IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Luke Greenwood of Hawick in the County of Roxburgh,
North Britain Manufacturer for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR
CONNECTED WITH LOOMS FOR WEAVING "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Luke Greenwood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th March 1882.
LUKE GREENWOOD, of Hawick, in the County of Roxburgh, North Britain,
Manufacturer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH LOOMS FOR WEAVING,"
This Invention, which relates to looms for weaving, has especial reference to an
improved arrangement or construction of the shelves or shuttle boxes in which
the shuttles rest at each side of the loom, and to relative improvements in
the construction of the shuttles to adapt them for looms fitted with the improved
shelves.
In the ordinary arrangement the shuttle boxes or shelves are formed of metal
plates with upturned outer flanges to retain the shuttles, out of which the weft
threads pass by eyes formed near one end of the shuttle and near its upper side to
clear the flange of the shelf, and when the loose weft thread hangs within the
flange or down on the flange of a lower shelf, the shuttles in entering from the
race of the lathe, cut the weft. By the present improvements however the shelves
are so formed that the weft threads cannot enter between the flanges and the
shuttles, and the cutting of the weft is altogether avoided.
The improved shelves are constructed with the outer retaining flanges turned
downward, instead of upward, so that the shelves have the appearance of being
inverted, and the shuttle rests on the upper side of the shelf. The eye through
which the weft thread passes from the shuttle is formed in the centre of the shuttle,
near its lower edge, so that the yarn or thread passes out below the flange of the shelf
above, and hanging quite clear of it, is not liable to be cut. A guard or light bar
forming guide slots is fitted from shelf to shelf at the inner end close to the
lathe, to keep the weft thread from each shuttle separate, and from becoming
entangled.
The shuttle is by preference formed wider at the lower than at its upper face, so
that its outer edge projects over the flange of the shelf below. The picker is also
inverted, or cut on its upper side to clear the flanges of the shelves or shuttle
boxes. The upper shelf which only serves by means of its down turned flange, as
a guide for the shuttle below, is formed with a long slot or aperture in it, so that
the weaver can see when the shuttle is empty.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Luke Greenwood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
September 1882.
LUKE GREENWOOD, of Hawick, in the County of Roxburgh, North Britain,
Manufacturer, IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH LOOMS FOR WEAVING,"
"
My said Invention, which relates to looms for weaving, has especial reference to
an improved arrangement or construction of the shelves or shuttle boxes in which
the shuttles rest at each side of the loom, and to relative improvements in the
construction of the shuttles to adapt them for looms fitted with the improved
shelves.
In the ordinary arrangement, the shuttle boxes or shelves are formed of metal
plates with upturned outer flanges to retain the shuttles, out of which the weft
threads pass by eyes formed near one end of the shuttle and near its upper side to
clear the flange of the shelf, and when the loose weft thread hangs within the
flange, or down on the flange of a lower shelf, the shuttles in entering from the
race of the lathe cut the weft. By the present improvements, however, the shelves
are so formed that the weft threads cannot enter between the flanges and the
shuttles, and the cutting of the weft is altogether avoided.
The improved shelves are constructed with the outer retaining flanges turned
downward, instead of upward, so that the shelves have the appearance of being
inverted, and the shuttle rests on the upper side of the shelf. The eye through
which the weft thread passes from the shuttle, is formed in the centre of the
shuttle near its lower edge, so that the yarn or thread passes out below the flange
of the shelf above, and hanging quite clear of it, is not liable to be cut. A guard
or light bar forming guide slots is fitted from shelf to shelf at the inner end close
to the lathe, to keep the weft thread from each shuttle separate and from becoming
entangled.
The shuttle is by preference formed wider at the lower than at its upper face, so
that its outer edge projects over the flange of the shelf below. The picker is also
inverted or cut on its upper side to clear the flanges of the shelves or shuttle boxes.
The upper shelf which only serves by means of its down-turned flange, as a guide
for the shuttle below, is formed with a long slot or aperture in it, so that the
weaver can see when the shuttle is empty.
My said Invention is illustrated by the accompanying Drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a loom frame A, showing the improved shuttle
boxes or shelves and relative parts in section, and Figure 2 is a front elevation of
one side of the loom. Figure 3 is a cross section to a larger scale, of the shuttle-
boxes detached from the loom, Figure 4 is a front elevation, and Figure 5 is a plan
of the same. Figure 6 is a cross section, Figure 7 is a side elevation, and Figure 8
is a plan of an improved shuttle which is specially constructed to suit the new
arrangement of shuttle boxes. The improved shuttle boxes or shelves B are placed
in the usual position at the side of the loom, and are bound together by light
framing bars C, fitted to slide on vertical guide rods d on a framing D attached to
the sword of the lathe E. The shuttle boxes B are raised and lowered to bring the
shuttles in line with the race as required, by a spear F, which may be actuated by
any ordinary arrangement of changing shuttle box mechanism. The shelves B ou
which the shuttles G rest, are constructed of thin brass, iron, or steel plates, which
are bent or made to form a downward flange b (instead of the usual upwardly
turned flange), along the outer edge. The shuttle rests on the upper face of the
plates B and is rotained by the flange b, which bears against the upper outer edge

page_text: of the shuttle. The lowest of the series of shelves B is simply a flat plate on which
the shuttle rests, and the uppermost of the series only acts by means of its flange b
to retain the shuttle on the shelf below. In this shelf or cover a hole or slot B' is
cut (as shown in Figure 5) through which the weaver can see the shuttle below.
A guard or retaining bar 6¹ is secured from shelf to shelf at the end adjacent to
the lathe, which serves as a guide to prevent the thread from any one shuttle
becoming entangled with the thread from the shuttle below.
The shuttle G is specially constructed to adapt it for the improved form of
shelves by having metal plates g sunk into its upper sides to bear on the retaining
flanges b. The groove, eye, or slot g', through which the thread passes, is formed
somewhat lower than usual, and below the metal bearing plate g, to be clear of the
flange of the shelf when in use, and is also placed in the centre of the length of the
shuttle. The outer edge of the shuttle is slightly angled and the retaining flanges
of the shelves are angled to correspond.
The improved shuttle boxes or shelves may be fitted in combination with any
type of loom in which any number of changing shuttle boxes are used.
What I claim as my Invention is:-The constructing of the changing shuttle
boxes or shelves of looms with downward turned flanges for retaining the shuttles,
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I the said Luke Greenwood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord,
One thousand eight hundred and eighty-two.
Witness,
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER CE.
96 Buchanan Street
Glasgow.
L. GREENWOOD, (L.S.)