IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HEALDS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Ellis, of Bradford, in the County of York,
Mechanic, and Joseph Sladdin, of Halifax, in the same County, Reed
and Heald Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
Sealed the 12th July 1864, and dated the 15th January 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Ellis and Joseph
Sladdin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 15th January 1864.
We, JAMES ELLIS, of Bradford, in the County of York, Mechanic, and
JOSEPH SLADDIN, of Halifax, in the same County, Reed and Heald Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HEALDS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to machinery for the manufacture of healds employed
› in looms for weaving, such as have knotted nooses formed thereon instead of
mails, and the object is to simplify the mechanism, and thereby reduce first
costs and wear and tear thereof; also to render it capable of producing such
healds with greater facility, and consequently at less cost than heretofore. To
accomplish which we employ in combination with parts of machinery here-
tofore employed in such manufacture a needle having two eyes for the two.

page_text: threads of yarn to pass, one through each eye respectively from the supply
bobbins, to be thence conducted by the hookers or openers to the lappers,
which secure them to the rig bands. The bobbins for the lappers we make
without pivots, and allow them to rotate on their flanges in suitable frames, so
as to occupy less space, and thereby to avoid slack in the yarns. The nooses
are formed by means of a crook fixed on the end of a horizontal spindle, which
is placed at right angles to the needle, and is capable of turning a suitable
distance on its axes so as to take hold of the yarn and wind it around a pair of
fingers, which project from the top end of an upright spindle in line with the
horizontal one. The upright spindle then turns upon its axes one-fourth of a
revolution so as to place the fingers in line with and opposite to the point of
the needle. A horizontal bar is placed in line with the needle, and capable of
sliding endwise, and on the end of this bar is a pusher or an instrument which
takes hold on the noose which has been formed on the fingers, and as the bar
is caused to move forward pushes or carries it on to the needle, beyond the
eyes thereof, so as to allow the hookers to take hold on the yarn passing
through the eyes, and conduct the same to the lappers. A fork then drops in
betwixt the yarns on each side of the noose, and which sets and holds the
noose to its proper size and position until the yarn is again drawn out to
the lappers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Ellis and Joseph Sladdin in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th July 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
ELLIS, of Bradford, in the County of York, Mechanic, and JOSEPH SLADDIN,
of Halifax, in the same County, Reed and Heald Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said James Ellis and Joseph Sladdin, Her special licence that we, the
said James Ellis and Joseph Sladdin, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said James Ellis and Joseph Sladdin,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make use, exercise, and vend,

page_text: within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HEALDS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said James Ellis and Joseph Sladdin, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Ellis and Joseph Sladdin,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner tho
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to machinery for the manufacture of healds employed
in looms for weaving, such as have knoted nooses formed thereon instead of
mails, and the object is to simplify the mechanism, and thereby reduce first
costs and wear and tear thereof; also to render it capable of producing such
bealds with greater facility, and consequently at less cost than heretofore. To
accomplish which, we employ in combination with parts of machinery here-
tofore employed in such manufacture a needle having two eyes for the two-
threads of yarn to pass, one through each eye respectively from the supply
bobbins, to be thence conducted by the hookers or openers to the lappers
which secure them to the rig bands. The bobbins for the lappers we make
without pivots, and allow them to rotate on their flanges in suitable frames, so
as to occupy less space, and thereby to avoid slack in the yarns. The nooses
are formed by means of a crook fixed on the end of a horizontal spindle, which
is placed at right angles to the needle, and is capable of turning a suitable
distance on its axes, so as to take hold of the yarn and wind it around a pair
of fingers, which project from the top end of an upright spindle in line with
the horizontal one. The upright spindlo then turns upon its axis one-fourth
of a revolution, so as to place the fingers in line with and opposite to the point
of the needle. A horizontal bar is placed in line with the needle, and capable
of sliding endwise, and on the end of this bar is a pusher or an instrument
which takes hold on the noose which has been formed on the fingers, and as
the bar is caused to move forward pushes or carries it on to the needle beyond
the eyes thereof, so as to allow the hookers to take hold on the
yarn passing
through the eyes, and conduct the same to the lappers. A fork then drops
in betwixt the yarns on each side of the noose, and which sets and holds

page_text: the noose to its proper size and position until the yarn is again drawn out
to the lappers.
In order that our said Invention may be more clearly understood, we have
given reference to two Sheets of Drawings illustrating a machine constructed
in accordance with our improvements.
Fig. 1 is a slide elevation; Fig. 2 is a plan; and Fig. 3 is a cross section
of the same taken through the dotted line A, B. The framework of this
machine is similar in general form and construction to the machine in ordinary
use for the making of mail healds. C is the needle (which is shewn full size
at Figs. 4 and 5), with two eyes or holes C1, C2, for the yarn to pass through;
D are the ordinary supply bobbins, from which the yarn is conducted or
carried by the guide eyes d, d', and d³, to the needle; D1 and D2 are dividers
or fingers, which enter betwixt the yarn and the needle, and draw out the
yarns to allow the hookers or openers D³ and D' to seize hold thereon, and to
open and conduct them to the lappers Ds and Do, which secure the yarns to
the rig bands; D' and D³, the rig bands, passing through the lappers in the
usual manner. The hookers are caused to open and close by means of a plate
or frame with double inclines or tapering at each end D2 and D. E and E¹
are the yarn bobbins for the lappers, which are shewn at Figs. 6 and 7, also
in their frame at Figs. 8 and 9, drawn full size, where it will be seen that the
flanges are recessed into the frame on each side, so as to be capable of rotating
therein, and not on pivots or axes, as heretofore, and thereby occupying lees
space or width, and avoiding slack in the yarns for making the healds, con-
sequently dispensing with all appliances for taking up the slack.
A proper
tension on the lapping yarns is given by springs and adjusting screws e, e'.
F is the crook for forming the noose, which is fixed in the end of a horizontal
spindle F, placed at right angles to the needle, and to which rotary motion is
given to the extent of one and a half revolutions by a tappet G, which acts
upon a friction pulley attached to a lever G¹, to which is attached a chain G2,
passing over a pulley G³ fixed on the spindle, and connected by a spring G*,
to the frame, which spring reverses the action of the crook when liberated
from the tappet. Hare the pair of fingers, which are fixed on the top end of
an upright spindle H', which is caused to turn on its axis one-fourth of a
revolution and back, by means of a short lever H2 fixed thereon, and conducted
by a rod H³ to a slide bar H', which is actuated in one direction by a
tappet H, and in the other by a spring He, so as to alternately place the
fingers in line with the horizontal spindle for winding on the yarn by the
crook, and then turned into line with the needle to be removed. I is the
horizontal slide bar placed in line with the needle, which carries a pusher I¹

page_text: or an instrument in form of a pair of fingers notched at their ends, so as to
catch on the yarn when wound on the fingers H, and push it therefrom on to
the needle. Motion is given to the bar I in a forward direction by a tappet I³
acting on a friction pulley attached to a lever I³, jointed at one end to the bar
and at the other to the frame, and motion is given in a backward or reverse
direction by the action of a spring I', when the tappet has ceased to act on
the lever. These parts are shewn in detail half full size at Figs. 10 and 11.
J is a fork fixed on a slide piece J¹, to which is attached a lever J², actuated
by a spring Js and tappet J. This fork drops by pressure of the spring on
the lever, when not actuated by the tappet spanning the needle and the noose,
and holding the same to a proper size and position until the yarns are again
drawn out to the lappers and another noose is formed and pushed on to the
needle, when it is lifted by the action of the tappet and again drops on the
newly formed noose and needle as before, and so on. When the fork is lifted
another lever K is actuated by a tappet K¹ to hold the needle in place. M is
a portable clasp for holding the needlo in position, which can be removed to
suit any length of needle according to the width of heald required to be made.
Fig. 12 is a full size view of the crook and part of the spindle; and Figs. 13
and 14 are front and side views of the fork.
The other working or moving parts of this machine being well known and
understood by those conversant with mail heald-making machines, need not
be particularly described here.
The action of this machine is as follows:-Two threads of yarn are supplied
from the ordinary supply bobbins to the needle, one thread passing through
each eye, they are returned outside to and held by the fork J. The fingers D'
and Ds then pass in betwixt the yarns and the needle, draw out the yarns to
such an extent as to permit the hookers to enter, which further draw or open
them out, and carry them to the lappers from lapping bobbins. The lappers
are then put in motion, which wind the yarn around the heald threads, and
thereby secure them to the rig bands. The upright spindle is then turned so
that the fingers thereon are in line with the horizontal spindle, when the crook
being put in forward motion takes hold on the yarn or thread L, and winds it
around the fingers, the motion then reversing leaves the yarn thereon; the
fingers are then turned into line with the needle, and the pushers are brought
into action, pushing the loop or lap off the fingers on to the needle beyond the
eyes thereof, forming a noose which the fork takes hold of, and retains it until
another draw out of the yarn is effected, and another noose is formed in like
manner, and so on.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner in

page_text: which the same is performed, we would have it understood that we do
not confine ourselves to the precise details of construction, and arrange-
ment of the parts, as shewn and described; but what we claim as of our
Invention is,
Firstly, the application and use of a needle with two eyes.
Secondly, the peculiar construction, mode of application, and means of
working the hookers or openers.
Thirdly, the application and use of the fingers and upright spindle, with the
means of operating them.
Fourthly, the sliding bar and instrument for pushing the yarn, with the 1
means of working the same.
Fifthly, the horizontal spindle and crook, and means of operating the
same.
Sixthly, the peculiar construction of the lappers.
Seventhly, the fork and levers, with the means of operating the same for 1
holding the noose and needle in position.
Eighthly, the portable clasp for holding any length of needle.
Ninthly, the guide eyes for conducting the yarn to the needle.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Ellis and Joseph Sladdin, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourteenth day of July, One 2
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
Wx. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax.
JAMES ELLIS.
(L.S)
JOSEPH SLADDIN. (L.s)