IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARPETS AND OTHER PILED FABRICS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henderson, of Bradford, in the County of
York, Carpet Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARPETS AND OTHER
PILED FABRICS."
Sealed the 21st August 1863, and dated the 3rd March 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henderson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd
March 1863.
I, JOHN HENDERSON, of Bradford, in the County of York, Carpet Manufac-
turer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARPETS AND OTHER PILED
FABRICS," to be as follows:-
The improvements relate, first, to an improved method of effecting the
crossing of the surface warp threads in the manufacture of pile carpets and
other pile fabrics, when such pile is formed by the aid of longitudinal
wires.
For this purpose I prefer to employ longitudinal wires or instruments of
the character of those described in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to myself, and James Broadley, bearing date the 3rd day of August
1861, No. 1931. These instruments have points or raised portions on them
between the reed of the batten and the healds when the lathe or batten
is in the back. Behind the lathe I apply a comb with long thin flat teeth;/
and as many of them to the inch as there are longitudinal pile wires.
This comb is placed in front of the healds, and, immediately behind and

page_text: close to the points referred to on the longitudinal pile wires. Each longi-
tudinal pile wire with its corresponding warp threads passes between two
teeth of this comb, and the teeth are of a length that will admit of their
lower ends passing below the lower warps when the shed is open, while at
the same time the bar in which the teeth are fixed is sufficiently raised above
such points on the longitudinal pile wires as to allow of the pile warp
threads being elevated to the desired extent above those points. The comb
bar is capable of endway motion in order that when the pile warp threads
are required to pass down on the right side of the wires the comb may be
moved to the right until its thin teeth bend so much as that they slightly
pass to the right of the points on the wires, and so as to conduct the pile
threads safely and surely past those points. The surface warp, heald, or harness
is now depressed, and the threads are conveyed down the desired side of the
wire. If the comb be moved to the left, and the warp threads be depressed,
they will in like manner be conveyed securely down the left side of the wire.
By this means the threads are crossed over the wires independently of the reed
with more certainty, while the surface warp threads being always in the comb
are not so liable to be split or broken.
The improvements relate, secondly, to longitudinal wires adapted by means
of a holder to carry a knife or blade for the purpose of cutting the pile loops
formed thereon. I apply a small pin or other suitable stop to one end of the
sheath or holder in such manner as to leave a small space between the pin or
stop and the bottom of the sheath to receive a corresponding projection
on the end of the cutting blade opposite to the cutting edge thereof, by which
the blade will be firmly held in its sheath or holder while the operation of
cutting proceeds, and may yet be readily removed when required.
The improvements relate, thirdly, to means for weighting bobbins and their
threads used in the weaving of Brussels carpets and other pile fabrics, con-
sisting of a break made of cast iron or other suitable material; this break is
simply a bar hollowed out so as to suit the curve of the bobbins flange, and
long enough to reach from one end of the bobbin to the other; at each end of
the bar is attached a short arm. This break is placed immediately above the
bobbin in such a manner that the cross-bar part of it lies on the flanges of the
bobbin at the front of it, while the extremities of the arms are held in position
by a pin or wire passing through each of them, which pin or wire is connected
with a bracket fixed to the frame in which the bobbin is placed; the break
works freely on these pins so that the whole weight of the cross bar is on the
bobbin. I take the thread from the bobbin, pass it over the cross bar of the
break, and hang a weight (of any requisite size) on the thread immediately in

page_text: front of the break. This weight in addition to weighting the thread will also
regulate the amount of drag which the break exercises upon the bobbin. By
this means a more regular tension of the thread is secured.
The improvements relate, fourthly, to the healds or harness used in weaving,
and consist in the application of a peculiar form of mail to healds which work
two warps at a time, such as those used in the manufacture of tapestry
carpets. I employ a long mail, which has at one extremity a hole, through
which the surface warp thread is drawn; immediately under this hole is a slit
of any desired length reaching to the other end of the mail. In addition there
are the two usual small holes, one at each end, through which is passed the wire
or cord used for making the healds.
By the adoption of this construction of mail the healds are much more
easily built, while owing to the absence of knots or twists, as when wire
or cord is used, the warp threads work more smoothly through the healds.
The improvements relate, fifthly, to tying in the surface warp in cases where,
particularly as regards the description of carpets called tapestry, the design
to be produced is of such an extent that two or more separate and different
printed warps are requisite to complete the design.
Instead of drawing in the warp under the weft shot, and thence taking the
ends to the surface of the carpet, as is usually done, I cause the ends of the
warp to be taken right through the warps to the back of the carpet, where
they are secured by being gummed, or by being drawn through between the
weft shots by means of a needle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henderson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENDERSON, of Bradford, in the County of York, Carpet Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, 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
John Henderson, Her special licence that I, the said John Henderson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said John
Henderson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time

page_text: 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
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARPETS AND OTHER PILED
FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henderson,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 John Henderson, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say :-
The improvements relate, first, to an improved method of effecting the
crossing of the surface warp threads in the manufacture of pile carpets and
other piled fabrics, when such pile is formed by the aid of longitudinal wires.
For this purpose I prefer to employ longitudinal wires or instruments of the
character of those described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to
myself and James Broadley, bearing date the 3rd day of August 18561,
No. 1931. These instruments have points or raised portions on them between
the reed of the batten and the healds when the lathe or batten is in the back.
Behind the lathe I apply a comb with long thin flat teeth, and as many of
them to the inch as there are longitudinal pile wires. This comb is placed in
front of the healds, and immediately behind and close to the points referred
to on the longitudinal pile wires. Each longitudinal pile wire with its cor-
responding warp threads passes between two teeth of this comb, and the teeth
are of a length that will admit of their lower ends passing below the lower
warps when the shed is open, while at the same time the bar in which the
teeth are fixed is sufficiently raised above such points on the longitudinal pile
wires as to allow of the pile warp threads being elevated to the desired extent
above those points. The comb bar is capable of endway motion, in order
that when the pile warp. threads are required to pass down on the right side
of the wires the comb may be moved to the right until its thin teeth bend so
much as that they slightly pass. to the right of the points on the wires, and so
as to conduct the pile threads safely and surely past those points. The surface
warp, heald, or harness is now depressed, and the threads are conveyed down

page_text: the desired side of the wire. If the comb be moved to the left, and the warp
threads be depressed, they will in like manner be conveyed securely down the
left side of the wire.
Figure 1 shows a sectional view of parts of a loom with this portion of my
improvements applied to it; Figure 2 shows a plan view of some of the parts
separately.
c¹
a, shows one of the longitudinal pile wires, a series of which is arranged
across the loom so that there may be one of them between each pair of warp
threads. These wires a are set in leads a', by which they are affixed to and
held by the stationary bar b, and they have each a point or raised portion a³
formed on them; c is a comb with long thin flat teeth c³, adapted to receive
between them the longitudinal pile wires a, and in order that these comb teeth
may
I have the sideway motion referred to they are carried by a bar c², which
is supported so as to be capable of sliding endways in the brackets d, d, carried
by the stationary supports e, e, and endway motion is imparted to the bar c² by
means of the cam course formed on the periphery of the cylinder f, em-
bracing the outer end of the arm g affixed to the upright axis g', which is
supported so as to be capable of turning in the fixed bearings 92, and this
axis g' has also affixed to it the arm g³, which is formed with a slot to embrace
the stud standing up from the bar°²; by these means each of the teeth c¹
will alternately bear upon and incline over one and then the other of the
longitudinal pile wires between which it may be placed, so as to insure the
selected pile threads passing correctly over the points a³ of such wires. By
this means the threads are crossed over the wires independently of the reed
with more certainty, while the surface warp threads being always in the comb
are not so liable to be split or broken.
Figures 3 and 4 show a side and end view of a lead of wires a; Figures 5
and 6 show a portion of a front view and a section of the bar c² with teeth c¹.
The improvements relate, secondly, to longitudinal pile wires adapted by
means of a holder to carry a knife or blade for the purpose of cutting the pile
loops formed thereon. I apply a small pin or other suitable stop to one end
of the sheath or holder in such manner as to leave a small space between the
pin or stop and the bottom of the sheath to receive a corresponding projection
on the end of the cutting blade opposite to the cutting edge thereof, by which
the blade will be firmly held in its sheath or holder while the operation of
cutting proceeds, and may yet be readily removed when required.
Figure 7 shows a portion of one of the pile wires with its cutting edge
arranged according to the second part of the Invention, and Figures 8 and 9
show parts separately. h is the blade, which is formed with a sharp cutting

page_text: edge on its upper edge from (1) to (1), and at (2) it is hook-shaped, to take
on to a stud h' across the recess formed in the end of the wire, as shown, to
receive and support the blade h in a vertical direction in order that pile loops
formed on such wires may be progressively cut open by the action of such
knife edges.
The improvements relate, thirdly, to means for weighting bobbins and their
threads, used in the weaving of Brussels carpets and other pile fabrics, con-
sisting of a break made of cast iron or other suitable material; this break is
simply a bar hollowed out so as to suit the curve of the flanges of the bobbin,
and long enough to reach from one side of the bobbin to the other; at each
end of this bar is attached a short arm. This break is placed immediately
above the bobbin in such a manner that the cross bar part of it lies on the
flanges of the bobbin at the front of it, while the extremities of the arms are
held in position by a pin or wire passing through each of them, which pin or
wire is connected with a bracket fixed to the frame in which the bobbin is
placed; the break works freely on these pins, so that the whole weight of the
cross bar is on the bobbin. I take the thread from the bobbin, pass it over
the cross bar of the break, and hang a weight (of any requisite size) on the
thread immediately in front of the break.
Figure 10 shows a sectional view, and Figure 11 a plan view, of part of a
creel with a bobbin thereon arranged according to the third part of my
improvements. i is the bobbin, which is supported so as to be capable of
revolving, as is well understood, on the pin it, and it has rims or flanges 2³, as
usual; j is a break, made of cast iron or other suitable material, which is
supported by its arms ¹ so as to turn on the pin ², whilst at its front edges it
rests on the rims or flanges . The thread, which is indicated by red lines,
passes from the bobbin i up over the bar j, and thence under the weight k, over
the pulley 7 on the wire to the loom. The weight k, in addition to weighting
the thread, will also regulate the amount of drag which the break; exercises
upon the bobbin. By this means a more regular tension of the thread is
secured.
The improvements relate, fourthly, to the healds or harness used in weaving,
and consist in the application of a peculiar form of mail to healds which
work two warps at a time, such as those used in the manufacture of tapestry
carpets.
Figures 12 and 18 show a side and an end view of a mail constructed
according to this part of the improvements. This mail has at one extremity
a hole m, through which the surface or pile warp thread is drawn, and imme-
diately under this hole is a slit n, of any desired length, reaching to near the

page_text: other end of the mail. In addition there are the two usual small holes o, o,
one at each end, through which is passed the wire or cord used for making
the healds. By the adoption of this construction of mail the healds are much
more easily built, while, owing to the absence of knots or twists, as when wire
or cord is used, the warp threads work more smoothly through the healds.
The improvements relate, fifthly, to tying in the surface warp in cases where,
particularly as regards the description of carpets called tapestry, the design
to be produced is of such an extent that two or more separate and different
printed warps are requisite to complete the design. Instead of drawing in the
surface or pile warp under the weft shot, and thence taking the ends to the
surface of the carpet, as is usually done, I cause the ends of such warp to be
taken right through the other warps to the back of the carpet, where they are
secured by being gummed, or by being drawn through between the weft shots
by means of a needle.
Having thus described my improvements, and means which I adopt in
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details shown and described, as these may be varied, but
what I do claim is,-
First, the combination of means for operating pile warp threads, substantially
as explained.
Secondly, the method of forming the ends of the longitudinal pile wires and
the application thereto of cutting edges, substantially as explained.
Thirdly, I claim the method of weighting bobbins and their threads used
in the weaving of Brussels carpets and other pile fabrics, substantially as
explained.
Fourthly, I claim the use or application of mails formed substantially as
explained, in respect of Figures 12 and 18.
Fifthly, I claim the method of tying in the surface or pile warp threads
when weaving carpets and other fabrics by printed or particolored yarns,
commonly called tapestry, substantially as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henderson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of Aug, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JOHN HENDERSON. (Ls.)