Improvements in and connected with Wefting Mechanism for Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Wefting Mechanism for Looms
for Weaving.
I, DAVID JOHNSTON MACDONALD, of South Saint Roque's Works, Dundee,
in the County of Forfar, North Britain, Engineer and Machine Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to say:--
My said invention relates to wefting mechanism of the kind in which the weft
is drawn off a bobbin or roll at the side of the loom, and it comprises improve-
ments in or modifications of details of the mechanism described in my Patent
Specifications Nos. 28,322, and 29,984 of 1897.
In carrying out my present invention, and instead of the arrangement of
selvedge shuttle described in the later of my said specifications, I employ an
oscillating shuttle similar to what is used in some kinds of sewing machines.
This shuttle, formed with a hook or projection to engage in the loop of the weft
passed through and emerging from the shed, and which in oscillating causes the
loop to pass over the shuttle, is held in a carrier in a case which receives its
motion through bevil wheels from a vertical spindle carried by the lathe. The
vertical spindle has on its lower end a pinion gearing with a spurwheel which is
on a stud and which has an eccentric pin projecting down from it and carrying
an antifriction roller which is acted on by a cam slot in a plate fixed to the
breast beam. As the lathe moves forwards and backwards the gearing and slotted
plate described cause the shuttle to oscillate or reciprocate angularly in the
required manner. In order to prevent the outer thread of the weft loop from
being improperly acted on by the shuttle there descends into the loop a vertical
finger which is moved as the lathe moves by a cam-shaped guide bar fixed to the
breast beam.
Another improvement has to do with the appliances for taking up the slack of
the weft and for controlling its tension. The weft passes from the bobbin or
roll up to and over a guide bar on which it is pressed by a weighted tension
lever. The weft proceeds thence to a guide eye in the bottom of one leg of a
vertical slotted or two-legged stationary bar and between the two legs it passes
through a guide eye in a piece which slides between the legs and has on it an
antifriction roller. This roller is in a cam-shaped guide slot in a bar fixed
to and projecting back from the lathe rail and as the lathe beats up the slot
in the bar raises the sliding piece in the slot of the stationary bar and takes up
the slack of the weft. At the same time a cord attached to the sliding piece
and passing over guide pulleys allows the weighted tension lever to bear fully
on the weft; but when the lathe moves back lifts that lever so as to allow the
weft to be drawn with diminished tension. The weft passes onwards from the
stationary bar to a guide eye in a small block fitted to slide on a vertical rod
fixed to the back of the lathe and thence to the wefting rod. This sliding guide

page_text: by its weight bears down slack weft and prevents it from looping and becoming
entangled. This improvement is of advantage in weaving narrow fabrics.
11 thi Telfth day of April 1899
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
Improvements in and connected with Wefting Mechanism for Looms
for Weaving.
I, DAVID JOHNSTON MACDONALD, of South Saint Roque's Works, Dundee,
in the County of Forfar, North Britain, Engineer and Machine Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
My said invention relates to wefting mechanism of the kind in which the weft
is drawn off a stationary bobbin or roll, and it comprises various improvements
in or modifications of such mechanism.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append two sheets of explanatory draw-
ings to be hereinafter referred to in describing my improvements.
Figure, 1, is a plan and Figure, 2, a sectional front elevation of parts of a
loom sufficient to show the application of my improvements. Figures, 3, 4, 5,
and 6, are enlarged views of a selvedge shuttle and its carrier employed in
carrying out my improvements. Figures, 7, 8, and 9, are enlarge views of
mechanism for actuating the shuttle. Figure, 10, is an enlarged view of im-
proved mechanism for taking up the slack of the weft and for controlling its
tension. In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals are used
to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The wefting mechanism may be of any suitable known construction but is by
preference of the kind in which the weft is carried in loop form into and through
the shed by means of a weft rod and hood-rod moved into the shed from opposite
sides of the loom. To actuate these rods there is on a spindle, B, fixed to a
bracket, B1, at the back of the lathe a pair of pulleys, B3, B4, fixed to a
sleeve or tube loose on the spindle, B. Around the upper pulley, B3, which is
the smaller, there passes a cord, C, the opposite parts of which passing round a
guide pulley, C1, also carried by the lathe, A, have their ends fixed to front
and back parts of the side frame of the loom, and the forward and backward
movements of the lathe cause the pulleys to rotate alternately in opposite direc-
tions. Fixed to and wound partly around the lower and larger pulley, B4,
there is a cord, C2, which receives an increased motion because of the difference
of size of the pulleys, B3, B4, and which is fixed at its outer end to the outer
end of a bar, C3. This bar, C3, slides in guides, C4, and has on it an adjust-
able collar, 1), which when the bar, C3, has moved a certain distance towards
the left hand encounters an eyed bracket, D 1, through which the bar, C3,
passes and which projects down from a bar, D2, which is slotted and arranged
to slide on pins, D3, D4, fixed to the lathe. This bar, D2, which moves
partly under the warps, has fixed to it by an upwardly-projecting arm a weft-
rod, D5, placed so as to enter the shed of the warps and provided with an eye
at its inner end through which eye the weft passes from a roll or bobbin at the
back suitable tension and take up appliances being applied as hereinafter
described.

page_text: The bar, D2, has fixed to its inner end an endless cord, E, extending around
two pulleys, E1, E2, carried by the lathe and having fixed to an opposite part
of it a slotted bar, E3, (like the bar, 12, but at the opposite side of the loom)
which slides on pins, E4, E5, fixed to the lathe, and which has attached to it
by an upwardly-projecting arm a hook-rod, F. When the weft-rod, 15 is
moved inward from the right hand by the bar, D2, the endless cord, E, causes
the bar, E3, to carry the hook-rod, F, inward from the left hand and the hook
engages with the weft loop, the weft loop being drawn through to the left-hand
The outward or
side of the warps when the hook-rod, F, returns outwards.
return movements of the weft rod, D5, and hook-rod, F, are produced by the
recoil of a spring (not shown) connected to a lever, F2, the upper end of which
bears on the bracket, D1, of the bar, D2.
The loop of weft is by the outward movement of the hook-rod, F, drawn to a
position a little beyond the left-hand side of the warps at the beginning of the
forward movement of the lathe and the loop in this position is acted on by
my improved form of selvedge shuttle as hereinafter described. This shuttle, G,
(Figures, 3, and 4) of the oscillating type, is hollow and is made with a central
tube, G1, on which turns a spool, G3, for the selvedge thread (not shown). A
spiral spring, H, placed in the tube, G 1, presses on one end of a tension
finger, H1, hinged to the tube, G 1, so as to cause the other end to bear on
the flange of the spool, G3, when it is in the shuttle, G, and thus apply the
requisite tension to the thread. The degree of tension may be regulated by
adjusting a small screw, H2, inserted from the opposite side of the shuttle, G,
so as to cause the screw, H2, to bear more or less on the spring, H. To get
the spool, G3, into the shuttle, G, the tension finger, H 1, is turned into the
position shown by dotted lines in Figure, 4. The shuttle, G, is made with two
hooks or projections, J1, J2, with which engage two pins, J3, J4, on a
driving carrier, J, (Figures, 5, and 6) in the form of a disk having a spindle, J 5.
The shuttle, G, with its carrier, J, is held in a case, K, (Figures, 7, 8, and 9)
fixed to the lathe, A, the spindle, J 5, projecting through one side of the case and
having on its outer end a bevil wheel, K 1, which gears with a bevil wheel, K 2,
on the upper end of a vertical spindle, K 3, carried by the lathe, A. The
vertical spindle, K3, has on its lower end a pinion, K4, gearing with a spur
wheel, K5, which is on a stud, L, and which has an eccentric pin, L1, pro-
jecting down from it and carrying an antifriction roller which is acted on by a
As the lathe, A,
cam slot, L2, in a plate, L3, fixed to the breast beam, L4.
moves forwards and backwards the gearing and slotted plate herein before
described cause the shuttle, G, to oscillate or reciprocate angularly in the re-
quired manner so that the hook, J1, on the shuttle, G, which projects through
an opening in the front of the case, K, will engage in the loop of weft passed
through and emerging from the shed as hereinbefore described.
prevent the outer thread or side of the weft loop from being improperly acted
on by the shuttle, G, there descends into the loop (just before the shuttle carries
the inside thread of the loop round) a vertical finger, M, which is D-shaped
near the point this D-shaped part keeping back the outer thread of the loop
until the slack of the weft requires to be taken up as hereinafter described when
the finger, M, rises clear. The vertical finger, M, slides in a guide, M 1, formed
for it in the front of the lathe, A, the upper end of the finger being forked and
carrying an antifriction roller, M2, which runs on a cam-shaped guide bar, M 3,
fixed to the breast beam, L4, so that as the lathe, A, moves the finger, M, will
rise and fall as desired.
In order to
Immediately on the weft loop becoming engaged with the shuttle, G, as
herein before described, it is released from the hook rod, F. To effect this the
hook rod, F, is jointed near its hook end, the jointed end being made with a
projection, N, on its underside and a spring, N1, above, the latter tending to
keep the hook end straight. As the rod, F, recedes the projection, N, comes
in contact with a small antifriction roller, N2, on a pin fixed to the lathe, A,

page_text: and depresses the hook end free from the weft loop. Another small roller, N3,
also carried by the lathe at the same time keeps the bar, F, from being lifted
whilst the roller, N 2, is acting on the projection as described. On the lathe, A,
moving backward after each beat-up it proceeds a short distance (to allow of
sufficient opening of the new shed) before the bars, D2, E3, which carry the
weft rod, 15, and hook rod, F, are acted on, the distance depending on the
space between the bracket, D1, and the collar, D, which last is adjustable on
the rod, C3. The weft rod, D5, and hook rod, F, are entered into the shed
during the remainder of the backward movement of the lathe, and on the lathe
moving forward again the rods, D5, F, are withdrawn the weft loop is threaded
by the shuttle thread and the newly laid weft is beat up.
Improved appliances for taking up the slack of the weft and for controlling
its tension are also provided and shown more fully in Figure, 10. The weft, P,
passes from a bobbin or roll, P1, up to and over a guide bar, P2, on which
it is pressed by a weighted tension lever, P. The weft, P, proceeds thence
to a guide eye, Q, in the bottom of one leg of a vertical slotted or two-legged
stationary bar, Q1, and between the two legs it passes through a guide eye, Q2,
in a piece, Q3, which slides between the legs and has on it an antifriction
roller, Q4. The weft passes from the guide eye, Q2, to a guide eye, Q5, in the
bottom of the other leg of the bar, Q1. The roller, Q4, is in a cam shaped
guide slot, R, in a bar, R1, fixed to and projecting back from the lathe rail, A,
and as the lathe beats up the slot, R, in the bar, R 1, raises the sliding
piece Q3, in the slot of the stationary bar, Q1, and takes up the slack of the
weft, P. At the same time a cord, R2, attached to the sliding piece, Q3, and
passing over guide pulleys, R3, R 4, becomes slack and allows the weighted
tension lever, P3, to bear fully on the weft, P, thus ensuring that whilst the
slack of the weft is being taken up additional weft is prevented from being drawn
from the supply at the back. When the lathe, A, moves back the cord, R2,
is tightened so as to lift the weighted tension lever, P3, and allow the weft to
be drawn with diminished tension. The weft, P, passes onwards from the
guide eye, Q5, in the stationary bar, Q1, to a guide eye in a small block, S,
fitted to slide on a vertical rod, $1, fixed to the back of the lathe, A, and thence
to the wefting mechanism herein before described. This sliding guide, S, by
its weight bears down slack weft and prevents it from looping and becoming
entangled. This improvement is of advantage in weaving narrow fabrics.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. Wefting mechanism comprising in combination oppositely-moving weft
and hook rods worked by an endless cord, an oscillating selvedge shuttle and
means for working same, a vertical finger carried by the lathe and moved by .a
cam-shaped guide bar fixed to the breast beam, and appliances for taking up the
slack of the weft and for controlling its tension, the parts being arranged and
operating substantially as and for the purposes herein before described, and as
shown on the accompanying drawings.
2. Wefting mechanism comprising in combination oppositely-moving weft
and hook rods worked by an endless cord, an oscillating selvedge shuttle and
means for working same; and a vertical finger carried by the lathe and moved
by a cam-shaped guide bar fixed to the breast beam, the parts being arranged
and operating substantially as and for the purposes herein before described, and
as shown on the accompanying drawings.
3. Wefting mechanism comprising in combination oppositely-moving weft
and hook rods worked by an endless cord, and an oscillating selvedge shuttle and
means for working same the parts being arranged and operating substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described, and as shown on the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: 4. In connection with wefting mechanism of the kind in which a loop of weft
is carried through the shed, an oscillating selvedge shuttle made with a hook
or projection and held with a driving carrier in a case fixed to the lathe, and
gearing connecting the carrier with a pin in a stationary slotted plate, in com-
bination with a vertical finger carried by the lathe and moved by a cam-shaped
guide bar fixed to the breast beam; "substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described.
5. In connection with wefting mechanism of the kind in which a loop of weft
is carried through the shed, an oscillating selvedge shuttle made with a hook
or projection and held with a driving carrier in a case fixed to the lathe, and
gearing connecting the carrier with a pin in a stationary slotted plate, substan-
tially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
6. In wefting mechanism, appliances for taking up the slack of the weft and
for controlling its tension, consisting in combination of a guide bar for the
weft, a weighted tension lever bearing on the weft passing over the bar, a two-
legged stationary bar having guide eyes in their lower ends and a sliding piece
working between the legs the sliding piece having in it a guide eye and being
connected by a cord to the weighted tension lever and having on it an anti-
friction roller working in a cam shaped guide slot in a bar fixed to the lathe
rail on which is also a vertical rod having sliding on it a small block made with
a guide eye, the parts being arranged and operating substantially as herein before
described and as shown on the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Eighteenth day of December 1899.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.