CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARING. SPINNING. AND WEAVING OF COTTON, SILK, WOOL. AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, AND IN MEASURING AND FOLDING WOVEN FABRICS, OR IN THE MACHINES AND INSTRUMENTS FOR THESE PURPOSES
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
SMITH, of Deanston Works, in the Parish of Kilmadock, in the County of
Perth, Cotton Spinner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty, by Her Letters Patent
under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster, the
Nineteenth day of January, in the fourth year of the reign, did, for Herself,
Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Jaines Smith,
Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that 1, the said
James Smith, my exors, adiñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Smith, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agreewith, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARING. SPINNING. AND WEAVING OF COTTON,
SILK, WOOL. AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, AND IN MEASURING AND FOLDING
WOVEN FABRICS, OR IN THE MACHINES AND INSTRUMENTS FOR THESE PURPOSES;"
in which said Letters l'atent is contained a proviso that I, the said James
Smith, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in aud

page_text: by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, it is hereby
declared that the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, are fully described and ascertained in and by the
following description thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
attached, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, the same figures
denoting the same parts in the different views of the various machines or
arrangements; that is to say :-
My improvements in the preparation of cotton, wool, and other fibrous
substances relate chiefly, in the first instance, to the preparation of cotton,
which I accomplish by certain arrangements, and by the adaptation of certain
mechanism, as shall hereafter be described. It is well known to those engaged
in the cotton trade that the qualities of the wool vary very much in the
different bales of the same lot or assortment; and it is besides often necessary
to mix various qualities and kinds of material for spinning into the different
sorts of yarn, and as uniformityin texture and qualityis of the first importance:
it is obvious that a correct and uniform means of attaining that object is most
desirable. Hit.erto it has been customary to make what is technically called
the mixings" of cotton, by taking successive unopened portions from a
number of bales or packages and throwing them together into large masses or
binns, mixing them as uniformly as can be done by the hand; but this mode
of procedure, when followed in the best manner and with the greatest care on
the part of the workpeople, gives but an approach to accuracy.
In my
improved method I have in the mixing room an opening machine, which may
be in the form of a willow scutcher or other usual machine suited for the
purpose. For the feeding of this machine I attach a long table with a feeding
creeper extending to twenty or thirty feet in length; and upon the floor, along
both sides of this table, I lay down and open the bales from which the cotton
is to be taken, so that a person taking a parcel of cotton from any of the bales
can conveniently lay it at once on the creeper; but, in order to determine the
weight fed into the machine, I place over the feeding table, and resting upon
its ledges, a moveable weighing machine, properly adjusted, to indicate a
uniform weight for each parcel. The person who takes the cotton from the
bales places each portion upon this machine, and adjusts it to the weight;
and then, upsetting the shelf of the machine, which moves upon pivots set a
little in advance of its middle,throws the parcel of cotton upon the creeper,
where it is spread uniformly, in the usual way, by another person, to certain
limits marked on thecreeper; the person who takes the cotton from the bales,

page_text: beginning at one end of the series, passes along, taking a portion of from five
to six pounds from each bale; and when this' person has reached the most
distant bale he moves back again in the opposite direction, taking again
portions from each bale successively. Under the machine and feeding table I
place a receiving box, of width corresponding to that of the machine, and of
any convenient length, say twenty feet. This box has a sufficient number of
wheels, which rest upon two rails forming a railroad, and upon which it has a
traversing movement, passing from end to end alternately, and receiving the
cotton from the scutcher or willow in successive layers, and the speed being so
adjusted that each layer shall consist of cotton from corresponding successive
bales, so that there will be in the line of depth, in every portion of the general
mass of cotton contained in the box, an equal portion from each bale, and the
box will contain on the whole a certain amount of weight of cotton. When
the box shall have been filled, it is then to be pushed forward on the railway
towards the scutching and lapping machine, which may be of any suitable
construction; and, instead of having a feeding table of the ordinary construc-
tion, I attach a creeper rising obliquely from near the floor to the height of
the feeding rollers. Across the bottom of this creeper I place a circular
revolving rake of about three or four feet in diameter, having its successive
rows of teeth passing through betwixt ribs of a concentric grating, and
there being in the bottom of the receiving box a succession of creepers, which
together extend from the one end of the box to the other, and these being put
in motion by a general shaft passing along the side of the box, to which a
suitable motion is communicated from the revolutions of the revolving rake,
whereby the end of the mass of cotton will be constantly and uniformly pressed
up to the ribs, which will cause the rake to draw down from the whole face of
the end of the mass a continuous and uniform flow of cotton, which being
thrown upon the oblique creeper, will pass in a regular sheet to the feeding
roller of the scutching machine, thereby furnishing a thorough mixture of the
various bales or packages from which the cotton has been taken, and at the
same time with its weight so regulated that no farther weighing will be neces-
sary, thereby dispensing with the weighing and spreading at the feeding of the
scutching machine. That the scutcher may be steadily supplied with cotton,
it may be desirable to have two or more receiving boxes for each, and which
can be so arranged that the box, as it shall be emptied, can be removed and
replaced by a full one; and this can be done by having a sufficient space
betwixt the mixing machine and the scutcher, and having a provision for
removing the empty box sideways, upon cross rails or otherwise, which may be
raised by eccentrics or otherwise, so as to throw the weight of the box upon

page_text: wheels fitted to work upon these cross rails. This shifting can be accomplished
with very little stoppage of the scutcher. I shall now, for further illustration.
refer to the Drawings.
Figures 1,2,and 3,Sheet 1, represent the first, a bird's-eye view of the mixing
machine, with the bales arranged alongside; the second, a side elevation of
the same; and the third, a side view of the revolving rake, with the grating,
&c. 4, a bird's-eye view of the same; 1, the feeding table; 2, the weighing
machine; 3, the scutcher or willow; 4,the receiving box; 5,the rails on which
the receiving box travels; 6,wheels attached to the side of the box and resting
on the rails; 7, a mangle rack, attached to the side of the box, into which a
picion upon the oscillating shaft works, and which shaft is driven by a train
of wheels connected with the feed and delivery of the opening scutcher; S, the
bales laid down for mixing, and when wastes are used in the mixture they
can be arranged in baskets or binns with the bales. Figure 4 represents
views of the revolving rake, with the ribbed grating, the oblique feeding
creeper, and the scutcher to which it leads. 1, the rake; 2, the ribs; 3, the
mass of cotton, in layers, as it advances towards the rake from the receiving
box; 4, the oblique creoper; and 5, the scutcher to which it leads.
Another part of my Invention is applicable to obtaining a self-topping
process on the common carding engine, whereby the tops are lifted, cleaned,
and replaced by the working of the machine. For this purpose segments are
bolted to the framework of the carding engine at each side, and on these
upright stands are fitted so as to slide casily along the segments concentric to
the main cylinder; from these stands there project upright pillars or cheeks
for receiving and holding the lifting and cleaning apparatus. A piece of iron
tubing, having its ends firmly affixed to the cheeks, serves to connect them
togetheracross the engine. Through this tube passes the driving shaft, which
can be conveniently driven by a belt from the axle of the main cylinder, and
from this shaft, at each end, motion is communicated by wheelwork to sockets
fitted to revolve upon the cross tube at each side of the machine. On these
sockets are fitted arms, to which a brush, extending across from side to side of
the engine, is fitted on the sockets; there also affixed eccentric toothed cams,
which by their revolution raise and lower stirrups, which slide in grooved
chambers made fast to the cross tubing, and the bottoms of the stirrups
passing under projecting pieces attached to the end of each top lay hold and
raise the top under which they are placed, close up to the cross tube, whilst at
the same point of rotation the radial arms, to which a cross brush is attached,
pass under the top, which has been raised in such direction and with such
contact as to clear the cotton and motes from the top sheet; and as soon as

page_text: this brush has passed under the top, the rotation of the cams begins to allow
the top gradually to drop until it reaches, its position of rest. When this has
been accomplished, segment wheels attached to the moving sockets give
motion to small hanging shafts having pinions, which work into mangle racks
affixed to the side framing, and thereby the sliding stands, which carry the
topping apparatus, are moved opposite to a succeeding top, which having been
lifted and cleaned by the rotation of the apparatus, another similar shift takes
place, and so on in succession geing and returning over the range of tops.
The brush used for cleaning the tops may either be flat or circular; but I
prefer the circular, because it is more easily relieved of the matter it collects:
and this is effected by causing it, when it has reached one of the limits of the
series of tops, to act on a pronged comb, by which it is relieved of all it had
collected during the traverse of the series, and which material is thereafter
forced from the comb and dropped into a convenient receiving box: all which
I shall more particularly explain by referring to the Drawings.
Sheet 2. Figures 1 and 2 represent, the one a side view, the other a vertical
section of a carding engine with the apparatus attached. 1, part of the
framework of a common engine; 2, part of the main cylinder; 3, top; 4
segments bolted to the framework; 5, sliding stands; 6, cross tube connect-
ing the stands; 7, driving shaft of the apparatus passing through the tube;
8,pinions upon the shaft, giving motion by intermediate wheels to the revolving
sockets 9; 10, the radial arms; 11, the brush; 12, the eccentric cams, which,
revolving together, raise the stirrups 13; 14, the fast sockets with grooves in
which the stirrup stems slide 15, the bottoms of the stirrups which lay hold
of the projecting pieces 16, fixed on the ends of the tops; 17, a toothed
segment for causing the successive movements of the apparatus from top to
top, and which is attached to the sliding stands; 1S, radial arms which
carry the inangle-wheel pinion shafts; 19, series of wheels communicating
motion from the driving shaft to the mangle-rack pinion shaft; 20, pinions
on the brush shaft, which, coming into gear of an inverted toothed segment
21 whilst the brush is passing under the top, causes it to revolve and brush
off the material caught by the top; 22, a comb extending across the engine,
and against which the brush is caused to revolve by the pinion on the brushshaft
coming into action with the toothed segment 17, whilst the brush is in contact
with the comb and thereby clearing the brush of the material it had caught
from the tops, leaving it on the comb, which is again cleaned by the stripper
24, which embraces the teeth of the comb, and dropping down towards the
points as soon as the brush has passed from the contact, forces off the
collected material which drops into a box 25, thus completing the process.

page_text: Figure 3, a view of the comb on a larger scale. Figure 4, a section of the
same.
Thirdly. A mode of adapting to carding engines certain apparatus to be
herein-after described, whereby the cotton or other fibrous material is passed
directly from the carding engine through a set of spinning rollers, and thence
twisted and spun into a finished thread by a suitable spindle. Figure Five
represents a side sectional view of acarding engine with the spinning apparatus
attached; and Figure 6 a front view of the same. 1, the lap being fed into
the engine; 2, the feeding rollers; 3, the main cylinder; 4, carding rollers
and cleaners; 5, two doffers, having annular rings of card filleting affixed
round them, leaving spaces on the one cylinder opposite to the rings of fillet-
ing on the other, as is clearly shewn in Figure 6. From these rings the
fibrous material is doffed by the usual comb, or otherwise, and passing along
in little troughs fitted to receive the material flowing from each ring of
the doffers, passes through fillers which compress it into a proper form,
and guide it into the spinning rollers through which it passes to the
twisting spindles 6, where it is twisted and wound upon the spinning
bobbin, thus retaining the fillers in the position in which they leave the
doffing cylinders. This mode of spinning from the carding engine suits very
well for the heavier numbers, but when it is wished to spin yarn finer than
number eights or number tens, I adopt a set of carding cylinders in lieu of
the drawing rollers generally used for spinning from rovings by mules, throstles,
or other spinning machines, and taking the material directly from the doffer of
these carding cylinders, it is spun into thread either in the mule or throstle
principle, as shall hereafter be more particularly described.
;
Sheet, Figure 7, represents a front view, and Figure S a vertical section
of the mode of applying the principle to the mule or throstle. 1, a cylinder, of
about twelve inches in diameter, having annular rings of card filleting
affixed upon it at a distance of about one-fourth of an inch from each other
2, a doffing cylinder, about six inches in diameter, having annular rings of card
filleting upon it, corresponding to the larger card cylinder; 3, a sliver from a
can or other holder from a carding engine, passing through a guide and pair
of rollers to throw it fair upon the annular rings of the main cylinder, which
moving in a rotation at a sufficient velocity throws the fibrous material upon
the annular rings of the smaller cylinder, from whence it is doffed and passes
through a pair of rollers and thence to the spindle, to be twisted and wound.
upon the cope or bobbin as a finished thread. In this instance, I have shewn
mule spindles with copes, because the application to the throstle has been
sufficiently explained in reference to the carding engine; and it will be seen that

page_text: by adjusting the movement of the larger cylinder incertain proportions to that
of the smaller, the grist or size of the thread can be correctly regulated to any
number of hanks in the pound, within a certain limit; when applied to the mule
the motion of the cylinders, &c., will be stopped while the mule is returning
and winding the yarn on the cope by mechanism similar to what is used in
stopping the rollers in ordinary machines; and thus, and by the former method
described under this head, threads of a woollen character are obtained much
more perfect in their structure than the yarn heretofore spun by common
jennies, mules, or throstles.
The other part of my Invention consists in the adaptation of a metallic
strickle to extend across the width of the carding engine, whereby the outline
of the wire is kept straight and uniform. Similar strickles formed of wood
have been heretofore used for this purpose; but these being liable to warp get
out of order by going off the straight, and thereby much injury is done to the
card before the carder is aware; and, in order in some measure to avoid this
evil, it has been customary to use short strickles, which are passed along the
wire surface by the hand of the sharper; but it is evident that this mode is
very uncertain in its operation, and that with the utmost care on the part of
the sharper it is difficult, if not impossible, to maintain a straight line of
surface. The metallic strickle may be made of any suitable metal, but I have
found tin plate to be most cheap and convenient for the purpose.
Sheet 2, Figure 9. represents a side view, with the face upwards, of a
metallic strickle formed of tin plates. Figure 10, a back view of the same.
Figures 11 and 12, transverse sections on the line A, B; 1, the face; 2, the
back rib for sustaining the face; 3. ferrules to serve as hand pieces for the
sharper to hold by in applying the strickle; 4, end pieces of brass or iron
affixed to the ends of the strickle, and having pivots 5, which rest upon studs
6, projecting from the framework of the engine, whereby the stricklei skept
parallel horizontally to the axle of the cylinder when being applied, whilst it
can be moved endways and advanced towards the cylinder by the hands of the
sharper; 7, a recess in the face for receiving a composition paste similar to what
is used in the formation of the surfaces of card cylinders when built of sheet
iron, and which in this instance serves to facilitate the attainment of a straight
and level surface on the face of the metallic strickle; S, thecomposition when
filled in and straightened, upon the surface of which I glue a piece of
leather, which, having been rightly straightened, serves to receive the emnery,
which I attach in the usual way by glue, and I press the face of the strickle
with the emery upon it, and whilst the glue is yet soft, upon a straight surface
of metal or other hard substance, thereby producing a perfectly straight and

page_text: uniform surface of the emery.
It is obvious that metallic strickles may be
made of various materials and of various forms; but what I have now
described I have found to be cheap and sufficiently effective and useful in
practice.
Seventhly. My next improvement applicable to spinning consists in the
adaptation of a self-acting scavenging roller to the upper surface of the
covering boards of the mule carriage, and giving it a traversing motion,
whereby the flue or other waste falling upon the board of the carriage is
cleanly taken up. This scavenging roller I make of tin plate, or other tubing
possessing the qualities of sufficient stiffness, lightness, and cheapness, and
which being covered with a piece of common clearer cloth, licks up and
retains all the loose fibrous material falling upon the carriage top. In
Sheet 2, Figure S, is represented the end view of a mule carriage with the
scavenging roller attached. 4, the scavenging roller; 5, a toothed wheel
attached to the pivot of the roller; 6, a rack, attached to the end of the
carriage into which the pinion works; 7, a grooved pulley, fast upon the axle
of the scavenging roller, round which a small band is passed,and, going over
carrying pulleys at 8, passes down to and around a pulley 9, on the axle of
the squaring shaft, and by which means motion is communicated to the
scavenging roller as the carriage approaches to and recedes from the beam;
10, an iron guard, under which the pivot of the scavenger roller passes, to
prevent the pinion from getting out of gear of the rack, there being a similar
rack and pinion with the necessary guard barat the opposite end of the roller;
and when applied to carriages exceeding twenty feet in length, it is necessary
to have one or more sets of racks and pinions placed as near by as possible at
uniform distances along the top of the carriage. The traverse of the scavenger
roller is so adjusted that it approaches very near to the neck of the spindles
without touching, and recedes again to the utmost limit of the carriage board
at each traverse of the carriage. Figure 51, a longitudinal view of the
scavenger roller, with the driving pulley and pinion.
Eighthly. My improvement applicabletothepreparing of warps for weaving
fabrics, consists in winding the warps upon the weaving beams in a wet state,
just as they leave the brush in the dressing machine, and thereafter submitting
the beam so filled with wet yarn to the action of steam, by placing one or
inore beams in a steaming chest or vessel of any convenient form, and after
having allowed the steam to act upon the yard beam until the whole mass has
been heated to the temperature of the steam, the steam flowing to the chest
is shut off by a stopcock or valve, and a communication is then opened with an
air pump or exhausted receiver, whereby the moisture in a state of vap our is

page_text: carried off from the steaming chest, and from the material upon the beam or
beams, so that the mass of thread is left nearly in a dry state; but, in order
still further to drive off any moisture that may remain in the body of the mass
of yarn, I place the beam or beams in an ordinary drying stove to evaporate
the whole of the moisture remaining in the mass of yarn. When the beams.
have been so treated, the threads adhere together in one firm mass, and it
appearsasif there would be difficultyin unwinding it in theprocess of weaving,
butitisfound that the threads come off with great ease and uniformity, separat-
ingfrom each other astheypass through thelease rods; and it is also found that
the uniform adhesion of the threads to the general mass at the points where
they leave the beam causes a peculiar equality in the tension of the threads,
thereby rendering the texture of the fabric more smooth and uniform ; andit.
is further found that warps so prepared are much less subject to breakage in
the process of weaving than those prepared by the usual methods, and the
threads have all the smoothness of surface and pliability which is to be found
in the best dressed warps..
Ninthly. My improvements in looms for weaving fabrics consist, first, in
certain improvements connected with the shuttle, whereby the weaver is
assisted in forcing the pirn cope to its place on theskewer. The point of the
pirn cope is consolidated, and the cope is retained more firmly in its place on
the skewer, and in equalizing the tension of the thread in passing through the
eye of the shuttle. My second improvement under this head consists in the
applicationofanapparatus whereby theloom is entirely disengaged andstopped
when the weft has broken and ceased to be thrown into the fabric.
Sheet 3, Figure 1. A represents part of the general framework of a power
loom; B, the driving shaft; C, the treadle shaft; D, the warp beam; E, the
cloth beam, and F the lay. All the new parts connected with my improve-
ments in stopping the loom are colored red, whilst those connected with the
improvement of the shuttle are colored yellow. 1, a hose socket made fast to
the framework of the loom by a bolt, and fitted to receive the point of the
pirn cope when being thrust upon the skewer by the hand of the weaver,
whereby the weaver is enabled to use part of the weight of the body in pressing
the cope to its place, whilst at the same time the point of the cope, being com-
pressed in the hose socket, becomes consolidated at the point, and is thereby
prevented from ravelling or coming off too loosely at the beginning. Figare 2,
a section of the hose socket on a larger scale. Figures 3,4, 5, 6, and 7, repre-
sent views of the shuttle and shuttle skewer, shewing the peculiar corrigated
form of the skewer spring, whereby, from the gentle slope of the corrigation
in the direction from the point to the skewer inwards, the cope is permitted to

page_text: slip easily to its place, whilst the quick slope of the corrigation outward pre-
vents it from slipping off by the shocks caused by the sudden movement and
stoppage of the shuttle, whilst the thread is permitted to come off freely in
detail. In Figures 3, 4, and 5, there is also represented at sections, shewing
the mode of placing the shuttle eye or opening for the thread to pass through,
whereby the thread is allowed to pass more freely off, whilst the shuttle is
moving from that end of the lay where there is little slack of the yarn to take
up, and whilst in moving from the opposite end there is an additional slack
equal to the length of the shuttle, which is taken up by increased friction
caused by the oblique manner in which the delivering eye passes into tho
shuttle, making an acute angle at 2, and another at 3. It will further be seen
from the section that the thread can be sucked into its place by a single
operation, whilst in the double-eyed shuttles heretofore used it requires two
separate acts of suction to get the thread to its place."
ૐ,
Sheet 3, Figure 1. F, transverse section of the lay of the loom; G, the
shell or top part of the lay; HI, the slay or reed, which is kept close up to the
shell by wires passing betwixt tho dents under the upper shin or rib of the
slay to suspend it to the shell, so that it shall move easily below. without
touching the bottom of the groove in the sole 4, shewing that the lower shin
of the slay has movement of about from one eighth to a fourth of an inch in
the groove of the lay, whilst it comes to rest firmly on the back part of the
groove, when it comes home to strike up the thread, and thereby gives a dead
and unyielding resistance which is desirable, especially in weaving heavy
fabrics;. 5, a light shaft which passes along the back of the lay, as better seen
in Figure S; 6, fingers projecting from the shaft 5, and resting against the
lower shin of the reed; 7, an arm made fast to the shaft 5, and, passing under
the body of the lay, projects forward towards a stop piece 8, which is affixed to
the tumbling shaft 12; 9, a spring affixed to the bottom of the lay, and, pres-
ing upon the arm 7, keeps the under shin of the reed close up to the margin
of the race of the lay when not resisted by the weft in the fabric. The point
of the arm 7 is so adjusted that it will pass clear over the top of the stop S
when the lay is forward at the beat and there is weft in the fabric sufficient to
press back the slay to press against the dead stop, at 10; but when, in conse-
quence of the wait of the weft in the fabric, the slay is permitted to remain
forward at 11, then the point of the arm 7, not being raised to clear the stop
S, strikós it just as the lay reaches its utmost limit in beating up and causes
the tumbling shaft 12 to move slightly round upon its axis, thereby forcing
forward the set screw 13, which is attached to the finger 14 of the tumbling
shaft, and this set screw striking against thic common belt spring of the loom

page_text: sets it off the notch, whereby the belt lever is retained in the drivingposition,
and immediately the belt lever shifts the belt to the loose pulley, whereby the
loom is stopped; and in order that the stop may be instantaneous, I apply a
break to the driving pulley, as seen at 15. This break is attached to the
framework of the loom by a bracket piece 16, seen in bird's-eye view
Figure 9. 17 shows a section of the vertical central style of the loom ; 16,
the bracket piece; 18, the fulcrum of the break lever; 19, the spiral spring
attached to the tail lever of the break for pressing on to the pulley; 20, a
small friction pulley on the point of the break lever, upon which an inclined
cam affixed to the point of the belt lever operates to relieve the break when
the driving belt is being put on, and to allow it to press upon the pulley as
soon as the belt is being withdrawn; 21, a small hump or projecting piece on
thedriving pulley, which, when it reaches the bite of the break, instantly stops
the loom,and being adjusted in a certain position in the periphery of the pulley,
the loom stops at that point of the traverse of the lay most convenient for
taking out and replacing the shuttle, being about half stroke; 22, a bolt work-
ing in the slot of the stop piece, whereby it can be adjusted to the proper
position for escaping and receiving the blow ofthe point of the arm 7. When
this stopping apparatus is applied, the loom will uniformly be stopped when
the shuttle shall have gone a few shots without weft,according to the number
of picks in the fabric, and the weaver must, of course, set back the winding.
up motion proportionally; but this being uniform in each loom, it is done
with the greatest ease and certainty, and the loom moves on whenever the belt
is drawn on the driving pulley; but if the weaver shall neglect to let back the
winding motion, the loom will instantly knock off the belt lever catch, and will
continue to do so until the weaver shall have properly adjusted the position of
the fell of the fabric, and thus it is impossible that any gisp or thin part can
be made in the fabric; besides, the loom being stopped, points out at once to
the weaver when fresh weft is required, thereby greatly facilitating the manage-
ment of the loom. This apparatus is particularly applicable to plain fabrics,
and being simple and not liable to go out of order, is best fitted for the work
ordinarily woven in power looms. Infigured work, however, it is desirable to
stop the loom the instant the weft ceases to be thrown in, for which purpose I
have also invented an apparatus which I shall now describe.
Upon a rod, passing iminediately under the cloth and close to the breast
beam, I place at each margin of the fabric small bent arms, which extend
towards the fell of the cloth, cach having a cross palm extending inwards a
few inches from each margin, upon which cross palm I place a number of thin
fingers with broad points, which are fitted to pass through betwixt the warp

page_text: threads when no weft thread is present to obstruct them. Every time the
shuttle is thrown, and when the lay has receded to its utmost limit, these arms
with the cross palm are allowed to fall down towards the warp thread, imme.
diately in front of the fell or face of the cloth, the points of the fingers passing
into the warp immediately across the line of the region of the weft thread,
when it is thrown in near the retaining selvage. If the weft thread has then
been thrown in, the fingers are prevented from farther passing through the
warp threads, which prevents the cross shaft to which the arms are attached
from turning farther round than that limit will allow; but if no weft shot has
been thrown in, then the points of the fingers, when they coine down to the
warp threads, are unsupported, and passing through betwixt the threads,
permit the arm to fall so far down as to cause a radial arm extending from the
small cross shaft to make an extra movement, whereby a small stop lever
is raised to meet a projecting piece on the front of the lay, which, when the
lay comes forward strikes off the belt lever of the loom in the same manner as
described in the former mode. It will be observed, that one beat will have
passed without weft, but this can be remedied by either driving the lay back a
turn, or by the weavers being careful to throw in the fresh shuttle in the open
shed.
Sheet 4. Figure 1 represents part of the outline of the end of a loom,
having those parts which are descriptive of my method of stopping the loom,
when the weft is wanting, through the instrumentality of a feeler; the parts
being red when in the ordinary position of resting on the weft thread, yellow
when thrown back by the approach of the lay, and blue when in the position
of stopping the loom by the absence of the weft. 1, bracket for supporting
the cross shaft. 2, the end of the shaft. 3, the arm. 4, the palm. 5, the
fingers. 6, the counter tail proceeding to the tumbling stop 7, which is
attached by a stood fulcrum to a sliding bolt S, which rests against the belt
lever spring at 9. 10, a piece projecting from the loom, which strikes against
the tumbling stop 7, when it is raised into its path by the falling of the fingers
through the warp. 11, a spring attached to the breast of the lay, which forces
back the arm with the palm and fingers, so as to throw them out of the way
of the slay when the lay beats up. Figure 4, a front view of the cross shaft,
arm, palm, and fingers, shewing more fully their structure.
Tenthly. My farther improvements in weaving consist in certain modes of
applying the Jacquard principle to looms. The leading feature of my principle
is to have every thread of the warp independant of the others in its move-
ments, and I so arrange the apparatus that every thread of the warp can be
directly separately moved by the intervention of the pattern card. The

page_text: Jacquard movement and the principle parts of the apparatus I place under
the web in the loom; thereby leaving a clear space above, so that the weaver
can see and reach over the loom to mend and sort the warp threads, and the
general view through the weaving room remains unobstructed. I can, by
properly cut pattern cards, perform any class of work, from the most simple
pattern to the most complex, and without altering what is commonly called the
harness of the loom. One method consists in having a number of small spiral
springs arranged in rows in a cast-iron casing or box over the web, having a
spring for every thread that is to be in the warp. To these springs 1 suspend
leach or line, which goes down to receive the common harness mail at the
proper height for the warps;. to the lower part of the mails I attach continuous
lines, which are attached below to sufficient weights composed of iron, lead, or
other suitable material, and which pass through à perforated plate or board
having holes pierced in it corresponding to the set of the web, the lower
points of the weights passing through a lower plate or board similarly pre-
pared, and having shoulders to stop them from falling lower than a certain
suitable point. This weight pulls down the threads to their lowest working
level, overcoming the tension of the springs and of the threads; but, the
moment that the weights are pushed up from the bottom, the springs above
pull up the threads to their highest position. Another method consists in
having needles, each with the eye at the top for receiving the warp threads;
these are arranged in rows, and are kept to their place by passing through two
perforated plates. When these needles are arranged all in their places, and
the warps drawn into the eyes of the respective mails, any pressure applied
to the bottom of the needles will shove up the eyes, which carry with
them the threads to form the upper division of the shed, whilst those
which remain down keep their threads to the proper position for the
lower division of the shed. In applying the Jaquard principle to work these
needles, I place a perforated barrel of the usual form (but having the holes
through and through) immediately under the body of needles, and having
this barrel affixed by its pivots in cast-iron pieces which slide in slots
in the styles of the harness frame attached to each side of the loom, I give it
a vertical motion by cams, cranks, or eccentrics,attached to the crank shaft of
the loom, so that the barrel shall make a vertical movement upwards and
downwards for each stroke of the lay. The pattern cards,extending the whole
width of the web,are then placed in the usual manner over the barrel; which is
turned a square or side at each vertical movement by any of the usual con-
trivances used in the common Jacquard for that purpose, the barrel carrying
the cards with it, and thus the apparatus will weave whatever pattern, how-

page_text: ever complicated, the cards may be arranged for, whilst at any time in a few
minutes, by the removal of one set of cards and the placement of another, the
pattern can be immediately varied to any style or form. When it is necessary
to have a great many cards, the loom can be raised bodily so as to make room
for the cards to pass under the barrel; but in order to facilitate the passage
of the cards I introduce a travelling endless creeper under the working barrel,
whichassists in passing the cards from the dischargingtowards thereceivingside
of the barrel; all which I shall more fully explain by reference to Drawings in
Sheet 4.
Figure 1 represents a side view in section, shewing part of the harness
frame of a loom, with the Jacquard barrel, crank shaft, and connecting
rods for working the same, and with the mail needles shewn in working
order.
Figure 2 represents a front view of the same, with parts of the frame-
work, &c. of the loom; 12, the upright styles of the harness frame; 13, the
perforated cross plate, serving to bind the styles together; 14, part of
the framework of the loom; 15, the driving pulley of the loom; 16, the
crank shaft; 17, cams upon the crank shaft, which lift and lower the lever
'18, which raises and lowers the Jacquard barrel 19; 20, cheek plates moving
in slots in the frame styles, and in which plates the axes of the Jacquard barrel
work; 21, spiral springs attached to the check pieces and pressing up the
slides 20 against the barrel to keep it to the square; 22, the hooked lever for
turning the barrel in its descent; 23, spiral spring keeping the hook lever to
its place to the barrel, but allowing it to move out as the corners of the barrel
turn round; 24,chain of cards passing over the barrel; 25,an endless creeper,
driven from any convenient movement of the loom,serving to receive the cards
as they fall from the barrel and taking them to the on-taking side; 26, mail
needles fitted into their places in the perforated plates; 27, mail eyes; 28, a
few mails raised up to their highest position, carrying the warp threads 29 to
form the upper divisions of the web, the mails in the lower position retaining
the threads of the under shed; 30, a reed placed behind near to the needles,
for keeping the threads to their places.
Figure 3 represents a view of the harness fitted upon my other method of
working each individual mail independent of the others. 1, a box for holding
the springs of iron or other material stretching across the loom over the web;
2, spiral springs of brass or iron wire, to which the leash is attached; 3, the
mails, the weights suspended from the mails by a continuation of the
leash; 5, the perforated plates through which the weights work; 6, the
barrel; and 7, the warp threads drawn to the upper shed by the springs.

page_text: In weaving fabrics of patterns having no great successive variety, I use
polygonal barrels, with the number of sides corresponding to the progressive
varieties in the figure or pattern, and on those sides I attach perforated planes
of wood, paper, metal, or other suitable substances, by which the succession of
changes in the progress of the figure are more easily accomplished than by
the loose travelling cards of the Jacquard; and it is evident that these
planes may be removed and replaced by others having any given desirable
variety of pattern, and this at a very small expence, and with very little
loss of time.
Having thus specified and described my various Improvements in the
Preparing, Spinning, and Weaving of Cotton, Wool, Silk, and other Fibrous
Substances, and in Measuring and Folding Woven Fabrics, or in the Machines
or Instruments for these Purposes, which part, however, relating to the
measuring and folding of woven fabrics I have not specified, because I liave,
since the date of my Patent, discovered that a method of performing the same
by mechanism, on a principle so similar to mine, has already been specified
under a Patent granted to William McKinlay, of Manchester, which was
sealed on the Tenth day of November, One thousand eight hundred and forty;
that it would be impossible for me to specify clearly my Invention without
essentially infringing upon the Invention of the said William McKinlay. Nor
do I claim any of the well-known parts of machinery or methods of working
which I have had to describe in elucidating all or any of my said improve-
ments. But. I do claim,-
First, the mixing of cotton, wool, or waste, as taken from a series of bags,
bales, or binns, by causing the same to be deposited in successive layers as it
comes from the opening machine, and breaking down and extending by me-
chanism the mass in layers so arranged as to cause a complete intermixture of...
the cotton of which the various layers are composed, and forming a continuous
and uniform sheet of cotton, flowing on to the succeeding process.
Also, I claim the mode of employing a revolving rake, acting through
gratings, for mixing cotton brought up to the gratings in a series of layers.
Secondly, I claim the mode of applying mechanism to ordinary carding.
engines, whereby such engines are made self-acting in respect to the lifting,
cleansing, and replacing the top cards....
Thirdly, I claim the spinning of finished threads, whether of cotton, wool,
silk, or other, fibrous substances, directly from the carding engine., And,
farther, I specially claim the adaptation of the carding process as a sub-
stitute for the process employed in extending the slivers or rovings to the

page_text: grist of thread, as performed by drawing rollers in the throstle, mule, or
other spinning machine.
Fourthly, I claim the modeof twisting and receiving thefinishedthreaddirect
from the doffing cylinder, as hercin described, whereby the fibres are retained in
the position in which they are removed from the doffing cylinder.
Fifthly, I claim the drawing out for spinning of sliver by revolving cylinders
with fillets of card therein.
Sixthly, I claim the adaptation of metallic materials in the structure of the
framework of hand strickles to be used for sharpening the wire or teeth of the
cards.
Seventhly, I claim the adaptation of a traversing scavenger roller to the tops
or covers of mule carriages, for the purpose of collecting the fibre and waste
which fall thereon.
Eighthly, I claim the winding or wrapping of dressed or sized yarn upon
weaving beams in a wet state, and the subjecting of the mass of yarn so wound
to the action of steam, and drying the same, as herein described.
Ninthly, I claim the adaptation of a waved or corrigated spring to the
bodies of the skewers of shuttles, whereby the copes are more securely retained
in their position, as also the skewering hose, by which I am enabled to force
the cope tightly upon the skewer, and to consolidate the points of the cope.
And I farther claim the adaptation of shuttle eyes placed in an oblique position,
for the purpose of equalizing the tension of the thread as it flows from the cope.
And I farther claim the mode of stopping the loom by the action of the reed
and mechanism combined therewith. As also, I claim the mode of stopping
the loom when weft is not thrown in, by means of what I have described as
feelers. And I farther claim the application of a brake for stopping the loom
at a certain point.
Tenthly, I claim the mode of employing needles with the eyes at the top
forreceiving the warp threads in Jacquard weaving. I also claim the applica-
tion of a travelling creeper for carrying the cards. And I also claim the appli
cation of a reed at the back of the needles, for the purpose of keeping the
threads correctly to their places amongst the needles. And I also claim the
mode of arranging apparatus for applying the Jacquard principle, as herein
described in respect to Figure 3, Sheet 4.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Nineteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
Que thousand eight hundred and forty-one.
JAMES (L.s.) SMITH.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Nineteenth day of July, in
the year of our Lord 1841, the aforesaid James Smith came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Iurolled the Nineteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand oight bunduad and