1862 London Exhibition: Catalogue: Class 7.: Dobson and Barlow
1499. DOBSON and BARLOW, Bolton, Lancashire.
Machinery for opening and cleaning, preparing and spinning cotton.
COTTON-SPINNING MACHINERY IN FULL OPERATION.
A COMPLETE SYSTEM of COTTON-SPINNING MACHINERY, especially adapted for preparing and spinning fine numbers of yarn, and consisting of the following machines; viz.:—
1. COTTON OPENER of all improved construction, adapted for opening and cleaning long or short stapled cotton, the feeding parts and the inside gratings being of an entire novel construction, the object being to open and clean the cotton without injuring the staple. It can be made with either up or down drafts.
2. SINGLE SCUTCHER with lapping parts, with Dobson and Barlow's patent feed rollers, which hold the cotton sufficiently firm without crushing the seeds or shells. The feed table is so arranged as either to spread on or to double 4 laps.
3. BREAKER CARDING ENGINE. This is a compound patent of Dobson and Barlow, and Geo. Wellman of the United States, America. Its chief features are that the cotton is well opened and cleaned by the working rollers, before the upper roller will allow it to pass to the self- stripping top flats; these flats can be taken out at pleasure, without the use of a screw key, and are easily set.
4. A FINISHER CARDING ENGINE, with Wellman's patent self-stripping apparatus. This is the only perfect automaton stripping motion for the ordinary flats: they have hitherto been stripped by hand.
5. ASHWORTH'S PATENT LAP MACHINE, for making laps for the finisher carding engine, and combing machine, from slivers produced by the breaker card; the plates at each end of the lap revolve with it, and prevent the edges from being felted together as hitherto.
6. GRINDING MACHINE for grinding two rollers and a flats at a time.
7. DRAWING FRAME of three heads of three deliveries each, adapted for either fine or coarse work, with stopping motions, both at back and front, to prevent waste or roller lap.
8. SLUBBING FRAME of forty-four spindles, 10 by 5 in. press bobbin, with improved changing motions, and adapted for either fine or coarse numbers.
9. INTERMEDIATE FRAME of fifty-four spindles, 8 by 4 in. press bobbin, with improved changing motions, and adapted for either fine or coarse numbers.
10. ROVING FRAME of seventy spindles, 7 by 31 in. press bobbin, with improved changing motions, and adapted for either fine or coarse numbers.
11. JACK FRAME of eighty-eight spindles, 5 by 21 in. soft bobbin, with tapering motion, improved changing motions, and especially adapted for fine numbers; these frames are made so as to produce a fifty or sixty hank roving if desired.
12. DOBSON and BARLOW'S PATENT SELF-ACTING MULE, adapted for either fine or coarse numbers, made with double speed when required; the patent stretching motion is well adapted for fine numbers, not requiring any change of gear when the rollers stop, thus insuring perfect steadiness in the carriage and freedom from strain on the yarn. The changing motions are positive in their action and liable to little wear and tear. Their recently patented improved winding on quadrant (which is perfectly self-acting and independent of the workman) ensures the yarn being properly wound on at the nose of the cop.
These mules are made to drive from either above or below, or with or without driving apparatus, and are adapted to spin any number from 1s. to 150s.
Note: Dobson & Barlow's 1862 model of the self-acting mule is on display (2019) at the Musee des Arts et Metiers (Métier self-acting, Inv. 07175-0000-). See photos above.