CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Ashworth, of Fairfield, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN POWER LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 19th September 1860, and dated the 23rd March 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Ashworth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
March 1860.
I, CHARLES ASHWORTH, of Fairfield, in the County of Lancaster, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates more particularly to such looms as are employed for
weaving a certain description of fabric known as "Turkish towelling," which
fabric has a looped or terry surface, but it is also applicable to other looms
wherein two or more different descriptions of fabric are required to be woven
at intervals in the same piece. The Invention is particularly designed for
weaving a border or "tab" at each end of the "towelling," of a different
description to the general fabric of the piece, of an ornamental character,
as a "satteen" stripe, for example. The improvement consists in the employ-
ment and use of a cylinder, cylinders, or barrels, having a double set or more
of pegs, tappets, bowls, or projections upon the periphery, one set of which
actuate the healds by ordinary mechanism for weaving the "terry" part of the

page_text: fabric, and the other actuate healds for weaving the "satteen" stripe or other
ornamental border at the ends of each towel. The different healds are capable
of control, and are actuated at will by supporting the said cylinder or barrel
in bearings, so that it may be moved laterally or transversely by a handle, so
as to throw one set of pegs out of gear with one set of healds, and the other
set in gear; or, if preferred, two or more peg rollers or cylinders may be
employed, each acting upon a set of healds, and sliding in and out of gear as
the cylinders furnished with a double row of pegs.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Ashworth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd September 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
ASHWORTH, of Fairfield, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles Ashworth, Her special license that I, the said Charles Ashworth, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Ashworth, my executors, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN POWER LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon the condition, amongst others, that I,
the said Charles Ashworth, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Charles Ashworth, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
My Invention relates more particularly to such looms as are employed for

page_text: weaving a certain description of fabric known as "Turkish towelling, which
fabric has a looped or "terry" surface, but it is also applicable to other looms
wherein two or more different descriptions of fabric are required to be woven
at intervals in the same piece. The Invention is particularly designed for
weaving a border or "tab" at each end of the "towelling" of a different
description to the general fabric of the piece, of an ornamental character, as a
"satteen" stripe, for example. The improvement consists in the employment
and use of a cylinder. Cylinders or barrels having a double set (or more) of
pegs, tappets, bowls, or projections upon the periphery, one set of which
actuate the healds by ordinary mechanism for weaving the "terry" part of the
fabric, and the other actuate healds for weaving the "satteen" stripe or other
ornamental border at the end of each towel. The different healds are capable
of control, and are actuated at will by supporting the said cylinder or barrel in
bearings, so that it may be moved laterally or transversely by a handle, so as
to throw one set of pegs out of gear with one set of healds, and the other set
in gear, or if preferred, two or more peg rollers or cylinders may be employed,
each acting upon a set of healds and sliding in and out of gear as the cylinders
furnished with a double row of pegs.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made upon a scale of
about three inches to a foot, and having similar letters of reference marked
upon corresponding parts of the mechanism in both the Figures shewn.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of that portion of a power loom to which my
improvements are attached (that is the upper portion situated above the heald
levers), and Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. In Fig. 1 a, a, is the framing
of the loom, and b, b, are the healds actuated by the levers c, c, by means of
the "griffs" d, d, and "knives" e, e, working in a similar manner to ordinary
descriptions of jacquard or "pattern" weaving or producing apparatus. The
pegged roller or cylinder f.f, in which my improvement consists is so arranged
that the "pegs" shall act upon the "swell" or curved surface g of the
"griff's" d, d, and in such a manner that when so pressed the "griffs" shall be
caught by the knives and the healds lifted; and in the absence of such
pressure from the pegs upon the "griffs," they are not brought into contact
with the knives, but the healds corresponding with such "griffs" are drawn
down and returned to their required position by suitable and ordinary means.
This pegged cylinder f, f, is mounted in bearings, so that a sliding movement
may be given thereto by the spring handle h, when the series of pegs for
weaving a "satteen" stripe or ornamental border are required to act upon the
bealds. The "pegged" cylinder" may be of any suitable form, and have as

page_text: many rows of holes for the reception of "pegs" as may be required, according
to the quality of "towelling" or other fabric desired. Each row or series
consisting of double the number of such peg holes as there are healds, the
pegs being so disposed therein as to produce any pattern required, as when the
"tab end" or ornamental part of the fabric is woven the cylinder is shifted,
and one set of pegs is thrown out of gear and another series differently
arranged or disposed are caused to act upon the healds, or two or more
cylinders may be employed and be brought into action in succession. A
rotatory motion is imparted to the cylinder from any convenient driving part
of the loom, connected thereto by means of the rod i. The other portions of
the mechanism shewn being of ordinary description I have deemed it un-
necessary to describe them further.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with
the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I claim the novel employment and use of a roller, cylinder,
cylinders, or barrels having rows or series of pegs, tappets, or bowls arranged
and disposed thereupon in such a manner as to produce patterns in weaving, by
actuating the healds in power looms at the required intervals for such purpose
such cylinder or cylinders being capable of sliding horizontally and laterally
for the purpose of bringing a differently arranged series of "pegs" into
operation, as herein-before described, set forth, and fully illustrated in the
Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Ashworth, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
CHARLES ASHWORTH. (L.S.)