An Improved Picking Mechanism for Over-picked Looms.
Year: 1885

page_text: An Improved Picking Mechanism for Over-picked Looms.
I, JAMES BOYD, of Buckholm Mills, Galashiels in the County of Selkirk, North
Britain, Power-loom overlooker, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention
for AN IMPROVED PICKING MECHANISM FOR OVER-PICKED LOOMS, to be as
follows:-
The mode of effecting the "picking" on over-pick looms as hitherto constructed,
is by means of a horizontal spindle or shaft supported by two brackets bolted or
otherwise secured to the inside of the end frames or gables of the loom. Attached
to the end of the spindle is a clutch or two hooked wheels, the inner of these parts
or wheels is keyed to the spindle and the outer one has flanged edges to admit the
upper end of the picking stick, which is held in position therein by means of a nut
and screw, the lower or opposite end of the picking stick being connected to the
driver, by a leather strap. When the driver gets its forward movement for the
carrying of the shuttle across the web, the picking stick and leather strap pass
some distance beyond the inner end of the spindles on which the driver works,
thereby occupying a considerable space, and creating a great source of danger to
the weaver.
Under my present arrangement for effecting the picking of an over-pick loom,
I dispense with the leather strap and stud for fastening the same to the driver, and
I provide two brackets which are secured to the outside of the end frames or
gables of the loom and through the bosses of these brackets the picking spindle
passes. Attached to the picking spindle is a short quadrantal arm slotted for the
regulation of the picking-Bolted or otherwise suitably secured to this arm is a
short leather belt which is carried over a pulley and secured to the upper end of
the upright rod by which the picking stick is operated from the wiper or tappet.
A leather strap and spring connected therewith are provided, for the carrying back
the spindle, after it is freed from the picking wiper or tappet, the said strap being
secured to the outer surface of a quadrantal lever, by bolts or otherwise. A disc
or wheel, toothed or notched on its outer face, is keyed to one end of the horizontal
spindle and against the outer face of this disc or wheel, a correspondingly toothed
or notched face, formed on a short bifurcated arm, is secured in any desired
position by a screwed stud and nut or by other equivalent means.-Between the

page_text: two members of the arm hereinlast referred to, there is inserted a reduced portion
of the casting in which the socket or recess for carrying the picking stick, is
formed. This reduced portion is pivoted in the short bifurcated arm in such a
manner as admits of the picking-stick only moving outwards with the driver
through which it is free to slide longitudinally.
An Improved Picking Mechanism for Over-picked Looms.
I, JAMES BOYD, of Buckholm Mills, Galashiels, in the County of Selkirk, North
Britain, Power-loom Overlooker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
AN IMPROVED PICKING MECHANISM FOR OVER-PICKED LOOMS and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The mode of effecting the "picking" on over-pick looms as hitherto constructed,
is by means of a horizontal picking spindle or picking shaft supported by two
brackets bolted or otherwise secured to the inside of the end frames or gables of
the loom. Attached to the end of the spindle is a clutch or two hooked wheels,
the inner of these parts or wheels is keyed to the spindle and the outer one has
flanged edges to admit the upper end of the picking stick which is held in position
therein by means of a nut and screw, the lower or opposite end of the picking
stick being connected to the driver or picker by a leather strap. When the said
driver or picker gets its forward movement for the carrying of the shuttle across
the web, the picking stick and leather strap pass some distance beyond the inner
end of the guide spindles on which the driver works, thereby occupying a
considerable space, and creating a great source of danger to the weaver.
Under my present arrangement for effecting the picking of an over pick loom,
I dispense with the leather strap and stud for fastening the same to the driver or
picker, and I provide two brackets which are screwed to the outside of the end
frames or gables of the loom and through the bosses of these brackets the picking
spindle passes. Attached to the picking spindle is a short quadrantal arm slotted
for the regulation of the picking. Bolted or otherwise suitably secured to this
arm is a short leather belt which is carried over a pulley and secured to the upper
end of the upright rod by which the picking stick is operated from the wiper or
tappet. A leather strap and spring connected therewith are provided, for the
carrying back the spindle, after it is freed from the picking wiper or tappet, the

page_text: said strap being secured to the outer surface of a quadrantal lever, by bolts or
otherwise. A disc or wheel, toothed or notched on its outer face, is keyed to one
end of the horizontal spindle and against the outer face of this disc or wheel, a
correspondingly toothed or notched face formed on a short bifurcated arm, is
secured in any desired position by a screwed stud and nut or by other equivalent
means. Between the two members of the arm herein last referred to, there is
inserted a reduced portion of the casting in which the socket or recess for
carrying the picking stick, is formed. This reduced portion is pivoted in the
short bifurcated arm in such a manner as admits of the picking stick only moving
outwards with the driver through which it is free to slide longitudinally.
In order that my said Invention may be properly understood and readily carried
into effect, I will now proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is an end elevation of the loom to which my improved picking motion
is applied.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of a portion of the corresponding end of the loom.
Figures 3 and 4 are detached views (drawn to an enlarged scale) of a modified
portion of the same and all hereinafter more particularly described.
In the loom to which I have upon the annexed drawings shewn my improved
picking mechanism as applied, the end frame or gable of the said loom is indicated
at a, while at b, is shewn the crank shaft. This crank shaft b, is connected by
means of the crank arm or connecting link c, with the part d, which is sometimes
known and is hereinafter referred to as the lathe sword. The lathe sword d, is
supported by the stud e, which is screwed or otherwise secured in the frame a.
The lathe f, as is well understood, is supported by the lathe swords d, which also
support the frame g, in which the shuttle boxes h, are carried as shewn more
particularly at Figure 2 of the annexed drawings. At or near the end of the crank
shaft b, the picking cam or wiper i is secured in such relation to the bowl or anti-
friction roller j, as to cause, by the rotation of the said cam i, the picking lever k,
to be depressed. The said picking lever k, is pivoted at 1, to the gable a, and at
its opposite end the said picking lever is connected, by means of the rod m, and
the leather or equivalent strap n, to the quadrantal arm o. This quadrantal arm
is secured to the picking spindle or picking shaft p, in the ordinary well-known
manner and the said shaft p, is carried in the brackets q, which are bolted or
otherwise secured to the gable a. The before mentioned strap n, passes partly
around the pulley r, carried by the bracket 8, which is secured to the gable a, and
to the projecting arm t, of such bracket is adjustably secured to the lower end of
the spring u.
The upper end of this spring u, is connected by means of the
strap to the quadrantal arm w, which is secured to the shaft p. A disc or wheel x,
which is toothed or otherwise notched on its front or outer face as shewn at
Figure 1, is keyed on the shaft p. With the notched face of this disc or wheel x,
the correspondingly toothed or notched face of the disc y, is capable of engaging,
the two such discs being held firmly together, in whatever relative position they
shall have been previously adjusted, by the nut z. The last mentioned disc y, is
formed in part with the bifurcated arm a¹, (Figure 2) forming one part of a hinge
or joint and by loosening the nut z, the said disc y, may be drawn apart from the
disc x, and turned into any desired position and afterwards secured in such position
by again screwing or tightening up the nut z; or, means other than of the screwed
nut z, may be employed for securing the two discs x, and y, together. The
bracket or socket piece b¹, in which the picking stick c¹, is secured, is formed with
the second part d', of the afore mentioned hinge or joint. This second part d², as
shewn at Figure 2, fits into the bifurcated arm a³, and is held in position therein
by the joint pin e¹. The upper end of the picking stick c¹, is bolted as represented
upon the annexed drawings or otherwise secured in or to the bracket or socket
piece b¹, and the lower end thereof extends downwards through the shuttle driver
or picker f¹, in the usual well-known manner.
At Figures 3 and of the annexed drawings I have represented respectively in
front and side elevation, the disc 3, with its hinge or joint constructed in a manner

page_text: slightly differing from that herein before described. Under the modified con-
struction shewn at these Figures the bracket or socket piece 61, is formed in one
with the beforementioned bifurcated arm a¹, while the disc y, in the reverse
manner is formed with the part d', which is pivoted in the said arm a². The
screw or bolt f¹, also represented at these Figures 3 and 4, secures the joint pin e¹,
in position.
In the operation of the herein before described mechanism, the picking shaft p, is
caused to oscillate in the ordinary well-known manner, that is to say, by means of
the cam
or wiper i, the lever k, the connecting rod m, the strap n, and the
quadrantal arm o. When so oscillating, the picking shaft p, carries the disc y, the
picking stick cl, and the driver or picker f¹, with it, and the shuttle is thus driven
across the web.
As the lathe f, (Figure 2) and its directly connected parts are moved backwards
and forwards by the crank shaft b, the lower end of the picking stick c¹, is caused
to travel therewith, these backward and forward motions of the said picking
stick cl, being provided for by the beforementioned hinge or joint at its upper
end. By the arrangement of mechanism herein before described, the picking
stick c¹, is enabled to act directly upon the shuttle driver or picker f¹.
I desire it to be understood, in place of pivoting the picking stick c¹, to an
adjustable disc y, in the manner hereinbefore described, that, without departing
from the essential features of my Invention, I may dispense with such disc, and
hinge or pivot the said picking stick c¹, to the disc x under which construction,
the necessary adjustment in the position of the picking stick c¹, is provided for in
the connections between the lever k, and the quadrantal arm o.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
In over-picked looms, the general arrangement and combination of the picking
shaft p, the discs x, and y, the binge or joint e', in the picking stick c¹, and the
driver or picker f1, all substantially as and operating in the manner and for the
purposes hereinbefore set forth with reference to the annexed drawings.
Dated th
J 1000