CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BOBBIN-NET LACE
Year: 1831

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SNEATH, of Ison Green, in the County of Nottingham, Lace Manufacturer,
send greeting.
-1-6
WHEREAS I did, by Petition, humbly represent unto His most Excellent
Majesty King William the Fourth, that I had invented or found out "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BOBBIN-NET LACE," and
whereupon His said Majesty, being willing to encourage all useful Inventions,
did issue His Royal Letters Patent, bearing date at Westminster, the Thirty-
first day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and thirty-one, and in the second year of His reign, whereby His said
Majesty did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Sneath, my executors, administrators, and assigns, His special
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said William
Sneath, my executors, administrators, and assigns; or such others as I, the said
William Sneath, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend my said Invention within that part of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, His said
Majesty's Dominion of Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also
in all His said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad; in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said William Sneath,
to cause to be enrolled within six calendar months from the date of the said,
A

page_text: grant, a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery, otherwise the said
Letters Patent are to be void, as in and by the same (reference being
thereunto had) will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Wiliam Sneath, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is described and ascertained
in manner following (that is to say):
My said Improvements in Machinery for the Manufacture of Bobbin Net
Lace consist in applying certain additional parts to such machinery for the
purpose of forming ornamental spots in the bobbin net lace whilst the same is
in progress of fabrication by the said machinery, and which spots are formed
by employing the said additional parts (at proper intervals) to curl up and
accumulate around certain of the pins called points (by which the meshes of
the lace net are taken up) suitable portions of those particular bobbin threads
(that is, diagonal traversing threads) which belong (for the time) to those
parts of the net where spots are intended to be formed thereon. The said
curling up of particular bobbin threads around the corresponding points is
repeated as many times as is necessary, in order to accumulate such a quantity
of each bobbin thread around each point as will form a spot of the required size,
but after every repetition of thus curling up each bobbin thread it is caused
to pass around its corresponding warp thread before commencing another
repetition of curling up the same bobbin thread around the same point, and
by that means the said curls of the bobbin threads which are to form the
spots are secured from uncurling, and are tied down on the fabric of the lace.
Spots of a similar description are sometimes made one at a time in fabricating
Buckinghamshire lace by hand without any machinery, but with bobbins or
pillows having pins stuck in them to form meshes with regularity; nevertheless
such spots have not hitherto been made during the progress of manufacturing
bobbin net lace by machinery, and whenever additional parts have been
heretofore applied to such machinery for the purpose of forming ornaments
in the lace they have operated by introducing thick threads in addition to
those threads whereof the plain net is formed. Wherefore my present improve-
ments are the first Invention of mechanical means whereby ornamental spots
can be formed in bobbin net lace during the fabrication thereof by machinery,
by casual and partial accumulations of some of the same threads whereof
the plain net is formed, videlicet, of some of the bobbin threads which
traverse the piece diagonally in opposite directions, and which by crossing one

page_text: over another form the tops and bottoms of the hexagonal meshes of the net
at their intersections. The said additional parts which I apply as aforesaid to
machinery for the manufacture of bobbin net lace for the purpose aforesaid
consists of the following principal parts:-
Article first. Certain wires which are bended to form hooks which are sharp-
pointed at their extremities, and those extremities are turned backwards
somewhat in the manner of the boards of stocking-frame needles. The shanks
of the hooks are cast in leads, which are screwed on a bar side by side, so as to
form a row of hooks as long as the width of the bobbin net lace which is to be
made in the bobbin net lace machinery, the said hooks being disposed at such
distances apart in their row as will suit the places where the intended spots are
required to be formed across the width of the lace.
Article second. A suitable apparatus or combination of parts for suspending
the said hook bar on joints in an horizontal position and parallel to the other
bars of the lace machinery, with the hooks depending downwards from the
hook bar, and with the row of hooks projecting out horizontally from the
stems or shanks of the hooks very much in the manner and position of the
row of needles on a stocking frame, except that the shanks are bended up-
wards with elbow bends so as to stand nearly upright from the lead down-
wards to the bends, the parts beyond those bends being very much like, the
looped ends of stocking-frame needles, and those looped ends form a straight
horizontal row which is disposed very near to the usual row of points by which
the twists and crosses of the warp threads and bobbin threads are taken up
at proper intervals to form the meshes of the lace in the ordinary course of
working the machinery, the said apparatus for suspending the said hook
bar being of the nature of crank bars and joints, which will permit the hook
bar to move freely up and down or to and from the lace, but which apparatus
will in all cases oblige the hook bar to continue parallel to itself so as to
preserve a truly horizontal position and an exact parallelism with the row of
points. When the hook bar is at its resting place, which is its highest
position, the row of hooks ranges a very little above the level of the row of
points, but when the hook bar is put down to its lowest position the row of
hooks descends in front of the warp threads below the points to about half
way down between the points and the insides of the combs, and in so going
down the said hooks enter in amongst the bobbin threads of those carriages
which are contained in the combs at the front side of the warp threads,
being that side thereof where the hooks are situated, and by shogging the
hook bar or moving the hooks sideways, when they are so put down their
bearded points can be caused to gather the said bobbin threads into the hooks,

page_text: .
which will therefore draw up those bobbin threads when the hook bar is
raised up again, and in thus rising the hooks carry up the bobbin threads
which they have so caught, and raise those threads between the extremities of
the points to a very little above the level of the row of points. The books
then shog or move sideways over the points as far as the space or interval t
between two adjacent points, and then the hooks begin to descend again at
the opposite side of those points over which they have conducted and
looped or curled the bobbin threads which they carried up in their ascent.
When the hooks get sufficiently down again, they are shogged again so as to
move sideways in a contrary direction to that in which they were moved
sideways at the former time. In consequence the hooks quit the bobbin
threads, and then the hook bar is raised upwards again to its original resting
position, and there the hooks rest a very little above the level of the row of
points, but in coming up the latter time the hooks do not bring any threads
..with them.
.
Article third. A suitable apparatus or combination of parts whereby the
hook bar can be shogged endways so as to move the hooks sideways in their
row in the manner before mentioned, videlicet, when the hooks are put down
between the bobbin threads they are shogged to enable them to catch those
threads; and again, when the hooks are raised up again, carrying with them the
bobbin threads which they have caught, they are shogged to curl the threads
(which they have so carried up) over the points. Also when the hooks are
put down the second time they are shogged again in a contrary direction to
that in which they were before shogged, to catch the bobbin threads, and
thereby the hooks disengage themselves from the said bobbin threads. These
small shogging motions of the hook bar are communicated thereto during the
operation of making one row of spots by the machinery across the width of the
piece of lace, and those small shogging motions are repeated at every time that
another succeeding curl of each of the bobbin threads is to be made around the
points. Also, in addition to those small shogging motions, the hooks, after having
made one row of spots, are shogged or moved as much sideways in the interval
before another row is begun as is requisite in order to commence a succeeding
row of spots in their intended places without making the spots of succeeding
rows one under another, and therefore the shogging motion of the hook bar
must follow the course of the spots which are to be made in succession.
Article fourth. A suitable apparatus or combination of parts, which must be
added to and incorporated with the ordinary machinery for the manufacture
of bobbin-net lace, in order to select and choose out of the entire row of
bobbins and carriages, (when the same are all lodged in the back) combs, certain

page_text: individual bobbins and carriages, in order to push them forwards between the
warp threads into the front combs, leaving all the rest of the bobbins and
carriages motionless in the back combs, the particular bobbins and carriages
so selected and pushed forwards being those which are exactly opposite to
each of the places in the width of the lace where spots are required to be
formed thereon, and consequently opposite to each of the hooks beforo
mentioned. When all the bobbins and carriages have been brought together
into the back combs by the usual course of the manipulations for making
plain bobbin-net lace, then the said apparatus, which must be something in
the nature of what are called pushers, being applied to the complete row of
bobbins and carriages behind the same, will take and push forwards those
particular bobbins and carriages which occupy such spaces in the combs as are
immediately beneath the hooks in front, leaving all the other bobbins and
carriages untouched. And further, whatever apparatus of the nature of
driving tackle or lockers or fetchers may be employed, as usual, in the. lace
machinery, for the purpose of drawing the bobbins and carriages into the back
combs by the usual manipulations, the same must be suitable altered or
modified (or else additional apparatus must be applied) for the purpose of
leaving the said particular bobbins and carriages at liberty.to be passed through
between the warp threads from the back combs into the front combs, by them-
selves, and back again, as often as may be required, at the same time that
all the other bobbins aud carriages are securely detained in the back combs in
a state of inactivity.
Article fifth.-An additional row of points must be provided in front of the
lace, and lower down than the usual points. They must be broader than tho
usual points so as to leave very narrow spaces betweeen them only just suffi-
cient to receive the threads. These additional points are to be inserted
between the threads, just for a moment, before the proper time for taking up
with the back points, at the first time when they are required to take up the
twists and crossings after a row of spots has been completed. The said
additional front points are so inserted (for a moment) between the warp threads
before the back points (round which the bobbin threads have been curled to
form the spots) are withdrawn from those curls. The said additional points
then penetrate the threads in the adjacent spaces to those into which, the front
points have previously enterod, and they penetrate as much lower down than
the usual resting place of the points as the bobbins and carriages will permit
the said additional points to enter. The said additional points then act as a
slea to retain the threads at their proper distances apart after the back points
are withdrawn from the curls (which form the spots), and until the back points

page_text: are properly inserted into their intended spaces, for otherwise the threads
would close together beneath the spots, and the back points could not be
entered with so much certainty between those threads; but the additional points
keep open the spaces for the insertion of the back points, which, when they
have fairly entered, cause the additional points to be pushed out again from
between the threads, and then they will not impede the ascending motion
which the back points must make, as usual, in order to carry up the twists and
crosses. The leads of the said additional front points can be very conveniently
screwed to the under side of the front point bar so as to stand with the addi-
tional points inclining downwards when the ordinary front points are raised
up properly into their work, and also with the additional points projecting
out so much less from the front point bar than the front points that the
additional points will not reach the threads when the front points are in their
usual position in the work; but the additional points can be inserted between
the threads at the proper moment before taking up with the back points by
entering the front points further in than usual through the meshes of the
lace, and when the back points are afterwards entered into their proper spaces
(which the additional points have kept open for them) the additional points
are pushed out of the threads again, as before mentioned, and the front points,
although they withdraw from the work at the same time, only withdraw so far
that they still retain their usual hold in the lace. Note of explanation.—It has
been stated in article first that the hooks are disposed in their row on the hook
bar at such distances apart as the spots are required to be made across the
width of the lace; and also, at the conclusion of article third, that the hook
bar must be shogged or racked in the interval between the formation of
successive rows of spots, in order to carry the books as much sideways as the
succeeding spots require, in order to avoid making them immediately beneath
the preceding ones; but it should be remarked, that the row of hooks may
contain twice as many hooks as the number of spots which it is required to make
at once, in which case only half the number of those hooks will take up the
bobbin threads for making one row of spots, all the rest of the hooks doing
nothing, because they will find no bobbin threads beneath them when they
descend, but at the next succeeding time of making spots those hooks which
were useless before become the active ones, and vice versa. In this way of
working the hook bar will only require those small shogging motions men-
tioned at the beginning of article third, which are requisite for forming the
curls of the bobbin threads over the points, without requiring any shogging
motions in the interval between the formation of succeeding rows of spots.
And as to the use of such additional parts when the same are applied in the

page_text: manner aforesaid to machinery for the manufacture of bobbin net lace, the
operation of the said machinery must be carried on in the usual manner for
fabricating plain bobbin net (the additional parts remaining inactive, and the
hooks resting motionless a very little above the row of points, and in front of
the lace) until the progress of that fabrication arrives at that place where
a row of ornamental spots is required to be made across the width of
the piece of lace. The fabrication of the plain lace net must then be
suspended at that part of the series of the ordinary manipulations when the
twists and crossings have been recently taken up with the back points, and all
the carriages are bebind the warp, threads in the back combs, and then the
row of spots may be begun by the aid of the aforesaid additional machinery,
in the following manner:-The front points, with the additional points, are
first drawn out further than usual, so as to come out quite clear of the meshes
of the lace in front, and also the points are tilted down or lowered below their
usual level as much as is necessary, in order to leave room for the action of the
hooks, and for the ascent and descent of the hook bar in front of the lace, as
before described, that is, between the extremities of the front points and the
lace. The front points are detained motionless in that withdrawn and tilted
or lowered position, so as to remain out of action all the time whilst the spots
are forming, the lower course of half formed meshes of the lace being at that
time retained by the back points. After this preparation a suitable selection
and division of the carriages is made by the apparatus mentioned in article
fourth at the back of the machinery, corresponding with the hooks in front,
and those carriages are brought through the warp threads from the back
combs into the front combs, leaving all the other carriages behind in the back
combs. The carriages so brought forwards will be at all those places in the
width of the lace where spots are intended to be formed thereon. The hooks
mentioned in article first being then put down between the sharp extremities
of the back points (which extremities project out forwards through the lace),
each hook will find a bobbin and carriage (or a pair of bobbins and carriages)
ready in the front combs beneath it, and owing to the inclined direction of
those bobbin threads, and owing to the descent of the hooks in a plane which
inclines rather inwards from the vertical towards the warp threads, the hooks
as they descend pass within the inclined bobbin threads, but without touching
them, because the hooks descend at the sides of those threads, and there are
no other.bobbins and carriages in the front combs, except those which have
been selected, as mentioned in article fourth, and brought forwards into the
front combs for the purpose of being caught by the hooks. When the hooks
get quite down into the space between the bobbin threads and the warp

page_text: threads, the hook bar is shogged sideways, as before mentioned in article third,
in order to carry the hooks sufficiently sideways to bring them laterally in contact
with the select bobbin threads; the hook bar is then raised upwards again in
the same inclining plane in which it descended, and in so doing the beards
or pointed extremities of the hooks (each one of which is turned backwards
towards the shank or stem of the hook, and bent a little sideways with a
lateral twist out of the vertical plane in which the stem is situated will gather
the select bobbin threads into the hooks, which, as they ascend higher, will
pull up those bobbin threads, drawing off thread from their bobbins, and the
looped ends of the hooks will pass up between the sharp extremities of the
back points, and the instant that the looped ends of the hooks get ever so
little above those points the hooks move a little sideways over those points
(as before mentioned in article third), and then the hooks begin to go down
again into the spaces between the points adjoining to those spaces through
which they came up just before when they brought up the bobbin threads.
By this means the hooks in descending leave the bobbin threads which they
brought up hanging across the extremities "of the back points, and then
the hooks, having got sufficiently low down, liberate themselves from the
select bobbin threads by moving sideways again, as before mentioned in
article third, in a contrary direction to that in which they moved side-
way's when they catched those bobbin threads, 'after which the hooks go
up again to their resting place just above the level of the points. By the
manipulations above described curl of each of the select bobbin threads
is lodged on the pointed 'extremity of each of those back points which
occupies a mesh of the lace where the spot is intended to be made;
and then the select bobbins and carriages are put through between the
warp threads from the front combs into the back combs for an instant whilst
the warps threads are racked or shogged sideways, after which the same select
bobbins and carriages are brought forwards again between the warp threads
into the front "combs, in order that the above series of manipulations for
making a curl may be repeated; but, owing to the putting back of the select
bobbins and carriages through the warp threads, and the shogging of those
threads before the said bobbins and carriages are brought forwards again, each
select bobbin thread is caused to make a half turn round behind its corre-
sponding warp thread after that bobbin thread has completed one curl round
the points in the manner above stated, and before it begins to make another
curl by a repetition of the aforesaid series of manipulations. Note.--During all
these manipulations all the other bobbins and carriages, except those which are
selected as aforesaid to furnish the bobbin threads for making spots, are retained

page_text: in the back combs in the manner mentioned in article fourth, without motion in
those combs. In this manner two, three, four, five, six, or more successive curls
of the same select bobbin threads may be gathered on the same points until the
accumulation of each bobbin thread thereon will make up the required size of
spots. But however numerous the curls may be, the whipping of the same
bobbin thread around behind the warp thread which takes place between
every successive curl (by the manipulation above described) will make the
whole spot secure from uncurling or unravelling. After all the said repeti-
tions of the said manipulations for making the spots have been completed, and
the select bobbins and carriages have been put through into the back combs for
the last time, and the warp threads have been properly racked to secure the
last curl, the said select bobbins and carriages must then be taken into their
proper places amongst the rest of the bobbins and carriages from which they
had been selected and separated for the purpose of spotting, and which have
remained idle in the back combs during all the time of spotting. The usual
manipulations of the ordinary lace machinery are then resumed with the whole
of the bobbins and carriages in the usual manner. But it must be observed
that the last racking of the warp threads which took place after the last passage
of the select bobbins and carriages by themselves, and previous to the return.
of the complete row of bobbins and carriages in recommencement of the usual
operation of lace-making, must put the warp threads in proper position for that
recommencement; and then the working of the plain bobbin-net lace is carried
on by the usual series of manipulations, until as many successive meshes have
been made as to form the required interval along the length of the piece of
5 lace between the successive rows of spots. The hook bar remains 'raised, and
the hooks stand a little above the points without touching them, and all the
additional parts herein-before mentioned remains inactive and out of use whilst
those usual manipulations are 'going on, except the additional frönt points
mentioned in article fifth, which come into operation for a moment before the
0 first time of taking-up with the back points in the ordinary course of working
after the spotting is concluded, and then, by inserting the ordinary front points
further into the threads than usual, the additional front points make an
entrance at a lower level into those spaces (between the threads) which are
immediately beneath the spots (being the adjacent spaces to those spaces
5 which the front points occupy). That insertion of the additional front points is
made as à preparation for taking up with the back points, when, according
to the usual course of operations, the proper period arrives for so doing, and
the additional front points ensure the entrance of the back points into their
proper spaces between the threads beneath the spots, notwithstanding that the

page_text: threads fall into some disorder above the level of the additional front points as
soon as the back points are withdrawn from the curls which form the spots;
but the additional front points having been inserted a moment before into those
spaces, serve to retain the threads at proper distances apart at the places lower
down, where the back points are to make their entrance amongst the threads;
and that entrance being effected just below where the additional front points
have penetrated, suitable parts belonging to the back point bar meet with other
suitable parts belonging to the front point bar, so as to push the front points
out of the lace when the back points enter further in and through the threads,
and by that means the additional front points are pushed quite out of the
threads, leaving the front points in the lace, and penetrating through the same
to the usual distance, but no more. The additional front points being thus
pushed out of the threads (which is not done until the back points are fairly
entered into their proper spaces) the spaces between the threads are left clear
for the back points to go up to their usual resting-place, taking up the crosses
and twists before them in the usual manner. The additional front points are
not brought into activity again so long as the usual manipulations for making
plain net or lace are going on, for in the act of taking up with the front points
they are only inserted to their usual distance into and through the lace (but no
further); and then the additional front points which are attached to the same
front point bar will not penetrate at all amongst the threads. When the
usual manipulations for making plain bobbin-net have been carried on as long
as is required, the operation of spotting is to be begun again, as before men-
tioned, at that stage of the usual manipulations when all the carriages are in
the back combs just after taking up with the back points. The commence-
ment of the series of operations for forming the spots is to withdraw the front
points from the lace, and to actuate them with the usual movements for taking
up with those points, which is done in order to lift up the back points to their
proper resting place against their usual stop screws; but then, instead of
leaving the front points in the lace, as is usually done after taking up, they
must be withdrawn entirely from the lace, and tilted down, so as to be out of
the way, in the manner before described; and then the series of operations for
forming the spots is repeated exactly in the manner before stated, only it
should be observed that the bobbins and carriages which are now to be selected
from the others, as stated in article fourth, in order to be brought forward by
themselves to furnish bobbin threads for forming the spots, will not usually
be taken out of the same plates in the entire row of bobbins and carriages
from which the select bobbins and carriages were taken to make the preceding
row of spots, because the succeeding spots which are to be formed are not

page_text: usually intended to fall one under another along the length of the piece of lace,
therefore the apparatus mentioned in article fourth must be shogged or racked
so much along the row of bobbins and carriages in the intervals between the
formation of successive spots as the places of those successive spots are intended
to deviate from straight lines along the length of the piece of lace. And also
the hook bar must be shogged in like manner, to follow the course of the
successive spots, as mentioned in article third, unless a double number of hooks
are provided in the row, as herein-before mentioned in the note of explanation,
in which case the hook bar need not be shogged to follow the course of the
successive spots. Whilst the operation of forming the spots is going on, the series
of the usual manipulations for making plain bobbin net is entirely suspended;
that is to say, from the time that the selected bobbins and carriages are sepa-
rated from the rest of the bobbins and carriages which remain in the back
combs until those selected bobbins and carriages are restored to their proper.
places, and incorporated with the others, ready to resume their usual manipula-
tions for making plain bobbin net. And it must be observed, that notwith-
standing all the racking motions which are to be given to the warp threads as
aforesaid, during the operation of forming the spots, nevertheless the thread
guides and the warp threads must be left standing precisely in the same situa-
tions when the usual series of manipulation for making the plain net is
resumed, as they stood when the progress of that series was suspended; that
is to say, the warp threads must stand in the same situation when the select
bobbins and carriages are restored to their places, and incorporated with the
other bobbins and carriages in the back combs, as they stood before the selected
bobbins and carriages were separated from the others.
Having now ascertained the nature of my said improvements in machinery
for the manufacture of bobbin-net lace, and the manner of forming ornamental
spots thereby in such lace, without introducing any additional threads for the
purpose of making such spots, I shall proceed to describe the manner whereby
my said improvements may be incorporated with the usual machinery for the
manufacture of bobbin-net lace, and also the manner whereby all the various
movements which are required to be given to the various parts of my improve-
ments may be produced, in order to cause the same to operate in the manner
herein-before set forth.
⚫ There are various kinds of machinery in common use for the manufacture of
bobbin-net lace to which my improvements may be applied; but the manner
of obtaining all the necessary movements for the different parts thereof must be
adapted to suit the particular nature of each kind of machinery, particularly
the parts mentioned in article fourth, and the movements which must be given

page_text: thereto in order to select from the complete set of bobbins and carriages those
particular bobbins and carriages which are to furnish the threads to form the
spots, and to give the requisite motions to those selected bobbins and carriages
without moving the others. And whereas it would be less profitable and advan-
tageous to manufacture such spotted bobbin-net lace by applying my im-
provements to old-fashioned and inferior machinery than to manufacture the
same by applying my improvements to better kinds of machinery, I shall
give a particular description of the manner which I have practised (with
success) for incorporating my said improvements with that kind of machinery
for the manufacture of bobbin-net lace which is known in the trade by the
name of circular bolt machinery, or circular comb machinery, being of the
class of double-tier machinery, that is to say, the bobbins and carriages
are passed between the warp threads in two tiers or divisions, one after the
other, and the bobbin threads traverse the width of the piece of lace diagonally
in opposite directions, and produce the tops and bottoms of the hexagonal
meshes by crossing one over another at their various intersections.
The first Six Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed represent a common
circular bolt machine with my improvements applied thereto.
· Sheet I. contains a section of the various parts which operate immediately
upon the threads, drawn in their full size.
Sheet II., an end elevation; and Sheet III., a cross seetion.
Sheet IV., a front elevation; and Sheet V., a back elevation of the machine,
all drawn one fourth of the real size.
- Sheet VI. contains figures of various wheels, drawn in the full size.
To facilitate the explanation of the said Drawings, the various parts
which operate in concert one with another to produce the same movements are
tinted with the same colors, and for distinction the parts which are in common
use for working the plain bobbin-net lace are referred to by letters of the
alphabet, whilst the other parts which are added to and incorporated with the
former for the purpose of effecting my improvements are referred to by
numeral characters.
The structure and operation of circular bolt machines is so well known that
it is unnecessary to enter into a detailed description of its parts. The parts
represented in the Drawings comprise all those which have any connection with
the additional parts:
: >
Figure 1, Sheet I., is a lead of hooks, full sides, shewn edgeways and also
frontways; and 1 in the section, Figure 2, shews the situation of those hooks
when they are put down amongst the bobbin threads. a 1,61, proceed from
those bobbins and carriages A 1, B 1, which are then in the front combs D, and

page_text: which have been selected from the rest of the bobbins and carriages A, B, (which
remain in the back combs E) in order to furnish the bobbin threads which are
to be worked into spots. The hooks 1, when put down into the situation shewn
in the section, Figure 2, are shogged two spaces towards the right-hand end of
the machine, and then the hooks are raised upwards again towards the dotted
position. In ascending they will catch both the bobbin threads a 1 and 61 by
the extremities of the beards of the hooks 1, which extremities project for that
purpose a little on the right-hand sides of the shanks of the hooks, with a
lateral twist, so as to gather both those bobbin threads a 1; 61, into the
looped ends of the hooks, and then carry up both those threads between
the extremities of the back points G to a very little above the level of those
points G, as shewn by the dotted lines. Having reached that position, the
hooks l'are shogged one space over the points to the left, and then they begin
to go down again between the points G in the spaces next adjoining to those in
which they ascended, by which means the two bobbin threads a 1, 61, which
are taken up by the hooks 1 when they ascended, are carried over the points G,
and are left looped over the same when the hooks descend, and as they descend
they quit the bobbin threads a 1,6 1, by the reverse of that action whereby they
caught those threads in ascending. When the hooks 1 get down again to the
position 1 they are shogged one space to the left, and then raised up again to
their dotted position, but in so rising they do not interfere with any of the
bobbin threads. The carriages A, B, and A1, B1, are retained in their
respective places in the combs E and D by the usual lockers F, F, but the
bobbins and carriages A, B, in the back combs, are secured therein by an extra
back locker 2, which is situated behind the ordinary back locker F, and plays
upon axles at each end of it, in a similar manner to other lockers. The blade
of the extra locker 2 extends over the back locker F to reach to the bottom
part of the teeth of the carriages A without interfering with the blade of the
back locker F, which takes hold of the same teeth higher up towards the car-
riages. The use of the extra back locker 2 is to retain the carriages A, B, in
the back combs E when the ordinary lockers F are released, according to their
usual method of working, in order to assist in passing the select bobbins and
carriages A 1, B 1, through between the warp threads from one comb to the
other, and back again. The edge of the blade of the extra back locker 2 is
5 cut out in notches opposite to every plate where the select bobbins and
carriages A 1, B 1, are situated in the complete row of bobbins and carriages,
so that the extra back locker offers no impediment to the passing and re-
passing of those particular bobbins and carriages A 1, B 1, although it detains
all the other bobbins and carriages in the back combs E at A, B, and

page_text: secures them from passing out therefrom, leaving the ordinary back locker F
at liberty to assist in passing and repassing the select bobbins and car-
riages A 1, B 1, through between the warp threads from one comb to the
other, which is done with one continuous motion, without stopping to sepa-
rate and lock up the carriages A 1 before the carriages B 1 are passed
through, because the warp threads do not require to be racked until both
the carriages A 1, B 1, are passed through, and then both the guide bars t, t,
with all the warp threads, are racked at once, before the said bobbins and.
carriages A 1, B 1, are repassed through between the threads with one
continuous motion. 3 are prongs cast in leads, which are screwed on a
bar 4, to form a row of pushers at the back of the machine. The pushers 3
are used for selecting and pushing forwards those particular bobbins and
carriages A 1 and B1 which are to furnish the bobbin threads a 1, b 1, for
forming the spots, and therefore the prongs 3 of the pushers must be arranged
in their row at places corresponding exactly with the notches in the edge of
the extra back locker 2, and also with the places which the hooks 1 occupy
in their row in front of the lace, those places being wherever spots are intended
to be formed in the width of the piece of lace. When the pusher bar 4
is brought forwards the pushers 3 drive forwards the particular bobbins
and carriages A 1, B 1, out of their places in the complete row A, B,
of bobbins and carriages in the back combs E, and pass them into the
front combs D by one movement, without stopping, until both A 1 and B. 1.
arrive so far in the front combs D that the front locker F (when moved by its
usual handle R), Sheets III. and IV., will catch the teeth of B 1, and lock
them up, as represented in Sheet I. In the action of so locking, both the
guide bars t, t, with all the warp threads, are to be shogged one space to the
right hand. The front driving bar H moves forwards with a corresponding
motion to that of the pushers 3, in order that the bar H may retreat before the
bobbins and carriages A 1, B 1, as they come through. Note.-The back driving
bar I was removed backwards at the commencement of the operation of spot-
ting, so as to lay quite out of the way of the pusher bar 4 when the same
comes forwards in order to advance the select bobbins and carriages A 1 and
B1. When the hooks 1 have made one curl of the bobbin threads belonging
to the select bobbins and carriages A 1, B 1, and the same are to go again
through through the warp threads to return into the back combs E, the front:
driving bar H pushes them back until they are so far entered into the back
combs E that the back locker F can catch the teeth of A 1, and lock them up
in the back combs in the same row with the other carriages A and B, for a
moment, whilst the two guide bars t, t, with all the warp threads, are shogged

page_text: one space to the left. Note.-the notches in the edge of the back locker 2
admit the carriages A 1 and B 1, to pass into the usual row along with the
other carriages A and B, and to quit the same by the aforesaid action of the
pushers 3 behind, and of the lockers F, F, in front and back, and of the
driving bar H in front. The extra back locker 2 is turned up into the position
shewn in Sheet I. at the commencement of the operation of spotting, and
continues so, without any motion, until that operation is quite finished. Gare
the back points, with their sharp extremities penetrating through the lace at
the front thereof, and the hooks 1 make the curls of the selected bobbin
threads a 1, 61, around those extremities. But note.-The back points are not
inserted so far through the lace as usual, in order that the curls of bobbin
threads may be round the extremities of the points where they are small and
tapering, so as to withdraw easily from the curls when they are finished, and
also to leave less opening or hollowness in the centre of the curls after
the points are so withdrawn. Note.-The back points require to be firmly
retained by a suitable hook applied to the back point bar, so that they cannot
retreat backwards to withdraw from the curls whilst the curling is going on;
and also the lace must be retained from coming forwards by a stout brass
wire d, which is stretched horizontally across the width of the lace in front
thereof, opposite to the usual centre bar e, which retains the lace from going
backwards. Without these provisions for retaining the back points and the
lace (and by obliging them to continue their proper penetration through tho
lace whilst the curling operation is going on) the curls would be liable to slip
off from the extremities of the back points in working. Kare the front points,
in the position which is given to them whilst the spotting is going on; videlicet,
they are drawn forwards, and the extremities are tilted down, so as to leave a
sufficient space in front of the lace for the hooks 1 to go down between the
pointed extremities of the back points G and those of the front points K, with-
out interfering with either. 5 are the additional front points mentioned in
article fifth. They are cast in leads, which are screwed in a row at the under
side of the usual front point bar k, so as to tilt downwards in respect to the
usual points K, and the pointed extremities of the additional points 5 do not
project out so far from the point bark as the pointed extremities of the usual
front points K project therefrom. A lead of the additional front points is shewn
separately at Figure 5. The additional points are made of flattened wire, and
twisted so as to stand edgeways upwards at the ends which are cast into the
leads, but the pointed extremities which act on the threads stand flatways
upwards, in order to leave very narrow spaces between them, and the pointed
extremities are adapted to guide and gather the threads into those narrow spaces.

page_text: The additional front points 5 are fixed to the under side of the point bar k, so
as to stand opposite to the spaces between the front points K, which are
fixed on the upper side of the same bar k. The dotted lines in Figure 2 show
the position which the two rows of front points assume when the additional
front points 5 are inserted for an instant, in preparation for taking up with the
back points at the first time that those points take up after the spotting opera-
tion has been concluded, and the usual course of working plain net has been
resumed. The ordinary front points K are then pushed so much further into
the lace than usual that the extremities of the additional points 5 penetrate
between the threads, and in so doing they go into the spaces into which the
back points G are intended to penetrate when they take up immediately after-
wards. Those are the spaces beneath the spots. In the ordinary.course of
working plain net, when the front points K only penetrate a proper distance
through the threads, the extremities of the additional points 5 do not reach so
far as the threads, and they are therefore quite inactive. To allow the front
points K thus to penetrate further than usual, in order that the additional
points 5 may enter between the threads, the usual stop screw w, Sheet II. and
IV., for the front point crank bar arm 7. (which stop screw limits the penetra-
tion of the front points into the lace) must be fixed into a sliding bolt 11, the
end of which lays against the fixed end standard m of the machine, at the
place where the stop screw w is usually fixed. The sliding bolt 11, together
with the stop screw w, is withdrawn by a tooth, which is fixed into the axis of
the usual racking wheels L at the proper moment, previous to, taking up with
the back points, at the first time that they take up after the spotting is finished,
so that the stop screw w will be removed laterally out of the way of the crank
bar arm, and then by the action of their spring the front points K will
enter as much further than usual as will insert the additional front points 5
between the threads, and so far as their other stop screw at s, Sheet IV., at
the other end of the machine, will permit. The additional points 5, being thus
entered between the threads, remain there by the pull of their usual springs,
but only for an instant, until the taking up with the back points G is per-
formed. When the back points G are withdrawn from the lace and from the
curls which form the spots, they leave the threads rather slack, and are put
down and inserted between the threads in the usual manner, but in so doing
they enter at a little beneath the additional points 5, which have been
previously inserted for a moment in order to keep open the proper spaces for
the entrance of the back points; but that entrance being effected, the
additional front points 5 must get out of the way of the back points G to
allow the same to rise up between the threads. For this purpose, when the

page_text: back points Ġ make their entrance (in the ordinary course of working), a small
roller 9, Sheet II., at the extremity of a projecting arm r, which is fixed as
usual at the right-hand end of the back point bar, comes beneath an inclined
part 29 of a pendulous lever 12, Sheet II. and IV., which hangs on a fixed
pin at its upper end, and its lower end bears against a piece 10, which stands
out from the projecting arm 9 at the end of the front point bar k; and when
the back point bar is raised up the small roller 9 at the extremity of its pro-
jecting arm, acting against the inclined part 29 of the pendulous lever 12,
pushes the same (and the front point bar k) so far away as to withdraw the
additional front points 5 out from the threads, and out of the way of the back
points G as they go up in their usual course of taking up; and although the
front points K are pushed away, at the same time they are only partly with-
drawn thereby from the lace, and remain penetrating as far as usual through
the same.
The end of the sliding bolt 11 inserts itself by the action of its
spring in the way of the stop screw w, for the crank bar of the front points
bar k, the instant that the front points are withdrawn to their proper place for
ordinary working. The tooth in the axis of the racking wheels L which pulled
back the bolt 11, has by that time left the bolt 11 at liberty to return by its
spring to its usual resting place. Note, as a security against withdrawing the
front points farther out from the lace than their usual hold therein, which
might happen if the roller 9 acted with a sudden jerk against the inclined
part 29 of the pendulous lever 12, a finger 78, which projects out from the
axis of the racking wheels L, comes behind the piece 10, which stands out
from the projecting arm 9 of the front point bar, and limits the withdrawing of
the front points; but by the motion of the racking wheels L the finger 73
passes away immediately afterwards, and by going out of the way of the piece
10 leaves no impediment to the total withdrawing of the front points when
they are required to take up the next time. Note, the back points must be
provided with some kind of guide plate which will cause their extremities to
retreat from the lace as they rise up, because, although they must penetrate to
the usual distance. between the threads in the act of taking up, they are not
intended to penetrate so far as usual through the lace when they are up at their
resting position, in order that the curls of the bobbin threads may be made
sufficiently near to their pointed extremities, as before explained. To secure
the back points from retreating out of the lace by accident, a hooked latch,
which is joined to the projecting arm of one end of the back point bar, latches
over a fixed piece, which projects out from the end standard; and that latch
detains the back points from going backwards out of the lace until after the
front points have taken up, for in so taking up the said latch is lifted 'and
R

page_text: unhooked, leaving the back points at liberty to be put back, when required for
taking up with them. The hook bar 13, to which the leads of hooks 1 are
screwed, is suspended by upright arms 14, 14 (Sheets III. and IV.), from
joint pins at the ends of crank bar arms 15, 15, which project out from a
horizontal crank bar axis 16, situated at the top of the frame in front, being
supported on centre points at each end, which centres are borne by strong
brackets 17 affixed to the top bar M of the machinery. By this mode of
suspension the hook bar 13 is obliged to rise and fall parallel to itself, when
its handle 18 (which is fixed fast to the crank bar axis 16) is pulled forwards
or pushed backwards. The weight of the hook bar 13 is balanced by springs
19, and its motion upwards is limited by stop screw 20, and its motion
downwards by a stop screw 21, Sheet IV. To guide the hook bar 18
as to its distance from the lace when it goes up and down, a stump,
which projects out from its upright arms 14, at each end of it, apply to the
front faces of fixed guide pieces 22, which are fixed to the brackets which
descend from the top bar M to support the pivots of the lace roller and the
ends of the centre bar e. The front faces of the guide pieces 22 are slightly
inclined from the vertical, and the stumps of the hook bar are pressed in
contact therewith by springs, which are fixed opposite to the said front faces
so as to carry the hooks a little nearer towards the warp thread, when they
are put down into the position 1 in Sheet I., than when they are raised up to
their resting position, which is there shewn by the dotted lines. The requisite
shogging of the book bar 13 is performed by a large notched racking wheel
23, which is shewn separately in Sheet VI., and which operates by a very
similar action to that of the wheels commonly called Dawson's wheels, in a
warp frame; videlicet, a large ratchet wheel 24, with twenty-four teeth, is
fixed to it, and both are mounted together on a centre pin, borne by brackets
affixed to the crank bar arm 15, at the left-hand end of the machinery, so that
the wheels 23 and 24 must go up and down along with the hook bar; and the
ratchet wheel 24 is turned round half a tooth at a time by a hook claw 25
whenever the hook bar gets down to its lower stop 21, and by a driver 26
whenever the hook bar gets up to its upper stop 20, Sheet IV. The claw 25
and driver 26 being suspended on fixed centre pins, supported by a fixed
bracket, which is erected on the top bar M, the notches or steps in the edge
of the wheel 23 act on a sliding bolt 27, which bears by a.gage screw against
one of the suspending arms 14 of the hook bar, and forces that bar edgeways
to the right two spaces, when it gets down the first time that each curl of
bobbin threads is began, in order that the hooks may catch the bobbin threads;
but when the hook bar gets up again, the action of the steps in the edge of

page_text: the wheel 23 upon its sliding bolt 27 allows the hook bar 13 to be drawn one
space to the left by the reaction of its spring 28, in order to make a curl of
the bobbin threads over the back points, and also another space to the left
at the next time, when the hook bar gets down again, in order that the hooks
may come up empty and clear of the bobbin threads. When the hook bar 13
gets up again to its resting place the last time after a curl has been completed,
it is not shogged at all, although the driver 26 then turns the ratchet wheel 28
half a tooth, as usual. The same.series of shogs are repeated in this manner
at every succeeding curl which is made. The notched racking wheel 23 for the
hook bar thus makes half a turn whilst the curls for one row of spots are
made, and another half turn in making the next row of spots, because in the
particular machinery represented in the Drawings each spot is made by six
repetitions of the curling, two bobbin threads a 1 and 61 being always curled
together, and also the spots of every other succeeding row which is made fall.
exactly.one under another down the length of the piece of lace. The two
halves of the circumference of the wheels 23 are alike as to the steps in it, and
the shogs they will give to the hook bar are similar, but one half of that.
circumference is more remote from the centre than the other half by two
spaces, which is the deviation laterally of the spots of one row from those of
the row immediately preceding, and consequently the resting place of the
hooks will be two points further along the row of points whilst one set of spots
is making than whilst the next succeeding row of spots is making, the
most prominent half of the circumference of the wheel 23 being in action
one time, and the least prominent half at the next time. Note, the
relative prominence of the two halves of the circumference of the wheel
23 would be different for making spots at different distances asunder,
and the hooks 1 and the pushers 3, and also the notches in the extra
back locker 2, would be at different distances apart. The various
parts represented in the Drawings are adapted to make three spots in
every inch in the rows which pass across the breadth of the lace, and there
are twelve points in an inch. So long as the operation of forming the spots is
going on,, the ordinary racking wheels L must stand quite still, and they must
resume their usual motions when the spotting is completed, and the ordinary
manipulations for forming the net are begun again; but as the guide bars
require to be racked in a suitable manner during the operation of forming
the spots, a pair of extra racking wheels 30 is provided for that purpose, as
shewn at the left-hand end of the wood frame, Sheets III., IV., and VI.
At the back of the machine a ratchet wheel 31, Sheet II. and VI., is also
9

page_text: provided for putting the ordinary racking wheels L out of action, and bringing
the extra racking wheels 30 into action at the proper moment, when the
operation of spotting is to be begun, and vice versa at the moment when that
operation is to be concluded, and the ordinary manipulations for making plain
net are to be resumed. The ratchet wheel 31, see Sheets II., V., and VI.,
has eighteen teeth, and is mounted on a centre pin fixed to the frame. The
driver 32, which acts in its teeth, is jointed to the ordinary driving tackle, and
turns the wheel one tooth whenever that driving tackle goes quite back from
the middle position, but in no other case; for whenever the driving tackle is
more forwards than the middle position, then the driver 32 is drawn over a
fixed resting piece, which holds it up out of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 31.
A curved piece 33, which is fixed to the ratchet wheel 31, bears against the
extremity 34 of a bent lever at the proper moment, and the other arm 35 of
that lever which reaches around the leg of the frame acts against the usual
driver n of the racking lever, so as to press the same away from the teeth of
the usual ratchet wheel l, and then that wheel will not be turned round, notwith-
standing that the locking handle R is worked with its usual motion for locking
the select bobbin and carriages A 1, B 1, every time that both of them arrive
in the back combs and in the front combs alternately, and by a rod 86 which
passes along all the length of the frame (and which is connected with the arm 35
of the bent lever), the claw 37 for the extra racking wheel 20 is set free to act
in the teeth of its ratchet wheel 41, which has sixteen teeth. The claw 37 is
suspended from one end of a lever 38, the other end of which is moved by a
short arm projecting out from the front locker F. Therefore, when the locker
handle R is put down, it raises up both the claw 37 and the usual driver n at
the same time; but, owing to the action of the curved piece 33 of the ratchet
wheel 31, and the connections 34, 35, and 36 therefrom, only one of them
(that is, either the said claw 37, or else the driver n) is allowed to act at one
time on the ratchet wheels 30 and L, and as soon as either one (whether n or
37) is put out of action the other is immediately brought into action. The
curved piece 33 of the ratchet wheel 31 keeps the usual driver n out of action
and the claw 37 in action all the time that the spotting operation is going on;
but the spring 39 makes the change the instant that the curved piece 33
passes away from the lever 34. The extra racking wheels 30 act by levers 40
upon the guide bars t, t, at the left-hand ends thereof, and they rack both the
guide bars one space to the right whenever the select bobbins and carriages
A 1, B 1, are locked up in the back combs, and they rack both guide bars one
space to the left whenever those carriages are locked up in the front combs.

page_text: Note, as both the guide bars t, t, are to be racked together in the same direc-
tion and to the same extent, one racking wheel 30 and lever 40 might be
made to rack both during the operation of spotting. Note, it has been men-
tioned before that the carriages A 1, B 1, follow each other through between
the warp threads with one movement, without stopping for locking up or
racking the warp threads until both A 1 and B 1 are locked up together in
the same combs, either in the back or in the front. Note, the middle stop for
the driving tackle was drawn down out of action by its usual connection with
the common racking wheels L at the last movement which those racking
wheels made before the operation of spotting, commenced. And the said
middle stop continues out of action all the time that the spotting is going on,
therefore the middle stop makes no impediment to the passing of the select
carriages A 1, B 1, through the warp threads by one movement. It has been
already mentioned that the extra back locker 2 is raised up to detain the
carriages A, B, in the back combs, as soon as the usual operations for making
the plain net are concluded, and that it is kept so raised up all the time that
the spotting operations are going on, and that it is then put down again when
they are finished, and the making of the plain net resumed; and it is kept
down all the time during the making of the plain net. The extra back locker
2 is pulled up by a spring 42, Sheet III., acting at the lower end of an
upright lever 43, which is connected at the upper end by a horizontal link 44
with a short arm 45, which projects down from the extra back locker bar 2.
But to turn down the extra back locker 2 out of the way of the carriages
A, B, the lower end of the lever 43 is pressed forwards by the circular portion
of a wheel 46 (see also Sheet VI.), which is fixed on the same axis. with a
ratchet wheel 48, and turns round therewith. One half of the wheel 46. is pro-
minent, and holds the extra back locker 2 down so long as it acts on the lever
43; but the other half of the wheel 46 is cut away, and when that deficient
part presents itself to the lower end of the lever 43 it allows the spring
42 to raise the extra back locker, and to keep it raised so long as the
deficient part of the wheel 46 is opposite to the lower end of the lever 43.
The ratchet wheel 48 has twelve teeth, and it is turned by an inverted
hook 49, which is suspended from the usual back arm of the crank bar axis
Y of the driving tackle, and the hook 49 turns the wheel 48 one tooth every
time that the driving tackle is moved quite back from the front; but
owing to the great distance between the teeth of the ratchet wheel 48, the
hook 49 will not catch a tooth of the wheel, nor move the same a tooth, when
only a half motion of the driving tackle is made, whether it be a half motion
from the front to the middle position, or a half motion from the middle posi-

page_text: tion to the back; and in order to ensure that the extra back locker 2 shall
not be raised up by its spring 42 until after the carriages A, B, have been locked
up by the ordinary back locker F, so as to bring the teeth of the carriages A
quite within the reach of the edge of extra back locker 2, the action of the
inverted hook 49 does not turn the wheel 46 quite so far round as to let
the lever 43 drop off from the edge of its raised half, although that edge comes
very near to so dropping off, because a hooked latch 50 detains the wheel 48
by catching a pin 51 which projects out from the wheel 48, and that latch 50°
prevents any chance of the wheel 46 turning so far as to allow the extra back
locker 2 to be pulled up by its spring until after the usual back locker F has
been raised by the usual action of locking up the carriages, and then a short
tail 52, which is fixed on the ordinary back locker F, bears down the front
end of a lever 53, from the back end of which the hooked latch 50 is sus-
pended by a wire 56, and thereby the latch 50 is lifted up, and unhooked
from the pin 51 in the wheel 48, to set the same at liberty. An additional
hook 54 is also suspended from the back end of the same lever 53 in a suit-
able position to pull up the teeth of the ratchet wheel 48, and turn the same
so much further round as will cause the edge of the raised half of the wheel
46 to release the lower end of the lever 43, which then, by its spring 42,
draws up the extra back locker 2 with an instantaneous action, and the edge
of that extra back locker, by pressing upwards under the teeth of the carriages
A, will detain them exactly in the position in which the usual back locker F
has previously placed them. The back driving bar I requires to lay idle all
the time that the spotting operation is going on, and thereof it cannot be
worked by the usual connection with the swing jacks W, to which the front
drawing bar H is suspended in the usual manner; but in lieu thereof the
back driving bar I is affixed by arms 55 which go backwards from it to a
parallel bar 56 at the back, which bar is supported at each end by upright
levers 57 playing freely on fixed centre pins at their lower ends. The
motion of these levers about their fixed centre pins allows the back driving bar
I to be pulled back into the position shewn in Sheet III., where it lays quite
out of the way; but it can be put forwards, and then it descends down in
the sweep of the back combs E to act upon the carriages B therein in the
proper manner of a back driving bar, being moved by a connection which is
then made with the upper end of two upright levers 58 which (as herein-after
mentioned) move backwards and forward along with the usual driving tackle.
But when the operation of spotting is going on, the said levers 58 are dis-
engaged from the parallel bar 56 of the back driving bar I, and are connected
with a back bar 59 which belongs to the pusher bar 4, and which is con-

page_text: nected therewith by arms 60. The back bar 59 of the pushers is suspended
on joints at the lower ends of crank bar arms 61, which descend from the
ends of a horizontal axis 62, at the upper part of the machine behind, and
which axis is borne on fixed centre screws at each end, those screws being
fixed in the opposite ends 63 of the same brackets 17, which support the
corresponding centre screws for the crank bar axis 16 of the hook bar 13 in
front. By this mode of suspension the pusher bar 4 can be moved or swung
backwards and forwards so as to cause the extremities of the pushers 3 to
move along the sweep of the back combs E; and in order that they may con-
form to that sweep without touching the combs, short arms 64 are carried out
from the back bar 59 at each end thereof; and the ends of the arms 64 have
upright gage screws through them, the heads of which screws bear upwards
beneath fixed inverted sweeps 65 of a proper curvature to guide the points of
the pushers 3, as is required when the pusher bar and its back bar 59 swings
backwards and forwards, for then the heads of the gage screws 64 slide
backwards and forwards under the fixed sweeps 65, and are guided by them.
That motion is given to the back bar 59 by the upper ends of the levers 58,
which ends enter between the heads of gage screws attached to the back bar
59. The levers 58 are mounted on a horizontal axis 65; and other upright
levers 66, which are affixed to that axis at each end, are connected by a link
67 at each end with the usual swinging jacks W. Therefore, the lovers 66
and 58 (which are united together by a horizontal bar 68) partake of the
usual driving motion which is given by the common crank bar Y, X, from
the two treadles, and by the connection of the upper ends of the levers 58
with the gage screws of the bar 59 the pusher bar 4 is moved backwards
and forwards with a motion which corresponds exactly to the motion which is
given at the same time to the front driving bar H, by its connection with the
swing jacks W, as usual; and in that manner the extremities of the pushers 3
will be qualified to push the select carriages A 1, B 1, forwards out of the
row A, B, of the other carriages. This action goes on regularly during all
the time of the spotting operation; but as soon as that is finished, the pusher
bar 4 is lifted up, so that the points of its pushers 3 will rise clear above the
carriages A, B. That is done by a notched wheel 70, which is fixed on the
axis of the ratchet wheel 48 before described, and turns round therewith. The
5 prominent half of the wheel 70 acts on the end 71 of an elbow lever 71, 72, 73,
which plays on a fixed centre pin 72, and the end 73 is united by a link 74,
with a lever 75, the centre of which hangs on a hoop 78 in the manner of a
scale beam from a fixed bracket 76, and from the opposite end of the lever 75
a crooked, link 77 descends to an arm 79, which is fixed to the back bar 59

page_text: of the pusher bar. By this mode of connection the raised edge of the wheel
70, when it presents itself to the end 71 of the elbow lever, will lift up the
ends of the pushers 3 above the carriages A, B, or when the deficient part of
the wheel 70 presents itself to the elbow lever it will let the pushers down
into the position for action, as shewn in the Drawings; but that action of
lifting up the points of the pushers is not affected by the backwards and for-
wards motion of the pusher bar 4 and its back bar 59. The pusher bar 4
and its back bar 59 are continually pulled backwards by a spring 80 acting
on an arm affixed to the crank bar axis 62, and that action is allowed to pull
the bars 59 and 4 with the pushers quite back out of the way for the back
driving bar I to begin its action, at the same moment that the pushers are
lifted up out of action, as before stated. For this purpose the upright levers
58, and their connecting bar 68, are not fixed fast to the axis 65 and its
levers 66, but are fixed so as to be capable of being slided endways (by means
herein-after stated) along the axis 65, so as to pass out laterally from between
the opposite gage screws 59, by which the upper ends of the levers 58 acted
upon the bar 59. This action takes place when all the driving tackle X, Y,
and 67, 68, 66, and 58, together with the pusher bar 4 and back bar 59, are
put quite back, as far as they will go; and at the same time the parallel bar
56, of the back driving I, is advanced so much forwards (by means herein-
after mentioned) as to bring the back driving bar I into its proper place in
the back combs behind the carriages B, and then two hooked spring latches,
which are fitted on the parallel bar 56, will catch the levers 58, and connect
the bar 56 to the levers 58, so that they will move together by the usual
action of the driving tackle, in order to give the back driving bar I a proper
motion to correspond with the backwards and forwards motion of the front
driving bar H. The bar 56 is pushed forwards at the proper moment, in
order to latch it to the levers 58, as before mentioned, by a lever 81, which
plays on a fixed centre pin near the middle of its length, and the lower end
is actuated by a wheel 82, which is fixed on the same axis as the ratchet
wheel 48, before mentioned, and is turned round thereby. The prominent
part of the wheel 82 presses back the lower end of the lever 81, and the
upper end thereof pushes forwards the bar 56, to bring the back driving bar I
into action, and latch it to the levers 58, in the manner before mentioned; and
a spring 83, which is applied to the lower end of the lever 81, pulls back
the bar 56, when the deficient part of the wheel 82 comes round to the
lever 81, because the upper end of that lever 81 is connected with the bar 56
by a latch which holds them together whenever they are put as far back as
the driving tackle will carry them; but the said latch disengages itself as they

page_text: go forwards, so as not to require the lever 81 to accompany the bar 56;
nevertheless, whenever the upper end of the lever 81 is moving backwards
by the action of its spring 83 beyond the range to which the driving tackle
will move them, then the said latch will hold fast, and pull the bar 56 back-
wards. That action takes place the instant that the levers 58 and the bar 68
are slided laterally, as before mentioned (but in an opposite direction), in
order to release them from the hooked spring latches of the bar 56, and leave
the bar 56 and the back driving bar I at rest in the position shewn in the
Drawing; and other wheels 84, 85, Sheets II., IV., and VI., are applied at
the back of the machine, in order to slide the levers 58 and their bars 68
endways along their axis 66, as before mentioned, for the purpose of alter-
nately connecting those levers 58 first with the back bar 59 of the pushers
(by the opposite gage screws of the bar 59), and then with the parallel bar 56
of the driving bar I (by its hooked spring latches), the connection with one
being always attended by the disconnection with the other. The wheel. 84 is
fixed on a transverse axis, which is turned by a ratchet wheel 85 of twenty-
four teeth, being moved a tooth at intervals by a driver 86 jointed to a lever
87, which is raised up every time that the crank bar axis Y is moved, so .as
to put the common driving tackle quite back as far as it will go; but the
driver 86 does not act regularly upon the ratchet wheel 85, but only at every
change of operation from spotting to making plain net, and vice versa, for
then a pin which projects from the axis of the ratchet wheel 48 bears against
the tail of the driver 86, and puts that driver in contact with the teeth of the
wheel 85, after which the driver 86 will turn that wheel a tooth as soon as
the driving tackle is put quite back. The wheel 84 has notches on its circum-
ference, which act (as shewn in Sheet V.) by a lever 95 and rod 86 on the
levers 58, to slide them and their bar 68 endways along the axis 65, and on
the joint pins at the end of the bar 68, which is done at proper intervals as
aforesaid, and a spring 88 slides them back in an opposite direction when the
notches of the wheel 84 present themselves to the lower end of the lever 95.
Another similar wheel 89, on the same axis as the wheel 85, and turning
round therewith, acts with notches on its edge by a lever 90, and a gage
screw at the upper end thereof, against the side of a sweep which projects
back from the back bar 59 of the pusher bar 4, so as to cause those two bars
to rack or move endways as much as the pushers 3 require to be racked, in
order to follow the places where succeeding spots are to be made in the width
of the lace; and a spring 91 reacts to pull the bar 59 in an opposite direction
when the notches in the wheel 89 present themselves to the lever 90. Another
similar wheel 92 is fixed on the same axis as the last, to act in like manner and

page_text: for the same purpose, by like notches on its edge; and with the intervention
of a lever 93, having a gage screw at the upper end thereof, to press against
the side of a piece which projects out downwards from the extra back locker
bar 2, and a spring 94 reacts to pull the said bar in an opposite direction
when the notches in the wheel 92 present themselves to the lever 93. .Note,
the racking motions which are given to the pushers 3 by their wheel 89, and
to the extra back locker 2 by its wheel 92, are in all cases simultaneous and
of equal extent; therefore, one wheel might be. made to give the racking
motion to both. Note, respecting the usual driver of the ratchet wheel for
the worm, or for the pinion of the cog wheel on the end of the lace roller,
whereby that roller is turned round, in order to wind up the lace as it is made,
that driver must cease to act during all the time that the operation of making
the spots is going on; but it must resume its action when the operation of
making the plain net is resumed. For this purpose the said driver of the
said ratchet wheel ought to be moved by some connection from the usual
racking wheels L, according to any of the modes usually practised, and then
the taking-up will only go on whilst the fabrication of the plain net is going
on; and although I have in the foregoing description mentioned a circular
bolt machine, the same description will answer to what is called a circular
comb machine. The leads of the rack combs being so formed and situated as
to leave room for the extra back locker 2, and the same machine, with my
improvements added thereto, as herein-before set forth, may be used either to
make one wide piece of bobbin-net lace, or to make several narrow breadths
thereof, by the means usually resorted to for making breadths in circular bolt
or circular comb machines, the manner of working my said improvements
therewith being substantially the same in either case. And as to the appli-
cation of my said improvements to other kinds of machinery for the manufac-
ture of bobbin-net lace besides circular bolt or circular comb machines, the
said application may be easily made by any competent mechanician who is
well versed in the construction and operation of the machinery to which he
intends to make such application, and who has carefully studied the descrip-
tion herein-before contained of the manner whereby my said improvements
are intended to operate, and thereby the same are to be applied to circular
bolt or circular comb machines; for it must be observed that, although I have
selected that particular kind of machinery for description in this Specification,
and have shewn the manner of applying my said improvements thereto, I
have only made that selection by way of example and instruction, in order
to enable mechanicians to apply my improvements to other machines, which
they may do by accommodating the application thereof to suit the differences

page_text: which exist between the machines to which they intend to make the said
pplication and circular bolt or circular comb machines. I believe that
ircular bolt or circular comb machines, with my improvements applied
hereto, will be found to manufacture spotted bobbin-net lace as well as
any other machinery for the manufacture of bobbin-net lace will do; but
as there may be differences of opinion amongst manufacturers on that head,
and as the operation of the parts which constitute my Invention is substan-
ially the same, whatever kind of machinery they may be applied to, I shall
conclude this Specification with such remarks on the mode of applying my
said improvements as will, when taken in conjunction with the description
herein-before contained, guide mechanicians in making such applications to
such other machinery for the manufacture of bobbin-net lace as is capable
(by the aid of my said improvements) of manufacturing spotted bobbin-net
lace to advantage; because the operation of making the spots by my im-
provements occasions a great diminution of the usual speed wherewith the
same machinery will manufacture plain bobbin net, and, other circumstances
being equal, quick working machinery is to be preferred to slower working
machinery for the application of my improvements thereto. Nevertheless,
many of the circumstances which render one kind of machinery for the
manufacture of bobbin-net lace more quick working than another kind
have but little concern with my said improvements, or with the manner of
applying the same to such machinery. But other circumstances which affect
the speedy working of the machinery will interfere in some measure with what
has been herein-before set forth under the head of article fourth; for instance,
there are double-tier machines in use with circular bolts, which work in an
inverted position, the lace roller being below and the warp roller above. Such
machines are known to the trade in Nottingham by the name of Sewel's
machines. And in such inverted machines the weight of the carriages will
retain them motionless in the combs without the necessity of applying any
apparatus to retain those carriages which are required to remain inactive in
the back combs whilst the operation of forming the spots with the bobbin
threads of the other carriages is going on. And also there are single-tier
machines in use, which are known to the trade in Nottingham by the name
of pusher machines, and which also operate in an inverted position, the
carriages working on the exterior or convex curvature of the combs being
moved therein by prongs called pushers, whence the machine derives its
name.
In the pusher machines, although the combs and carriages are single
tier, and although the carriages stand all in one row when they are in the
combs, they are nevertheless passed between the warp threads in two tiers

page_text: or divisions one after the other, like those of double-tier machines; and the
guides for the warp threads are also arranged on two bars, which are racked
separately like those of double tier machines. The pushers are only half as
numerous in each row (back or front) as the carriages, wherefore they only
act on every other carriage in the row to push the same through between the
warp threads out of the back combs into the front combs, or, vice versa,
leaving all the intermediate carriages inactive in their combs. The ends of
those pushers passing quite through between the warp threads do not quit
those carriages which they have so pushed through (and which form one
division of the carriages) until the same are entered as far as they are
intended to go into the combs on the opposite side. The pushers are then
withdrawn through the warp threads, which are properly racked as in double-
tier machines; and the pushers being quite withdrawn are shogged so much
sideways that they will, when pushed forwards, again take those other carriages
which remain motionless in the combs at the last time of pushing through,
and which constitute the other division of carriages, and will push the same
through between the warp threads in their turn. The operation of pusher
machines being well known, it is unnecessary to enter further into the parti-
culars of their operation, except to state that in order to apply my said
improvements thereto an additional row of pushers must be provided in back
and another in front, on suitable pusher bars, but with only so many prongs
or pushers in each row as will correspond with the places where spots are to
be formed across the width of the lace; and during the operation of forming
the spots those additional pusher bars must be worked in lieu of the ordinary
pusher bars, which must remain inactive, and must be worked with similar
motions to those ordinary pusher bars whereby the said additional back pushers
will select those carriages whereof the bobbins are to furnish the bobbin threads
for forming the spots, and will push the same out of the complete row of carriages
in the back combs, and pass them between the warp threads into the front
combs, and then, after the requisite curls of those bobbin threads have been
made (by the operation of the hooks and parts mentioned in article first, second,
and third) the warp threads are properly racked, and then the said front
additional pushers will push the said select bobbins and carriages back again
between the warp threads out of the front combs into the back combs, until
the warp threads are properly racked, after which the same select bobbins and
carriages are again pushed forwards by the additional back pushers into the
front combs, in order to repeat the operation of making other curls with
the bobbin threads thereof. The inverted position and curvature of the combs
of the pusher machine will cause the carriages to remain motionless in the

page_text: combs, without the necessity of any apparatus for holding those carriages
which are required to be left behind in a state of inactivity when the selected
carriages are pushed forwards into the front for forming the spots. And in
order to ensure the proper racking of those warp threads which correspond
to the bobbin threads which are to be used for forming the spots, the said
warp threads
may be conducted through guides, which may be fixed on extra
guide bars, and which extra guide bars may be so racked as to open sufficient
spaces between the threads to admit two carriages to pass abreast with safety.
And note. If each of the hooks is intended to take up two bobbin. threads
together, in order to form the curls, the pushers must stand two together side
by side in their row, at each place where a spot is intended to be formed, in
which case the bobbins from which those two threads proceed will stand side
by side in the same row, instead of being one bobbin before the other, as
represented at A 1, B 1, in Sheet 1; but that circumstance will occasion no
material difference in the operation from what has been herein-before described.
And as to the application of my said improvements to that kind of machinery
for the manufacture of bobbin-net lace which is commonly known in the
trade by the name of Lever's machines, and which are single-tier machines,
that is to say, all the bobbins and carriages are passed through between the
warp threads at once in one row, and the guides for the warp threads are
arranged in one row on one guide bar, the carriages are formed with notches
at each end of them, for the reception of the edges of the bars called catch
bars. One such bar is provided at the back, and another similar catch bar in
the front, and one or other of such bars, being let fall by their own weight,
the edges thereof dropping into the notches of the carriages will take hold of
the same, and then by moving that catch bar backwards or forwards the whole
of the carriages will be moved altogether in the combs, in order to pass them
all together through between the warp threads into the combs on the opposite
side. And when they are put half way through, the other catch bar on that
side towards which they are approaching, and which was previously raised up,
is let down into the foremost notches of the carriages, and the other first-
mentioned catch bar is lifted up out of the hindermost notches of the carriages,
to allow them to be drawn through into the opposite combs clear of the warp
threads, in order that the same may be racked.
Sheet VII. represents the bobbins and carriages, combs, and the principal
working bars of a Lever's machine, drawn full size, to explain the mode of
applying my said improvements thereto. The names of the several parts being
written on the Drawing, and the machinery being well known, it is not
necessary to enter into a complete description of all the parts. The principal

page_text: deviation from that which has been herein-before described is that the
carriages are all brought to the central position, as shewn at A, in one-row,
when the operation of forming the spots is to be begun, and the select
carriages A 1; whereof the bobbins are to furnish the bobbin threads for
forming the spots, being selected and separated from the others, those others
remain inactive in the same central position at A during all the time that
the spots are forming, instead of remaining inactive in the back combs, as
berein-before described. The two ordinary catch bars H and I are both raised
up and kept raised above the level of the ears of the carriages all the time that
the spots are forming, by the usual mode of what are called the catch bar
wheels, the usual drivers which turn the ratchet wheel of those catch bar
wheels being held up so as to take them out of action by means of apparatus
similar to that herein-before described, and referred to in the Drawings by
Numbers 31 to 35. And in lieu of the ordinary catch bars H and I, two
extra catch bars 11 and 12 are brought into action, one at the back and the
other in the front, each one having small hook catches 3 and 4 screwed to it
opposite to every place in the width of the lace where a spot is required to be
made therein. The said hooked catches 3 and 4 are adapted to enter into
the notches of two adjacent carriages, so as to take hold of the same in pairs,
and the hook catches 4 on the back extra catch bar 12 take into the notches
of the same two carriages as the hooked catches 3 on the front extra catch
bar 11. The action of the said pair of extra catch bars 11 and 12, with their
.hooked catches 3 and 4, is exactly similar to that of the usual catch bars
H and I, in order that they may take the selected bobbins and carriages A 1,
which are to furnish the bobbin threads from forming the spots through
between the warp threads alternately from the back combs into the front
combs, and vice versa, whilst all the other bobbins and carriages remain in-
active in the middle position between the front and back combs at A. And
to give the said extra catch bars 11 and 12 their requisite motion, each one
is provided with its catch bar wheel and suitable ratchet wheel and driver,
which catch bar wheel operates on it to lift the extra catch bar, and let it fall
in proper time, in order that one may catch in the foremost notches of the
select carriages A 1, and that the other may be lifted up out of the hinder-
most notches thereof, according to the direction in which the said carriages are
required to go through between the warp threads, whether from front to back
or from back to front. Those warp threads which are opposite to each of the
places where the spots are to be formed in the lace, and which correspond
to those pair of adjacent bobbin threads whereof the spots are to be formed,
are conducted through the guide 6 of an extra guide bar 7, and during the

page_text: operation of forming the spots that extra guide bar 7 is shogged by a suitable
extra racking wheel, similar to those herein-before described, and marked 30';
but the other ordinary guide bar & stands still, because its ordinary racking
wheels are put of action for the time, in the manner herein-before described.
That shogging of the extra guide bar 7 causes the select bobbin threads a 1
to whip round behind their corresponding warp threads every time after a
curl has been made, and before another curl is begun. When the operation
of forming the spots is concluded, and the ordinary course of manipulations
for forming the plain net is resumed, the extra guide bar 7 is shogged along
with the usual guide bar t in the usual manner, the same as if both bars were
fixed fast together. The drivers for the ratchet wheels of the said extra catch
bar wheels, as well as that of the extra racking wheels for the extra guide
bar 7, are held up out of action during all the time that the plain net is
working. And the drivers of the ordinary catch bar wheels as well as that
of the ordinary racking wheel for the guide bar t, are then let into action,
which is done by similar means to that herein-before described (and marked
31 to 35). Also the said extra catch bars 11 and 12 are racked endways
in the intervals, after having formed one row of spots previous to beginning
another row, in order that the succeeding spots may not fall exactly one under
another along the length of the lace, which is done by means of a racking
wheel similar to those herein-before described (and marked 89 or 92), for
racking the pusher bar and extra back locker. The application and operation
of the hooks 1, and other parts mentioned in articles first, second, third, and
fifth, are the same as herein-before described, whether for Lever's machinery or
for other machinery.
Having now described the nature of my said improvements, and the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I, the said William Sneath, do hereby declare
that what I claim as my Invention is the application of the additional parts
herein-before set forth under the heads of articles first, second, third, fourth,
and fifth to machinery for the manufacture of bobbin-net lace, that application
being made in the manner herein-before set forth, for the purpose (and for
the purpose only) of forming ornamental spots in such bobbin-net lace, without
introducing any other threads than those of which such bobbin-net lace is
usually fabricated by such machinery.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Sneath, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-two.
WILLIAM (L.S.) SNEATH.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirtieth day of June, in
the third year of the reign of His Majesty King William the Fourth, the
said William Sneath came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery,
and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Instrument
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the fifty-
fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Fourth.
Inrolled the Thirtieth day of June, One thousand eight hundred and