Improvements in or relating to Circular Looms.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 9th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Circular Looms.
A. communication from GEORGE WASSERMANN, of Bale, in the Republic of
Switzerland.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The characteristic features of this improved circular loom are ;-
1. The circular frame and consequently the comb fixed to it receive an
oscillating movement such that every point thereon describes an arc round a
common centre viz. the centre of the frame, and which arcs are situated in vertical
planes passing through the centre. The oscillating movement is regulated by
mechanism hereinafter described, to ensure its absolute regularity and in such a
manner that when a part of the comb has reached its lowest position the warp
threads corresponding with such part present the maximum opening for the
passage of the shuttle, while the comb at the point diametrically opposite, is in
its highest position and causes the tightening of the threads.
The mechanism which is now used produces an absolutely regular oscillating
movement and contrary to an analogous system based on the use of a "Cardan
joint by the use of which only irregular oscillations are produced.
2. The circular movement of the shuttle round the centre of the frame which
centre is situated on the vertical axis of the loom. The shuttle is moved by
special mechanism such as an arm independent of the vertical shaft in the centre
of the loom, the shuttle being disposed in such a manner as to neutralize the
centrifugal force.
3. The shuttle and shuttle race are arranged in such a manner as to operate
on an electro-magnetic stop when the weft becomes broken or when the cop or
bobbin is run out.
4. The harness is provided with rigid radial heddles which are free at their
outer ends and are hooked at the inner ends on preferably circular plates operated
by cams or any suitable mechanism in such a manner that, while carrying the
warp threads at their outer ends they receive a radial reciprocating movement.
The central vertical shaft turns in collars or bearings on one of which is
fastened a, bevel, toothed, wheel engaging with a wheel or toothed ring fixed to
the oscillating frame and coucentric with the latter. The plane of this frame
that is the plane in which the circular comb is situated is inclined tangentially
to the cone represented by the teeth of the before mentioned bevel wheel.
:
The shaft is provided with an oblique collar or sleeve which is free to turn
with but little friction in the nave of the oscillating frame. The centre point
from which the teeth of the bevel wheel radiate is in the centre of the plane
of the oscillating frame and forms also the point of intersection of the axes of
the vertical. central shaft and of the oblique collar or sleeve. When revolving,
the shaft moves the oblique collar or sleeve with it and the latter, communi-
cates the movement to the frame. The movement of the frame produced by the
simultaneous action of the oblique collar and the toothed wheels is an oscillating
movement round the before mentioned common, centre whereby each point of
the frame describes arcs situated in vertical planes going through "the" common
centre.
i
A ring provided with, rollers which run on a circular surface or rail fixed to
the oscillating frame, turns round the axis of the oblique collar or sleeve... The

page_text: -
said ring is also provided with other rollers adapted to run on another horizontal
circular surface or rail fixed to or forming part of the fixed frame of the loom
which carries the ring which serves to maintain, the circular form of the fabric.
In the oscillating movement of the moving frame the last mentioned rollers are
pressed obliquely against the above mentioned horizontal circular surface or rail
in consequence of which the ring on which the rollers are mounted is moved
round its axis.
The ring is provided with a rigid arm: carrying rollers receiving movement
through the medium of a cord or equivalent which is passed round a ring or disc
attached to the oscillating frame. These rollers are in contact with a roller of
the shuttle or shuttle carrier. The last named roller by friction turns two other
rollers of the shuttle or shuttle carrier running against an outer circular rail in
consequence of which the shuttle makes a circular movement on the comb.
In order to adapt a magneto-electric stop to the loom, to act in case of the
weft becoming damaged or broken or the cop or bobbin running out, the metallic
shuttle or shuttle carrier and the circular rail are insulated from the comb. It.
remains now to make and break the electrical circuit for the current to pass
through the shuttle, comb and circular rail to stop the loom. The shuttle runs
over the comb by means of rollers of wood or other non-conducting material.
The insulation of the rail from the comb is obtained by blocks of non-conducting
material. As soon as the thread becomes broken or the cop or bobbin is empty
a suitable metallic piece is made to form electrical contact between the shuttle
and the comb so as to allow the current to pass from the comb to the rail
or vice versa and to act on an electro-magnet which causes the loom to stop
instantly.
The rigid heddles producing the necessary movements of the warp threads,
are hooked at their inner ends on plates operated by cams or other convenient
mechanism by means of suitably shaped ends or instead of being bent to form
a hook at the end they can be doubled into the form of a U. The heddles
remain in contact with the operating plates by their own weight but they are
adapted to slide laterally in the slot with which they engage and to turn on the
parts by which they are retained in the slot.
The necessary movement to the heddle operating plates for producing a radial
alternative movement of the heddles and of which plates there may be two or
more, may be obtained by means of cams or other convenient mechanism.
By the use of more than two heddle-operating plates, each plate corresponding
to a series of heddles, the most varied designs can be executed.
This circular loom may with slight alteration, be made to carry simultaneously
several shuttles instead of one.
Dated this 9th day of May 1802
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Of London, Liverpool, Nottingham, and Manchester,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Circular Looms.
A communication from GEORGE WASSERMANN, of Bale, in the Republic of
Switzerland.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
The characteristic features of this improved circular loom are:-
1. The circular frame and consequently the comb fixed to it receive an oscillating

page_text: common
movement such that every point thereon describes an arc round a
centre viz., the centre of the frame, and which circular arcs are situated in
vertical planes passing through the centre O. The oscillating movement produced
with absolute regularity by mechanism hereinafter described is regulated in such
a manner that when the coinb has reached its lowest position at any point the
warp threads at the same point present the maximum opening for the passage of
the shuttle, while the comb at the point diametrically opposite, is in its highest
position and causes the tightening of the weft in the woven fabric.
The mechanism which I now use produces an absolutely regular oscillating
* Cardan " joint
movement, contrary to an analogous system based on the use of a
previously employed by my correspondent by which only irregular oscillations are
produced.
2. The circular movement of the shuttle round the centre of the frame which
centre is situated on the vertical axis of the loom. The shuttle is moved by
special mechanisın such as an arm independent of the vertical shaft in the centre
of the loom, the shuttle being arranged in such a manner as to neutralize its
centrifugal force.
3. The shuttle and shuttle race are arranged in such a manner as to operate on
an electro-magnetic stop-motion when the weft becomes broken or when the cop or
bobbin is run out.
4. The harness is provided with rigid radial heddles which are free at their
outer ends and are hooked at the inner ends on preferably circular plates operated
by cams or other suitable mechanism in such a manner that, while carrying the
warp threads at their outer ends, they receive a radial reciprocating movement.
The accompanying drawings, Figures I to VII inclusive illustrate the mechanism
of the loom :-
:-
The central vertical shaft W (Figures I and II) turns in two collars or
bearings A and B one of which A carries a stationary bevel toothed wheel C
engaging ate with a wheel or toothed ring C¹ fixed to the frame DO D' and
concentric with the latter. The plane of the frame DO D', that is the plane in
which the circular comb is situated is inclined tangentially to the cone represented
by the teeth of the before mentioned bevel wheel C.
The shaft W is provided with an oblique collar or sleeve E which is free to
turn with but little friction in the hub E¹ of the frame. The centre point O from
which the teeth of the bevel wheel radiate is also the centre of the plane of the
frame DOD' as well as the point of intersection of the axes of the vertical
shaft W and of the oblique collar or sleeve E. When revolving, the shaft W
moves the oblique collar or sleeve with it and the latter, through the before
mentioned hub E' communicates the movement to the frame. The movement of
the frame resulting from the toothed gear C C' is a circular oscillating movement
round the common centre O whereby all points of the frame describe arcs of circles
situated in vertical planes passing through the common centre O.
A ring F provided with rollers g which run on a circular surface or rail R fixed
to the frame DO D', turns round the axis OO¹ of the oblique hub E'. The said
ring is also provided with one or more rollers having their axes at right angles
to the axis 00', and adapted to run on a horizontal surface or rail i fixed to or
forming part of the rings which serves to maintain the circular form of the fabric.
In the oscillating movement of the frame D () D' the last mentioned rollers are
pressed obliquely against the circular surface or rail i causing them to describe a
planetary movement on the said circular surface in consequence of which the
ring F on which the rollers are mounted is moved round its axis O O¹.
The ring F is provided with a rigid arm F¹ perpendicular to the axis h h, and
carrying two rollers w w receiving movement during the rotation of F through
the medium of a cord v or equivalent which is passed round the ring or rail R
attached to the frame DO Dt. The rollers w run on one set of the warp_threads
and are in contact with a roller u of the shuttle or shuttle carrier X. The last
named roller u by friction turns two other rollers w¹ w¹ running against an outer

page_text: circular rail T in consequence of which the shuttle makes a circular movement on
the comb in the direction shown by the arrow..
In order to adapt a magneto-electric stop to the loom, to act in case of the weft
becoming damaged or broken or the cop or bobbin running out, the metallic
shuttle or shuttle carrier X and the circular rail T are insulated from the comb r
(Figures I, II and III).
The object is to make and break the electrical circuit which must pass through
the shuttle from the comb to the circular rail in order to stop the loom. For this
purpose the shuttle at the end whence the thread issues may carry a lever, the
outer end of which rests upon the thread by means of a roller, so that when the
thread breaks the lever falls upon the comb and establishes electric communication
between the rail and the comb by means of the shuttle. The shuttle runs over
the comb by means of rollers of wood or other non-conducting material. The
insulation of the rail from the comb is obtained by the blocks U of non-conducting
material. As soon as the thread becomes broken or the cop or bobbin is empty
the last named lever is caused to make electrical contact between the shuttle and
the comb r. The circular rail T moreover carries at regular intervals metallic
brackets Z' carrying rods Z which are pressed by springs Z" towards the centre
of the loom, thus ensuring electrical connection between the shuttle X and the
rail T whenever the shuttle passes in front of the rods Z. Whenever therefore,
the shuttle X comes in contact with one of these rods Z, after the thread has
been broken, it allows the current to pass from the comb to the rail T or vice versa
and to act on an electro-magnet which causes the loom to stop instantly. To
enable this stop-device to be better understood the following detailed description
is given as an example of one of the various arrangements or modifications of
which it is susceptible.
The shuttle in electrical communication with the rail when passing before the
rods Z rotates above the comb on the insulating shuttle carrier rollers. The
thread issuing from the cop supports a roller mounted on a bell-crank lever
pivotting on the shuttle or shuttle carrier. If the thread happen to break, the
lever will fall and the end of its lower arm coming in contact with the comb closes
the circuit as soon as the shuttle passes before one of the rods Z so that the current
passes and excites the electro-magnet which acts upon the disengaging gear of the
machine.
The heddles 1, 1, 1, 1 producing the necessary alternating movements of the
warp threads, are hooked on the cam operated segmental plates 9 (of which there
may be any desired number to form complete circles) by means of suitably shaped
ends, conveniently J or Z-shaped as shown engaging in the groove f (Figures IV
to VI); or instead of being bent to form a book at the end they can be doubled
into the form of a U (Figure VII). The heddles for connecting them with or
disconnecting them from the plates are adapted to slide laterally in the grooves
or slots and to turn on the parts
tttherein.
The necessary movement to the beddle operating plates for producing a
radial alternative movement of the heddles, and of which plates there may be two
superposed sets as shown in the drawings or more, may be obtained by means of
the cam grooves S as shown.or other convenient mechanism.
The before mentioned cam grooves S are formed one on the upper side and the
other on the under side of a disc M which rotates loosely round the sleeve A,
their eccentricity being in diametrically opposite directions. In these grooves S
run rollers S¹ mounted loosely on pins forming part of or firmly fixed to the
blocks p to each of which is attached one of the segmental slotted plates g
(shown on an enlarged scale, partly broken away, in Figure 1V) these carry the
heddles as before described. An arm A' secured to the fixed sleeve A
with a radial slot receives the pin or pivot of the roller S¹ which pin slides to and
fro therein as the roller itself travels in the eccentric groove $ of the disc M,
and this arrangement is duplicated for the lower groove. At its lower part the
dise M is provided with a toothed ring.k gearing with a spur-wheel k¹ mounted on

page_text: a shaft K and driven thereby. The disc M being thus caused to rotate each.
roller S under the influence of the cam groove S will slide from one end of the.
slot in A' to the other and back again in the course of a revolution, carrying with.
it the blocks p and plates 9 as well as the heddles and the threads which pass.
through them, when owing to the arrangement of the upper and lower cam-grooves
with contrary eccentricities, as previously mentioned, the warp-threads will be-
furthest apart at the moment that the shuttle passes between them.
By the use of more than two cam grooves and sets of heddle-operating plates,.
each set corresponding to a series of heddles, the most varied desigus, can be-
executed in the woven fabric.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me-
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a loom a circular frame oscillating about a point O which is at the same.
time the centre of the plane DO D' of the frame, the centre from which radiate
the teeth of a fixed bevel wheel concentric with the central vertical shaft W of
the loom and the point of intersection of the axis of the said shaft W and the
axis OO¹ common to the oblique collar or sleeve E and to the hub E' of the
frame DO D' whereby by means of a toothed bevel-wheel C' engaging with C
and concentrically fixed on the frame DO D' a pivotting movement may be
imparted to the frame so that during the continued rotation of the shaft W all points.
of the frame and consequently of the comb carried thereby describe arcs of circles.
situated in the vertical planes passing through the universal centre substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a circular loom a ring such as F rotating on the frame DO D¹ around the
axis O O¹ of the oblique hub E¹ without being fixed on the said axis, the said ring
carrying an arm provided with rollers to which serve to impart motion to the shuttle-
and receive their own rotary motion by a cord or equivalent v passing round them
and also round the concentric circle R of the frame DO D₁ substantially as.
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a circular loom such as described a circular rail such as T insulated from.
the circular comb r by means of insulators such as U the said rail serving as the
outer race for the shuttle X substantially as described and illustrated in the:
accompanying drawings.
4. In a circular loom such as described an electro-magnetic stop-motion such as-
hereinbefore described, operating so soon as the thread breaks or the shuttle is.
empty substantially as described.
5. In a circular loom plates such as q two or more in number driven by the
central shaft W by means of suitable cams or equivalent and provided with a groove
or slot fin which the rigid heddles engage, by means of their inner ends bent in
the form of J or Z or being themselves as a whole bent into the form of U the
heddles being arranged to slide laterally in the groove or slot f and to turn on.
the part which is engaged therein substantially as described and illustrated in.
the accompanying drawings.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete circular-
loom substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th day of February 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
London, Nottingham, Liverpool, and Manchester,
Agents for the Applicant.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
London, Nottingham, Liverpool, and Manchester,
Agents for the Applicant.