CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER LOOMS CONSTRUCTED ON WHAT IS CALLED THE LOOSE REED' PRINCIPLE
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Foulds, Overlooker, and William Bracewell,
Manufacturer, both of Barnoldswick, near Colne, in the County of Lan=
caster, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER LOOMS
CONSTRUCTED ON WHAT IS CALLED THE LOOSE REED' PRINCIPLE."
Sealed the 14th November 1856, and dated the 15th May 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Foulds and-
William Bracewell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with.
their Petition, on the 15th May 1856.
We, ROBERT FOULDS, Overlooker, and WILLIAM BRACEWELL, Manufacturer,
both of Barnoldswick, near Colne, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER
LOOMS CONSTRUCTED ON WHAT IS CALLED THE LOOSE REED PRINCIPLE," to be as
follows:-
Our Invention applies solely to looms constructed on what is called the
"loose reed" principle.
First, a small finger is applied to the backboard of the stay, for the purpose
of keeping the loose part on the backboard firm until the shuttle passes by it,
when the shuttle misses boxing, and is caught in the edge or selvage of the
warp. This finger liberates the loose backboard, which has hitherto always
been held by the ordinary plate spring, which improvement will prevent the
shuttle from being thrown out of its course whilst passing to the other box. I

page_text: Secondly, we provide a guide or conductor for the shuttle betwixt the end
of the reed and the backboard, which guide falls back when the reed_flies
out; and when the reed is replaced, the finger above-named and this shuttle
conductor re-adjust themselves, and thereby prevent the breaking the twist
or warp.
Thirdly, this Invention allows of the shuttle being loose in the box at
the time of "picking;" this is accomplished by a lever connected between
the "crank arm" of the loom and the swell in the shuttle box, which stays the
shuttle by means of the swell at the time of entering the box, and also liberate
the shuttle at the time of picking; or this part of the Invention may be
worked by any other suitable means equivalent to the above-named lever, in
order to effect this object in looms constructed with a loose reed."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Foulds and William Bracewell in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 15th November 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
FOULDS, Overlooker, and WILLIAM BRACEWELL, Manufacturer, both of Bar-
noldswick, near Colne, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said Robert
Foulds and William Bracewell, Her especial license that we, the said Robert
Foulds and William Bracewell, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Robert Foulds and William Bracewell, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER
LOOMS CONSTRUCTED ON WHAT IS CALLED THE LOOSE REED' PRINCIPLE," upon the
condition, amongst others, that we, the said Robert Foulds and William
Bracewell, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under
the band and seal of one of us, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-

page_text: formed, 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.
per-
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Foulds, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
Our Invention applies solely to looms constructed on what is called the
"loose reed" principle.
First, a small finger is applied to the backboard of the slay, for the purpose
of keeping the loose part on the backboard firm until the shuttle passes by it,
when the shuttle misses "boxing," and is caught in the edge or selvage of
the warp. This finger liberates the loose backboard, which has hitherto always
been held by the ordinary plate spring, which improvement will prevent the
shuttle from being thrown out of its course whilst passing to the other box.
Secondly, we provide a guide or conductor for the shuttle betwixt the end
of the reed and the backboard, which guide falls back when the reed flies
out; and when the reed is replaced, the finger above-named and the shuttle
conductor re-adjust themselves, and thereby prevent the breaking of the twist
or warp.
Thirdly, this Invention allows of the shuttle being loose in the box at the
time of "picking;" this is accomplished by a lever connected between the
"crank arm " of the loom and the "swell" in the shuttle box, which stays
the shuttle by means of the swell at the time of entering the box, and also
liberates the shuttle at the time of "picking;" or this part of our Invention
may be worked by any other suitable means equivalent to the above-named
lever, in order to effect this object in looms constructed with a "loose reed."
In order that this Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, we have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings, Fig. 1 being made
upon a scale of about one inch and a half to the foot, and Figs. 2 and 3 about
one quarter the real size, and having similar letters of reference marked upon
corresponding parts of the apparatus throughout all the Figures.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a power loom to which the "loose reed".
principle is applied, and shews principally the yielding backboard and "swell "
in the shuttle box, and also the position of the guide or conductor designed
for the purpose of securing the true throw of the shuttle. Fig. 2 is a detail
view of one shuttle box and its adjacent apparatus, which illustrates more fully
the novel method of actuating the guide by means of the "loose reed" motion,
and also the connection of the same with the backboard by means of the finger

page_text: 1
applied thereto.. Fig..8 is a plan view of the shuttle box, as shewn in Fig. 2,
exhibiting more particularly the lever and rod in connection with the "crank,
arm and "swell" for retaining and liberating the shuttle in its box at the
requisite times.
"
In Fig. 2, a, a, is the shuttle box, at the back of which is situated the
backboard b, which is attached to the guide c by means of the finger d, each
of which parts receive motion from the pressure of the shuttle, and are re-
adjusted by means of the "loose reed motion "e; the swell f is actuated by
apparatus placed behind the backboard, and in connection with the crank arm,
as will be seen in Fig. 3, in which the finger g moves, the lifts, the spring h
constantly pressing upon the swell ƒ by the action of the lever i, which receives
motion from the crank shaft k, being connected thereto by the "bush" or
"bearing" l.
i
The action of the various parts, and of the combination of such parts, will be
more easily understood upon reference to the Drawing, and the following expla-
nation descriptive of the operation of the same. When the shuttle is struck
through the "race," it presses against the "reed," and the back plate retaining
such "reed," being a connection with the spring and "loose reed motion,"
allows the reed to give way.for the shuttle to pass at the same instant the
guide c and backboard b are depressed, and the swell falso is removed by the
finger d. The shuttle may now enter the box free from any pressure which
might cause it to deviate from its true course, and thus complete its "race,"
but immediately the shuttle passes the reed guide and loose backboard they are
re-adjusted by the "loose reed motion," and the finger d releases the spring h,
and thus allows the "swell "f to retain the shuttle firmly in the box until the
"picking motion" again comes into action for the succeeding
throw," upon
which the "swell" is again removed, and the loose backboard guide and reed
give way for its clear passage, as before, until it "boxes" at the opposite end
of the loom, and so on at every "pick" of the shuttle throughout any length
of weaving.
65
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention, together
with one method of carrying the same into practical effect, we wish it to be
'distinctly understood that we claim,-
First, the application and use of the guide or conductor c, in connection with
and actuated by. the same mechanism as the "loose reed," used to ensure the
.more true course of the shuttle..
Secondly, the employment of a "loose backboard," worked by the same
mechanism, and for the above-named purpose.
: And, lastly, we claim the novel method of releasing and retaining the

page_text: shuttle by means of the lever and finger in connection with the crank arm
and spring pressing upon the swell, together with the general arrangement of
machinery or apparatus for effecting the above-named purposes, and as have
been herein-before described and set forth, and fully exhibited in the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Foulds, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
ROBERT FOULDS. (L.8.)