Cotton mule spinning after Richard Roberts

Abstract

Patents and records of textile machine makers provide a greater understanding of the development of mule spinning in the cotton industry after the invention of the self-acting mule by Richard Roberts in 1830. Hand mules continued in use for the spinning of finer yarns, and developed into machines that were hand controlled rather than hand powered. They were built in considerable numbers until the 1860s and some machines continued in use after 1900. Other persons invented self-acting mules but the only one to achieve any success was that by James Smith of Deanston, examples of which were built in small numbers until at least the 1860s. Refinements enabled the self-actor to replace hand mules after the 1860s, but they continued to incorporate the inventions of Roberts. Winding was a crucial area and machine makers adopted different approaches that reflect the range of yarns their machines were to spin.