Improvements in the Shedding and Change-box Motions of Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1896-Accepted, 18th July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Shedding and Change-box Motions of Looms
for Weaving.
I, BAPTISTE HILBERT, of 62 Laurel Street Worcester, in the County of
Worcester and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention relates to that portion of a weaving loom known as the shedding
mechanism; or mechanism by which the harness frames are raised and lowered, in
order to effect a separation of the warp threads and provide a passage for the
shuttle.
In the following description reference is made to the figures in the accompanying
drawings, which show such portions of a loom as embody my invention, and are
necessary to fully illustrate the nature of the same.
Fig. 1 represents a front view of that portion of a loom which embodies my
invention.
Fig. 2 represents the operating parts of that portion of the loon, comprised in
Fig. 1, and arranged in their respective relative positions; with the transverse
shaits shown in sectional view and with the position of the framework indicated by
broken lines.
Fig. 3 represents a top view of the transverse horizontal driving shaft with the
connected driving gears and clutching mechanism by which the shedding mechanism
is connected or disconnected at will with the driving power.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by
like letters of reference, A denotes a portion of the framework of a loom, showing
that part in which the shedding mechanism is supported and in which is journaled the
horizontal transverse driving shaft B. Turning loosely on the shaft B is a beveled
gear B 1, which engages a beveled gear B 2 on a vertical shaft B3; said vertical
shatt B3 being operatively connected with any of the rotating shafts of the loom;
preferably with the "crank shaft" by means of a pair of beveled gears connecting
the lower end of the vertical shaft B3 with the end of the "crauk shaft"; these
beveled gears are not represented in the accompanying drawings as their construction
and arrangement will be well understood.
The beveled gear B1, which turns loosely upon the transverse driving shaft B,
is connected at will with the shaft B by means of clutch teeth B 4 formed upon the
hub of the beveled gear B 1 and a sliding collar B 5 provided with corresponding
clutch teeth and having a spline connection with the shaft B I, whereby it is
rotatively connected with the shaft but is capable of sliding thereon. The
engagement of the clutch teeth is accomplished by means of a fork B 6 engaging
an annular groove in the collar B5 and attached to a sliding rod B 7 supported in
the framework of the loom.
A collar B8 is attached to the sliding rod B7 and between the collar B8 and
the framework A is placed a spiral spring 19 with its tension applied against the
collar B8 to normally hold the collar B5 in engagement with the clutch teeth B 4.
When it is desired to disconnect. the shaft B from the driving power the sliding
rod B 7 is turned by means of a hand knob B 10 attached to the end of the sliding
rod B7; and the sliding rod B 7, when drawn out, is held against the tension of
the spring B 9 by means of a lever B 11, Figure 1, pivoted on the framework of the

page_text: loom in proper position to have its end inserted in the space B 12, Figure 3,
between the framework of the loom and the hub of the knob B 10, thereby holding
the clutching collar B 5 out of engagement with the clutch teeth B 4.
An eccentric gear C is attached to one end of the transverse shaft B, shown in
top view in Figure 3 and in elevation in Figure 2. The eccentric gear C engages
a similar eccentric gear C1 turning loosely upon a stud C2 supported by the
framework of the loom and carrying upon its side a crank plate C3, which is
provided with a crank pin C4 connected by the link C 5 with a rocking arm C 6,
attached to one end of a short rocking shaft C 7 aud journaled in the frame A.
To the opposite, or front end of the rocking shaft C7, a similar rocking arm C 8
is attached, so the rotary motion of the crank plate C3 will impart a rocking
motion to the shaft C7 and arms C6 and C 8. The upper end of the rocking
arm C6 upon the rear side of the frame is connected by a link C9 with the rear
end of a sliding knife bar C 10, and the upper end of the rocking arm C8 upon the
front side of the frame is similarly connected by a link C 11 with the forward end
of the sliding knife bar C 10; in like manner the lower ends of the rocking
arms C 6 and C 8 are connected, by means of the link C 12 on the rear side of the
frame, and the link C 13 upon the front side of the frame, with the rear and
forward ends of a sliding knife bar C 14.
The sliding knife bars C 10 and C 14 slide in slots C 15 and C 16 in the loom
Placed side by side and resting upon a fixed bar D and a pattern.
chain E are a series of steel blades, or jacks D1, provided upon their upper edges
and at their inner ends with gear teeth D 2 and having notches D3, D3 upon
their upper and lower sides adapted to be engaged by the sliding knife bars C 10
and C 14.
The sliding knife bars C 10 and C 14 have a reciprocating motion back and forth
in the slots C 15 and C 16; the upper knife bar C'10 moving the jacks D 1 toward
the right and the lower knife bar C14 moving the jacks toward the left; the
operation of the sliding knife bars being as follows:-Whenever the jacks D1 rest
upon the bars of the pattern chain their notches are engaged by the sliding knife
bar C 14 as it moves toward the left, causing all the depressed jacks to be carried
along with the knife bar C 14 as it moves toward the left and away from the
pattern chain, until it approaches the end of its movement, when the end of the
jacks are carried upon a bar D 4 held in the framework of the loom and termed
a "clearer bar" the rounded end D 1 of the jack causing it to be raised as
it passes un to the "clearer bar" D 4 thereby lifting it out of engagement with
the knife bar C14, and allowing the knife bar C 14 to return without engaging the
jacks D1, which rest at their opposite ends upon the "clearer bar" D 4, ard are
supported by the "clearer bar" in a plane between the two knife bars C 10
and C 14. As the knife bar C 14 moves back toward the pattern chain the knite
bar C 10 is moved outwardly, and upon the return or inward movement of the kni e
bar C 10, those jacks which are to be moved back or toward the pattern chain are
raised so the upper notch D3 will be engaged by the knife bar C 1. Each of
the jacks which are to be moved back, is raised by means of a roll b, placed in the
pattern chain and brought beneath the jack at the proper period by the intermittent
movement of the pattern chain E.
Held in the frame A is a fixed shaft F upon which are placed the segmental
gears F1, each of which is capable of turning around the shaft and is provided
with a crank arm F 2 to which a bent link F3 is pivoted having its opposite end
pivoted to the upright arm G of a bell crank lever, which is capable of a rocking
motion upon the fixed shaft G 1 held in the frame A. The upper end of the vertical
arm G is provided with a a tech G 2 and to the notched end a harness strap G3 is
attached, which passes over a guide roll G 4, by which the direction of its motion
is changed, raid strap being attached at its lower end, in the usual manner, to the
top of one of the harness frames of the loom, not shown in the drawings. The
horizontal arın G 6 of the bell crank lever is notched at its free end at G5 to which
a strap G7 is attached; said strap G 7 being carried around suitable guide pulleys

page_text: upon the floor and attached in the usual manner to the under side of the harness
frame which is connected to the strap G 3.
A rocking motion is imparted to the shaft C7 and arms C6 and C 8 through
the eccentric gears C and C1 by which the rocking motion of the arms is
gradually accelerated at the beginning of their movement and gradually retarded.
at the end of their movement, thereby securing a suitable period of rest, or
"dwell."
The sliding kuife bars C 10 and C14 impart a reciprocating motion to the
jacks D 1, as they are severally engaged by the knife bare, and by means of the
rack teeth D2 a reciprocating rotary motion is given to the segmental gears F 1,
causing the crank arms F2 to be carried around the shaft F and alternately
brought into contact with the fixed rods H, H 1, which are held in the loom fra ne
and slightly below the plane of the shaft F, so a strain, exerted upon the crank
arms through the links F 3, will tend to draw the crank arms against the
rods H, HI and thereby check the rotation of the segmental gears F 1.
The pattern chain E, is supported upon a rotating barrel I carried upon the
shaft J which is driven from the shaft B by means of the spur wheel J 1 engaging
a notched wheel J 2, and constituting the familiar construction known as the
"Geneva stop motion" commonly employed in the winding mechanism of time-
pieces.
To the shaft BI attach a gear J 3 driven by a pinion J 4 turning loosely upon
a stud J 5, held in the framework of the loom; said pinion having a hand wheel J 6
attached to its hub, thereby allowing the pattern ebain to be turned by the operator
when the shaft B is disconnected from the driving power.
The notched wheel J 2 turns loosely upon the shaft J, but has a clutch con-
nection therewith; said clutch being provided with a hand wheel J 7 by which the
clutch mechanism is disengaged, allowing the notched wheel J 2 to be disconnected
from the shaft J when desired. The hand wheels J 6 and J 7 are represented in
Figure 1 by broken lines.
Whenever it is desired to bring all the threads in the warp into the same plane,
the toothed jacks DI are simultaneously raised in order to bring them into
engagement with the upper knife bar C 10, by means of an eccentric rotating
blade K, Figure 2, journaled in the frame of the loom and operated by a hand
lever K1, Figure 1, thereby causing all the jacks D1 to be moved toward the
right and rotating all the segmental gears F 1 toward the left.
The shaft J, Figure 3, also carries a barrel L upon which an independent
pattern chain may be placed, arranged to act upon a separate series of toothed
jacks, to bring them into engagement with the sliding knife bars C 10 and C 14 by
which the separate set of segmental gears, like the gears F1 can be made to
actuate separate rocking bell cranks capable of being connected by suitable
intermediate mechanism with the shuttle boxes of the loom.
The frame A above the upper slot C 15 is made in a separate piece, a, which is
attached to a flat blade spring, e, having its ends attached to the framework A by
bolts d, in order to allow the movable portion, a, of the frame to be raised in case
the sliding knife bar C 10 is lifted by the jacks out of its normal position, which is
liable to occur in case the jacks are raised by the eccentric rotating blade K and
the sliding knife bar C 10 is moved by means of the hand wheel J 6, over the
upper edges of the jacks before engaging a notch D3; whenever this occurs the
sliding knife bar C 10 will necessarily be lifted from its normal position, thereby
raising the bar, a, which will be returned to its proper position by the blade
spring, c, as soon as the sliding knite bar C10 has entered the notches in the
toothed jacks.
Each harness frame of the loom is connected by straps with the vertical and
horizontal aims of a bell crank lever rocking on the fixed shaft G 1 and as each of
the bell cranks is rocked through its connection with the oscillating crank arms of
one of the segmental gears, I am able to vary the rocking motion of the bell
cranks, and consequently the vertical movement of the haruess frames, by making

page_text: the crank arms F2 of different lengths; the crank arm of the first segmental
gear, or one nearest the front being the shortest and each succeeding crank arm
being increased in length from the one next preceding; thereby causing each
succeeding harness fraine from the front to move through a greater distance,
bringing all the raised warp threads into the same plane and all the depressed
warp threads into the same plane and producing what is known in weaving as an
"angular shed." The bell cranks to which the harness straps are attached are
provided with bearings which are open on one side as at, e, Figure 2, allowing
each of the bell cranks to be lifted off the fixed shaft G 1. When the bell cranks
are placed in position upon the shaft G 1 they are locked, or held in position by a
plate, f, which is attached to a rotating spindle, g, journaled in the framework of
the loom, and the bell cranks are released by rocking the plate, f, and raising it
out of contact with the bearings of the bell cranks.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. The pivoted levers connected with the harness frames of a loom, segmental
oscillating gears provided with radial arms, operatively connected with said pivoted
levers, fixed stops by which the oscillation of said segmental gears is limited,
toothed jacks engaging said segmental gears and having notches adapted to be
engaged by sliding knife bars, a pair of sliding knife bars, means for actuating
said sliding knife bars, a fixed bar by which the sliding jacks are raised out of
engagement with one of said knife bais and a pattern mechanism for carrying the
sliding jacks into engagement with said knife bars, all combined and operating as
and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The combination with the frame provided with a slot for a reciprocating
knife bar, of a detached portion of the frame forming one side of said slot, and a
blade spring attached at one end to said detached portion and at the opposite end
to the loom frame by which said detached portion of the frame is held in position,
but capable of yielding when the knile bar is raised, as and for the purpose set
forth.
Third. The vertical shaft B 3, transverse horizontal shaft B, gears connecting
said shafts, a clutching mechanism between said gears and the transverse shaft B,
an eccentric gear C attached to the shaft B, a second eccentric gear C1 driven by
the eccentric gear C and rotating upon a fixed stud, a crank carried by the
eccentric gear C1, oscillating arms operatively connected with sail crank,
reciprocating knife bars connected with said oscillating arms, and a series of
jacks connected with the harness frames of the loom and adapted to be engaged by
said reciprocating knife bars all combined and operating as and for the purpose
set forth.
Fourth. The combination of a series of toothed jacks D 1, segmental gears F1
engaged by said jacks and having radial arms F 2 operatively connected with the
harness frames of the loom by means of intermediate mechanism, a shaft J and a
pattern chain carried thereon, a driving shaft B, intermediate mechanism by which
the shaft B is made to impart an intermittent rotary motion to the shaft J aud
pattern chain carried thereon, a gear J 3 carried upon the shaft B, a driving
gear J 4 turning upon a fixed stud and engaging the gear J 3 and a hand wheel
attached to the driving gear J 4, as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 14th day of May 1896.
BAPTISTE HILBERT.
Wheatley & Mackenzie,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C.