IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE AND OTHER WEAVINGS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Westby, of Nottingham, in the County
of Nottingham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE AND OTHER WEAVINGS."
Sealed the 12th January 1853, and dated the 5th October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Westby
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th October 1852.
I, JOSEPH WESTBY, of Nottingham, in the County of Nottingham,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE AND OTHER
WEAVINGS" to be as follows:-
Heretofore, in the manufacture of lace machinery, it has been usual
so to arrange the same that the bobbin threads or the warp threads may
traverse, or that they may work, as it is called, straight down. Now
the peculiarity of the Invention is, that both warp and bobbin threads
can in their working be caused to traverse or to work straight down,
and every of the threads is made capable of independent action, as when
working by hand on the pillow, to be separately operated on in place of
working in sets or classes, as heretofore.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.
filed by the said Joseph Westby in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 5th April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOSEPH WESTBY, of Nottinghain, in the County of Nottingham, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors.
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Westby, Her special licence
that I, the said Joseph Westby, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Westby, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE AND OTHER
WEAVINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph
Westby, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly 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 Joseph Westby, 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 thereof (that is to say):
Heretofore, in the manufacture of lace machinery, it has been usual
so to arrange the same that the bobbin threads or the warp threads
may traverse, or that they may work, as it is called, straight down.
Now the peculiarity of the Invention is, that both warp and bobbin
threads can in their working be caused to traverse or to work straight

page_text: down, and every thread is made capable of independent action, as when
working by hand on the pillow, to be separately operated on in place of
working in sets or classes, as heretofore; and in order that the Invention
may be most fully understood, and readily carried into practice, I will
proceed to describe the means pursued by me, and with a view to
facilitate the workman understanding the description hereafter given I
will, in the first place, shortly state some of the leading features of the
new combination of the parts of twist lace machinery and apparatus
which distinguish a machine constructed according to this my Invention
from other machines which have before been constructed and used. Two
sets of single tier carriages are used in bolts or combs, one set above
the other; each of the carriages in both the sets is capable of inde-
pendent and separate action by jacquard or pattern surfaces; each of
the four comb or bolt bars employed is capable of being shogged or
moved endwise, independently of being governed by jacquard or pattern
surfaces; there are two sets of point point bars, that is, one pair of point
bars to each set of carriages. The carriages are inverted, and the work
is taken downwards. I would. however, also state that some of thes
particulars of arrangement are not in themselves separately new.
The Drawings hereunto annexed shew various views of the
machinery, but as the nature of the several views is written on the
Drawings, the same need not be repeated here; and it will only be
desirable to state that the same letters and figures of reference are
used to indicate the same mechanical parts in the various figures or
views of the Drawings where such parts are shown. a, a, are the upper
comb or bolt bars, and they are borne by their respective springs up to
their stops, the front comb bar being moved by its spring towards the
left hand, and the back comb or bolt bar a, is borne towards the right
hand by its spring, and the machinery is arranged in such manner that
either or both of these comb or bolt bars a, may be moved one gait
or space, as hereafter explained, depending on whether the jacquard or
pattern surface causes filling pieces to be introduced or not, as will be
hereafter described. b, b, are the lower bolt or comb bars, which, like
the upper ones, have each the power of being shogged or moved endwise
one gait or space, and they are borne by their springs to their tops, the

page_text: front comb or bolt bar b, being borne by its spring towards the left
hand, and the back comb or bolt bar b, is borne by its spring towards
the right hand, and they will remain without movement when not
called into action by the jacquard or pattern surface.
The carriages and bobbins are of the ordinary construction; opposite
each space in the back comb or bolt bars a, and b, as shewn, there is a
pusher or instrument d, capable of selecting one carriage from the others
in that set; these instruments slide between plates or combs d', and they
are each attached by a pin joint to a cranked lever d, which moves on
an axis at d³, and the other end of the lever d, is prevented descending
too far by a wire ', as shewn.
These levers are governed in their action by means of jacquard or
pattern surface acting on the cord d', hence any one or more of the
carriages in either of the combs or bolts a, and b, may be selected
independently of the others.
I would here remark, that the nature and action of jacquard and
pattern surfaces is so well known that it will not be necessary to enter
into any description thereof in this my Specification; and I would state,
that I am aware that independent instruments have been before pro-
posed to be used opposite each space of the combs of a lace machine,
wherein double tier carriages worked; but in this arrangement, as
before stated, two sets of single tier carriages are used, and by means of
the pushers or instruments d, in this arrangement, each carriage in each
set is made capable of separate and independent action. These instru-
ments d, simply act to select the carriages and to move them a short
distance in their combs or bolts, when the other of their evolutions are
accomplished by means of bars or blades, the action of which I will
proceed to describe; and it may be stated, that as the two sets of bars
or blades which move the two sets of carriages are actuated on the same
manner, and move at the same time, any description given of one applies
to all. ee, are the back and front driving or locker bars which move
the upper set of carriages from and to the back comb or bolt bar a;
these bars e, e, have a similar action in respect to the carriages; they
are connected by arms to the spindle bars e, e, to the cranked levers
fixed on the spindle bars e¹, and they receive motion from cams on

page_text: the main shaft or axis of the machine, as hereafter described. f.f, are
the driving or locker bars by which the carriages are moved from and
to the back comb or bolt bar 6, such bars ff, being affixed to arms f*,
which are connected to cranked levers f, fixed on the spindle bars f', ƒ',
and they also receive their motions from cams on the main or driving
shaft 9, which receives motion from a steam engine or other power, as
hereafter explained.
The cranked levers, are at their other ends connected respec-
tively to the rods e, e, and f³, f, as shown, such connecting rods con-
necting those cranked levers respectively with the levers e, e', and
ff, such levers e', and f', being borne, as is well understood, against
the surfaces of the cams e, e, and f³, f, fixed on the main axis g;
and it should be stated that the blades e, f, of the bars e, and f, are
capable of moving in such manner as to rise or fall according as the
one or other movement is desired.
Near each end of each of the bars e, and f, there is an incline 7,
fixed to a lever h', in such manner that a truck e, f, carried by an arm
fixed on each end of each bar e, f, may pass over or under such inclines,
according as the same are raised out of the way or remain in a position
for the trucks e, f, and their bars e, f, to be lifted thereby.
Each of the levers h¹, moves on a pin joint, and is connected to a
lever h².
The inclines h, which act with the bars and blades e, are connected
aud move at the same time, but in the reverse direction, in the
following manner: the levers h', which have formed thereon the
inclines h, and which act to govern the working of the bars e, e, are
connected at each end of the machine with levers i, fixed on a spindle
bar i, by means of connecting rods, as shown; hence when the levers
i, are moved, as hereafter explained, the inclines which govern the
working of the bars e, e, will cause the trucks of one of the blades of
one of those bars to pass over and the other under the inclines, and in
like manner the inclines which govern the working of the blades of the
bars ff, are connected with levers j, j, on the spindle bar j', as shewu,
hence the inclines which govern the working of the blades of the bars

page_text: ff, will cause the trucks of one of the blades f, to pass under its
inclines when the trucks of the other pass over its inclines.
The effect of these workings will be better understood hereafter when
the other movements are described; and in order to operate on the
inclines in the manner above stated a jacquard or pattern surface is
employed, which at the desired times actuates the spindle bars i, j, in
the following manner at the right hand end of the machine are axes
or spindle bars k, k, one of which is connected by a connecting rod and
lever arm ', to the lever i, which is at that end of the machine, and
the other spindle bar k, is, by means of a connecting rod and arm k
connected to the lever j, which is at that end of the machine.
These spindle bars k, are independent of each other, and receive
motion from a jacquard or pattern surface, each by means of a rod k*.
which is connected to an arm kx, which is actuated by a jacquard or
pattern surface at the proper periods.
On the levers e, e', (which are borne in contact with the cam e, on
the main shaft g, and which actuates the bars and blades e, e,) are rods
1, attached by pin joints, these at their upper ends have attached thereto
by pin joints other rods 1, as shown, and each of these rods 1, l',
supports one end of a bent spring 12, the other end of each spring being
fixed to a lever h. which carries an incline h, by which means when
either of the bars e, f, has passed over its inclines the springs 1, will
raise levers ', and the inclines h, upwards, and the trucks of the bars
e, f, which in the previous movement passed over the inclines, will in
moving in the opposite direction pass under their incliues. m, m, are the
upper point bars which act downwards; they are each borne by their
springs m*, m*, towards the left hand end of the machine, and they
are arranged at all times to take down in the same position, except
when governed by the jacquard or pattern surface at the right hand
end of the machine, the mode of action of which will be hereafter
described. m', m', are the lower point bars, which when at work
at all times take down the work in the same position, they not being
governed by jacquard or pattern surface.
The upper and lower point bars act simultaneously, and the

page_text: apparatus for and the mauner of their being moved by cams on the
main and also on the lower cam shaft are very similar; and it should be
stated that although the knocking-out cams for the point bars are on
the main shaft or axis, they do not turn therewith, but turn freely
thereon, and are by cog wheels m* *, geared with the point bar cams on
the lower cam shaft, as shown. m², m², are the spindle bars of the upper
and lower point bars, and the upper point bars m, and the lower point
bars m³, are carried by arms m³, fixed to the spindle bars, as shown,
and the levers m', to which the point bars m, m', are respectively fixed
move on axes carried by the arms m³, as shown.
The cams on the lower cam shaft or axis act on the levers m³, which
are constantly borne to their cams by springs, and the motions of these
levers are communicated to the point bars by means of the connecting
rods me, which are respectively connected at one end to the levers m³,
and at the other end to the arms or levers m, to which the point bars
are respectively fixed, and thus are the requisite up and down motions
given to the upper and lower point bars, as will readily be traced in the
Drawing by the workman examining the sanie, and he will be mate-
rially aided in doing so, not only in respect to the movements of the
point bars, but also in respect to the movements of all the other parts
of the machinery, by reason of the cams and other mechanism which go
to produce a particular action being colored with the same color from
the source or commencement of the movement to its final result.
The knocking out of the point bars, both in regard to the upper and
lower ones, is accomplished by means of cams on the main shaft, which
for the upper point bars act on the levers m', which by trucks at their
lower ends rest against their cams, as shewn, 'the upper ends of these
levers being connected by connecting rods me, to their respective point
bars, and the knocking out of the lower point bars is accomplished by
means of the lever an*, which has a cross head formed at its upper
end, and it alternately gives motion to the slides m", m", which by their
springs have constantly a tendency to move inwards, and it is by tail
pieces m', on these sliding bolts m", m, that when either of those
slides are moved by the cross head the front or back lower point bar
will be knocked out. The spindle bars of the upper point hars m. are

page_text: borne at all times to the left hand end of the machine by their springs
*; but as it is desirable that they should be able to act in different
positions at different times, a lever me, with an adjusting screw, is
applied to each of the upper spindle bars m, of the upper point bars at
the left hand end of the machine, and these levers are by means of
connecting rods m, put in communication with the jacquard or
pattern surface used at the right hand end of the machine, by which
different widths of filling pieces may, as is well understood, be introduced.
which will cause the upper point bars to be moved a distance, as desired,
from time to time. n. n, are guide bars for carrying extra threads for
lacing, for gimping, for wefts, and generally for the various purposes for
which extra threads are required in fabrics made in twist lace machines.
These guides are each borne to the left hand end of the machine.
and they are to be actuated by jacquard or pattern surfaces.
In order that the blades of the front locker bars e, and f, may take
the carriages from the front to the back combs or bolts there is a
pusher or driving bar o, to each of the front combs or bolts, these are
constantly moved to and fro' a short distance, and they move the
carriages, which may be in either of the front combs, a short distance,
in order to bring them within the sphere of action of the blades of
the front upper and lower bars e, f, respectively, and those bars will
drive them to the back combs or bolts, if they respectively pass
under their inclines, but when they respectively pass over their
inclines h, they will not move their respective carriages towards the
back combs, but in going in back they will respectively not miss the
carriages which are in the front combs, for in their return movement
they will bring them again further into the front combs or bolts.
pusher or driving bars o, move any carriages which may be in the front
combs a distance similar to that to which the independent instruments
move the carriages in the back combs.
The
The bars o, receive their movements to and fro' simultaneously, and
act in the same manner at all times one with the other on their
respective carriages, and they are caused to do so in the following
manner At the back of the machine are two upright axes or spindle
bars o', to arms on which the pusher or driving bars o, are connected by

page_text: the rods o², hence when a partial rotation of the axes or spindle bars o¹,
takes place the pusher or driving bars o, will be moved to and fro.
The motion of the two spindle bars or axes o', are made to corre-
spond by their being connected together by arms fixed on them
respectively, and which are connected by a connecting rod o³.
Motion is communicated to the axis or spindle bar o¹, which is at
the right hand end of the machine by means of cams o', acting on a
connecting rod o³, which at its other end is connected to an arm o*, on
the spindle bar or axis o'. The cams of, are on the axis x', of the
jacquard apparatus at the right hand end of the machine. The work
is taken downward, and is received by a roller p, which receives motion
from a screw, as is well understood, the work being kept out to its proper
width by wheels with points, as heretofore.
I have not thought it necessary to show the jacquard or pattern
surfaces used, as the same is well understood.
The jacquard apparatus, which works the independent selecting
instruments d, is placed above the machine, and is actuated by a cam
on the back shaft or axis p*, on which shaft are also cams do, which
move the sliding bars d, which are guided on brackets as shewn ;
on the sliding bars are arms or projections d, which carry the bars d³,
which bring back the selecting instruments d, so that their levers are
caused to rest on the wires d', ready to be again selected by the
jacquard apparatus or pattern surface employed for this purpose.
Motion is communicated to the main or driving shaft in the
following manner: q, is a shaft receiving motion from a steam engine,
which, by means of a cone q', gives motion by a band or strap to the cone q³,
fixed on the axis q³, which, by means of the cog wheel q*, and the inter-
mediate cog wheels q, q, give motion to the cog wheels qº, fixed on the
main shaft g, and from the main shaft or axis g, motion is communicated
to the back shaft or axis p*, by means of the cog wheel g¹, fixed on the
axis 9, which takes into and gives motion to the intermediate cog
wheel g², which takes into and gives motion to the cog wheel p², on
the axis p*, and the cog wheel g', also gives motion to the lower cam
shaft, by means of the cog wheel g³, on which a pinion g', is fixed,
which takes into and drives the cog wheel r', fixed on the shaft or axis r.

page_text: On the left hand end of the main shaft g, is fixed a bevelled pinion g
which takes into and gives motion to the bevilled toothed wheel s', fixed
on the upright shaft or axis s, at the left hand end of the machine, and
it is on this upright shaft or axis that the several wheels are fixed which
may be caused from time to time (as the pattern requires) to act on and
shog the several comb bars and the lower point bars. t, t, are wheels
which are intended to shog the front and back lower point bars, as I
ordinarily use wheels for this purpose in preference to shog plates. .,
are the cuts of wheels which work or shog the front and back lower
comb or bolt bars; and ",", are the cuts of wheels which work or shog
the upper front and back comb or bolt bars; but these several wheels
do not act on their respective bars excepting when filling pieces are
introduced by means of a jacquard or pattern surface; and the nature of
such filling pieces, and the manner of causing them to be introduced, I
will now proceed to describe. is the lever, which when the filling
piece u, is allowed to descend between it and the front comb bar a, it
will cause the wheel to act in shogging the front upper comb bar one
gait or space towards the right hand end of the machine. 3, is the
lever, which when the filling piece 4, is allowed to come between the
lever and the back upper comb bar a, it will cause the back upper comb
bar a, to move one space towards the left hand end of the machine.
These filling pieces are connected with their respective levers, and
move on axes us, as shown, and they are suspended to rods or wires
which at their upper ends are respectively attached to cranked or bent
levers, there being springs, which at all times have a tendency to
move the rods or wires in such manner that the filling pieces may drop
into position that the wheels w, may act on their respective comb bars
and the times when they are allowed to come into action, and when
they are kept out of action, is governed by jacquard apparatus at the
right hand end of the machine, which acts by means of the connecting
rods, connected to the bent or cranked levers . The action of the
filling pieces is controlled by the jacquard apparatus at the right hand
end of the machine, which I will now proceed to describe, first, however
remarking, that the description above given in regard to the action of
the filling pieces working with the wheels ", ", applies to the filling

page_text: pieces, vt, and their levers, ³, and such filling pieces are similarly
governed by the jacquard apparatus, which I am about to describe.
On the main shaft, or axis g, is fixed a bevilled toothed wheel w,
which takes into and drives the bevilled toothed wheel a¹, on the
upright axis æ, which at its upper end has fixed on it a hevilled toothed
wheel, which takes into and gives motion to the bevilled toothed
wheel a, on the axis a on which axis there are cams, as is well
understood, to give motion to slides with their bars y, and z, such slides
being carried by brackets, and borne up to their cams by springs, as is
well understood; these bars are moved to and fro' by their cams con-
stantly, but have no action on the several parts unless filling pieces are
introduced, and the quantity of effect on the particular instruments will
depend on the size of the filling pieces, which vary in some cases, such
as when acting on the extra guide bars; but in regard to the bolt or
comb bars, the distance moved by the aid of filling pieces will ordinarily
be the same in all cases. But it will be evident that, if desired, the comb
bars may be moved at times through a greater space. Each of the
rods actuated by this apparatus is connected with its slide, which is
guided at its ends by combs or guides (1,).1,) and they are each borne
by vulcanised india-rubber or other springs (2.) toward the left hand.
The bar y, with its slide, is actuated by cams y', and the bar z, with its
slide, is actuated by means of cams ¹; one of the slides (5), which
actuates the filling piece of one of the comb bars, is shown in position;
the other of these, and also the slides for the other parts, would be in
front or at the back of the one shewn in position; (4,) 4,) are the
filling pieces, which so long as they are not allowed to drop further, so
as to bring the wider part of it between the stops (6,) and the bar y,
or z, no motion would take place to the filling pieces ², u, 2, v, of
the comb bars, and those filling pieces would remain in action, and the
comb bar would be shogged; but if either of the filling pieces (4,) is
allowed by the pattern surface to descend further, so as to bring the
wider part of the filling pieces (4,) between the bar y, or, and the
stop, the filling pieces u², u,, v, would be removed, and so long as this
is the case the comb bar would not be shogged.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner

page_text: of performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no
claim to any of the parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the
precise details of getting the several motions herein described, so long
as the principle of my Invention be retained.
But what I claim is, the combination of machinery herein described,
whereby two sets of lace carriages are arranged to work one above the
other, and in such manner that each carriage is capable of independent
action.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Westby, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE.
JOSEPH WESTBY. (L.S.)

page_text: Vertical Section of some of the parts showing the position of the Carriages in the
upper tier, when the back Blade e, is in the act of missing the Carriages in the
back; and when the front Blade e is in the act of taking the Carriages from the
front Combs into a position to be moved by the back Blade into the back Combs, or
The Carriages in the Lower Tier are shewn in the position they would assume when the
Back Blade f is in the act of taking the selected Carriages into a position to be taken
by the Front Blude f, into the Front Combs. The Front Blade f having passed over the
Carriages that were in the Front to fetch the Carriages selected from the Back.