IMPROVEMENTS IN Looms
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adam Bullough, of Blackburn, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturer, and William Bullough, of the same Place,
Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN Looms."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adam Bullough and
William Bullough at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 3rd December 1856.
We, ADAM BULLOUGH, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Manu-
facturer, and WILLIAN BULLOUGH, of the same Place, Machinist, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS," to bo
as follows:-
Instead of working the "dobby" with one slide or lifter, as is now generally
adopted, we work it with two lifters, the one ascending as the other descends,
passing each other alternately; the descending slide or lifter assists the
ascending one, thus forming a kind of balance or equilibrium, whereby the loom
can be worked with much greater speed, and with more ease to the yarn and
healds, than by the ordinary dobby loom. We also work the card cylinder by
the same roller that works the lifters, which raise and depress the healds to
We
form a shed or opening in the yarn through which the shuttle is to pass.
also regulate the taking-up motion for producing thick and thin cloth alter-
nately by a wire hook, the said hook being put in motion by a projection on
the lattice or endless chain, as in the ordinary "dobby." In working two or
more shuttles the required changes are produced by the "dobby."

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Adam Bullough and William Bullough in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 30th May 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ADAM
BULLOUGH, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster,. Manufacturer, and
WILLIAM BULLOUGH, of the same Place, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Adam Bullough and William Bullough, Her special license that we, the said
Adam Bullough and William Bullough, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Adam Bullough and William Bullough,
our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Adam Bullough and William-
Bullough, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or the
hand and seal of one of us, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Adam Bullough, for aud on behalf of
myself and the said William Bullough, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the samo is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement (that
is to say)
Our Invention consists in causing the dobby or lags employed in fancy
looms, whether worked by hand or power, to act upon two slides or lifters, the
one ascending as the other descends, passing each other alternately, thereby
maintaining a perfect equilibrium by mutually assisting and balancing each
other, whereby the loom can be worked with much greater speed and also ease
to the yarn than in the looms where one slide only is used, as at present
adopted, besides being more particularly adapted for large patterns, as one lag
or card may serve for two or four picks instead of requiring one lag or card for

page_text: each pick. Or we employ two dobbies on a loom, the one ascending as the
other descends, there being a pattern cylinder and a row of wires for cach
dobby. This arrangement will have the same. effect as the two slides in one
dobby. We also regulate the taking-up motion for the purpose of producing
thick and thin cloth when desired by means of a projection on the lags, lattice,
or endless chain, acting upon a hooked rod, causing it to be lifted by one of
the lifters, and acting by means of a lever upon the catch of the ratchet wheel
of the taking-up motion, holding it any required time, and making thick and
thin cloth accordingly.
These our improvements will be more clearly understood by reference to the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, with the figures and letters of reference
thereon, the said letters referring to similar parts in each of the Figures.
Fig. 1 represents an internal longitudinal elevation of our improve-.
ments attached to the framing of a power loom; Fig. 2 is an external
longitudinal elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a transverse view thereof.
Figs. 4 and 5 are detached views of some of the working parts; and Fig. 6,
an improved mode of regulating the taking-up wheel, for the purpose of
making satin or thick and thin cloth. a represents the slides or lifters, ex-
tending transversely across the framing b, and having parts fitting on the guide
rods c.
The lifters are attached by a belt or chain d to the drum or wheel e
on the shaft f, supported in bearings in the framing b. On the shaft fis
another chain wheel or drum g, fixed to which is the belt or chain h, con-
nected to the upper ends of the rods i, their lower ends being attached to the
ordinary treadles k, which are operated upon by the tappets in the usual
manner, thus giving a to-and-fro motion to the shaft f, and an alternate
ascending and descending motion to the slides or lifters a. The healds are
shewn at m attached to the two series of quadrants n, one series of which
being also connected to the hooks o, the upper ends of which are acted upon
or caught when required by the transverse bars of the slides or lifters a. The
regulation of the hooks o, and consequent formation of the pattern, is caused
by the lags or lattice p, the projections on which press the hooks either off or
on the bars of the lifters, which consequently only raise such hooks, quadrants,
and healds as are required, their counter or downward movements being
caused by the springs q. The lags or lattice pass over the adjusting roller
and the lag cylinder s, which is fed onwards by means of the ratchet wheel t,
catch n, and rod v, acted upon by the upward movement of the arm or lever w
on the shaft f, both the ratchet wheel and cylinder being held firmly during
the downward stroke by the pressure of the rod x and spring y on the
wheel

page_text: In Fig. 4 the catch u is shewn lifted off the ratchet wheel t by the pin a
before commencing to take another tooth, so that when a weft thread breaks
or a number of picks have passed without weft, the weaver can con-
veniently turn back the Ing cylinder in order to prevent a broken pattern.
In Fig. 5 the ratchet wheel is shown in operation. The extra wire hook
for acting on the taking-up motion is shown at b', Fig. 3; it is connected to
the upper end of a rod c', the lower end of which is attached to a lever d' on
the shaft e', to which is fixed the pall f', the loosening of which, when desired,
by a projection on the lags or lattice, prevents the taking-up, and consequently
gives more weft during the interval, thus producing thick and thin cloth. The
quadrants though applied to some descriptions of fancy looms have not hitherto
been applied to the dobby loom, we employ them as shewn in the Drawing, inas-
much as a steady and easy motion is given to the healds and yarn, and they
are also very convenient for the weaver. Although in the Drawings we have
only shewn the improved dobby as applied to a power loom, it is evident that
the same can be employed with corresponding advantage in looms worked by
land. When two dobbies are employed upon a loom, the one ascending and
the other descending, there is a pattern cylinder and a row of wires to each
dobby. The cords from the said wires are attached to the quadrants, admitting
a greater number of healds and diversity of patterns.
In Fig. 6, representing the motion for making satin, or thick and thin cloth,
the pegs in the lags or lattice are placed so as to give the required number of
picks to suit the desired pattern; they act by means of the hook k¹ on the
lever working on the stud or centre m² attached to the frame of the loom.
On the shaft n' is the ordinary taking-up wheel o¹, to which motion is given by
means of the catch or ratchet p', connected to the arm or lever q', working on
the shaft or centre 2. When thick cloth is to be made the hook or wire k¹ is
stationary, thereby giving no motion to the taking-up wheel; but when thin
cloth is required, the taking-up is caused by the hook raising the lever 1,
the arm or lever g', and the catch or ratchet p³, thereby giving the required
motion to the ratchet wheel.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of our said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, we desire it to be
distinctly understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact details
herein set forth, as such may be varied or modified without departing from the
principle thereof; but we claim as our Invention, and which, to the best of our
knowledge and belief, has not been hitherto used within the realm,—
Firstly, in causing the dobby or lags of fancy looms to act upon two slides
or lifters, the one ascending as the other descends, passing each other alter-

page_text: nately to maintain a perfect equilibrium in its working, or the use of two
dobbies to a loom to effect the same object.
And, secondly, in regulating the taking-up motion, by means of a projection
on the lags, lattice, or endless chain acting upon a hooked rod to lift one of the
lifters, and a lever acting upon the catch of the ratchet wheel of the taking-up
motion, holding it any required time to make thick and thin cloth, as desired,
as such improvements are herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adam Bullough, for and on behalf of
myself and the said William Bullough, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of May; in the year of our Lord Ono
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
ADAM BULLOUGII. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named Adam Bullough, in the presence of
E. J. 'HUGHES, Patent Agent,
Manchester.