Improvements in the Manufacture of Piled or Tufted Carpet Fabrics, and in Looms for Weaving the same.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1846
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 29th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Piled or Tufted Carpet Fabrics,
and in Looms for Weaving the same.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM GROSVENOR, of Broome House, near Stourbridge, a
Carpet Manufacturer in Kidderminster, both in the County of Worcester, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of piled or tufted carpet fabrics known
as Moquettes, or Royal Axminster carpets, and it has for its objects to produce a
more equal division of the pile or tufts by the wefts than heretofore; to effect
at the same time a saving of the pile yarn; and, by a part of the means employed
to attain the aforesaid objects, to gain time for the movement of the bobbin-carrier
or chains, thereby enabling the loom to be driven at a higher rate of speed than
usual, with the result of obtaining an increased output.
The stitch or weave herein described, and forming a part of my invention, is a
variation of Fig. 2 of F. B. Fawcett's Specification No. 9665 of 1893; and by aid
of the herein described means it is intended to weave the improved fabric on the
looms described in the Specification No. 21896 of 1895, which is in the names of
myself and the aforesaid F. B. Fawcett. In both the said specifications No. 235
of 1877 is referred to; and No. 9665 of 1893 has been amended.
In the fabrics and looms indicated above, the wefts are doubled by the manner
of their insertion, and the pile at its root in the ordinary way has to pass round the
two threads of wefts binding the same, so that the two halves or projecting ends
of the pile are divided or kept apart by the doubled weft. By this invention,
however, I split or separate the two or doubled weft threads, after their insertion,
by means of a finger placed on the left side of the loom, similar to the one
previously used on the opposite side, which first named finger is caused to push
that thread of weft that is nearest the front of the loom nearly into the place it.
will occupy when beaten up by the lay, leaving the other weft thread stationary"
where inserted. This leaves a space between the two wefts in which the bobbin
tubes, with the pile ends, may be pushed through the warps, the lay then is caused
to beat up the other thread of weft to bind the pile, and the comb afterwards turns
up the pile ends in the usual way, but only round one thread of the weft instead of
two, as formerly. The back weft is previously inserted as in the two shot stitch
Fig. 2 of the aforesaid No. 9665 of 1893.
The effect produced is, that by thus separating the doubled or two wefts
simultaneously inserted, a three shot fabric is practically formed in a two shot
loom; and the said wefts divide the pile singly instead of doubled, whereby a more
equal division of the pile, and a tighter bind, is obtained. Also that by thus
passing round one weft thread only, less of the pile yarn is consumed at the root,
owing to the reduced radius or shorter curvature of the bend.
The improvements described require the pile weft to be inserted before the pile
ends are pushed through the warps, instead of afterwards, as heretofore;
consequently this allows the bobbin with the pile ends to remain that much longer
on the chains and to give a corresponding increase of time for moving the said
chains, of which advantage may be taken by driving the loom at a higher rate of
speed.

page_text: The cams are altered to suit the parts concerned in the aforesaid improvements,
and the other motions required are suitably altered and adjusted to work in
connection with them.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1896
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433 Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Piled or Tufted Carpet Fabrics,
and in Looms for Weaving the same.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM GROSVENOR, of Broome House, near Stourbridge, a
Carpet Manufacturer in Kidderminster, both in the County of Worcester, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention relates to the manufacture of piled or tufted carpet fabrics known
as Moquettes, or Royal Axminster carpets, and it has for its objects to produce a
more equal division of the pile or tufts by the wefts than heretofore; to effect
at the same time a saving of the pile yarn; and, by a part of the means employed
to attain the aforesaid objects, to gain time for the movement of the bobbin carrier
or chains, thereby enabling the loom to be driven at a higher rate of speed than
usual, with the result of obtaining an increased output.
The stitch or weave herein described, and forming a part of my invention, is a
variation of Fig. 2 of F. B. Fawcett's Specification No. 9665 of 1893; and by aid
of the herein described means and the usual intervening mechanism, it is intended
to weave the improved fabric on the looms described in the Specification No. 21896
of 1895, which is in the names of myself and the aforesaid F. B. Fawcett.
In both the said specifications No. 235 of 1877 is referred to, and No. 9665 of 1893
has been amended.
In the further description of this invention reference is made to the accompanying
drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of one of two improved cams for
operating the binding warps; the two cams being made alike but placed oppositely
on the loom in the well known manner. These cams are referred to hereinafter as
cams A and A¹.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of an improved cam, to be known as cam C, for actuating
the transferring arms.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of an improved cam D, for working the weft carrier or
needle.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of an improved cain E, for operating the dead warp.
Fig. 5 is a partial view of the left side of the loom, showing a finger F used for
dividing the weft thread, and a cam G, and intervening mechanism, for operating
the said finger.
Fig. 6 is an elevation of an improved cam L for actuating the small selvedge
shuttle, to work in combination with the finger.
Fig. 7 is an elevation of an improved cam M, for slackening the weft while the
finger F is pushing the weft thread into place.
Fig. 8 is a detailed elevation of the lever H shown in Fig. 5.
Fig. 9 is a plan of a portion of the fabric, and Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section
of a part of the fabric, both on an enlarged scale. In Fig. 9, the first shot or back
weft is omitted for the sake of clearness.
In the fabrics and looms above referred to, the wefts are doubled by the manner

page_text: of their insertion, and the pile at its root has, in the ordinary way, to pass round
the two threads of weft, thus binding them together, so that the two halves or
projecting ends of the pile are divided or kept apart by the width or space occupied
by the doubled weft. By this invention, however, I split or separate the two or
doubled weft threads after their insertion by means of a finger F, placed on the
left side of the loom (Fig. 5) similar to the one previously in use on the opposite
side, the said finger F being caused to push that thread of the weft which is
nearest to the front of the loom nearly into the place it will subsequently occupy
when beaten up by the lay, while leaving the other weft thread stationary where
inserted. This leaves a space between the two wefts in which the bobbin tubes,
with the pile ends, may be pushed through the warps, the lay is then caused to
beat up the other threa 1 of weft to bind the pile, and the comb afterwards turns up
the pile ends in the usual way except only that they are turned round one thread
of the weft instead of two as formerly. The back weft is previously inserted as in
the two shot stitch Fig. 2 of the aforesaid No. 9665 of 1893.
The improved eam A, Fig. 1, and its duplicate A (not shown) are mounted.
oppositely (as aforesaid) on the loom in the well known manner, and they are used
for operating the heddles which carry the binding warps.
The arrow shows the
direction of motion of the cam A, and beginning at the point marked a and
extending to the point b, the first shot or back weft is inserted, the warp being
held down. Between 6 and the point e, the second or upper shot of weft is inserted,
the warp being still held down. Between c and d the warps are levelled to enable
the pile ends to be pushed through the warps and the separated or split threads
of the said upper shot of weft by means of the transferring arms, and from d to e
the warps are re-opened to allow the slack of the separated weft thread (which is
to hold the pile) to be drawn tight from the left selvedge by the ordinary apparatus
for that purpose.
Between the points e and, the warps are levelled to enable the comb to push
up the pile ends to the surface, a process described in Fawcett's aforesaid Speci-
fication No. 9665 of 1893. From to g the warp is raised to admit the first or
back weft shot again, and from y to the warp remains up for the insertion of
the second or upper shot of weft. Between h and i the warps are again levelled
for the insertion of the pile ends, and between i and j the warps are re-opened
for tightening the weft thread; then from j to k, the warps are levelled for the
comb to push up the pile ends as before, which completes the cycle of operations
performed by the cam A. As indicated above, the duplicate cam A' performs
the same cycle of operations, but they are both put on the treadle box of the
loom with the corresponding points opposite to each other, so that the cycle of
operations of each cam differs from the other in point of time by one half a
revolution. Thus the cams A, A¹, being caused to operate the heddles which
carry the binding warp, one half of the warp threads are raised by one cam
while the other half of the warp threads are lowered by the other cam, in the well
known manner; but it is to be noted that the cams A and A' differ from the cams
hitherto used by providing for re-opening the warps to enable the weft thread to
be drawn tight.
A cam B, which is not shown, is used for advancing the hobbin carrier or
chains, but it is practically the same as the cam B shown in Fig. 2 of Grosvenor
and Fawcett's Specification No. 21,896 of 1895. It is, however, adjusted to work
in accordance with the general sequence of motions followed in the present
invention.
Fig. 2 indicates a cam C, altered to work the transferring arms in accordance
with the motions produced by the improved cams A and A. The transferring
arms are required to move the bobbin with the projecting pile ends to and from
the chains, and to push the pile ends through the warps and the separated or split
weft threads to the weaving point; and the cam C is altered from the similar
cam C, Fig. 3, in Grosvenor's and Fawcett's aforesaid specification, so as to make
the transferring arms remain a little longer up at the chains, as they have to wait

page_text: until the upper shot of weft is inserted, and while the doubled weft thread is
separated or split, before they can move the bobbin down to push the pile ends
through. In addition to the said alteration, the cam C is adjusted to work in
accordance with the motions produced by the aforesaid cam B. The improved
cam C of this present invention is so made that from the point 1 (Fig. 2) to the
point m, it produces no movement of the usual mechanism employed, the idle time
permitting the chains to advance the next bobbin by means of the aforesaid cam B;
but at the point m, the transferring arms are caused to seize a bobbin on the
chains and from there to the point marked n take the bobbin down for the weaving.
process. Between n and o the pile ends are pushed through the warps and the
separated or split weft by the operation of the cam C, but from thence onward to p
the operations of placing the pile ends. (Fig. 9) against the pushed up thread of
second weft shot and a previously inserted row of pile, causing the comb to turn
up the pile ends to the surface, lifting the transferring arms a little to draw pile
off the bobbin, and entting the pile by the knives, are all performed by con-
tributory cams. Between p and 1 (Fig. 2) the cam C operates the transferring
arms to take a bobbin back and replace it on the chains, which completes the
cycle operations performed by the cam C; but in combination therewith there
are other cams which, by the motions they produce, are contributing to its
operations, as they cause the transferring arms to seize and replace the bobbin at
the chains, and rock the bobbin when the pile ends are pushed through the warps
and the separated or split wefts. The aforesaid contributory cams, however, are
not shown, as they are all of the usual construction but require adjustment on the
loom to work in unison with the altered and improved cam C, and the cam B, as-
part of the sequence of motions producing the improved general result.
In Fig. 3 an improved cam D is shown which is very similar in its form, and
consequently in the operations performed by it, to the cam D shown in Fig. 4 of
the aforesaid Grosvenor and Fawcett's Specification No. 21896 of 1895. The
cams are alike in having the same lever arrangement, and in giving more scope
and case in working the weft carrier or needle at a high speed, and in imparting
but two insertions of weft in its revolution, unequal intervals of ille time being
provided for in its revolution. In the cam D, however, of this present invention,
the intervals of idle time (though still unequal) do not differ so much as in
Grosvenor and Fawcett's cam D, because in this case the upper weft has to be
inserted before the bobbin comes down to push through the pile ends, and is not
delayed until afterwards as in the former case. Consequently, the long interval
of idle time between the weft insertions is proportionately reduced. Furthermore,
the present cam D is fixed on the loom in a position to differ by half a revolution
from the relative position of Grosvenor and Fawcett's cam D, so that the shorter
interval of idle time comes between the insertion of the back and upper wefts for
the same stitch or row of pile, and the longer interval of time between the
insertion of the upper and back wefts, or the finishing and beginning of a stitch or
row of pile. By a suitable adjustment of the cam D, this latter interval occurs in
the sequence of motions while the chains are being advanced and during the
subsequent tufting motions, thus affording the requisite time for performing these
movements before the next back weft (or first shot of a stitch) is inserted. In the
drawing of the cam D, Fig. 3, r indicates the point on the cam at which the needle
begins to insert the second shot (or upper welt), the cam rotating in the direction
of the arrow, the operation being finished at &, and after which the separation or
splitting of the upper weft takes place. Between s and t the needle is withdrawn
from the shed, and from t to u the longest interval of idle time occurs, this being
the termination of the stitch, as above stated. The next stitch then begins, the
needle inserting the back weft (or first shot) between a and v; between v and w
the needle is withdrawn from the shed, and from w to r occurs the short interval
of idle time for the needle, which completes tue cycle of operations of cam D.
Fig. 4 represents an improved cam E, used for operating the heddle carrying
the dead warp (or stuffer) inserted in the woven fabric. At the point marked a

page_text: in the drawing, the dead warp is raised to allow the insertion of the first shot or
back weft between that point and b, while from thence to the point el the dead
warp is lowered for the insertion of the second shot or upper weft. Between c¹
and d the warps are levelled for the pile ends to be pushed through the warps
and the separated or split threads of the upper weft, and from d to el the warps
are re-opened to allow the slack of the separated weft thread, which is to hold the
pile, to be drawn tight from the left selvedge by the ordinary apparatus for that
purpose. Between e and the warps are levelled for the comb to push the pile
ends up to the surface; from f' to gl the dead warp is raised for a sufficient period
to admit the insertion of the next first shot or back weft, and ther the cam slopes
down to the point to lower the dead warp while the next second or upper shot
of weft is inserted. Between hand the warps are again levelled for the
insertion of the pile ends; from i to they are again re-opened for tightening
the weft thread, and from j to k¹ the warps are levelled for the comb to push up
the pile ends to the surface; the eyele of operations being again repeatedl
from a'..
Fig, 5 is a view of the left side of the loom, showing the pivoted finger F,
(preferably forked at the end as shown) the intervening mechanism for working
the same from the cam G, consisting of the centrally pivoted lever H with its
cam engaging roller at the lower end (shown alan in side elevation Fig. 8) and a
rod I connecting the lever H and the pivoted finger F. Means of adjusting the
length of stroke of the finger F are indicated; and the eam G is inounted upon
the shaft K, revolving, in suitable bearings (not shown) carried by the loom
frame J.
In looms of the kind hereinbefore mentioned, the wefts are doubled by the
manner of their insertion, which is as follows. Each shot of weft is inserted by
the needle, consisting of a long projecting rod connected at its right hand end to
a slide, whereby the needle is moved to and fro in the shed formed by the warps;
starting of course, from the right side of the loom. At the left side, or free end,
the needle is provided with an eye baving an opening to the outside, to enable the
weft thread to be slipped into the eye by a guide, the weft being supplied from a
bobbin or ball set at the right side of the loom. The weft runs through the eye
of the needle during its passage through the shed of the warps, so that on its
arrival at the opposite or left side of the loom a loop is necessarily formed by the
doubling of the weft, through which a small shuttle passes carrying a thread to
catch this weft loop and form a selvage. By this process the weit is held so that
the needle can be withdrawn from the shed, leaving the weft behind, while the
shuttle also returns to its normal position.
In this invention, after entering the loop of the weft, the shuttle pauses therein
(by means of a cam, hereinafter described) to keep apart the doubled line of weft,
with the outer thread of the doubled weft below it, thus keeping it in place to
hold the pile while its continuation or inner line of weft goes over its top. This
special action of the shuttle also releases the weft from the needle, so that the
latter can be withdrawn from the shed. The inner line or thread of weft being
bound in the fabric at the right hand selvage, is the one that can be beaten or
pushed up towards the weaving point, while the outer line or thread of weft
remains at the distance from the woven fabric at which the needle inserted it.
The two portions of the weft being thus kept apart by the shuttle, the finger F
advances between the shuttle and the edge of the warps and pushes the upper
portion or inner line of weft for about two inches from the outer line of weft,
and so leaving sufficient space for the bobbin with the pile ends to be pushed
through between them. The finger F pauses after having pushed the inner thread
to keep it in place until the warps are tightened upon it by being levelled for the
bobbin movement, after which the finger F is withdrawn to its normal position.
In the meantime the shuttle completes its passage through the loop of the doubled
weft, carrying the catch thread to form the selvage, and the back weft or first
shot is inserted and operated in the usual manner. The inner thread of doubled

page_text: weft is pushed apart from the outer thread by the finger F, by means of the cam G
(Fig. 5) between the points to y, through the spring pressed lever H and rod I,
which is the position shown in the drawing. From y³ to the finger pauses to
hold the pushed thread in place until the warps are levelled, after which it returns
to its normal position.
Fig. 6 shows an improved cam L, bolted on to its dise, for actuating the small
selvage shuttle in combination with the finger F. By means of this cam and
intermediate mechanism, the shuttle (not shown) is caused to move its point tinder
the needle and through the weft loop from to m', and at the latter point to
make a very slight pause to release the weft from the eye of the needle by holding
the weft back while the needle withdraws from it, as in ordinary looms. Between m
and n¹ the shuttle moves a further distance into the weft loop to put its body
therein, and then pauses until the point o' is reached, thus holding the doubled
threads of weft apart during their separation by the finger F. Then from o' to p
and onwards to g', the shuttle completes its passage through the weft loop, carrying
the catch thread with it to form the selvage in the usual manner, and from q' to l
the shuttle returns to its normal position. Another cam follows on, being fixed
to the other or plain portion of the disc, but it is not shown as it is of the usual
-construction; it is used for actuating the shuttle to form the selvage when the first
-shot or back weft is inserted.
Fig. 7 indicates an improved cam M, used for slackening the upper weft thread
during its insertion by the needle and division by the finger. The weft thread is
normally in a state of tension by a separate and ordinary apparatus, but this cam
is adapted to slacken or take off the tension as required; as beginning at s', the
weft thread is slackened for the insertion of the second shot or upper weft by the
needle until t is reached. Between and u¹ the weft is tightened to ensure
the point of the shuttle going correctly through the weft loop, also for the finger F
to come in contact with the inner thread; then from u¹ to vt it is again slackened
for the finger to push the thread. After the tension apparatus (not shown)
pulls through the shed whatever slack there may be from the left selvage, the
Leddles being re-opened for that purpose.
A partial plan of the fabric is shown in Fig. 9 (but with the first shot or back
weft omitted for clearness); and a longitudinal section through one complete stitch
in Fig. 10; both views being upon an enlarged scale. In these the pile ends are
indicated by a, the looped or doubled weft thread which forms the second shot or
upper weft is indicated by y, and (in Fig. 10) the first shot or back weft by ; the
binding warps are indicated in both figures by 2', and the stuffer or dead warp
by 2. The looped end of the upper shot of the doubled weft thread is clearly
shown on the left hand side of Fig. 9, and in Fig. 10 it is indicated by the lotted
lines, while the piler is also clearly shown in these figures as enclosing and partly
-surrounding one portion only of the said doubled thread, the other portion being
bound by the warp threads between contiguous rows of the pile a.
The loom being thus provided with the finger F for dividing the doubled weft
thread, and with the improved cams A, A, C, D, E, G, L and M necessary thereto,
together with material for weaving, is ready for the adjustment of all the cams to
be used; and by reference to the foregoing description and to the example of the
two shot fabric Fig. 2 of the aforesaid Specification No. 9665 of 1893 and
description of the weaving process, any loom tuner will be able to adapt and
adjust the mechanism to the sequence of the required motions.
Assuming that a complete stitch has been woven, and that the cutting of the
previous row of pile by the knives has just taken place, the bobbin is released
ready to be returned to the chains by the transferring arms. The heddles which
respectively carry the binding warp in Figs. 9 and 10 and the dead warp z2 have
been raised, while the beddle carrying the binding warp 2 has been lowered by the
improved cams A, A' and E. The weft carrier or needle cam D, having just passed
its longest interval, actuates the needle inserting the first or back weft z, the lay
beats it up-it having passed its shortest interval-and recedes. The heddle is

page_text: then shifted by the. cam E to lower the dead warp., the other two heddles:
remaining in the same position as for the previous shot or, back weft, while the.
needle is again actuated by the improved cam D to insert the second shot or
upper weft y, after its shortest interval of idle time. The doubled weft of the:
second shot is then separated or split by the finger F pushing that portion of the-.
thread which is bound at the right selvage of the fabric nearly into its place,.
leaving the other portion of the upper weft thread where it was inserted by the
needle. This leaves a space between the two threads of the weft for the bobbin
and tubes to push the pile ends through.
The warps are then put level, the bobbin being returned to the chains in the
meantime by the transferring arms, as actuated by the cam C; after which the:
chains are advanced to bring the next bobbin into position by the cam B, shown
in Fig. 2 of the Specification No. 21,896 of 189. The cam C, still rotating,
actuates the transferring arms which seize the next bobbin, and taking it down,
pushes the projecting pile ends through the levelled warps in the space between.
separated portious of the weft thread, and places the said pile ends against the:
previously woven row of pile, the tubes pushing the inner portion of the weft.
thread up at the same time.
The warps are then re-opened to allow the slack of the outer weft thread to be
drawn tight from the left selvage in the usual manner. (In the ordinary looms
this is done with each shot of weft as soon as it is inserted but in this case it has
to wait to be done after the bobbin movement, and the warps have to be re-opened
for the purpose.) The lay then beats up the outer portion of the weft thread
which encloses the pile ends between the doubled weft thread.
The transferring arms are slightly raised to draw the required length of pile
off the bobbin; the warps are again levelled for the comb to push up the pile.
ends to the surface, and the pile is cut all as in the ordinary way. This brings.
the loom to the point of exactly repeating the cycle of operations, except that the
shifting of the binding warps is reversed, on account of the positions of the cams A
and A on the treadle box, but in the recurring cycle of operations the binding
warps are again reversed to the position first assumed; and so on.
The effect produced is, that by thus separating the doubled or two wefts.
simultaneously inserted, a three shot fabric is practically formed in a two shot.
loom; and the said wefts divide the pile singly instead of doubled, whereby a
more equal division of the pile, and a tighter bind, are obtained. Also that by
thus passing round one weft thread-only, less of the pile yarn is consumed at the
root, owing to the reduced radius or shorter curvature of the bend.
The improvements described require the pile weft to be inserted before the pile
ends are pushed through the warps, instead of afterwards, as heretofore;:
consequently this allows the bobbin with the pile ends to remain that much longer
on the chains and to give a corresponding increase of time for moving the said
chains, of which advantage may be taken by driving the loom at a higher rate.
of speed.
It is to be noted that a longitudinal section taken through a fabric woven in
accordance with this invention, would in appearance, be the same as Fig. 3 of
Fawcett's Specification No. 6158 of 1882; but in this latter case three distinct.
shots of weft are thrown to one row of pile, instead of two only as in this present
invention; consequently I would have it understood that I do not claim anything
described or claimed in the said specification, nor in any of the hereinbefore
mentioned specifications.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a piled or tufted carpet fabric woven with one row of pile to each two
shots of weft, an upper shot consisting of a looped or doubled thread, combined

page_text: half or single portion of the said doubled thread, while the other half portion is
placed between contiguous rows of pile, substantially as and for the purpose herein
described and indicated by Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings.
2. In the manufacture of a piled or tufted carpet fabric, separating the two half
portions of a looped or doubled weft thread after it has been thrown as an upper
shot, inserting the pile ends between the divided weft and turning up the pile so as
to enclose and partly surround one half or single portion only of the said doubled
weft thread, and binding the other half portion of the said doubled weft thread
between contiguous rows of pile by the warp threads, substantially as and for the
purpose herein described.
3. In a loom for manufacturing piled or tufted carpet fabrics, the combination
of the altered and improved cams A, A', C, D, E, G, L and M with the finger F,
lever H, rod I, and the ordinary mechanism of the loom, substantially as and for
the purpose herein described and shown by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
4. In a loom for manufacturing piled or tufted carpet fabrics, the altered and
improved cams A, A, C, D, E, G, L and M as shown in the drawings, arranged
and operating in the sequence of motions hereinbefore described for the purpose
specified.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1807
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
37 & 39 Essex Street, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.