CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PILE FABRICS AND OTHER WEAVINGS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Collier, of Halifax, in the County of York,
for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PILE
FABRICS AND OTHER WEAVINGS."
Sealed the 19th January 1855, and dated the 23rd November 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Collier at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd November 1854.
I, GEORGE COLLIER, of Halifax, in the County of York, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
PACTURE OF PILE FABRICS AND OTHER WEAVINGS" to be as follows:-
My improvements consist in giving to pile wires, used in looms longitudi-
nally of the fabric, and having knife edges formed on or affixed thereto, to cut
open the pile loops formed upon them, a quick reciprocating motion in the direc-
tion of their length, by which a more sudden and cleaner cut will be obtained.
I prefer that such wires be divided into two or more sets, each set being
attached to a reciprocating bar acted upon independently, and that such bars,
to which the inner ends of the wires are attached, be capable when required of
movement, to bring the ends of the wires, on which the knife edges are formed
or affixed, sufficiently forward for the sharpening of those knife edges being
readily effected.

page_text: Also, when-employing pile wires, transversely of the fabric, in means for
conducting their points, as withdrawn from the fabric, into position for
re-entering the open shed. A spring, or it may be a finger or lever, is
caused to press against each wire near its point when withdrawn from the
fabric, and aided by a guide and stop, to move the point of the wire into
position for correctly entering the open shed; and if the wire fails to be
withdrawn, the finger or lever that presses the wire forward to the open shed.
is made to come into contact with a stop-rod, which immediately stops the
loom.
Also, in forming the reeds, especially such as require very fine and close
dents, with certain of the dents fixed-only at one of their ends, the other dents
of the reed being fixed in the ordinary manner at both ends; and I prefer that
the alternate dents of the-reed be fixed at.one of their ends only, by which,
whilst an increased number of-dents may be used in the reed, a.slight sideway
yielding of those dents, which are fixed only at one of their ends, will permit of
knots and other obstructions on the warp threads passing freely without injury
to the warp.
The improvements also relate to a novel arrangement of self-acting temple.
The distending points are fixed to a pair of bars or rods, whose stems are
formed with racks taken into by the teeth of a pinion; or the two bars or rods
carrying the distending points are otherwise connected together in such
manner, that whatever inward or outward motion is given to one bar or rod of
pins, in order to effect the distension of the fabric, is also in like manner given
to the other. The distending movement to the bars of points is governed by
a cam or tappet, causing a driver or catch to act upon the teeth of a ratchet
wheel in connection with a cam or tappet wheel, which by suitable con-
nections communicates movement to such transverse bars of distending points.
The points are controlled properly to recede from, so as to clear and again
enter, the selvage of the fabric, whilst the 'selvages are constantly pressed into
position to receive the points.
Springs or weights effect: the back movement (or movement towards the
slea) of the bars of points when released from the fabric, to bring them into
position for the points again entering the selvages.
1.
:

page_text: DIE
ICATION In pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, med
by the said George Collier in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd May 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
COLLIER, of Halifax, in the County of York, send greeting.
"
5 i
year of our
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Collier, Her special licence that I, the said George Collier,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Collier, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF PILE FABRICS AND OTHER WEAVINGS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Collier, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, 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 George, Collier, 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):-
.
My Invention relates, first, to a mode of arranging and working pile wires,
used longitudinally of the fabric in the manufacture of pile fabrics in looms, in
order to facilitate the cutting open of the loops as formed over such wires.
And the improvement consists in giving to such pile wires (when they have
formed on or affixed to them knife edges, for the purpose of cutting open such
loops,) a quick reciprocating motion in the direction of their length, by which
a more sudden and cleaner cut will be obtained.
Secondly, my improvements relate, when employing pile wires transversely of
the fabric, to means for conducting the points of such wires, as withdrawn from
the fabric, into position for re-entering the open shed..
Thirdly, my Invention relates to forming reeds (for the beat up), especially
such as require very fine and close dents, with certain of the dents fixed only

page_text: Fig. 1: Snows a section
ront view, or some
the
parts of a loom arranged according to the first part of my improvements.
And I would have it understood that my improvements under this head' of
the Invention apply mainly to that arrangement of machinery whereby it has
been proposed to obtain pile fabrics by, cross weaving over pile wires laid
longitudinally of the fabric, by the use of a series of guides to actuate the pile
warp threads, and where such longitudinal pile wires are sustained at one end
between combs or carriers carried by bars actuated in the working of the loom.
But in carrying out this 'part of my Invention, each of the wires is formed
with or has affixed to it a knife edge, so that as the formed fabric is drawn
off the ends of the wires, the pile loops thereof are cut by such cutting edge,
to produce cut pile or velvet surface to the fabric; and the bars to which
-the inner ends of the wires are affixed are capable of a reciprocating motion
in the direction of the length of the wire, in order to effect a more sudden and
'even cut. "And I prefer that such wires be divided into two or more sets,
each set being attached to a reciprocating bar acted upon independently, and
that such bars be capable when required of movements, to bring the ends of
the wires on which the knife edges are formed or affixed sufficiently forward
through the formed loops, for the sharpening of those knife edges being readily
effected.
a, a, are the guides, which are formed with eyes to conduct the pile
warp threads. And according to what I have shown by these Figures of the
Drawings, these guides are set in leads a', which are affixed to the bar a³,
by which they are capable of an up and down motion, in order to their
rising over the longitudinal pile wires, and also to the weft passing over and
tyeing in such pile warp, as desired, after each crossing of the wires. The
bar a is also capable of an endway movement, in order that each warp thread
may be conducted by its guide a alternately on one and then the other side
of its pile wire. And although I have only shown one- bar of guides, the

page_text: guides a may be divided into two or more sets, each set being affixed to a
separate bar; or the guides may be independent of each other, and actuated
by jacquard or other pattern surface. But as the means by which the pile
warp threads are controlled in their movements in order to effect the crossing
of them over the wires may be varied, and forms no part of my Invention, I
have not thought it necessary to enter further into description respecting such
movements.
.
b are the pile wires, which, as shewn, are formed with knife edges at b¹,
whilst at their other ends they are formed into eyes, by which they are sup-
ported in the combs c, c*, which are also affixed in leads c², c¹*, by which they
are attached to the bars d, d*.
According to the arrangement shewn, the two bars d, d*, have a simultaneous
descending movement given to them at the time of effecting the crossing of
the pile warps, in order that when such guiding instruments to the pile warp
threads are used, they may not have so far to travel in effecting the crossings
of those pile warps. This simultaneous movement of the bars d, d*, is effected
by cams e, which by acting upon the trucks f. f*, carried by the levers f¹, f₁x,-
which turn upon an axis f2, carried by the framing of the loom, and at the
other end are forked to embrace pins 9, 9*, projecting from arnis g', g¹*,
affixed to the under side.of.the bars d, d*, cause the bars d; d*, to rise and fall,
raising and lowering the wires, as desired.
The backward and-forward movement to the bars d, dx, for the purpose of
effecting movement to the wires in the direction of their length, is obtained by
cam surfaces h, h*, which act upon trucks i, i*, carried by levers i', ¿¹*,
actuating those levers which are at one end capable of turning upon axes 2²,
and at the other end are by pin joints 3 connected to rods j, jx, which have
formed in them recesses j¹, j¹×, to embrace pins 12, 2*, affixed to the bars d, d*,
by which those bars may have communicated to them the movement effected
by the cam surfaces h, h*; and it will be seen that the, cam surfaces h, h*,
are timed to move the bars d, d*, and the wires carried thereby alternately.
In order to admit of the compound movement to the bars d, d*, the rods
g¹, glx, are at their lower ends formed into necks, which-pass through holes as
guides in the rocking shaft g, gx, the ends of which turn in bearings formed
in or affixed to the framing.
When the knife edges require to be sharpened, I raise the rods j, jx, by the
handles, so as to release the studs *, from the recesses j³, 1¹×, and
then the bars d, d*, may readily be drawn more towards the front of the loom,
pushing forwards the ends of the wires through the loops, so that the knife
edges may be conveniently sharpened: k are links from the framing, by which

page_text: the ends of the rods j may be held up from the studs j, j; 7 is a loose guard,
to cover the knife edges, and protect the attendant from them.
present
Figure 3 shows a section, full size, and Figure 4 a front view, of parts of a
loom with improvements applied, according to the second part of my Invention;
and I would have it understood, that I have not thought it necessary to show
more of the working parts of the loom than will suffice to illustrate the
improvement, the loom in detail being more fully represented in the Drawings
accompanying the Specification of a recent Patent granted to me, and bearing
date on or about the Fifth day of October, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-four. a is the breast roller; b, the breast beam; c, the breast plate; d is
the batten; and e' is one of the arms of the swinging frame which carries the
slide bar f, by which, according to the arrangement of loom to which I have
applied my improvements, the wire carrier is guided in its movements to place
a wire into the shed and withdraw it from the work for causing it again to
enter the shed. But although I have selected such arrangement of machinery
in order to illustrate this part of my present improvements, I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to such, as other means may be adopted
when carrying out these improvements than those referred to for moving the
wire into position and drawing it out again.
g is a lever, which is supported by the stud e¹ from the arm'e, and at its
lower end by means of the stud g¹; it supports the lever h with its sping end h³,
which, so soon as the inner end of a wire is withdrawn from the fabric, comes
against that wire, and presses it near its point, to cause it to move along the
guide i, till it arrives at the turned-up end, which then acts as a stop
to guide the point of the wire in correctly entering the open shed. This
movement of the instrument h¹ is effected, according to the arrangement
shewn, in part by the lever 'g moving inwards with the arm e, but in that
movement of the arm e, the upper end of the lever g is brought against a fixed
stop j, carried by the framing of the loom, by which the lower end of the lever
ġ will be moved farther inwards, causing the spring finger or lever h to move
the point of the wire, as shown."
"
I form the end h¹ of the lever which comes against the wire with a spring,
as shown; but this may be varied, and that end may be formed rigid, to act
simply as an ordinary lever or finger to press against the wire. The other
end of the lever is formed with a catch h², capable of taking hold of the
catch k', upon the upper end of the arm k, affixed to the axis, to act upon
the stop motion, and stop the loom. The action of these parts is as follows:-
When a wire is drawn out from the fabric, the end of the lever h pushes
against-that wire to move it into position for entering the shed, as explained,

page_text: and-by-so-doing,-that_end_of_one_fever 10 15
Repressed, causing
end h² to be elevated out of the way of the catch ' on the arm k; but in
the absence of a wire, the weight of the end h of the lever h will cause it
to come in contact with the catch ' on the arm k, by which that arm will be
pulled back, and another arm on the axis will then release the stop rod
motion and stop the loom, as is well understood.
Figures 5 and 6 shew a front view and section of a portion of a reed,
arranged according to the third part of my improvements. a, a, are the
dents, fixed in the ordinary way at both ends; and b, b, are the dents which,
according to these improvements, are fastened at one of their ends only, and
which are therefore somewhat free to move sideways at their other ends, but
by being rigid at one end in the ordinary way, and by the beat-up taking
place about the line c, they have still sufficient strength, and will be found
to maintain their position at the beat-up. In thus arranging the dents of a
reed, I prefer 'that the alternate dents be fixed at one of their ends only, by
which, whilst an increased number of dents may be used in the reed, a slight
sideway yielding of those dents which are fixed at one of their ends only will
permit of knots and other obstructions ou the warp threads passing freely
without injury to the warp.
Fig. 7 shows a front view, and Fig. 8 a plan, of some of the parts of a
loom with improvements applied, according to the fourth part of my Invention.
Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 shew the working parts separately on a
larger scale. a, a, are the distending points, which, it will be seen, are fixed
in brasses a', carried at the end of bars or rods a², whose stems a³ are formed
with teeth as racks, which are taken into by the teeth of the pinion b, so as to
move the racks and with them the points simultaneously towards the edge of,
and so as to distend, "the breadth of the fabric, or to cause them to recede from
the fabric, in order to their re-entering in advance. Upon the axis of the
pinion 6 is affixed the wheel or 'disc c, in which are formed holes c¹ to receive
a stud for a connecting rod from the lever d, by which movement is
cominunicated to the pinion 6, and thence to the points a. I would, however,
state, that although I have shown à disc with a pinion as a means of commu-
nicating simultaneous motion to the two bars of points, this may be varied,
and the bars of points may be otherwise connected together, so that whatever
inward or outward motion is given to one bar or rod of pins, in order to effect
the distension of the fabric, may also in like manner be given to the other.
T
The outer ends of the bars a bave formed in them slots a³* to receive
pins a, by which they are supported, and it is by the peculiar form of those
slots that in the movement of the bars to and fro, the pin points a are

page_text: combien to come away from the fabric, and pass up agam with their points
through it.
There are also plates a', carried by the bars a², which have holes formed
through them, corresponding with the pin points, and which, by resting
between the under side of the fabric and the breast plate, and at the same
time moving to and fro with the pins, aids to clear those pins from the
-fabric.
There are also springs a, which by pressing against the bars a² move them
back to take hold of fresh fabric after each withdrawment therefrom, whilst
they admit of the temple moving somewhat with the fabric as it is wound on
the beam. This distending movement to the bars of points is governed by a
cam or tappet in the following manner :-The lever d-turns upon a stud d',
carried by the framing, and it carries a pulley or roller d', which is actuated
by following the course of the cam or tappet e. Upon the edge of the cam
or tappet wheel e is formed ratchet teeth e', which are capable of being taken
into and driven by the driver f, carried by a pin g projecting from the rocking
lever g, which has a to and fro motion given to it in any suitable manner.
According to the arrangement shown, this motion is obtained from the lever,
by which, in the Specification of my Patent before referred to, and other
Specifications of Patents granted to me, the pile wires. used are inserted into
the open shed, there being on that lever a stud h, which receives one end of
a connecting link h¹, the other end of which is connected to a stud g² in the
rocking lever g; the rocking lever would therefore, have a tendency with
each motion in one direction to cause the driver f to move the cam or tappet
wheel e a distance of one tooth. The driver fis, however, formed with a tail-
piece f, from which projects the stud f, which is caught by the projection k
from the lever k³, so as to throw up the driving end of the driver f, and cause
it to miss the teeth in the wheel e, except when that lever is raised by the cam
or tappet . When the cam or tappet 7 raises the lever k, so that the piece k
may be out of the way of the stud f, the driver f will fall into one of the teeth
of the wheel c, and that wheel e will be caused to move the distance of one
tooth; the cam or tappet is therefore the means for governing the driver
(or it may be a catch) in acting upon the ratchet teeth in connection with
the cam or tappet wheel e. The cam or tappet is formed on or affixed to the
surface of the ratchet wheel 1, which is caused to rotate by the clawker m,
attached to the slotted piece m', and which is moved by a stud projecting from
the rocking arm g', acting against the end of the slot in that slotted piece m'.
The end of the clawker m is borne by the support n, as shown.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would have it

page_text: understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein shown and
described so long as the peculiar character of any part thereof be retained;
but what I do claim is,
First, the so arranging and combining parts of looms for weaving pile
fabrics, by the aid of pile wires laid longitudinally of the fabric, that such
pile wires may have given to them a reciprocating motion in the direction of
their length, in order that the knife edges formed on or affixed thereto may
effect a quicker cutting open of the pile loops, as explained.
Secondly, I claim the mode of arranging, combining, and working mecha-
nical parts as described, for the purpose of conducting the points of pile
wires (used transversely of the fabric) as withdrawn from the fabric into
position for re-entering the open shed, and of stopping the motions of the
loom when a wire fails.
Thirdly, I claim the forming reeds used in weaving with certain of the dents
fixed at one end only, and others fixed at both ends, in the ordinary way, as
explained.
Fourthly, I claim the mode of arranging, combining, and working mecha-
nical parts forming a self-acting temple as herein explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Collier, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
THOS. PALETHORPE,
Halifax.
GEORGE COLLIER. (L.S.)