IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING FIGURED FABRICS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Phillips, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING FIGURED FABRICS."
Sealed the 17th July 1863, and dated the 21st January 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Phillips at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
January 1868.
I, ANDREW PHILLIPS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING FIGURED FABRICS," to be as follows, that is
to say:―
This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of looms for
weaving carpets and other generally similar figured fabrics, and is based upon
an Invention of improvements in weaving carpets for which Letters Patent
were granted to the said Andrew Phillips, and dated on or about the
18th of July 1859, No. 1694. In this Invention the looped or velvet pile
surface of the fabric is formed wholly of weft, which is bound in by a secondary
or binding weft. The present Invention comprehends an improved arrange-
ment of the weaving mechanism so as to accomplish a similar result with
simpler but more efficient means.
Under one modification or system of arrangement the warp is wound upon

page_text: two beams arranged at the back of the loom, and paced in the usual way.
In addition to the warp there is a "dandy chain," which is wound upon two
beams arranged inside the ordinary warp beams, this chain serves to give
body to the cloth, as well as to assist in binding in the loops formed by the
weft. At the back part of the loom, behind the heddles, is arranged a stationary
reed, the wires of which are made of a segmental or curved figure so as to
correspond to the arc through which the backward ends of a series of loop
formers move. These loop formers are made by preference of thin bars or
flat pieces of steel, the backward ends extend through the divisions of the
reed, and are each fitted with two small laterally projecting studs which serve
to keep the loop former in its place in the reed, and to admit of free motion
in the upward direction. The loop formers separately attached to the
cords of the jacquard machine so as to be raised in the order necessary to
produce the required pattern. The front ends of the loop formers extend
about an inch beyond the fell of the cloth, and rest on the breast beam, the
extremities being made more or less deep according to the depth of loop
required. In weaving with this arrangement, upon the woollen weft being
thrown across the shed a series of levers are brought into action for the pur-
pose of bending the weft partly round each loop former. These loop-forming
levers are by preference made of thin steel, and are arranged one between
each pair of loop formers, they are centred on a rod extending over the breast
beam above the cloth. Each lever curves in a downward direction between
the loop formers, and then extends upwards in an angular direction, the back-
ward end being connected by a cord or other attachment to a series of lifters
arranged overhead. These lifters are formed by preference of flat pieces of
steel or iron, they are made with a longitudinal slot at the upper part, and a
bar passes through the whole series. This bar is connected to an overhead
lever, which is attached at one end to one of the treadles if the loom is
actuated by manual power, or it may be operated by a cam or other equiva-
lent mechanical arrangement. When the lifters are raised, they are upheld
by a projection on the lower part of each lifter, which extends over a rail
carried across the upper part of the loom. When the weft is thrown across
the shed, it extends through it in a straight line, but when the loop-forming
levers are allowed to descend, they cause it to. take an undulating form by
bending it over the ends of the loop formers. The loop-forming levers are
released at each shedding action by means of a slide which traverses along
the face of the lifters, and pushes them off from the sustaining bar nearly
simultaneously. At each end of the frame in which the lifters are arranged,
there is fitted a pulley, to which the ends of a band of india-rubber are

page_text: fastened, so that when the band is drawn either to the right or left it is
unwound from one pulley and on to the other. A metal slide having a wedge
shaped front extremity is fastened to the india-rubber band, and slides to and
fro on the sustaining bar. When the shuttle is thrown, the slide is drawn
along in front of the lifters by means of a cord and weight at the side of the
loom, and the descent of the loop-forming levers indents the weft between the
loop formers that are raised by the jacquard mechanism. The different
coloured weft is thrown in in the proper sequence, each shot being bound in
by the shedding action of the warp and "dandy chain," and when the sequence
of colours have been gone through, a binding shot of hemp weft is thrown in
to secure the whole. In this way a great variety of weaving effects may be
produced, and carpets or other generally similar fabrics may be woven with
great facility either in the looped or Brussels style, or in the cut pile or velvet
kinds, the latter fabric being obtained by weaving the cloth with deep loops,.
and afterwards shearing these through by means of a suitable cropping
machine. As the cloth is woven it is taken up by a self-acting movement
which consists of a lever carried on a stud in the framing. The free end of
this lever extends backwards, so that as the lathe is moved back it deprosses
the lever, and causes a pawl carried on its front extremity to move a ratchet
wheel round one tooth at a tinie. This ratchet wheel is keyed on the stud.
carrying the lever, and at the inner end of the stud is a pinion which gives
motion to a wheel on the pike roller, which roller is paced to the cloth beam
so as to cause it to move in unison.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Andrew Phillips in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
PHILLIPS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of January, 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 Andrew Phillips, Her special license that I, the said Andrew
Phillips, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Andrew Phillips, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at

page_text: 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 "Iж-
PROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING FIGURED FABRICS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Andrew Phillips, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under
the hand and seal of one of them, 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 Andrew Phillips, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :—
My said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of looms for
weaving carpets and other generally similar figured fabrics, and is based upon
an Invention of improvements in weaving carpets, for which Letters Patent
were granted to me, and dated on or about the 18th day of July, 1859;
No. 1694. In this Invention the looped or velvet pile surface of the fabric is
formed wholly of the weft which is bound in by a secondary or binding weft.
The present Invention comprehends an improved arrangement of the weaving
mechanism so as to accomplish a similar result with simpler but more efficient
means.
Under one modification or system of arrangement the warp is wound upon
two beams arranged at the back of the loom and paced in the usual way. In
addition to the warp there is a "dandy chain," which is wound upon two
beams arranged inside the ordinary warp beams, this chain serves to give
body to the cloth as well as to assist in binding in the loops formed by the
weft. At the back part of the loom behind the heddles is arranged a
stationary reed, the wires of which are made of a segmental or curved figure,
so as to correspond to the arc through which the backward ends of a series of
loop formers move. These loop formers are made by preference of thin
bars or flat pieces of steel, the backward ends extend through the divisions of
the reed, and are each fitted with two small laterally projecting studs which
serve to keep the loop former in its place in the reed, and to admit of free
motion in the upward direction. The loop formers are separately attached to

page_text: the cords of the jacquard machine, so as to be raised in the order necessary to
produce the required pattern. The front ends of the loop formers extend
about an inch beyond the fell of the cloth and rest on the breast beam, the
extremities being made more or less deep according to the depth of loop
required. In weaving with this arrangement, upon the woollen weft being
thrown across the shed, a series of levers are brought into action for the
purpose of bending the weft partly round each loop former. These loop
forming levers are by preference made of thin steel, and are arranged one
between each pair of loop formers, they are centred on a rod extending over
the breast bream above the cloth. Each lever curves in a downward direction
between the loop formers, and then extends upwards in an angular direction,
the backward end being connected by a cord or other attachment to a series
of lifters arranged overhead. These lifters are formed by preference of flat
pieces of steel or iron, they are made with a longitudinal slot at the upper
part, and a bar passes through the whole series. This bar is connected to an
overhead lever which is attached at one end to one of the treadles if the loom
is actuated by manual power, or it may be operated by a cam or other equi-
valent mechanical arrangement. When the lifters are raised they are upheld
by a projection on the lower part of each lifter, which extends over a rail
carried across the upper part of the loom. When the weft is thrown across
the shed it extends through it in a straight line, but when the loop forming
levers are allowed to descend they cause it to take an undulating form by
bending it over the ends of the loop formers. The loop forming levers are
released at each shedding action by means of a slide which traverses along the
face of the lifters and pushes them off from the sustaining bar nearly simul-
taneously. At each end of the frame in which the lifters are arranged there
is fitted a pulley, to which the ends of a band of india-rubber are fastende, so
that when the band is drawn either to the right or left it is unwound from one
pulley and on to the other. A metal slide having a wedge-shaped front
extremity is fastened to the india-rubber band, and slides to-and-fro on the
sustaining bar. When the shuttle is thrown the slide is drawn along in front
of the lifters by means of a cord and weight at the side of the loom, and the
descent of the loop forming levers indents the weft between the loop formers
that are raised by the jacquard mechanism. The different coloured weft is
thrown in in the proper sequence, each shot being bound in by the shedding
action of the warp and "dandy chain," and when the sequence of colours havo
been gone through a binding shot of hemp weft is thrown in to secure the
whole. In this way a great variety of weaving effects may be produced, and
carpets or other generally similar fabrics may be woven with great facility,

page_text: either in the looped or Brussels style, or in the cut pile or velvet kinds, the
datter fabric being obtained by weaving the cloth with deep loops and after-
wards shearing these through by means of a suitable cropping machine. As
the cloth is woven it is taken up by a self-acting movement which consists of
a lever carried on a stud in the framing. The free end of this lever extends
backwards, so that as the lathe is moved back it depresses the lever and
causes a pawl carried on its front extremity to move a ratchet wheel round
one tooth at a time. This ratchet wheel is keyed on the stud carrying the
lever, and at the inner end of the stud is a pinion which gives motion to a
wheel on the pike roller, which roller is paced to the cloth beam so as to cause
it to move in unison..
And in order that my said Invention of "Improvements in Looms for
Weaving Figured Fabrics" may be properly understood, I shall now proceed
to describe the Figure on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings which I have
hereunto annexed for the purpose of showing certain modifications under
which my improvements may be judiciously carried out in practice, that is to
say, the Figure on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a vertical section
of a loom as arranged for weaving figured fabrics by hand, according to one
modification of my improvements. In the Drawing many of the ordinary
details are omitted to avoid interfering with those parts which are connected
with my improvements.
The framing A is of the ordinary kind used in band wrought wooden looms.
On the beams B are wound two working chains of warp C, and behind these
are arranged two other beams D carrying the two body or " dandy chains " E,
all the warp beams are paced in the usual way. The two working chains
of warp C are carried through the mails of the heddles F, and the two
dandy chains E are passed through the heddles G. The fabric may, however,
be wrought with a single dandy chain E, if preferred. The several chains of
warp are carried over the breast bean H, and as the cloth I is formed it
passes below the pike roller J, and is wound on to the cloth beam K.
The class of fabrics to which my improvements extend is carpeting, pro-
duced either with a looped surface, as in Brussels carpeting, or with a pile
or velvet-like surface similar to the Axminster carpeting, as well as to the
production of other fabrics of a generally similar kind. The figured surface
of the cloth is produced wholly by the weft, which is caused to form a series
of loops by means of a number of loop formers or needles extending across the
width of the fabric. These loop formers L are made of thin pieces of steel or
other suitable metal, they aro arranged parallel to each other, with their edges
in the vertical plane. They pass through the fixed reeds M and N, which

page_text: serve as guides for them, the backward reed N being carried on a cross rail
extending between the framing and secured at the upper part to the
brackets O. At the lower part of the reed N is a metal bar P, the sides of
which are bevelled to fit a corresponding notch formed in each of the loop
formers L, and which serves to keep the loop formers steady in their places.
The extreme ends of the loop formers rest on a second bar behind the bar P,
and also carried on the cross rail, whilst the front ends of the loop formers
extend forward and rest on the breast beam H. The loop formers are also
each notched on the upper part near the backward ends, and in the channel
or groove thus formed a bar Q rests. This bar traverses upwards with those
loop formers which are raised by the action of the jacquard machine, and it
serves to keep them all exactly level, as well as to bring them down together.
The bar is slotted near the extremities, and is guided in its traverse by the
guides R, which are made adjustable. Those loop formers which are not
raised by the jacquard machine are kept down steadily in their place by the
bar S, which is attached to two hanging brackets T, the front edges of which
form inclined planes. When the bar R is raised, the bar S swings forward
and rests on the ends of the loop formers, and on the descent of the bar R it
comes in contact with the inclined planes on the brackets T, and pushes the
bar S out of the way without causing any shock. The loop formers are con-
nected to the harness U of the jacquard machine V, which is constructed
according to any of the modifications at present in use, and therefore need not
be particularly described. It is preferred, however, to arrange the lead
weights which are attached to the harness ties above the fixed reeds so as to
keep the lower part of the loom clear of this portion of the details. These
are not shown in the accompanying Drawing.
In the modification, as delineated, the jacquard machine is wrought by the
duplex levers W, which are connected by links to the lever X, this lever being
carried loosely on the horizontal spindle Y that extends across the back of the
loom. The lever X receives its motion from the driving shaft Z, which
extends out beyond the loom framing, and has keyed to it a spur wheel. This
wheel is driven by pinion, which is put in motion either by hand-or power,
or the driving gear may be arranged in any other convenient manner. On
the shaft Z at the central part is keyed a disc wheel a, which has formed on
its face the two segmental ridges or projections b, placed so that the inner
end of the lever X comes in contact with them as the disc rotates. As these
segments come round the lever X is depressed at the outer end, which brings
the jacquard machine into operation, and a given number of the loop formers
are raised; the loops of the weft being formed on those that are left down, in

page_text: accordance with the predetermined arrangement of the pattern. The shedding
of the working chain is effected by the heddles F, which are connected in the
ordinary way to the treadles of a hand-wrought loom, and are actuated by
tappets or other convenient means in a power loom. The dandy chains E,
which are carried through the heddles G, are shedded below the loop formers,
the upper chain only rising as high as the edges of the unlifted loop formers,
the beddles being lifted by means of india-rubber or other elastic springs, and
are depressed by the action of the treadles. The woollen weft, which forms
the figured surface of the fabric, is thrown in above the loop formers L, and
the binding shot of hemp weft below then. A shot of the woollen weft, say,
of the ground colour, is first thrown in; this line of weft has now to be bent
down on each side of the unlifted loop formers, so as to form a series of loops
thereon. This is done by means of a series of loop-forming levers c, which
are caused to carry the weft down between the loop formers L. The loop-
forming levers c are formed by preference of a thin blade of steel cut to the
Figure shown in the Drawing, or an equivalent of the same. The front ends
of the levers c are supported on a spindle, which runs through the eyes
formed in the ends of the levers; the spindle is carried in the brackets d.
To prevent the spindle from sagging, a metal bare is arranged above the
spindle, and is connected thereto at intervals by thin metal clips, which pass
between the levers c. There is a lever c arranged between every pair of the
loop foriners L, and which form a species of guide to the lever by reason of
the projecting part on the lower side of the lever extending down between the
contiguous loop formers. Beyond this part the levers c extend upwards in an
angular direction, the free ends being connected by the wires f to a series of
lifters g, so that the whole series may be caused to fall and rise as required.
The ends of the levers c are connected by wires to the india-rubber or other
springs h, which are kept in a state of tension,' when the levers c are raised,
as shown in the Drawing. The lifters h are formed of strips of thin iron,
they are arranged parallel to one another, the upper ends passing through a
guide i made similar to an ordinary reed. A notch is formed near the lower
end of each lifter, and this part projects over the sustaining bar j, when the
lifters are raised, as shown in the Drawing. They are caused to descend by
the movement of a wedge-shaped slide k, which traverses to and fro on the
rail i, and pushes the lifters off. This slide is attached to a band Z of india-
rubber or other suitable flexible material; the ends of the band are fastened
to two pulleys m, arranged one on each side of the loom, and as the band is
unwound from one pulley it is wound on to the other. A smaller pulley n is
formed above each pulley m, round which the cord o is wound; each cord

page_text: passes over the guide pulleys P, and is attached to the end of the lever q.
These two levers are fitted loosely on the spindle Y, and they are actuated at the
proper intervals by means of pins projecting laterally from two discs keyed on
the shaft Z. These discs are arranged one on each side of the disc a, and the
position of the pins r in them, which depress the levers q, is indicated by dotted
figures on the disc a, one of these pins being supposed to be on the nearer disc,
and one on the further one. The series of loop formers L having been raised
by the jacquard machine, they are upheld by the levers ✗ travelling over the
segmental projection 6, whilst the slide k knocks off the lifters 9, so as to cause
the levers to fall, and thus carry the weft down between the loop formers L.
The weft is carried down by the horizontal part formed on the lower edge of
each lever c, which enters between each loop former when the levers are
released, and so causes the weft to form a series of loops or undulating line
over the loop formers, and a straight line at the parts where the loop formers
bave been lifted by the jacquard machine. While the lever X is upheld one
of the pins > is brought round by its disc, so as to depress the outer end of the
lever q, and thus draw the cord o off the pulley n which sets the pulley m and
band Z in motion, the inclined face of the slide k knocking off the lifters g as
it progresses along. The next time the lever X is raised by the second
projection on the disc a, the pin r on the other disc is brought round, so as
to actuate the contiguous lever q, and draw the slide k in the opposite
direction; in this way the levers q are brought into action alternately, and
whilst the lever X is upheld, thus causing the lifters g to be thrown off after
each shot of woollen weft is thrown in. It remains to be explained how the
series of lifters is raised on to the bar j after the woollen weft has been indented
at each shot by the levers c. This is done by means of the bent levers s,
which are carried on a spindle supported in brackets projecting up from a
cross rail of the framing. The front ends of the levers s extend under the
bar t, which traverses up and down in end guides, and serves to raise the
whole series of lifters. The bar t passes through the longitudinal slot formed
in each lifter, which admits of its descent when pushed back by the slide k.
The levers s are depressed at the proper moment by the projecting tappets.u,
which are formed on the peripheries of the acting discs on the shaft Z; as
these tappets come round they depress the levers s, both at the same time,
and thus raise the lifters 9 by their action on the bar t. The wires f, which
connect the lifters 9 with the levers c, are carried up somewhat in a backward
direction, so that when the lifters are raised to the proper height the drag of
the wires causes them to catch on the sustaining bar j. When the levers c
have been uplifted, the second shot of the woolen weft is thrown in, this weft

page_text: being one of the colours that form the pattern, the loop formers having been
previously altered by the jacquard machine, which movement forms the first
of the sequence at each shot of the woollen weft. This shot is then indented
on the loop formers by the movements herein-before described, which follow
each other in rapid succession. A shot of the third colour is now thrown in,
and this may be followed by another, according to the number of colours in
the pattern. The movements of the jacquard machine are so arranged that
each series of colours form one complete row of loops extending across the
fabric, although the proportions of each colour may be varied at every
sequence. When the row of loops are thus formed, they are beaten up by the
lathe v, and a shot of hemp or other suitable binding weft is thrown in below
the loop formers, which with the shedding movements of the warp completely
binds in the surface weft, and forms a strong and compactly woven fabric,
the depth of the loops being regulated by the width of the loop formers L,
near the front part where the loops are formed, thus for pile or velvet surface
carpeting they are made sufficiently wide to admit of the loops being cut
through, or shorn in a cropping machine after the fabric is woven. The cloth
is taken up at each shot of weft by the following means:-In one of the discs
which actuate the levers 9 and s, or in a disc fitted to the shaft Z for the
purpose, are fitted two laterally projecting pins w, which alternately come in
contact with the end of the lever a that is centred on a stud in the loom
framing. The front end of this lever is jointed to a second lever y, which is
connected by a link to the lever 1, carried on a stud in the framing. On
the lever 1 is a pawl, which takes into the teeth of the ratchet wheel 2, carried
on the same stud as the lever. This wheel 2 has a pinion on it, which gears
with a spur wheel on the ratchet wheel 3, which is keyed to the spindle of the
pike roller J, the ratchet wheel 3 being held in the one direction by the
pawls 4. Immediately following the indentation of each shot of weft by the
levers c the lever 1 is depressed by the action of one of the pins w, which
causes the pawl on it to take up one tooth of the ratchet wheel 2, which
extent of motion is communicated to the wheel 3, and the pike roller J, and
this roller being paced to the cloth beam K, both move in unison. The
arrangement of the details of the several movements may, however, be greatly
modified to adapt them better to the various kinds of looms employed in the
manufacture. By means of these improvements a great variety of effects may
be produced in Brussels or pile carpeting, rugs, and other generally similar
fabrics, and they may be produced in a more economical manner than by the
ordinary system.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said

page_text: Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,--
First, the system or mode of weaving figured fabrics by means of the
mechanical arrangements or combination of parts herein-before described, and
shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification of the same
or equivalent therefor.
Second, the system or mode of forming the loops on the surface of the figured
fabrics by means of a series of loop formers, upon which the woollen weft is
indented in the manner herein-before described, and shown in the accom-
panying Drawings, or any mere modification of the same.
Third, the system or mode of forming the loops or indenting the weft of
figured fabrics produced according to this system of weaving by means of a
series of loop-forming levers, which operate in conjunction with the loop
formers, together with the mechanical arrangement for actuating the levers,
or any mere modification of the same, as herein-before described and shown
in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Phillips, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three.
ANDREW PHILLIPS. (L.s.)