Improvements in Let-off Mechanisms Applicable for Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Let-off Mechanisms Applicable for Looms for
Weaving.
We, RICHARD LONGDEN HATTERSLEY of Keighley in the County of York, Machine
Maker and JAMES HILL of the same place Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
It relates to improvements in that class of let-off mechanisms wherein ropes or
chains are wound around the outer ends of the warp beams or around hoops or
ruffles rigidly mounted thereon, for the purpose of frictioning same in order to
retard the unwinding of the warp as is well understood, and consists of constructing
and arranging the operating levers thereof in such a manner that by the application to
said levers of very little power (as by mounting weights thereon) a considerable
amount of friction is imparted to said warp beams.
This we attain by mounting the operating levers horizontally (or nearly so) in suit-
able positions and bearings so that one of the arms of each of said levers may be
in suitable proximity with the loose end of the rope or chain that encircles the
warp beam.
The outer end of this arm of the lever, above named, is of a somewhat quadrantal
form, and has a groove formed in it for the reception of the friction-chain or rope,
said chain or rope extending from said arm to a small drum-and-ratchet mechanism
(which may be any one of the well known kinds) mounted on the other arm of the
operating lever.
By the quadrantal part of the lever's arm being formed as near as practicable
to the fulcrum of said lever, it will be seen that considerable purchase is obtained, and
that by the rope or chain extending from said part of the lever to the drum-and-
ratchet mechanism mounted on the other lever arm considerably less motion is required
by said operating lever for the purpose of tightening or maintaining the tension
of the chain or rope notwithstanding the yielding or extending of said chain or rope
by being stretched.

page_text: Ropes to be used in connection with the mechanism above described are preferably
constructed of metal (such as steel wire) within and covered by any fibrous or textile
material (as hemp) without by which means same are rendered less liable to extend
by being stretched.
On the end of the warp beam (in a suitable position) is rigidly mounted a ratchet
wheel which is operated by a lever and ratchet that are placed in appropriate approxi-
mate positions for this purpose, whenever the weaver desires to rewind the warp upon
the beam as is from time to time necessary. During this process of rewinding, the
warp beam is relieved of the friction from the rope or chain by the weaver raising the
operating lever herein before described and holding same by one hand while operating
the ratchet-lever with the other.
Instead of the weaver being required to maintain hold upon said operating
lever during the process of re-winding as above described, and which would be
impossible had the above described friction-device to be applied to both ends of the
warp beam, suitable means are employed for holding one of these levers after having
been raised by the weaver while the other may be operated as above described. And
to these holding means are applied the necessary parts so that should the weaver
negligently leave the lever in its raised position, when the motor parts of the loom are
put into operation, said lever is liberated and assumes its proper position for control
over the warp beam. Or again, instead of this holding-up arrangement being employed
when the above described frictioning devices are used on each end of the warp beam
the operating levers may have each a supplementary arm attached to or formed on
them, these arms being joined together by suitable rod connections so that when one
of these said operating levers is raised so will be the other.
;
These supplementary arms may be dispensed with and pulleys with cord or chain
connections used instead, said pulleys being mounted in suitable positions, on the frame
work of the loom, to attain the object desired.
Dated this 24th day of Murah 1000
RICH. L. HATTERSLEY.
JAMES HILL.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Let-off Mechanisms Applicable for Looms for
Weaving.
We RICHARD LONGDEN HATTERSLEY of Keighley in the County of York, Machine
Maker, and JAMES HILL of the same place, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
It relates to improvements in that class of let-off mechanisms for looms wherein
ropes or chains are wound around the outer ends of the warp beams or around hoops
or ruffles rigidly mounted thereon, for the purpose of or imparting friction thereto
in order to retard the unwinding of the warp as is well understood, and consists
of constructing and arranging the levers which act upon said ropes or chains, in such
a manner that by the application, to said levers, of very little power (as by mounting
weights thereon) a considerable amount of friction is imparted to said warp beams.
In the accompanying sheets of drawings figs. 1 and 2 are sectional back and end
elevations of a portion of a loom with double warp beams, shewing the application
thereto of our invention. Fig. 3 is back view of a loom shewing the lever and
weight arrangements, and fig. 4 is an end elevation shewing parts in connection
therewith. Figs. 3 and 4 are of reduced scale.
The object of our invention is attained by mounting the operating lever a (a¹) in
the bearings b (b) attached to the end frame c of the loom. This lever a (a¹)
being in such a position that its arm d (d¹) may be in suitable proximity with the
loose end of the chain e (e) (in place of which a rope may be employed if desired),
said chain e (e) being made to encircle the hoop f (f) which is rigidly mounted
upon the warp beam y (9') and having its other outer end attached securely to the
end frame c or some other fixed or firm part.
The outer end of the arm d (d¹) of the lever a is somewhat of quadrantal form and
bas a suitable groove formed in it for the reception of the friction-chain e (e¹) which
is made to pass over it and extend to the drum and ratchet mechanism (h¹) (said
mechanism(¹) being common and well known) which is employed as an attach-
ment for the chain e to the lever a.
By the arm d (d) of the lever a being formed as short as is practicable it will be
seen that considerable purchase is obtained in the leverage, and that by the
chain e (e) extending over the quadrant part of the arm d (d) to the mechanism
considerably less motion is required by said operating lever a (a) for the purpose of
tightening or maintaining the tension of the chain e (e¹) notwithstanding the yielding
or extending of said chain e (e¹) by being stretched.
Should ropes be made use of instead of the chains e (e¹) we preferably have them
constructed of metal (such as steel wire) within, and covered by any fibrous substance
(as hemp) without, by which means they are rendered less liable to extend by being
held in a state of tension as above described.

page_text: On the end of the warp beam g is mounted a hoop or annular piece of metal k,
which has radially formed openings in its periphery. Into these openings may be
inserted the bar or lever to be used for the purpose of rewinding the warp upon the
beam gas is from time to time found necessary. During this process of rewinding,
the warp beam g is relieved of the friction from the chain e by the operative raising
the lever a and holding same by one hand while operating the lever k with the other.
Instead of the operative being required to hold the lever a in its raised position
during the process of rewinding as above described, said act of holding being
impossible when the above described levers a and other parts are applied to both
ends of the warp beam as shewn by fig. 3 a², the cam-lever m is employed for holding
the lever a in its raised position on one side of the loom while the operative goes to
operate the other. And to this cam-lever m is attached the rod n having a projection
at its extending end, to come in contact with the lay-sword o so that should the
operative negligently leave the lever a in its raised position, when the motor parts of
the loom were put into operation, said lay-sword o would pull the cam-lever m, by
means of the rod n and its projecting part, from under said lever a and so liberate it
and allow it to assume its proper position for controlling the warp-beam g.
Or again, instead of the cam-lever m and rod n being employed as above described,
when the levers a a² are used on each end of the warp beam g, they may each have a
supplementary arm a³ formed upon them as shewn by fig. 3, these arms a³ being
joined together by the rod p, so that when the lever u is raised so also will the
lever a be raised.
It will readily be seen that the arms a³ may be dispensed with, and pulleys with
cord or chain connections used instead, said pulleys being mounted in suitable
positions on the framework of the loom, to attain the object desired, however we
preferably make use of the arrangement above described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The lever a having its end d formed as described, chain e (or rope in place of
this chain) ratchet-wheel mechanism h warp beam g with or without its hoop f, the
piece and the lever in combination the same being arranged to operate in the
imanner and for the purpose substantially as herein specified.
2. The lever a having a quadrant-shaped end d, the chain e (or rope in place of
this chain) mechanism 4, beam g with or without its hoopf, cam-piece m, rod n and
lay sword o in combination, the same being arranged to operate in the manner and
for the purpose substantially as herein specified.
3. The lever a having its end d formed as shewn and an additional arm a³ attached
thereto or formed thereon, the rod p, and the other parts herein described and
illustrated by fig. 3, in combination, the same being arranged and made to operate
substantially as herein specified.
Dated this 21st day of December 1888.