IMPROVEMENTS IN TWIST LACE MACHINES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE MADE ON TWIST LACE MACHINES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Tilson, of New Lenton, in the Parish
of Lenton, in the County of Nottingham, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TWIST LACE MACHINES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
LACE MADE ON TWIST LACE MACHINES."
L
Sealed the 1st November 1870, and dated the 13th September 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Tilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th September 1870.
I, WILLIAM TILSON, of New Lenton, in the Parish of Lenton, in the
County of Nottingham, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TWIST LACE MACHINES, AND IN THE MANU-
PACTURE OF LACE MADE ON TWIST LACE MACHINES," to be as follows:-
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in twist lace machines,
and in the manufacture of lace made on twist lace machines.
The improvements consist in the machine as described hereafter, by
means of which the fabrics can be made much quicker and better than
hitherto, better embossings and meshes can be produced, and also

page_text: embossings made on meshes different, and produced in different manner
than done hitherto. To do this I form my combs in such a manner that
they have an elevation at the outer end, as shewn in Sheet 1, Figure 7.
This elevation is reduced in thickness, so that they admit the thick part
of the carriage or the part above the arc at the bottom of the carriage,
in order to steady the carriage and admit the comb being made much
narrower at the inside ends, marked 8, than is usual. The radius of
the arc in which the carriages move is thus reduced, and more space
in the carriage is obtained for the bobbin, see Sheet 1, Figure 9. This
enables me to work the machine quicker, and I can work a large bobbin
in a smaller circle, thereby reducing the fall or distance of the point
bars, and a better division of bobbin and warp threads will be effected,
and more time for the latteral or shogging movement of the point bars
is gained, see Figure 10. I-also-use-new-jacks
Sheet 1, Figure 4 represents front view of the head, the heads of which
are slit, and two gates wide, that is to say, a thread laying up against
one side of the head is two gates removed from the thread lying against
the other side of it, and in the centre of the head is a notch or slit, and
a thread in this notch or slit is one gate removed, resting against either
side of the jack. When it is desired to get a warp thread into the notch
or slit from the gate on one side of it, whilst the threads are still on the
carriages the guide bar with this thread moves, say one, one and a half,
or two or more gates, according to the angle required, so as to incline the
thread right or left. The above described jacks are then inserted, and
the threads drop then into the slits, then the carriages complete their
motion, the guide bars carry the threads, which have not been intercepted
to the positions required, whilst the interceptors may also move to carry
the threads they have taken to other positions required, the carriages
then return. Different positions of jacks are shewn, Sheet 1, Figure 1
and 3.
Sheet 1, Figure 2 represents front view of combs; Number N1, N2,
represents slays for steadying the heads of the jacks, and are arranged.
to shog latterally if required; N4, slay for steadying bottom part of jack;
N5, slay for steadying back part of jack; N6 and N7, strings to jacquard;
N3, locker for working jacks in and out.
Sheets 3 & 3*, as example, guide bars of Number 1A, wheel on
front motion, rises 8 gates, pauses for jacks to enter, falls 1 gate;
carriages begin to move from front to back, and before the carriages

page_text: leave the threads going into the back the bar falls 1 gate, but can
be made to fall 1, 1 and a ½, or 2 or more gates according to angle
required from the bottom of the carriage to the guide top, then the
carriages go to the extremity of the back, guide bar then falls 6 gates,
and then the carriages return to the front. Number 2A, wheel on front
motion, guide bar rises 7 gates, pauses for jack to enter, rises 1 gate,
carriages move from front to back and fall 2 gates, then jacks enter,
bar falls 6 gates, and then the carriage returns to the front.
Figure 1 (Sheet 3**) shows position of threads on the carriage bottom,
when jacks have entered on the back motion. 1 represents carriages,
representing jacks.
Figure 4 shows the jacks entered on the back motion when pillaring,
when the carriages have left the threads and are in the extremity of back
combs Figure 2 shows jacks entered for front motion when pillaring;
Figure 3 shows jacks, out threads being in position for embossing.
I have shown in Sheets 3 & 3* of the annexed Drawings a pair of
wheels, suitable (in conjunction with another similar pair) for actuating
the guide bars; when working in this manner the jacks or interceptors in
this case, when the threads are in the notches or slits are shogged two
gates to suit the angle required from bottom of carriage to guide top;
but I do not bind myself to this angle alone, but similar wheels may
be constructed for more or less angles or gates according to mesh
required. By these means I can produce much thicker embossings, and
also such embossings on different meshes than made hitherto.
Sheet 4 & 4* is another method of working the jacks when using
a double warp, or 2 threads to a carriage when making a plaited pillar
with a cross closing. In this method I can emboss left and right and
right and left, every motion of. the machine, or every other motion, or
any motion, and also single embossings I may require.
I now describe a pair of wheels working in conjunction with another
similar pair to produce a plaited pillar with a cross closing and embossings
left and right, and right and left at every motion of the machine.
Number 1 B, wheel on front motion rises 3 gates, pauses for jack to
enter, rises 2 gates more, the carriage goes to the back, jack goes out,
wheel falls one for jack to enter, then bar rises 4 gates, the carriages go
to front, wheel falls 3 gates, jacks enter, fall 2 gates, carriages go to the
back, wheel rises one gate, jack enters, wheel falls 4 gates, carriages
go to the front.
Wheel Number 2 B, wheel in front motion, rises

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Tilson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th March 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
TILSON, of New Lenton, in the Parish of Lenton, in the County of
Nottingham, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Tilson, Her special license, that I, the
said William Tilson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Tilson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TWIST LACE MACHINES,
AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE MADE ON TWIST LACE MACHINES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Tilson, 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 William Tilson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This, Invention has for its object improvements in twist lace machines.
and in the manufacture of lace made on twist lace machines.
The first part of my Invention relates to the combs in which the
carriages of the bobbins work. I form the comb blades with projections
at their outer ends. These projections receive between them the portion
of the carriages above the one on which its thickness is reduced to enter
between the blades themselves. The carriages are thus so effectually

page_text: steadied that I am able greatly to reduce the width of the comb blade,
and thus I obtain several advantages. Room is obtained for a larger
bobbin. The radius of the comb and the travel of the carriages may be
reduced and a higher speed of working may be obtained. The motion
of the point bars is reduced and more time may be obtained for their
lateral or shogging movement.
In the annexed Drawings Figure 1 is a side view; Figure 2, a plan
view; and Figure 3, an end view of a portion of the comb bar; Figure 4
is a side view of a bobbin carriage adapted to work with it.
a, a, are the comb blades which it will be observed are considerably
narrower than they are usually made; a', a', are the projections on their
outer ends;-they-aro-thinner than the other parts of the blades, and
their position on the blades is such that they do not at any time-when-
the carriages are at work overlap the bobbins which they carry.
My Invention also relates to a method of producing net fabrics with
embossings or close work thereon, according to any pre-arranged pattern.
I use for this purpose instruments called "jacks" or intercepters of an
improved construction. They are forked at their ends where they enter
amongst the warp threads in such manner that a thread which is caught
in the fork will be one gate removed from a thread which is bearing
against the outside of the fork on either side of it. I also by means
of the warp bars move the warp threads whilst the carriages are still
amongst them and retaining them according to the previous selection,
I thus incline or angle the warp threads from the carriage bottoms. I
then introduce the jacks or intercepters so as to retain certain of the
threads, and again move the bars to convey the threads which are not
retained to other positions.
Figure 5 is a transverse section of apparatus which I employ.
a, a, are the combs; b, the carriages; and c, the point bars. These parts
work together in the usual manner. d', d, d³, and d', are the warp
threads of the fabric coming from warp beams or from separate spools, if
they are to be worked up at different speeds; they are threaded through
four warp bars e¹, e³, e³, e', each of which carries a number of threads
equal to one-half the number of the bobbin threads.
Figure 6 represents a wheel or cam, which actuates the bar e', and
Figure 7 is the wheel or cam which actuates the bar e². The bar e³ is
actuated by another wheel similar to that represented at Figure 6, and

page_text: the bar e by a wheel similar to Figure 7. f and f¹ are the jacks or
intercepters. The set f works with the threads e¹ and e², and the set f¹
with the threads e³ and e¹.
Figure 8 shows in plan the head or forked end of one of the jacks or
intercepters. The jacks or intercepters are connected with the jacquard
by the strings g which lift them when it is not desired that they should
be moved forward to enter amongst the warp threads. Motion given to
the blade h, as will be well understood by lace makers, causes the jacks
which are not selected by the jacquard to move in and out at the times
herein-after stated. i, i, are stationary guides for the jacks, and k, k, are
guides which are (by means well understood) shogged_ one gate to and
fro at the times herein-after stated.
Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the course the warp threads take
under the influence of the warp bars and the jacks.
Figure 9 shows the pillars and crossings of the fabric which is
produced. The bar e¹, actuated by the wheel Figure 6, is threaded at
every alternate gate. Two of these threads appear in Figure 9, 9º, and
are marked 1, 1. The bar e² is similarly threaded and its threads are
marked m, m, in the diagram. The wheels Figures 6 and 7 revolve
once for each complete front and back motion and move their bars
eight gates (or it might be more or less) to and fro. The course of the
threads carried by the bar e¹ is as follows:-At the first motion the
carriages being in the front and the thread at its eighth gate the jack
enters to the left of it; the bar next drops to the seventh gate, but
without effect on the thread which is held by resting against the jack;
the carriages now enter amongst the threads in passing towards the
back, and the jack is withdrawn, it falls one gate to the left and is
reinserted, and the bar e falls to its dead stop but without effect on the
thread which rests against the side of the jack at its seventh gate;
the carriages then return from the back towards the front, the bar rises.
to the eighth gate, the jack goes out and rises one gate and the course
is repeated. This goes on so long as it is desired that the warp threads e¹,
should twist with the bobbin threads marked 2 in the diagrams. When
these warp threads are to cross to the No. 1 bobbin threads and twist
upon them the course is as follows:-The carriages being in the front
and the bar e' at the eighth gate the jack is left out and the warp bar
falls to the seventh gate taking its thread down with it, the carriages
then enter amongst the warp threads, in going in the back comb the

page_text: bar e¹ falls a distance to carry the thread where it is opposite the jack
to the sixth gate (although it is at the seventh gate between the
carriages) and the jack (being then in its lower position) enters and
catches the thread in its fork. The bar e¹ now goes to the dead stop (but
without effect on the thread) the carriages return from back to front,
the bar rises to, the eighth gate, and the jack is drawn back and returns
to its higher position. These motions are repeated, so, long as it is desired
that the threads e¹ in the diagrams should twist upon the No. 1 bobbin
threads. The same jacks or intercepters which control the e¹ threads
control also the e² threads in the. following manner:-Whilst the
thread e¹ of Figure 9. is twisting, with the bobbin thread No. 2 the
thread e² is required to twist with the bobbin thread No. 1, and vice
versa. When e² is to twist with the bobbin thread No. 1 the course is
as follows:-The cam Figure 7 takes its bar and the threads with it
up to the seventh gate, then the jack enters as we have already seen
and it catches this thread in its fork. The bar then rises to the eighth
gate but without effect on the thread which is held. The carriages enter
in passing towards the back, and before they are clear the jack goes
out and falls one gate to the left, the bar e falls also sufficiently to
angle the thread, so that although between the carriages it is at the
seventh gate, opposite the jack it is at the sixth gate. The jack re-enters
and catches the thread in its fork, and the bar e falls to its dead stop
(but without effect on the thread), the carriages then return from back
to front, the jack goes out and rises, the bar e also rises to the
seventh gate and the course is repeated. When the thread e is to
twist on the bobbin thread No. 2 the course is as follows:-The carriages
being in the front and the thread at the seventh gate, the. har rises to
the eighth gate, and the jack being left out the thread rises with it,
the carriages enter, the bar falls. The thread comes against the side of
the jack, and so it is held whilst the carriages return.
Figure 10 is a diagram similar to Figure 9, but showing in addition.
to the threads e¹, e, and the jacks ƒ which appear in Figure 9, the
threads e³ and e' and their jacks f¹. When embossing on close work is.
required the jacks are left out where otherwise they would be inserted
immediately before the bars go to their dead stops, and the carriages
pass from back to front, the bars are then free to take down their threads
over the meshes from which the jacks are omitted, and such meshes so
become filled or overlaid by the threads extending over them.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that what
I claim is,
First. The construction of the comb in the manner described with
projections at the outer ends of the blades to steady the carriages.
Second. The selection of the warp threads by inclining them whilst
they are on the carriage bottoms and are retained by the carriages passing
between them and inserting jacks or intercepters whilst the warp threads
are thus inclined.
Third. The construction of the jacks or intercepters so as each to be able
to retain a thread in either of three spaces or gates of the machine, that
is to say, either resting on one side or the other of the head of the jack
which is two gates wide or being held in the intermediate gate in the
slit or notch which is formed in the head of the jack to retain it.
-
Fourth. The construction of fabrics in twist lace machines, sub-
stantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Tilson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
WILLIAM TILSON
(T. C)