IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO LOOMS FOR THE MANU- FACTURE OF TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert William Sievier, of Upper Holloway,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, and James Crosby, of
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer, for the
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO LOOMS FOR THE MANU-
FACTURE OF TEXTILE FABRICS."
Sealed the 31st May 1853, and dated the 4th April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert William
Sievier and James Crosby at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 4th April 1853.
We, ROBERT WILLIAM SIEVIER and JAMES CROSBY, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS APPLI-
CABLE TO LOOMS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TEXTILE FABRICS" to be as
follows:-
The first part of our improvements has for its object the improving
and finishing the fabric in the loom, instead of rendering it necessary
to remove the fabric therefrom to a separate machine or apparatus, as is
now the case. By this arrangement a considerable economy in the manu-
facture of the fabric will be effected, as several processes will be carried
on in the loom while the fabric is being woven. Of course, the parti-
cular arrangement or construction of parts to be added to the loom
must depend upon the operation or process to be carried on in conjunc-

page_text: tion with the weaving process, and this, of course, will vary with the
peculiar kind of fabric intended to be produced. For instance, some
fabrics, such as some kinds of linens and cottons, will require a calen-
dering process for flattening the fibres. This object is effected by
causing the cloth, when woven, to pass between a series of rollers or
cylinders before it is wound on to the taking-up rollers. The requisite
finish may be in some instances imparted to the fabric by means of
friction, caused by the rapid rotation of beaters or rollers, or by the
vibration of rubbing surfaces, which are actuated by suitable gearing
connected with the main shaft or other convenient part of the loom.
For some fabrics it will be desirable to teazle or card one of the
surfaces so as to bring up a fibrous pile thereon. This is effected by
substituting teazle or card cylinders or rollers for the rotating rubbing
surfaces just described.. Other methods of finishing or improving the
appearance of the fabric may be adapted to the loom, according to
the peculiar finish required; but whatever arrangements are employed,
they are worked simultaneously with the weaving of the cloth, and are
combined in one machine.
The next improvement relates to a method of imparting elasticity
to the warp, so that when the batten or slay beats up the weft
thread, the warp may be made slightly to yield, and thereby obviate
the liability of some of the warp threads being broken by the hard or
sharp beat of the slay. This object is effected by adapting a spring to
the warp beam, or to the bearings or axle thereof, or to the batten or
slay itself, so as to prevent the beat up of the slay from being too hard
or sharp.
The next improvement relates more particularly to the mode or
method of manufacturing twilled and other fancy fabrics, and consists
in setting on a cylinder a "twill or spot tie," and in applying to such
cylinder a lever, semi-circular or eccentric lift, so as to reverse or pro-
duce a reversed twill, diaper, or pattern. The cylinder, with the
arrangement of "lifts" thereon to produce the twill or spotting tie, is
employed in place of the usual method of adapting a number of per-
forated cards, for the purpose of effecting the same object, according to
the pattern required. By this means a considerable economy in the
construction and operation of the machine is effected.

page_text: The last improvement relates also to the warp, or the method of
working the same, and has for its object to raise all the warp
threads into one line or plane, so that a more perfect and regular
shed may be formed than when the several healds are raised in the
ordinary manner. In ordinary looms, the healds are usually raised
to the same height, or nearly so; and as they are placed one behind
the other, it follows that the warp threads from each heald make a
different angle to the others, the heald farthest from the slay making
the most acute angle. This will be best understood by the accom-
panying diagram. The lines a, a, a, a, Figure 1, represent the warp
threads coming from the four healds 1, 1, 1, 1, which are all raised to
the same height, and consequently the warp threads are raised into
four separate planes, whereas by raising the healds higher and higher,
according to their distance from the reed, the warp threads, as seen at
b, b, b, b, will all be brought into the same plane, or nearly so, as seen
in Figure 2.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert William Sievier and James Crosby, in
the Great Seal Patent Office, on the 4th October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
ROBERT WILLIAM SIEVIER, of Upper Holloway, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Gentleman, and JAMES CROSBY, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and

page_text: grant unto us, the said Robert William Sievier and James Crosby,
Her special licence that we, the said Robert William Sievier and
James Crosby, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Robert William Sievier and James Crosby, our ex-
ecutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS APPLICABLE TO LOOMS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TEXTILE FABRICS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Robert William
Sievier and James Crosby, by an instrument in writing under our
hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert William Sievier, (on
behalf of myself and of the said James Crosby,) do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
The first part of our improvements has for its object the improving
and finishing the fabric in the loom, instead of rendering it necessary
to remove the fabric therefrom to a separate machine or apparatus, as
is now the case.
By such an arrangement a considerable economy in the manufacture
of the fabric will be effected, as several processes may be carried on in
the loom while the fabric is being woven. Of course, the particular
arrangement or construction of parts to be added to the loom must
depend upon the operation or process to be carried on in conjunction
with the weaving process, and this, of course, will vary with the par-
ticular kind of fabric intended to be produced.

page_text: The next improvement also relates to a method of finishing fabrics.
For some fabrics it will be desirable to teazle, cut, or card one of the
surfaces, so as to bring up a fibrous pile thereon.
The next improvement relates to a method of imparting elasticity to
the warp, so that when the batten or slay beats up the weft thread the
warp may be made slightly to yield, and thereby obviate the liability of
some of the warp threads being broken by the hard or sharp beat of
the slay.
The last improvement relates also to the warp or to the method of
working the same, and has for its object to raise all the warp threads
into one line or plane, so that a more perfect and regular shed may
be formed than when the several healds are raised in the ordinary
manner.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1, represents a sectional elevation
of part of an ordinary loom; and Fig. 2, a plan or horizontal represen-
tation of the same, shewing the first part of our improvements adapted
thereto. A, A, is the framework of the loom, and B, the breast beam;
C, the batten; D, the taking-off roller; E, the taking-up roll; and F,
the crank shaft. G, is the fabric, which, as produced, passes over the
breast beam B, and is acted upon by rotary finishers, as shewn at a, a,
Figures 1, and 2, and which are represented upon a larger scale at Fig.
3. These finishers consist of a shaft, with a number of ribs, made of any
suitable material, which are caused to revolve rapidly by the bevil
wheel, gearing with the bevel wheel c, upon the shaft of which
is another bevil wheel d, gearing with the wheel e, on the crank shaft.
The revolving finishers a, a, are geared together by means of pinions f.f
Fig. 2, and are therefore caused to revolve simultaneously. These
polishers are mounted on adjustable bearings g, in order that they may
set nearer or further apart by a regulating screw h. The action of
this part of our Invention is as follows:-As the loom weaves the cloth
action is given to the polishers, by the wheels b, c, d, e, causing them to
rotate, and by rubbing the surface of the cloth impart to the cloth the
finish required.
.
Figures 4, and 5, shew a modification of machinery for finishing fabrics.
Fig. 4, is a front elevation of part of a loom, and Fig. 5, a transverse
section. A, A, the framework; B, the breast beam; D, the taking-off

page_text: roller; E, the taking-up roller; F, the crank shaft; G, the fabric
passing over the breast beam B; a, the finisher, which in this instance
is mounted upon bearings b, b, b, above the breast beam (as seen in
Figures 4, and 5). This, finisher consists of a shaft a, upon which projects
a rib c, wound spirally upon it, and best seen in Fig. 4. Upon the top
and in a groove of the breast beam B, is inserted a strip of india-
rubber or elastic material d, over which the cloth G, passes. This
piece of india-rubber or elastic material is placed immediately under
the action of the rib c, and is intended to yield to the action of the rib,
so as to keep the cloth in continual contact with the revolving rib,
suiting any irregularity which may be in the rib or thickness of the
cloth. In some cases it may be advisable to place a very thin band of
steel c, upon the surface of the india-rubber, where a hard flexible
surface may be required for the revolving finisher to act upon.
The action of this part of our Invention is as follows:-Upon the
crank shaft F, is mounted a bevil wheel g, which gears into a bevil
wheel h, upon the shaft i, which has at the other end a mitre wheel j,
gearing into a similar wheel k, which is mounted upon the shaft of the
finisher a, so that motion being given to the crank shaft F, the finisher
a, will, through the agency of the bevil gearing g, h, j, and k, be
caused to revolve, and thus, by rubbing upon its surface, give a finish
to the cloth.
At Fig. 6, is shewn another modification of an apparatus for finishing
goods. In this instance we employ a roller «, which may be con-
veniently placed below the breast beam of the loom; which roller I
cover with india-rubber or any flexible material b. In the front of
this elastic surface is placed a finishing roller c, corrugated, or having
upon it a number of ribs, extending longitudinally or spirally along its
surface. This roller may have motion given to it in a similar manner
to those already described. As the cloth passes over the breast beam
in the direction of the arrow, and is wound up below by a taking-up
roller, in the usual mauner, the finisher c, is made to rotate, and by the
friction finish the cloth; the object of the india-rubber being to form
a soft bed, and keep the fabric firmly in contact with the rubbing sur-
faces of the roller c.
As, in some cases, a spiral blade may have a tendency to draw the

page_text: cloth or fabric on one side, we use a finisher (as seen represented at
Fig. 7), having the blade c, in reverse spiral directions from the centre
of the shaft upon which it is fixed.
Figures 8, and 9, represent another modification of an apparatus for
finishing goods. Fig. 8, is a partial front elevation of a loom, and
Fig. 9, a portion of the loom, shewing the mode of giving motion to
the finisher a, which in this instance consists of a box mounted upon
four wheels b, b, which traverses to and fro laterally upon the breast
beam B. This box is for the purpose of containing weights, in order
that the pressure of the wheels upon the fabric may be regulated so as
to give a proper finish to the cloth or fabric; which box is guided in
its course by means of the guide bars c. This box a, is caused to
travel over the fabric by means of cords d, and e, connected to its
ends, and passed over guide pulleys f, f, and g, g, to the double-grooved
pulley h, to which the ends of the cord are attached. Upon the axle
of this pulley h, is a pinion i, gearing into a sector lever j, having its
fulcrum at . The lever receives its motion by means of a cam 1,
placed upon the tappet shaft of the loom, by which any convenient
number of to and fro motions may be given; and by such action the
wheels b, b, give the desired finish to the cloth. During these opera-
tions of finishing the goods they may be damped, or a solution of gum
or starch may be applied by a rotary brush before the finishers act upon
the fabric, or a preparation of wax and such like bodies may be applied
in the same manner.
Figures 10, and 11, represent that part of our Invention which re-
lates to bringing up a fibrous pile upon the fabric or goods in the loom.
Suppose, for instance, a fustian is being woven, we place in the front of
the loom, just before the breast beam B, a series of points a, a, mounted
upon a horizontal stationary bar b, b, over which is placed a spiral
knife c, upon the shaft d. Rotary motion is given to this knife by
means of the wheel e, from the tappet shaft of the loom. The taking
off' roller C, has placed before it a teazle or card roller d.
The action of this part of our Invention is as follows:-The cloth, as
it is produced, has, in the first instance, the points a, inserted into
the loops or floated weft of the fustian or corded fabric, and as it passes
forward during the act of being woven, the revolving knives c, cut the

page_text: loops, which are raised up by the points or wires a, and thus form a
pile; the revolving roller d, also coming into action, assists in raising
the quantity of pile; but this may be used or dispensed with, according
to the character of the fabric acted upon. Fig. 12, is an enlarged sec-
tion of the points a.
Fig. 13, relates to our next improvements, which consist of a method
of imparting elasticity to the warp when the blow is given by the
batten. A, represents the back frame of the loom; B, the warp beam;
C, is a roller over which the warps pass; D, is a spring, against which
the axle of this roller bears. It will be seen by this contrivance that at
every blow of the batten or extra tension of the warp threads, the
spring D, will yield, and thus in a great measure prevent the warp
threads from breaking.
The next and last part of our Invention is shown in Figures 14,
and 15, and relates to the means of elevating the warp threads so as
to bring them easily into one line, thereby making a clean shed, as is
shewn in the diagram, Fig. 16. The diagram, Fig. 17, represents the
warps forming the shed when raised in the ordinary manner, the
warps being then at different elevations; but Fig. 16, exhibits our
improved position of these warp threads. This is effected by the means
shewn at Fig. 14. The shaft or pin b, on which the tappet levers a, a,
work, is placed in an angular position to the tappet shaft, the position
of which is represented by the line c; the shaft or pin b, is square, upon
which are placed brass or other metal bushes c, c, c: upon these bushes
severally the respective levers a, work. These bushes c, c, c, are so
formed as to admit of the lever rising and falling at right angles with
the tappet shaft. The pin 6, is fixed in stationary bearings d, d, at the
side of the loom. Set collars e, e, are placed upon the pin b, for the
purpose of keeping the levers a, a, in the proper position. The object
of this arrangement is to give to the opposite ends of the tappet
levers a, a different clevation, so that the back healds shall be raised
higher than the front healds, thereby making, as before stated and
shewn in the diagram 16, an even and clean shed for the passage of
the shuttle while the loom is weaving.
We do not intend to confine ourselves to the precise arrangements of
all the parts of the mechanism as herein described and set forth, as they

page_text: may be varied without departing from the character or principle of our
Invention; but that which we claim is, the application of mechanism
to effect a finishing process during the working of the loom, as above
explained.
We also claim the general arrangements herein shewn for that pur-
pose, and particularly the spiral rib finisher; and although in some of
the drawings the ribs are represented straight, we do not confine our-
selves to that, as they may be varied either way, (that is to say) either
straight or spiral, as may best suit the fabric operated upon; straight,
as shewn in Figures 1, and 2; and spiral, as shewn in Figures 4, 5,
and 7.
We likewise claim the use of an elastic bed for the finisher, as
shewn at Figures 4, 5, and 6; also the traversing finisher, as shewn in
Figures 8, and 9, which may traverse upon a hard or upon an elastic
bed.
We also claim the use of the apparatus above shewn and described,
or any mere modification thereof, for finishing goods or fabrics, whether
such apparatus be used or worked in connection with the loom or
otherwise. Also, the method of raising a pile, either by the cutting
apparatus, Fig. 11, and the teazle or wire card, either used together
or separate. Also, the method of taking the strain off the warp
threads, as represented at Fig. 13. And the means set forth for
the rising of the warp threads, shewn in Fig. 14.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert William Sievier, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of Septem-
ber, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty throo
Witness, J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane, London.
R. W. SIEVIER. (L.S.)