IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE AND OTHER WEAVINGS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Crofts, of Derby Terrace, Nottingham Park,
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF LACE AND OTHER WEAVINGS."
Sealed the 4th November 1856, and dated the 14th May 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Crofts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
May 1856.
I, WILLIAM CROFTS, of Derby Terrace, Nottingham Park, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE AND OTHER WEAVINGS," to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to means of manufacturing various weavings
in looms of the character ordinarily employed in the production of bobbin net
lace, and so that lace and other ornament may, when desired, be interspersed
or combined with such weavings.
The improvements consist, first, in giving the traverse motion to weft thread
or threads by means of bars or carriers, to which motion is given during
the backward and forward motions of the bobbin carriages, in place of such
motion to the thread carrier being given only when the bobbin carriages are
either in the front or in the back. By thus continuing the motions of the thread

page_text: carriers during the backward & forward motions of the bobbin carriages, a
saving in time is effected as well as greater ease to such movements. In some
cases I use several such bars or, carriers to, operate upon several weft threads,
or several sets of weft threads capable of following each other with their
threads in succession, or otherwise, as may be desired, to carry like threads or
threads differing in colour or otherwise. Such adaptation of several bars or
carriers for carrying the weft across the machine is also applicable when it
may be desired to lay in the weft, during a rest of. the carriages, either in the
front or back combs.
Secondly, in the using of stopping or holding instruments to hold the thread
or threads during the movement of the bobbin carriages either to the front or
the back combs, till the lifting instruments come into position to lift such
threads to be taken by the points.
Thirdly, in the employment of such lifting instruments to raise the weft
threads into position for their being secured into the work; also in giving a
lifting movement at the times desired to the thread guides or carriers,, to cause
them to lift the weft threads in the way of the points.
Fourthly, in the application of stopping instruments to such machines
to stop their movements when weft threads break or otherwise fail, such
stopping instruments being operated by the weft threads to control' the
stoppage of the machine in the event of such breakage or failure of weft.
Fifthly, in causing the points, in that class of machinery where catch bars
are used, to dip, so as to penetrate between the catch bars and carriages as low
as the combs or the tops of the guides, in order to their properly taking hold
of and securing the weft and warp threads, & taking up the broken, or loose
bobbin threads to prevent entanglement of them; for this. purpose I prefer
to use bent points. With other classes of such machinery, where catch bars
are not used; I prefer to bring the points as near the guides as possible. In
most cases I prefer that the weft threads be supplied from bobbins or spools.
During the working it may be desirable to cause the weft threads to cease
operating or partly so, in order to make lace without weaving by the use
of suchi weft threads. I have supposed' in the working of the parts that
the bobbin carriages are, as is the general practice, below the work; but if
such are inverted, the parts constituting my improvements will be adapted' to
such altered relation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Crofts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th November 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CROFTS, of Derby Terrace, Nottingham Park, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth 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 me, the said
William Crofts, Her special licence that I, the said William Crofts, miy
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Crofts, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times tliereafter 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 THE MANUFACTURE
OF LACE AND OTHER WEAVINGS, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Crofts, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 William Crofts, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof:-
The improvements relate to means of manufacturing various weavings
in looms of the character ordinarily employed in the production of bobbin
nét lace, and so that lace and other ornament may, when desired, be inter-
spersed or combined with such weavings.
The improvements consist, first, in giving the traverse motion to weft thread
or threads by means of bars or carriers, to which motion is given during
the backward and forward motions of the bobbin carriages, in place of such
motion to the thread carrier being given only when the bobbin carriages are
either in the front or in the back; by thus continuing the motions of the
thread carriers, during the backward and forward motions of the bobbin
carriages, a saving in time is effected, as well as greater ease to such move-

page_text: ments. In some cases I use several such bars or carriers to operate upon
several weft threads, or several sets of weft threads capable of following each
other with their threads in succession, or otherwise, as may be desired, to carry
like threads, or threads differing in color, or otherwise. Such adaptation
of several bars or carriers for carrying the weft across the machine is also
applicable when it may be desired to lay in the weft, during a rest of the
carriages, either in the front or back combs.
Secondly, in the using of stopping or holding instruments to hold the thread
or threads during the movement of the bobbin carriages either to the front or
the back combs, till the lifting instruments come into position to lift such
threads to be taken by the points.
Thirdly, in the employment of such lifting instruments to raise the weft
threads into position for their being secured into the work; also, in giving a
lifting movement at the times desired to the thread guides or carriers, to cause
them to lift the weft threads in the way of the points.
Fourthly, in the application of stopping instruments to such machines
to stop their movements when weft threads break or otherwise fail, such
stopping instruments being operated by the weft threads to control the
stoppage of tho machine in the event of such breakage or failure of weft.
Fifthly, in causing the points, in that class of machinery where catch bars
are used, to dip, so as to penetrate between the catch bars and carriages as low
as the combs or the tops of the guides, in order to their properly taking hold
of and securing the weft and warp threads, and taking up the broken or loose
bobbin threads to prevent entanglement of them; for this purpose I prefer to
use bent points. With other classes of such machinery, where catch bars are
not used, I prefer to bring the points as near the guides as possible. In most
cases I prefer that the weft threads be supplied from bobbins or spools.
During the working it may be desirable to cause the weft threads to cease
operating, or partly so, in order to make lace without weaving by the use
of such weft threads.
In the working of the parts, hereafter given, the bobbin carriages are, as is
the general practice, below the work; but if such are inverted, the parts con-
stituting my improvements will be adapted to such altered relation. But that
the nature of my said Invention, and the means which I adopt in carrying the
same into effect may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe the
Drawings annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a section, full size, of some of the operating parts of a bobbin

page_text: tier of carriages, and having instruments adapted thereto for carrying out my
improvements; and I would here state that I have selected this class of twist
lace machine for the purpose of illustrating my Invention, as by causing
the carriages at each back or front motion to traverse further through the back
or front combs, and thereby be a longer period at each traverse from the
centre of the machine, I am enabled readily to obtain longer time for the
laying in of the weft thread or threads without the necessity for a pause
or dwell of the carriages whilst in the front or back combs. I do not, how-
ever, confine myself to this class of twist lace machinery; but when other
classes are employed, the parts for operating the carriages will be so arranged
as to give the extra time required for the lifting or taking up of weft above
the line of the tops of the carriages before they return between the warps.
Figure 2 shews a transverse section; Figure 3, a portion of a front view;
and Figure 4, a right hand end view of parts of a lace machine to a smaller
scale, in order to shew the means by which I give motion to the instruments
operating according to my improvements.. And I would also state that I
have not thought it necessary to shew and describe the ordinary and well-
known parts of the lace machine, except so far as would aid me in explaining
my improvements; and to simplify the description of the operating parts, I
will suppose that, apart from my improvements, by which I introduce weft
threads traversing from selvage to selvage, plain twist is to be produced by
the endway motion of the ordinary guides and a simple backward and forward
motion of the carriages. Other of the Figures show some of the parts more
in detail. In each of the views the same letters indicate like parts wherever
they occur. a, a, is the main and stationary framing; b is the back and main
cam shaft, on which is affixed the driving pulley for giving motion to the
machine; c is the middle cam shaft; and d, the front cam shaft. These
shafts c and d receive motion from the shaft b, and so that they may rotate at
equal speeds with it, but in directions indicated by the arrows. e is a row of
bobbin carriages, and f, f, the front and back combs in which they move.
The fluted roller lockers, for giving motion to the carriages, are so operated as
to give (as already stated) extra backward and forward motion to the car-
riages, and the extra distance, which I have found it convenient to cause the
carriages to traverse, is indicated (as respects their movement to the front) by
dotted lines in Figure 1 of the Drawings, though this may be varied. 9, J,
are ordinary guide bars with guides for conducting the warp threads supplied
from the warp roller h; i, i, are extra guides or thread carriers for conducting
weft threads according to my improvements. I do not, however, confine myself
to the character of weft thread carrier shown, so long as carrying instruments.

page_text: are used suitable to conduct weft. And, although I have shewn two guides or
instruments i as thread carriers, and the shaft from which they receive motion
is caused to rotate at a speed in relation to the main cam shaft, adapted to
the use of two guides or thread carriers i, other numbers of them may be
employed according to the number of weft threads desired to be introduced;
and as, according to the arrangement shown, like motion would be given to
cach thread carrier, differing only in the order and time of such motions, I
have considered it sufficient to explain the means adopted for operating only
one of the thread carriers and other of the parts acting with it. j, j, are the
ordinary bars of points which have motion given them by suitable connecting
means from cams, which, as shown in carrying out my improvements, are
somewhat varied from what would otherwise be employed in making plain
twist lace. is an extra bar of points, introduced for the purpose of taking
the weft thread up near to the fabric when raised into position for that
purpose by the instruments 1, 1. The guide or instrument i in operation is,
according to the arrangement shewn, affixed to a bar i', and it is caused to
move a distance rather more than that from selvage to selvage of the fabric,
either from left to right or from right to left, during the backward and
forward motions of the carriages, in place of such motion to the weft thread
carrier being obtained, as has heretofore been proposed, only when the car-
riages are either in the back or in the front combs, by which a considerable
saving in time is obtained. And, according to the arrangement shewn, this
motion to one thread carrier is effected during the movements of the carriages
from the front to the back combs, thence from back to the front, again to the
back, and thence to the front, the thread being raised when the carriages are
in the front; but by varying the speed of the shaft giving motion to the thread
guide or carrier, such guide or carrier may be caused to make its traverse
during such motion of the carriages from front to back or back to front, or
otherwise, as desired. But when thread is laid in at each backward and
forward motion of the carriages, two sets of points alternately to take such
weft thread will be required. And supposing the warp guides to have motions
given them by their wheels to produce simple twist, the weft thread will be
laid onto the front of the warp threads whilst the carriages are in the front;
and supposing also the warp threads to be shogged one gait to the left
previous to the carriages coming into the front, those warp threads will now
be shogged one gait to the right in order to the carriages passing them to the
the left in going into the back combs, when the warp threads will again be
shogged to the left previous to the carriages coming into the front combs, and
sa ou till the carriages have again gone to the back and come into the front,

page_text: when another portion of weft will be laid between their threads and the warp
threads; but this may be varied, and in place of the warp threads only having
endway motion given to them, the bobbin threads may also have motion given
them, or the warp and bobbin threads may be so operated that the bobbin
threads will tie the weft alternately on to the right and then the left of the
warp, thereby to produce a cross weaving, all which will depend upon the
character of twist lace or other weaving desired to be produced. And other
bars and threads may be introduced, operated by jacquard or other suitable
-pattern surfaces, to produce various descriptions of lace in combination with
the laying in of such weft threads or alternately thereof; and when plain or
tabby weaving is desired to be obtained either separately or in combination
with lace, there will have to be weft threads on each side of the warp threads,
to be alternately laid into the fabric with points adapted to lift at each traverse
of the carriages. This motion to the guide bar i I obtain in the following
manner:- -Upon the shaft or axis b is affixed a bevilled pinion 6', which takes
into and drives the bevilled pinion be, affixed upon the cross shaft.³ at the
right hand end of the machine, and so as to cause the shaft 6 to make four
revolutions to one of the shaft b. Upon this shaft is affixed a plate 22,
formed to receive and hold a pair of adjustable crank pins, ; the crank
pinis, by means of the connecting rod i,attached to one end of the lever 1,
which turns upon the fixed axis 7, and at its other end is connected to one
end of the link, which by a pin joint is connected to the bar . The
bar is supported within the frame by supports 220, as shown, and it is also
formed at its outer end where motion is given to it, as explained, with clips 2¹¹,
which partly embrace the fixed bar, so as to prevent the bar i springing
at that end. Whilst the carrier or instrument i is traversing from one
selvage to the other, after the laying in of weft thread, and during the giving
off of thread for the next laying in of weft, a stopping or holding instru-
ment m comes into operation to prevent the thread getting into the way of
the carriages in their traverse from one comb to the other. There is one
of these stopping or holding instruments m to each selvage of the fabric.
And supposing that the weft last laid in was obtained by the traverse of the
guide or instrument i from the right hand selvage to the left, and the guide
or instrument i is ready to move back to the right hand selvage for the giving
off of thread for the next inlay of weft, then previous to its doing so the point
of the stopping or holding instrument m at the left hand selvage goes in and
holds the thread by stopping it, so as to cause it to pass therefrom in a line
under the bottoms of the carriages, by which they will be free to make their
traverse during the movement of the guide or instrument i. By the time the

page_text: guide or instrument i has moved from the left selvage to the right the bobbin
carriages will have effected their to-and-fro motions, and will be in the front
combs, leaving a free passage for the portion of weft thread last given off to
be lifted up between the warp and bobbin threads, when the lifting instru-
ments 1, 1, one at each selvage, will be actuated so as by their points to take
that thread up into position to be lifted to the fabric by the extra points k
when those points come forward and rise for that purpose. But just when
the lifting instruments 1, 1, commence lifting the new portion of thread, the
instruments m, m, are simultaneously caused to recede, and when the instru-
ments 1, 1, have risen sufficiently high the instruments m, m, again enter, by
which the one at the left hand selvage will release its hold of the new portion
of thread, and the instrument m at the right hand selvage will enter to the
left of that portion of the weft thread held by the guide or instrument i, which
will now be standing to the right of it. The points k will then rise, taking
the portion of weft thread just laid on to them nearly up to the work, and
the carriages will take their motions from the front to the back combs, when
the guide will be shogged, as desired, and the carriages will return to the
front, as before referred to. The guide or instrument i will during these
movements of the carriages be passing back again from the right towards the
left selvage of the fabric, in this case leaving the weft thread caught by the
point of the instrument m at the right hand selvage, and so on alternately
with each traverse of the guide or instrument i.
When two or more of such weft threads are to be laid, the guides or other
carriers actuating them will be caused to move alternately in opposite direc-
tions or to follow each other in such order as may be desired, and the other
parts will have to be adapted thereto; but as such modifications will be
readily understood by a person acquainted with this class of lace machinery,
I have not thought it necessary to give a detailed description of such
variations.
The extra bar of points is operated in the following manner :-Upon the
axis or.shaft 6 is affixed the cam k¹, by which the to-and-fro motion of those
points is effected; this cam k¹ acting upon the truck or bowl, carried by the
lever ³, one end of which turns upon a fixed centre of motion +, whilst the
other end is by the link connected to the arm k, affixed to the spindle bar
k, which turns in fixed bearings as shown, and has affixed to it arms to
support the spindle bar, to which are affixed arms, which at their-
other ends carry the bar of points .k. To the arms to are also affixed other
arins ", which by pin joints k¹ are connected to one end of supporting links
, whose other ends are connected by pin joints to arms ¹³ from the

page_text: spindle bar k, which turns in suitable bearings carried by the main framing as
shown. To this spindle bar is affixed an arm 7, which by pin joint k¹s is
attached to one end of the connecting rod k, the other end of which is by pin
joint attached to one end of the lever 20, the other end of which turns upon
the fixed centre of motion ke as shown, and the lever 70 carries a truck or
bowl k, operated by the cam , affixed upon the shaft or axis b to give the
necessary taking up motion to the points k. The motions to the lifting instru-
ments 1, 1, for lifting the weft thread into position to be taken by the points k,
are obtained from the cams l, P, affixed upon the shaft or axis d; the cam
acts upon the truck or bowl carried by the lever l', one end of which turns
upon the fixed pin P, whilst its other end is by a pin 1 attached to one end of
the connecting rod I, whose upper end is attached to the arm affixed to the
spindle bar P, which is supported in bearings carried by the main framing and
has affixed to it arms supporting the spindle bar ", to which are attached
arms with pin joints 1¹³ to carry each a lever arm %, to which. are affixed
lifting instruments 1. According to the arrangement of parts shewn for ope-
rating the instruments 1, they would act just as fast again as required by the
times of operating of other of the parts it is therefore necessary to cause them
to miss every other time; this is effected by means of the sliding bar 15, which
is supported so as to slide in bearings carried by the bar ". The bar has
affixed to it the projecting pieces 7, which at every other rotation of the shaft d
are caused to slide over the ends of the levers 7+, so as to depress those ends
and raise the points of the instruments just above the weft thread, so that at
such time, although the parts operating the points of the instruments / still act,
those instruments miss the weft thread. This sliding motion to the bar ¹* is
obtained from the cam s affixed upon the cross shaft , acting upon the truck
or bowl, carried by the lever 120 which turns upon the axis 11, and at its
other end is attached to the link , attached to an arm ", affixed upon the
spindle bar 4, which turns in bearings carried by the main framing, and has
affixed to it the arm 125, which by the link 2 is connected to the bar 15. The
spindle bar is operated by the cam acting upon the nib of the lever 12
which turns at one end upon a centre 23, whilst its other end is by the link l
connected to the arm 30 affixed to the spindle bar ". The instruments m, m,
are operated from the cam m¹ affixed upon the cross shaft by that cam
acting upon a nib upon the lever m², the lower end of which turns upon a
fixed pin, whilst the upper end is by a link m³ connected to an arm m² affixed
to the spindle bar m³, which turns in suitable fixed bearings as shown, and has
also affixed to it another arm m with a pin m² projecting from it and passing
through the link m³, the upper end of which is by pin joint connected to an

page_text: arm.m from the spindle bar m, which turns in suitable bearings carried by
the main framing. Upon. this bar mare also affixed :the arms m", m¹, to
each of which is attached by pin joint a bar ms carrying an instrument m;
the bars mare each guided by a fixed guide m¹³.
The weft thread whilst being held at either selvage of the machine by one
or. other of the instruments m, is also held between stationary guides n, m,
supported by the pieces n' so as to prevent its slipping off those instruments.;
there are also stationary plates o, o, to prevent such weft thread, whilst being
raised by either of the instruments l; from slipping backwards off them till
safely laid..on the points k; and p, p, are stationary threads, one end of each
of which is affixed to a guide p¹, whilst their other ends pass over the work
beam and are then held tight by weights p². The weft thread is supplied
from a bobbin q, supported so as to turn upon the pin q' carried by the fixed
bracket:q; just before the weft thread has been taken up by the points.k, the
slack of thread is taken up by the weighted end of the lever r, which turns
upon a fixed stud r, being allowed to descend upon it, at which time the spring
lever is permitted to act upon the rim of the bobbin q'to prevent it unwind-
ing, whilst during the traverse of the instrument i the lever q' is held off the
bobbin q by the lever r; and as the instrument i traverses again either way
across the machine, the weight. of the lever r is removed by the stud upon
the upper end of the link, the lower end of which is connected to the arm r
whilst it is guided by sliding in the fixed guide r'. The arm is affixed to
the axis, which is capable of turning in fixed bearings carried by the framing
as shown, and has affixed to it the arm, which by a connecting rod. is
attached to the lever operated by a cam 7 affixed upon the cross shaft b.
I will now describe apparatus for stopping the motions of the machine in
case of weft breaking or otherwise failing. s,.s, are feelers or fingers formed
on or affixed to the lower ends of bars s¹, s', whose upper ends are connected
by pin joints to levers s, s³, which turn upon centres of motion supported
from the fixed framing as shewn, whilst their outer ends are turned up so
as to be capable of resting against fixed bars s', 's', and in this position they
would remain by the increased weight to the inner ends of the levers s³, st, but
that, when weft thread is properly laid on and raised up by the points k, they
are alternately raised up by such weft thread. Thus, supposing the weft thread
to be laid from left. to right, the weft should lay on that portion of the instru-
ments k under the feelers or fingers s at the right hand selvage, and in the
rising of those points those feelers s will be raised to remove the turned up end
of the lever s² from the front of the bar sat that right hand edge of the fabric;
but supposing weft to break or otherwise' fail of being properly laid at such

page_text: time, the feelers at that side-would not be raised to remove the turned up end s³
of the lever s² from the fixed stop s, and the machine would be stopped in the
following manner:-Upon the shaft d is affixed the cam s-which, by the truck
or bowls, actuates the lever s', one end of which turns upon the-fixed pin s³
whilst the other end.is by the link sP connected to the arm so affixed to the spindle
bar s", upon which are also affixed the arms s; this spindle bar is capable of
a slight partial rotation in the stationary bearings carried by the main framing
as obtained by the action of the cam s³, as also of an end way motion, obtained
as I will presently explain, by which the arms & are alternately brought
opposite a position to act upon the turned-up ends of the levers s³. This
endway motion to the spindle bar s¹¹ is obtained by the cam s¹³ affixed upon
the cross shaft 6 acting upon the nib s of the lever s15, which turns upon a
pin s1 and is by a link s connected to the end of the arm s¹³ projecting from
the spindle bar s, upon which is affixed the arm 820 which, by a set screw;
acts against the end of the spindle bar s", to pull it towards the right hand end
of the machine whilst that spindle bar is borne in the opposite-direction by a
suitable spring.
.
The cam s is so arranged as to admit of a fall of a lever s', just when
one or other of the feelers & should be raised out of the way of an arm s¹³; but
in the event of the weft thread breaking, or otherwise failing to be properly
laid on the points k, the feeler s then to operate will, by its lever s², operate
upon the arm s, to prevent the truck on the lever s' following the course of the
cam s, when the pin s¹, in the side of the lever s", will act upon the hanging
lever s, which is constantly borne backwards by a spring 32, so that the hook
projections thereon may be in a position to be acted upon by the stud $25
affixed in the side of the lever s", which turns upon the fixed pin s³, and at
each revolution of the cam s is acted upon by the stud in the side of that
cam. The hanging lever s2 is suspended from one end of the lever $30, which
turns upon the fixed pin s3, and has formed in it the notch sa to receive and
hold a pin s, projecting from the lever arm s, affixed to the spindle bar s35,
upon which is aflixed the strap fork s30, by which to throw the strap from the
fixed on to the loose driving pulley; and when the stud s5 acts on the hook
projections to raise that hanging lever, the lever s will release the pin 3,
when a spring acting upon the lever arm will cause the forked levers to
throw the strap from the fast to the loose pulley, and thereby stop the motions
of the machine.
I would, however, state that in place of the parts so acting to stop the
machine, they may simply indicate to the attendant, so as to direct his atten-
tion, when he will effect the desired stopping; and in place of employing
:

page_text: feelers or instruments to feel and indicate the absence of weft thread just when
such thread should be laid into the work, such instrument may be caused to
press upon weft thread in an earlier part of its passage from the bobbin or
other source of supply, and in combination with suitable mechanism, to stop
the motions or otherwise indicate in a similar manner any breakage or other
failure of such weft.
I would here generally state, that springs bear the various levers to their
respective cams, as is well understood by persons acquainted with this class of
machinery. When it may be desired to discontinue the introduction of the
weft thread or threads, then the motions to the thread carrier or carriers will
have to be disconnected, and according to the arrangement shown, this will be
effected by disconnecting the motions for operating the bar or bars to which
the instruments i.are affixed, when they will remain stationary till weft threads
are again desired to be introduced, when the connections will be again made
to operate the instrument i; and the instruments or carriers employed for
effecting the traverse of the weft threads may also have a lifting motion given
to them at the time desired, to cause them to lift the weft threads in the way
of the points. When several weft threads are employed to act in any desired
order, it will readily be understood by a workman acquainted with twist lace
machinery, aided by the description already given of the operations of one weft
thread, what variations to make in the working of the parts to insure the
proper take-up.
Figure 5 shews a section, full size, of parts of a bobbin net or twist lace
machine, in which catch bars are used in place of roller lockers to operate the
carriages, with improvements applied according to my Invention for taking up
weft threads. In this case, points k, as lifting instruments, are used, and such
are affixed to a bar A, suspended by arms B from the arm C of the spindle
bar C, and the parts are so operated, that the points k descend to take up the
weft as placed in position by instruments i, m, without the intervention of
instruments. But, if desired, instruments may also be employed, when the
points need not dip so low as here shewn.
This mode of operating with points k, whereby such are capable of descend-
ing between the combs, and near to or amongst the thread guides, is equally
applicable when operating weft threads by other means than herein referred to.
In each case, as already mentioned, care will be taken that sufficient time be
allowed whilst the carriages are either in the back or front combs, for the
operation for lifting or taking up the weft and warp. The points k, as here
shewn, will also act to take up broken or loose bobbin threads, and prevent
their entanglement with the other threads.

page_text: With other classes of such machinery where catch bars are not used, I
prefer to bring the points k as near the guides as possible. And in most cases
in carrying out my improvements, I prefer that the weft threds be supplied
from bobbins or spools, but this may be varied.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details shewn and described, as the same may be varied
without departing from the peculiar character of my improvements; but what
I do claim is,-
First, the so arranging and combining parts, in connection with bobbin net
or twist lace machines, that traverse motion may be given to the weft thread
during the motion of the bobbin carriages from front to back or from back to
front of the machine.
Secondly, I claim the use of stopping or holding instruments to hold weft
thread during the movements of the carriages, as explained.
Thirdly, I claim in connection with bobbin net or twist lace machinery, the
employment of lifting instruments so arranged as to raise weft thread into
position to be taken into the work, for the purpose explained.
Fourthly, I claim the application and adaptation of feelers or instruments,
suitably arranged and acting in combination with other apparatus, to control
the stopping of the motions of the machine in case weft breaks, or otherwise
fails, when being introduced in the manufacture of fabrics in bobbin net or
twist lace machines.
Fiftbly, I claim the employment of points as lifting instruments, adapted to
dip as low as and between the combs or to the tops of the guides, in order to
their taking hold of and raising weft into position to be tied into the fabric
when catch bars are used to give the backward and forward motion to the
carriages.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Crofts, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
WILLIAM CROFTS. (L.S.)
WILLIAM BROOKES, Patent Agent,
73, Chancery Lane, London.