Improvements in or relating to Picking Straps employed in Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Picking Straps employed in Looms
for Weaving.
I, MARSDEN TAYLOR, of 7, Vale Stroet, Darwen, in the County of Lancaster,
Insurance Agent, 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 of improvements in or relating to picking straps employed in looms
for weaving has principally for its object, firstly, to afford increased durability to
that part of the picking strap which is in wearing contact with the picker, and socondly,
to impart increased elasticity to the said picking strap, whereby the blow on the
shuttle at each "pick" may be eased or cushioned resulting in a considerable decrease
of wear and tear upon the picking strap.
In order that my said invention may be more clearly understood reference is had
to the accompanying drawings of which
Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of a pickers having the picking strap a connected
thereto by a leather or wood key or cross pin 6 passed through a slot c (see Figs. 2
to 7) in the strap a in the ordinary way. The curved or bent part of the strap a
(as seen in the said Fig. 1) is that part of the strap which soonest wears away by
reason of its frictional contact with the picker s as will be well understood.
Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are plan views and cross sections of a picking strap showing
various methods of fitting the strap with protectors or wear preventers.
In Fig. 2 the wear preventer consists of a couple of flat-headed copper or metal
rivets; in Fig. 3 of a thin lining of hard buffalo hide laced or sewn through the
strap and rivetted thereto; in Fig. 4 of a sheet metal band or sheath rivetted as
shown. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate modifications in the application to the strap of the
wear preventers which in the arrangements shewn may be composed of buffalo hide
or sheet metal; and in Fig. 7 is shewn other arrangements of wear preventers
consisting of metal wire or hard leather laces sewn into the strap. In practice it is
customary to cut off the end of the picking strap when it gets too far worn and by
means of the usual adjusting buckle to let out the shortened strap to the required
length so that an unworn part of the strap may be re-attached to the picker; hence
in the soveral Figs. 2 to 7 three sets of the wear preventers on each strap are shewn
so that as the first set wears away it may be replaced by the second and so on.
Figs. 8 to 14 inclusive illustrate arrangements designed to impart increased elasticity
to the picking strap. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are respectively end, side, and plan views in
which d is the picking stick or arm and a the picking strap (of ordinary leather). I
make the upper end e of the strap that is to say that part of it which is twisted or
folded round and attached to the end of the picking stick d of hard buffalo hide and
connect it to the picking strap by a metal rivet f as shewn or by any other suitable
means. A convenient means of connection between the buffalo hide part e and the
ordinary soft leather part a of the picking strap consists of a double thong a, a sur-
rounding ferrule or hoop h, a cross pini (the said parts referred to being each
composed of ordinary leather) and a wire finger j pivoted on the hoop h. The leather
hoop and finger constitute a buckle of an elastic form to replace the ordinary
metal or rigid buckle; holes g g being made in the strap a for length adjusting
purposes in the usual manner. The buffalo hide part e is curved or bent round to the
required helical form whilst in a soft state after having been soaked in water; it is
then allowed to dry and become hard. The interior or central hole of the helix e is
made of larger diameter than the end of the picking stick upon which it is folded
(and to which it is attached by means of the projecting pin k) so that when a
sufficient pull is exerted upon the strap a the helix e will be further twisted round or
ightened up on the arm d but will again untwist to its former or normal shape when
Price 6d 1

page_text: the pull is relaxed; this twisting and untwisting capability of the hard buffalo hido
providing the required elastic medium. is a removable screw, m a metal loop
projecting from the picking arm d, na bont wire guard and o a spring which may
be employed to hold the buffalo hide part e securely in place on the picking arm or
which may obviously to employed to hold in place the end of the picking strap when
made of ordinary leather.
Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate a combination arrangement of twisted wire and leather
introduce as part of a picking strap with the object of imparting elasticity thereto.
The wire link w has its extremities in the form of open coils the rings of which
are compressed or squeezed together whon tension is exerted upon the picking strap.
The cross pieces are preferably of leather so as to "give" somewhat under the
pull of the wire link .
"
I make the end part p which is connected to the picker of buffalo hido curved
whilst in a soft state and dried hard as herein before described, the cross part q
riveted to the strap a (of ordinary leather) being also of the same material.
Figs. 13 and 14 illustrate a somewhat simpler mode of connecting a wire link such
as w with the picking strap a. In Figs. 11, 12, 13, and 14 the cross piece y is
proferably made of hard buffalo hide.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In combination with the picking strap of a loom the use or employment of
metal, buffalo hide, or similar materials substantially as described with reference to
and shown at Figs. 2 to 7 inclusive of the drawings for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination with the picking strap of a loom of an end piece composed of
buffalo hide attached to and coiled round the end of the picking arm substantially as
described with reference to and shewn at Figs. 8, 9, and 10 of the drawings for the
purpose set forth.
3. The screw, loop m, wire guard n, spring o and pink constituting a device for
holding in place on the picking arm the ond of a picking strap substantially as described
and shewn at Figs. 8, 9, and 10 of the drawings.
4. The combination in conjunction with the picking strap of a loom of a leather
ferrule or loop with a pin or finger substantially as described and shewn in the
drawings for the purpose set forth.
5. The combination in conjunction with a leather picking strap of a loom of a
wire link having its ends in the form of open coils arranged substantially as described
in the drawings for the purpose set forth.
6. The use or employinent of hard buffalo hide at that end of the picking strap of
the loom which is attached to the picker substantially as described and shown at Figs. 11
and 12 of the drawings.
Dated this 20th dow at
1800