Improvements in and relating to Warp Drawing Mechanism for Looms.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 15th Mar., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Warp Drawing Mechanism for
Looms.
I, JOHN CLARKE, of No. 30, Court Street, in the City of Boston, County of
Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Clerk, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention consists of an organized machine adapted to draw warp threads
or yarns into the harness-eyes and reed of a loom preparatory to beginning the
weaving of a piece of goods.
Of the annexed drawings, which fully illustrate the invention, Figure 1 is
a perspective view of the right-hand end portion of the machine with the carriage
shown as at the said end after the drawing in of the warp threads has been com-
menced. Fig. 2 is a sectional end view. Fig. 3 is a plan view, some parts being,
for the sake of clearness, omitted, and some shown as broken out. Fig. 4 is a
vertical sectional front view, and Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional end view, showing
the manner of controlling the harness and their eyes, the warp threads and reed,
and the way in which the warp threads are caught and drawn in. Fig. 6 is a
front, and Fig. 7 a sectional end view of the warp thread controlling screw.
Fig. 8 is a diagramatic end view of certain gearing for operating rods in the
process of spacing and positioning the harness and their eyes and the warp
threads. Fig. 9 is a view somewhat resembling Fig. 5 but showing a modified
form of warp thread spacing means, as also a modified form of means for acting
upon the harness below their eyes. Fig. 10 shows in perspective, a modified
form of means for holding the free ends of the warp threads, and also what
experience has proven to be a good form of means for assisting the warp-spacing
screw or its equivalent to exactly space and position the warp threads. Figs. 11
and 12 show a desirable form of means for supporting the hook or needle in order
that a proper movement may be imparted to it.
a designates the frame of the machine upon which is mounted a carriage, b,
adapted to travel from one end of the machine to the other on the rails c c.,
d designates the front, and the rear, harness of a set of harness which are
properly supported by the frame, their connection with the latter vertically being
preferably by means, or through the medium, of springs, in order that they may
not be held too rigidly. e designates the harness-eyes. f are the warp threads
which may be supposed to extend up from the warp-beam (not shown) between
the clamping bars g which hold them quite rigidly and to the clamping bars h
(not having reference to Fig. 10) which hold their ends relatively loosely, so
that when the reciprocating hook i catches a thread. it may draw the end from.
between the bars hand through the harness-eyes and reed.
The hook is reciprocated in its bearings by means of a substantially 8-shaped
cam, j, on the cam-shaft k, which cam acts upon a lever pivoted at its lower end
on the carriage, and connected with the base of the hook through the medium

page_text: of the link m. The hook is given a quarter turn in its bearings as it is recipro-
cated by means of the pin or screw m³ (Figs. 11 and 12) extending through the
circumferential slot of the sleeve in which the butt of the needle works and
through the guiding slot m² of the support. The quarter turn given to the hook
is imparted to it when it reaches its inward stroke, so that it may the more readily
catch the warp threads in their order and draw them in.
n designates the reed which is supported in yielding bearings or held loosely
on the frame for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. This loose bearing is
secured by means of clamps o, which at one end engage the upper part of the
reed and at the other end bear against a part of the frame or equipments of the
frame, the clamp being made to bear upon the reed with greater or less force
by means of bolts and thumb-nuts p screwed thereon, as shown in Fig. 2, the
said bolts passing through the clamp and through the equipment of the frame,
though it might be a part of the frame itself. The chief point to be secured
in this matter is that the reed may be held so that it may yield slightly longi-
tudinally, when it is necessary that it should do so. In order to the more readily
enable the hook to pass through the dents or openings between the reeds, I
have provided a means for opening or separating the dents at the point where the
hook is to be passed therethrough. The said reed-dent separating means con-
sists of a lever or arm, q, provided at its upper end with a wedge-shaped dog s
(see Fig. 5) which is adapted to enter between the reeds and press them apart
or separate them. The said lever g is secured to a rock-shaft t journaled in suit-
able bearings on the machine (see Figs. 1 and 2) and coiled about the said rock-
shaft is a spring, u, so connected with the rock-shaft and a stationary part of the
carriage as to operate with a tendency to press the upper end of the lever pro-
vided with the dog, s, against or toward the reed.
A tail piece of the lever q extends down from the rock-shaft t and is adapted
to be operated upon by a push-rod actuated by a cam r on the cam-shaft, so
that when said push-rod is moved inward, it will bear against the tail piece v
of the lever and move the said lever upon the rock-shaft t against the tension
of the spring, and disengage the dogs from the reed, when the carriage will
be shogged or moved forward a step and the push-rod we will move back and
allow the spring to act to engage the dog s with the next succeeding dent of
the reed.
It may now be explained that, if the reeds should not be set with regularity in
the reed frame-that is, to say, if the reeds should slightly vary in number at one
point from what they are at another-the yielding character of the supports for
the reed-frame will allow the reed to give or yield longitudinally, so that the
dogs may enter the dents with certainty and without liability of catching on
any one of the reeds or breaking or damaging anything in connection therewith.
y is a rack-bar on the frame which is engaged by a pinion, z, on a shaft, a¹, on
the upper end of which is a gear wheel, 61, which engages a pinion, cl, on the
lower end of a shaft, e¹, on the upper end of which shaft is a ratchet-like
disk, f, engaged by a pawl, g', which is actuated by a cam, h¹, on the cam-
shaft k, so that as the cam-shaft is operated, the ratchet disk may be actuated
step-by-step to a predetermined extent, and from it, through the gearing before
described, move the carriage along on its rails on the frame coördinately with the
operation of the hook and dent-separating dog s.
is a ratchet-wheel on a shaft, m¹, supported by the carriage, which ratchet-
wheel is adapted to be operated by a pawl arm, 11, pivoted at its outer end upon
the upper end of a lever, k¹, which lever is pivoted at its lower end to the carriage,
the said lever being operated upon by a cam, 71, (see Figs. 1 and 2) on the cam-
shaft. At each revolution of the cam-shaft the ratchet-wheel will be operated
twice, since the cam is a double one similar to the cam j.
The turning of the ratchet-wheel operates the rod ml, which, at its outer end,
is provided with a gear, n!, (see Figs: 3 and 8) the said wheel n¹ operating the
screw-rods o¹, pl, g¹ coördinately through a train of gearing which will be clearly

page_text: understood without further description, by an inspection of what is shown in
Fig. 8.
Å spur gear, 1, is arranged so as to mesh with the gear n¹, and a crank, s¹, is
connected with the said spur-gear through the medium of a pitman or link, t,
so that as the spur gear is revolved the crank will be actuated to rock the
rod u¹ upon
which the said crank is secured.
"
v designates helical coils of wire, of a length sufficient to extend the width
of the lease or warp, and between each two helices of which coil the thread of a
harness-eye support is laid, and a cord is drawn into the coil on the side of the
harness-eye support from that upon which it was passed into the coil, so as to
keep the harness in place in the coil. The cord, for example, will be made to
take the place of the rods and p¹ (see Fig. 5).
When it is proposed to draw in a warp, the rods op will be passed into the
helical coil in place of the cords before mentioned, the said rods being provided
on their inner ends, with deep-threaded short screws, w¹, (see Fig. 4), which are
adapted to engage the coils as the rods are turned, and successively space the
harness-eyes, beginning at one end and traversing their whole length coordinately
with the movement of the carriage and other parts acting in harmonious connec-
tion therewith. The bottoms of the grooves of the threads of the screws ware
narrow, so that one of the cords of the warp-eye supports will fall behind the
other, or stand in a relationship radial axially to the screw, thus causing the
harness-eyes e to face the hook i as the harness are spread or spaced and brought
into the line of passage of the said hook.
«
To assist in causing the harness-eyes to face the hook or needle with certainty
I provide what, for the purposes of this specification, I term a flipper," x',
secured to the inner end of the rod ', which flipper is provided at its outer end
with two points, y¹ y¹, each of which is adapted to pass between two harness-eye
supports, and engage a harness-eye support between them. The flipper is pro-
vided centrally, between the two points y y', with a narrow slot, 21, into which
the warp-eye supports pass, one behind the other, so that the grooves of the
threads of the screws hold the harness at one side of their eyes and the flipper
at the other, insuring the maintenance of the eyes in a position facing the hook
or needle i.
The flipper being secured on the shaft which is rocked to and fro, will first
engage the harness d and then the harness d, and to facilitate the work and rock
the shaft to but a minimum extent, I may make the flipper double, as shown in
Fig. 2, so that one may engage one harness and the other the other harness,
though it will be apparent that the flipper may be made single, and any move-
ment that will impart to it its functions will subserve the purposes of my
invention.
In lieu of the "flipper" ¹, just described, I may employ a screw, a², below
the eyes of the harness and between the harness-eye supports, as is fully shown in
Fig. 9, the screw being substantially the same in construction as the screws
on the rods of pl, but not necessarily using, in this instance, a coil of wire as is
used on the other rods.
In order to separate and space the warp threads coördinately with the spacing
and positioning of the harness-eyes, I have provided means which will next be
described: Upon starting to draw in a warp, the screw-threaded part of the rod 7'
will project longitudinally beyond the warps which bear against it. As the
machine is operated the rod gl will be rotated and moved step-by-step from right
to left, as is shown on the machine in Figs. 1 and 3. As this is done the stretched
warp threads coming first in contact with the screw-threaded enlargement 1 of
the rod (see Fig. 6) will be disentangled to an extent, if not wholly, and then
passing on to the smooth part 2 they will be allowed to straighten themselves
and take their places in proper order or nearly so. Passing next to the screw-
threaded surface 3; the warp threads will, if occasion should require, be further
straightened out and put in orderly condition; then passing over the concave
:

page_text: surface 4 (though it might as well be convex), the warp threads will be presented
one-by-one to the coarser screw-threaded surface 5, and pass in proper order to
the finer screw-threaded surface 6, from whence they will be taken by the coarse
screw-threaded cone surface 7 and spaced and positioned, so as to be caught with
certainty by the reciprocating hook or needle i.
The several surfaces on the rod g¹ preceding the screw-threaded part 7, are
designed for selecting and positioning the warp threads in proper order and place,
to be taken by the said screw-threaded part 7 in regular order so as to be caught
by the hook. These preparatory surfaces may be varied in form and number.
I have found, however, that an ordinary warp needs more or less straightening
out and disentanglement before being taken by the spacer screw-part 7 for pre-
sentation to the hook or needle; but after the said warp threads are disentangled
and straightened, they will be taken by the screw 7, and held so that they may be
caught by the hook with absolute certainty. When a warp thread is drawn in
the end may be knocked off the hook by the finger 2 extending from the inner
end of a rock-rod e actuated by a cam ².
Instead of employing the screw shown in Fig. 6 for separating the warps, {
may employ a helix of wire and a rod, q', with a screw, a, thereon, (see Fig. 9)
the same as is done in separating and positioning the harness-eyes, as heretofore
described. In case the latter device is employed the warp threads will be
separately and successively placed between the successive coils of the helix and
be maintained in place therein by a flexible cord, or the like, which will occupy
the position of the rod g', as will be clearly understood by an inspection of the
last-mentioned figure.
In the last-mentioned figure there is shown an angular finger f which may
be supported on the carriage and operated from a cam on the cam-shaft k to
push the succeeding warp threads to be acted upon by the hook or needle aside
and after the needle has passed them to release them so that they may fall
against the shank of the needle and be caught in its hook as it is drawn back. In
this case the needle or hook need not be given a quarter turn as hereinbefore
set forth, but may be operated without turning and so that the hook may always
extend from or be, as it were, formed in the side of the needle.
The helical coil has been found in use to be a thoroughly efficient means, in
conjunction with the spacing screw, for spacing the warp threads, as it is efficient
in the same connection for spacing the warp-eye supports. The helix and screw,
in brief, operate with absolute certainty as spacing and positioning means.
In Fig. 10 I have shown the ends of the warp threads laid in regular order into
a roll, e, covered with card-clothing. The said roll e' is provided with a pawl,
ratchet, and hand-wheel, as shown at c, whereby the warps may be stretched
and, at the start, rendered even in point of tension between the lower clamping
bar 9 and said roll. In addition to this I may employ a rod, c, below the roll e
and "between it and the screw-rod y', which rod may be provided at one of its
ends, as shown in Fig. 10, with means for giving a slight reciprocating movement
to the said rod c.
When the ends of the warps are laid into the card-clothed roll c', it will be
understood that they will be held with sufficient firmness in place and yet may
be drawn out from the teeth of the roll by the hook quite easily and without
breaking them or causing other mischief.
A rod a² may be arranged in the machine to bear against the warp-threads
between the clamping bars 63 or g and the warp-separating rod q₁ so as to press
the warp-threads against the said rod, as is clearly portrayed in Fig. 2.
It is to be kept in mind that, as before intimated, the rods o¹, p, q, ul, are
connected with the carriage and move in unison in a line longitudinally of the
said rods with the said carriage; and, furthermore, that the said rods, through
-the gearing shown in Fig. 8, are moved in time or cordirately with all of the
other parts of the machine. If the reed has twenty dents to the inch, the ratchet-
wheel for its operating pawl will be adjusted so that the machine may be

page_text: operated in accordance with such reed. If the reed has thirty dents to the inch,
adjustment will be made for a traverse movement one-third less in extent at
each operation or rotation of the cam-shaft.
The several parts actuated by cams are, when necessary, held in contact with
their respective cams by springs, some of which are shown in the drawings, but
which it is thought unnecessary in this case to describe in detail.
The whole machine may be operated by turning the wheel e², connected with
the cam-shaft through the medium of the crank, or by a moving belt running
over the said wheel.
A spring may be provided to bear against the reed to frictionally hold it
in any position to which its loose or yielding mounting or support will allow it
to be moved, it being understood that the loose play of the reed will be but slight,
but nevertheless appreciable.
It is to be noted that the hook or needle and rods, o¹, p, q, u³, will be
operated, as the machine is herein shown as organized, twice at each revolution
of the cam-shaft, while the carriage and reed-opener will be actuated but once
in the same time. This is for the purpose of drawing two warp-threads through
each dent of the reed, and for showing how adjustments may be made in this
respect to meet any possible requirement.
The helical coil or wire or its equivalent is, in fact, a normally contracted
extensible spacer engaged or connected with the individual harness-eye supports,
and the screw or its equivalent for acting upon the coil is a means for extending
the spacer so that the harness and their eyes may be properly spaced and
positioned. The screw-rod or its equivalent for acting upon the warp threads to
space and position the same is a means independent of the means acting upon the
harness for spacing the latter. The flipper" or its equivalent is, as it were,
an auxiliary to the contracted extensible spacer and the screws to assist the
latter in the performance of their functions. All of the parts mentioned are
operated or used coördinately with the carriage and its equipments.
I do not confine myself to any particular form of the means shown for separating
the warps so that they may be engaged by the needle to draw them in, since, as
I have herein before shown, these may be varied to quite a considerable extent
without departing from the nature or spirit of the invention.
J
Prior to my invention the unsolvable problem that prevented, as I understand
it, the construction of a practical warp-drawing machine, was the difficulty of
controlling the eyes of the harness so that they could be automatically spaced and
maintained in position with the warp-threads in the line of movement of the
hook in its passage through the reed to catch a warp-thread and draw it through
a harness-eye or eyes, and to cause the controlling means to act successively
upon the harness-eyes, as herein before described, and it is the solution of the
problem stated, whereby the making of a practical warp-drawing machine for
common use in weaving or cloth-making factories is made possible and practic-
able, as is herein before shown and described, that I regard as the soul of my
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
-
1. A loom harness having a normally contracted extensible spacing device
movable on the warp-eye supports, substantially as set forth.
2. A spacing and positioning mechanism for loom-harness-eyes or warp threads,
consisting of a normally contracted extensible spacing member to engage. the
harness-eve supports or warp threads, a spreading member adapted to engage and
space a portion only at a time, of the spacing member, and means for moving the
said spreading member progressively along the spacing member.
3. A spreading or positioning device for loom-harness cords, or warp. threads
consisting of a helically coiled wire, between each two helices of which the said

page_text: cords or warp threads may be placed, and means to progressively enter the said
helices and spread and space them with the said cords or threads and adjust the
harness-eyes or warp threads to the required position for the proper action of
the drawing-in hook.
4. A warp-drawing machine embodying in its construction a spacing and posi-
tioning mechanism for the loom harness eyes consisting of a normally con-
tracted extensible spacing member to engage the harness-eye supports or warp
threads, a spreading member adapted to engage and space a portion only at a
time of the spacing member, means for moving the said spreading member pro-
gressively along the spacing member, and means substantially as described for
spacing the warp threads coördinately with the spaced harness-eyes.
5. A warp-drawing machine embodying in its construction a spacing and posi-
tioning mechanism for the loom harness-eyes, consisting of a normally con-
tracted extensible spacing member to engage the harness-eye supports or warp
threads, a spreading member adapted to engage and space a portion only at a
time of the spacing member, means for moving the said spreading member pro-
gressively along the spacing member, and means substantially as described for
spacing the warp threads coördinately with the spaced harness-eyes, combined
with a reciprocatory hook to pass through the spaced harness-eyes and draw in
the warp threads, and mechanism for operating the movable parts in unison.
6. A warp-drawing machine embodying in its construction normally contracted
extensible spacing members to engage the harness-eye supports above the eyes,
rotary screws adapted to engage and space the said spacing members, and means
substantially as set forth to engage the harness-cye supports below the eyes to
assist in spacing and positioning the latter, the screws acting progressively upon
a portion at a time only of said spacing members, and the means below the
harness-eyes having movements imparted to them, coördinating with the move-
ments of the said screws.
7. A warp-drawing machine embodying in its construction normally contracted
extensible spacing members to engage the harness-eye supports above the said
eyes, rotary screws adapted to engage and space the said spacing members, and a
flipper" to engage the harness-eye supports below the eyes to assist in spacing
and positioning the latter, the said screws acting progressively upon a portion at
a time only of said spacing members, and the screws and " flipper" having
coördinating movements imparted to them.
8. A warp-drawing machine comprising in its construction devices for spacing
the harness cords and warp threads, said devices being adjustably attached to the
harness cords rotary screws to engage said spacing devices on the harness cords
to spread and regularly locate the same, and adjust the harness-eyes coördinately
with the warp threads, actuating mechanism to revolve said screws in unison,
a reciprocating hook to draw in the warp threads, and a traversing carriage which
supports said screws and hook and warp-spacing means, and intermittently moves
them along the harness.
9. A warp-drawing machine comprising in its construction rotary screws
adapted to engage the harness cords above the eyes and means substantially as
set forth to engage the harness cords below the eyes to space and position said
eyes, the said screws and means acting progressively upon a portion only of
said harness cords at a time.
10. A warp-drawing machine comprising in its construction a reciprocatory
hook for engaging and drawing in the warp threads, devices extending along the
harness and warp threads to engage the same, means movable along the warp
threads and harness to operate upon the said devices and spread the same and
adjust the harness eyes and warp threads coördinately a carriage upon which
the said hook is mounted, means to move the carriage, and means on the carriage
operatively connected with the warp thread and harness-eye adjusting means
to coördinate their movements.
11. The combination, with the reciprocating needle, of the finger f³ for pushing

page_text: the successive warp-threads aside and releasing them in order that they may be
caught by the drawing-in hook.
12. A warp-drawing machine comprising in its construction a reed supported
that it may yield longitudinally to a limited extent, a spring to bear against
the reed and provided with a wedge-shaped dog to enter between the reeds and
spread the same for the passage of the drawing-in hook, means to move the said
lever back against the tension of the said spring, and means to move the lever and
spring and their connections with the drawing-in hook step-by-step along the
reed, as hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 15th day of March 1898
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.