AN IMPROVED KIND OF LOOM
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Durand, of Paris, in the Empire of
France, and of No. 16, Castle Street, Holborn, City, London, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED KIND OF LOOM."
Sealed the 8th September 1858, and dated the 15th March 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Durand
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th March 1853.
I, FRANÇOIS DURAND, of Paris, in the Empire of France, and of
16, Castle Street, Holborn (City), London, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED KIND OF LOOM" to be as
follows:-
Fig. 1, of the annexed drawings represents an elevation view of the
loom. Fig. 2, is a view of one of the extremities, and Fig. 3, the plan.
The same letters indicate the same parts in all the drawings.
loom.
Fig. 4, gives in detail the body or principal view or piece of the
It consists of a circular crank A, inwardly and outwardly
toothed, and sets in motion the pinions with which the crank of the

page_text: shuttle gears; the toothed rack A, is kept steady between two fixed
plate, on supports, and supporting the axes of the four pinions: these
pinions set in motion a shuttle Y, Fig. 8, which is set on a portion of
the rack gearing with two pinions, and which is maintained between
two fixed plates by two small guides entering in grooves made in this
plate; or, instead of the rack A, a rack inwardly toothed, and bearing
exteriorly a groove, and set in motion by a band or strap, may be used.
The shuttle Y, is moved by the action of its rack, which has a circular
motion, and by this motion it passes between the threads of the chain
or warp, which are worked by means of harness.
In order to render this description more easily understood, the
motions of the warp and of the weft are described separately. The
warp is, as ordinary warps, rolled on the reels B, B; it passes thence on
the weight pulleys C, C, which keep it constantly stretched; and after
having passed between fixed glass rods D, D, it is developed hori-
zontally, and is kept in this position by a small moveable reed: it then
passes in the harness E, E, shown in blue lines, and from thence to the
comb F, which has sufficient height to allow the widening or the
opening of the threads of the warp.
At a short distance beyond this reed, the warp, properly speaking,
no longer exists; it is united to the weft, and forms the fabric. The
warp is divided in three parts, one of which remains immoveable and
horizontal, and the other two parts are alternately raised and lowered
by the motion of the harness. It is in the two openings formed by
these three portions of the warp that the shuttle and the thread of the
weft pass. The warp can, however, for the manufacture of ordinary
fabrics, be divided in two parts instead of three. In the drawings, the
arrangement of the machinery is such as may be used for the manufac-
ture of gold lace, and in this case the warp is generally divided in three
portions.
The motion of the harness is obtained thus:-First, the crank
handle G, is set in motion, and works all the moveable parts of the
loom. The shaft H, on which it is mounted, transmits its motion by
means of two conical pinions on the shaft I; the latter boars a cam J,
Fig. 5, which raises and lowers by means of a guide, which it carries.

page_text: The rod K, to facilitate this motion, is furnished with a roller, and it is
on it that the cam acts: at the extremity of the rod K, is jointed a
connecting rod or crank, whose other extremity is connected with the
crank handle M, fixed on the shaft, on which is likewise fixed the
roller N, supporting the harness. In consequence of the alternate
motion communicated to this roller by the crank handle M, of the
connecting rod L, of the rod K, and of the cam J, the harness will
have a light motion; some will lower while the others ascend. A
roller O, serves to maintain the harness under the loom, and to secure
it the necessary to-and-fro motion: the shuttle carries the thread of the
weft, and moves, as herein-before described, under the action of the rack
A, and the latter is moved by a wheel P, fixed on the shaft I. The
reed F, through which the threads of the warp are passed, is placed so
as not to impede the motion of the shuttle Y, Fig. 8; but when the
latter has passed between the threads of the warp, the reed advances
and presses against the fabric already made the thread of the weft
that the shuttle has left on its passage. The rods supporting this reed
slide in two guides fixed on the supports Q, Q, and are jointed to the
extremity of a forked lever R, Fig. 6, fixed by its lower extremity on
the table of the loom. A rod S, is jointed to this lever, and gives it
an alternate to and fro motion. This rod has at its extremity a roller
resting on the cam T, mounted on the shaft H.
This cam is represented in Fig. 7, and is furnished with a guide to
draw the pulley back after having thrown it forward; and it is so placed
as to set in motion the reed F, when the shuttle is out of the threads
of the warp, and before the harness have accomplished their motion.
This arrangement of the circular loom allows two threads of the
weft to pass at each turn, one at the lower end, the other at the upper
extremity, at each motion of the harness. Besides this advantage, a
greater may be obtained by using two shuttles instead of one: they
should then be placed facing each other, and on the same diameter.
By the aid of these two shuttles, only half a turn is sufficient to
pass the two threads, because each will pass one, and that in setting in
motion the harness and the reed much more rapidly, which is very easy
by changing the form of the cams.
Fig. 7, represents the cam of the reed as it should be in this case

page_text: A double quantity of fabric will be made by this process in the same
time, without the shuttles going any quicker.
Fig. 9, represents an apparatus to manufacture the reels employed
for the shuttles; thus it will not be necessary to constantly renew the
reels, as is the case with ordinary loomis. To manufacture these reels I
use a rod, on which I place a body, in paper, and two portions of the
cylinder b, having their extremities bent inwards. These portions of
the cylinder are kept separate by the rod a, serving to maintain a series
of circular segments c, which gradually diminish in size: it is between
these segments that I roll the thread. To close the reel when it is full, I
take off the rod a, and can then displace the segments c, for the
cylindrical portions b, may join together; the latter are taken off in their
turn, and the thread reel remains on the paper body. It is then placel
in the shuttle, and is maintained there so as to unroll with uniformity.
This loom is furnished with a regulator for rolling up the manufactured
fabric, as well as all the accessories of an ordinary loom, and may be
made to manufacture, with great facility, all kinds of fabrics of the
shape of tubes. For this, two warps must be employed instead of one;
one underneath, and the other at the top, the same thread of the weft
passing in the two. The portions of the fabrics obtained by the two
warps will be united at the sides by the weft, and will present the shape
of a tube. Circular looms may, by a slight modification, be applied to
the manufacture of ribbons and of broché fabrics with several colors.
The warp remains always in the same position. The body of the loom
(Fig. 4,) remains also the same, only larger; and it bears as many
shuttles as there are colors employed; moreover, instead of being fixed
on supports, it is moveable, and may be raised or lowered at will, so as
to allow the shuttles to pass over or under or between the threads of the
warp. By this arrangement, and with a Jacquard mechanism to work
the threads of the warp, any design may be obtained, since such or such
a thread of the weft may be at will passed over or under such and such
thread of the warp.
Fig. 10, shows in black lines the body of the loom in one position,
and in red lines the second position when it is raised.
The warp
does not change its position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said François Durand, in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 15th September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
FRANÇOIS DURAND, of Paris, in the Empire of France, and of No. 16,
Castle Street, Holborn, City, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said François Durand, Her special licence
that I, the said François Durand, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said François Durand, my exccutors,
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, usc, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdon of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED KIND
OF LOOM," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said François
Durand, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 François Durand, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement (that is to say):
Fig. 1, of the drawings represents an elevation of the loom. Fig. 2,
is an end view of the same; and Fig. 3, a plan. The same letters
indicate the same parts upon all the figures of the drawings. Fig. 4,
represents in detail the principal part of the loom. It consists of a
centre gearing wheel piece A, toothed inside and outside, and causing
four pinions to move with which the gearing wheel of the shuttle

page_text: works. The centre gearing wheel pieco A, is held between two im-
moveable plates fixed upon supports, and supporting the axles of the
four pinions. These pinions cause a shuttle Y, to move, (see Fig. 8,)
which is mounted upon a portion of the centre wheel piece gearing
with two pinions, and which is held between the two immoveable plates
by two little guides entering into slots made in this plate. In place of
the centre gearing wheel piece A, a wheel, toothed interiorly, and
bearing exteriorly a groove like a pulley, may be employed: it may be
made to move by a cord or leather strap. The shuttle Y, shown larger
in Figure 8, is moved, by the action of the centre wheel gearing piece,
with a circular movement, and it thus passes between the threads of the
warp, which are worked by means of ordinary harness.
In order to render the following description easier and more intelligible,
I will describe separately the movement of the warp and that of the
weft. The warp is, as is in looms with a batten, upon the bobbins B, B:
it passes there over the pulleys by weights C, C, which hold it constantly
stretched; and after having passed between the fixed glass rods D, D,
it extends horizontally, and is held in this position by a small moveable
comb of reeds; it then passes through the harness E, E, which is in-
dicated upon the drawing by the blue lines, and thence into the comb
F, which is sufficiently high to permit the opening of the threads of the
warp. At a little distance further from this comb, the warp is discon-
tinued; it is joined to the weft and constitutes the tissue. The warp
is divided, as shown in the drawing, into three parts; one which
remains fixed and horizontal, and the two others which are alternately
raised and lowered by the movement of the harness. It is in the two
openings formed by these three portions of the warp that the shuttle
and the weft which it contains pass.
The warp may also be divided into two parts in place of three, which
depends upon the kind of tissue which is to be manufactured. The
movement of the harness is as follows:-The crank G, is put in motion,
which causes all the moveable parts of the loom to work; the axle H,
upon which it is fixed, transmits its motion to the wheel J, by the inter-
mediate wheel K. Upon the axle of the wheel J, are placed two
eccentrics L, L, which are altogether like those actually employed in

page_text: looms for weaving; these eccentrics act upon the levers or rods M, M,
with the extremity of which the harness E, E, communicates, and
passes over the roller N. The harness is arranged with the eccen-
trics L, L, so that the opening of the warp shall correspond with the
passage of the shuttle. The levers M, M, are furnished with rollers
for facilitating the movement of the eccentrics L, L, and they may be
lengthened or shortened to increase or diminish at will the opening
of the threads of the warp. The shuttle bearing the weft moves, as I
have before stated, by the action of the toothed bar A, which is moved
by the wheel P, fixed upon the axle I; this axle receives a movement
from the axle H, by means of two conical pinions. The comb F, in
which the threads of the warp pass, is placed so as not to hinder the
motion of the shuttle Y. For this purpose it is arranged as shown in
the section, Fig. 4, and in Fig. 2. When the shuttle has passed between
the threads of the warp, the comb advances, and forces the thread of
the weft against the tissue already made. The comb is put in motion
by means of an eccentric Q, fixed upon the same axis as the eccentrics
has
L, L. Fig. 5, shows these ec in section. The eccer
a groove, in which a roller R, works, which is joined to the bar S;
this is fixed at its lower part by a bolt forming a hinge; and its upper
part, which is forked, is joined to the end of the rod T, which is
also forked, and passes across the body of the loom (which serves
as its guide), and is attached to the annular plate which supports
the comb (see Figs. 2, and 4). The comb and the annular plate
are arranged so as not to hinder the movement of the shuttle.
The projecting parts of the eccentric Q, cause the comb to advance
when the shuttle is passed; that is to say, when the different parts
of the warp are in a horizontal position. As is evident, this ar-
rangement of circular loom allows of passing two threads of the weft at
each turn, one above and one below, at each movement of the harness;
but, independently of this advantage, I can obtain one still greater by
employing two shuttles in place of one. They may be then placed
opposite one another, and upon the same diameter. It will be under-
stood, that by the aid of these two shuttles it is only necessary to cause
them to make a half turn to pass the two threads, since each of them

page_text: will pass one; and by making the harness and the comb move twice as
quickly (which is very easy), the double tissue will be made in the same
time, without the shuttles going quicker. Fig. 6, indicates (of the full
size) an apparatus serving to manufacture the large bobbins which I
use in my shuttles, in order that the bobbins need not be constantly
renewed, as is obliged to be done in looms with a batten. To manu-
facture these bobbins, I use a spindle a, around which I place a piece
of paper; and then two half cylinders b, having their edges (instead of
meeting together) turned outwards (see Fig. 6). These portions of the
cylinder, being kept separate by the spindle a, serve to hold a series of
circular segments c, diminishing in size. It is between these seginents
that I roll the thread for forming the bobbin. When they are full, I
remove the spindle a. I can then raise the segments c; for the semi-
cylindrical pieces b, may be brought nearer together. These are in
turn taken away, and the bobbin of thread rests upon the roll of paper.
It is then placed in the shuttle, where it unwinds uniformly, and without
becoming entangled. The loom is furnished with a regulator for the
unwinding of the tissue, manufactured like an ordinary loom.
This loom serves to manufacture with the greatest facility tubes for
pumps and all kinds of fabrics in form of tubes. Two warps might be
employed, one below and the other ahove, the same thread of weft
passing through both. Tho tissue obtained by the aid of two warps will
be found joined on both sides by the weft, and will present the form of
a tube.
The circular loom which I have above described may, by the aid
of a simple modification, be applied to the manufacture of ribbons
and striped tissues of many colours. I will indicate briefly how the
modification may be made The warp remains always in the same
position, and arranged in the same manner. That portion of the loom
shown in Fig. 4, also remains the same, only it is of larger dimensions,
and carries a shuttle of the colours desired to be employed; and, instead
of being fixed upon supports, it is moveable, and may be raised or
lowered at will, so as to permit the shuttles to pass above or below the
threads of the warp. It will be easily understood that, by the aid of
this arrangement, and a Jacquard to make the threads of the warp rise

page_text: and fall, any desired pattern may be made. Fig. 7, indicates in black
lines the centre wheel piece of the loom in one position, and the red
lines in another position, as it is when raised up; the warp does not,
however, change its position.
I claim, first, the circular loom, which I have described; this loom
being especially characterized by the circular movement of the shuttle,
and serving for the manufacture of all sorts of tissues.
Secondly, the arrangement of the same loom, which I have also
described, to manufacture ribbons and other striped tissues of one or
many colours.
Thirdly, the apparatus serving for the manufacture of bobbins of a
new form, as I have described, and which may be applied to the shut-
tles of looms with a batten, as well as to those of the circular loom of
my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Durand, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
FRANCOIS DURAND.
(L.S.)