IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER Looms
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Arthur Francis Stoddard and
Charles Bine Renshaw at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 22nd December 1870.
We, ARTHUR FRANCIS STODDARD, of Glenpatrick Carpet Works, in
the County of Renfrew, North Britain, and CHARLES BINE RENSHAW,
of the same Place, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER Looms," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to prevent the bouncing back of the
shuttle when received in the shuttle box, and thereby to prevent bad
and irregular weaving without putting such strain by pressure or other-
wise upon the shuttle to retain it in its position in the shuttle box or
against the picker or picking stick as is generally used, and further to
prevent the difficulties arising from any irregularity in the speed at
which the loom is driven.
Whereas all other devices & means 'which have hitherto been adopted
with these objects in view, whether by the use of springs attached to.
the picking sticks or by the application of pressure on the shuttle,.
"shell relieving
which may be subsequently relieved by what is called a
motion," or by any other means, have failed to have the effect desired;.

page_text: by the present Invention the picking sticks of the loom which have
hitherto been the cause of the rebounding of the shuttle by a simple
appliance become themselves the cause of its prevention. The practical
weaver will have no difficulty in understanding this from the particulars
following, which hold good in many looms, tho' the Invention can be
applied without difficulty to looms constructed on other principles or
of which the work may be different.
The picking stick employed in power loom weaving is frequently
worked by means of a boll fastened to the main shaft of the loom, this
boll raises or depresses what is called a bats-wing or bees-wing which
is fixed on the picking shaft, on which an arm of sufficient length to
give the stroke required to drive the shuttle across the web is fixed.
The picking stick is connected with this arm at any part of the arm or
stick by means of a picking strap. A portion of the picking stick is
brought to work within a slot in the lay of the loom. Supposing such
parts fitted on each side of the loom in such a way as to impel the
picking stick on either side the shuttle is impelled, say, from right to
left, but on reaching the picking stick or picker on the left side the
excess of force would cause it to rebound; the force of the next stroke
would be weakened proportionately to the distance which the shuttle
rebounds from the picker, and the shuttle would be impelled perhaps
to the centre of the web, causing serious damage to the yarns, &c. in
process of weaving. To avoid this a spring or shell is frequently placed
on the side or otherwise of the shuttle box, which holds & retains
the shuttle in position until the forward impetus is given by the picking
stick. The force necessary to hold the shuttle in position is so great
that many and various expedients have been adopted both to relieve
the shell after the shuttle is received, or by a complication of springs to
bring the picking stick forward to receive the shuttle.
In accordance with our Invention the picking stick or sticks on one
side of the loom are brought into connection with the picking stick
or sticks on the other side of the loom, whether by means of a rope,
or chain, or wire fitted with studs & weights by passing a rod, chain,
wire rope, or any other means of connection, mounted with necessary
studs through the sticks or at the side or sides of the sticks, or by
bringing the sticks to work within connected slots or by any other
means of connection.

page_text: And in order that this may be more fully understood the following
description will show the way in which we prefer to apply our Invention
as being easiest fitted and most accomodating to the action of the stick.
The picking stick or sticks on each side of the loom are enclosed in a
slot or opening, corresponding nearly to that in the lay, these slots are
connected below the lay or in any position found suitable. When the
picking stick on the right side has given its forward stroke it is drawn
back by means of springs or any arrangement common to looms, it
then strikes against the outer end of the slot mentioned above, which
is set or arranged with a view to this, and draws the connecting appliance
with the other slot attached along with it, but the picking stick at the
other or left side of the loom is resting against the outer end of the slot
on that side, and is therefore drawn forward to meet the shuttle pre-
viously impelled by the right hand picking stick, and is only carried
back to its position of rest by the impetus of the shuttle & vice versa.
This Invention may be applied to any loom and made of any suitable
material.