IMPROVED LETTING-OFF MOTION IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Smith Sutcliffe, of Bacup, James Sutcliffe Smith, of
Bacup, Cotton Spinners, and Jacob Fielding, of Britannia, Bacup, Mechanic,
all of the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVED LETTING-OFF
MOTION IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 15th November 1878, and dated the 27th May 1878.
Sealed the 15th November 1878, and dated the 27th May 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Smith Sutcliffe,
James Sutcliffe Smith, and Jacob Fielding at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents on the 27th May 1878.
JAMES SMITH SUTCLIFFE, of Bacup, JAMES SUTOLIFFE SMITH, of Bacup, Cotton
Spinners, and JACOB FIELDING, of Britannia, Bacup, Mechanic, all of the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVED LETTING-OFF MOTION IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Our Invention consists of and in applying to the bearer or back rest of a loom
one, two, or more eccentrics, cams, or pullies. At or near the ends the bearer or
back rest works on an incline or inclines, curve or curves, fixed to the frame
sides.
The aforesaid eccentrics, cams, or pullies act upon a lever or levers placed at
convenient angles; the other ends of such lever or levers are fulcrumed on to the
beam bracket bearing, or on loom sides. To the end or any convenient part of such
lever is attached a connecting rod, chain, or link, by means of a regulating screw,
the lower end of which is connected to the outer end of a second lever passing below
the centre of the yarn beam, and fulcrumed to any convenient part near the outer
end of the yarn beam bracket. The outer end of this lever has a slott or hole,
through which is passed the end of a second regulating connecting rod, chain, or
link, the other end of which is secured or looped on to the outer end of a third lever
which presses as a cap, or on a cap loose on the yarn beam end or ends. On the

page_text: outer end or ends of the bearer or bearers or back rest is fixed a pulley or its
equivalent, over which is passed a chain or its equivalent, to the end of which is
attached a dead weight or spring.
The object of this "Invention" is to insure a uniform tension on the warp
threads, and a uniform letting-off motion on the yarn beam.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Smith Sutcliffe, James Sutcliffe Smith, and Jacob Fielding in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th November 1878.
JAMES SMITH SUTCLIFFE, of Bacup, JAMES SUTCLIFFE SMITH, of Bacup, Cotton
Spinners, and JACOB FIELDING, of Britannia, Bacup, Mechanic, all of the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVED LETTING-OFF MOTION IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
The object of our Invention is to obtain a more uniform tension of the warp
threads than heretofore, which we accomplish in such a manner as to require very
little attention from the weaver, and will be better understood by reference to the
Drawings before named.
The warp threads after leaving the yarn beam pass over a horizontal bar A fixed
at any convenient height and angle above the yarn beam, and thence through the
healds and reed in the usual manner. The horizontal bar A works near each end
upon an inclined plane or curve, or any equivalent B. Upon the horizontal bar A,
hear to each end. or on any convenient part near, we fix two or more cams or their
èquivalents, as marked C; these cams or their equivalents act upon two levers D,
and are placed at convenient angles to the cams C or their equivalents, and ful-
cruned near the connecting rod E. Two or more connecting rods E connect one
end.of the levers D with one end of the levers F; these said levers F pass under-
neath the yarn beam, and are fulcrumed to the bracket supporting the yarn beam,
or to any more convenient place. Two regulating connecting rods G connect the
lower ends of the levers F to the levers H; the levers H are fulcrumed to brackets.
on the loom side, or to any other convenient place; they likewise rest and press
upon the loose caps I, which again rest and press upon the ends of the yarn
beam.
Upon each end of the horizontal bar A we key a pulley J, to each of which we
attach one end of a chain or its equivalent; at the other end of such chain or its
equivalent we attach such a weight as may be required for giving any desired
tension on the warp threads K on Drawings. L, L, is a fulcrumed bracket bolted
or otherwise secured to the side frame of loom N. In this bracket we work the
ends of the warp beam O, round which and between it and loose cap I we firmly
secure a strip of leather or its equivalent P; R, R, is a bracket fixed to frame
sides N, up and down the incline or curve marked B, which slides the horizontal
bar A, according to the action of the cams C.
Having now described the use and action of every part of our Invention, we will
now describe its effect.

page_text: The shedding of the warp threads gives to the horizontal bar À a rolling motion,
which causes the cams C to press more or less tightly (according to the extent of
the rolling action) upon the levers D, and thence to the levers F and H, and thereby
causing the loose caps I to grip the yarn beam ends more or less tightly, according
to the extent of the rolling motion imparted to the horizontal bar A. As the yarn
beam decreases in diameter, the yarn having more power over the horizontal bar A,
forces it up the inclined plane or curves B, thereby relaxing the grip of the loose
caps I upon the yarn beam ends O.
We have fully described our Invention, its action and purpose, but wish it to be
distinctly understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details we have
had occasion to describe and refer to, as many variations may be made in detail
without deviating from the principal or main features of such Invention, but what
we claim as ours and secured to us herein is, the general arrangement and combina-
tion of the several parts as and for the purposes herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Sutcliffe Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
JAMES SUTCLIFFE (L.S.) SMITH.