IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Freeman Firth, Josiah Firth, Charles
Henry Firth, and Edwin Firth, all of Heckmondwike, in the County
of York, Woollen Manufacturers and Merchants, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
"
Sealed the 19th January 1869, and dated the 22nd July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Freeman Firth,
Josiah Firth, Charles Henry Firth, and Edwin Firth at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 22nd July
1868.
We, THOMAS FREEMAN FIRTH, JOSIAH FIRTH, CHARLES HENRY
FIRTH, and EDWIN FIRTH, all of Heckmondwike, in the County of York,
Woollen Manufacturers and Merchants, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as
follows:-
These improvements have especial reference to hand looms and power
looms used in the weaving of carpets, and consist of a simplified arrange-

page_text: ment of parts whereby we are the better enabled to weave pieces in which
considerable variation of the "slied" is required to obtain the requisite
pattern or design. For this purpose we use two 'treadles, each of which
communicates by means of an overhead lever with an arrangement now
described. Above the loom and over the healds we mount a small
framework provided with a horizontal "card cylinder" on either side.
Between each cylinder and the framework hang a series of vertical metal
plates or strips connected to a cross bar, and so placed relatively to each
card cylinder that upon any given peg upon the cylinder coming in
contact with any one of the metal strips it yields inwards or towards
the framework, and so presses a horizontal pin (having an oblong slot
in its centre part) through which passes a vertical flattened needle or
"tabbie," the lower end of which is connected to one of the healds (by
means of cord), whilst the upper end (which has a hook formation) is
connected by a cord passing over a friction pulley swinging from the top
of the framework to an adjoining needle and consequently heald. On
either side of the two rows of needles, connected as before named to their
"relative healds, passes a horizontal lever having its fulcrum in the front
part or side of the loom and connected with the treadle lever arrange-
zment before referred to. Each of such horizontal levers is raised and
permitted to fall by its respective "treadle" connection at the will of the
weaver, and in connection with such horizontal levers are vertical
+catch levers which act upon the "card cylinders" and cause them to
make the requisite portion of a revolution. By so doing pegs of the
"card cylinders" press upon the metal strips referred to, which in turn
press upon the horizontal pins named, and thus cause the needles or
"tabbies" to incline, that is to say, not allow the respective horizontal
levers alluded to to catch them (by reason of their hook formation) in
their ascent. By this action that portion of the warp not required to be
in "shed" is left down, whilst other portions so required are raised
accordingly. We may here add that another vertical catch lever is
placed upon the opposite side of of the card cylinder ends when it is
required to "back" the loom in consequence of a flaw or from other
reason. In the bottom part of the loom and under the healds are
placed a double series of levers (each series having reference to its own
treadle) swinging on central fulcra and connected at either end by means
of strings with the under sides of the healds, each end being connected
to separate but contiguous healds with the object of assisting the upper

page_text: portion of the apparatus in its functions. By the above arrangement.
the weaver is enabled to change the required part of the "shed" (the
remainder being stationary and both treadles being down whilst the
shuttle is passed through the "shed") by raising the foot on the side
requiring to be changed and then pressing down again, the card cylinder -
being acted upon and a fresh "shed" made when the foot is raised..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,..
filed by the said Thomas Freeman Firth, Josiah Firth, Charles
Henry Firth, and Edwin Firth in the Great Seal Patent Office on.
the 22nd January 1869..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,. THOMAS:
FREEMAN. FIRTH, JOSIAH FIRTH, CHARLES HENRY FIRTH, and EDWIN.
FIRTH, all of Heckmondwike, in the County of York, Woollen Manu-
facturers and Merchants, send greeting...
WHEREAS Her. most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her:
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of July, in the year.
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty--
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Thomas Freeman Firth, Josiah Firth,.
Charles Henry Firth, and Edwin Firth, Her special licence that we, the
said Thomas Freeman Firth, Josiah Firth, Charles Henry Firth, and.
Edwin Firth, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such. others..
as we, the said Thomas Freeman Firth, Josiah Firth, Charles. Henry
Firth, and Edwin Firth, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Thomas. Freeman Firth,
Josiah Firth, Charles Henry Firth, and Edwin Firth, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and
scals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should par

page_text: ticularly 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 we, the said Josiah Firth and Edwin Firth,
on behalf of ourselves and the said Thomas Freeman Firth and Charles)
Henry Firth, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to
say:
These improvements have especial reference to hand looms and power
looms used in the weaving of carpets, or to woollen, worsted, or other
fabrics, and consist of a simplified arrangement of parts whereby we are
the better enabled to weave pieces in which considerable variation of
the "shed" is required to obtain the requisite pattern or design. For
this purpose we use two treadles or levers, each of which communicates
by means of an overhead lever with an arrangement now described.
Above the loom and over the healds we mount a small framework pro-
vided with a horizontal "card cylinder" on either side. Between each
cylinder and the framework hang a series of vertical metal plates or
strips connected to a cross bar, and so placed relatively to each card
cylinder that upon any given peg upon the cylinder coming in contact
with any one of the metal plates or strips it yeilds inwards or towards
the framework, and so presses a horizontal pin (having an oblong slot in
its centre part) through which passes a vertical flattened needle or
tabbie," the lower end of which is connected to one of the healds (by
means of cord), whilst the upper end (which has a hook formation) is
connected by a cord passing over a pulley swinging from the top of the
framework to an adjoining needle or tabbie and consequent heald. On
either side of the two rows of needles, connected as before named to their
relative healds, passes a horizontal lever having its fulcrum in the front
part or side of the loom, and connected with the treadle lever arrange-
ment before referred to. Each of such horizontal levers is raised and
permitted to fall by its respective "treadle" or lever connection at the
will of the weaver, and in connection with such horizontal levers are
vertical catch levers which act upon the card cylinders and cause
them to make the requisite portion of a revolution. By so doing the
"

page_text: pegs of the cards or lathes press upon the metal strips referred to,
which in turn press upon the horizontal pins named, and thus cause the
needles or "tabbies" to incline, that is to say, not to allow the respective
horizontal levers alluded to to catch them (by reason of their hook
formation) in their ascent. By this action that portion of the warp not
required to be in "shed" is left down, whilst other portions so required
are raised accordingly. We may here add that another vertical catch
lever is placed upon the opposite side of the card cylinder ends when it
is required to "back" the loom in consequence of a flaw or from other
reason. In the bottom part of the loom and under the healds are placed
a double series of levers (each series having reference to its own treadle)
swinging on central fulcra and connected at either end by means of
strings with the under sides of the healds, each end being connected to
separate but contiguous healds with the object of assisting the upper
portion of the apparatus in its functions. Cords with weights or springs
are connected to each upper end of the healds for the purpose of
retaining those not in position for shedding "taut," and also for the pur-
pose of easing the strain upon the vertical needles or "tabbies." By the
above arrangement the weaver is enabled to change the required part of
the "shed," the remainder being stationary, and both treadles being
down whilst the shuttle is passed through the "shed") by raising the
foot on the side requiring to be changed and then pressing down again,
the card cylinder being acted upon and a fresh "shed" made when the
foot is raised. One of the advantages accruing from the above-named
arrangement is that the weaver is enabled to work with greater ease.
The advantage of this machine is that it changes that portion of the
shed requiring to be changed in order to form the figure in the cloth or
fabric being woven whilst the rest of the "shed" remains stationary in
its "open
or "shed" state, a result not hitherto accomplished in
"jacquard" or witch machines as applied to carpet weaving, and thus
by this process or means the friction of the warp and the consequent
case to the weaver, as well as the saving of the material, are attained to
a considerable degree.

page_text: Figure 1 shows a side elevation of our improved jacquard apparatus,
Figure 2 an end elevation, and Figure 3. a longitudinal vertical section
of the same.
Letters A denote the framework; letters C the card cylinders, one on
either side retained in position by the spring clips c, which clip the
notches in one end of each box; letters d denote the metal strips secured
in the frame d¹, and upon the lower ends of which the card pins press
directly, causing such strips to press (see Figure 3) upon the horizontal
pins d', which latter in turn cause the respective flattened hooked
needles or "tabbies" to incline outwards dependent upon the side from
which the pressure comes; it may be here noted that the lower end of
each needle or "tabbie" d³ passes through a hole in the bar f, which
acts as a fulcrum, such lower end being connected by cord in the usual
manner with its respective heald. The hooked upper end of each needle
or "tabbie" is connected with the one contiguous to it, also by means
of a cord passing over the pulley g', such pulley being suspended by an
india-rubber spring passing over the rods h. Letters i, i, show the levers
(the fulcra of which are not shown) which pass through the apparatus
working in the slots ¹, and having a reciprocating motion imparted
by treadle or other mechanical equivalent, their outer ends being assisted
in like manner. When the jacquard is at rest the hook of each needle
rests upon its respective lever i, but when in motion the operation
previously described causes the needles respectively to avoid (by
inclining towards the centre of the machine) the upward action of
the lever, and thus avoid raising the heald to which they are con-
nected and forming a shed. The right-angled forked levers f, f, clip
the levers i, i, and consequently receive motion from the same, and thus
impart motion to catches-g (which have their fulcra in the levers f),
and which rotate the boxes or card cylinders in the manner usual in
such cases. By attaching a cord to the catches g and passing it through
the fork the "backing" motion in case of a flaw is at the will of the
weaver. It will be obvious that tappets, or cams, or their mechanical
equivalents may be used in the case of power looms for imparting the
requisite reciprocating motion to the respective levers named. The card
boxes and appurtenances may be of usual construction.

page_text: Having now described the nature of our Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, we wish it to be understood that
what we claim is, the production of a "shed" formed by a double action
or double tread of the apparatus, usually produced by the use of a con-
siderable number of "treadles," by the means shown and described,
without confining ourselves to precise details of description.
In witness whereof, we, the said Josiah Firth and Edwin Firth,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twentieth day of
January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-nine.
Witness,
PHILIP H. SHARP,
Agent to the Patentees,
18, East Parade, Leeds,
Exchange Passage, Bradford.
JOSIAH FIRTH. (L.S.)
EDWIN FIRTH. (L.S.)