CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Snape, of Radcliffe, in the County of
Lancaster, Overlooker, for the Invention of “CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 9th May 1878, and dated the 19th November 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Snape at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th November 1872.
I, RICHARD SNAPE, of Radcliffe, in the County of Lancaster,
3 Overlooker, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows; that is to
say
This Invention is more particularly applicable to looms in which the.
pattern to be woven is formed through the medium of tappet or swell
pieces or bowls arranged on an endless chain working round a barrel as
well known.
The construction of this chain is such in the existing arrangements
that whenever a change in the pattern and therefore in the disposition

page_text: of the tappet or swell pieces or bowls on the chain is required it is
necessary to take the said chain into pieces, involving thereby a con-
siderable amount of work and loss of time. The present Invention is
designed for the purpose of effecting the required change speedily and
with little trouble, and consists in a novel and peculiar arrangement and
construction of the above-mentioned pattern chain. In conformity with
this arrangement the chain is composed of a number of bars or bar links
placed in such a position so as in the direction of their length to be
parallel with the axis of the barrel. These bar links are linked together
on their ends by hook-shaped projections provided on the said bars, or
they may be connected together in any other convenient manner, so as
to form a continuous chain or belt of bars, suitable projections being
provided to enter corresponding notches on the barrel. In each bar a
number of perforations, slots by preference, are formed, and suitably
shaped tappet or swell pieces, provided with shanks fitted to enter the
aforesaid perforations or slots, are attached-to-each bar in such number
and order so as to actuate the jacks and in consequence the healds in
conformity with the pattern required to be produced.
The tappet or swell pieces attached to each bar are secured to the
same by means of a pin passing through projections on the inner side of
the bar and through holes or slots provided in the shanks of the tappet
or swell pieces. By this arrangement the tappet or swell pieces of each
single bar can be changed quickly and with ease without interfering
with the connection of the chain.
The outer sides of the bars where the swell pieces are attached are
hollowed out in the form of troughs to allow of the movement of the
treadle bowls towards the barrel wherever the same are not forced
outwards by tappet or swell pieces. By this arrangement, a sufficient
lift by a moderate height of the tappet or swell pieces is secured, so that
the treadles' and, healds may be worked directly from the chain, either
under the loom or on the side of it, without the addition of knife bars
and the mechanism necessary to actuate the same.
When bowls are used in the pattern chain they are placed on pina
resting in supports formed on crosstays, which take in this arrangement
the place of the above described bars, and are connected at their ends in
a similar manner. The pins can be taken out and the position of the
bowls changed without interfering with the connection of the chain.

page_text: The connection of the bars or crosstays with each other is effected in
such a simple manner that either slotted bars or crosstays can easily be
The connection of the bars or crosstays with each other is effected in
such a simple manner that either slotted bars or crosstays can easily be
added to or be taken from the chain when required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Snape in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th May 1878.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
SNAPE, of Radcliffe, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Richard Snape, Her special
license that I, the said Richard Snape, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard Snape, 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
LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Richard Snape, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Richard Snape, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 :-
This Invention is more particularly applicable to looms in which the
pattern to be woven is formed through the medium of tappet or swell

page_text: ·pieces or bowls arranged on an endless chain working round a barrel, as
well known.
The construction of this chain is such in the existing arrangements
that whenever a change in the pattern and therefore in the disposition
of the tappet or swell pieces or bowls on the chain is required it is
necessary to take the said chain into pieces, involving thereby a con-
siderable amount of work and loss of time. The present Invention is
designed for the purpose of effecting the required change speedily and
with little trouble, and consists in a novel and peculiar arrangement and
construction of the above-mentioned pattern chain. In conformity with
this arrangement the chain is composed of a number of bars or bar links
placed in such a position so as in the direction of their length to be
parallel with the axis of the barrel. These bar links are linked together
on their ends by hook-shaped projections provided on the said bars, or
they may be connected and linked together by other means, as may be
found convenient or desirable, so as to förm a continuous chain or belt
of bars, suitable projections being provided to enter corresponding
notches on the barrel. In each bar a number of perforations, slots by
preference, are formed, and suitably shaped tappet or swell picces,
.provided with shanks fitted to enter the aforesaid perforations or slots,
are attached to each bar in such number and order so as to actuate the
jacks and in consequence the healds in conformity with the pattern
required to be produced.
The tappet or swell pieces attached to each bar are secured to the
same by means of a pin passing through projections on the inner side of
the bar and through holes or slots provided in the shanks of the tappet
or swell pieces. By this arrangement the tappet or swell pieces of each
single bar can be changed quickly and with ease without interfering
with the connection of the chain.
The outer sides of the bars where the swell pieces are attached are
hollowed out in the form of troughs to allow of the movement of the
treadle bowls towards the barrel whenever the same are not forced
outwards by tappet or swell pieces. By this arrangement a sufficient
lift by a moderate height of the tappet or swell pieces is secured, so that
the treadles and healds may be worked directly from the chain either
under the loom or on the side of it without the addition of knife bars
and the mechanism necessary to actuate the same.

page_text: When bowls are used in the pattern chain they are placed on pins
resting in supports formed on crosstays, which take in this arrangement
the place of the above described bars, and are connected at their ends in
- a similar manner. The pins can be taken out and the position of the
bowls changed without interfering with the connection of the chain.
The connection of the bars or crosstays with each other is effected in
such a simple manner that either slotted bars or crosstays can easily be
added to or be taken from the chain when required.
In order that the Invention may be more clearly understood and
explained in detail I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings,
having similar letters of reference marked upon corresponding parts of
the apparatus.
The formation of the bar links a will readily be understood on
reference to Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 1 being a full-sized plan shewing the
open slots b, the hook-shaped projections c, and the other projections d,
which in forming a chain is linked into the hook-shaped projection of
the next bar link, such process being repeated until the number
necessary to form the pattern is completed, when the last bar link a
is connected with the first placed. Fig. 2 is a cross section through
line A, B, shewing the curved top into which the treadle bowls drop
when not elevated by the tappet or swell pieces e which are more clearly
shewn in the full-sized Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 3 being a front view and
Fig. 4 an end view of the same. In Fig. 2 the position of the pin f
securing the tappet or swell pieces is shewn, as also in Fig 1.
Figs. 5 and 6 represent one of the star wheels g forming the barrel,
two of which are fixed upon the shaft h, see Figs. 7 and 8, and secured
to which shaft hand placed at such distance apart as to embrace the
hook-shaped projections o; and revolving to carry the chain along so as
to successively bring each bar link a beneath the treadle bowls i, see
Figs. 7 and 8, between each pick or throw of the loom, thus causing the
tappet or swell pieces e to act upon the treadle bowls i and so elevate
the treadles & according to the pattern to be formed. The treadles are,
when this apparatus is applied to the side of the loom, connected by wire
or other suitable connection with jacks fixed underneath the loom, the
opposite ends being connected with the healds, which in turn are
connected with jacks fitted upon the upper part of the loom, the other
arms of which jacks having spiral springs attached to them in such

page_text: manner as to always keep the healds tight and in place and at the same
time to keep the treadle bowls in contact with the bar links a or tappet
or swell pieces e. The necessary motion for working the barrel shaft h
and consequently the star wheels 9 forming the barrel is obtained by
having a spur wheel on the barrel shaft h of suitable diameter and
pitch geared with a pinion m of proportionate size on the crank shaft n,
see Figs. 7 and 8. Such arrangement will for all practical purposes be
clear and defined without further illustration of the loom itself.
Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the apparatus in which is seen the action
of the tappet or swell pieces-e upon the treadle bowls i and treadles k,
the one being elevated by the tappet or swell piece e, the other resting
upon the bar link a immediately below it.
Fig. 8 is a front elevation shewing the bar links a into which are
placed tappet or swell pieces e so as to form a portion of a pattern.
The treadles & for convenience are shewn broken off, see lines C, D,
Fig. 7, whilst the several treadle bowls i are shewn either in contact
with the tappet or swell pieces e or resting upon the bar link a. A slotted
guard o is employed for keeping the treadles & which work upon the pin
or shaft p in position, such guard o being only shewn in the end or side
view, Fig. 7.
Although I have only shewn one arrangement, that of bar links, yet
the other, consisting of bowls resting upon pins supported by crosstays,
will from the foregoing description and application be so clear as to be
unnecessary to illustrate.
Having thus clearly and fully described the nature of my said In-
vention and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I desire it to
be distinctly understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details
herein described and represented, as such may be varied without depart-
ing from the principle thereof, but I claim as my Invention, and which
to the best of my knowledge has not hitherto been used,—
1st. The peculiar formation and method of connecting the bar links a,
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, also shewn in Figs. 7 and 8.
2nd. The use of tappet or swell pieces e, see Figs. 3 and 4, also shewn
in Figs. 2, 7, and their connection with and attachment to the bar
links a

page_text: 8rd. The use of bowls placed upon pins resting in supports formed on
crosstays in place of the tappet or swell pieces e and bar links a, as
described in the former part of this Specification, but not illustrated.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Snape, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness.
W. H. DAWSON,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
RICHARD SNAPE. (L.S.)