greater in volume than when it is first lighted. Here, again, there is a lamentable absence of reliable data as to economic results, which will, perhaps, be afforded when the apparatus in question is ready to be offered to the public.

NEW BINDING MACHINES.

The accompanying cuts represent two new machines for binding together books and pamphlets. They are the invention of Messrs. Brehmer & Co., and are now much used in England and Germany. The material used for binding is galvanized iron wire.

FLUMES AND THEIR CONSTRUCTION.

In crossing ravines in this State, flumes or wrought iron pipes are used. Many miners object to flumes on account of their continual cost and danger of destruction by fire. Where used and practicable, they are set on heavier grades than ditches, 30 to 35 ft. per mile, and, consequently, are proportionately of smaller area than the ditches. In their construction a straight line is the most desirable. Curves, where required, should be carefully set, so that the flume may discharge its maximum quantity. Many ditches in California have miles of fluming. The annexed sketch, drawn by A. J. Bowie, Jr., will show the ordinary style of construction.

The planking ordinarily used is of heart sugar pine, one and a half to two inches thick, and 12 to 18 inches wide. Where the boards join, pine battens three inches wide by one and a half thick cover the seam. Sills, posts, and caps support and strengthen the flume every four feet. The posts are mortised into the caps and sills. The sills extend about 20 inches beyond the posts, and to them side braces are nailed to strengthen the structure. This extension of the sill timbers affords a place for the accumulation of snow and ice, and in the mountains such accumulations frequently break them off, and occasionally destroy a flume.

CHUWAB'S ROLLING MILL FOR DRESSING AND ROUNDING BAR IRON.

This new forge apparatus has been devised for the purpose of finishing up round irons of all diameters while hot, as they come out of the ordinary rolling mill, by rendering them perfectly circular, cylindrical, straight, smooth, and level at the extremities, as if they had passed through a slide lathe. Such a high degree of external finish is a very valuable feature in those round irons that are employed in so great quantity for shafting, cylindrical axles, etc., as well as in the manufacture of bolts and locks. Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the opposite engraving will allow it to be seen that this apparatus which is usually installed at the side of the finishing cylinder is, in part, beneath the general level of the forge floor. It may be placed parallel with or perpendicular to the apparatus that it does duty for, this depending upon the site at disposal or the mode of transmission.

As the driving belts are mounted on pulleys, G, of a diameter proportioned to the velocity of the shafting, the iron pinions, h, in order to produce 60 revolutions per minute in the first shaft, H, gear on each side with the intermediate wheels, E, and these actuate the two bronze pinions, a a, that are mounted on the extremities of the cylinders, A A. The axle, D, of the intermediate wheels does not revolve with them, but is capable of rising and descending in the elongated aperture that traverses the frames, B. The displacement of this axle is secured through the arms, L L, whose extremities articulate on the one hand with the cylinders, A A, and on the other with D. The result of this is that every displacement upward of the top cylinder corresponds to a different position of the intermediate shaft, and one that is always equidistant from the centers of the cylinders, A A, thus securing a constant gearing of the wheels in all the positions of the cylinders, A A.

The diagram in Fig. 7 shows the relative displacements of all these parts, as well as those of the scraper guide, C. The diameter to be obtained is determined beforehand by the two contact screws, P.

The whole thus regulated, the bar of iron, still very hot, coming from the ordinary rollers, is straightened up, if need be, by a few blows of a hammer, so that it may roll forward over the pavement, N, between the rounding cylinders, A A; these being held apart sufficiently to allow of its easy introduction. Next, a few revolutions of the winches that control the screws suffice to lower the upper cylinder to the exact position limited by the contact screws, P, and the bar is rolled between the two cylinder tables with a constant velocity in the generatrices. As a consequence, the number of revolutions made is so much the greater in proportion as the diameter of the shaft is smaller with respect to that of the cylinders.

It should be remarked that the bar, during its rotation under pressure, is held by the guide, C, so that its diagrammatic axis exceeds the line, A A, joining the centers of the cylinders just enough to prevent its escape to the opposite, and so that the pressure upon the said guide is merely sufficient to detach the scales which form during the operation.

Under such conditions, and at a velocity of 30 revolutions per minute in the two cylinders, it will take but a fraction of a minute to finish a bar the length of the table, that is to say, 1.5 meters. Then, by loosening the upper cylinder, the bar may be easily shoved along in one direction or the other, so as to continue the finishing operation on successive lengths. This moving of the bar forward is further facilitated by the aid of a clamp with rollers and a movable socket, V . For large diameters traction is employed by the aid of two small windlasses placed opposite each other, and at a distance apart twice the greatest length of the bars to be finished. The chains of these windlasses are attached to the extremities by clamps that lock by the pulling exerted.

From what precedes, it will be seen that round iron bars of any diameter will come from this apparatus completely finished. It will be seen also that with cylinders of suitable profile, there might likewise be finished axles, or pieces that are more or less conical as well as those provided with shoulders.

The apparatus may, if preferred, be driven by small special motors affixed to the frame. Such an arrangement, which is more costly than the preceding, is, nevertheless, indicated in cases where shafting would be in the way.

THE BURNING OF TOWN REFUSE AT LEEDS.

In large towns it is necessary to adopt some regular system of removal and disposal of the cinders and ashes of house fires, and of the animal and vegetable refuse of the houses, and, in short, of everything thrown away which cannot be admitted into the sewers. In towns where the excreta are separated by means of water closets, the disposal of the other refuse presents less difficulty, but still a considerable one, because the animal and vegetable refuse is not kept separate from the cinders and ashes, all being thrown together into the ash pit or dust bin. The contents, therefore, cannot be deposited upon ground which may afterward be built upon, although that custom obtained generally in former times. Hence the refuse has been removed to a depot where that wretched industry is created of picking out the other parts from the cinders and ashes.

But in towns unprovided with water closets, or so far as they are not adopted in any town, where the privies are connected with the ash pits, and where, consequently, the excreta of the population are added to the other contents of ash pits, the difficulties of removal and disposal of the refuse are much increased.

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