IMPROVEMENTS IN Looms
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Crook, of Blackburn, in the County
of Lancaster, Weaver, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
Looms."
Sealed the 29th January 1853, and dated the 5th October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Crook at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th October 1852.
I, WILLIAM CROOK, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster,
Weaver, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS" to be as follows, and relates to-
1stly. An improved weft stopping motion.
2ndly. An improved method of edging for throwing two or more
weft threads in the cloth whilst the shed is open, thus obtaining what
is called an edge or cord in tape, checked, or striped goods.
3rdly. An improved motion to regulate the drag or weight on the
yarn beam whilst the slay beats up.
4thly. An improved break.
My improved weft stopping motion consists of a loose swivel
or hanging grid fixed within the reed space of the lathe and a

page_text: long lever fixed upon a stud at the lower part of the loom with
wire apparatus fitted in the top end, so that as the lathe works
the wire apparatus may pass through the said grid when the weft
is not there to prevent it. But when weft is there, instead of the
wire apparatus passing through the loose grid, the weft forces the
grid open, and at the same time, by a thread which is connected from
this loose grid to a small lever hanging on a pivot in a plate which is
fastened to the lathe opposite the knocking-off handle, draws the small
lever from its previous position, and thereby uncovers a small hole at
one end of the plate, and allows by the working of the lathe this small
hole to come in contact with a round pin fastened to the knocking-off
handle when no weft is there, as stated above.
The wire apparatus which passes through the grid remains stationary,
as also the small lever, which then covers the small hole, and the pin
in the knocking-off handle coming in contact with the end of the small
lever instead of the hole knocks off the handle and stops the loom.
I obtain the edging motion by fixing a loose clutch box on the tappet
shaft, and which clutches the tappet, and a peculiar arrangement of
gearing holds the tappet firm, whilst the shuttle throws the requisite
number of weft threads, and looses or relieves itself when that is
accomplished.
I obtain an improved drag or weight on the yarn beam by a link
chain, one end being attached to the slay sword, the crank, the crank-
arm,, or any other convenient position, and the other round the beam,
so that this chain becomes slacked when necessary for the shed to be
open, and tightened when the contrary.
My improved break consists of a strap or similar contrivance fixed so
as to be nearly in contact with the spring handle, and when the spring
handle is liberated as before stated this strap moves a lever which puts
on the break..
I wish it to be distinctly understood that this only an outline.de-
scription of my Invention or Improvements, and which I shall more.
fully and clearly explain in my complete Specification.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Crook in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 5th April 1853.
1
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,.
William Crook, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Weaver,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, and in the sixteenth.
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Crook, Her special license that I, the
said William Crook, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Crook, 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOомS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Crook, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of my 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, as reference being thereunto had.
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William. Crook, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
saine is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say:
My Invention relates, firstly, to improvements in that part of the
mechanism of a loom used for manufacturing woven fabrics, technically
called the weft stopping motion, which consists of a loose swivel or
hanging grid fixed within the reed space of the lathe, and a lever fixed

page_text: upon a stud at the lower part of the loom, with apparatus made of wire
or other suitable material fitted in the top end, so that as the lathe
works backward and forward the said apparatus may pass through the
said gird when the weft is not there to prevent it; but when the weft is
there, instead of the apparatus passing through the loose grid, it forces it
back, with the assistance of the weft, and at the same time, by a com-
munication of wire cord or other similar contrivance between the loose
grid and a small lever hanging on a pivot in a plate which is fastened
to the lathe opposite the knocking-off' handle, draws the small lever
from its previous position, and thereby uncovers a small hole in the
lathe at one end of the plate, which allows a small round pin fastened
to the knocking-off' handle to pass through or into it without opposition;
but when no weft is there, as before mentioned, in the apparatus which
passes through, the grid remains stationary, as also the small lever
which then covers the small hole, and the pin in the knocking-off
handle coming in contact with the end of the small lever, instead of
passing into the hole in the lathe, knocks off the handle and stops the
loon; or instead of the said lever and plate I use for the same purpose
a rod or tube having two small projections connected to it, so that when
the grid with the connections aforesaid is pushed back one of the small
projections goes forward, moving the rod or tube, and lifting the other
projection out of the way of a notch which is fixed on the knocking-off
handle, as fully shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Secondly, to an improved method of edging, that is, of throwing two
or more weft threads in the cloth whilst the shed is open, thus obtaining
what is called an edge or cord in tape, checks, or striped goods, which I
effect by attaching a clutch to the tappets on the tappet shaft which is
loose, and a clutch box to slide upon the shaft, but to move with it by
means of a slot and key or other similar contrivance, so that it can be
shifted from the clutch on the end of the tappet at pleasure, and thus
the heddles can be moved or changed when the clutch is in gear, and
remain stationary when out of gear, for the purpose of putting in
the requisite number of picks to form the patterns.
Thirdly, to an improved motion for regulating the drag or weight on

page_text: the yarn beam whilst the slay beats up, which I obtain by connecting
the yarn beam to the slay sword, crank, crank arm, or other convenient
position by a link, chain, cord, or similar contrivance, so that the said
connection will become tightened when it is necessary to beat up the
weft with greater force.
Fourthly, to an improved method of preventing violent concussions
of the various parts of the loom when its operations have to be
checked or stopped, which motion is generally called a break. This
improvement consists of a strap or similar contrivance fixed so as to be.
nearly in contact with the spring handle, and when the spring handle
is liberated the strap moves a lever which puts the break on the
periphery of the fly wheel, and thus the movements of the loom are
checked or stopped gradually.
These improvements will be more clearly understood by reference to
the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, on which the different figures
or views are progressively numbered, and the same letters of reference
appear as are herein-after used to represent similar parts where different
views or diagrams are shewn.
Fig. 1, represents a front elevation of a loom with my said improve-
ments attached; Figs. 2, and 3, are end views of the same; Fig. 4, a
plan thereof; and Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, are different views of my improved
weft motion; Fig. 9, view shewing the mode of detaching the clutch from
the tappets. A, is the frame of the loom; B, the fast and loose pulleys;
C, the crank shaft; D, the sword arms; E, the lathe or slay; F, the
reed; G, the reed cap'; H, the yarn beam; I, the cloth beam; K, the
loose swivel or hanging grid as before mentioned, being a part of
my improved weft motion, and which is placed in the reed space of
the lathe L, is a lever working upon a stud at the lower part of the
frame A. Fixed to this lever L, at the top end, and opposite to the.
hanging grid K, is the apparatus M, having its forks or projections in
a line with the spaces or openings of the grid, so that as the lathe moves
forward they can cross each other, that is, the apparatus M, can pass
through the grid K, when no weft is between them. But when weft is
there, instead of the apparatus M, passing through the loose grid; the

page_text: weft forces the grid back, and with it the cord or connection, which has
one end fastened to the lower end of the grid K, and passing through
an eyelet or guide has the other end fastened to a small lever N, and
turning on a pin in a plate O, which is fixed to the lathe opposite to
the starting or stopping handle P. The lever N, and grid K, are in
direct communication, and move simultaneously, so that when the grid
is driven back the lever N, moves forward and uncovers a small hole in
the plate O. This hole is opposite the pin or projection Q, which is
fixed on the handle, and the hole being large enough to admit the pin
when the lathe moves forward it has no effect upon the handle; but
when no weft is present the apparatus passes through the grid without
moving it, and leaving the small lever N; in its dormant position, that
is, covering the hole, so that when the lathe moves forward the said
lever presses against the pin or projection on the handle, and pushes it
out of its catch, thereby stopping the loom. At Figs. 5, and 6, is
shewn another method or modification of a weft motion on the handle
P, is a projection R; the grid K, lever L, and apparatus M, are the
same as before; but instead of the plate with its lever I use the shaft
S, which has the two levers T, and U, connected to it. When the
grid with its cord or connection is pushed back the lever T, goes
forward, moving the shaft S, and lifting the lever U, out of the way of
the projection R, before mentioned; on the other hand, when no weft is
present, and the grid K, stationary, the levers not being pulled are in
their dormant position, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 6, and on
the lathe coming forward to lever U, being opposite to the projection on
the handle comes in contact with it and stops the loom. The following
parts relate to the edging motion V, are the loose, tappets on the tappet
shaft, and are furnished with a clutch at W. X, is a clutch box which
slides upon the shaft, and yet moves with it by means of a slot and key
or otherwise, so as to be shifted to or from the tappets, and clutch them
when necessary. It will be obvious that the tappets can only turn and
change the heddles when the clutch is in gear, and when it is out of
gear the tappets and heddles are stationary, so it is then that the two
or more picks can be put in, the clutch box shifted by levers acted

page_text: upon by projections on the endless band V, strap, or other contrivance,
according to the pattern required. The following description relates to
the method of regulating the drag or weight: on the yarn beam a, is a
chain, cord, or similar contrivance wound round the yarn beam H, having
one end attached to the lever b, working upon a pin c. When the
weight or drag is to be taken off; projections on the endless band or
strap V, act upon the bent lever d, which lifts the connecting rod e,
and projecting pieces f, opposite to a corresponding projection fixed on
the sword arm D, at y, which, as it moves forward, acts upon the lever
b, pulling the chain, cord, &c., and thus taking off the weight when
required. The catch h, of the ratchet wheel i, is lifted at the same
time to prevent any taking up. My improved apparatus connected
with the break is as follows: to the hanger k, mounted with leather
or other suitable material to press against the periphery of the fly wheel,
the bar l, is jointed, having a stud or projection at m, which is acted
upon by the bell crank n, and weight o; the break is in action when the
weight, not being lifted up, is allowed to exert its force upon the stud bar
and hanger, but when the loom is in operation, and the handle P, in
the position shewn in Fig. 1, the pin Q, presses against a connecting
piece of any suitable metal or material, having one end fixed to the bell
crank lever n, and the other to a knob or button q, resting on the plate
7, which forms one point of resistance, the pressure being sufficient to
bend the strap, and thus to lift the lever and weight, and allow the
hanger k, by the influence of its own weight, to fall back from the fly
wheel, and leave it free.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said
improvements, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not con-
fine myself to the exact details herein described, neither do I claim the
exclusive use of the several parts of the loom herein referred to taken
separately; but what I claim as new and of my Invention is,
Firstly, the loose hanging grid with the apparatus or mechanism
connected therewith, and herein described as a weft stopping motion
which is self-acting, for the purpose of stopping the loom when the weft
thread is broken or absent from the shuttle.

page_text: Secondly, the method of throwing two or more weft threads in the
cloth whilst the shed is open, for the purpose herein-before expressed,
and in the manner herein described...
Thirdly, the method of regulating the drag or weight on the yarn
beam whilst the slay beats up as herein described.
Fourthly, the means or method of preventing violent concussions of
the various parts of the loom, or improvements in the break, as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Crook, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-three.
WILLIAM CROOK. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named William Crook in
the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.