IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Orlando Tucker, of Hartford, Connecticut,
United States of America, but at present residing in Huddersfield, in the
County of York, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Orlando Tucker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st July 1881.
FREDERICK ORLANDO TUCKER, of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of
America, but at present residing in Huddersfield, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
This Invention relates to self acting apparatus employed in stopping the loom
when the weft is absent. My present improvements consist in using the weft fork
or needles and upright rod referred to in previous Letters Patent granted to me on
the 9th of November. A.D. 1880, No. 4592. This upright rod is connected by
levers to a dagger in such manner that when the weft fork lowers and the weft is
absent the dagger would come in contact with a segment, to which is connected a
cord, tape, rod, or chain attached to the boss or other part of a rocking lever
fastened on a horizontal shaft or stud, so that when the segment is moved by the
dagger, the cord, tape, rod, or chain is pulled in such manner as to place the rocking
lever in contact with the strap guide and move the strap from the fast to the loose
pulley and stop the loom, while at the same time the motion of the rocking lever
causes another lever or levers on the same shaft or stud to rise into a horizontal
position, so that when the slay board is moving towards the brest bean it will
strike against this lever or levers placed in a horizontal position, and prevent the
crank shaft moving any part of another revolution, by which means no more picks
can possibly take place after the knocking off apparatus is set in motion.
When the weft is present the dagger is locked by means of a pin entering a hole
formed in the dagger, by which means the dagger passes clear of the segment and
the loom proceeds. The locking pin may be attached to a flat spring actuated by
a cord, tape, or chain from the breast beam, or the said pin may be operated by
means of a lever, cam, or other mechanical device.

page_text: That part of the lever or levers placed into a horizontal position, against which
the slay strikes, may be provided with springs, india rubber, or other material
forming a cushion. The weft fork, upright rod, and dagger are raised on the return
of the slay board by means of a cam or inclined plate.
"
runner
My improvements also relate to new methods of operating the dagger and needles
or weft fork. According to one method, each of the above parts is raised by means
of a bell crank lever, one arm of which is provided with a
"which passes
over the face of a spring cam or incline fixed to the bottom rail or other suitable
part of the loom. The " runner arın of the lever for operating the weft fork is
jointed and only acts upon the weft fork as the slay recedes, the jointed arm giving
way to the cam on the return movement.
"
Another method consists in operating the dagger by means of a crank lever
which comes in contact with a flat spring as the slay board recedes.
The needles may also be operated by means of a crank lever and tilting cam so
arranged that as the slay recedes the cam shall be rigid, and the lever passing over
the same shall raise the vertical rod which operates the needles, but on the return
movement the lever remains rigid and tilts the cam out of the way.
Another method consists in locking the dagger by means of a vertical pin or
hook attached to a horizontal weighted lever actuated by the falling of the upright
rod.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Orlando Tucker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st December 1881.
FREDERICK ORLANDO TUCKER, of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of
America, but at present residing in Huddersfield, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
This Invention relates to self acting apparatus employed in stopping looms when
weft is absent through breakage or other cause. I combine with my present
improvements the weft fork, upright rod, and locking device referred to in previous
Letters Patent granted to me on the 9th of November, A.D. 1880, No. 4592.
My present improvements consist in new methods of operating the dagger and
needles or weft fork.
According to one method each of the above parts is raised by means of a bell
crank lever, one arm of which is provided witli a "runner "which passes over the
face of a spring cam or incline fixed to the botton rail or other suitable part of
the loom.
The runner arm of the lever for operating the weft fork is jointed, and only acts
upon the weft fork as the slay recedes, the jointed arm giving way to the cam on
the return movement.

page_text: The weft
This part of my Invention is shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, which are respectively end
view and front views of the apparatus. 1 is the slay board; 2, the weft fork or
needles; 3, the upright rod; and 4, the dagger hinged on the stud 5.
fork and upright rod are raised by means of the lever G, which is caused to rise at
each backward movement of the slay by the arm 7 riding upon the spring cam or
incline S. The arm 7 is connected to the lever 6 by means of a hinge so constructed
as to open in one direction only. As the slay recedes the joint is rigid, but as soon
as the slay commences to move towards the breast beam the friction between the
runner and the incline retards the arm 7 and opens the joint or hinge and allows
the lever 6 to lower into the position shewn in Fig. 3, thereby allowing the upright
rod and needles to lower on to the weft if it be present, but if there be no weft the
needle will drop into the groove cut in the slay, and the loom will be stopped as
hereinafter explained. The dagger 4 which has an upright arm 10 forming a bell
crank lever may also be hinged upon the stud 5, and is raised at each backward
movement of the slay by another spring incline 8, and lowers by gravitation as
soon as the slay has moved a little distance towards the breast beam. The cams S
are adjustable in the slotted rods 11, which are placed in a bracket 12 fixel to a
rail or other stationary part of the loom; 13 are springs which keep the inclines
up to the height required, and also allow them to yield and prevent breakages.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
When the slay board is moved backwards the runner at the bottom of the arms 7
and 10 ride up the inclines, and the upright rod 3 with the needles and dagger 4
are raised. The shuttle is then sent across the loom, the slay commences to move
forward towards the breast beam, and the joint of the lever 7 giving way to the
friction or resistance of the incline, the parts which have been raised begin to lower
until the needles or weft fork rest upon the shoot of weft, provided the same
is present, but if it is not, then the downward movement of the weft fork and
rod 3 will be continued until the boss 14 reaches the point 15 of the vertical
weighted lever 16, and so push the horizontal pin 17 either underneath the dagger
or into a hole made therein so as to prevent the dagger lowering, whereby it is
retained in position opposite to the knocking off apparatus, thereby stopping the
loom. Another method of operating the dagger is shewn in Figs. 4 and 5, which
consists of a bell crank lever 18 hinged on a stud 5 placed under the slay. It will
be seen that at each backward movement of the slay the weighted end 19 of the
lever 18 will be brought into contact with the flat spring 20 attached to the
bracket 21 and so lift the dagger 4, but as the slay returns towards the breast
beam the weighted lever 18 will drop, as shewn in dotted lines, the amount of fall
will however be regulated by the presence or absence of weft, the locking device
actuated as previously explained by the falling motion of the rod 3 will determine
whether the dagger is to knock off or not. The needles in this case are raised by
a cord 21 attached to the breast beam and the short shaft A, shewn and explained
more fully in my previous Specification, No. 4592, A.D. 1880. The needles may
also be operated by means of a crank lever and tilting cam, so arranged that as the
slay recedes the cam shall be rigid, and the lever passing over the same shall raise
the vertical rod which operates the needles, but on the return movement the lever
remains rigid and tilts the cam out of the way. This part of my Invention is
shewn in Fig. 6, where 23 is a crank lever hinged on a stud 5 under the slay,
and 24 is a tilting cam, the end 25 resting upon a stud 26 so as to prevent the cam
overbalancing. It will be seen that as the slay moves away from the breast beam
that the tilting cam remains rigid, and the crank lover in passing up the incline of
the cam will be lifted, consequently the upright rod 3 and needle will be raised,
but on the return motion of the slay the point 27 of the lever 23 will come in
contact with the upper part of the tilting cam and move it away, as shewn in
dotted linos. In combination with this arrangement of operating the needles, the
dagger is also raised by the runner 28 riding up the cain 29; Fig. 7 shews another
method of operating the dagger. In this case it is raised by means of the bowl 30
attached to a lever 31 riding over the spring cam S. Another method consists in

page_text: locking the dagger by means of a vertical pin or hook attached to a horizontal
weighted lever actuated by the falling of the upright rod. This part of my
Invention is shewn in Figs. 8 and 9, which are respectfully end view and front
view of the apparatus. The needles are operated by the bell crank lever 32 passing
over the cam 33 in a similar manner to that already explained. In this case if the
weft is present, the dagger 4 has a sideway movement given to it when the slay
commences to move towards the breast beam, so as to push the dagger clear of the
knocking off apparatus. This is accomplished by means of the weighted vertical
lever 34 hinged on a frame under the loom.
The action of the parts is as follows:-
When the weft is present and the slay is commencing to move towards the
breast beam, the finger 35 of the dagger is caught by the balance lever 34 which
pushes the point 36 of the dagger sideway clear of the knocking apparatus; if
however weft is absent, the upright rod 3 lowers quickly, operating the horizontal
weighted lever 37, pushing the vertical pin 38 into the hole 39 made in the dagger,
and so prevents its being pushed sideway by the balance lever 34, the balance
lever under these conditions giving way to the dagger which is held rigid by the
pin 38. A plan of the dagger is shewn in Fig. 10.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature and particulars of my
Invention, I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
Firstly. The several methods for raising the needles and allowing them to lower
immediately the slay has reached the extent of its backward motion, substantially
as herein shewn and described.
Secondly. The several methods for raising the dagger when used in combination
with the locking device, substantially as herein shewn and described.
Thirdly. The use and employment of the yielding cams 8 for raising the needles
and dagger, substantially as herein shewn and described.
Fourthly. The use and employment of the vertical weighted lever 34 for placing
the dagger out of contact with the knocking off apparatus, substantially as described
and shewn.
Fifthly. The employment of the horizontal weighted lever 37 and vertical
pin 38 operated upon by the falling motion of the vertical rod 3 for locking the
dagger, substantially as described and shewn, ·
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Orlando Tucker, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty ninth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
F. O. TUCKER. (L.S.)