Ring Spinner
From a posting by Norman Buckley, norman_buckley@btinternet.com
In 1830 Richard Roberts of Manchester introduced an automatic 'self acting' Mule, which spun Cotton in two stages.
1) As the machine advanced it simultaneously applyied the essential twist whilst it was 'drafting' the thread.
2) The row of spindles then stopped and the spun thread was wound onto the spindle as the whole 'carriage' retracted. So the spinning continued until the spindle was sufficiently filled. By the late 1880s each machine was up to 1300 spindles in size, but spinning and rewinding were still in two stages.

The more continuous Ring Spinning Machine eventually replaced most of the 'Mules' .
The Ring Spinning Machine was 'doffed' or emptied only when all the spindles had simultaneously been filled as the yarn (thread) was spun. The application of twist and the drafting were achieved in a continuous and simultaneous operation.
To allow the 'doffing' the entire machine was stopped. After 'doffing' the machine would be restarted - 'set on' - and the spinning process would continue on the newly fitted tubes or 'pirns'. The Ring Spinner was the operative of the machine