IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT OR FIXING OF COMBS IN MACHINES EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOBBIN NET OR TWIST LACE
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Carver, of the Firm of Messieurs Carver
and Mosley, of "The Butcher Street Works," in the Town and County
of the Town of Nottingham, Bobbin and Carriage Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT OR FIXING OF COMBS IN
MACHINES EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOBBIN NET OR TWIST LACE."
Sealed the 21st August 1863, and dated the 27th February 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Carver at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th February 1863.
I, JAMES CARVER, of the Firm of Messieurs Carver and Mosley, of "The
Butcher Street Works," in the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham,
Bobbin and Carriage Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT OR FIXING OF COMBS IN
MACHINES EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOBBIN NET OR TWIST LACE," to be
as follows:-
Heretofore in bobbin net or twist lace machines the combs employed therein
have been fixed on bars designated "comb bars;" these comb bars are so
arranged that they do not permit of their being opened or removed from each
other sufficiently wide to allow the working (as is frequently required) of a
large number of guide bars used for producing variegated, ornamental, figured,
fancy, or other work, the carriages being liable, under this defective arrange-
ment, to enter into wrong combs, thus producing what is known in the trade

page_text: as "wrong gates," thereby injuring the carriages and combs and involving
much loss of time and expense.
Now the object of my present Invention is to remedy this defect in the
working of a bobbin net or twist lace machine, and thus avoid the incon-
venience before mentioned, and my Invention may be explained as follows:-
In addition to the combs which are fixed in the comb bars, as in the ordinary
manner, I use another set of combs on each machine. These additional
combs are fastened upon and work with each of the landing bars in the
machine. The combs which I propose to use on the comb bars are much
shorter than those ordinarily used, so as to allow of the effective working of
the combs which are fixed on the landing bars. When the machine is what
is called closed, each end of the carriages (when the carriages are in the
machine) is in the combs on each landing bar, and the carriages are also in
the combs on each comb bar.
It will, therefore, be obvious that the carriages will be held firmly in the
combs on the landing bars, which will thus prevent the liability of the car-
riages to enter the wrong combs, or to produce the damage and loss of time
consequent on wrong gates.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Carver in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th August 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
CARVER, of the Firm of Messieurs Carver and Mosley, of "The Butcher
Street Works," in the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Bobbin
and Carriage Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Carver, Her special licence that I, the said James
Carver, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
1, the said James Carver, 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 Britam and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an

page_text: Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT OR FIXING OF COMBS IN
MACHINES EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOBBIN NET OR TWIST LACE,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that 1, the said James Carver, 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 Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Carver, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
The combs employed in bobbin net or twist lace machines are fixed on bars
called comb bars. These comb bars, as hitherto used, have been so made and
arranged that they do not permit of being conveniently opened or separated
from each other sufficiently widely or apart to allow of the introduction and
working of the large number of guide bars usually required for producing
variegated, ornamental, figured, fancy, or other work. It has been found that
the carriages, with the arrangement heretofore employed, are liable to enter
wrong combs, and thus produce what is known in the trade as "wrong gates,'
thereby injuring the carriages and combs, and involving expense and loss
of time.
Now the object of my Invention is to remedy these evils. For this purpose,
in combination with shortened combs fixed on the comb bars, I use in each
machine an additional set of extra combs fastened upon and working with
each of the landing bars; and the combs which I use on the comb bars I
form. much shorter than those which have been hitherto used, as as to allow
of the effective working of the combs fixed on the landing bars. When the
machine is what is called "closed," an end of the carriages, when the car-
riages are in the machine, will be in the combs on each landing bar, and the
carriages will at the same time be in the combs on each comb bar, so that the
carriages will be held firmly in the combs on the landing bars, and will there-
fore not be liable to enter wrong combs or produce wrong gates.
And in order that my Invention and the mode of performing it may be
fully understood, I proceed to describe the accompanying Drawings, which to
those conversant with the class of machines referred to will fully explain how
my Invention is to be applied.

page_text: Figures 1 and 2, Sheets 1 and 2, represent a portion of a bobbin net or
twist lace machine, with my improved combs applied to it; the extra combs
on the landing bars being open at both ends for the carriages to pass through
if required; the shortened combs on the comb bars being in these Figures 1
and 2 formed out of a solid piece of brass or other metal. In Figure 1 the
landing bars are shewn closed, and in Figure 2 they are shown open.
Figure 3, Sheet 3, represents a portion of a bobbin net or twist lace
machine in which extra combs, similar to those in Figure 1, are secured to
the landing bars, and my shortened comb is attached to the comb bars (such
short combs being in Figure 3 cast in metal in the same way as ordinary
combs are cast, instead of being formed out of a solid piece as in Figure 1).
The landing bars in this view are shown closed.
In all the Figures, A are the comb bars; B, the catch bars; C, the landing
bars; D, the carriage; G, the guide bars; E are my improved shortened
combs fixed on the comb bars, and F are the extra combs fixed on the
landing bars; H are the point bars in Figures 1 and 2.
.
Sometimes, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, I construct the combs E of a solid
block of metal, from which I grind away parts to allow the carriages to work,
thereby giving increased strength to the combs and making one even surface
for the carriages to ride upon, and closing up the space heretofore existing
between the comb bar and the landing bar. The carriages may, moreover, pass
through the combs on the landing bar if desired.
By using according to my Invention short combs in combination with
extra combs on the landing bars, as described by me, I can make the combs
straight, and preserve the carriages upright in them. The strength also of the
combs is increased, and the carriages are not so loose in them; there is thus
more equal division at the tops of the carriages, and a better "take-up " is
obtained. It is not necessary to describe all the parts of the machine
employed in connection with the comb bars and combs, as those who are
familiar with this description of machinery will, from the description I have
given in connection with the Drawings, fully understand how my Invention
can be used either in making new machines or altering and adapting old
machines.
I am aware that combs have been previously used as carriage conductors
attached to landing bars, but they were used with combs on the comb bars of
the ordinary length, and were so arranged that the comb bars could not be
set apart to any required width to admit of any required number of guide

page_text: bars being employed; whereas in my arrangement the combs on the comb
bars being made short, and being used in combination with the extra combs
on the landing bars, the comb bars may be set to any convenient distance
apart.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that I claim as my Invention the
employment of extra combs fixed on the landing bars of bobbin net or twist
lace machines, in combination with shortened combs fixed on comb bars
arranged so that they may be set to any convenient distance apart, in the
manner and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Carver, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
5 Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Office,
Nottingham.
JAMES CARVER. (LS.)