IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRAID, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPA- RATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Henry Johnson at tho
Office of the Commissiouers of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st September 1862.-A communication from abroad by Thomas James
Sloan, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Engincer.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRAID, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPA-
RATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," a communication from abroad by Thomas James
Sloan, of Paris, in tho Empire of France, Engineer, to be as follows:—
This Invention relates, firstly, to an improved manufacture of flat braid, and
consists in making such braid with the borders or selvages thinner than the
body or centro portion thereof. According to one mode of producing a braid
having this peculiarity, it is proposed to construct a machine somewhat similar
to an ordinary flat braid machine, but provided with separate bobbins working
in grooves of their own for forming the borders or selvages, and so actuated
as to lock their threads with the threads of the other bobbins forming the
body of the braid. In order that the borders may be considerably thinner
than the body it is proposed to have fewer thicknesses of thread on the bobbins
forming the borders; for example, if each of the bobbins forming the body of
the braid have three threads, the outer bobbins will only be supplied with one
thread, thus forming the border one-third the thickness only of the body of the

page_text: braid which has never heretofore been accomplished. It is of course requisite
that the speed of the bobbins making the borders should be greater than that
of the bobbins making the body of the braid, in proportion to the difference in
the number of threads carried by each set of bobbins, so that the borders
although made of one thread, for example, will be produced as fast as, and
keep pace with the body of the braid made from two or more thicknesses of
thread. The above-mentioned arrangement affords facility for making braid
of two or more different colors, that is to say, on longitudinal stripes.
The second part of this Invention relates to certain peculiar constructions
and combinations of parts of braiding machines, whereby their productive
powers are greatly increased, whilst the work executed is superior to that pro-
duced in ordinary braiding machines. According to this part of the Invention
it is proposed to make the spindles in such a manner as to admit of the
bobbins being easily lifted off with such parts as hold the threads in their
different directions without disturbing such threads, whereby facility is
afforded for changing a deranged bobbin by simply replacing it by one in
perfect order. In carrying out this part of the Invention, the spindle which
supports the bobbin is cast in one piece with the slide which travels along
the guiding grooves of the plate. The bobbin is not fitted directly on to the
spindle itself, but is carried by a tubular support, which is in turn supported
by a second tube fitted on the spindle, the spindle being cranked or beat to
one side, so as to admit of the centre of the bobbin being nearly over
the centre of the sliding piece, which in this arrangement is not removed
from its grooves when removing or changing the bobbin. The spring for
giving tension to the thread is contained inside the bobbin, and guide eyes
for the thread are fitted to the tubular part which passes on to the spindle.
This tube also carries a weight for acting upon the stop motion when the
thread breaks or terminates. A guide eye is also formed on the upper end
of the tube upon which the bobbin is placed, the whole being readily removeable
from the spindle when requisite. It is simply necessary to have a number of
bobbins ready prepared, so that on the breaking of a thread the defective
bobbin can be removed, and a perfect ono replaced, having its thread ready
passed through the guide eyes, consequently the loss of time incurred in the
ordinary system is obviated. It is also proposed to plait in the centre of the
machine in lieu of eccentrically thereto as is the case when the ordinary
drawing-off arrangement is employed, which must be placed out of the centre
of the machine. In the improved machine the several threads are passed up
through a central circular aperture large enough to admit of the braid passing
easily through it. In forming the edge of the braid rotating "beaters" or

page_text: needles are used, and in some cases both needles and "beaters" are employed.
By this system of plaiting in the centre, the necessity for springs and weights
is obviated.
Another improvement consists in carrying the braid down through the
centre of the machine, which is advantageous inasmuch as the rubbing of the
threads is avoided, when round work is being made a tube is used as a guido
baving a bell mouth, upon the edge of which the threads work, and are guided
in a more uniform manner than when left to the motion of the "dolls."
It is further proposed to use needles having an eye in the end, in tho
direction of their length, or otherwise, for introducing a thread for the better
forming of the edge or selvage of flat braid. In some cases it is proposed to use
a central bell-mouthed guide both at the top and bottom of the machine, the
bottom one serving to equalise the cord to be covered or plaited upon, the
cord passing tightly through this guide so as to present a uniform surface for
the plaiting to be formed upon. This Invention embraces also a novel system
of feed rollers, consisting of a cone having a toothed wheel at each grade, and
working in combination with a pressing roller provided with a corresponding
toothed wheel. By moving or adjusting the cone longitudinally, the speed of
the feed may be regulated at pleasure. It is also proposed to use a stop
motion, having its axis working in the centre of the machine, and detaching
by the motion of the inner circle of spindles or centre plate.
Another part of this Invention relates to a mode of making three-square
or sided braid by means of bobbins, the course of which is in the direction
indicated by the sketch thus.