IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by David Skirving and Samuel Ayland
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1878.
DAVID SKIRVING and SAMUEL AYLAND, both of Moston, in the County of Lan-
caster, Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Our Invention relates principally to looms adapted to he employed in the weaving
of sponge cloths, but is also applicable wholly or in part to handkerchief and towel
looms, and to looms for weaving other descriptions of goods.
In the weaving of sponge cloths the cloth in some parts is woven as in the
weaving of plain cloth, and in other parts as in the weaving of leno, and our
Invention relates in the first place to means for effecting the changes.
We employ a rocking plate or frame, which is formed with two races to act upon
a bowl, which is carried by a lever, which is connected with the parts which
actuate the needles.
A hinged switch is arranged to form one side of each race when in one or the
other of two positions.
The action of the said switch is governed by a chain of bowls or by a suitable
chain or arrangement which will move the switch into one position or the other,
or one movement of the switch is effected by a spring. When the switch is in one
position the bowl is led into the higher race, and when in the other position into
the lower race, and the requisite shedding movements are thereby imparted to the
levers for weaving either one cloth or the other according to the position of the
switch.
We so form the point of the switch as that one half or thereabouts of the width
of the point shall enter a recess in one race when in one position, and the other
half a recess in the other race when in the other position, whereby we obtain a
better junction between the switch and the races.
To take up the cloth we employ two pawls, which are mounted on the pawl lever
at different distances from the fulcrum of motion.
The furthest pawl is arranged to be lifted out of or lowered into gear by means
of a lever, which is by preference curved with a radius struck from about the centre
of the ratchet wheel. The said lever is acted upon by a pattern chain which lowers

page_text: the furthest pawl into gear when leno is to be woven and lifts it out when plain
cloth is to be woven.
In the arrangement we have adopted the said rocking frame is mounted on the
boss of one of the crank shaft bearings and receives motion from an excentric on
the crank shaft through a two-armed lever and connecting links.
The chain wheel is mounted on the said rocking frame, and is actuated by the
crank shaft by means of a rim wheel and star wheel motion.
The lever which raises and lowers the aforesaid furthest pawl is acted upon by
a lever which is mounted on the said rocking frame, and receives motion from a
chain worked by the aforesaid rim and star wheel motion, a curved part on the last-
named lever acting upon a bowl on the first-named lever.
To actuate the needles we employ two rocking shafts, which are connected by
means of a rod and arms so as to rock in unison, Levers upon the said shafts are
connected with the needle bars. One of the said shafts. is connected by a rod with
the lever which is actuated by the aforesaid rocking frame.
To effect the side movements of the needles we employ a cam upon the tappit
shaft, which acts upon a bowl upon one end or arm of a lever.
A stud on the
other end or arm of the lever works in a hole in a plate or part upon which are
mounted three, four, or more bowls, which are in contact with two arms, or with
the opposite sides of a slot in a part attached to or formed on the needle bar.
When the needle bar is to be moved sideways the cam acts on the said lever,
which moves the plate and bowls sideways, and the movement of the needle bar
is thereby effected.
When a cloth is completed it is necessary to draw forwards a length of warp so
as to form a space before commencing the next cloth. To effect this we employ a
pawl, which gears with a wheel upon the taking-up roller axle, and we give motion
to this pawl at the required times by means of a "juggler" or lever, which is acted
upon by a chain, which, when a space is required, lifts the "juggler."
The movement is communicated by an arrangement of connecting rods and
levers to the said pawl, which acts upon the said wheel to turn the taking-up
roller. At the same time the said "juggler" acts upon a rod, which is connected
with the weighted lever of the weighting motion, so that the cloth beam is eased
to permit the warp to be drawn forwards.
To permit the said "juggler" to be lowered so as to put the weight upon the
beam again, we drive the chain wheel by means of a fast key or projection, which
permits an amount of forward movement of the said wheel, so that when the bowl
on the juggler is raised to its highest point it acts on an inclined face on the
pattern link, and pushing forwards the chain wheel drops to its lowest position
without waiting for the next movement of the chain.