IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKERS EMPLOYED IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING AND IN THE METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Abraham Sutcliffe Wild, of Wardle, in the County of
Lancaster, and George Chadwick, of Bury, in the same County, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKERS EMPLOYED IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
AND IN THE METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME."
Sealed the 19th January 1877, and dated the 19th October 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Abraham Sutcliffe Wild and
George Chadwick at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th
October 1876.
"
ABRAHAM SUTCLIFFE WILD, of Wardle, in the County of Lancaster, and GEORGE
CHADWICK, of Bury, in the same County. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKERS EMPLOYED
IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING AND IN THE METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME."
Our Invention relates to the pickers employed in looms for weaving and more
particularly to the pickers which are made from strips of buffalo hide, which are
folded longitudinally before being bent or moulded into the required form, and
our said Invention has for its principal object to increase the durability of such
pickers.
When making a picker we take a piece of hide of a rectangular form or there-
abouts, and we cut off a strip from one side and end so as to reduce the width of
the said piece for some distance from one end thereof. We fold the said piece of
hide longitudinally, the narrow portion having only one fold and the wider portion
having two folds. The strip which was cut off from the main piece, as herein-before
mentioned, or another strip of hide of a suitable size is inserted in the folds so as to
extend for some distance from the narrower portion. The folded piece of hide is
now bent in such a manner as that the said narrow and single folded part can be
passed upwards within the folds of the opposite end of the piece of hide. The hide
folded and bent is now pressed and moulded into the required form and is secured
Dine S31

page_text: by means of a staple in the usual manner or is otherwise suitably secured. When
completed the said narrower and single folded part forms the foot of the picker, and
being in one piece with the main body of the picker is not so liable to be damaged
or to break away as in the case of pickers which have been made previously to our
said Invention. The said single folded part and the inserted loose strip add to the
strength of the picker.
We may insert the aforesaid strip either single or folded as preferred; we prefer
that the said single folded part and the said strip shall extend well up the sides of
the picker towards the top so as to add to the strength of the part which is bored
to slide on the picker rod.
We find it convenient to form the main piece by cutting off a strip as aforesaid,
but we do not confine ourselves to this method so long as the required shape of the
said piece is obtained. The said foot may be finished to the desired form either by
cutting or by pressing in dies as preferred.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Sutcliffe Wild and George Chadwick in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 19th April 1877.
ABRAHAM SUTCLIFFE WILD, of Wardle, in the County of Lancaster, and GEORGE
CHADWICK, of Bury, in the same County. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKERS EMPLOYED
IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING AND IN THE METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME.'
"
Our Invention relates to the pickers employed in looms for weaving and more
particularly to the pickers which are made from strips of buffalo hide, which are
folded longitudinally before being bent or moulded into the required forms, and
our said Invention has for its principal object to increase the durability of such
pickers.
When making a picker we take a piece of hide of a rectangular form or there-
abouts, having a strip removed from one side and end so as to reduce the width
of the said piece for some distance from one end thereof. We fold the said piece of
hide longitudinally, the narrow portion having only one fold and the wider portion
having two folds. The strip which was cut off from the main piece, as herein-before
mentioned, or another strip of hide of a suitable size is inserted in the folds so as to
extend for some distance from the narrower portion. The folded piece of hide is
now bent in such a manner as that the said narrow and single folded part can be
passed upwards within the folds of the opposite end of the piece of hide. The
hide folded and bent is now pressed, moulded, and secured in the usual or in a
suitable manner.
And in order that our Invention may be more readily described and understood,
I have appended hereunto a Sheet of Drawings, inade about the full size and
marked with letters of reference, to which Drawings I will now refer.
Fig. 1 is a plan of the larger of two pieces of hide which we employ in the
formation of a picker. It will be seen that this piece of hide which I will term the
piece a is narrower at the end which is to the left-hand in the Drawing, and which
is marked f, than at the other end, and that this narrower portion extends for some
distance from the end. The said piece a may be formed by first cutting the hide
into a strip with sides about parallel to each other, and by then cutting off a strip
from one end and side so as to produce the indicated form, but we do not confine
ourselves to this method of cutting out so long as a piece of the required form is
obtained, nor do we confine ourselves to the comparative width of the part
from f to c.

page_text: The second piece of hide marked b is represented by Figs. 2 and 3 in which the
said piece is represented as doubled or folded down the centre. The piece b may be
formed from the strip which has been cut from the piece a as aforesaid, or from a
similar piece, or may be specially cut to the size and form from the hide, as
preferred. It will be seen that the piece b is a little shorter than the strip which
would be cut out of a for the reason herein-after indicated. The piece a is folded
down the centre of the narrow end, the line A indicating the line of the fold there
or thereabouts. The projecting part from c to d is then folded over the previously
made fold; during or previously to the folding a tool is inserted to form a space to
receive the piece b.
When folded the piece a will appear somewhat as indicated by Figs. 4, 5, and 6,
Fig. 5, being a section on the line B; and Fig. 6, a section on the line C in Fig. 4.
The said space is indicated in Fig. 6. The piece b having been folded in the manner
indicated by Figs. 2 and 3 is now pushed into the aforesaid space, so as to
occupy the position indicated by the dotted lines from c to e in Fig. 4; a section
on the line C would then be somewhat as indicated by Fig. 7. The folded and
combined pieces of hide are now bent so as to bring the two ends together. The
end f is inserted into the space between the folds of the end d, and the part from f
to c is pushed into the said space, as indicated by Fig. 8.
It must be understood that the last-named Figure does not represent the actual
form assumed by the hide at this stage of the process, as such forin would be much
more irregular, but the said Figure merely indicates the extent to which the part
from f to c is inserted into the folds. It will also be understood that it will be
convenient to press the folds of the part f, c, together before inserting them between
the folds at the other end, and also that it may be convenient or advisable to
subject the other part of the folded and combined pieces of hide to pressure, a tool
being inserted at the end d to maintain a suitable space for the insertion of the
end f, c.
The partly formed picker may now be secured by means of a staple
inserted and fixed in the usual or in a suitable manner, or be otherwise secured by
suitable means, and be moulded and pressed into form by ordinary or suitable
means and processes.
Fig. 9 represents the completed picker, Fig. 10 representing a section of the
same; Fig. 9 represents the "foot" as being formed by cutting away a portion
from each side of the picker, as is usual in some descriptions of picker, but in some
cases, or if considered to be preferable, we may form the said foot by pressure
without cutting through the outer folds of the hide.
In Fig. 10 the piece b is represented by the portion which is cross sectioned, and
the part f, c, by the portion which is sectioned with thicker lines.
It will be seen that both the said parts extend upwards to the top of the picker
or thereabouts, and thereby add greatly to the strength of the parts which are bored
to slide upon the rod, the said parts having five layers or thicknesses of hide. We
do not however confine ourselves to the extending of these parts so far towards the
top of the picker.
If it be not considered necessary to make the said parts which slide upon the rod
so strong the piece b and the part f, c, may be made shorter. The piece is made
a little shorter than the part f, c, merely in order that the extensions towards the
top of the picker of the said piece and part may be about equal.
"We do not confine ourselves to the precise method of folding the pieces a and b,
so long as the result indicated by the Drawings is obtained; as for example, we
may place the piece b in position either folded or not folded before folding the
piece a, or we may use an unfolded strip, or two or more strips, in place of the
folded strip b, the use of the said strip being to add to the substance, strength, and
uniformity of the picker.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of our said Invention, and
the manner in which we carry the same into practical effect, we would have it to be
understood in conclusion that we claim the improved pickers made and formed

page_text: substantially as and in the manner as set forth and indicated herein-before, and in
and by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Chadwick, for myself, and on behalf of
the said Abraham Sutcliffe Wild, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-seven.
Signed and sealed by the said George
Chadwick, in the presence of
1
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
Agent to the Patentees,
3, Princess Street,
Manchester.
GEORGE CHADWICK. (L.S.)