Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Winding Back the Warp Beam in Looms for Weaving, and for Maintaining the . Tension of the Warp.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1891
*Complete Specification Left; 26th Oct.; 1891-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Winding Back
the Warp Beam in Looms for Weaving, and for Maintaining the
. Tension of the Warp.
We, JOHN FIELDING, of Small Lane, Colcar, near Huddersfield, Yorkshire,
Loom Tuner, and Joux EDWARD FIELDING, of Scarr Bottom Mills, Golcar
aforesaid, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention refers to the method of and apparatus for winding back the warp
beam varying distances on the breakage of an end or other cause which requires
the loom to be turned back one, two, or more picks, and for maintaining the warp
when lagging back at the same tension as when weaving, such improvements being
applicable to what are known as che "Hollingworth & Knowles Fast Loomis."
In order to carry out our invention, we mount on the worm shaft, which
rotates the warp beam, two ratchet wheels, side by side, the teeth on said
ratchet wheels pointing in opposite directions. Pivotted on same shaft, or in
any other convenient position, is a suitable form of lever carrying two pawls or
catches, one for each ratchet wheel, one of said pawls being capable of engaging
with the teeth on the upper side of its ratchet wheel, and operating the worm
shaft when the loom is weaving, in the ordinary manner; whilst the second
pawl is capable of engaging with the teeth on the underside of its corresponding
ratchet wheel immediately the loom is reversed for the purpose of lagging back,
the said pawls being caused to engage with the teeth on the ratchet wheel by
the downward movement of the weighted arm supporting the back roller, which
said downward movement operates a lever and by means of connecting rod or
link attached thereto and to the lever carrying the pawls elevates the last
named lever in such manner as to remove the upper pawl clear of its ratchet wheel
The lever
and place the lower pawl into gear with the second ratchet wheel.
carrying the pawls is oscillated or caused to rock by means of a suitable lever
operated by the witch or other suitable moving. part of the loom, and the
oscillation of said lever causes the pawls to give a step by step movement to
the worm shaft in one or other direction, the said movement being determined
and controlled by the weighted arm previously mentioned. Such said weighted
arm, by means of our improvements, being prevented from descending to its
lowest point, the tension of the warp is always maintained, whether the loom is
weaving or lagging back.
The connecting rod, or link attached to the pawl lever is provided with a
spiral spring to allow the said rod to yield when required, and thus prevent
breakage of the pawls or teeth of the ratchet wheels.
By the apparatus above set forth, instead of having to wind back the warp
by hand, as at present, it is done self-actingly, and the tension of the warp
maintained throughout.
Dated this 3rd day of March 1891.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
mprovements in the Method of and Apparatus for Winding Back
the Warp Beam in Looms for Weaving, and for Maintaining the
Tension of the Warp..
We, JOHN FIELDING, of Small Lane, Golcar, near Huddersfield, Yorkshire,
Loom Tuner, and JOHN EDWARD FIELDING, of Scarr Bottom Mills, Golcar
aforesaid, Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention refers to the method of and apparatus for automatically winding
back the warp beam varying distances on the breakage of an end or other
cause which requires the loom to be turned back one, two, or more picks, and
for maintaining the warp when lagging back at the same tension as when
weaving, such improvements being applicable to what are known as the
Hollingworth and Knowles Positive Fast Looms."
Such being the nature and object of our said invention, we will now proceed
to describe the same with reference to the annexed drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 is elevation of such parts of the back of a looin as are necessary to
illustrate the application thereto of our improvements
Fig. 2 is end elevation of same; and
Fig. 3 a detail shewing such improvements more clearly.
A represents one end of a loom frame, and B the warp beam, the warp
coming therefrom passing over the back rail or roller C carried by the lever D
working upon a pivot or stud E. On the end of the warp beam there is fixed
a worm wheel F caused to rotate slowly for the purpose of delivering the warp,
as it is being taken up by the weaving, by means of worm wheel G keyed or
otherwise fastened upon the shaft II. There are also fixed on the same shaft. H
two ratchet wheels I, J, having their teeth opposed to each other. We also
place loosely on the shaft H a double ended lever I, and it is made to lift up
and down by means of connecting rods M. operated by disc N from the witch
or other convenient moving part of the loom, so that when the loom is working
in the ordinary manner, the pawl a is made to take up a tooth in the ratchet
wheel 1, which imparts slow rotary motion to the warp beam for paying out
the warp as required by the weaving, but when a pick has broken or missed, and the
loom is lagged back or reversed, as is well understood, and the warp slackened
thereby, we provide means whereby the warp is taken up and the tension maintained
self-actingly, and this is performed in the following manner :- -The warp in leaving
the warp
beam passes over the back rail or roller C, the pressure or tension of which
causes the lever D, together with the roller C, to be-weighed down in the direction
of the arrow O, but when the operative commences to lag back, the warp
becomes slack, and the rail C rises up in the direction of the arrow P, this
being effected by means of the weighted lever Q, which is connected to the
upper end of the lever D by the vertical rod R. As soon, therefore, as the
bracket rises in the direction of the arrow P, the vertical rod S, which is con-
nected to lever D. by a flat steel spring T, is made to descend, in doing which
he short lever U assumes the position shewn in dotted lines of Fig. 3, the
result of which is to cause the connecting rod V to rise vertically and bring
with it the lever arm W. fastened on the stude to which the two pawls a and b
are fastened, whereby the said stud is made to oscillate, causing the upper
pawl to leave the teeth of its ratchet wheel, and the lower pawl to take into
gear with the other ratchet wheel, and as the lever L continues its rocking
motion, the pawl 6 operates its ratchet wheel, causing the rotary motion of the
warp beam to be reversed, whereby the warp slackened by the lagging back is taken

page_text: up in proportion as it is slackened, whereby the tension of the warp is main-
tained whether the loom is weaving or undergoing the operation of being lagged
back. As soon as the lagging back is completed and the loom set on, the loom
resumes its working condition again, the back roller descends to its normal
position, and the lower pawl is removed from its ratchet wheel, permitting
the upper one to fall into gear with its ratchet wheel, whereby the warp is paid
out as before.
By the employment of the apparatus above set forth, instead of having to
wind back the warp by hand as at present, it is done self-actingly, and the
tension of the warp maintained throughout.
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 :-
Firstly. In looms for weaving, the employment of two pawls and corresponding
ratchet wheels, one of which is removed out of gear whilst the other is placed
into gear by means of the back roller being released when the warp slackens
in the process of lagging back.
Secondly. In looms for weaving, the employment of two pawls and two ratchet
wheels in combination with lever arm W and rod V together with rod S and
lever D, all employed as described.
Thirdly. In looms for weaving, the employment of mechanism substantially as
herein shewn and described for keeping the warp at uniform tension when
lagging back as described herein and shewn in the drawings.
Dated this 24th day of October 1891.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax and Huddersfield, Agents.