CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY ALREADY IN USE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BOBBIN NET LACE
Year: 1831

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ALCOCK, of the Parish of Claines, in the County of Worcester, Lace Manufac-
turer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I did by Petition humbly represent unto His most Excellent
Majesty King William the Fourth that I had invented "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY ALREADY IN USE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BOBBIN NET LACE,"
and His said Majesty, being willing to encourage all useful Inventions, was
graciously pleased to issue His Letters Patent, bearing date at His Palace at
Westminster, the Fifteenth day of December, in the second year of His
reign (One thousand eight hundred and thirty-one), whereby His said Majesty
did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Alcock, my executors, administrators, and assigns, His special licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Thomas Alcock, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, and every of them, by myself and them-
selves, or by my and their deputy or deputies, servants or agents, or such
others as I, the said Thomas Alcock, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times during the term of fourteen years from the date of the said Letters
Patent, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend my said
Invention within that part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
called England, His said Majesty's Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed,' and also in all His said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations
abroad; in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that I, the
A

page_text: .
said Thomas Alcock, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
after the date of the said Letters Patent, as in and by the same (reference
being thereunto had) will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Alcock, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are described and ascer-
tained in manner following (that is to say):-
The machinery already in use for the manufacture of bobbin net lace,
which is referred to in the aforesaid Letters Patent, and to which my said
improvements relate, is of that kind which is commonly known in trade by
the designation of fluted bar machinery, and for which machinery a Patent
was granted by His late Majesty King George the Fourth, in the fifth year
of His reign, to William Henson and William Jackson, both of Worcester,
bearing date the Eleventh day of January, One thousand eight hundred and
twenty-five. Such fluted bar machines have since been brought into con-
siderable use; they are of the class of double tier machines, that is to say,-
the bobbins and carriages are passed between the warp threads in two
divisions or tiers one after another, and the bobbin threads are made to
traverse the width of the piece of net diagonally in opposite directions, and by
crossing one over another they make the tops and bottoms of the hexagonal
meshes of the lace or net. The carriages for the bobbins work in circular
combs, and are moved in those combs and are passed between the vertical
warp theads from back to front, and from front to back alternately, by means
of two pairs of fluted bars, or long revolving fluted rollers, the flutes being
formed like the teeth of pinions. These fluted rollers are situated beneath
the combs, in a proper position for their teeth or flutes to take into corre
sponding teeth, which project downwards from the lower side of each of the
carriages. One such fluted roller is situated beneath the inner end of each
comb towards the warp threads, and the other fluted roller is situated beneath
the outer end of the same combs, and the back and front combs are similarly
furnished. The said fluted rollers are supported upon pivots at cach end,
on which they can revolve. And they are turned round alternately backwards
and forwards with a simultaneous and equal motion by means of a toothed
pinion which is fixed on, the extreme end of one of the pivots of each fluted
roller, and the teeth of all four of the said pinions are actuated by the teeth
of one sector of a circle, which is suspended on a centre pin situated in the

page_text: horizontal centre line or axis of the circular curvature of the combs, and
that toothed sector is put in motion by means of a connecting link from the
upper ends of levers which are actuated by suitably indented revolving camm
wheels, or else by means of a crank rod and a revolving crank, in some
cases with a lever, and in other cases without. And by one or other of those
means the said toothed sector is caused to oscillate or vibrate backwards and
forwards around its centre of motion through a suitable space; in oscillating
or vibrating its teeth, acting in the teeth of all the four pinions on the ends
of the pivots of the different fluted rollers, cause those rollers to turn round
alternately backwards and forwards with a simultaneous and equal motion.
And the teeth or flutes of the said rollers acting on the teeth of the carriages,
move the same alternately backwards and forwards in the combs one division
or tier after the other, with an interval or space between the two tiers, and
passing them through between the warp threads out of one set of combs
into the, other set, and then back again. The warp threads are racked
with an instantaneous movement at the moment when one tier of carriages
is in the front combs, and the other tier in the back combs, without requiring
any pause or cessation of the motion of the carriages, whilst the racking of
the threads is to be performed; but the racking takes place whilst the
carriages are moving. The said fluted bar machinery being well known to
lace manufacturers and competent mechanicians need not be more particularly
described in this Specification, because the aforesaid particulars thereof are
sufficient to identify the particular kind of machinery already in use for the
manufacture of bobbin-net lace, to which my said improvements are appli-
cable.
Sheet I. of the Drawing hereunto annexed contains a section of the bobbins
and carriages, combs, fluted bars, points, and guides of a fluted bar machine
drawn full size. In such fluted bar machinery (as the same is commonly
worked) the two tiers or divisions of carriages n and m, which follow each
other in the combs 0, 0, 0, and must of necessity be kept at such a distance
asunder as to leave a proper interval between them to admit of racking the
warp threads P, P, at the moment when (in the course of the backward and
forward motion of the carriages in the combs) one tier of carriages is in the
back combs O, o, in, the position shewn by dotted lines at m, and the other
tier n in the front combs O in the position shewn at n, without making any
pause or cessation of the motion of the carriages in their combs; and owing to
the teeth of all the four pinions of the four fluted rollers being engaged in the
teeth of the same toothed sector, all the fluted rollers R, r, S, s, must be
moved with equal and simultaneous motion, as before stated, and therefore

page_text: the same vacant space or .interval is preserved between the two tiers of
carriages in all positions, as is represented at N, m, being that which is requisite
for the racking of the warp threads P, P, to be performed, although, if the
machinery were differently constructed, there would be no necessity for leaving
such an interval between the two tiers of carriages, when both tiers are brought
together into the same combs, whether into the front or into the back combs.
But in the fluted bar machinery, as heretofore constructed, it must preserve
the full interval between the two tiers in all positions. In another description
of double tier machinery commonly called circular bolt machines, wherein
the carriages are moved in the bolts or combs by driving bars above
the same, and fetchers or lockers (or both fetchers or lockers) beneath
the same, no such interval is left between the two tiers of carriages
when both tiers come together into the same bolts or combs, but the two
tiers of carriages come in contact from the instant that both tiers begin
to come together into the same bolts or combs, whether front or back.
It is a defect of the ordinary fluted bar machinery, that a needless space
is thus left between the two tiers of carriages when both ties are brought
together into the same combs, because one of the tiers of carriages (which
for distinction I will call the outermost tier, being those which are most
remote from the warp threads P, P), must in consequence be moved in the
combs further out from the warp threads than is necessary, wherefore the
combs require to be longer than necessary; and also because the said outer-
most tier of carriages being moved higher up than necessary in the circular
arch of the combs, the weight of those carriages occasions a needless stress on
the bars, and also because the innermost tier of carriages, after having passed
through the warp threads entirely into one set of combs either back or front,
and the warp threads having been racked with an instantaneous movement,
those innermost carriages ought to set out on their return through the warp
threads with the least possible delay; but when a machine is worked rapidly,
the promptitude of that return is impeded by the swing wherewith those
innermost carriages come through between the warp threads into the combs
on the opposite side, occasioning a heavy strain on the innermost fluted roller
to stop that swinging motion and cause a return, because there is nothing else
but the action of the innermost fluted roller to stop the swinging motion of
those carriages and dispose them to return. The object of my said improve-
ments is to remove the aforesaid defects of the ordinary fluted bar machinery;
and my said improvements consist partly in applying an additional toothed
sector to work in the pinions belonging to the two outermost fluted rollers R, r,
Sheet 1, that additional sector being distinct from the ordinary toothed sector,

page_text: which, according to my improvements, must only work in the pinions belong-
ing to the two innermost fluted rollers S, s, the said ordinary toothed sector
being worked by the usual means, whether by a revolving crank or by a
revolving camm wheel with suitable indentations, so as to give precisely the
same motion to those innermost fluted rollers S, 8, as is usually given thereto
in common fluted bar machines. And my said additional toothed sector,
which works as aforesaid in the pinions of the two outermost fluted rollers
R, r, (and in those only) must be put in motion by a connecting link and
suitable levers from a revolving camm wheel, having indentations properly
formed in its circumference to cause the said two outermost fluted rollers R, r,
to be turned with a motion which, during certain periods of the operation,
will correspond exactly with the motion which is given during the same
periods to the two innermost fluted rollers S, 8, by the usual machinery, that
is to say, during all the time when the carriages of the outermost tier (whether
they be in the front or in the back combs) have any of their teeth engaged
with the flutes of either of the innermost fluted rollers S, s, but from the
moment that the carriages of the outermost tier are become so far removed
from the warp threads P, P, that all their teeth have quitted the flutes of the
innermost fluted roller S, s, leaving those outermost carriages entirely
dependant for their motion upon the outermost fluted rollers R, r, then the
motion which is given to the outermost fluted rollers R, r, by my additional
sector, with its connected link lever and camm wheel, must be very different
from the motion then given as usual to the innermost fluted rollers S, 8, that is
to say, the motion then given to the outermost fluted rollers R, r, by virtue
of my improvement, must become slower and slower, and must cease altogether
when the outermost tier of carriages M is removed so far from the warp
threads P, P, as to leave sufficient rooms in the comb O to receive the
carriages N which compose the innermost tier, and let the same come clear of
those warp
threads P, P, whilst those threads are racked, consequently the
carriages of the outermost tier M will come to rest in the combs with a some-
what gradual cessation of motion before the carriages N of the innermost tier.
get to the extent of their motion in the combs. Wherefore the outermost tier M
will make a short pause whilst the innermost tier N comes up to overtake it,
and by coming in contact with the outermost carriages (as is shewn at M and
N in Sheet I. of the Drawing hereunto annexed) the swinging motion of the
innermost carriages N is stopped, and they are prepared to set out on their
return to the warp threads P, P, with promptitude, and at the same time that
they so begin to return (which is done entirely by the motion which the inner-
most fluted rollers S, s, derive from the usual machinery), the outermost tier:

page_text: of carriages M begin also to return by the motion which the outermost fluted
rollers R, r, derive from my additional sector, and its connecting link lever
and revolving camm wheel. But the said return of the outermost tier M by
virtue of my improvement begins with a more gradual commencement of
motion than the return of the innermost tier N begins with, by the common
action of the usual machinery, by which means the innermost tier N will get
so much further on its return than the outermost tier M, as to leave the
required interval between the two tiers of carriages before the outermost
tier M gets so far towards the warp threads that the teeth of its carriages
begin to take into the flutes of the innermost fluted roller S, and also by that
time the outermost fluted rollers R will have got into motion by virtue of my
improvements with exactly the same speed as the innermost fluted rollers S, s,
are then moving with, therefore the transfer of the outermost carriages M
from the outermost fluted roller R to the innermost fluted roller S will be
properly performed as usual in fluted bar machines, and so the action will
continue after the outermost carriages become engaged with the innermost
fluted roller S, for the motion of both outermost and innermost fluted rollers
then continue to be exactly equal and simultaneous in consequence of my
additional toothed sector being moved by its connecting link lever and revolv-
ing camm wheel with precisely the same motion as the usual toothed sector is
moved by its own common machinery, the effect being the same as if the two
sectors were fastened together like one, and they continue to act in that
manner until the outermost fluted roller r on the opposite side of the warp
threads P, P, gets entire possession of the outermost tier of carriages n, dotted
so that the same become quite detached from the innermost fluted roller s, after
which period the outermost fluted rollers r, R, begin to be moved by my addi-
tional sector and its connecting link lever and revolving camm wheel in the same
manner as already to describe for the action of those on the other side, that is
to say, the outermost fluted rollers r, R, are moved by virtue of my improve-
ments with a slower rate of motion than the motion wherewith the innermost
fluted rollers S, s, are moved at the same time by the usual action of the
common machinery, and when by such slower motion so produced by virtue of
my improvements the outermost tier is moved as far away from the warp
threads as to leave room within the combs for the innermost tier to get clear
of the warp threads whilst they are racked, the further motion of the outer-
most fluted rollers ceases altogether by a gradual cessation, and they pause
until the carriages of the innermost tier, which follows after the outermost
tier with the usual motion, comes in contact with the carriages of the outer-
most tier which are previously at rest in the combs, and by that contact the

page_text: motion of the innermost tier of carriages is stopped, and they are disposed for
returning with promptitude by the usual action of the common machinery, and
they are followed by the outermost tier with a slower rate of returning motion,
produced by my additional sector, its connecting link lever and revolving camm
wheel, whereby the innermost carriages run away from the outermost. which
are following them, so as to make the space between the two tiers, and the
slower motion so given by my improvement to the outermost tier increases in
rapidity as it goes on, and as the space between the two carriages is formed so
as to become precisely equal in speed to the speed with which the innermost
fluted rollers are then moving, by the time that the teeth. of the outermost
carriages are brought in contact with the flutes of the innermost roller,. and
that equality of speed in the motion of the outermost and innermost fluted
rollers must be kept up and preserved all the time that the teeth of the outer
most carriages on the opposite side continue to have any contact with the flutes
of the innermost fluted roller. And for the more complete explanation. of the
mode of carrying my said first improvement into effect, I have, in Sheet II. of
the Drawings hereunto annexed, represented a part of a fluted bar machine
with that improvement applied thereto, Figure 1 being an. end elevation of
the machine, and Figure 2 an elevation taken at the back of the machine,
shewing so many of the parts at one end thereof as contains my said improve-
ments. A, A, is the machine end. B, B, and b, b, b, b, the horizontal rails,
and D the top bar. Those parts being firmly united together form the fixed
framing of the machine, and for distinction all the fixed parts are designated
E is the main horizontal axis,
in the Drawing by a tint of Indian ink.
which extends all the length of the machine, being supported on bearings at
each of the end standards A, and steadied by a middle bearing. F is the
large driving cog wheel; it is fixed fast on one end of the axis E, and is
turned round by another cog wheel G of half the size, on the axis of which
wheel is the winch handle whereby a man actuates all the machinery. H, h,
is a large camm fixed fast on the main axis E; it has a curved groove
formed in it to receive a roller a, which is fitted on a pin fixed into the
extremity of a lever I; that lever is fixed fast on one extremity of a horizontal
axis K, and at the other end of the same axis another lever L is fixed in an
upright position, and from the upper end of that lever a connecting link f is
extended to a joint pin fixed into the toothed sector d, which is suspended
upon the fixed centre pin e. The centre of that pin conforms exactly to the
horizontal centre line of the curvature of the combs O. When the winch
handle on the axis of the wheel G is turned round by the person who works
the machine, it turns the large wheel F, F, and the camm h, H; as the latter

page_text: revolves, it operates by its curved groove on the roller a, which is included in
that groove, and by the curvature of the groove it raises and lowers the roller
a with three alternating motions for every entire revolution that the camm H
makes. The roller a is raised up into the position shewn in the Figure,
whenever any one of the most prominent parts marked h of the curved groove
comes to be uppermost, and the roller a is put down into the position shewn
by the dotted lines u, whenever any one of the least prominent parts of the
curved groove marked H comes to be uppermost. The said movement of the
roller a causes the lever L to move backwards and forwards about its centre
or axis k, from the position represented in the Drawing to that designated by
the dotted line l, and that motion is transmitted by the link f to the toothed
sector d, causing the same to oscillate about its centre of motion e, from the posi-
tion shewn in the Drawing to the position marked by the dotted line g. P, P,
. are the two pinions on the ends of the pivots of the two innermost fluted rollers
S, s (see Sheet I). Those two pinions and rollers are turned round alternately
backwards and forwards by the aforesaid oscillating action of the toothed
sector, so as to give precisely the same motion to the two innermost fluted
rollers S, s, as is usually given to all the four fluted rollers in the common
way of working fluted bar machinery. All the aforesaid parts are those of
the ordinary fluted bar machinery, without any part of my improvements; but
note, in many fluted bar machines the aforesaid alternating motions of the
lever L are produced like a crank, in lieu of the cam h, H, as herein-before
described, and as represented in the Figure, in which case the said camm is
omitted, and a toothed pinion, having one-third of the number of teeth of the
great wheel F, is applied so as to work therewith in the manner shewn by the
red lines at T. On the axis of that wheel a crank is formed, and a crank rod
V extends from the crank pin thereof to the lower end W of the lever L, or
else to the lower ends of a lever fixed fast on the end of the axis K of the
lever L, in lieu of the lever I, but turned downwards. The crank so applied
will revolve three times for once of the great wheel F, and in so revolving it
will give exactly the same movements to the lever L, its link f, and the
toothed sector d, and also the same motion to the two innermost pinions P, P,
and the two innermost fluted rollers S, s, as would be produced by the curved
groove of the camm H, h, as herein-before described. Wherefore it comes to
the same, as far as the application of my improvement is concerned, whether
the ordinary fluted bar machinery be worked by a camm motion H, a, I, K, or
by a crank motion, T, V, W, K; and when my said improvement is applied
thereto, the only material alteration needful to be made from the common
mode is that the pinions P, P, of the two innermost fluted rollers S, s, must be

page_text: fixed on the ends of the pivots of those rollers in a different plane from the
planes in which the two pinions Q, Q, of the outermost rollers R, r, are fixed
on the ends of the pivots of those rollers, in order that the toothed sector d
may work in the two innermost pinions P, P, and in them alone, because the
two outermost pinions Q, Q, being by the side of the sector d, will miss the
teeth thereof, and the toothed sector a may be cut off rather shorter than usual
at each end, because those ends are not required to reach to the outermost
pinions Q, Q. And my additional parts, which must be added to the aforesaid
ordinary parts of fluted bar machinery in order to work the same, according
to my said first improvement, are distinguished in the Drawing by numeral
characters for reference, and are as follows:-An additional or duplicate
toothed sector 1 is suspended on the same centre pin e as the usual sector d, and
by the side thereof. The duplicate sector 1 is no way different from the usual
sector d; but one sector can vibrate about the centre pin e, independently of
the other, without either being controlled in its motion by the motion of the
other, and the teeth of the duplicate sector 1 act on the teeth of the two outer-
most pinions Q, Q, and in those alone, because the duplicate sector 1 is at
the side of the two innermost pinions P, P, so as to miss the teeth thereof.
My said duplicate sector I is connected by a link 2, with the upper end of a
lever 3, which is fixed on the extreme end of a horizontal axis 4, and at the other
end of that axis is a lever 5 carrying a roller 6 on a pin at the end of it to act
in the curved groove of a camm 7, which is fixed fast on the main axis E,
so as to revolve therewith. The said duplicate parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and the
camm 7, are very similar in form to the ordinary parts d, f, L, K, I, a,
and the camm H, before described. And the camm 7 gives a very similar
motion to the roller 6, its lever 5 and 3, and link 2, and duplicate 'sector 1,
except that the size and curvature of the groove in the camm 7 is so adapted
to the size and curvature of the groove of the camm H as to produce that
peculiar turning motion of the two outermost rollers R, r, which is requisite
in order to actuate the carriages in the manner herein-before set forth (that is
to say), the turning motion which is given to the two outermost rollers R, r,
by means of my additional machinery 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1, must be precisely
equal to and simultaneous with the motion which is given to the two inner-
most fluted rollers S, s, by the ordinary machinery H, a, I, K, L, f, and d
(or else by that marked F, T, V, W, K, L, f, and d), during all that portion
of the operation whilst any of the teeth of the outermost tier of carriages
(being that tier which is farthest from the warp threads) are engaged by the
flutes of either of the innermost.rollers S, s. But from the time that the said
outermost tier of carriages gets so far removed from the warp threads that

page_text: the teeth of those carriages entirely quit contact with the flutes of the inner
rollers S or s, whereby the said outermost carriages become entirely dependant
for their motions upon the outermost fluted rollers R or r; then the motion
given in one case by the most prominent parts of the curve of my additional
camm 7 to the roller 6, and in the other case by the least prominent parts
thereof, will begin to get slower than the motion which is given by the ordi-
nary machinery (at the same stage of the operation) to the two innermost
rollers S, s, and that slower motion of the two outermost rollers R, r, so given
by virtue of my improvement, will get slower and slower until it ceases altogether
a little before the motion given by the usual machinery to the two innermost
roller S, s, ceases, that earlier cessation of the motion of the outermost rollers,
by virtue of my improvement, taking place as soon as the outermost car-
riages M are just so far removed by virtue of my improvement from the warp
threads P, P, as to leave sufficient room in the combs for the innermost tier
of carriages N to enter therein clear of the warp threads P, P, whereby the
innermost tier of the carriages N, at the termination of their course, and as
they come with a swinging motion through the threads P, P, will come in
contact with the outermost tier M, which has previously been brought to rest
in the combs, and in consequence the swinging motion of the innermost
carriages N will be stopped with ease, and they will be disposed to return
with promptitude by the usual action of the common machinery. And when
the innermost carriages N have thus commenced their return, the outermost
tier M is to set out after them by the action of my improvement, with such
a slower rate of motion as will allow the innermost tier N to run away from.
the outermost until the requisite space or interval is left vacant between the
two tiers; but the returning motion so given by my improvement to the
outermost tier M must get quicker and quicker as it proceeds until the outer-
most rollers R, r, will come to move with precisely. the same speed as the
innermost rollers S, 8, by the time that the teeth of the outermost tier of
carriages M come in contact with the flutes of the innermost rollers S. By
attention to this statement of the action which is to be performed by
my improvement, together with the previous statement thereof, any com-
petent mechanician will be able to set out the groove of my additional
camm 7 with a proper curvature to suit the particular fluted bar machine
which is to be worked according to my improvement. The three pro-
minent parts of the curve of the camm will be rather less elevated, and
the three depressions thereof rather less depressed, than the corresponding
parts of the curve of the camm H, and also the curvature of the
prominences and depressions of the camm 7 will be wider and more rounded

page_text: than those of the cam H, in order that the alternating motion of the levers
3 and 5 may terminate their excursion each way with a more progressive and
gradual loss of motion than that which the camm H, or the crank V, 'gives to
the levers I and L, and also the said roundness of the curvature of the
camm 7 will occasion a short pause before the return commences.
And in
order to obtain the exact curvature for those parts of the groove of the
camm 7 which are to cause the two outermost fluted rollers R, r, to move in
exact correspondence with the motion of the two innermost rollers S, s, every
part of the ordinary machinery should be completed; and also every part of
my improvement, except cutting out the groove in the camm 7, and applying
its roller 6. Then my additional toothed sector 1 should be screwed fast to
the usual sector d, which is by the side of it, so that both sectors must move
together like one, and in this state all the machinery should be set up and
properly adjusted to go through all the movements of common fluted bar
machinery with accuracy. A sharp steel point should be fitted into a socket
at the end of the lever 5 in place of the centre pin for the roller 6, so that
by pressing the said steel point hard towards the flat surface of the camm 7, it
will prick out or scratch a mark thereon. By those means a proper curve
may be traced for the centre line of the groove, which is to be cut in the
camm 7 at all those parts thereof which are required to give to the two
outermost fluted rollers such a motion as will correspond exactly in time and
space with the motion which is to be given during the same periods of the
operation to the two innermost fluted rollers by the camm H or the crank V,
and afterwards to trace out the other extreme parts of the elevations and
depressions of the curve. For the camm 7 my additional sector 1 must be
detached from the usual sector d, leaving them independant one of the other,
and then by placing the several parts of the machinery in such relative
positions as will cause the outermost tier of carriages to fall so much short
of their previous excursion in the combs that the innermost tier of carriages
will overtake them in the manner herein-before set forth, other points in the
curved centre line of the groove for the camm 7 may be marked off or pricked
out by the point at 6, on the flat face of the camm 7. And whereas it is
of great importance for the efficient action of fluted bar machinery when the
same is worked according to my improvement, that there should be a very
exact coincidence between the motion given to the two outermost fluted
rollers by virtue of my improvements, and the motion given to the two
innermost fluted rollers by the usual action of the common machinery during
that portion of the motion herein-before specified when the said coincidence
is required, hence the grooves in the camms H and 7 should be very accu-
in

page_text: rately formed to fit the rollers a and 6, and the joints of all the levers and
other
parts I should be truly fitted, and as a security for the exactitude of the
said coincidence a safety bolt may be applied within the space between the
common toothed sector d and my duplicate sector 1, in order to fasten the
two sectors firmly together during all those periods of their operation when
they are required to move together as one, but to liberate my duplicate sector
from the other whenever they arrive at that position in which they are to
begin to move with independent motions. A safety bolt of this kind may be
fitted in the manner shewn at 17, 18, and 19, Figure 3, Sheet II., into suitable
sockets 10 and 11, which are formed on the usual sector d, so as to slide
endways therein in the same manner as the bolt of a door. The sliding
motion of the bolt 19 being in a direction from the centre of the sector to
the circumference thereof, and the extreme end of the bolt 19 being adapted
to enter enter into a socket 12 in my additional sector 1, when the bolt 19 is
pushed downwards or outwards from the centre of the sector, and the said
extreme end of the bolt 19 being made tapering like a wedge will fit tight
into the socket 12 of my duplicate sector 1 when it is pushed therein,
and will hold the two sectors fast together in the same manner as the
bolting of a door, and in order to bolt and unbolt such a safety bolt
at the proper stages, the shank of the bolt may be prolonged upwards
to a considerable height 17, above the centre e of the usual sector, that
shank being sufficiently cranked or bended in the middle part 18 to pass
clear by the centre boss of the sector d, and the upper end of the shank
17 of the bolt being guided in another socket 11 at the upper end of an
arm 13, which projects upwards from the central boss of the usual sector d,
being formed in one piece therewith, a small roller 14 may be fitted on a pin
which projects out sideways from the upper end of a bolt, the directions of the
pin being parallel to the centre pine of the sectors. The said roller 14 is
fitted into a curved groove 16, 15, 16, which is cut out in a fixed plate, and
the roller 14 moves backwards and forwards in the groove 15 whenever the
sector d oscillates about its centre pin e. The middle part 15 of the curve of
the said groove is an arch of a circle formed concentric with the centre of
motion e, about which the sector d oscillates; and whenever the roller 14 of
the bolt 17, 18, and 19, is in that circular part 15 of the groove the bolt 19
will be kept down in its bolted state, but each end of the groove 15 must turn 3
upwards from the said circular portion with an easy curvature, in order that
the roller 14, whenever it arrives at those turned-up ends 16, 16, lift up and
unbolt the bolt at the required period, or stage of the operation.
And another part of my said improvements is to impart to the outermost

page_text: fluted rollers that peculiar turning motion which they require to have, as
herein-before set forth (in order to enable fluted bar machinery to be worked
according to my said improvements), by the additional machinery represented
in Sheet III., whereby the camm 7, and its levers 5 and 3, are dispensed
with, but my duplicate sector 1, with its link 2, is applied in the manner
herein-before described; and the other end of the link 2 is jointed to the
upper end 20 of a short elbow lever 20, 21, and 22, which is mounted on a
centre pin or stud 21 fixed fast into the upright lever L of the usual
machinery; and whether that lever L be moved by a crank motion as repre-
sented in Sheet III., or by a camm as represented in Sheet II. The applica-
tion of my improvement thereto will be the same as represented in Sheet III.
At the extremity of the arm 22 of the small elbow lever a stud pin projects
out sideways therefrom, and a roller which is mounted on that pin is lodged in
a curved groove 23 cut out in a plate, which is firmly fixed to the frame
of the machine, and when the lever L moves backwards and forwards
the roller 22 travels backwards and forwards in the groove 23. The
principal portion of the curvature of the groove 23 is an arch of a circle con-
centric with the centre of motion K of the lever L, and so long as the roller 22
continues in the circular portion of the curve the elbow lever 20, 21, and 22,
will move along with the lever L in the same manner as if it were fixed fast
thereto, and consequently the motion transmitted from the top 20 of that
elbow lever by the link 2 to my duplicate sector 1, will be the same as the
motion which is transmitted at the same time from the upper end of the
lever L by the link to the ordinary sector d, wherefore the two sectors d and
1 will be moved both together as if they were fastened together like one;
but when the roller 22 arrives near to either end of its groove 23 the curvature
thereof turns as much upwards or downwards as will guide the elbow lever in a
suitable manner to cause the upper end 20, with its link 2 and duplicate sector 1,
to move with a slower motion than the upper end of the lever F and the link f
and the ordinary sector d are moving with, because, although the centre pin or
stud 21 of the elbow lever continues to be carried forwards with lever F, the
motion given by the curved ends of the groove 23 to the roller 22 will tend
to neutralize the motion which would otherwise be given to the upper end 20
of the elbow lever, and therefore by giving a suitable curvature to the ends of
the groove 23, the motion which is transmitted by my elbow lever 20, 22, its
link 2, and my duplicate sector 1, to the pinions Q, Q, of the two outermost
fluted rollers, can be brought to a gradual and earlier cessation of turning
motion than the two innermost fluted rollers, as herein-before set forth, and a
short pause may be made in the said turning motion of the two outermost

page_text: rollers before they commence their return, or has been herein-before set forth
to be necessary for working fluted bar machinery according to my improve-
ments. Note, the safety bolt herein-before described may be used in concert
with this last-described plan if required.
And another part of my said improvements is to impart to that one of the
two outermost fluted rollers which is giving motion to the outermost tier of
carriages for the time that peculiar turning motion which it requires to have
communicated to it as aforesaid, and for the purposes aforesaid, by cutting
away some teeth of the sector which works into the teeth of the two
outermost pinions Q, Q, in order that one of the pinions may loose its
connection with the teeth of the sector at the moment when that outer-
most fluted roller requires to begin to be moved with a slower motion
than the two innermost rollers are then moving with, and also apply-
ing such additional parts to the sector and to the two outermost pinions
Q, Q, as will produce the requisite slower motion thereof, and likewise
a cessation and pause in that motion, as before stated. This part of my
improvements is represented in Figures 2 and 3, Sheet I., wherein it is drawn
the full size. It is not necessary to have more than one toothed sector d, pro-
vided that its toothed part is made twice the breadth of the usual sector, in
order that its teeth may work into the teeth of all the four pinions, notwith-
standing that the two outermost pinions Q, Q, are in a different plane from
the two innermost pinions P, P, but part of the teeth at the middle portion of
the sector must be cut away, as shewn at Figure 3, leaving the teeth at that
part only half the breadth of the others, in order that they may work in the
teeth of the two innermost pinions P, P, when there are no teeth opposite to
that one of the two outermost pinions Q, Q, which belongs to that outermost
fluted roller which is giving motion to the outermost tier of carriages for the
time; consequently the said outermost pinion is not then impelled by the teeth
of the sector, but in lieu thereof a slower motion turning is imparted to the
pinion by means of a steel pin 30, which is fixed in the end of the pinion Q,
and projects out therefrom in the manner of a crank pin or short winch handle,
and that pin 30 is received into a curved groove 31, cut out in a steel plate 32,
which is fastened to one side of the sector d, and projects down below the
teeth thereof, so as to come opposite to the end of the pinion Q. When the
toothed sector swings or moves about its centre pin e by the usual action of the
ordinary machinery, it turns all the four pinions round together, just in the
usual manner of common fluted bar machinery, until the outermost set of
carriages are removed so far from the warp threads that the teeth of those
carriages have just quitted the teeth of the innermost fluted roller, and by that

page_text: time the steel plate 32 which moves the sector d, will have advanced towards
the pin 30 on the pinion Q, whereby that pin will have entered into the open
end of the curved groove 31 in the plate. The curvature of the said open
end of the groove is such that the pin will be guided thereby, and moved
round in its circular course with the same speed as the teeth of the sector will
turn the pinion round, but this action is only during an instant while the
pin 30 gets fairly entered into the groove, at that part where it will fit the
same on both sides of the groove; but by the time that the pin is so entered
that part of the sector where its teeth are cut away comes opposite to the
teeth of the pinion, which therefore ceases to be turned by those teeth, and
then the turning motion of the pinion becomes entirely dependant upon the
action of the pin 30, in its curved groove 31, which action will cause the
pin 30 to be impelled round in its circular course as the plate 32 advances
with the sector. But owing to the peculiar curvature of the groove 31, and
to the change of the position of the pin 30, as it is forced further and further
round in its circular course, the turning motion which is given to it (and to
the pinion and to the outermost fluted roller) becomes slower and slower as it
gets further, until it ceases totally by the time that the pin enters into the
lower part 33 of the groove, which part is formed to an arch of a circle con-
centric with the centre of motion e, about which the sector swings, and, there-
fore, any further motion which the sector may have before it begins to return
will not produce any further motion of the pins 30 or of the pinion Q. Under
these circumstances the outermost tier of carriages will have been brought to
rest in the combs, by a gradual cessation of their motion, whilst the innermost
tier continues to move towards the outermost tier until the former overtake
and come in contact with the latter at the moment when the latter are required
to set out on their return, and by that contact the swing of the innermost car-
riages is stopped, and they are disposed to return as herein-before stated. As
the sector returns the pin 30 will derive no motion from the groove 31, so long
as the lower and concentric part 33 thereof acts on the pin 30, but when the
curved part 31 of the groove comes to the pin 30, it will begin to raise
the same upwards in its circular course, turning the pinion Q and
its fluted roller round slowly at first and quicker and quicker after-
wards until the pin 30 gets the pinion into full motion, with precisely
the same speed as it would be turned by its teeth being actuated by
the teeth of the sector, and at that moment the first of those teeth
of the sector which are not cut away comes in contact with the teeth
of the pinion, and immediately afterwards the pin 30 moves upwards out of
the mouth of the groove 31, in which situation the pinion is turned by the

page_text: teeth of the sector, and with exactly the same speed, as all the other three
pinions are turned as in common fluted-bar machinery. And it is not until
that situation of the parts is attained that the teeth of the outermost tier of
carriages come in contact with the teeth of the innermost fluted rollers. When
the sector swings over to the opposite side, the same operation takes place on
the other outermost pinion Q, as already described. Note, in this last-
described plan only one at a time of the two outermost fluted rollers is turned
with that slower and peculiar motion herein-before described, being that outer-
most fluted roller which is then actuating the outermost tier of carriages; but
the other outermost fluted roller, which has no carriages near it, is at the same
time turned round by the teeth of the sector with the same speed as the two
innermost fluted rollers are then turned in the same manner as both the outer-
most fluted rollers are turned in common fluted-bar machinery. Nevertheless,
this circumstance makes no difference in the action of my improvement,
because that outermost fluted roller, which is so moved according to the usual
manner of common fluted-bar machinery, is idle, and doing nothing to the
carriages, whilst the other outermost fluted roller is moving according to the
manner of my improvement, and actuating the carriages in the manner herein-
before set forth. Note, instead of cutting away a portion of the teeth of the
sector, the same effect may be attained by cutting away a portion of the teeth
from each of the outermost pinions Q, Q, leaving the sector with all its teeth
complete.
Having now described my improvements, and the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I, the said Thomas Alcock, do hereby declare that what I
claim as my Invention is, the various mechanical means herein-before set forth,
whereby at certain periods of the operation of fluted-bar machinery the two
outermost fluted rollers (or else that one of those outermost rollers which is
the active one) are or is caused to turn with a slower rate of turning motion
than the two innermost fluted rollers are at that same time turned with, that
slower motion being produced at all those periods of the operation of the
fluted-bar machinery. When the outermost tier of carriages gets so far out
from the warp threads as to quit contact with the innermost fluted roller (in
order that by such slower motion becoming slower and slower as it proceeds,
the outermost carriages may not be moved any farther outwards in the combs
than is absolutely necessary, but that they may be gradually brought to rest in
the combs with a short pause, and thereby the innermost carriages (although
they move precisely in the same manner as in common fluted-bar machinery)
may be brought in contact with the outermost carriages just before the inner-
most begin to return and in consequence of which contact the swinging motion

page_text: of the innermost carriages may be more easily and quickly stopped, and
they may be disposed to return with more promptitude than in the usual
mode of working fluted-bar machinery with the two tiers of carriages at an
invariable distance from each other.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Alcock, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and thirty-two.