IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ferdinand Henry Ziffer, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING."
Sealed the 20th November 1877, and dated the 29th June 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ferdinand Henry Ziffer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th June 1877.
FERDINAND HENRY ZIFFER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS' IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
In manufacturing power looms for wet weaving it is usual to cover the breast
beam and the back beam with brass or tin, in order to protect the work from dis-
coloration by rust.
For the like purpose, and to effect other objects to be presently mentioned,
I propose to cover these beams with glazed earthenware plates, which may, be
secured in place by screws, the junctions of the plates being in diagonal lines to
avoid all obstruction to the free passage of the warp threads and of the woven-
fabric over the back and breast beams.
When weaving with white or light colored yarn I use a dark colored glaze for
the plates which are to form the covering for the beams, and I thus afford the
weaver a means, by the contrast of color, of instantly detecting a broken warp
thread as a defect in the woven fabric.
When dark threads are used in weaving I propose to employ a white earthenware
covering, or such other contrast of color with the work as will assist the vision of
the weaver in detecting breakages and other defects.
This improvement is also applicable to looms used for dry weaving, as the hard
glossy surface of the beams is calculated to lay the loose projecting fibres of the
yarn as the latter passes forward to the reed, and also to impart a gloss to the
woven fabric as it is being drawn forward and wound up on to the work roll.
I may remark that as an obvious modification of my Invention the iron back and
breast beams of looms may be protected from the action of damp by coating the
same with a hard enamel, such enamel being colored to contrast with the work in
hand, and afford to the weaver the facility above indicated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ferdinand Henry Ziffer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
December 1877.
FERDINAND HENRY ZIFFER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
In manufacturing power looms for wet weaving it is usual to cover the breast
beam and the back beam, which are formed of iron, with some non-oxidizable
metal such as brass or tin, in order to protect the work from discoloration by rust.
For the like purpose, and to effect other objects to be presently mentioned, I
propose in lieu of brass or tin coating to cover the breast and back beans of power
looms with glazed earthenware plates, which may be secured in place by screws or
equivalent attachments, the lines of junction of the plates being arranged diagonally
to avoid all obstruction to the free passage of the warp thread and of the woven
fabrics over the back and breast beams.
When weaving with white or light colored yarn I use a dark colored glaze for
the earthenware plates which are to form the covering for the beams, and I thus
afford the weaver a means, by the contrast of colour, of instantly detecting a broken
warp thread or a defect in the woven fabric.
When dark threads are used in weaving I propose to employ a white earthenware
covering, or such other contrast of colour with the work as will assist the vision of
the weaver in detecting breakages and other defects.
This improvement is applicable not only to looms used for wet weaving, but also
to those used for dry weaving, as the hard glossy surface of the beams is calculated to
lay the loose projecting fibres of the yarn, during the passage of the latter forward
to the reed, and thereby improve the quality of the work. The breast beam, by
reason of its glazed surface will also impart a gloss or finish to the woven fabric as
it is being drawn forward and wound up on to the work roll.
In place of using a glazed earthenware covering for the back and breast beams
as above described, I propose in some cases to protect these portions of the loom
from the action of damp by coating the same with a hard enamel after the method
practised in coating the inner surfaces of cooking utensils, such enamel being in this
case colored to contrast with the yarn and so to afford to the weaver the facility
above indicated.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in Looms
for Weaving," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to
be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim, the
covering of the back and breast beams of looms with a glazed surface in the manner
and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ferdinand Henry Ziffer, have hereunto set
ny and seal, the Fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
FERDINAND HENRY ZIFFER. (L.S.)