CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Hall, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Machine
Maker, and James Hobson, of the same Place, Foreman, for the Invention of
" CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 9th August 1878, and dated the 14th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Hall and James
Hobson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents. on the 14th March
1878.
ROBERT HALL, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, and JAMES
HOBSON, of the same Place, Foreman. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING."
Our Invention consists,-
First. In an improved mode of working the circular shuttle boxes of looms.
The circular box is worked by two racks gearing alternately in a pinion fixed to a
tube on the rocker shaft. At the other end of this tube is a mitre pinion connected
to it by a friction clutch box, to prevent accidents; the mitre pinion gears into a
similar pinion on an upright shaft which drives the circular box by other mitre
pinions. The position of the racks is governed by two elbow levers acted upon by
the pattern card and acting upon a double lever connected to the rack frame. The
circular shuttle box above described, or an ordinary drop box is stopped when the
weft is broken, by a stop lever fixed to the stop motion shaft connected to the
starting lever and to the break; this stop lever catches the end of the lever for
working the pattern cylinder, and so prevents any motion being given to the shuttle
box.
Secondly. In an apparatus for diminishing the length of the pattern card. The
apparatus consists of a tappet acting on a lever which holds the lever for working
the pattern cylinder out of gear when required. By this means any number of
picks can be given from the same pattern card.
Thirdly. In imparting motion to a one-roller positive taking-up motion by a
swivel frame and double friction breaks acting on each side of a ratchet wheel,

page_text: which is provided with 12 or other convenient number of retaining catches, the
swivel frame is loose on its fulcrum to bring the friction breaks into operation, and
it is worked by a slot lever from the lay sword, and the position of the stud in
the slot lever is governed by the press roller acting on a double lever and con-
necting link.
Fourthly. In an improved mode of weighting the warp beam. At one end of the
beam is a spur wheel supported in a bearing in the frame end; this wheel gears
into a pinion fixed to a friction pulley around which is a friction strap, one end of
which is attached to a lever; this lever is drawn down by a regulating spring.
When the tension on the warp overcomes the resistance of the spring, the break is
released and a portion of the warp is unwound.
Fifthly. In an improved mode of imparting the requisite tension to the healds.
This is accomplished by the torsion of a steel rod, one end of which is connected
by a stud to a tube to which are fixed the quadrant levers supporting the healds;
the tension of the spring can be regulated by a square stud and set screw at one
end of the rod.
Sixthly. In an improved apparatus for making a selvage in the middle of the
loom, in weaving two or more pieces at the same time. Each selvage is made
by two pairs of needles for the solvage yarn; those needles are worked up and
down in a frame by a lever from the rocker shaft or other convenient part of
the loom; between the needles is a small eccentric worked by a catch wheel,
which eccentric moves the needles sideways to cross the selvage yarns.
Seventhly. In the application of a catch jointed to the shuttle box of looms in
which a loose reed is used; this catch is placed near the knocking-off finger, and
the moment the reed flies back the catch holds the finger up and prevents more
than one shuttle entering the shed before the loom is stopped.
And, lastly. In an improved mode of working the shuttle box so that a single
pick can be given with any shuttle, commonly called a pick-and-pick motion. The
swell acts on a finger which lifts a latch hinged to the lay sword; this latch, when
down, acts on a lever fixed to an upright shaft which slides the picking shaft into
contact with the wiper on the tappet shaft.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Hall and James Hobson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th August 1878.
ROBERT HALL, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, and JAMES
HOBSON, of the same Place, Foreman. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING."
Our Invention consists,―
First. In an improved combination of machinery for working the circular shuttle
boxes of looms, partly applicable to drop boxes.
Secondly. In an apparatus for dimishing the length of the pattern card of looins
for weaving figured fabrics.
Thirdly. In imparting motion to a one-roller positive taking-up motion by a
swivel frame and double friction breaks.
Fourthly. In an improved mode of weighting the warp beam.
Fifthly. In an improved mode of imparting the requisite tension to the healds.
Sixtlily. In an improved apparatus for making a selvage in the middle of the
loom in weaving two or more pieces at the same time.
Seventhly. In the application of a catch jointed to the shuttle box of looms in
which a loose reed is used.
And, lastly. In an improved mode of working the shuttle box so that a single
pick can be given with any shuttle commonly called a pick-and-pick motion.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, we will proceed to describe the accompanying five Sheets of
Drawings.
On Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is an end view, and Fig. 2 a front view of part of a loom to
which our improved machinery for working the shuttle boxes is applied.
In these views a is the crank shaft; b, the tappet shaft; c, the rocker or fulcrum
shaft of the lay swords d; e is the lay, at one or both ends of which is a circular
shuttle box f. The circular box f is worked by the two racks g gearing alternately
in a pinion cl; as usual the pinion c is fixed to a tube on the rocker shaft c. At
the other end of this tube is a mitre pinion c connected to it by a friction clutch
box c³, shewn detached in Fig. 3; the object of this clutch box is to prevent
accidents when the shuttle is only partly in the box f when the change takes place.
The clutch box consists of the catch plate c* connected to the tube by a narrow key
fitting in a broad keyway to allow for the oscillating of the lay. The catches are
fixed to the wheel c², and the catch levers c³ are hinged to the same wheel. The
mitre pinion gears into a similar pinion ² on the upright shaft h which drives the
circular box f by other mitre pinions h¹ and f.
The rack framing g is suspended to the lever g', which is acted upon by the
cam b' on the tappet shaft b as usual, and the position of the rack frame is governed
so to bring either rack into gear with the pinion c' by the two elbow levers i which
are connected by the links to the feeler levers 2, the pins in which rest upon or
pass through holes in the pattern card passing around the pattern cylinder j. Each
elbow lever i acts upon the opposite ends of the double lever h, one end of which is
connected to the rack frame g. By this means the circular shuttle box f is turned
partly round in one direction or the other, according to the position of the racks g,
and when the same shuttle has to be thrown several times successively the rucks g
are held in their central position and consequently can move up and down without
imparting motion to the pinion c¹. The shuttle box is locked by the hammer f²,
which is acted upon by a lever on the shaft f³. The circular shuttle box fabove
described, or an ordinary drop box, is stopped when the weft is broken by the stop
lever 1, see Figs. 4 and 5 on Sheet 2, fixed to the stop motion shaft l¹ connected to
the starting lever and to the break lever ; this stop lever catches the end of the
lever, which is moved outwards by the cam 6' on the tappet shaft b, and is brought

page_text: back by the springs 13. The lever works the pattern cylinder ; by the catch 16,
consequently when the end of the lever catches the lever it prevents any motion
being given to the shuttle box f.
On Sheet 2, Fig. 4 is an end view, and Fig. 5 part of a front view of a loom to
which our improved apparatus for diminishing the length of the pattern cards is
applied.
The apparatus consists of the tappet m, which is shewn with four elevators, but
the number may be varied according to the number of picks required off the same
pattern card. The tappet m is loose on the stop motion shaft ', and it acts on the
lever m', the outer end of which, when the lever m¹ is down, arrests the motion of
the lever and so prevents any motion being given to the pattern cylinder j,
thereby allowing any number of picks to be given from the same pattern card. The
tappet m is turned slowly round by the tappet 6s acting on the lever m³, catch m³,
and ratchet wheel m*, shewn best in Fig. 6, and in order to hold the tappet m rigid
after every motion of the ratchet wheel m' we apply the spring me to the toothed
wheels m³ fixed to the ratchet wheel m¹.
Fig. 7 represents a detached view of the tappet m and the parts for stopping the
barrel j; in this case we have shewn five clevations on the tappet m and one depres-
sion, but the arrangement can be varied. The pattern cylinder j is turned round
when required by the spring catch m7 which is held out of gear by the clevators on
the tappet m.
Fig. 8 is a front view, and Fig. 9 an end view of part of a loom to which our
improved mode of imparting motion to a one roller positive taking-up motion is
applied.
Fig. 10 is a detached view of part of the same; n is the taking-up roller; n', the
press roller; c, the rocking shaft; and d, the lay sword. To the lay sword d is fixed
the slotted bracket d', in which is a stud for one end of the link o, the other end of
which is jointed to a stud connected by the vertical link o' to the lever n³, to which
is suspended the press roller n' bearing on the fabric wound on the taking-up
roller n. The stud connecting the links o and o' fits in a slot in the lever p, which
vibrates on a stud in the swivel frame p³, one end of which is provided with a
friction break acting on the ratchet wheel q, and a similar friction break is attached
to the upper end of the lever p. The swivel frame p' is loose on the stud of the
ratchet wheel q, which is connected by a train of wheels and pinions to the taking-
up rollers n, as shewn. Above the ratchet wheel q are 12 or other convenient
number of retaining catches q¹
.
As the cloth increases on the taking-up roller n the press roller n' is raised and
the link o¹ is depressed, consequently less motion is communicated to the lever p
and ratchet wheel q, thereby imparting a positive motion to the taking-up roller in
proportion to the diameter of the cloth wound up.
On Sheet 3 Fig. 11 is a back view, and Fig. 12 an end view of part of a loom to
which our improved machinery for weighting the warp beam is applied. " is the
warp beam, at one end of which is the spur wheel ¹, supported in a bearing in the
frame end. This wheel gears into the pinion 7 fixed to the friction pulley 3³,
around which is the friction strap, one end of which is attached to the frame end,
and the other end to the lever ; this lever is drawn down by the regulating
spring. When the tension on the warp overcomes the resistance of the spring 7
the break is released, and a portion of warp is unwound.
Fig. 13 is a front view; Fig. 14, an end view; and Figs. 15 and 16, longitudinal
and transverse sections of our improved mode of imparting the requisite tension to
the healds. This is accomplished by the torsion of a steel rod in the following
manner: The healds are suspended to the segments t, which are fixed to the
tubes & supported in the brackets t. Within each tube t¹ is a steel rod t³, one end
of which is fixed to the block t, see Fig. 15, and the other end is fixed to the
block. The tension of the spring can be regulated by a square stud at the end
of the block to and the set screw to, by which the block is held when the tension of
the rod has been regulated.

page_text: On Sheet 4 Fig. 17 is an end view, and Fig. 18 a front view of part of a loom
to which is applied our improved apparatus for making a selvage in the middle of
the loom in weaving two or more pieces at the same time. Each selvage is made
by two pairs of needles u for the selvage yarn u¹. These needles are fixed to the
slides and us, and are worked up and down in the frame u² by the lever c² from
the rocker shaft cor any convenient part of the loom. Between the needles is a
small eccentric u³ worked by a catch wheel and a catch fixed to the slide u³,
which eccentric moves the needles sideways after every shed to cross the selvage
yards.
Fig. 19 is a front view, and Fig. 20 an end view of part of a loom with a loose
reed to which our improvements are applied. c is the rocker shaft; d, the lay
swords; and e, the lay, to which a circular or a drop box is applied. All these parts
are made as usual. Our improveinent consists in the application of the catch v
jointed to the lay e, to which a loose reed is applied. This catch is placed near the
knocking-off finger e', and the moment the reed flies back the catch v holds the
finger up, and causes it to knock off the starting lever 1, thus preventing more than
one shuttle entering the shed before the loom is stopped.
On Sheet 5, Fig. 21 is an end view, and Fig. 22 a front view of part of a loom to
which is applied our improved picking motion, so that a single pick can be given
with any shuttle, commonly called a pick-and-pick picking motion. In these views
the parts marked a, b, c, d, and e, are similar to those before described. The swell
in the back of the shuttle box acts on the finger w, which lifts the latch w' hinged
to the lay sword d. This latch when down acts on the lever x fixed to the upright
shaft, which slides the picking shaft to bring the finger ¹ into contact with the
wiper be on the tappet shaft b.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same, we declare that we claim,—
First. The friction clutch, shewn best in Fig. 3, for preventing accidents when
the shuttle fails to enter the shuttle box.
Secondly. The levers i and k, and the parts acting in combination therewith, for
governing the position of the shuttle box.
Thirdly. The tappet m, and the parts acting in combination therewith, for arresting
the motion of the pattern barrel j, and thus reducing the length of the pattern
cards.
.
Fourthly. The positive taking-up motion, shewn and described in reference to
Figs. 8, 9, and 10.
Fifthly. The improved machinery for weighting the warp beam, as shewn and
described in reference to Figs. 11 and 12.
Sixthly. Regulating the tension of the healds by means of the torsion of a spring,
as shewn and described in reference to Figs. 13 to 16.
Seventhly. The improved apparatus, shewn and described in reference to Figs. 17
and 18, for making a selvage in the middle of the loom.
Eighthly. The catch u, when used in the manner and for the purpose described in
reference to Figs. 19 and 20.
And, lastly. The application of the latch w¹ for actuating the picking shaft when
a shuttle is brought in line with the shuttle race.
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Hall and James Hobson, have here-
unto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-third day of August, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
ROBERT HALL. (L.S.)
JAMES HOBSON. (L.S.)