IMPROVEMENTS IN LOONS FOR WEAVING PILE FABRICS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
"
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOONS FOR WEAVING PILE FABRICS."
-A communication from abroad by John Cochrane, junior, of
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 9th September 1874.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
PILE FABRICS," a communication, to be as follows:-
That portion of the loom for weaving pile fabrics technically termed
the "wire motion" has been heretofore arranged at one side of the shed
so that the operation of withdrawing the wires from the cloth and of
inserting them in the shed takes place at different intervals, that is to

page_text: say, while the hook is withdrawing a wire no wire can be inserted except
it, and no other wire withdrawn until such hook returns to withdraw it,
thus causing an interval of time to elapse until a withdrawn wire is
brought forward from the line of the cloth to the point at which it is
necessary to insert it in the shed, during which interval no other wire
can be withdrawn. The speed therefore of the loom is restricted to the
extent of the time lost in this interval, namely, until the withdrawn wire
is inserted in the shed, and the hook has returned to withdraw another
wire from the fabric which is being woven.
I effect by this Invention a saving of the time lost by the hook in its
traverse movement with the wire to the shed and its insertion therein
by in that interval withdrawing another wire from the line of the
cloth on the opposite side of the shed and bringing it forward for insertion
at its proper place, and while it is being inserted by having another wire
withdrawn by the other portion of the wire motion, and ready to be
brought forward, and in its turn inserted in its proper place in the shed,
thus permitting an increase of the speed of the loom and a consequent
gain in the weaving of the fabric.
The principle of this Invention to effect this end consists in the
arrangement of a wire motion at opposite sides of the shed, so that
while one wire is being withdrawn on one side of the shed another wire
is being inserted on the other side of the shed, and so on during the
working of the loom in the weaving of the fabric, the two operations
being thus conducted simultaneously instead of at intervals
heretofore.
as
The mechanism technically termed the wire motion for withdrawing
and inserting the wires on opposite sides of the shed is constructed
as heretofore, and is arranged on the loom so that one wire motion
shall be on one side of the shed and the other on the other side
of the shed. Motion is imparted to them so as to permit of one with.
drawing while the other inserts a wire by means of a cam or other
equivalent intermediate mechanism, which alternately pushes in opposite
directions, the levers having their fulcrum above the said cam. To each
of such levers is attached a short arm connecting with the vertical levers
carrying in and out the withdrawing and inserting mechanism. To push
the wires into the shed I place upon the opposite walls of this cam two
pins, which operate upon toes of two levers connected to the first-

page_text: named levers by short links, their fulcrums being on a cross piece
attached immediately above the cam. These pins engage the toes of
these short levers alternately, thus causing the wire drawing and
inserting mechanism to alternately insert a wire in the shed, and while
one wire motion is inserting a wire the other wire motion is withdrawing
a wire.
Lateral motion is also given to these "wire motions" alternately as
follows: Attached to the countershaft are two cams; there are also
two spindles at opposite sides of the loom, each spindle having at one
end a curved arm operating on the face of the cams and at the other
end outside the bearing an arm which connects at its upper portion with
the upright frame of the wire motion and at its lower end with the
upright reciprocating frame. This arm serves to draw forward the frame
containing the "wire motion," when the larger part of the cam is
turned away from the curved arm above referred to in order to get the
wire in its right position to be pushed into the shed while the curved
arm is on the face of the cam, which is varying in diameter, the wire is
being alternately withdrawn and inserted on the respective sides of the
loom; and while the respective wire motions are withdrawing a wire
such wire motion is held in a fixed position by a bolt to retain the arms
alternately from falling forward until after a wire has been withdrawn.
The motion of this bolt is effected by a cam operating on a bifurcated arm
attached to the said bolt, such cam being operated through bevel wheels
connecting it with and giving it motion through the countershaft.
"
The following portion of the said Invention consists in an improve-
ment in the "wire motion by which there is produced a novel
construction and arrangement of the withdrawing and inserting
mechanism and latch and pusher and evener connected therewith.
Also in a novel construction of the wire carrier and withdrawing and
inserting mechanism.
Also in a novel construction of the wire heads.
I employ a reciprocating driving slide preferably constructed of four
sections inserted in each other, and in operation like telescopic slides.
To the outer section is connected a latch pivoted to a small upright, in
front of which is a pusher and evener. In front of this pusher on the
ends of the next two sections are guide pins for guiding the wire heads

page_text: and wire in the withdrawing of the same from the wire box and holding
it in position and ready to be inserted into the warp while the frame is
being oscillated on its bearings with the usual mechanism for producing
such movement.
The outside section is supported by a post on a box which slides on
the cross bar, the sides of this cross bar being dovetailed with the under
side of the box so as to prevent either lateral or vertical movement of
the driving slide. The smaller section, which is nearest the wire box, is
supported by being secured to the arm of the oscillating frame, and
there are secured beyond the said frame and in a line with the aforesaid
guide pins two other pins to guide and steady the end of the wire drawn
from the fabric. The sections are steadied one within another, and kept
from turning by guides.
The heads of the wire contain two horizontal slots, the inner one of
which passes to the elevated edge of the wire box, and is retained there,
the wire resting on the lower edge of the wire box and in the shed. The
outer slot receives the pusher and evener, and while the slide is with-
drawing and re-inserting a wire it serves to keep the wire head from
turning or twisting and disengaging itself from the hook and guido
pins.
I insert in the two smallest sections a spring of india-rubber or coiled
wire. One end of this spring is attached at the inner side of the outer
end of the large section and the other end is attached on the inner side
of the smallest section nearest to the wire box. The object of this spring
is to cause the larger section to move out first, thus causing the wire to
enter all of the guide pins at the commencement of its movement.
I place on the upper and outer side of the outer section a bifurcated
plate to admit of the upright carrying the latch or hook passing within
it, and the outer edges of the forks coming below the pusher and evener
and pressing against the upright pin, when the sections are closed.
When it so presses it forces back the rod and tension spring attached at
its rear, closes up the guide pins of all of the sections, and admits of the
passing forward of the pusher and evener into the slot of one of the
heads of the wire box. As the latch or hook and evener commence to
withdraw a head this bifurcated arm by reason of the tension of the
spring at its rear will not have motion until the head of the wire enters
all the guides, thus ensuring together with the interior spring of the two

page_text: smaller sections of the slide a safe carriage of the wire from the time it
is withdrawn from the cloth until after it is inserted in the shed, to be
again woven into the cloth. The said latch or hook is always rigid in its
motions while withdrawing and inserting wires, but it has a mainspring
so that it will always be in position, but may be turned up or released
by hand if necessary.
The following portion of my Invention consists in an improved con-
struction of wire heads of that class that has the hook constantly
engaged with some one of the whole series of wire heads, so that the
operation of withdrawing and inserting the wire may be greatly
simplified.
The said wire head is constructed with an inverted L shaped slot at its
rear end. The hook and pusher are constructed in one and the same
piece. The hook portion and the interior portion of the said slot are
made to conform to each other. One end serves to press against the
rear vertical wall of the said slot in the operation of inserting the wire
into the open shed.
Heretofore the wire head has been so constructed at its rear that after
the wire was inserted into the shed there was necessitated a slight
forward movement of the hook in order to release it from the rear end
of the wire head, and before it could pass laterally through the whole
series of wire heads in order to again engage with the head it was desired
to withdraw from the fabric.
From the construction herein described it will be seen that such
additional forward movement is not necessary, as the hook and pusher
is free to move in a lateral direction as soon as the wire has been inserted
in the head.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eight year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her
special licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Robert Lake, my 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, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING PILE FABRICS," a com-
munication to me from abroad by John Cochrane, junior, of Malden,
Massachusetts, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst :
others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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 a
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained a
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawing forming a part of this Specification :—
That portion of the loom for weaving pile fabrics, techinally termed
the "wire motion," has been heretofore arranged at one side of the shed,
so that the operation of withdrawing the wires from the cloth and of a
inserting them in the shed takes place at different intervals, that is to
say, while the hook is withdrawing a wire no other wire can be inserted
and no other wire withdrawn until such hook returns to witdraw it,
thus causing an interval of time to elapse until a withdrawn wire is
brought forward from the line of the cloth to the point at which it
is necessary to insert it in the shed, during which interval no other
wire can be withdrawn. The speed therefore of the loom is restricted to
the extent of the time lost in this interval, namely, until the withdrawn

page_text: wire is inserted in the shed, and the hook has returned to withdraw
another wire from the fabric which is being woven.
I effect by this Invention a saving of the time lost by the hook in its
transverse movement with the wire to the shed, and its insertion therein
by in that interval withdrawing another wire from the line of the cloth
on the opposite side of the shed, and bringing it forward for insertion at
its proper place, and while it is being inserted by having another wire
withdrawn by the other portion of the wire motion. and ready to be
brought forward, and in its turn inserted in its proper place in the shed,
thus permitting of an increase of the speed of the loom, and a consequent
gain in the weaving of the fabric.
The principle of this Invention partly consists in the arrange-
ment of a wire motion at opposite sides of the shed, so that while
one wire is being withdrawn on one side of the shed another wire
is being inserted on the other side of the shed, and so on during the
working of the loom in the weaving of the fabric, the two operations
being thus conducted simultaneously instead of at intervals, as
heretofore
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a loom provided with these improve-
ments; Figure 2 is a side elevation, and Figure 3 is a plan of the same;
Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal central section on the line x, x,
Figure 1. The remaining Figures are herein-after described.
The mechanism, technically termed the "wire motion," for with-
drawing and inserting the wires on opposite sides of the shed is
constructed as heretofore, and is arranged on the loom so that one wire
motion shall be at A on one side of the shed, and the other at A¹ on the
other side of the shed. Motion is imparted to them so as to permit of
one withdrawing while the other inserts a wire by means of a cam B or
other equivalent intermediate mechanism which alternately pushes in
opposite directions the levers C, O¹, having their fulcrum above said
cams. To each of such levers is attached a short arm D, D', connecting
with the vertical levers E, E¹, carrying in and out the withdrawing and
inserting mechanism A, A¹. To push the wires into the shed there are
upon the opposite walls of this cam two pins F, F, which operate upon
the toes G, G³, of two lovers H, H³, connected in turn to the levers 0, 0³,

page_text: by short links I, I', their fulcrums J, J¹, being on a cross piece attached
immediately above the cam. At every half revolution of the cam shaft
these pins engage the toes of these short levers alternately, thus causing
the wire drawing and inserting mechanism to alternately insert a wire
in the shed, and while one wire motion is inserting a wire the other wire
motion by reason of the position of the face of the cam and its operation
on the levers C, C¹, alternately is withdrawing a wire.
Lateral motion is also given to these "wire motions" alternately as
follows: Attached to the countershaft K are two cams L; there are
also two spindles M, M', at opposite sides of the loom, each spindle
having at one end a curved arm, seen at N, operating on the face of
the cams L, and at the other end outside of the bearing an arm O, O,
which connects at its upper portion with the upright frame P, P¹, of the
wire motion (the frame P, P', reciprocating on bearings Q, Q'), by a
short link R, R', and at its lower end by springs S, S', also connecting
with the upright reciprocating frame P, P¹, and serving to draw forward
the frame containing the "wire motion " when the larger part of the
cam is turned away from the curved arm above referred to, in order to
get the wire in its right position to be pushed into the shed. While the
curved arm is on the face of the cam, which is varying in diameter, the
wire is being alternately withdrawn and inserted on the respective sides
of the loom, and while the respective wire motions are withdrawing a
wire such wire motion is held in a fixed position by the bolt T, being
shot out, so as to retain the arms N2, N3, alternately from falling forward
until after a wire has been withdrawn. The motion of this bolt is
effected by the cam U operating on a bifurcated arm V attached to the
bolt T, such cam being operated through bevel gear wheels W, W',
connecting it with and giving it motion through the countershaft K.
By this Invention I am also enabled to give a little more time to the
operation of withdrawing the wire, which is an advantage, and still
almost double the work of any of the former "wire motions" in a given
period of time.
The following portion of the said Invention consists in an improve-
ment in the "wire motion," by which I produce a novel construction
and arrangement of the withdrawing and inserting mechanism, and
latch and pusher and evener connected therewith; also in a novel
construction of the wire carrier and withdrawing and inserting
mechanism; also in a novel construction of the wire heads.
This

page_text: portion of my improvements is illustrated in the following Figures of.
the Drawing:-
Figure 5 is a side view of my improved wire motion, showing its
position just as a wire head has been fully inserted in the shed.
Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal central section through the wire
withdrawing and inserting mechanism operating the latch and evener
connected therewith.
Figure 7 is a plan of the said mechanism; Figure 8 is a vertical cross.
section of the same taken through the line y, y, of Figure 7, drawn to
an enlarged scale.
A, A¹, A, A, shew the reciprocating driving slide, constructed in.
the example shewn in the Drawings, of four sections inserted in each
other and in operation like telescopic slides. To the outer section A is
connected the latch B pivoted to a small upright C, in front of which is
a pusher and evener D. In front of this pusher on the ends of the next
two sections are guide pins E, E¹, in order to guide the wire heads and
wire in the withdrawing of the same from the wire box, and holding it in
position and ready to be inserted into the warp while the frame F, F¹, is
being oscillated on its bearings G, G¹, with the usual mechanism for
producing such movement.
The ouside section A is supported by a post H on a box I which slides
on the cross bar L, the sides of this cross bar being dovetailed with the
under side of the box so as to prevent either lateral or vertical movement
of the driving slide. The smaller section A, which is nearest the wire
box is supported by being secured to the arm of the oscillating frame,
and there are secured beyond said frame, and in a line with the other
guide pins referred to, two other pins M to guide and steady the end of
the wire drawn from the fabric. The sections are steadied one within
another and prevented from turning by the guides N and slots O.
The heads of the wire contain two horizontal slots, the inner one P
of which passes on to the elevated edge Q of the wire box, and is retained
there, the wire resting on the lower edge of the wire box and in the
shed. The outer slot R receives the pusher and evener, and while the
slide is withdrawing and reinserting a wire it serves to keep the wire
head from turning or twisting and disengaging itself from the hook and
guide pins E, E¹.
There is inserted in the two smallest sections a spring 8 composed of

page_text: india-rubber or of coiled wire. One end of this spring is attached at
the inner side of the outer end of the large section A", and the other
end is attached on the inner side of the smallest section A¹¹¹ nearest to the
wire box. The object of this spring is to cause the larger section A to
move out first, and thus cause the wire to enter all of the guide pins
at the commencement of its movement. The same movement will
cause the inner sections to close up first on the insertion of the wire into
the shed.
There is placed on the upper and outer side of the outer section A a
bifurcated plate T so as to admit of the upright carrying the latch or
hook passing within it, and the outer edges of the forks coming below the
pusher and evener and pressing against the upright pin when the sections
are closed.
When it so presses it forces back the rod and tension spring
S attached at its rear, closes up the guide pins of all of the sections, and
admits of the passing forward of the pusher and evener into the slot of
one of the heads of the wire box. As the latch or hook and evener
commences to withdraw a head this bifurcated arm by reason of the
tension of the spring at its rear will not have motion until the head of
the wire enters all the guides, thus ensuring, together with the interior
spring of the two smaller sections of the slide, a safe carriage of the
wire from the time it is withdrawn from the cloth until after it is
inserted in the shed to be again woven into the cloth.
The mechanism for causing this driving slido to reciprocate, also that
for the oscillation of the frame containing it, is well known in the art
and need be herein described.
The latch or hook is always rigid in its motions while withdrawing and
inserting wires, but it has a mainspring U, so that it will always be in
position, but may be turned up or released by hand if necessary to do so
for any reason.
The following portion of my Invention consists in an improved con-
struction of wire head of that class that has the hook constantly engaged
with some one of the whole series of wire heads, so that the operation
of withdrawing and inserting the wire may be greatly simplified. The
following Figures of the Drawings illustrate this improved construc-
tion:-
Figure 9 is a side view of the wire head.
Figure 10 shews the combined book and nusher

page_text: Figure 11 is a top view of the wire hook and pusher as they appear
placed together in a wire motion; Figure 12 is a side view of the
same.
A is the wire head constructed with an inverted L shaped slot O at its
rear end; B is a hook and pusher constructed in one and the same piece;
the hook portion D and the interior portion of the slot C are made to
conform to each other. The end E serves to press against the rear
vertical wall of the slot O in the operation of inserting the wire into the
open shed.
It will be observed from the position of the horizontal portion of the
slot O that the hook D will be in one and the same line with the wire of
the head, or nearly so, in the operation of the withdrawal of the wire and
of the insertion of the same, and is always engaged with one of the
series of the wire heads employed on the loom.
In the Drawing the front end of the wire head is formed like a staple
to permit the head to rest on a bracket.
Heretofore the wire head has been so constructed at its rear that after
the wire was inserted into the shed there was necessity for a slight
forward movement of the hook in order to release it from the rear end
of the wire head, and before it could pass laterally through the whole
series of wire heads in order to again engage with the head it was desired
to withdraw from the fabric. With the construction herein shown it
will be seen that such additional forward movement is not necessary, as
the hook and pusher will be free to move in a lateral direction as soon
as the wire has been inserted in the head.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. A wire motion connected by intermediate mechanism, as
described, arranged and operated on opposite sides of the loom, so that
the wires are inserted and withdrawn from opposite sides of the loom
simultaneously.
Second. The sectional reciprocating driving slide, as herein described.
Third. The sectional reciprocating driving slide in combination with
the rigid latch or hook, as herein described.

page_text: Fourth. The sectional reciprocating driving slide in combination with
the latch and pusher or evener, as herein described.
Fifth. The reciprocating driving slide in combination with the latch,
pusher, or evener, and bifurcated adjusting plate, as herein described.
Sixth. The wire head constructed with an inner slot P and outer slot
R, as and for the purpose described.
Seventh. A wire head, constructed as described, so that the hook and
pusher will be free to move in a lateral direction as soon as the wire has
been inserted into the shed and without further forward movement of
the hook and pusher.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Witness,
HY. JA. NOONE.
WN. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)