IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING." A communication from abroad by Charles
Coupland and John Henry Tingue, both of Seymour, in the County of New
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th February 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING." [A. com-
munication from abroad by Charles Coupland and John Henry Tingue, both of
Seymour, in the County of New Haven and State of Connecticut, United States of
America.]
"
The object of this Invention is to provide for weaving double-piled fabrics, such
as plush, and for weaving two or more pieces of fabric at once with a single lay
and reed. For these purposes I provide for the use of two shuttles with a reed of
usual width by placing a second shuttle race above the usual race-way in the
manner hereafter set forth.
The top rail of the loom lay is formed with reed, shuttle race, and a shuttle box
at each end, as usual, except that the boxes are each divided by a horizontal
partition to form two boxes, so that the upper part may receive the second shuttle;
the boxes may be either fixed or movable. On the face of the upper rail is formed
or attached a plate, the front of which is flush or nearly so with the front of the
boxes. To this plate prongs or fingers are attached in a manner to be held rigidly,
and project downward with their lower ends bent inward on a level with the
bottom of the upper boxes. These fingers form a cage across the face of the reed,
and are as numerous as is required to support the shuttle, preferably so that the
shuttle shall be upon three or four of the fingers at once. The fingers taper to
their ends and terminate a short distance in front of the dents of the reed. Being
thus tapered they readily pass between the warps, and the space between their
ends and the reed allows the filling to draw down for being beat up, as will be
understood.

page_text: In operation, when three sets of warps are used for weaving a double pile fabric,
the upper shuttle passes through the upper shed at the same time the lower shuttle
is passing, and the two threads of filling are simultaneously beat up at the forward
movement of the lay.
In weaving two or more pieces of cloth the intermediate set of warps is of course
not required, but the operation is the same. In either case the lay at its forward
movement carries the upper shuttle race from the shed above the level of the cloth,
and the shed being at the same time changed the filling is carried off the ends of the
fingers and beat up by the reed. The plate carrying the fingers is adjustably fitted
to the lay so that the cage can be raised and lowered if required. Shuttles of
ordinary character will be used.
According to a modification of the Invention the dents of the reed may be formed
with shaped lugs or projections at a suitable distance above the shuttle race,
which projections being in line horizontally form substantially a continuous rib on
the face of the reed.
The shuttle used is formed with a groove or slot lengthwise, and at one side,
over which plates are fitted, thereby forming a T shaped recess of a size to pass
loosely upon the projections of the reed. This secondary shuttle is thereby sus-
tained on the reed above the usual shuttle race, and can slide freely across the face
of the reed when thrown by picking mechanism of suitable construction. The
operation in this case is the saine as before described, that is to say, both shuttles will
be simultaneously operated for weaving double pile goods. In weaving two pieces
of fabric the loom will be provided with mechanism for carrying the two sets of
warps and opening the separate sheds. Instead of having the T shaped projections
as described, the dents of the reed may be recessed to form a groove having
undercut edges across the face, and the shuttle will be formed with a corresponding
rib at its side to enter the groove of the reed.
The secondary shuttle used with these modified forms of construction may run
into boxes or upon suitable supports at the sides of the reed. With reeds of
suitable width two or more auxiliary shuttles may be used.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th August 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
A com-
munication from abroad by Charles Coupland and John Henry Tingue, both of
Seymour, in the County of New Haven and State of Connecticut, United States of
America.
The object of this Invention is to provide for weaving double piled fabrics, such
as plush, and for weaving two or more pieces of fabric at once with a single lay
and reed. For these purposes I provide for the use of two shuttles with a reed of
usual width by placing a second shuttle race above the usual race way in the
manner set forth more particularly hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying
Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a lay and reed arranged
according to this Invention; Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same;
Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the fingers forming the auxiliary shuttle
race. Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a front view and cross section of a
modified construction of the reed; and Figure 6 shows the shuttle used with the
modification.
The same letters refer to like parts in all the Figures.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, A is the top rail of a loom lay formed with a
reed B, shuttle race a, and a shuttle box C at each end. These parts are as usual,
except that the boxes C are each divided by a horizontal partition to form two
boxes b, b, so that the upper part may receive the second shuttle. The boxes may
be either fixed or movable. On the face of the upper rail A is formed or attached
a plate d, the front of which is flush, or nearly so, with the front of the boxes C.
To this plate & prongs or fingers e are attached in a manner to be held rigidly, and
project downward with their lower ends bent inward on a level with the bottom of
the upper boxes b. These fingers e form a cage across the face of the reed, and are
as numerous as is required to support the shuttle, preferably so that the shuttle
shall be upon three or four of the fingers at once. The fingers e taper to their
ends, as shown in Figure 3, and terminate a short distance in front of the dents of
the reed. Being thus tapered they readily pass between the warps and the space
between their ends, and the reed allows the filling to draw down for being beat up,
as will be understood.
In operation, when three sets of warps are used for weaving a double pile fabric
the upper shuttle passes through the upper shed at the same time the lower shuttlo
is passing, and the two threads of filling are simultaneously beat up at the forward
movement of the lay. In weaving two or more pieces of cloth the intermediate set
of warps is of course not required, but the operation is the same.
In either case
the lay at its forward movement carries the upper shuttle race from the shed above
the level of the cloth, and the shed being at the same time changed, the filling is
carried off the ends of fingers e and beat up by the reed. This is illustrated in
Figure 2, where the lay in its backward position and the warps are shown in dotted
lines. The plate d is adjustably fitted to the lay so that the cage can be raised and
lowered if required. Shuttles of ordinary character will be used.
In Figures 4 and 5 the dents i of the reed B are formed with T shaped lugs or
projections at a suitable distance above the shuttle race a, which projections being
in line horizontally. form substantially a continuous rib on the face of the reed.
The secondary shuttle D, Figure 6, is formed with a groove or slot & lengthwise,
and at one side, over which plates m, m, are fitted, thereby forming a T shaped

page_text: recess of a size to pass loosely upon the projections / of the reed. This secondary
shuttle is thereby sustained on the reed above the usual shuttle race, and can slide
freely across the face of the reed when thrown by picking mechanism of suitable
construction. The operation in this case is the same as before described, that is to
say, both shuttles will be simultaneously operated for weaving double pile goods.
In weaving two pieces of fabric the loom will be provided with mechanism for
carrying the two sets of warps and opening the separate sheds. Instead of having
the shaped projections as shown the dents of the reed may be recessed to form a
groove having undercut edges across the face, and the shuttle be formed with a
corresponding rib at its side to enter the groove of the reed. The secondary shuttle
used with these modified forms of construction may run into boxes or upon suitable
supports at the sides of the reed. Instead of the reed or lay being fitted to carry a
single secondary shuttle with reeds of suitable width, two or more auxiliary
shuttles may be used.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. In looms, a vibrating lay and reed provided with a shuttle support or race-
way above the lower shuttle race, substantially as shown and described.
2nd. In looms, the combination with the vibrating lay or reed of a shuttle cage
or race-way formed by prongs or fingers that terminate a short distance in front of
the reed, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3rd. The bent fingers e combined with a loom lay, reed, and shuttle boxes,
substantially as shown and described for forming a secondary shuttle race, as
specified.
4th. The combination in a loom of a reed having its dents formed with
projections in a continuous line on the face, and a shuttle formed for engagement
with the projections of the reed, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
5th. The shuttle D formed with a groove or slot combined with a reed having
a horizontal line of T headed projections on its face, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and goal this Eleventh day of August AD 1881