IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GUIDING AND REGULATING THE WARP THREADS IN THE OPERATIONS OF WARPING, TAPE-SIZING, LOOMING, AND WEAVING."
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Anderton Carruthers, Reed Maker, and
Thomas Blackburn, Mechanic, both of Blackburn, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
GUIDING AND REGULATING THE WARP THREADS IN THE OPERATIONS OF
WARPING, TAPE-SIZING, LOOMING, AND WEAVING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Anderton Carruthers
and Thomas Blackburn at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 13th December 1858.
We, JOHN ANDERTON CARRUTHERS, Reed Maker, and THOMAS BLACKBURN,
Mechanic, both of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GUIDING
AND REGULATING THE WARP THREADS IN THE OPERATIONS OF WARPING, TAPE
SIZING, LOOMING, AND WEAVING," to be as follows:-
As a substitute for the comb or reed, we make or construct a partial tube of
any suitable metal or material with a longitudinal slot, and insert therein a
double or compound spiral spring with a longitudinal shaft through the centre
thereof, and on the said shaft, at the two extremities, we place right and left
hand screws, with the necessary nuts or apparatus for working the same, so
that by turning a handle, lever, or other suitable mechanical contrivance, we

page_text: are enabled to expand and contract the threads of the said spring equally and
to any desired pitch, by which a greater or less number of ends or threads of
the warp may be placed upon any given width.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Anderton Carruthers and Thomas Blackburn in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th June 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
ANDERTON CARRUTHERS, Reed Maker, and THOMAS BLACKBURN, Mechanic,
both of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said John Anderton Carruthers and Thomas Blackburn, Her special licence
that we, the said John Anderton Carruthers and Thomas Blackburn, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John
Anderton Carruthers and Thomas Blackburn, 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 APPARATUS FOR GUIDING AND REGULATING THE
WARP THREADS IN THE OPERATIONS OF WARPING, TAPE SIZING, LOOMING, AND
WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John
Anderton Carruthers and Thomas Blackburn, 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 we, the said John Anderton Carruthers and
Thomas Blackburn, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement (that is to say) :-
Our Invention consists in substituting for the ordinary comb or wraith used
in warping and sizing machines a double or compound spiral spring in con-

page_text: nection with a longitudinal shaft or rod, at the extremities of which we place
right and left hand screws, with the necessary nuts or apparatus for working
the same, so that by turning handles, levers, or wheels we are enabled to
expand or contract the threads or divisions of the springs equally to any
desired pitch, by which a greater or less number of ends or threads of the
warp may be placed upon any given width. We also place between the
divisions of the compound spiral springs peculiar forms of straight springs,
either in separate parts or in one entire piece, constituting the desired length
of the comb, or we place between the aforesaid divisions either split or solid
dents or teeth in single pieces, having holes at the bottom through which a
wire passes. The compound spiral springs are also used for a looming comb;
we also substitute for the ordinary reed a straight spring interlaced at the top
and bottom into spiral springs.
These improvements will be clearly understood by reference to the accom;
panying Sheet of Drawings, with the figures and letters of reference thereon.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one of our improved combs formed by com-
pound spiral springs; Fig. 2, an end view of the same; and Fig. 3, an end
view of the springs only. a represents the case or frame; b the two spiral
springs coiled one within the other. We pass through the interior of the
lower spring the rod or shaft c, having at its extremities the right and left
hand screws d and e, which fit corresponding nuts f and g, soldered or other-
wise fastened to the ends of the spring; the screws are acted upon either by
milled heads h or by lever handles shewn in Figs. 4 and 5. We also place
between the compound spiral springs either simple teeth or dents i, shewn at
Figs. 6 and 7, split dents k, at Figs. 8 and 9, with a wire passing through the
lower ends, or straight springs l, either in one entire piece or in separate parts,
one of which is shewn detached at Fig. 10, and seen placed in the springs at
Figs. 11 and 12. The lower spring, having a rod passing through the interior
is placed in a suitable case and furnished with screws, nuts, and handles
similar to those before described. The looming comb, shewn at Fig. 13, has
at the commencement of operations a rod m passing through the entire length
of the spring n; and after the spring o has divided the threads of the warp, a
rod is then passed through in order to hold them tight. Our improved reeds,
formed by the union of compound springs, may be made of any required size,
but at Figs. 14 and 15 we shew one of large dimensions adapted for a carpet
loom. The straight spring p is interlaced at the top into the single spiral
spring q, and at the bottom into another single spiral spring r. The divisions
or dents of the spring p are held stationary by the screws s and nuts t, there
being metal ribs u placed at the sides of the dent in order to maintain their

page_text: strength. For smaller reeds, we pass wood or metal ribs through the interior
of the single springs and screw their extremities with right and left hand
screws, furnished with nuts and knobs, so that the reed may be expanded or
contracted according to the desired pitch. When desired, we may substitute for
the screws any other suitable method or contrivance.
Having thus fully described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, we desire it to be distinctly understood
that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details herein set forth, as such
may be varied or modified without departing from the principle thereof; but
we claim as our Invention, and which to the best of our knowledge and belief
has not been hitherto used within the realm,-
Firstly, the application to warping and sizing. machines of improved combs
or wraiths composed of compound spiral springs coiled one within the other,
either with or without the addition of straight, solid, or split dents, or a
straight spring in a single piece or separate parts.
Secondly, the application to looms or other weaving machines of straight
springs interlaced into single spiral springs, either maintained at a stationary
width of dent or expanded or contracted as desired by screws and nuts, as all
such improvements are herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Blackburn, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Thomas Blackburn in
the presence of
THOMAS BLACKBURN. (L.S.)
:
THOMAS BLACKBURN. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Thomas Blackburn in
the presence of
E. J. HUGHES, Patent Agent,
Manchester.