CERTAIN IMPROVEMENT'S IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ENOCH
WILKINSON, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Overlooker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Ninth day of February, in the tenth year of Her reign, and
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors; give and grant unto me, the said Enoch
Wilkinson, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,"
the said Enoch Wilkinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and such
-others as I, the said Enoch Wilkinson, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, 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 and Wales and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENT'S IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Enoch
Wilkinson, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said
Intention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be enrolled
in Her 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 and by the same, referctice being thereunto had, will more fully and at'
largo appear:

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Enoch Wilkinson, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, is particularly described and
ascertained in and by the Drawings hereto annexed, and the following
explanation thereof (that is to say):-
My Improvements in Looms for Weaving apply principally to power looms
for weaving fancy or figured goods, and consist, firstly, in an improved
arrangement of mechanism for lifting and lowering the shuttle boxes in looms
wherein two or more shuttles are employed.
Secondly, my improvements consist in a certain novel arrangement of appa-
ratus for dividing or shedding the warp threads, so as to produce the required
design or pattern in or upon the cloth or other fabric woven.
And, thirdly, my Invention consists in an improved form of shuttle, to be
used in what are called "under-pick looms;" that is, looms wherein the
"picking stick" which impels the shuttle projects upwards through the bottom
of the shuttle box.
In order that these improvements may be more readily understood and
clearly explained, I have attached to these Presents a Sheet of Drawings,
shewing tho application of my improvements to an ordinary power loom,
being drawn to a scale of about two inches to a foot, and having letters of
reference marked thereon, corresponding with those in the following explanation

page_text: connected to the "slay sword "n by the rod o. Over the cylinder / an endless
tappet chain p passes. The chain herein employed is composed of small
transverse strips of wood, fastened together with links, and provided with holes
and small moveable pegs or tappets. The cylinder is caused to advance ono
sixth of a revolution, and thus advance the chain p one link every beat of the
slay by the catch g taking up one tooth of the ratchet wheel r. The pegs or
tappets upon the chain coming against the lower end of the guide f, f, hold
the guide in the position shewn in the Drawing, thus keeping the ratchet
out of gear with the ratchet wheel c; but as soon as a blank space in the
chain comes opposite to the guide f.f, the guide falls, and the vibration of the
bell-crank lover d, d, causes the catch to take up one tooth of the ratchet
wheel c, and turn the spindle b one sixth of a revolution, the tappet t upon the
said shaft raising or lowering the shuttle boxes u, u, by means of the levers
v, v, v, v. The lever vis furnished with a small projecting piece, which
bears upon a spiral spring w, and thus prevents the shuttle boxes from falling
too suddenly. The shape of the tappet is seen best in the enlarged
detached view, Fig. 2, and that of the scroll k, in Fig. 3.
Fig. 4 is as elevation of the reverse side of the loom, showing the appli-
cation of my improved apparatus for working the "jacks" and "treadles" for
dividing the warp threads, so as to produce the pattern required. The letters
of reference upon the ordinary parts of the loom are the same as in Fig. 1.
a, a, is the framing of the apparatus, supporting a vibrating frame b, b, which
carries a spindle or shaft c, upon which the inclined "shedding levers " d, d,
are mounted. e, e, are the "jack lifters," which are connected by cords to the
jacks ff, above and to the treadles 9, 9, below, to which the shafts or healds
are tied in the usual manner. The frame b, b, is caused to vibrate by the
crank pin h and link i. There is a smaller vibrating frame k, which carries
the cylinder 7, over which the endless tappet chain m passes (or an ordinary
moveable tappet cylinder may be used). This chain is similar to the one
above described, except that each strip of wood is provided with as many boles
for the pegs or tappets as there are shafts or healds to be worked. The framo
is caused to vibrate by the cam n on the crank shaft being connected to it
by the lever o and rod p, and at every vibration the catch a turns the cylinder
lone sixth of a revolution. As the frame b, b, vibrates it brings the inclined
shedding levers d, d, against the pegs upon the chain m, thus raising those
levers opposite to the pegs, and allowing those opposite to the spaces to fall
by their own gravity. The frame b, b, then moves in the reverse direction,
the cylinder and chain following; and the inclined plane of those levers d, d,
that have fallen coming in contact with the small rollers or bowls at the back

page_text: of the "jack lifters" e, e, raises them, and by means of the "jacks" and
"treadles" divides the shed as required, the remainder of the "jack lifters "
being kept down by their own gravity. There are two levers r, r, one at each
end of the apparatus, connected together by a rod, upon which the "jack
lifters" e, e, rest, and which prevents them from falling too low out of the
way of the inclined shedding levers, being acted upon by bowls a fixed at cach
side of the vibrating frame b, b. There are guide bars (not seen in the
Drawing) above and below the inclined levers d, d, to prevent them either
rising or falling too much. It will be evident that the length of the chain,
and the situation of the pegs or tappets, both in this apparatus and that above
described for working the shuttle boxes, will depend upon the particular
pattern to be produced, and also that various other kinds of endless tappett
chains may be employed, which will be well understood by the practical
weaver. The cylinders are held firm and square by a spiral spring and
T-shaped lever, similar to that commonly applied to the cylinders of "Jacquard
machines."
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the "jack lifters " e, and inclined
shedding levers d, shewn detached and upon a larger scale. I would here
remark, that where two shuttle boxes are required at each side of the loom,
the lifting apparatus may be worked from the same chain as the shedding
apparatus, and the motion communicated to the other side by a shaft extending
across the loom.
Fig. 6 shews a view of the under side, and Fig. 7 an end view, of my
improved form of shuttle, to be used as before described in "under pick
looms. The improvement consists in forming a recess a in the under side of
the shuttle, so as to have a square surface for the "
picking stick " to strike
against, and also in having the points b, b, of the shuttle out of the centre, which
renders them less likely to catch against the warp threads or stop in the shed.
•
Having now described the nature and object of my said improvements,
together with the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I would
remark, in conclusion, that I claim as my Invention,―
Firstly, the application, employment, or use of an endless tappet chain (of
whatever construction), together with the apparatus above described, and
shewn in the annexed Drawings, for the purpose of raising and lowering the
shuttle boxes in looms where two or more shuttles are employed;
Secondly, I claim the peculiar construction and arrangement of the inclined
shedding levers and "jack lifters," to be worked by an endless tappet chain
or cylinder for the purpose of dividing or shedding the warp threads, so as to
produce the pattern desired; and,

page_text: Thirdly, I claim the peculiar construction of shuttle to be used in "under
pick" looms, as above described, and shewn in the Drawing, whether the same
be applied to the "slide shuttle" or to the " wheel shuttle."
In witness whereof, I, the said Enoch Wilkinson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and forty-seven.