CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING LACE OR NET COMMONLY CALLED BOBBIN- NET LACE
Year: 1832

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CROFTS, of Lenton, in the County of Nottingham, Framesmith, send greeting.
WHEREAS I did, by Petition, humbly represent unto His present most
Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth that I had invented "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING LACE OR NET COMMONLY CALLED BOBBIN-
NET LACE;" and His said Majesty, being willing to encourage all useful Inven-
tions, was graciously pleased, by His Royal Letters Patent under the Great
Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-third day of February, One thousand eight hundred
and thirty-two, in the second year of His reign, to give and grant, for Him-
self, and His heirs and successors, unto me, the said William Crofts, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, His especial licence to make, use,
exercise, and vend my said Invention within that part of His said Majesty's
Dominions called England and Wales and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and also in all His said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad,
by myself, or by my executors, administrators, and assigns, or by my or their
servants, deputies, or agents, or such others as I or they should appoint,
during the term of fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent,
whereby His said Majesty enjoins all His subjects whatsoever not to imitate,
counterfeit, or resemble the said Invention: And whereas the said Letters
Patent contain a proviso obliging me, the said William Crofts, particularly to
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and

page_text: seal, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months after the date of the said Letters
Patent, as in and by the same (reference being thereunto had) will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Crofts, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described and
ascertained in manner following (that is to say) :-
My said improvements are applicable to that kind of machinery for making
lace or net (commonly called bobbin-net lace) which is of the class termed
double-tier machinery, with circular bolts or circular combs, and wherein
locker bars, with double blades, are used beneath the said bolts or combs, in
order to draw the carriages quite through between the warp threads, and
entirely within the spaces between the bolts or combs on one side of those
threads whereon the said carriages have been previously driven or pushed out
from the spaces between the bolts or combs on the opposite side of the said
threads, by the action of the driving bars which are situated above the bolts
or combs. The said locker bars with double blades (or two blades to each
locker bar) are a modern improvement upon the usual locker bars with one
blade to each locker bar heretofore commonly used in circular bolt or circular
comb machines; and the said lockers with double blades are used in certain
double-tier circular bolt or circular comb machines, which are impelled by
the continuous rotatory motion of a turning handle or of millwork, and which
are commonly called Morley's machines in Nottingham, after the name of
Mr. William Morley, who employs such machines in his manufactory at
Derby, and which Morley's machines are much esteemed in Nottingham for
making what are called pieces of bobbin-net lace (that is in wide widths or
pieces, but which cannot have true selvedges if the piece is divided or cut up).
And whereas such Morley's machines, with double-bladed lockers, have not
hitherto been rendered capable of making (with advantage) what are called
breadths of bobbin-net lace, that is, net which, although woven in the machine
in one wide tissue, can be. afterwards cut up or divided into several narrow
breadths or ribbands of lace, all having true selvages. The object of my
said improvements is to enable such Morley's machines, with double-bladed
lockers, to make breadths of bobbin-net lace with expedition and certainty of
action in the manner herein-after particularly described. And in order to
comprehend my said improvements it is requisite, first, to understand the usual
mode of action of the double-bladed lockers, which are used as aforesaid in
the said Morley's machines; see Sheet I. of the Drawings hereunto annexed,
which is a vertical transverse section thereof.

page_text: The said locker bars A, B, are straight square bars of iron which are
applied horizontally beneath each row of circular bolts or circular combs C, D,
one locker bar A at the front, and the other B at the back, of the warp
threads. The said locker bars A, B, are supported on pivots or axles at their
ends so as to be capable of turning backwards and forwards round about the
said pivots or axles, and thereby the edges of their double blades a, b, c, d.
can be caused to act in due succession against the teeth e, f, g, h, which project
downwards from the lower parts of the carriages E, F, in order that the action
of the said blades against the said teeth may move those carriages in their
bolts or combs C, D, whenever it is required to draw them out entirely clear
from between the warp threads, after the opposite driving bar G or II has
pushed or driven the said carriages a sufficient distance through between the
warp threads. Each locker bar is provided with two blades as aforesaid, in
order that they may act in succession upon the teeth of the two divisions of
carriages whenever those teeth come into a suitable position in their combs.
One blade of each locker acts on the teeth of the front division of the carriages,
and the other blade of each locker acts on the teeth of the back division of
the carriages, (that is to say,) at one time the outermost blade a of the front
locker A acts against the front teeth e of the front division of carriages E,
and then at another time the innermost blade b of the same front locker A
acts against the front teeth g of the back division of carriages F, in order to
draw the said carriages through the warp threads unto the front combs C,
when required; also the outermost blade d of the back locker B acts in its
turn against the back teeth h of the back division of carriages F, and then in
turn the innermost blade c of the same locker acts against the back teeth f
of the front division of carriages E, in order to draw the said carriages through
the warp threads into the back combs D, when required; but nevertheless,
one blade of each locker quits those teeth of the carriages to which it belongs
before the other blade of the same locker comes into action with the teeth of
the other carriages; that is owing to the circular curvatures of the paths in
which the edges of the said blades a, b; c, d, of the lockers A, B, move, and
the circular curvature of the path in which the extremities of the teeth e, f, g, h,
of the carriages E, F, move, as is shewn by the dotted arches of circles. To
explain the action of the blades of the lockers more fully, suppose both divi-
sions of carriages E and F are locked up in either of the bolts or combs C
or D, say, for instance, in the back combs D, as is represented on Figure 1.
Then the carriages are locked by the innermost blade c of the back locker B;
which is beneath the back bolts or combs D, the other blade d of that locker
standing so far away from the warp threads as to quit the range of the teeth
0

page_text: of the carriages, and go altogether out of action; at the same time the front
locker A stands with both its blades a, b, so much downwards and inwards
towards the warp threads that they descend quite below the path in which the
teeth of the carriages move, and are therefore entirely out of action. The
lockers remain motionless in the position represented whilst the warp threads
are racked, and after that the front division of the carriages E is to be passed
between them from the back combs D into the front combs C. To do that,
the locker B is turned so much round, with its blades towards the warp
threads, that its innermost blade c will descend far enough to release the back
teeth of the front division of carriages E, in order that the back driving
bar H may push forwards those carriages through between the warp threads;
but as soon as their front teeth e have passed over the edge of the uppermost
blade a of the front locker A (which remains motionless in its depressed
position), then that locker is turned round, and its uppermost blade a rises to
catch those front teeth e, and thereby it will draw the front division of carriages
E through into the front combs C clear of the warp threads, in order that they
may be racked. At the same time the edge of the outermost bladed of the
back locker B comes into the way of the back teeth h of the back division
of carriages F, in order to detain them, and in that position the back locker
makes a pause (as does also the front locker) whilst the threads are racked ;
after which the back locker B is turned further round with its blades inwards
towards the warp threads, whereby the edge of its uppermost blade d will
descend so far out of the way of the back teeth h of the back division of
carriages F as to release them, and allow those carriages to be pushed forwards
between the warp threads by the back driving bar H without impediment from
the said blade d. At the same time the front locker A remains motionless
until the front teeth 9 of the back division F have passed over the edge of
its innermost blade 6 without impediment; but as soon as they have so passed,
the front locker A is turned round, and the edge of the blade b rises and
catches the front teeth 9 of the back division of carriages, and thereby it will
draw those carriages through into the front combs C clear of the warp threads,
so that they may be racked, both lockers remaining motionless whilst that is
done, and then the carriages are ready to be repassed between the threads
from the front to the back by a repetition of the above-described motions per-
formed in a reversed order. And whereas it is necessary, in order to make
breadths of bobbin-net lace by the most approved system, that what are called
the whipping threads, to join the edges of the several breadths together into
one tissue, should be supplied from bobbins which are mounted in carriages
similar to those of the other bobbins and carriages; wherefore one such bobbin.
g
g

page_text: and carriage with whipping thread is applied in the general row of the back
division of bobbins and carriages F, opposite to every place where the tissue
of net is afterwards to be divided, in order to separate it into breadths. And
whereas it is also necessary, at every time when the front combs are racked
sideways, in order to produce the traversing of the bobbin threads, that the
said carriages, with the bobbins of whipping threads, should be allowed to
remain behind in the back combs D, as is shewn at Q, in Figure 3, Sheet II.,
when all the other carriages E, F, are brought forwards into the front combs C,
in which case vacancies will be left in the row of the back division of carriages
F by the absence of the whipping carriages Q from their proper places in the
complete row of the back division F; and also the said whipping carriages Q,
being retained in the back combs D, as in Figure 3, whenever the front
combs C are racked they will escape the traversing action which is produced
on the other bobbins and carriages E, F, by the said racking of the front
combs; wherefore the whipping carriages will always occupy the same
spaces in the back combs D; and in order to admit of the whipping carriages
Qthus remaining behind the row of the back division F, the acting edge of
the back driving bar H must be a broad plate k, in which notches capable of
receiving one carriage are cut out opposite to every place where the whipping
carriages are situated; consequently, when the back driving bar H, with its
notched plate k, is brought forwards to drive forwards the back divisions F of
the carriages, in order to pass both divisions E and F out of the back combs
D into the front combs C, the whipping carriages Q will then be received
into the said notches in the plate k of the back driving bar H, and thus they
avoid being driven forwards along with the back division F. But the whipping
carriages remain behind the row of the back division F, as is represented
in Figure 3, Sheet II.; and although the said whipping carriages Q, after
being so received into the said notches, are brought forward in the back combs
D, they follow after the back division F, and are not driven through the warp
threads into the front combs C, when the back division F is passed into the front
combs C; but the whipping carriages Q remain behind in the back combs D, as
is shewn in Figure 3; nevertheless, it is only at the time when the front combs
C are to be racked, in order to produce the traversing of the bobbin threads,
that the whipping carriages Q are thus left behind the row of the back
division F. At other times they preserve their places in the row of the
back division F so as to fill up all vacancies therein, and they pass and repass
between the warp threads along with the other carriages of the back division F.
For that purpose the aforesaid notches in the plate are filled up by small
sliding pieces of plate l, which are applied over the plate k, one at every notch,

page_text: all the sliding pieces being fixed to a small bar m, which is applied against
the back driving bar H, and which is capable of sliding so much endways as
to carry the sliding pieces sideways over the notches in the plate k in order to
cover up and close those notches, and then the ends of the sliding pieces will
drive forwards the whipping carriages Q in the same row with the back divi-
sion of carriages F when the other parts of the edge of the plate k drives them
forwards, but if the said bar m is slided a little endways then it carries away
the sliding pieces 1 from over the notches in the plate k and opens all those
notches at once, and keeps them open for the reception of the whipping
carriages Q, as above mentioned. The said sliding motion of the bar m and
its sliding pieces takes place when the back driving bar H is at the farthest
limits of its motion backwards, and then both divisions of carriages E, F, are
behind in the back combs D, the whipping carriages Q being previously
gathered into their proper places in the back division F. Note, those carriages
which stand opposite to the whipping carriages Q, in the same spaces between
the combs, are called the odd or turn-again carriages, being those which have
arrived at the selvages of each breadth in the gradual progress of the traversing
of the carriages by the racking of the front combs, and by which traversing it
is that the bobbin threads are crossed one over the other, to form the tops and
bottoms of the hexagonal meshes of the bobbin-net lace; that is to say, in each
breadth of the lace the bobbin threads whereof it is composed must traverse
obliquely across the width of that breadth from selvage to selvage thereof, one
half of the number of bobbin threads proceeding obliquely from the right-hand
selvage to the left-hand selvage, and the other half proceeding with an opposite
obliquity from the left-hand selvage to the right-hand selvage, and at every
place where the said bobbin threads cross each other their crosses or intersec-
tions form the tops and bottoms of the hexagonal meshes of the bobbin-net
lace, the sides of those meshes being formed by the twists which the said
bobbin threads make around the vertical warp threads at every place where
the bobbin threads, in their aforesaid traversing course, come athwart the warp
threads; and every bobbin thread when it arrives by the aforesaid traversing at
the selvage thread (or warp thread at the lateral boundary of the breadth
of lace to which it belongs) must begin to return with an opposite obliquity of
traversing across the same breadth which it has previously traversed, and it is
that returning of the bobbin threads around the selvage or extreme warp
threads of each breadth which constitutes the true selvages of the breadth
which will not unravel. The front division of carriages E furnish those bobbin
threads which are in progress of traversing obliquely from left to right across
the breadth of lace, and the back division furnish those bobbin threads which

page_text: are traversing in an opposite direction. It follows, as a consequence of the
traversing, that the carriages of the front division E will get along in their row
beyond those of the back divisions F at the right-hand selvage of each breadth,
and every time that one carriage thus gets beyond, so as to have no other
carriage behind it in the combs, that odd carriage which is so in excess at the
right hand must be transferred from the front division of carriages E to the
back division F, and in like manner the carriages of the back division F will
get along in their row beyond those of the front division E at the left-hand
selvage of each breadth, and every time that one carriage thus gets beyond so
as to have no other carriage before it in the combs, that odd carriage must
be brought forwards and transferred from the back division into the front divi-
sion. The number of bobbin threads used in each breadth is always an odd
number, consequently there is always an odd carriage which has no other
carriage in the same space with it; that odd carriage of each breadth will at
one time be at the right-hand selvage thereof, and must then he transferred
from the front division E to the back division F, but at the next succeeding time
the odd carriage of each breadth will be at the left-hand selvage thereof, and
must be transferred from the back division F to the front division E. The
trausferring of the odd carriages, as aforesaid, forms the selvages of the
breadths, and the carriages so transferred are called the turn-again carriages.
They are not always the same individual carriages, but at every successive time
of transferring the turn-again is performed by different carriages from those
which performed it the last time, so that all the carriages, one after another, go
through the turn-again in succession. But the whipping carriages Q do not
change; they are always the same individual carriages, and always move
in the same spaces between the combs, namely, in the spaces opposite to the
selvages and junctions of the different breadths. The whipping carriages Q
usually occupy those places in the back division of carriages F where vacancies
would otherwise be left in the complete row, in consequence of the number of
bobbin threads which are used in each breadth being an odd number, wherefore
there must be an odd carriage for each breadth when they are divided into two
divisions. And whilst the whipping carriages are thus incorporated with the
back division of carriages F they make up the row thereof entire, from one
end of the machine to the other, without any intervals or apparent distinction
of the breadths, the front division E being also an entire row without vacancies,
and in that state both divisions of carriages E, F, with the whipping carriages Q
amongst the back division F, are passed and repassed between the warp threads
in order to twist the bobbin threads around the warp threads for the formation
of the sides of the hexagonal meshes of the bobbin-net lace. But when that

page_text: twisting operation is concluded, and the carriages are to be traversed in order
to cross the bobbin threads for the formation of the tops and bottoms of the
hexagonal meshes), then the whipping carriages Q must be taken out of their
places in the row of the back division of the carriages F, leaving vacancies
therein. The whipping carriages being then left behind in the back combs D,
whilst the front combs are racked, they do not partake of the traversing of all
the other carriages which results from that racking. The vacancies which
are left in the row of the back division F by the absence of the whipping
carriages when they are left out behind that division, leave the odd or turn-
again carriages by themselves in the spaces between the combs, and then they
are at liberty to be transferred from one division to the other, as before stated,
which they would not be when the whipping carriages are all in their places
in the back division F, for then all vacancies in both divisions are filled up,
making two complete rows of carriages from one end of the machine to the
other.
The foregoing description contains no part of my improvements, being the
usual and most approved mode of making breadths of bobbin-net lace in those
double-tier circular bolt and circular comb machines which operate with
lockers having only one blade to each locker, but which mode has not hitherto
been made applicable to machines with double bladed lockers, because one of
the double blades of each locker acts on the teeth of one division of carriages,
and the other blade on the teeth of the other division, as herein-before
described; therefore, the two blades between them never leave the whipping
carriages at liberty to be left behind in the notches of the back driving bar k
when the back division of carriages F is brought forwards, as herein-before
stated; nor will the double-bladed lockers allow the turn-again bobbins to be
transferred from one division to the other as is required. And although some
attempts have been made to produce the effect by cutting notches in the edges
of the outermost blades a, a, of the double-bladed lockers, with sliding pieces
to close those notches when requisite, such attempts have not been successful
in real business. And my said improvements consist,―
Firstly, in the application of certain parts (marked in the Drawings with
the numeral characters for reference) to those double-tier, circular bolt, or
circular comb rotatory machines which act with double-bladed lockers, and
which are usually called Morley's machines, and in the mode of operation of
those parts, as herein-after described, for the purpose of enabling such rotatory
machines with double lockers to make breadths of bobbin-net lace. 1 and 11
are parts which I call pickers; they are applied beneath the bolts or
combs C, D, close to the thread guides T, T, in back and in front; they aro

page_text: fixed to two long horizontal bars 2, 12, which are situate beneath the locker
bars A, B. The pickers 1 and 11 rise up from these bars with a curvature,
which will avoid the blades a, b, c, d, of the lockers, and the upper ends of the
pickers reach up to the teeth of the carriages at the parts thereof which go
foremost when they make their entrance between the warp threads. The
pickers.1 and 11 are small detached stems, which are fastened by screws to
their bars 2 and 12, and there is one picker opposite to each place in the row
of carriages where there is a whipping carriage Q in the back division F. The
other end of each picker is wide enough to take one carriage and no more. The
bars 2 and 12 are mounted in sockets at the ends of arms 3, 13, which project
out horizontally, in the manner of levers, from two horizontal axes 4, 14, which
are supported in bearing sockets screwed to the fixed framing L, L, of the
machinery. By this means of supporting the bars 2, 12, at the end of the
arms 3, 13, they can be raised up parallel to themselves in order to elevate
the pickers 1 and 11 until their upper ends come in contact with the turn-
again carriages which are opposite to the whipping carriages, after which the
bars 2 and 12 are turned round about their axles or pivots as certres of
motion, whereby the upper ends of the pickers 1 and 11 move those turn-
again carriages so far away from the warp threads, as is shewn at 7, S, s,
Figure 1, that the blades c and d of the back locker. B will miss the teeth r, s,
of those turn-again carriages S, and permit them to be retained behind when
the other carriages are passed between the warp threads. The pickers 1 and 11
are put in motion at the proper time by the wheelwork and rotatory move-
ments which are usually employed in the aforesaid Morley's machines to
actuate the front bars for taking up the meshes of the net when formed, which
wheelwork turns round once for every complete row of meshes that is formed,
namely, one half turn of the wheelwork takes up with the front points, and the
other half turn takes up with the back points. Upon the axis of the said
taking-up wheelwork two circular wheels 5, 15, Sheet I., are fixed, so as to
revolve therewith. Or otherwise, the said wheels may be connected with the
rotatory movements in any manner which is most convenient, so that they are
turned round once for every complete row of meshes which is formed. On the
circumferences of the said wheels 5, 15, are elevations 6, 16, one such eleva-
tion on each wheel, and those circumferences support the extremities of two
levers 7, 17, which are fixed fast to the two axes 4, 14, before mentioned, of
the arms 3, 13, whereby the bars 2, 12, are borne; therefore as the wheels 5, 15,
revolve their elevations 6, 16, present themselves, one after the other, beneath
the ends of the levers 7, 17, and by lifting up those ends raise up the bars 2, 12,
with the pickers 1, 11, in order to raise them up into contact with the turn-

page_text: again carriages; and at the moment when they are so raised the pickers are
caused to give motion to the carriages by a simultaneous action of two pieces,
which are fixed to the lower side of the same wheels 5, 15, one to each wheel,
projecting laterally therefrom, and those pieces (which do not appear in tlie
Drawings) act upon two levers which are situated beneath the wheels (and
which do not appear in the Drawings) so as to depress those levers, and to
those levers the links 8, 18, are jointed at their lower ends; their upper ends
being jointed to two short arms 9, 19, which project outwards from the
bars 2, 12, being fixed fast thereto in the manner of levers. The operation of
the aforesaid additional parts, marked with numeral characters in the Draw-
ings, takes place as follows:-At that period of the operation of the bobbins and
carriages when both divisions of bobbins and carriages are in the back combs
(see Sheet I., Figure 1), and when the front combs (being empty) are to be
racked towards the left hand, in preparation for afterwards racking the bobbins
and carriages when they come into the front comb bar, in order by such
racking to produce the traversing of those carriages, and form the cross-
ings of the bobbin threads at that period when the back driving bar is
moving backwards, its small sliding bar m, which carries the sliding pieces
l; is moved so much endways to the left as will open the notches in the plate k
of the back driving bar H. The sliding bar m is moved by a connection from
the aforesaid wheelwork for taking up, but which does not appear in the
Drawings, and by the time that the driving bars are got as far back as they are
intended to go, the said notches will be quite opened, and there will be one notch
exactly behind each of the whipping carriages Q. The instant after the back
locker B has drawn back and locked up both divisions of carriages E, F, with
the whipping carriages Q amongst them, the elevation 6 of the revolving wheel
5 presents itself to the lever 7, and by lifting up the end of that lever raises
the bar 2 with its back pickers 1, until the upper ends of those pickers are
inserted between the warp threads and the edges of the front teeth of the
turn-again carriages which are in the front division of the carriages E, and
which occupy the same spaces between the combs as the whipping carriages Q
occupy, but the latter are in the back division F. Note, the upper ends of
the pickers 1, when they are rising, approach rather towards the warp threads,
in order that they may be certain to take the edges of the turn-again carriages,
and having taken them, the other piece herein-before mentioned, which is
fixed to the lower part of the wheel 5, comes round, and depresses the lever
before mentioned, to which the link 8 belongs, and that pulls down the lever
arm 9 so as to turn the bar 2 a little round in its bearings at the ends of the
arms 3 with a motion which causes the upper ends of the pickers 1 to push

page_text: pene-
back the turn-again carriages out of their places in the front division E into
the position shewn at S, r, s, Figure 1, whereby their teeth r, s, are removed
quite out of the range of both the blades c, d, of the back locker B. This situa-
tion of the parts (which is represented in Figure 1) takes place very soon after
the driving bars G, H, and the back locker B have begun to move forwards, and
when the front edges of the front division of carriages E are in the act of
trating the warp threads. Note, at the same time that the pickers 1 put back
the turn-again carriages r, S, s, out behind the front division E, those carriages
also pushed back the whipping carriages Q out of the back division F into the
notches in the plate k, which notches were previously opened to receive then,
as before mentioned. As the driving bars G, H, move forwards the carriages
E, F, are pushed forwards by the edge k of the back driving bar H, and the
back locker B turns its blades c, d, downwards and inwards towards the warp
threads, to leave the carriages E at liberty to come forwards until it arrives at
the position represented in Figure 2, Sheet II., and there it makes a pause, in
order to lock and detain the back division F with the turn-again carriages in
the back combs, after having allowed the front division E to pass between the
warp threads into the front combs, and as soon as their front teeth e have passed
over the blade a of the front locker A, that locker is turned upwards to catch
the said teeth, and draw forwards and lock the front division of the carriages E
in the front combs C, and then the front locker A makes a pause in the position,
Figure 3. But note, as soon as the parts had moved so far from the position
represented in Figure 1 that the innermost blade c of the back locker B, in
turning downwards and inwards, had passed clear beneath the front teeth r of
the turn-again carriages S, then (but not before) the pickers 1 had completed
their task. Therefore the elevation 6 of the wheel 5, and also the projecting
pieces before mentioned at the lower part of that wheel, both passed away
together from their respective levers, and allowed the pickers 1 to drop back
with an instantaneous motion to their resting position, as shewn in Figure 3.
The movements which have taken place to bring the parts from the position
of Figure 1 to that of Figure 3 have transferred the turn-again carriages S
from the front division E, in which they were situated in Figure 1 to the
back division F in which they were situated in Figure 3, and in conse-
quence of that transfer the turn-again carriages have missed passing through
between the warp threads. The whipping carriages Q, by retreating behind
the back division F into the notches in the plate k, have made room for the
said transfer of the turn-again carriages to take place. The front division of
carriages E, Figure 3, which has just been passed into the front combs C, has
vacancies left in it by the transfer of the turn-again carriages, which vacancies

page_text: are opposite to every whipping carriage Q. Whilst the parts are in the position
of Figure 2 the front combs are racked endways one space towards the right
hand, and the front division E in them, whereby the said vacancies in the
front division E are thrown one space to the right of the spaces occupied by
the whipping carriages Q. After the said racking the back division F, with
the turn-again carriages in it, is brought through into the front combs, as shewn
in Figure 3, which is done by a further advance of the driving bars G and II,
the edge k of the back bar H then pushes the back division F forwards, and
the back locker B turns its blades further downwards and inwards towards the
warp threads, that its blade d may leave the back teeth h of the back division
F at liberty, and then the back locker B makes a pause in the position
Figure 3. Also when the back division is pushed so far through that its front
teeth g have passed over the blade B of the front locker A in its depressed
position, that locker turns its blades upwards and outwards, to catch the front
teeth g of the back division F, and draw the same through into the front
combs C into the position Figure 3, and there the front locker A makes a
pause, in order to lock and detain the front carriages in that position. Note,
the whipping carriages Q being received in the notches in the plate k of the
back driving bar, are not passed into the front combs with the back division F,
but remain in the back combs D, as in Figure 3, and, in order to prevent the
whipping carriages Q from getting forwards amongst the warp threads, I fix a
third blade 10 on the back locker bar B, to lock and retain the whipping
carriage Q, in the manner shewn in Figure 3. It is not necessary that the
said third blade 10 should be a continuous blade all the length of the locker
bar A, for detached pieces 10 being fastened on the locker bar A, opposite to
every whipping carriage, will be sufficient. When the parts are in the
position of Figure 3, the front combs C are racked to the left with both
divisions of carriages in it, whereby the vacancies left, as before explained, in
the front division E, are restored to their proper places opposite to the
whipping carriages Q, and immediately after the said racking the driving bars
begin to return, in order to repass the carriage between the warp threads into
the back combs D; but previously the front pickers 11 come into action to
push forwards those turn-again carriages which are now in the back division
E, opposite to the whipping carriages Q, in order to transfer them into the
front division E, where there are vacancies opposite them ready to receive
them. Note, the said turn-again carriages are at the left-hand edges of the
several breadths to which they belong, and are not the same turn-again
carriages which were transferred the previous time, for those were at the right-
hand edges of the several breadths to which they belong. The front pickers

page_text: 11 are brought into action by their revolving wheel 15, Figure 1, which now
presents its elevation 16 to the lever 17, and lifts it up, together with the
bar 12 and its pickers 11, until their upper ends come in contact with those
turn-again carriages in the back division F, which are to be transferred into
the vacancies in the front division at the same moment the projecting piece at
the lower side of the wheel 15 depresses the lever, which is connected by the
link 18 with the lever arm 19 of the bar 12, and by pulling down the end of
that arm the upper ends of the front pickers 11 are caused to move forwards,
and they push the turn-again carriages forwards, as is represented by dotted
lines V in Figure 3, until their teeth v, w, are out of the range of the blades
a, b, of the front locker, so that those blades will not interfere with the said
teeth, when the blades are turned round downwards and inwards towards the
warp threads, in order that the blade 6 may release the front teeth g of the
back division F, and allow that division to be passed between the warp
threads, therefore the turn-again carriages are not pushed through the warp
threads with the back division F, but as soon as the blade a of the front
locker A is passed clear beneath the front teeth v of the turn-again carriages
V, when the elevation 16 of the revolving wheel 15, and the piece which is
fixed to the lower side thereof, pass away from the lever 17, and from the
other lever of the link 18 respectively, so as to allow the front pickers 11, with
their bars, to fall back to their resting position, as shewn in Figure 2, after
which the turn-again carriages V are gathered into the row of the front
division E by the blade a of the front locker A detaining the front teeth v
of the turn-again carriages V, when that locker makes its pause to detain the
front division E of the front combs c after the back division F has been
passed through into the back combs. Note, when the driving bars go backwards
in thus passing the back division F between the warp threads, the whipping
carriages Q having nothing before them to push them backwards in the conibs
D, they will remain motionless in the back combs, the notched plate k going
away and leaving them; and then the back division of the carriages F, in
coming through between the warp threads, receives the whipping carriages Q
into the vacancies which have been left in it by the absence of those turn-
again bobbins which are detained in the front combs C by the front pickers 1,.
as above described. And afterwards in passing the front division, when the
back driving bar H has gone back as much further as to leave the whipping
carriages quite clear of the notches in its plate k, then (but not before) the
sliding bar m is released and allowed to move endways by the effort of a
spring, in order that its sliding pieces / may cover. over and close up the notches

page_text: in the plate k, which being done, the operation of passing and repassing the
carriages one division after the other is continued in the usual manner until a
row of complete meshes has been fabricated, and then the series of operations
above described for performing the turn-again is repeated as before. Note,
the sliding bar of the back driving bar H is moved endways when required
by means of a revolving wheel on the same axis as the aforesaid wheels 5, 15,
and an upright lever at the end of the machine which is poised on an hori-
zontal axis or centre pin near the middle of its length, the axis being disposed
crossways in the machine. The upper end of the said lever stands opposite
to the end of the back driving bar, and the lower end applies laterally to the
said revolving wheel so as to be moved about its centre, when a piece which is
fixed to the flat surface of that wheel, and projects therefrom, comes round
in the way of the lower end of the lever, and acts laterally against the same,
the upper end of the said lever then moves the sliding bar / endways, so as to
open the notches in the plate k, in opposition to a spring which, by its reaction,
pulls back the sliding bar l, and causes its sliding pieces to close the said
notches the instant that the said permanent piece of the wheel passes away
from the lower end of the lever. The upper end of the said lever is bended
in conformity with the curvature of the back combs, in order that it may exert
a proper action against the end of the sliding bar in all the positions which
that bar assumes in moving along with the back driving bar H. Note, this
lever, as well as the sliding bar m and pieces 7, which it
moves, is
very similar
to what is used in common circular bolt or circular comb machines, and is no
part of my Invention. It is not necessary to explain the action of the guide
bars T, T, for the warp threads, nor of the extra guide bars W, W, for the
selvedge threads of the different breadths, nor the manner whereby the
whipping threads from the whipping bobbins Q are caused to whip round, and
unite the selvedge threads of the adjacent breadths together, so as to form one
continuous tissue of all the breadths, because in those respects there is no
alteration of the common and well-known mode of making breadths in circular
bolt or circular comb machines with single-bladed lockers, my said first improve-
ment being the application to machines with double-bladed lockers of the parts
designated by numeral characters in the Drawings, and their mode of action,
herein-before described, whereby they place and hold the turn-again carriages
in such a position in the combs that the double blades of the locker will pass
by the teeth of those carriages without touching them, whenever it is required
to perform the transfer of the turn-again carriages from one division of
carriages to the other division. Note, it is necessary to distinguish my pickers

page_text: 1 from certain small holders which are commonly used in circular bolt or
circular comb machines when making breadths, and which holders are applied
beneath the bolts or combs, in order to hold the turn-again and whipping
carriages steady therein. The said holders are small stems affixed to bars, some-
thing in the manner of the pickers 1 and their bars 2, but the mode of action is
essentially different from that of my pickers, inasmuch as that the said holders
merely press upwards under the teeth of the turn-again carriages, in order to
detain them and the whipping carriages from moving in the combs by their
own weight, when the blades of the lockers leave them loose therein, whereas my
pickers 1 actually move the turn-again carriages and whipping carriages in the
bolts or combs, in order to place them in that particular position, where both the
blades of the double-bladed locker will miss the teeth of the turn-again carriages.
Also my pickers are situated between the lockers and the thread guides, and
they have a compound motion of rising up to reach the turn-again carriages,
and then drawing out to give motion to those carriages. Note, when my said
improvement is applied to circular bolt machines the back bolts must either
be so much longer out of the lead than usual (or else the carriages must be
so much smaller than usual) as that there will be room left for the whipping
carriages to be pushed so much further backwards than they are usually.
required to go back as the action of the pickers requires when they operate in
the manner shewn at Q, Figure 1.
And, secondly, another part of my said improvements is to produce the
aforesaid effect of making breadths of bobbin-net lace in double-tier, cir-
cular bolt, or circular comb machines, which have double-bladed lockers,
and which are actuated by rotative motion by forming and applying
the revolving camms or curved wheels, whereby the said double-bladed
lockers are put in motion in such manner as that, at every time when
the turn-again carriages are required to be transferred from one division
to the other division, certain portions of the curved circumference of
camms (which then come into action, shall cause one or other of the said
double-bladed lockers to act against the teeth of the carriages in the same
manner as one or other of a pair of single-bladed lockers do commonly act
against the same; that is to say, by only one of the two double blades of either
locker being brought into action against the teeth of one division of the
carriages, the other blade of that locker being turned down out of the way of
the teeth of the other division; and by turning the locker bar back again with
a contrary motion immediately after it has acted with one of its blades or one.
division of the carriages, in order that at the succeeding time of locking by

page_text: the same locker the same blade thereof may repeat its action on the other
division of the carriages, instead of bringing the other blade of the same
locker into action on that other division of carriages; but nevertheless that
after the said transferring of the turn-again carriages is finished, that all the
other portions of the curved circumference of the said camms which then
come into action shall cause the said double-bladed lockers to act in the
proper manner of double-bladed lockers, as herein-before explained; that is
to say, one blade of each locker being always employed to act against the
teeth of one division of carriages, and the other blade of the same locker
being employed to act against the teeth of the other division of carriages.
And, in order to produce the said effect, the said revolving camms or curved
wheels must be of large size, and must make only one revolution for every
complete row of meshes of bobbin-net lace which is worked by the machine,
being the same period wherein the revolving wheels for actuating the point
bars are usually turned round, as herein-before stated. And also two distinct
camms or curved wheels must be used, one for giving motion to the front
locker, and the other for giving motion to the back locker, because the two
double-bladed lockers, when actuated according to this second part of my
improvement, will never be moved with a simultaneous motion such as is
usually given to a pair of single-bladed lockers, because one of the double-
bladed lockers will be required to act in the manner of a single-bladed locker,
by using only one of its blades in order to permit the transfer of the turn-again
carriages to be performed, whilst the other locker is acting in the manner of a
double-bladed locker upon the other carriages which are not affected by the
transferring which is going on. The notched plate k of the back driving bar
H, with its sliding bar m and sliding pieces 1 to close or open the said notches,
will be the same as herein-before described, and which is the same as is
usually practised in circular bolt or circular comb machines for making
breadths. The pickers and other parts marked in the Drawings with numeral
characters for reference, and herein-before described, are not essential in this
my second improvement; but, in lieu thereof, slight springs may be applied
withinside of those spaces between the bolts or combs where the whippings
and turn-again carriages will have to work in order to retain the turn-again
carriages and whipping carriages from moving in the combs, by their own
weight, when they are left loose therein by the blades of the locker quitting
their teeth at the time when the same is caused to act in the manner of a
single-bladed locker, as aforesaid. The said springs may be made of flat
steel, like a watch spring, and inlaid into a small groove or cavity which is

page_text: excavated in the flat surface of the bolt or comb, so that the spring will be
within the space between the bolts or combs when they are put together.
And as to the construction of the camms or curved wheels for moving the
two double-bladed lockers, according to this second part of my improvements,
the said camms for moving the front locker will be of the same form as
those for moving the back locker; but the two camms must be so applied
that one part of the curved circumference of one camm will come into action
at one period of the operation of the machine, and the corresponding part of
the curved circumference of the other camm at another succeeding period of
the operation of the machine. The form of these camms is represented at
Figure 4, in Sheet II. The curved circumference of each camm has three
principal elevations X, Y, Z, upon it, with intervals a, y, z, between them,
which are circular, and which, when they are in action, produce intervals of
rest during which the locker remains motionless. The two elevations X and
Y are those which, when in action, cause the locker to act in the proper
manner of a double-bladed locker. Each of those elevations is divided into
two steps o, p, which have a resting place q between them. The innermost
or lowest of the two steps o causes the action of the outermost blades a or
d of the locker, and the outermost or highest of the two steps p causes
that of the innermost blades 6 or c of the lockers. The other elevation Z
is that which, when in action, causes the locker to act in the manner of a
single-bladed locker; it is subdivided into three successive elevations and
depressions i, j, k, none of which rise higher than the lower steps o of the
other principal elevations, because they are only intended to produce successive
repetitions of the action of the outermost blades a or d without ever turning
the locker so far round as to bring the innermost blades 6 or c into action.
The second part of my improvements consists in the aforesaid mode of
working the double-bladed lockers alternately in the manner of a single-
bladed locker, and as a double-bladed locker, by means of a camm of the kind
herein-before described for the purpose of making breadths of bobbin-net lace
by rotatory machines with double-bladed lockers, in the manner herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Crofts, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-two.
WILLIAM (L.B.) CROFTS.
B

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-second day of August,
in the third year of the reign of His present Majesty King William the.
Fourth, the said William Crofts came before our said Lord the King in His
Chancery, and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing
therein contained and specified, in form above written. And also the In-
strument aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in
the fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Twenty-third day of August, One thousand eight hundred
and thirty-two.