IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE OR NET, AND IN THE MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Birks, the elder, of the Town of Nottingham,
Machinist, William Birks, the younger, of the same Place, Machinist,
and John Birks, of the same Place, Designer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE OR NET, AND IN THE MACHINERY
EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed.the 19th July 1861, and dated the 4th May 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Birks, the elder,
William Birks, the younger, and John Birks, at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 4th May 1861.
We, WILLIAM BIRKS, the elder, of the Town of Nottingham, Machinist,
WILLIAM BIRKS, the younger, of the same Place, Machinist, and JOHN BIRKS,
of the same Place, Designer, do hereby declare the nature of the Inven-
tion for." IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE OR NET, AND IN THE
MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:
The first part of our Invention consists in improved arrangements of
independent pickers.or selecting instruments for jacking the warp threads
of bobbin net or twist, lace, machines, whereby the warp threads may be more
variously acted upon, and at the same time leave sufficient space between
the combs for the introduction of top ornamenting or gymp bars, by which
arrangement.an.improved manufacture of bobbin net or twist lace is produced.
In carrying out this part of our Invention, we prefer to arrange the warp
threads (two to each carriage) and to pass them through four perforated or

page_text: other top guide bars, which are placed in pairs, so as to form a slight division
between the pair of guide bars and warp threads in the front and the pair of
guide bars and warp threads at the back of the machine. Each of the four
guide bars are actuated by suitable cuts of wheels or other apparatus, by which
they are capable of three separate actions on their warp threads to each
motion of the carriages to enable them by the interposition of the independent
pickers to cross either to the right or to the left, or to twist or plait, or to
stand still at each motion. We employ two rows of independent pickers or
selectors, one row at the front and the other at the back of the warp threads,
to retain in position or to intercept the movement of the warp threads, such
independent pickers having double action by means of double-lift jacquard
apparatus to each motion or passage of the carriages. The points of the
pickers which enter between the warp threads are of a width equal to nearly
two gaits or spaces of the combs or bolts, and by reason of this arrangement
of the pickers and guide bars, we are able to interpose the pickers in any
selected order according to the pattern desired, when the carriages are in.
the centre, so as to retain the crossings of particular warp threads below the
carriages, to be taken up into the fabric after the passage of the carriages,
in the front or back combs or bolts, at the same time. that other portions
of the warp threads may be arranged to twist with their carriage threads or
to stand still if desired.
The second part of our Invention consists in improved arrangements of
the stump bar" or other spacing instruments in combination with the
pickers or stump points employed for acting upon the warp threads of
bobbin net or twist laco machinery, considerable space being gained
between the comb bars for the introduction of gymp and ornamenting
thread bars, by which lace or net of a novel and varied character may be
produced.
In one arrangement, according to this part of our Invention, the "stump
bar" (which forms a division in the warp threads) is capable of moving a
short distance to and fro from front to back of the machine, and from back to
front, so as to place part of the warp threads, by the movement of the stump
bar towards the back, in a back row of pickers or stump points, leaving the'
other part of such warp threads free to cross, and by the movement of the
stump bar towards the front of the machine, the warp threads, which were'
previously free for crossing, are placed between a front row of pickers or
points, thus withdrawing the other warp threads from the back row of pickers
or points, when they will be free to cross. In some cases the stump bar may

page_text: be divided into two parts, and each part acted upon independently. The
pickers and stumps are as thin as their necessary strength will admit, and
a division of two gaits or spaces is left from stump to stump. The front and
back rows of pickers or points are stationary, and are fixed to the inner
gymping and ornamenting bars, and are supported on the same pins
and brackets which support those bars, and owing to the small amount of
movement required by the stump bar, and the mode of supporting the pickers,
as described, considerably more space is gained for the introduction of top or
ornamenting bars than heretofore, by which an improved manufacture of lace
or net is obtained. Or a similar action upon the warp threads to that
previously described may be obtained by having a fixed or stationary stump
bar, and employing pickers or points placed in opposite directions, and
supported and moving on arms under the stump bar between a division in the
warp threads, so that when moved towards the back of the machine one set of
pickers may be interposed between the back row of, warp threads; the front
row of warp threads being at that time free to cross, the back row of warp
threads being left free to cross when the opposite set of points are moved so
as to enter between the front row of warp threads.
The arrangement previously described may be reversed by having the
double pickers stationary, and the stump bar divided into two parts, each bar
having independent action to and fro from front to back, or from back to front
of the machine.
Another arrangement of the spacing instruments may be employed with
advantages similar to those previously described by having either two or more
cranked, perforated, or slotted plates or thin bars. When two of such plates
or bars are used both may be supported from the back of the machine, so that
one plate or bar may entirely cover the other; the underneath plate or bar will
be stationary, and may have four rows of slots or spaces arranged in two pairs
as is well understood, each slot or space being equal to two gaits or spaces of
the combs or bolts, except a very slight division left between each slot or space.
The top plate or bar will be capable of moving to and fro from front to back
or from back to front of the machine, and will have only two rows of slots or
spaces corresponding in length to those previously described in the underneath
plate or bar, with the exception that they are rather more than double the
width, and have a slight projection or tooth in the centre of each slot or space
extending over half the width of the said slots or spaces, so that when the top
plate or bar is out of position the slots or spaces in the underneath plate or
bar will be left open so as to allow any number of the warp threads by the

page_text: first action of the jacquard on the bottom bars to cross, either to the right or
Before the second
to the left, two gaits or spaces of the combs or bolts.
action on 'the bottom bars takes place the top plate or bar is moved into
position, so that the two plates or bars may form a uniform plate or bar, with
spaces or slots to the extent of one gait or space of the combs or bolts, in
which position any number of the warp threads by the second action of the
jacquard on the bottom bars'inay pass, either to the right or left, one gait or
space of the combs or 'bolts to allow those threads to twist or plait in any
desired-order.
We propose giving the two actions previously mentioned to each bar at
'each motion of the machine or passage of the carriages from front to back or
from back 'to 'front, and the same actions may be employed in the arrange-
ments previously described at the commencement of the second part of our
improvements. It may be desirable to state here that the warp threads pass
through both of the cranked, slotted, or perforated plates or thin bars.
Or similar results may be obtained by employing different arrangements of
slots or spaces in the spacing instruments. For instance, it may be 'desirable
to use three of the cranked, perforated, or slotted plates or thin bars; two of
such plates or bars may be supported from the back of the machine, and the
other supported from the front. The first plate or bar supported from the
back will be stationary and cover the other two plates or bars, and have four
rows of slots or spaces arranged in two pairs, with suitable divisions left
between each-row of slots or spaces; the slots or spaces will be nearly equal
'to two gaits or spaces of the combs or bolts, as before described, 'with the
'exception that each pair of slots or spaces will have an additional small slot.
or space leading from the centre of each said slot or space in a contrary
direction. The additional small slots or spaces in the back pair of slots or
'spaces will lead towards the back of the machine, and the additional small
slots' or spaces in the front pair will lead towards-the front of the machine, so
that each pair of slots or spaces may have their small additional slots or
spaces leading in' a' contrary direction from each other. The other two plates
or bars, which are placed one at the back and the other at the front of the
machine, may have either one or two rows of slots or spaces in each plate.or
bar corresponding in length to those previously described, with the exception
that the spaces may be rather wider than the other slots or spaces, including
'their additional small slots or spaces. These two plates or bars will have
independent action to and fro from front to back or from back to front of the
machine, so that when these two underneath plates or bars are in position

page_text: the solid part of the bars will act as a cover to the small additional slots or
spaces leading out of the other slots or spaces in the stationary plate or bar,
and allow any desired number of the warp. threads by the first action of the
jacquard on the bottom bars to cross, either to the right or to, the left, two
gaits or spaces of the combs or bolts. And before the second action of the
jacquard on the bottom bars takes place the two underneath plates or bars are
moved out of position to leave the small additional slots or spaces free or open,
so that any number of warp threads desired to be acted upon may pass, either
to right or to the left, one gait or space of the combs or bolts, to twist or plait,
as may be required, by sliding into the above-mentioned small additional slots
or spaces leading out of the other slots or spaces in the stationary plate, or bar.
And when the two underneath plates or bars are moved into, position again
they will set free those warp threads that have stopped in the small additional
slots or spaces, so as to be ready for the first action of the jacquard on the
bottom bars, as before described. We propose dividing the bottom bars into
two parts, so as, to give a suitable angle to the warp threads, so that when
acted upon by the second action of the jacquard on the bottom bars they will
slide into the small additional slots or spaces, when the two underneath plates
or bars are out of position.
By the arrangements previously described we dispense with all endway
movements of the stump bars or spacing instruments, and picker bars where
bottom bars are used.
It will be found that these improvements will overcome the difficulties
which have hitherto existed in the manufacture of a certain description of
lace or net, which up, to the present time has been made only in very limited
widths, whereas by these improvements we are able to produce this description
of lace or net in any desired widths. Various kinds of net and fining or
filling and openwork may be made in the same pattern and at the same time,
which result has not yet been accomplished by any previous arrangements of
bobbin net or twist lace, machinery.
The third part of our Invention is applicable to the manufacture of lace or
net in twist lace or bobbin net and in warp lace machinery, and consists, first,
in improved arrangements of machinery or apparatus for the manufacture of
that description of bobbin net or twist lace in which the crossings are made by
the warp threads, which threads are unequally worked up where "finings" are
being made in the production of a pattern or design on such lace, and when
such warp threads are all wound upon one warp beam (as is usually the case)
irregularly formed lace or net is produced owing to the inequality in the

page_text: take-up of the various warp threads, according to whether they are for the
time being employed in the production of plain net or "finings." In order to
overcome this difficulty various contrivances have been adopted in which the
warp threads have been wound on separate spools, or reels, or bobbins, but
owing to the difficulty of drawing off the threads therefrom at one uniform
tension throughout the piece, no very successful results have been realized
thereby. Now, according to our improvenients, cach warp thread, however
unequally taken up, is worked up into the fabric at one uniform tension
throughout its length, whereby a very superior manufacture of bobbin net or
twist lace is produced. In carrying out this part of our Invention each warp
thread is wound upon a separate bobbin mounted on a spindle, and capable of
turning freely thereon, and each warp thread as it is drawn from its bobbin is
received by and takes one or more turns around the drum of another separate
bobbin, which is mounted upon and turns on another spindle, and a light friction
spring is applied to the periphery of each of the bobbins, around which the
warp threads pass to prevent them from turning when not required to do so.
The springs which put friction on the bobbins are all fixed to a bar supported
on axes at each end of the machine, and this bar has a lever arm fixed
thereon, with a set screw by which the pressure of the whole series of springs
çan be carefully adjusted in order that the warp threads may be drawn from
around the bobbins at a uniform tension by the movements of the machine as
they are required to be taken up into the fabric. We also cause the thick or
ornamenting threads, which may be wound on spools, reels, or bobbins, to pass
around and be delivered from a series of friction bobbins in like manner to
the warp threads before described. It may be desirable in some cases to have
the friction springs for the thick threads of each bobbin independent, to be
acted upon by separate gauge screws, if desired.
From the previous description it will be evident that this part of our
improvements is applicable to the warp and other threads employed in the
manufacture of lace, net, or other fabrics made in warp lace machinery.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said William Birks, the elder, William Birks, the younger, and John
Birks, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th November 1861,
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
BIRKS, the elder, of the Town of Nottingham, Machinist, and WILLIAM BIRKS,

page_text: the younger, of the same Place, Machinist, and JoHN BIRKS, of the same
Place, Designer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said William Birks, William Birks, and John Birks, Her special
licence that we, the said William Birks, William Birks, and John Birks,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
William Birks, William Birks, and John Birks, our executors, adminis-
trators, 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE OR
NET, AND IN THE MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said William Birks, William Birks, and John Birks,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or
their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Birks, the younger, on behalf
of myself and the said William Birks, the elder, and John Birks, 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 :-
The first part of our Invention consists in improved arrangements of indepen-
dent pickers or selecting instruments for jacking the warp threads of bobbin
net or twist lace machines, whereby the warp threads may be more variously
acted upon, and at the same time leave sufficient space between the combs for
the introduction of top ornamenting or gymp bars, by which arrangement an
improved manufacture of bobbin net or twist lace is produced.
Figure 1, Sheet 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed, shews a transverse
section of so much of a bobbin net or twist lace machine as will enable us to
describe the means we employ in carrying out this part of our Invention,
wherein we prefer to arrange the warp threads (two to each carriage) and to

page_text: pass them through four perforated or other top guide bars a, a', which are
placed in pairs so as to form a slight division between the pair of guide bars.
and warp threads a in the front and the pair of guide bars and warp threads a¹
at the back of the machine. Each of the four guide bars a, a, are actuated by
suitable cuts of wheels, shewn at Figure 1*, or other apparatus, by which they
are capable of three separate actions on their warp threads to each motion of
the carriages, to enable them by the interposition of the independent pickers b, b',
to cross either to the right or to the left, or to twist or plait, or to stand still at
each motion. The independent pickers, or selections b, b', are arranged in two
rows, one row b at the front and the other row at the back of the warp
threads, so as to retain in position or to intercept the movement of the warp
threads, and such independent pickers and have double action by means.
of double-lift jacquard apparatus to each motion or passage of the carriages, as
will be readily understood on examining Figure 1, by which it will be seen that
the points of the front row of pickers b have a tendency at all times to be borne
out of the front row of warp threads by the springing of their stems towards.
the front of the machine. The points of the pickers a are caused to enter
amongst and intercept the movement of the front row of warp threads from
time to time when any of them are selected and acted upon for this purpose
by the cords connected to double-lift jacquard apparatus. The cords are
connected to the cords b'; attached as shewn to the spring stems of the front row
of independent pickers b, and the cords b' are just kept in a state of tension by
being attached to the roller 6. The points of the back row of independent.
pickers have a tendency to be at all times borne by their spring stems into
or amongst the back row of warp threads, but are prevented from entering
between them by the cords 6 which are attached to the stems of the pickers b',
and to the springs & carried by the bar 68, the springs 67 being connected by
cords to double-lift jacquard apparatus," so that when a selection takes
place to cause an extension of any of the springs 6, the pickers b¹ to which
they are attached will be allowed by the action of their spring stems to
enter between the back row of warp threads. We would here remark that
although we have only shewn and described the independent pickers b, b',:
as being governed in their action by double-lift jacquard apparatus, we do
not confine ourselves thereto, as it will be evident that they may be controlled
by three separate lifts of the jacquard apparatus if desired. The points of
the pickers b, b; which enter between the warp threads are of a width equal:
to two or nearly two gaits or spaces of the combs or bolts, as shewn by
separate views at Figure 2, and by reason of this arrangement of the pickers

page_text: and of the top guide bars, as before described, we are able to interpose the
pickers in any selected order, according to the pattern desired, when the
carriages are in the centre, so as to retain the crossings of particular warp
threads below the carriages, to be taken up into the fabric after the passage of
the carriages into the front or back combs or bolts, at the same time that other
portions of the warp threads may be arranged to twist with their carriage
threads or to stand still if desired.
Figure 3 shews a modified arrangement of the independent pickers b, b¹,
in which they are attached to or form part of the levers c, c, and they move
freely on the axis c', the levers c, c, being connected to double or treble left
jacquard apparatus as shewn. The points of the independent pickers in this
arrangement when not selected are withdrawn from out of the front and back
rows of warp threads by their own weight, all which will be readily understood
on examining the Drawing.
The points of the independent pickers 6, &, when working with double or
treble left jacquard apparatus according to our Invention, as previously
described, may be of a width equal to one or two gaits or spaces of the combs
or bolts so that when it is desired to introduce three gait finings into the net,
either one-gait pickers may be employed or two-gait pickers with an angular
recess, or other division formed therein, as shewn in plan at Figure 2*, may be
employed for this purpose; and at Figure 4 we bave shewn suitable cuts of
wheels for actuating either the back or front pairs of top bars a or a¹, when
two-gait independent pickers such as shewn in plan at Figure 2* are employed
to work therewith. When four-gait or other fiuings are required to be intro-
duced into the net, the independent pickers shewn at Figure 2* (or single
gait pickers) may be employed, the top bars a, a', being actuated by suitable
cuts of wheels, the nature of which will be readily understood by a competent.
workman acquainted with this class of machinery.
From the foregoing description of this part of our Invention it will be
evident to those acquainted with the nature and working of bobbin net or
twist lace machinery that although we have shewn this part of our improve-
ments as applied to a "Lever's machine," they are equally applicable to other
arrangements of bobbin net or twist lace machinery and it will also be evident
that the character of the lace or net produced thereby may be greatly varied
without departing from the essential features of our Invention and the number
and mode of arranging the top guide bars a and a' may also be varied, toge-
ther with the mode of actuating the same, in order to produce lace or net
of a novel and varied character. And we may here remark that the top bars a

page_text: and a may be caused to traverse a certain distance and back again, by which
means an ornamental traverse lace or net of a very superior character may be
produced.
68
The second part of our Invention consists in improved arrangements of the
stump bar" or other spacing instrument in combination with the pickers or
stump points employed for acting upon the warp threads of bobbin net or
twist lace machinery, considerable space being gained between the comb bars
for the introduction of gymp and ornamenting thread bars, by which arrange-
ment lace or. net of a novel and varied character may be produced.
Figure 1, Sheet 2, shews one arrangement of apparatus suitable for being
applied to bobbin net or twist lace machinery according to this part of our
Invention.
a is the stump bar, which is so constructed as to form a division in the warp
threads, and thus form them into front and back rows a¹, a². The stump bar
a is mounted on arms as attached to a spindle bar a', which has a rocking
motion imparted. thereto in any convenient manner to cause the stump bar a
and warp threads to be moved to and fro a short distance from front to
back of the machine, and from back to front, so as to place the back row of
warp threads a (by the movement of the stump bar a towards the back of the
machine) into the back row of stationary pickers or stump points b², leaving
the front row of warp threads a¹ free to cross by the first action of the
"bottom bars," and then by the movement of the stump bar a towards the
front of the machine, the front row of warp threads a', which were previously
free for crossing, are placed between the points of the front row of stationary
pickers or points b', thus withdrawing the back row of warp threads a² from
between the points of the back row of stationary pickers or points 6%, thus
leaving the back row of warp threads free to cross in any desired order, and so
on alternately after each motion of the machine.
In some cases when working according to this part of our Invention the
stump bars employed may be divided into two parts, one for the front and the
other for the back row or division of the warp threads, each part of the stump
bar being acted upon independently.
The pickers and stumps employed in carrying out this part of our Invention
should be as thin as their necessary strength will admit, a division or space of
nearly two gaits being left from stump to stump. The front and back rows of
stationary pickers or points 61, 6, are fixed to the innermost bars of the
gymping and ornamenting bars c, c, and are supported on the same pins and
brackets b, b, which support those bars, and owing to the small amount of

page_text: to-and-fro movement required by the stump bar a, together with the mode of
supporting the stationary pickers or points 1, 63, considerably more space is
gained between the comb bars for the introduction of top or ornamenting bars
than has heretofore been obtained in previous arrangements where prickers or
points have been employed in combination with stump bars or other spacing
instruments; and our present improvements, according to this part of our
Invention, will enable us to produce lace or net of an improved and novel
character with greater facility than heretofore.
A similar action upon the warp threads to that previously described may be
obtained by having a fixed or stationary stump bar a, as shewn at Figure 2,
Sheet 2, and employing in combination therewith a double row of pickers or
points placed in opposite directions, such pickers or points being supported
by and caused to move to and fro on arms b¹ underneath the stunıp bar, the
arms being fixed to a spindle bar like that previously described for
supporting the moveable stump bar in Figure 1. A division is formed in the
warp threads to form them into two rows a¹, a², as before described, so that
when the pickers or points are moved towards the back of the machine, the
back row or set of pickers or points will be interposed between the back row
of warp threads a³, the front row of warp threads a¹ being then left free to
cross; the back row of warp threads a will be left free to cross when the
opposite set of pickers or points are moved towards the front of the machine,
so as to enter between the threads in the front row of warp threads a¹.
The arrangement of moveable pickers or points in combination with the
stationary stump bar previously described, may be varied by having the double
row of pickers or points fixed or stationary, the stump bar being divided
longitudinally into two parts or half bars, each such half stump bar having
independent to-and-fro movement imparted thereto from front to back and
from back to front of the machine in any convenient manner.
Another arrangement of the spacing instruments may be employed in the
manufacture of ornamental lace or net with advantages similar to those
previously described, by having either two or more cranked, perforated, or
slotted plates or thin bars arranged to work in combination with each other.
When two of such plates or bars are employed (as shewn at Figures 1 and 2,
in Sheet 3 of the Drawings,) according to this part of our Invention, both of
them may be supported by arms or brackets, as shewn, from the back of the
machine, so that the top plate or bar a may entirely cover the other or bottom
plate or bar b. The underneath plate or bar b in this arrangement is stationary,
and has four rows of slots or spaces arranged in two pairs, as is well under-

page_text: stood, each slot, or space being equal to two gaits or spaces of the combs or
bolts, except a very slight division left between each slot or space. The top
plate or bar a is capable of moving to and fro from front to back and from back
to front of the machine, and has two rows of slots or spaces formed therein
corresponding in length to those previously described, as being formed in the
underneath plate or bar b, with the exception that they are rather more than
double the width, and have a slight projection or tooth at in the centre of
cach slot or space extending over half the width of the said slots or spaces, so,
that when the top plate or bar a is out of position, the slots or spaces in the
underneath plate or bar b will be left open, so as to allow any number of the
warp threads by the first action of the jacquard on the "bottom bars" to
cross, either to the right or to the left two gaits or spaces of the combs or bolts.
Before the second action of the jacquard on the "bottom bars" takes place,
the top plate or bar a is moved into position, so that the two plates or bars a
and may form or represent one uniform plate or bar, having slots or spaces
therein to the extent of one gait or space of the combs or bolts, in which
position any number of the warp threads (by the second action of the jacquard
apparatus on the "bottom bars") may pass or move, either to the right or to
the left, the extent of one gait or space of the combs or bolts to allow those
threads to twist or plait in any desired order.
We give the two actions of the jacquard apparatus previously mentioned to
each "bottom bar" at each motion of the machine or passage of the bobbins
and carriages from front to back or from back to front of the machine; and
we would here remark that the same actions may be employed in the arrange-
ments of apparatus previously described at the commencement of the second
part of our improvements.
It may also be desirable to state here that the warp threads employed in the
arrangement of apparatus last, described pass through both of the cranked,
slotted, or perforated plates or thin bars.
Similar results to those previously described for the manufacture of orna-
mental lace or net according to this part of our Invention, may be obtained by
employing different arrangements of the slots or spaces in the spacing instru-
ments; and at Figures 3 and 4, Sheet 3 of the Drawings, we have shewn three
of the cranked, perforated, or slotted plates or thin bars arranged to worked
together, two of such plates or bars b, c, being supported from the back of the
machine, the other bar or plate a being supported from the front, as shewn.
The plate or bar c is fixed or stationary, and covers the two other plates or
bars a, b, and the plate or bar c has four rows of slots or spaces formed therein,

page_text: arranged in two pairs, with suitable divisions left between each row of slots
or spaces. The slots or spaces are of a length nearly equal to two gaits or
spaces of the combs or bolts, as before described, with the exception that cach
pair of slots or spaces have an additional small slot, .space, or recess formed in
the centre of each said slot or space, the small slots or spaces of one pair
leading out of the inain slots or spaces in a contrary or opposite direction to
the small slots or spaces on the opposite pair. The additional small slots or
spaces in the back pair of slots or spaces lead towards the back of the machine,
and the additional small slots or spaces in the front pair lead towards the front
of the machine; thus it will be seen that each pair of slots or spaces in the
covering plate or bar chave their small additional slots or spaces leading in
contrary or opposite directions to each other.
The small additional slots. or spaces before referred to are :shewn in the
enlarged view of part of the plate or bar c at c* in Figure 4 of the Drawings,
in the form of angular recesses, which is the form we prefer, although this
may be varied without departing from the particular character of this part of
our Invention. The two plates or bars a, b, which are placed one at the back
and the other at the front of the machine, may have either one or two rows of
slots or spaces in each plate or bar corresponding in length to those previously
described, with the exception that the spaces may be rather wider than the
slots or spaces in the bar c, including their additional small slots or. spaces c*.
The two plates or bars a and b have independent to-and-fro movement com-
municated thereto (by means of the spindle bars a¹, b',) from front to back and
from back to 'front of the machine, so that when these two underneath plates
or bars a and b are in position, the solid parts of the bars will act as covers to
the small additional slots or spaces c* leading out of the main slots or spaces
in the stationary plate or bar c, and will thus allow any desired number of the
warp threads (by the first action of the jacquard apparatus on the "bottom
bars") to cross, either to the right or to the left, two gaits or spaces of the
combs or bolts. Before the second action of the jacquard apparatus on the
"bottom bars" takes place, the two underneath plates or bars. a, b, arc, moved
out of position so as to leave the small additional slots or spaces free or open,
in order that any desired number of the warp threads may be caused (by the
second action of the jacquard apparatus on the "bottom bars") to pass or
move, either to the right or to the left one gait or space of the combs or bolts,
to twist or plait with the bobbin threads as may be required by sliding and
passing into the above-mentioned small additional slots or spaces c* leading
out of the main slots or spaces in the stationary plate or bar c.
When the

page_text: two underneath plates or bars are moved into position again, they will set free
those warp threads which were stopped or retained in the small additional
spaces c*, so as to be ready to be acted upon by the first action of the jacquard
apparatus on the "bottom bar," as before described. We divide the "bottom
bars" (not shewn in the Drawings) into two parts or sets, so as to divide the
warp threads into two rows, as shewn at Figures .1. and 2, Sheet 2, and to
give an angle to each row, so that when the warp threads are acted upon. by
the second action of the jacquard apparatus on the "bottom bars," those
threads will readily slide into the small additional slots or spaces c*, when the
two underneath plates or bars are out of. position..
By the arrangements of apparatus previously described under this part of
our Invention, we dispense with all endway movements of the stump bars or
spacing instruments and of the picker bars when "bottom bars" are employed;
and it will be found that the improvements previously described under the first
and second parts of our Invention will overcome the difficulties which have
previously existed in the manufacture of a certain description of lace or net
(generally known as Ensor's lace or net) which, up to the present time, has
been made only in very limited widths, whereas by these improvements we
are able to produce this description of lace or net in any desired widths, so as
to produce patterns of varied extent suited to the manufacture of lace shawls,
curtains, or other articles where the same extent of pattern or ornament is
required; and by the arrangements of apparatus previously described various
kinds of net and fining or filling and openwork, combined with this description
of net and fining, may be made in the same pattern and at the same time,
which result has not yet been accomplished by any previous arrangements
of bobbin net or twist lace machinery.
The third part of our Invention is applicable to the manufacture of lace or
net in twist lace or bobbin net and in warp lace machinery; and this part of
our Invention consists, first, in improved arrangements of machinery or
apparatus for the manufacture of that description of bobbin net or twist lace
in which the crossings are made by the warp threads, which threads are
unequally worked up where "finings" are being made in the production of a
pattern or design on such lace or net, and when such warp threads are wound
upon one warp beam (as is usually the case) irregularly formed lace or net is
produced owing to the inequality in the take-up of the various warp threads,
according to whether they are for the time being employed in the production
of plain net or "fining."
In order to overcome this difficulty, various contrivances have been adopted

page_text: in which the warp threads have been wound on separate spools, reels, or
bobbins, but owing to the difficulty of drawing off the threads therefrom at
one uniform tension throughout the piece, no very successful results have
been realized thereby. Now according to our improvements, each warp
thread, however unequally taken up, is worked up into the fabric at one
uniform tension throughout its length, whereby a very superior manufacture
of bobbin net or twist lace is produced.
warp
In carrying out this part of our Invention, each warp thread is wound on a
separate bobbin a mounted on a spindle a¹, as shewn in Sheet 4 of the
Drawings, which represents a series of bobbins carrying warp threads suitably
arranged for working in bobbin net or twist lace machines according to this
part of our Invention. The bobbins a are capable of turning freely on the
spindle a', and each warp thread, as it is drawn off from its bobbin, is received
by and takes one or more turns around the drum of another separate
bobbin b, which is mounted upon and turns on another spindle 6, and a light
friction spring 6' is applied to the periphery of each of the bobbins b, around
which the
threads pass
to prevent them from turning when not required
to do so. The springs 62, which put friction on the series of bobbins b,
mounted side by side on the spindle ', are all fixed to a bar c supported on
axes at each end of the machine, and the bar c has a lever arm c¹ fixed
thereon, the position of which can be regulated by a set screw, by which
arrangement the whole series of springs can be carefully and accurately
adjusted so as to put an equal pressure upon the entire series of bobbins bin
order that the warp threads may be drawn from around the same at one
uniform tension by the movement of the machine as they are required to be
taken up into the fabric, all which will be readily understood on examining
the Drawing. We also cause the thick or ornamenting threads (which may
be wound on spools, recls, or bobbins, as shewn at d) to be delivered from a
series of friction bobbins e, in like manner to the arrangement of warp threads
previously described.
It may be desirable in some cases to have the friction springs for the thick
threads of each bobbin independent so as to be acted upon by separate guage
screws if desired. Where two neighbouring warp threads are being worked
up into the fabric at one uniform rate, such threads may pass from their
separate bobbins a over the same or a double friction bobbin b, in which case
only one spring will be required to such friction bobbin for controlling the
uniform delivery of such two warp threads.
From the previous description, it will be evident that this part of our

page_text: improvements is equally applicable to the warp and other threads employed in
the manufacture of lace, net, or other fabrics made on warp lace machinery;
and a competent workman, acquainted with this class. of machinery, will readily
apply this part of our improvements thereto.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Birks, the younger, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, W. .C.
W. BIRKS, JUN'. (L.S.)