IMPROVEMENTS, IN LOOMS FOR WIRE FABRICS.
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47; Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS, IN
LOOMS FOR WIRE FABRICS.". A communication from abroad by the Firm of
Asbach and Vogel, of Dresden, Saxony, Chemists.
Sealed the 12th February 1878, and dated the 27th August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th August 1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WIRE FABRICS." A communication
from abroad by the Firm of Asbach and Vogel, of Dresden, Saxony, Chemists.
This Invention relates to improvements in looms for the manufacture of wire
fabrics, whereby facility is afforded for using steam or other power for driving such
looms, whereas hitherto wire fabrics have usually been made by hand..
In carrying out this. Invention the shuttle is made somewhat longer than the
width of the fabric to be woven, and the batten is about three times as along as the
former.
In the lower part of the batten there is formed a channel, in which a carriage is
caused to move alternately to the left, and to the right by a cord actuated in any
suitable manner by the machinery. The said carriage has at each end a lug
standing upwards, and corresponding with holes in the shuttle. The channel in the
batten is deeper in its centre, for a length equal to about the width of the fabric,
and the bottom of this part is connected by short inclines with the bottom of the
channel in the end portions of the batten.
The wheels of the carriage are at such a distance from each other that whilst
those at one end rise on one, incline, the wheels at the other end descend.. With
the former the lug on the same end of the carriage rises and, enters into the corre-
sponding hole of the shuttle, so as to act as driver, at the same time, the lug.at the

page_text: other or lower end is detached from the shuttle, and passes under the wires.
constituting the lower shed. The shuttle is thus constantly driven by either of the
lugs of the carriage, and consequently there is at all points of the course of the
shuttle a direct and even pull on the wire constituting the weft.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
February 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WIRE FABRICS." A communication
from abroad by the Firm of Asbach and Vogel, of Dresden, Saxony, Chemists.
This Invention relates to an improvement in looms for the manufacture of wire
fabrics, by which the possibility is given of using steam or other power for driving
such looms, whilst hitherto wire fabrics have generally been made by hand only.
This improved arrangement is represented on the annexed Sheet of- Drawings,
Fig. 1 being a longitudinal section of the batten of a power loon with the
appertaining parts, and Fig. 2 a transverse section on a larger scale.
The shuttle h is made somewhat longer than the width of the fabric to be woven,
and the beam d of the batten or lathe is about three times as long as the former.
Within the beam d there is a channel, in the lower part of which a carriage fis
made to move alternately to the left and to the right by means of the strings e, e,
passing over the guide pulleys g, g, and actuated in suitable manner by the
machinery. The carriage f is provided at its ends with the lugs or fingers q and q',
either rigidly fixed to or forming part of the same, and corresponding with the
holes m and m¹ in the shuttle. The middle part k, k³, of the bottom of the channel
in the beam d is lower than the ends upon a length, equal to about the width of
the fabric, and this part is connected by short inclines k, l, and k³, 1, with the end
parts 1, 1, and l¹, 1.
The wheels n and n¹ of the carriage fare at such a distance from each other that
while those at one end rise on one incline, the wheels at the other end descend.
In the position shown in the Drawing the wheels n of the carriage fare on the
higher part of the channel bottom, so that the lug q projects into the hole m of the
shuttle, and drives the same. The wheels n¹ meanwhile roll on the lower part k, k',
of the channel bottom, consequently the lug q' is out of action.
Supposing the carriage to be moving towards the right the wheels n will descend
on the incline l, k, while the wheels n¹ rise on the incline l', ', so that the lug q¹
enters into the hole m¹ of the shuttle, and acts as driver, while the lug q recedes
from the shuttle, and passes underneath the plate o on which the lower shed of the
warp bears.
Towards the end of the course of the carriage both lugs q and q' may
come temporarily into engagement with the shuttle. The shuttle is thus constantly
driven by either of the lugs of the carriage, and consequently there is always a
direct and even pull on the wire constituting the weft.
. I am aware that certain other arrangements for attaining the same or a similar
purpose have been invented, as shown in the Specification of the English Patent

page_text: A.D. 1862, No. 2834, to T. I. Cooke, and of the United States Patent to W. B.
Willard, No. 191392, but in both of these Inventions the pins or fingers driving the
shuttle move up and down in guides attached to a carrier, which slides on or
between guide bars. In the arrangement described above, however, the fingers
driving the shuttle form part and parcel of a carriage provided with wheels rolling
on the bottom of a channel within the beam of the lathe. The advantages which
this arrangement presents over the others consist in the smaller amount of friction,
and consequently in the reduction of the required driving power, as well as of the
wear and tear of the different parts, moreover, in the greater certainty of its action,
and finally in the smaller space which it occupies.
Having thus described the nature and object of this Invention, and the manner
in which it is to be performed or put into practice, I claim as new and essential
features of the same, in a power loom for wire fabrics, the batten d, having a
channel, the bottom of which is lower in the middle than at the ends, in com-
bination with the carriage f, having wheels n and n¹, and fixed lugs or fingers q
and g', and moreover with the shuttle h, having holes m and m', substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)