IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Lyall, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 16th June 1868, and dated the 26th March 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Lyall at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition on the
26th March 1868.
I, JAMES LYALL, of the City and State of New York, United States
of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to apply propelling power to the shuttle
during the whole of its travel across' the fabric being woven.
My Invention relates to peculiarities in the devices and method by
which this object is accomplished.
The loom frame, yarn beam, cloth roller, let-off and take-up motions,
together with the heddles and the means for operating them, are of any

page_text: usual or desired kind, and do not require further description. The lay
is formed to swing upon swords, and is operated by cams that effect the
beating up, and also allow the lay to remain stationary while the shuttle
is propelled. The shuttle is operated by a driver that travels in a
raceway running across the lay below the warps, and this shuttle driver
has a pair of rollers at each end; they are in contact with each other,
and the upper ones come in contact with the under side of the under
shed of warps, but as the said rollers receive motion from the contact
of the lower rollers with the raceway the rollers in contact with the
warps roll against but without strain upon the warps and without
disturbing them horizontally. The shuttle passes between the sheds of
warps and rolls at the upper side against the warps of the upper shed
that rest upon the under side of an inclined shuttle rail placed on the
lay above the warps. The upper rollers of the shuttle driver act partially
behind and against the lower rollers of the shuttle, the warps inter-
vening, and hence the shuttle driver causes the shuttle to roll from side
to side in the space provided for it between the shuttle rail and the
raceway, and the space thus left is narrower at the front than at the
back, hence the shuttle and its driver cannot get out of place, the reed
forming part of the back of this space. To give motion to the shuttle
driver I employ cords or belts passing over pulleys at the ends of the
lay down under pulleys on the swords to the end of a lever that is
reciprocated or swung horizontally by a cam on the main shaft; this
cam is formed as two cylindrical segments united by diagonals and
intermediate curves, so that the shuttle shall be stopped and started
gradually and remain stationary at the end of the raceway while the lay
beats up the filling. The swinging end of the lever will usually have
pulleys upon it around which the cords or belts aforesaid pass, so that
the motion of the said lever may be multiplied several times through
the said cords and pulleys in its action on the shuttle driver. There is
less danger of breaking the filling threads than heretofore because there
is no sudden strain on the same like there is in throwing the shuttle.
The amount of movement of the lay and reeds is small, so that there is
but little wear on the warps, and a very perfect selvage and uniform
fabric is woven in this loom.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Lyall in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 25th September 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
LYALL, of the City and State of New York, United States of America,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said James Lyall, Her special licence that I,
the said James Lyall, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said James Lyall, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time, and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Lyall, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Lyall, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):-
Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the loom fitted with my
improvements; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the lay and parts connected
therewith; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the shuttle and shuttle driver in
larger size; Fig. 4 is a section of the same and of the lay and reed;
Fig. 5 is an end view, and Fig. 6 is a plan of the shuttle driver detached;
and Fig. 7 is a plan of the lever and its connections that are employed

page_text: to give motion to the shuttle driver; Figs. 8. and 9. illustrate modifications,
of my Invention. Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.
My Invention relates to a loom for weaving, in which the shuttle is
operated upon and moved continuously during its entire passage across
the fabric being woven. Efforts have before been made to attain this
object. My devices are improvements that render this operation practically
successful.
My improvements relate to the manner of constructing the shuttle
and the shuttle driver, and also to the manner of supporting them in the
lay, and giving motion to the shuttle driver.
In the Drawings a, a, are the side frames. of the loom connected
'together by suitable braces; b is the breast beam over which the woven
cloth passes; c is the yarn beam; d, the whip roller over which the yarn
passes; e is the cloth roller. To the yarn beam ca suitable let-off
motion is applied, and to the cloth beam e a take-up motion is fitted.
The heddles ff, are made as usual, and operated by the foot levers y, I,
and cams h, h, on the shaft ', driven by competent power. These
cams h, h, are shaped so as to change the shed at the proper time and
to hold the shed open during the passage of the shuttle, and the parts
thus far described being all well known, both in construction and
operation, do not require furth- ption, and I remark that the
heddles may be set and operaca to weave either plain, twilled, or
figured goods.
My improvements apply to the lay, the shuttle race, shuttle driver,
and the operative parts next described.
The lay is mounted upon the fulcrum i, the swords k extending up
and connecting with the raceway that extends from end to end of
the lay, and receives the shuttle driver hereafter described. The portions
of the lay that project beyond the sides of the fabric that is to be woven
are extended upwards and connected with the top or shuttle rail to of
the lay. This raceway and shuttle rail w can be made of either wood
or metal, I, however, prefer that they be made of wood, and the
bottom and edges of the raceway and the lower surface of the shuttle
rail should be made of layers of hard wood so as not to be worn by the
friction to which they are subjected.
:
In Fig. 4 the dotted lines denote the position of the warps when the
shed is open, and from this it will be seen that sufficient space is left

page_text: between the raceway and the shuttle io for the opening of the warps
by the heddles, the upper shed however coming into contact or nearly
so with the under side of the rail w. The front portion of the shuttle
rail w against which the shuttle runs is to be made adjustable nearer to
or farther from the raceway so as to provide for wear in the parts or
for variations in the shuttle, the driver, or the thickness of the warps in
the loom. In order to introduce the reeds n I groove the respective
parts 1, w, for receiving the top and bottom reed bars. n² and n' are
clamps for holding these bars firmly to their place, see Fig. 4. By this
way of securing the reed bars the parts and to are tied together and
prevented from spreading under the action of the shuttle and shuttle
driver in passing across the fabric. If, however, this connection by the
reeds is not sufficient in very wide looms, a plate of thin sheet metal
may be introduced between the warps some little way behind one of
the reed plates and connected at its ends with the rail wo and raceway 1,
or several of these plates may be employed at suitable distances apart.
The shuttle driver o is formed as a frame fitted to travel in the raceway 1,
and provided with rollers 2, 2, that travel upon the bottom of said
raceway, and with rollers 3, 3, that travel in contact with the under side
of the warps and give motion to the shuttle. These rollers 2 and 3 are
arranged in pairs near the ends of the shuttle driver, and their surfaces
are in contact so that the rotation of the rollers 2 by contact with the
bottom of the raceway is communicated to the rollers 3, 3, therefore the
surfaces of the rollers 3, 3, in contact with the under side of the warps,
do not cause any friction or wear upon them because the surfaces of
the rollers are travelling at the same speed as the roller itself is moving
bodily. In consequence of this peculiarity I am enabled to slightly
raise the warps as the rollers pass under them without disturbing the
warps horizontally, and thus apply a constant pushing action to the
rollers 4 of the shuttle that is on the other side of the warps to cause
that shuttle to roll progressively across the fabric to be woven instead of
having to be thrown suddenly as heretofore usual. The shuttle driver
may be provided with a spring cross piece travelling in grooves in the
sides of the raceway to keep the rollers in contact with the bottom of
the raceway and ensure their turning. The shuttle itself is formed of a
body p, having a cavity in one side for the reception of the bobbin or
spool q, from which the weft thread is led through a delivery eye, and
in the lower part of the shuttle are the rollers 4, 4, one near cach end,
and the rollers 5, 5, arc introduced in the upper part of the shuttle near

page_text: the ends, and run against the lower edge of the shuttle rail w, the
upper shed of warps intervening.
It will be seen on reference to Figs. 3 and 4 that the rollers 5 stand
at an inclination, so that their axes are parallel to the inclined under
surface of the rail w, and that by this means I effect two important
objects, 1st, the warps are raised into contact with the under side of 10
and remain resting against the inclined surface, while the rollers 5
travel on the other side of said warps, and hence the warps are not
disturbed or injured in the least, and in fact are only consolidated by
the pressure;
and 2nd, the back of the shuttle is wider than the front,
and the distance between the back edges of the rollers 4, 5, is greater
than that between the front edges, hence the shuttle cannot jump out
of place either while in the cloth or in the lay beyond the edges of the
cloth, and the reeds and back of the lay prevent the shuttle moving
back
I away from its proper position. The width between the rail to and
raceway outside the edges of the fabric is to be slightly less to com-
pensate for the absence of the warps at these points, and prevent the
shuttle and driver being too loose when out of the cloth. It will
now be seen that the shuttle travels very near the point at which
the cloth is made, and hence the lay has but little movement, and
the heddles do not require to be opened as wide as usual, and that the
shuttle can be propelled continuously across any width of fabric if
the shuttle driver is given the requisite motion.
The means for moving the shuttle driver may vary according to the
character of the loom, the width of fabric, and the speed required. It is
important that the speed of said driver be gradually lessened towards
the ends of its reciprocation, and gradually started or accelerated so as to
avoid any concussion of the parts, or sudden strain on the weft thread.
I have represented a means for effecting these objects which will be
.next described.
Upon the main shaft h¹ is a cam r, that is formed as a trough
receiving a roller & on the lever t, or as a rib between two rollers on said
lever; I have shown the former. The bottom of this groove is equi-
distant at all points from the centre of the shaft h¹, and at the parts
6 and 7 it is cylindrical, and in planes at right angles to said shaft, but
at the parts 8 and 9 said groove is diagonal, and the respective portions
are united by curves at 10 of more or less radius, see Fig. 2. By this

page_text: form of cam the lever t is swung first one way and then the other, a
pause occuring in its movement when the roller is in the part 6 or 7,
and the loom is so timed that at these periods the lay is moved to beat
up the filling or weft; the curves at 10 stop and start the lever t
gradually, and the diagonal portions (8 and 9) of the groove are such
that the lever t will be moved more or less rapidly in proportion to the
are through which the cam revolves in producing that motion, and as
the shuttle is moved by a connection from the end of this levert to the
shuttle driver, the travel of the shuttle and its gradual
starting are regulated by the shape of the cam 1.
stopping and
From the ends of
each way over the
the shuttle driver o bands, cords, or catguts u pass
pulleys u down to the pulleys 11, 11, that are on the swords of the lay
at a level corresponding to that of the moving end of the lever t, and the
said belts are connected at opposite sides of this end of said lever. If
the lever can be moved with facility to the extent required for the travel
of the shuttle the said connection of the belts may be direct, but generally
the motion will have to be multiplied, this is effected by two, four, or
more moving pulleys upon the end of the lever t, around which the
belts pass from the pulleys 11, and are attached at their ends to the
frame a of the machine or to the lever, so that twice or more times
the motion can be given to the shuttle driver that is given to the end of
the lever, the amount of length of belt drawn in or given off by each
movement of the lever depending on the number of moving pulleys and
the times the rope is returned around them. Instead of employing the
swinging lever t, actuated directly by the cam r, I find it advantageous
to place the cam r outside one of the frames a of the machine, and
obtain the necessary leverage and increase of movement by a pinion 24
and wheel 25, see plan, Fig. 8, and vertical section, Fig. 9, so that the
belts or bands u pass off to the shuttle driver o from the periphery of
this wheel 25 instead of from the end of the lever t, and I place the
rollers upon a slide bar 27, that has a rack taking the pinion 24; this
wheel 25 and pinion 24 revolve upon a vertical gudgeon, supported by
the longitudinal bar 28, and the slide bar 27 is guided and supported
by slides or bearings 29 and 30, and by having the parts adjustable I am
enabled to change the pinion 24 for one of greater or less diameter and
number of teeth, and thereby vary the relative size of the pinion and
wheel, and hence produce with a given movement of the slide bar 27
a greater or less revolution of the wheel 25, and hence more or less
movement of the belts or cords u, and the shuttle driver and shuttle

page_text: moved by them. The lay may be moved by any desired means, I how-
ever prefer to employ the cams 20¹ (see Fig. 1) on the shaft h', that are
shaped as arcs of circles at the two points 13 and 14, so as to allow the
lay to remain stationary while the shuttle is in motion, the cam shapes
15 and 16 giving the beat up by acting against the roller 17 on the lay,
and the lay may be thrown back by a spring, but I prefer that the
cams be formed with flanges that run between pairs of rollers which
are connected with the lay, thereby ensuring a positive movement to all
parts of the loom. It will be preferable to have one roller of each pair
mounted on a slide that has a limited motion and a spring to force the
rollers towards each other, and thereby prevent the parts wearing loose
or becoming noisy. When it is desired to weave with different colored
weft threads changeable shuttle holders may be provided to act at the
end of the lay.
The advantages of this loom over others may be briefly chumerated
thus: The weft is not subject to sudden pulls in starting, hence may
be of the most delicate texture even in the widest fabrics, because the
shuttle is started gradually instead of suddenly as heretofore; the reed
moves but a little distance, and does not wear the warps; the width of
the fabric may be extended indefinitely the loom runs with less power
and much more quietly than heretofore, hence there is less wear on the
machinery, and the building containing the same is not injured; the
shuttle is held and entirely controlled by positive acting mechanism at
all times, hence it cannot stop in the cloth and injure the fabric as is
now frequently the case, neither can the shuttle jump out of the loom as
it often does in the ordinary looms at the risk of injury to itself or the
other parts of the machine, or of the attendants; and in case of the loom
being stopped each part is in place for starting again. It will therefore
be seen that every part of this loom is in a direct and continuous con-
nection with the motive power, and there are no parts that are operated
upon by concussion, or alternately held and released as in the ordinary
loom, therefore the risk of injury to any portion of the fabric or to the
machinery is almost entirely removed. Several pieces of narrow width
goods may be woven in a loom adapted to wide widths by leaving
sufficient space between the respective pieces for the shuttle, and intro-
ducing as many shuttle drivers o upon the belt u as there are pieces of
fabric, and providing the same number of shuttles and lessening the
movement given to the band u, so that the shuttles will be carried simul

page_text: taneously through the respective fabrics, first one way and then the
other, thus making a selvage on each piece of goods. By this means
a wide loom can be made use of instead of remaining idle when there is
not a demand for the particular width of goods.
What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,―
First. A reciprocating shuttle (adapted to passing with either end first
between the warps) in combination with a carrier provided with actuating
rollers that are moved across the vibrating lay on the other side of the
warps, and to which an independent rotary motion is communicated in
the same direction that the rollers would be rotated by contact with the
warps, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Second. In combination with the reciprocating shuttle and lay I
claim a shuttle driver provided with rollers substantially as described,
so that the rollers that come in contact with the warps are rotated by
contact with the rollers that support the shuttle driver, substantially as
set forth.
,
Third. The reed and lay having a raceway and a shuttle rail w,
substantially as set forth, in combination with the reciprocating shuttle
driver and the shuttle that is actuated by said driver, substantially.as
set forth.
Fourth. A vibrating lay in combination with a reciprocating shuttle
and a shuttle driver that operates upon the shuttle during its entire
reciprocation, the warps intervening substantially as set forth.
Fifth. Two or more moving pulleys combined with the said shuttle
driver and connections to the same, substantially as set forth, so as to
multiply the movement in operating on the shuttle driver, as specified.
Sixth. The cams operating substantially as specified, to stop and start
the shuttle gradually, and operate while the lay is stationary in com-
bination with the cams for operating the lay while the shuttle is
stationary, substantially as set forth.
Seventh. The cam w¹ formed of a flange in combination with the two
rollers that are connected with the lay, one of which is yeilding, and
between which said flange moves, substantially as set forth.
Eighth. The shuttle driver substantially as specified, in combination
with cords or their equivalents that pass off on opposite sides and are
connected to the actuating mechanism at or near the line of the axis or
fulcrum of the lay, substantially as specified.

page_text: Ninth. Communicating to the shuttle an increased but positive move-
ment by the mechanism (substantially as specified), that intervenes
between the shuttle and the cam.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Lyall, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of September, A. D. One thou-
sand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
JAMES LYALL. (L.S.)
Witnesses,
CHA. H. SMITH,
121, Nassau St., New York, U. S. A...
GEO. D. WALKER,
121, Nassau St., New York.