IMPROVE- MENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING FIGURED FABRICS, AND IN APPARATUS CON- NECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of
Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING FIGURED FABRICS, AND IN APPARATUS CON-
NECTED THEREWITH."--A communication from abroad by Samuel Thomes
Thomas, of Laconia, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 30th July 1861, and dated the 6th April 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 6th April 1861.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING FIGURED FABRICS, AND IN APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH," a communication from abroad by Samuel Thomes
Thomas, of Lanconia, in the United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the general construction, arrangement, and com-
bination of looms for weaving figured fabrics, and consists, firstly, of a peculiar
combination of mechanism for working the harness.
Secondly, of a peculiar combination of mechanism for instantly stopping the
loom when requisite.
Thirdly, of a peculiar combination of mechanism with a jacquard for
working the drop or shuttle boxes of looms.

page_text: And, fourthly, of a peculiar arrangement of jacquard and of the "cards"
employed in machines of that description.
The barness is worked by means of geared sectors and racks, the sectors
being formed with curved slots, which slots, through the motions of the sectors
actuate the harness, levers, or jacks. These levers or jacks are made with
three arms, the centre one being acted upon by the slot in its corresponding
sector, whilst the top and bottom arms are respectively connected by ends with
the top and bottom of each leaf. Each leaf has a sector and jack lever of its
own, and these are brought into action according as they are required by the
pattern by means of a simple form of jacquard. The cylinder or prism of this
jacquard works vertically in place of horizontally, and the pattern card in
action lies horizontally upon the top side of the prism in place of hanging
vertically upon one of the sides thereof. Above the card of the jacquard is
arranged a set of weighted or gravitating bell-crank levers, the longer and
horizontal arm of each being provided with a pin corresponding to but smaller
than the holes in the prism, so that it may pass freely therein, whilst the
shorter and nearly perpendicular arm bears against the front of the racks
before referred to, and when by reason of a hole in the card the pin passes
through, this short arm tends to force a hook or notch on the corresponding
rack over a lifting bar, in which case when the lifter rises it lifts with it those
racks which have been pushed forward, and in so doing partly turns the
sectors and actuates the jack levers in connection therewith. On the opposite
side of the racks are springs for forcing the hooks off the lifter bar, and
bringing similar notches below a descending or depressing bar, which, in its
descent forces down the racks again to their original positions. These motions
of the lifter and depresser bars are derived from a cylindrical grooved cam and
pair of bell-crank levers, and the rising and falling motion of the jacquard
prism is obtained from an inclined cam surface on the cylindrical cam above
referred to acting upon another bell-crank. This compound cam is carried on
the crank shaft of the loom. A suitable spring friction break is employed for
steadying the motions of the sectors. By this mode of working the harness
all the leaves, and consequently all the warp threads remain stationary or at
rest on an open shed until they are required on the opposite side of the fabric,
thereby greatly reducing the wear and tear of the same.
The peculiar mechanism for effecting the instantaneous stoppage of the
loom when required consists of a finger projecting from the protector rod and
striking a bell-crank lever, which releases the starting handle through the
intervention of a sliding rod and incline thereon. This release of the starting
handle brings into action a break, which is forced laterally against the side of

page_text: a friction disc or flange on the crank shaft of the loom, and simultaneously
withdraws the driving pully from contact with a friction cone, so that the
pully becomes a loom driving pully at the same time that the break is
applied. The stay is thus arrested, and its momentum nearly overcome before
the finger reaches the fixed stop on the loom, thus avoiding the sudden con-
cussion that occurs by the stoppage of a loom with the apparatus heretofore
in use.
The apparatus for working the drop boxes or shuttle boxes of looms consists
of a jacquard, the pattern prism of which works vertically by means of an
eccentric, and the wires of which are turned or bent down at their upper ends,
so as to be acted upon or not according to the holes in the pattern card, which
lies horizontally upon the top side or surface of the prism; the lower ends of
the wires govern or control the working of a set of palls, which operate upon
ratchet wheels and star cams, such palls being actuated by cams and vibrating
lever arms when released by the clevating of one or more of the wires.
Weighted or gravitating levers serve to force back the palls on being released,
whilst the forward throw or push is derived from the cam and vibrating lever
above referred to. The star cams act respectively upon one end of a horizontal
compound lever operating the shuttle boxes. This lever consists of two levers
placed one above the other, the bent end of the upper lever being jointed to
the middle of the lower lever. The free end of the upper lever is acted upon
by one of the star cams, whilst the corresponding end of the lower lever has
an incline formed upon it, and is operated by a sliding wedge-piece worked by
the second star cam. The opposite or free end of the under lever is connected
by a rod to the drop box on one side of the loom, a somewhat similar arrange-
ment being employed for working the drop box on the opposite side of the
loom, the motion being derived from a third star cam and set of levers. It
will thus be seen that one lift may be derived from the simple action of the
star cam on the end of the upper lever, and that if requisite a further lift may
be obtained by the action of the wedge along the inclined end of the under
lever. Or by another arrangement the horizontal compound lever may be
dispensed with, and the star cams made to operate upon a pair of vertical
levers suspended from centres at their uper ends, whilst their lower or free
ends are severally connected by wires to two slides working along the inclined
ends of two horizontal levers respectively, the upper one of such levers being
connected by a rod to the drop box on one side of the loom, a simple arrange-
ment of mechanism being employed for transmitting a simultaneous motion to
similar drop box mechanism on the opposite side of the loom.
The "cards" which it is proposed to adopt in these or other jacquard

page_text: machines are made of sheet tin, or other stout material, and the holes therein
are closed or opened as required to suit the pattern for the time being by
small buttons or stops, which are revitted to the "card," and made to turn
over and to close any one or more of the holes therein. By this simple con-
trivance one set of cards will serve for any number of designs, as by suitably
adjusting the stops any pattern may be read on to the cards.
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 5th October 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN HENRY
JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and of
166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of
1er reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said
John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
or 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING FIGURED FABRICS, AND IN
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," a communication from abroad by Samuel
Thomas Thomas, of Laconia, in the United States of America, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them, should par-
ticularly 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to the general construction, arrangement, and
combination of looms for weaving figured fabrics, and consists,-
Firstly, of a peculiar combination of mechanism for working the harness.
Secondly, of a peculiar combination of mechanism for instantly stopping the
loom when requisite.
Thirdly, of a peculiar combination of mechanism with a jacquard for working
the drop or shuttle boxes of looms.
And, fourthly, of a peculiar arrangement of jacquard and of the cards em-
ployed in machines of that description.
The harness is worked by means of geared sectors and racks, the sectors
being formed with curved slots, which slots, through the motions of the sectors,
actuate the harness levers or jacks. These levers or jacks are made with three
arms, the centre one being acted upon by the slot in its corresponding section,
whilst the top and bottom arms are respectively connected by rods with the top.
and bottom of each leaf. Each leaf has a sector and jack lever of its own, and
these are brought into action according as they are required in the pattern by
means of a similar form of jacquard. The cylinder or prism of this jacquard
works vertically in place of horizontally, and the pattern card in action lies
horizontally upon the top side of the prism in place of hanging vertically upon
one of the sides thereof. Above the card of the jacquard is arranged a set of
weighted or gravitating bell-crank levers, the longer and horizontal arm of
cach being provided with a pin corresponding to but smaller than the holes in
the prism, so that it may pass freely therein, whilst the shorter and nearly per-
pendicular arm bears against the front of the racks before referred to; and
when, by reason of a hole in the card, the pin passes through this short arm,
tends to force a hook or notch on the corresponding rack over a lifting bar, in
which case, when the lifter rises, it lifts with it those racks which have been
pushed forward, and in so doing partly turns the sectors and actuates the jack
levers in connection therewith. On the opposite side of the racks are springs
for forcing the hooks off the lifter bar and bringing similar notches below a
descending or depressing bar, which in its descent forces down the racks again
to their original positions. These notions of the lifter and depresser bars are
derived from a cylindrical grooved cam and pair of bell-crank levers, and the
rising and falling motion of the jacquard prism is obtained from an inclined
cam surface on the cylindrical cam above referred to acting upon another bell-
crank. This compound cam is carried on the crank shaft of the loom. A suit-

page_text: able spring friction break is employed for steadying the motions of the sectors.
By this mode of working the harness all the leaves, and consequently all
the warp threads remain stationary or at rest on an open shed until they are
required on the opposite side of the fabric, thereby greatly reducing the wear
and tear of the same.
The peculiar mechanism for effecting the instantaneous stoppage of the loom
when required consists of a finger projecting from the protector rod and
striking a bell-crank lever, which releases the starting handle through the in-
tervention of a sliding rod and incline thereon. This release of the starting
handle brings into action a break, which is forced laterally against the side of
a friction disc or flange on the crank shaft of the loom, and simultaneously
withdraws the driving pully from contact with a friction cone, so that the
pully becomes a loose driving pully at the same time that the break is applied.
The slay is thus arrested and its momentum nearly overcome before the
finger reaches the fixed stop on the loom; thus avoiding the sudden concus-
sion that occurs by the stoppage of a loom with the apparatus heretofore
in use.
The apparatus for working the drop boxes or shuttle boxes of looms consists
of a jacquard, the pattern prism of which works vertically by means of an
eccentric, and the wires of which are turned or bent down at their upper ends
so as to be acted upon or not, according to the holes in the pattern card, which
lies horizontally upon the top side or surface of the prism. The lower ends of
the wires govern or control the working of a set of palls which operate upon
ratchet wheels and star cams, such palls being actuated by cams and vibrating
lever arms when released by the elevating of one or more of the wires.
Weighted or gravitating levers serve to force back the palls on being released,
whilst the forward throw or push is derived from the cam and vibrating lever
above referred to. The star cams act respectively upon one end of a horizontal
compound lever operating the shuttle boxes. This compound lever consists of
two levers placed one above the other, the bent end of the upper lever being
jointed to the middle of the lower lever. The free end of the upper lever is
acted upon by one of the star cams, whilst the corresponding end of the lower
lever has an incline formed upon it, and is operated by a sliding wedge piece
worked by the second star cam. The opposite or free end of the under lever
is connected by a rod to the drop box on one side of the loom, a somewhat
similar arrangement being employed for working the drop box on the opposite
side of the loom, the motion being derived from a third star cam and set of
levers. It will thus be seen that one lift may be derived from the simple
action of the star cam on the end of the upper lever, and that, if. requisite, a

page_text: further lift may be obtained by the action of the wedge along the inclined end
of the under lever. Or, by another arrangement, the horizontal compound lever
may be dispensed with and the star cams made to operate upon a pair of ver-
tical levers suspended from centres at their upper ends, whilst their lower or
free ends are severally connected by wires to two slides working along the
inclined ends of two horizontal levers respectively, the upper one of such levers
being connected by a rod to the drop box on one side of the loom, a simple
arrangement of mechanism being employed for transmitting a simultaneous
motion to similar drop box mechanism on the opposite side of the loom.
The cards" which it is proposed to adopt in these or other jacquard
machines are made of sheet tin or other stout material, and the holes therein
are closed or opened as required to suit the pattern for the time being by
small buttons or stops which are rivetted to the "card," and made to turn
over and so close any one or more of the holes therein. By this simple
contrivance one set of cards will serve for any number of designs, as by
suitably adjusting the stops any pattern may be read on to the cards.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
corresponding Figures.
Of said Drawings Figure 1 (Sheet 1) is a side elevation of the loom;
Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the same; Figure 1 (Sheet 2) is a side
elevation of the opposite end of the loom); Figure 2 is a plan of the shuttle
box motions in part; Figure 3 is an elevation of the same; Figure 4 is a
horizontal section of the star wheels, shaft, and ratchets; Figure 1 (Sheet 3)
is a plan of the harness motion and other parts; Figure 2 is an elevation of
the same; Figure 3 is an end view of the jacquard shuttle box motion;
Figure 4 is a front view of the same.
I will first describe the harness motions which are shown mainly in
Figures 1 and 2 (Sheet 3). The crank shaft A turning on suitable bearings
attached to the frame of the loom carries at one end a scroll cam B, this cam
as well as other parts of the mechanism being represented in the position they
occupy when the harness C, D, C, is at the centre of its traverse. The scroll
cam is adjustable upon the crank shaft A, by which means the time of the
action of the harnesses is made to correspond with the motion of the lay. The
spiral groove E in this cam receives the friction wheel F that is attached to
the upper
end of the right angled lever G; as the cam revolves the friction
wheel follows the groove and elevates or depresses the other end of the lever G.

page_text: To this end of the lever the vertical rod II is jointed, its upper end being
passed through the guide J that is fastened to the top beam of the loom. The
vertical rod H is termed the lifting shaft, its office being to lift the horizontal
bar K at proper intervals, this bar being fixed to the shaft by the set screw L.
The groove M in the scroll cam is occupied by the friction wheel N which is
attached to the upper end of the bent lever O; to the other end of this lever
the jointed shaft P is attached and passes through the guide J. This shaft
is nearly parallel with the lifting shaft H; its office is to depress the horizontal
bar Q (which is fixed to it by the set screw R) at proper intervals. If it be
thought desirable a double crank may be used instead of the scroll cam to
impart motion to the lifting and depressing shafts, the same being attached to
the main shaft of the loom.
One of the most important features of these improvements is that all the
leaves of barness and consequently all the warp threads remain stationary or
at rest on an open shed (either up or down, as the case may be,) until they
are required on the opposite side of the fabric, that is, they remain at rest
floating upon one side of the fabric until the design of the fabric as indicated
by the pattern cards requires them upon the opposite side. By these means
the wear of the warps and harnesses and also the mechanism connected
therewith is very much diminished. The lay beats up or strikes the weft on
an open shed in the same manner as in a tappet loom. The manner in which
this is effected is herein-after described. Each leaf of the harness C, D, C¹,
requires a corresponding rack or needle S, S', to give it motion at the right
instant of time. These rack needles have near their upper end two notches
a and upon opposite sides, so formed as to allow of their being lifted by
the horizontal bar K or depressed by the bar Q when required, these
bars K and Q being fixed to the lifting and depressing shafts Hand P
respectively.
Having described the manner of raising and lowering the rack needles, I
will now describe the direct effect produced by them upon the series of leaves
of harness, and the consequent regulation of the design or figure of the fabric.
The gravitating levers (T, U, & T", U.) are so placed that the short arm U
can bear upon the rack needle near its middle and act in one direction, whilst
in the other direction the needle is acted upon by the spiral spring and pin V,
and it is necessary that the weight of the arm T should be about double the
force that is exerted by the spiral spring V, in order to produce the desired
effects as stated; it will thus be seen that the position of the needles either to
the right or to the left determines whether the notch 6 shall be struck by
the lifting bar K or the notch a struck by the depression bar Q. If the

page_text: former takes place the needle S is raised, and the rack at its lower end acting
on the toothed sector W moves it upwards; the cam groove or curved slot X
made through the sector giving motion to a friction wheel attached to the end
of the short arm of a tri-armed lever Y, Y', and plays within the curved slot.
The lever or harness bar Y, sometimes called the jack, is nearly vertical in its
position, whilst its short arm Y' extending to the sector W is nearly horizontal.
The vertical part of the bar Y has its fulcrum at the rocker pin Z near i:s
middle, and at the upper and lower end two cords c and care attached; the
former passes from the upper end of the harness lever on the friction pully ‹,
below which it is fastened to the harness bars C & C¹, and thence round the
friction pully d to the lower end of the harness lever. The cord c¹ is nearly
parallel with the cord c, is fastened to the ends of the harness lever in the
same manner, and passes round the friction rolls d", d, being so fastened to
the harness bars C, C', as to keep them parallel with each other. The pins
e, e', at the ends of the harness lever serve to regulate the tension of the
harness cords, and it will be observed that this mode of attachment of the cords,
both at the top and bottom of the rocker or harness lever Y, will give a very
steady and positive motion to the harnesses, the other leaves of the harness
lying parallel with each other are all moved by their respective rack needles,
sectors, barness levers, and cords in the manner above described. A friction
spring and break f, g, is applied to the periphery of the sector W to ensure a
steady motion. The pattern cards h, h, which are made of tin are attached to
each other by the rings i, i, forming the pattern chain which is suspended upon
the pattern prism k, having two pins 1, 1, upon each of the sides of the prism
and near its ends. These pins enter into corresponding holes in the ends of
the tin cards h, and when the upper side of the prism is horizontal, retain cach
card in succession in the same relative position. As the pattern chain is
suspended in a loop from the prism its weight assists in keeping the card in
close contact with the upper surface of the prism. The pattern prism is
supported in a frame provided with suitable bearings in which the axis of the
prism turns; this frame receives a vertical motion once up and once down at
each beat of the lay, which motion is imparted to it by the vertical shaft m
which rises and falls by the action of the bent lever n, the lower end of the
lever being provided with a friction wheel o, which plays in contact with the
curved end of the scroll cam B at its edge p. The shape of the curve at the
end of the scroll cam is such as to elevate and depress the pattern prism at
the right time to throw the lifting and depressing racks S, S', in contact with
the horizontal lifting and depressing bars K and Q, this being effected by
means of the holes in the cards, the pin q, and the gravitating levers T, T.

page_text: The vertical movement of the prism, as above described, is an important
improvement, as by its use the card occupies a position at the top of the
prism and remains in close contact with it, whilst in looms heretofore used
the acting or working cord is in a vertical position, and mechanism which
requires nice adjustment is necessary to keep the cord up to the vertical
force of the prism.
The leaf of harness that is to be raised or depressed is indicated by tho
position of the holes in the pattern card, which are a little larger than the
ping projecting at right angles from the lower side of the gravitating lever T;
when this piu enters a hole in the card the short arm U moves forward a
short distance and inclines the top of the rack needle S bringing its notch b
over the lifting bar K, and thus establishes a connection with the harness
by means of the sector, the harness lever, and its attached harness cords or
bands as before described. I wish it to be distinctly understood that in all
fancy looms heretofore constructed all the warps are closed together at or
during every beat of the lay and previous to the elevation and depression of
such of them as were to be used for the next throw of the shuttle. This
mixing of the warps does not take place in this improved loom for those warps
which have been either elevated or depressed are maintained stationary either
up or down as the case may be, when the lay beats up, and are never moved
until they are wanted to effect a change in the figure of the fabric.
In pattern chains heretofore made perforated cards have been used, and
when the figures or design was to be changed new cards were required.
Now, according to one part of this Invention, each hole of the pattern
cards is provided with a button s, as seen in Figure 4 (Sheet 3) rivetted at one
of its ends to the card; by turning the button the hole is left open or closed at
will, and the same cards (which I usually make of tin plate) can thus be used
for a great variety of patterns. The changes in the cards may be made by
the use of a suitable key or wrench while the cards remain in their position in
the loom, a few minutes only being required for making this change. The
Figure 4 referred to above relates to the motion of the shuttle box; the cards
for this purpose and for the harness motions are of the same construction.
The improvement in the shipper and brake for starting and stopping the
loom is represented in Figures 1 and 2 (Sheet 1) and Figure 1 (Sheet 2).
The protector rod is seen at t, and projecting from one end of it at right angles
is the dagger u. If the shuttle fail to reach the box this dagger comes in
contact with one end of the bent lever v and moves it a short distance; the
other end of the bent lever is jointed to the bar w, the motion of which brings
an inclined planex near one end of the bar in contact with one side of the

page_text: slot y in the loom frame through which the bar passes, thus moving the shipper
spring out of the notch 1; this allows the shipper 2 and its attached brake 3
to move horizontally against the friction flange 4, and it is there held by the
tension of the shipper spring This same motion of the shipper, acting
through the clutch and collar 5, 6, removes the driving pulley 7, from
contract with the driving cone 8; the friction is thus applied to the flange 4
at the same instant that the driving cone is released.
The lay 9 is thus arrested and its momentum nearly overcome before the
dagger reaches the fixed stop 10, thus avoiding the sudden concussion that
takes place by the stoppage of a loom with the apparatus heretofore in use.
When the stoppage of a loom is caused the breaking of the filling or weft
thread, the brake 3 instantly stops the loom, so that the main crank makes
but about half a revolution, whilst the shippers commonly used allow the
crank to continue in motion, and the shuttle makes several shots before the
loom is stopped.
The vertical motion of the shuttle box by which different shuttles aro
brought into position as required is governed by a jacquard apparatus, as shewn
in Figures 3 and 4 (Sheet 3.) The palls 11 and 12 are nearly horizontal,
and are placed near the bottom of the loom, the end of each pall bearing
against a vertical rocker lever 13, which is operated by the cam 14 striking
against one of its ends. To each of these palls is also applied a gravitating
lever 15, the rear end of each pall being provided with a notch or shoulder as
seen at 16; each pall is also provided with an upright wire 17, which is sup-
ported so as to slide freely in a vertical direction through guides 18 and 19.
The upper ends of these wires are curved in a semicircle 20, and operate in
connection with a pattern prism 21 and pattern card chain 22 suspended from
the prism, as seen in the Drawings. The shaft 23 of the pattern prism
projects horizontally from a slide rod 24, from which an arm 25 extends
towards and rests upon a cam 26, which is fixed upon a cam shaft 27, sup-
ported in suitable bearings. The rotation of this can elevates the slide
rod 24 and its attached pattern prism, and it falls when the shape of the cami
allows it. Whenever any one of the wires 17 enters the hole of its pattern
chain 22, the lower end of it will remain below the top of the shoulder 16 of
its pall, and will prevent that pall from being retracted by its gravitating
lever 15, and carried into contact with the rocker lever 13 during the rotation
of the cam 14, but such of the wires as are elevated by the hole being closed
in the pattern chain 22 will relieve the lower end from the shoulder 16 of its
pall, and will allow it by the gravitation of the lever 15 to be brought in
contact with the rocker lever 13, which turns the ratchet wheel 28 (by the

page_text: action of the cam 14) so as to rotate their respective star wheels 29, the
order or interval of such rotation being governed by the pattern prism 21 and
its chain, the details of which I will now describe. A standard 30 is attached
to a part of the loom frame 31, and has at its upper end a fixed pin 32, from
which bangs the operating pall 33, and the hook 34 is in position to engage
with the four pins 35, 36, 37, and 38, which are affixed to the prism head 39.
The prism slide rod 24, which moves vertically as herein-before described,
carries the prism shaft 23, which is held fast to it by the nut 40, and as the
prism rises and falls, the opposite end of the shaft 23 traverses in a slot in
the fixed arm 41, which is attached to the frame 31 of the loom. As the
prism falls the pall 33 engages with the pin 38, and the prism is turned one
quarter round, bringing the pin 35 into the position previously occupied by
pin 38, and thus bringing the next card of the chain to its working position
at the top of the prism, in which position the prism is retained by the catch
pall 42, which enters one of the four notches 43 made in the prism head, and
is held up by the action of the spring 44, the lower end of this pall being
attached to the prism slide rod 24 by the collar 45; this quarter of a revo-
lution takes place at every downward movement of the prism slide rod.
I will now explain the action of the star cams upon the series of shuttle
boxes, which are moved vertically for the purpose of changing the color of the
filling or weft thread (see Figures 2, 3, and 4, Sheet 2). Where the pall
11 or 12 moves the ratchet 28 one tooth the projecting points of the star
cams 29 come in contact with the roll 46 at the end of the suspension lever 47,
which bas its fulcrum at 48, and depresses it, giving a corresponding elevation
to the further end of the lever 49, which is suspended near its middle by a
rocker pin 50 passing through the curved end of the lever 47. At the further
end of the lever 49 the rod 51 is attached, and connects with the shuttle box
rod 52, Figure 1 (Sheet. 1), upon the top of which is the series of shuttle
boxes 53, which rise and fall by the action of the star wheel, as described.
The star wheel 29, Figure 3 (Sheet 2), acts upon the short arm 54 projecting
from the lever 35, the lower end of which carries forward the slide 56 and its
attached projecting wedge 57, which as it moves forward traverses upon the
inclined plane at the end of the suspended lever 49, and depresses it, causing
it to turn upon the pin 50, thus elevating its further end which gives a vertical
motion to the shuttle box rod 51. It will be observed that the motion of
these two levers 47 and 49 is of two kinds, in the one first described the two
move together and carry the shuttle box up or down one space or com-
partment of the box; in the second described (the wedge 57 being moved
forward) the distance traversed by the shuttle box rod 51, and its attached

page_text: box 53, is doubled, this effect being produced by the simultaneous thrust and
conjoined action of the wedge and the star cams. To operate the shuttle box
upon the opposite side of the loom the shaft 58 extends across, revolving in
suitable bearings, and has a star wheel 59 attached upon that side, which is
turned by the ratchet 60 fixed to the said shaft by the key 61; the relative
position and motions of the levers 47' and 49', and also of the slide and wedge,
being similar to those of 47 and 49 upon the opposite side. The shaft 62
also extends across the loom and is operated upon by its star wheel 63 and its
ratchet 28 by means of the fixed arm or lever 64 which is fixed to it. To the
rocker shaft 62 is attached the collar and arm 65, and at its lower end carries
a friction roll 66 which moves the slide 56" and its attached wedge 57111,
which wedge is similar in its position and action to those upon the opposite
side. Each star cam and ratchet has a groove 67, 68, 69, 70, Figure 4,
(Sheet 2), to receive a friction cord or wire which gives them steadiness and
uniformity of motion.
The mechanism, as shewn in the Drawings, is sufficient to operate six shuttle
boxes, three upon each side of the loon, which is equal to the use of five
shuttles or five colors of weft, and any one of the six boxes that is required
may be brought to the level of the race board at any one pick or stroke of
the lay, and may be retained in the same position during any successive
number of picks that the design or figure of the fabric may require. I do not
confine my claim to the particular number of shuttle boxes named above; more
may be used by adding to the series of cams, palls, levers, and slides moving
and operating together as herein-before set forth.
Instead of communicating a vertical motion to the shuttle box by means of
the combined lever 47 and 49, as shewn in Figures 2 and 3, Sheet 2, it may
be effected as represented in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1. The cam 14 attached
to the cam shaft 71 acts upon the rocker lever 13 which moves the horizontal
pall 11 (according to the position of the wire 17 leading to the shuttle box
jacquard as before described) and turns the ratchet 28 and its attached star
cam 29 at proper intervals. The series of suspended bent levers 721, 7211,
70, 72, which are acted upon by their respective star cams, ratchets, and
palls of the series, are suspended from the fixed pin 73, and have on one of
the sides a projection or short arm 74; at the lower ends of 72¹ and 72" the
wires 74 and 75 are attached, and extend nearly parallel with each other to
the wedges 76 and 77, the lower wedge 77 traversing at its lower edge upon
a fixed slide or guide 78, whilst its upper edge runs in contact with an incline
plane formed upon the lower side and near the end of a rocker lever 79. The
other wedge 76 traverses on a slide at the top of the lever 79, and its upper

page_text: edge runs against the lower side of rocker lever 80. The free end of this
lever 80 extends beyond the wedge, and is jointed to the connecting rod 51,
which is jointed to the shuttle box lifting rod 52. The two suspended levers
72 and 72 are connected with the bent levers 81 and 82 which pull the
wires 83 and 84, respectively connected with the bent levers 85, giving
motion to slides and wedges (corresponding to the slides and wedges 76
and 77) and moving the shuttle boxes upon the opposite side of the loom at
proper intervals.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general construction, arrangement, and combination of machinery
or apparatus to be employed in the production of figured or fancy weaving, as
herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Second, the application and use of a geared sector or its equivalent, provided
with an inclined plane or curved slot, and having a reciprocating motion
imparted to it in combination with harness levers or jacks, as herein-before
described.
Third, the combination of the lifting or depressing jacks and tri-armed
harness lever operating together by means of a sector as herein-before
described.
Fourth, the combination of gravitating levers with lifting and depressing
rack needles and pattern chain and prism or other equivalent devices capable
of producing patterns in fancy weaving, as herein-before described.
Fifth, the supporting of pattern cards upon the horizontal face of the prism,
and imparting a vertical in place of a horizontal motion to such prism in
jacquard machines, as herein-before described.
Sixth, the attaching of the upper and lower harness cords to opposite ends
of the rocker lever, as herein-before described.
Seventh, the application and use of the elevating and depressing needle
racks and sector or their equivalents in combination with elevating and
depressing bars, for the purpose of actuating the harness levers or jacks, as
herein-before described.
Eighth, the system or mode of actuating a series of harnesses by means of a
scroll cam in combination with levers attached to elevating and depressing
shafts, as berein-before described.
Ninth, the application and use to and in the working of drop boxes of the

page_text: peculiar combination and arrangement of compound levers and sliding wedges,
as herein-before described.
Tenth, the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of jacquard,
palls, and star cams, whereby one jacquard apparatus is made to operate two
independent shuttle or drop box motions, as herein-before described.
Eleventh, the peculiar construction of cards for jacquard machines and
the means employed for varying the patterns on such cards, as herein-before
described.
Twelfth, the system or mode of working a series of harnesses in a fancy
weaving loom when they are operated upon by a pattern chain, pin wheel, or
jacquard attachment, or their equivalents, by means of cams or tappets similar
to those in use in an ordinary plain or twilled weaving loom, and maintaining
any one or more of the harnesses at rest on an open shed during any desired
number of picks, and subsequently passing them to the opposite side of the
fabric, as herein-before described.
Thirteenth, the system or mode of overcoming the momentum of the lay by
means of a break and friction flange or disc previous to the final arrest of the
same by the fixed stop, as herein-before described.
Fourteenth, the system or mode of elevating the shuttle box levers by means
of sliding wedges, draw wires, and connected levers, acting on both sides of the
loom by the intervention of star cams and ratchet wheels, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-one.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)