IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKING STICKS OR LEVERS FOR LOOMS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, ALEXANDER PRIMROSE BIRD, of 9 Springfield Road, Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKING STICKS OR LEVERS FOR LOOMS'
as follows, that is to say :—
" to be
My said Invention relates to loom picking sticks or levers of the kind usually
centered near the axis of the lathe and extending upwards therefrom, and which
receive their picking movements through leather straps connecting them to
Segmental plates or quadrants on rocking spindles placed in vertical or other
positions; and the object of my Invention is to improve and render more durable
the connection of the picking lever to its driving strap, and to save expense in
fitting.
The connecting strap is generally doubled and placed so that the picking lover is
embraced by its loop whilst its ends are fixed to the segmental plate, and it is
retained in its proper position by a narrow leather strap, fixed to the lever over the
outer part of the loop. With this arrangement the leather strap rapidly wears in
consequence of the strain being concentrated on the part bearing on the narrow
edge of the lever and because of the leather being there too sharply folded.
In carrying out my Invention in the case of existing looms apply a small
casting as a sheath to the part of the wooden picking lover to which the strap is
connected, this casting being made with an extension or plate adapted to be fixed
by the same bolts which fix the lever to its metal centre picco or boss. A part of
the sheath is made round externally for the strap to bear upon, and it is slotted or
grooved to embrace or enclose the lover. A slotted projection or staple-like loop is
formed on the outer side of the round part to keep the strap which is passed
through it in position. The rounded part of the sheath on which the strap bears
not only presents an increased surface to receive the strain but also prevents the
strap from being sharply folded or bended as in existing arrangements. The
trouble and expense of fixing on a separate small strap to retain the driving strap
is avoided. In new looins and even for existing looms the rounded bearing sheath for
the strap instead of being a separate piece may be formed in the same casting with a
centre piece or boss for the lever, to be substituted for the kind ordinarily used.
Dated this eighth day of October 1881.
.

page_text: '
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
"
I, ALEXANDER PRIMROSE BIRD, of 9 Springfield Road, Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKING STICKS OR LEVERS FOR LOOMS and in
what manner the same is to bo performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say:—
My said Invention relates to loom picking sticks or levers of the kind usually
centered near the axis of the lathe and extending upwards therefrom, and which
receive their movements through leather straps connecting them to segmental plates
or quadrants on rocking spindles placed in vertical or other positions; and the
object of my Invention is to improve and render more durable the connection of 1
the picking lever to its driving strap, and to save expense in fitting.
The connecting strap is generally doubled and placed so that the picking lever is
embraced by its loop, whilst its ends are fixed to the segmental plate, and it is
retained in its proper position by a narrow leather strap, fixed to the lever over the
outer part of the loop. With this arrangement the leather strap rapidly wears
in consequence of the strain being concentrated on the part bearing on the narrow
edge of the lever, and because of the leather being there too sharply folded.
The practical application of my Invention is shown upon an accompanying sheet
of explanatory drawings. Figure 1, being a sectional elevation showing the picking
stick or lever and some other parts of the loom, whilst figure 2, is an edge view of
the lever corresponding to figure 1. Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, are enlarged views
of the part of the lever to which the strap is connected, figure 6, being a
horizontal section and the other figures elevations. Figures 1, to 6, show the
application to existing looms; and figure 7, is an elevation showing a mode of
applying my Invention to a new loom. In these drawings the saine reference
numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
In carrying out my Invention in the case of existing looms I apply a small
casting 8, 9, as a sheath to the part of the wooden picking lever 10, to which the
strap 11, is connected, this casting being made with an extension or plate 9,
adapted to be fixed by the same bolts 12, which fix the lever to its metal centre
piece or boss 13. A part 8, of the sheath is made round externally for the strap 11,
to bear upon, and it is slotted or grooved to embrace or enclose the lever 10. A
'slotted projection or staple-like loop 14, is formed on the outer side of the round
part 8, to keep the strap 11, which is passed through it, in position. The rounded
part 8, of the sheath, on which the strap 11, bears not only presents an increased
surface to receive the strain, but also prevents the strap from being sharply folded
or bended as in existing arrangements. The trouble and expense of fixing on a
separate small strap to retain the driving strap is avoided.
In new looms, and even for existing looms the rounded bearing sheath 8, for the
strap 11, instead of being a separate piece may, as shown in figure 7, be formed in
the same piece with a centre piece or boss 15, for the lever, to be substituted for the
kind (13) ordinarily used.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The fitting of picking sticks or levers of looms when arranged to be actuated by
straps, with metal sheaths having rounded external surfaces for the straps to bear
on, such sheaths being made with or without slotted parts for retaining the straps
substantially as hereinbefore described.