IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert William Sievier, of Upper Holloway,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, and James Crosby, of
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer, for the
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert William.
Sievier and James Crosby at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 14th June 1853.
We, ROBERT WILLIAM SIEVIER and JAMES CROSBY, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS
FOR WEAVING" to be as follows:-
Our Invention refers, firstly, to looms in which several shuttles
are employed, and our object is to effect the necessary motions for
bringing them coincident with the shed, without the necessity for
raising or lowering the boxes through a space equal to the vertical
distance which the number of shuttles employed would occupy.
This we eflect by using a rising box at either side of the loom, and
dividing the shuttles between the races thereof, one or more addi-
tional, or, as they may be termed, receiving, races, being also adapted.

page_text: Thus, for instance, suppose it desired to weave with eight shuttles, we
place four of these on each side of the loom, and cause each one as
picked from the left to be received by an additional race brought to the
proper level on the opposite side, those from the right being in like
manner received by an additional race on the left. By this arrange-
ment the whole extent of change for eight shuttles may be effected by
causing each of the receiving races to move through four spaces only,
for by that motion each one is capable of receiving four shuttles. We
have mentioned one receiving race at each side, but we sometimes
employ two or more. There is an arrangement to stop the loom by
swells placed in the moveable boxes when the shuttles are not properly
picked. Our Invention also consists in a method of changing the tie
of the warp threads; this we accomplish by means of a cam moved at
required intervals so as to shift a pegged barrel which forms the shed
along its shaft.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert William Sievier and James Crosby in the
Great Scal Patent Office, on the 14th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
ROBERT WILLIAM SIEVIER, of Upper Holloway, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Gentleman, and JAMES CROSBY, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Robert William Sievier and James
Crosby, Her special license that we, the said Robert William Sievier
and James Crosby, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Robert William Sievier and James Crosby, 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, ex-

page_text: ercise, 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 Robert William Sievier and James Crosby,
by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under the
hand and seal of one of us, should particularly 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 I, the said Robert William Sievier, on
behalf of myself and of the said James Crosby, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
Our Invention refers, firstly, to loonis in which several shuttles are
employed, and the object of our improvement is to effect the necessary
motions for changing the shuttles, and bringing them, as required, into
a position coincident with the shed, without the necessity for raising or
lowering the shuttle boxes through a space cqual to the vertical
distance which the number of shuttles would occupy. This object is
effected by using a rising or moveable compound box at both sides of
the loom, and mounting the same on centres or pins on which the box
may turn for the purpose of bringing each section of the box, when
desired, into operation. The shuttles are divided or separated between
the races or boxes of this compound rising box, and one or more
additional receiving races, as they may be termed, may also be adapted.
Thus, for instance, suppose it be desired to weave with eight shuttles,
we propose to place four of these in the boxes on each side of the loom,
and cause each shuttle as it is picked from the left to be received by an
additional empty race or box brought to the proper level on the
opposite side, and those shuttles from the right are in like manner
received by an additional empty race or box on the left; we prefer
placing this empty or receiving box midway of the five boxes or
divisions of the shuttle boxes, as will be seen in the Drawings.

page_text: By this arrangement the whole extent of change for eight shuttles
may be effected by causing each of the receiving shuttle boxes or
races to move through five spaces only, for by that motion cach one of
the empty races or boxes is capable of receiving the four shuttles
picked right and left, but the shuttle must always be picked into its
original race or box before a change of the shuttle takes place.
We have mentioned one empty or receiving box or race at each side,
but we sometimes employ two or more if it be desired to add to the
numbers of picks.
An arrangement to stop the loom may be adapted and worked by
swells placed in the moveable boxes, which swells, when the shuttles are
not properly picked, will not be pressed back, and will consequently
allow a finger catch or "crab" to act on the throwing off lever and
stop the loom in the usual manner.
Our Invention also consists in a method of changing the tie of the
warp threads; this we accomplish by means of a cam and levers moved
at required intervals so as to act on a rising piece which brings a row
of needles, wires, or rods into contact with a jacquard cylinder or
barrel, which thereby causes the warp threads to be acted upon and
drawn up, and the shed formed by means of the ordinary headles or
harness.
In order, however, that our several improvements may be clearly
understood we have shewn in the accompanying Drawings various views
of arrangements or constructions whereby they may be carried into
effect.
The first part of our Invention, which consists in producing the
variations in the pattern of the work by the employment of a number
of shuttles mounted in moveable shuttle boxes, is shown in the several
Figures in Sheet I., in which Fig. 1, is a back elevation of a loom con-
structed according to our improvements, and Fig. 2, is a side elevation,
the shuttle boxes being shewn in section. Fig. 3, Sheet II., is a
partial plan view of Figures 1, and 2. A, A, is the stationary framing;
B, the batten, which is suspended from above by the sword C, and
D, is the crank shaft; E, E, are the moveable shuttle boxes, each
containing five cells, boxes, races, or receptacles for the shuttles; these
boxes are mounted upon shafts F, that have their bearings in brackets

page_text: projecting from the batten B. Upon the shafts F, are placed arms G,
which are connected to the levers I, by the rods I; these levers rest
upon and are actuated by cams J, J, mounted upon the horizontal
shaft K; upon this shaft is also mounted a star wheel I, that works in
contact with the surface wheel M, mounted on the stud N, projecting
from the framing. Upon the boss of this wheel M, is placed a bevil
wheel O, that gears into the bevil wheel P, on the shaft Q, on the
lower end of which is another bevil wheel R, gearing into a bevil
wheel S, on the crank shaft; a, is a spring lever mounted on the inner
face of the surface wheel M; b, is a vertical sliding piece that is raised
when required by the excentric c, and retained in an elevated position
by the catch d.
Having thus briefly pointed out the different parts of this contrivance
we will now proceed to explain their operation which is as follows:--
When a suflicient length of pattern has been produced of one design or
colour, and it is desired to effect a change in the pattern, the attendant,
by means of the winch handle e, turns the shaft f, one revolution, which
by means of the excentric c, raises the vertical sliding piece b, into the
position shewn in the Drawing, in which position it is held by the
catch d, as shewn in Fig. 2; and as the lever A, is carried round by
the surface wheel M, the end a, of the said lever will come in contact
with the curved part of the sliding piece b, and will thereby be forced
outward, as seen in Fig. 1, the opposite end being at the same time
moved in the contrary direction. The finger or pin a', of the lever or
carrier is projected inwards so that as it comes round it will engage
with the star wheel L, and turn it one eighth of a revolution, and the
cams J, J, being mounted upon the same shaft as the star wheel will
also turn a like distance, and through the agency of the levers and
rods I, II, and I, I, will change the positions of the shuttle boxes, and
bring another shuttle with different colored weft or material, or the
same material, so that if one shuttle is empty of weft it will not be
necessary to stop the loom to reshuttle.
It was said that the finger a', of the lever a, was forced inwards so
as to turn the star wheel, and thereby effect a change of pattern in the
work, but as this is only desirable at certain intervals it is necessary to

page_text: withdraw the pin or finger a¹, so as not to act upon the star wheel at
every revolution. This is effected by means of the projection h, on the
surface wheel M, which (as it revolves) strikes against the arm d, of
the catch lever d, and causes it to release the piece b, which im-
mediately descends below the range of the part a", of the lever a, thus
allowing the spring i, to force back the upper end of that lever, and
withdraw the finger a', from its working position.
It will be seen by reference to Fig. 2, that the shuttle boxes are pro-
vided with projecting arms g, g, that at every backward movement of
the batten (as seen by dots in Fig. 2.) enter a narrow groove or slot k,
for the purpose of bringing the box exactly into its proper position with
respect to the shuttle race at the time the shuttle is thrown.
The pick 7, by which the shuttles are thrown, may be actuated in the
usual way,
and the finger or "crab" or stopping apparatus m, may also
be arranged and constructed in the ordinary manner, the spring swells
in the shuttle boxes n, n, (see enlarged view, Figures 4, and 5, Sheet
II.,) being successively brought in contact with the bent arm o*, of the
stop motion as the positions of the shuttle boxes become changed.
In the arrangement just described the machinery by which the
change of shuttle is effected is applied to a loom that has its batten
swung from above, but it may sometimes be necessary to accomplish
the same object in a loom where the pivot or axle on which the batten
oscillates is placed below, as in the arrangement shewn in Sheet III.,
wherein Fig. 6, is a side elevation of a loom, and Fig. 7, is a back
elevation of the same. A, indicates the framing; B, the batten resting
on its swords C; D, is the crank shaft; and E, the moveable shuttle
boxes provided with projecting arms g, between which the stationary
wedge pieces k, enter, when the batten is drawn back (as shewn by dots
in Fig. 6,) for the purpose of bringing the boxes very accurately into
their proper positions at the time of throwing or picking the shuttle.
The star wheel is shewn at L, bolted to one of the cams J, J; M, is
the surface wheel fixed on the boss of the toothed wheel N, which is
mounted on the stud O, projecting from the framing. This wheel N,
gears into and receives its motion from a toothed wheel P, on the crank
shaft D, of the loom. Upon the stud O, is also mounted another

page_text: wheel Q, that is caused to turn with the surface wheel M, by means of
the pin or finger R, projecting into that wheel (see Fig. 7). Now,
when it is required to produce a change of pattern or shuttle, as before
mentioned, the weaver or attendant by means of the lever S, forces
down the wedge T, which, as it descends, presses forward the disc
wheel Q, and causes the pin R, to advance a sufficient distance to
engage with and turn the star wheel L, one eighth of the circle as it
comes round, and thereby actuate the cams J. J, which, by acting upon
the levers and rods U, U, and V, V, will cause the shuttle boxes to
move in the manner in which the cam may be arranged to make them,
and thereby effect a change of shuttles, but immediately this takes
place it is necessary to withdraw the pin R, so as to prevent it from
acting again upon its next revolution upon the star wheel L. This is
done by means of a snail cam W, fixed on the face of the disc wheel Q,
which, as it revolves in the direction of the arrow, acts against the
lower end of the wedge T, and forces it up into the position shewn in
Fig, 2, and thus allows the spring X, to force back the disc wheel Q,
and with it the tooth or pin R.
The several Figures in Sheet IV. represent the arrangements
which constitute the second part of our improvements. Figures 8,
and 9, are partial views of a loom with this part of our improvements
adapted thereto. The movements of the harness to form the tie or
pattern being governed by means of a star and tappet motion working
in conjunction with a rotating barrel or cylinder similar to a jacquard
apparatus, the object of which arrangement is to facilitate the pro-
duction of fabrics of various ties or designs.
A, is the framing of the loom; B, the crank shaft; C, the tappet
shaft. a, a, is a series of hooks from which the headles or harness b,
is suspended. These hooks when in their quiescent state rest by means
of the enlargement at a, upon the horizontal bar D, of the framing;
c, c, is a series of horizontal needles, wires, or rods, corresponding in
number to the hooks a, a; these rods c, are provided at one end with
slots, through which the rods a, a, pass; there are also other openings
at d, (see Fig. 12,) made in these rods to receive the ends of the
springs e, e, Fig. 8, which springs force the rods c, towards the jacquard

page_text: cylinder or barrel f, f, and thus keep the hooks of the rods a, a, clear
of the grife g, when the said rods are not required to be raised; h, is a
band of cards passed around the cylinder or barrel f. These cards and
the jacquard cylinder are perforated with holes in the usual way, and
according to the pattern of the work required to be produced; i, j, k,
and 1, are levers and rods through which the jacquard motion is
actuated by means of a crank m, on the crank shaft B. n, is a lever
having its fulcrum at a, the other end being connected by the rod p, to
the up and down sliding piece q, through which the ends of the rods c, c,
project; r, is a cam having different elevations upon it to suit the
rising and falling of the sliding piece ; it is placed upon the same
shaft on which is mounted a star wheel s, that is actuated at intervals
by the tooth t, of the surface wheel *, which receives its motion from
the tappet shaft C, through the bevel gearing u, u, as shown in the
Drawing at Figures 8, and 9. Although the wheel *, receives a con-
tinuous motion from the tappet shaft, the tooth t, with which the
wheel, is furnished, is so contrived as to be capable of being with-
drawn or slidden inwards, so as not to engage at every revolution with
the star wheels, but only at such times as the pattern of the work
is required to be varied; in that case the tooth t, is slidden inwards, and
caused to project by means of the lever w, (see the enlarged detached
views, Figures 13, and 14,) which, in order to prevent confusion, is
only partially shewn in Figures 8, and 9. The mode of operating upon
this connecting and disconnecting gearing is as follows-When it is
advisable to effect a change in the tie the weaver by means of the
lever w, forces in towards the surface wheel t, the clutch plate,
which has attached to it the tooth t, and as the surface wheel t, and
clutch plate a, revolve together, the tooth t, enters a notch of the star
wheels, at s, and causes it to revolve one sixth of a revolution; but in
order to prevent the tooth t, from operating upon the star wheel at the
next revolution a snail cam y, strikes against the lever w, at the point,
and causes it to draw back the plate a, and tooth t, into the position
shewn in Fig. 13, so that as it revolves it may turn the star wheel one
division of a revolution, and the cam r, being mounted upon the same
shaft as the star wheel will also revolve a like distance and act upon

page_text: the lever n, which, by means of the rod p, will raise or lower the
slider q, bringing the single row of the ends of the needles, wires,
or rods c, into one or other of the dotted positions (as shewn in the
Drawing), and opposite a different row of holes or perforations in the
cards h, so that as the cylinder or barrel f, operates one only of the
three lines of perforations on the cards 1, 2, 3, Fig. 10, will actuate
the rods c, and hooked rods a, the other two rows, as before mentioned,
being designed to produce different patterns of work when the work-
ing positions of the rods c, c, is changed and brought opposite to them
as before described. Three rows are only introduced here, but four,
five, or more may be as easily worked, and a different "tie" may be cut
in the card for each row.
In the above-described arrangement the alteration of the "tie" or
pattern is effected by means of gearing in connection with the tappet
shaft, and is consequently self-acting or nearly so. It may sometimes
be desierable to effect such alteration in the changing of the "tie" or
pattern more directly by hand, to save expense in machinery; in that
case we should use the arrangement delineated in red, and shewn in
Figures 8, and 9, and in plan in Fig. 11; the apparatus before
described for effecting the same purpose being removed or not placed
in the loom. The can or tappet E, which by means of the lever F,
governs the working position of the rods c, c, is mounted upon the stud
of a bracket G, projecting from the framework; to this cam E, is also
affixed a lantern wheel E, so that when the cam is required to be
turned for the purpose of changing the pattern of the work the weaver
or attendant, by means of the hooked rod H, pulls partially round the
lantern wheel, and with it the cam E, thereby altering the position of
the rods c, in the manner above noticed. It will be necessary to key the
cam E, and the lantern wheel E, inust be keyed to move stiffly upon
the stud of the bracket G, so that it may keep the position it is turned
to when operated upon by the hook lever F.
We have hitherto only mentioned the movement of the needles,
wires, or rods into different positions, as seen by the dotted lines at c,
Fig. 8, by elevating or depressing the plate q, and we consider this the

page_text: best mode; but, if it should be preferred by any person, the square
jacquard cylinder might be made to rise up or down, and the same
result effected. All that is desired is to cause the row of needles, wires, or
rods to be acted upon by any of the rows of holes punctured in the
cards, whereby a change of tie is effected; the mode of cutting the cards
is well understood by jacquard weavers. In the Drawings they are
shewn as working in what weavers call a "standing bottom," but the
apparatus can be applied to a lifting and falling shed.
Having now described our improvements in looms for weaving, and
the best means with which we are at present acquainted for carrying
the same into effect, we would observe, in conclusion, that we do not
mean or intend to confine ourselves to the precise arrangement or con-
struction of parts herein shewn and described, as they may perhaps be
varied without departing from the nature and object of our Invention;
nor do we intend to claim the exclusive right to moveable or shifting
compound shuttle boxes, as we are aware that heretofore several
shuttles have been used in the same loom in regular succession by
means of rising and falling or revolving shuttle boxes; but that which
we consider to be new in the above-described improvements, and
therefore wish to claim as the Invention secured to us by Letters
Patent as aforesaid, is,-
First, the construction and application on both sides of the loom of a
compound shuttle box, as above set forth. Also the means or arrange-
ment of parts, or any mere modification thereof, for actuating the same,
and also holding or retaining the box in the required position, as
described, while the shuttle is being thrown; this mode of holding or
retaining the shuttle boxes we claim, if adapted to regulate the position
of the rising of falling boxes now in use.
Second, we claim the method shewn in Sheet IV. of varying the tie
or pattern by means of altering the position of the ends of the needles,
wires, or rods, as described, so that they may come into a line with a
different row of holes punched in the cards, and in the cylinder of the
jacquard apparatus. We claim the application of the jacquard appa-
ratus for this purpose, whether it be actuated in the way shewn, or by

page_text: causing the jacquard cylinder to move up or down, whereby a different
row of holes in the cards may be brought into a proper position with the
ends of the needles, wires, or rods to effect the same purpose.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert William Sievier, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of Decem-
ber, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three.
R. W. SIEVIER (L.S.)
Witnessed by
R. M. SIEVIER,
of Louviers, France (Empire of),
but now residing.in London.