Improvements in Wire Weaving Looms and Shuttles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 16th Nov., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wire Weaving Looms and Shuttles.
I, JOSEPH WILSON WHITE, of 32 Aaron Street, in the City of Cleveland,
State of Ohio, United States of America, Factory Superintendent, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to improvements in wire weaving looms and shuttles, and
one of the objects of the invention is to provide means for more advantageously
and uniformly operating the shuttle and its carrier than has hitherto been attained,
and a further object of the invention is to improve the shuttle construction and
operation. To these ends the invention consists in the construction and com-
bination of parts, substantially as shown and described and particularly pointed out
in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a loom equipped with my improvements, but only
such parts thereof are shown as are necessary to show the improvements and their
operation.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the loom shown in Fig. 1, portions of the same
being broken away to more clearly disclose the construction.
Fig. 3 is a plan view, looking down upon Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a detail in elevation of certain parts of the novel actuating mechanism.
Fig. 5 is an edge elevation of the lower portion of Fig. 4, looking to the left or
from the position of Fig. 5.
Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation corresponding with line x, x, Fig. 4.
Fig. 7 is an elevation of the cam mechanism and its connection for actuating the
lay, as hereinafter described.
Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one form or style of my improved shuttle on a
shuttle carrier, and Fig. 9 is a plan view thereof.
Fig. 10 is a vertical central sectional elevation, 5. 5 Fig. 9, and Fig. 11 is a
horizontal section view of the shuttle spindle.
Figs. 13 to 17 inclusive show a modification of shuttle adapted to be inter-
changed with the other shuttles herein described. Thus, Fig. 13 is a plan view
thereof, and Fig. 14 is a side elevation. Fig. 15 is an enlarged sectional elevation
on line 3. 3, Fig. 14, looking down. Fig. 16 is a cross section on line 4. 4 Fig. 15.
Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the spool spindle.
Fig. 18 is a horizontal section of a modified form of shuttle case with a
recess in its edge for the spring to secure the spindle, and Fig. 19 is a cross
section on line 5. 5 Fig. 18.
Fig. 20 is an elevation of a section of a lay and a shuttle and its carrier, and
Fig. 21 is a front elevation of Fig. 20.
Fig. 22 is a side elevation of a modified form of shuttle actuating mechanism,
and Fig. 23 is a plan view thereof.
Fig. 24 is a horizontal section of another modification of shuttle and spool
carrier as hereinafter described.
Figures 25 to 28 inclusive relate to still another modification of shuttle
actuating mechanism, as hereinafter fully described.
In the several figures A designates the frame of the loom wherever it may
appear, and B is the lay or batten. It will be noticed in Fig. 2 that the batten
is pivoted on the frame A by means of the two threaded and pointed pivot pins 2,

page_text: which are set in small cavities in the steel centering blocks 3. At the side of the
frame A and opposite to the said pivot points of the lay are outwardly extending
brackets 4, each supporting a pulley 5, having a flanged channel about its
periphery adapted to receive the belts 6. These belts are connected at their lower
ends with the shuttle carrier 8, and at their upper ends with their respective
pulleys 5 and are kept stretched or taut so that the shuttle carrier receives a
prompt and positive movement back and forth when the sheaves 5 are rotated in
either direction. Obviously, there must be an alternating rotation of these sheaves,
first turning together in one direction and then in the opposite direction and always
a sufficient distance to carry the shuttle to the end of its travel. It will be
noticed that the shafts 9 which support the sheaves 5 are on the same horizontal
plane exactly as the pivot points of the lay, so that while the shuttle swings
back and forth with the lay and when the sheaves are stationary there is no
disturbance of the belts or cords connecting the sheaves and shuttle.
Now, in order to operate these sheaves 5 in the manner and at the time
desired, I have provided mechanism which is always in gear and which needs
simply to come round in its time to rotate the sheaves. Thus, upon the shaft 9,
at each side of the loom is a mitre gear 10, which meshes with a driving bevel
gear 12.
This driving gear on each side of the loom is fixed upon the shaft 13,
which carries a pinion 14 near one end. A segmental gear 15 on a substantially
triangular frame 16 meshes with this pinion 14. The frame or triangle 16 is
pivoted at 17 and has a limited swing thereon, being itself actuated by a con-
necting bar or rod 18, which, at its opposite end, is connected with the elliptical
gear 20. This gear 20 is supported upon the inclined bar 21 of the main frame
and upon one side has a channeled arm 22, in which is engaged an adjustable
bearing bolt 23, for the connecting bar 18. Hence, I can give more or less
throw to the triangle 16 by adjusting the connecting bar 18 nearer to or further
from the center of the ellipse 20, aud the longer the throw of this connecting bar
the greater the rotation of the pinion 14, and, at last, the greater also, the throw
of the shuttle.
Upon the opposite side of the ellipse 20 are adjustable stops 24, opposite one
another and at the extremities of the ellipse. These have the function and purpose
of engaging the smooth periphery of the composite wheel 25. This wheel is fixed
upon countershaft 26, and is fashioned to a perfect circle except at one side where
it has a segmental gear 28, out of its own vertical plane but in a plane to niesh
with the geared ellipse 20. Power is applied to the shaft 26 through a large gear
wheel 29 thereon meshing with the driving pinion 30 on the power shaft 31 having
drive pulleys 32.
Having, now, the foregoing construction and connection of parts, and assuming
that the power is applied and the machine started, all the parts from the drive
pulley to the wheel 25 are connected and kept in constant action. But from
wheel 25 forward toward the shuttle the action will be intermittent and there will
be no clutching or violent starting at any point.
The intermittent action is first shown upon the ellipse 20, which will always
receive a half rotation through the segment 28 and will be left each time either in
the identical relation seen in Fig. 4, or in the reverse relation, and first one way
and then the other, alternately, the stops 2+ each time resting on the periphery of
the wheel 25 and serving to limit the movement of the ellipse. The length of time
during which the ellipse remains quiet is determined by the time taken for the
wheel 25 to complete a rotation from disengagement to engagement or segment 28,
and this is timed to suit the demands of the shuttle, so that just enough throw
thereof and no more shall be made. Immediately after the segment 28 leaves the
ellipse 20, the stop 24 drops onto the smooth surface of whed 25, and the ellips
remains at rest. In this operation the triangle, Fig. 4, is first in the petion say
as shown in said figure and then in the reverse position, and on alterm tely,
It will be seen in Fig. 3 that the shaft 13 has a bevel gear 12 at each end, and
cach meshing with a bevel pinion 10. These gears and pinions are of the same

page_text: size respectively, so that by rotating shaft 13 both sheaves 5 will be turned exactly
alike, thereby giving uniform action to the shuttle.
Referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the sheaves 5 are set somewhat at an
inclination to a vertical plane so as to throw them into the same plane exactly as
the lay when it is in its back stroke and when the shuttle is thrown or carried from
side to side. This keeps the belt or cord 6 always on its sheaves and in free
operative relation.
In Fig. 7 I show a novel construction cam C, for operating the lay B. Here-
tofore I have relied on a rebound of the lay to complete the stroke of the lay
itself and beat up the weft into close and uniform position, but I have found that
with the most careful and painstaking labor there will be some difference in the
size of the wire and hence liability to noticeable difference in the evenness and
compactness of the weaving. To overcome and avoid this objection I have
The
provided the cam C with a subordinate and supplemental cam heel 30¹.
roller 31 in operating bar D drops onto small cam 30' after leaving the shoulder
of cam C and the lay is slightly withdrawn and again released to be thrown
forward hy the actuating spring E. This does the work thoroughly and never
fails, and insures evenness of weaving however the wires may vary.
Obviously the invention is not necessarily restricted to all the details of
construction pointed in the description, but at nearly every place may be varied
or modified somewhat and still remain substantially the same as shown and
escribed. Neither is it deemed necessary here to point out the particular
instances wherein equivalent constructions inight be adopted instead, it being left
to those skilled in the art to discover and apply these for themselves, as may seem
desirable.
The mechanism for operating the shuttle carrier through or over the pulleys 5
in any case should be such as to multiply the travel of the shuttle four or more
times as compared with its own initial movement, so as to give the requisite speed
to the shuttle.
Now referring more definitely to the shuttle, and particularly as shown in Fig. 8
to 12 inclusive, we have the shuttle Q, and the spool 35 therein, the spindle 36 for
the spool, and the spring 37 within the hub of the spool, and about the spindle 36.
The said spindle has an angular extremity 38 which sets in the square hole or
opening in the shuttle bottom, so that the spindle cannot rotate, and a spring
catch 40 locks the spindle in the spool, the spindle being grooved longitudinally
to permit the depression of said spring to remove the spindle.
The spool is made in two parts screwed together, and the hub thereof has an
internal annular chamber adapted to receive the spring 37. One end of this spring
is fixed to a collar or sleeve 42, which fits over the spindle within said chamber,
and the spindle is splined at a to receive a projection or rib 6 on the inside of said
collar, whereby the collar is prevented from turning, but leaving the spindle free
to be removed and inserted as occasion requires. The other end of the spring 37
The engagement
is seen at 43, bearing against the inside of the hub of the spool.
of these parts is frictional and the degree of pressure by said spring against the
hub depends on the strength of the spring. This pressure is designed to be just
enough to prevent any slack wire being paid out at any time by the spool, and to
keep the wire taut or at least slightly stretched at all times. The spool will thus
be fett free to rotate, and the hub thereof will turn with the spring bearing against,
its inside and operating as a brake. This will not prevent a perfectly free action
in paying out the wire thread, but it will prevent unwinding of the wire thread
after the shuttle stops and thus serve the purpose for which the spring is intended.
The spool is removed by first removing the spindle, and is replaced by putting the
In this case to
spool into the shuttle and then inserting the spindle from above.
remove the spool it is necessary that the shuttle should be withdrawn from its
runway at one end thereof, so that the spindle may be drawn out.
Referring to Fig. 10 it will be seen that the lower inside surface of the
substantially half case horizontal opening through the shuttle for the spool is

page_text: recessed at 60 to substantially the depth of the flange 61 of the spool, so as to
prevent the wire from working downward and getting wound and entangled about
the spindle outside the spool. It will be noticed that the lowest side 62 of the
shuttle having recess 60 extends out beyond the flange 61 of the spool all around,
and the recess is co-extensive with the flange at all exposed points.
In the modification of a shuttle shown in Figs. 13 to 21 the shuttle is so
constructed as not to require removing from its runway in replenishing the spool,
and either form of shuttle shown herein may be used with the loom herein before
described as shall be preferred.
Both the top and
A represents the shuttle proper and B' the spindle thereon.
the bottom, 2 and 3 of the shuttle are shown as perfectly smooth and imperforate
and without any opening for securing the spindle B'. The upper side is shown as
having a bearing piece 4' therein, and an open slot or channel running in said
piece adapted to receive the square shank 61 of the spindle and hold the spindle
from turning.
A corresponding slot or depression 7' in the portion 81 on the inside
of the bottom of the shuttle serves to engage the lower end of the spindle, and a
latch D engages the lower end of the spindle outside of and beneath the spool.
This latch is pivoted at 91, and has a hook catch 10¹ engaged in a spring lock 12'.
The plate D is of course quite thin and adapted to slide under the edge of the
spool, and has a bead or line 13' about its outer edge corresponding to the rib 14'
on the plate 31, and serving the usual purpose of preventing the wire from getting
beneath the flange of the spool the same as in the foregoing construction of
shuttle.
In Fig. 18 is seen a somewhat modified form for engaging the lower end of
the spindle. In this case as plainly seen in sectional Fig. 19 the bottom 161 of
the shuttle is recessed at 171 instead of having a shoulder plate laid within the
same as in Fig. 15, and wire guard 18¹ serves in this case to lock the spindle in
position, and is hooked over a lug or pin 20¹ at its free end. The edge and bottom
of the shuttle is recessed as shown at 22' to make room for the wire guard 181
beneath the spool.
The
Figs. 22 and 23 show a modification of shuttle actuating mechanism. R represents
the frame and S the lay-pivoted on the frame at its top, on pivot points 70.
shuttle is attached to tapes or straps 71 as in Fig. 2 and passes over sheaves 72
below and 73 above, and is secured to the said sheaves 73. Sheave 73 is on a
short shaft supported in a bracket 74 on the lay, and has a clutch connection 75
with shaft 76 fixed in frame R. Power is communicated to shaft. 76 through the bevel
pinion 77 thereon. The meshing gear 78 on the end of shaft 79 and the segment 80
engaging pinion 81 on shaft 79, an netuating rod 82 connected with segment 80
The clutch 75 is
giving a reciprocating motion to the segment as in Fig. 4.
always in engagement but has the advantage of allowing play at this point as the
lay swings back and forth.
In Fig. 24 is shown still another construction of shuttle, in which the spindle B'
is fixed rigidly upon the plate B2, and the said plate and spindle are inserted and
removed gether. The plate is engaged by a lug and projection 90 at one end,
and by a latch 91 at the other. The bottom of the shuttle is shown at 92.
In this latter construction of shuttle as well as in that shown in Figs. 13, 14
and 15 the spool is removable laterally at the sides of the shuttle with the spindle
without removing the shuttle from between the top and bottom bars E 2 and D 2
forming the runway of the shuttle, and the shuttle remains on the carrier G 2, as
seen for example in Figs. 20 and 21.
Referring now to Fig. 25 we have a modification of shuttle operating mechanism
as will now appear. T represents the frame of the loom in sectional elevation,
and V the batten or lay, which may be of any approved construction, and is swung
from pivots at its top upon the main frame T. The operations of the batten are
wholly mechanical, but they are designed to be the same in practical effect
In a full
substantially as if the batten were operated by haud in the old way.
sized machine the rod X extends back to actuating mechanism which may be of

page_text: any approved kind but not shown nor claimed herein. The cam W, is fixed upon
the power shaft Y and is adapted to work between two rollers or sheaves 100
and 100 on a sliding part 101 supported at its ends in posts 102 and having its
extremities reduced and constructed to pass through openings in said posts. This
part 101 has a vertical arm 103 and said arm has anti-friction connection with a
slotted arm 104 upon the segment frame 105. This segment frame is suspended
from the main frame T at its top, and has a toothed segment 106 adapted to mesh
with a pinion 107, and supported upon a short shaft 108 in a bearing bracket 109
fixed upon the main frame T. Upon the other end of said shaft 108 is a miter
wheel 110 which meshes with a miter pinion 111 on a short shaft at right angles
to the shaft 108 and having a pointed beveled coupling 112 at its opposite end
from the miter pinion 111.
Now, returning to Fig. 25 we find that the sliding bar 101 is carried to the
extent of its movement and to the extent of the throw of the cam W to the rear,
and hence the parts will remain in that position until they are changed by the
action of the cam operating upon the opposite sheave or roller 100. However,
this action will not begin immediately after the cam has left the roller 100, but
there will be a moment of intervening time before moving engagement is made
with the roller 100¹. When this engagement does occur the arm 102 of course
moves with the bar 101 and correspondingly moves the segment 106 and rotates
the pinion 107. The rotation of this pinion is intermittent and is designed to
occur only when the shuttle is to be propelled from one side to the other. Hence,
the rotation occurs when the batten has been swung to the rear, and the shuttle
and its carrier are at one end of the shuttle runway. In the engagement here
shown said parts are at the left of the machine, and in position to be propelled to
the right.
Now, assuming that the rotation of pinion 107 has begun by and through the
action of cam W, and the sliding part 101, and that the batten is back in position
to make a stroke, it will also be found at this time that the parts are in position to
have the shuttle carried to the right. As this occurs the coupling 113, Fig. 28,
supported upon the bracket 114 upon the batten is brought into engagement with
the couplings 112 and the sprocket wheel 119 on the short shaft 115 which carries
the coupling 113, so as to propel the shuttle carrier 116 and its shuttle 117 to the
right by means of the endless sprocket chain 118 which runs over the sprocket
wheel 119 and at one side of the batten and the wheel 120 at the other side, the
said chain of course being connected with the carrier 116. Either or any of the
shuttles herein described may be used with this style of loom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The loom frame, the lay pivoted at its top on said frame, a sheave supported
on said frame at each side on a plane with the pivot of the lay and having a grooved
periphery, the shuttle carrier and belts each engaged at one end to said carrier and
at the other end to said sheaves, in combination with the short shafts 9 carrying said
sheaves, the pinions 10 thereon, and the gear wheels and shaft to rotate said pinious,
and means to actuate said gear wheels and shaft alternately in opposite directions,
substantially as set forth.
2. The loom frame, the lay pivoted at its top on said frame, and a grooved
sheave opposite each pivot, the shuttle carrier, the belts attached to said carrier
and said sheaves, and a gear mechanism to rotate said sheaves together alterna-
tively in opposite directions, in combination with a shaft and a pinion 14 to actuate
said mechanism, pivoted part 16 having a segmental gear engaged with said pinion,
and means to actuate said part 16, substantially as set forth.
3. The shuttle casing, having an internal chamber, a moveable spool in the said
chamber in the shuttle, a removable spindle through said shuttle and spool and
locked in the shuttle to prevent rotation, and a flat coiled spring confined within

page_text: said spool and fixed at one end to a sleeve on said spindle and the other end bearing
frictionally against the inside of the spool, and the said sleeve, all said parts in
combination, substantially as set forth.
4. The shuttle casing, in connection with a spool formed in two parts and having
an intermediate annular chamber within its hub a non-rotatable spindle around
which the spool revolves, a collar located in the said chamber and engaging the
said spindle, a flat coiled spring also located in said chamber, one end of the spring
being attached to said collar and the other end bearing frictionally against the
inside of the spool chamber, substantially as described.
5. A shuttle for wire weaving looms having a spool chamber with imperforate
top and bottom walls and open at its sides, stid top and bottom walls rigidly and
permanently connected with the ends of the shuttle, in combination with the spool
spindle abutting at its ends against the inside of said top and bottom walls, a spool
on said spindle and a latch beneath and outside of the spool to confine the spindle
and spool in the shuttle, substantially as set forth.
6. The shuttle for a wire weaving loom having plain imperforate top and bottom
walls 2 and 3 and open sides, a spool spindle abutting against said walls and locked
to prevent rotation in the shuttle, a spool on sai spindle between said walls, and a
horizontally arranged latch outside of the spool confining said spindle, whereby the
spool is left free to rotate and the spindle is locked in the shuttle, substantially as
set forth.
7. The shuttle for wire weaving looms having a central chamber with imperforate
top and bottom walls 2 and 3, the spindle B supported between said walls said walls
having projections rigid there with to engage and hold the said spindle against
rotation, a rotating spool on said spindle, and a pivoted latch below said spool
engaging the lower end of the spindle, said parts combined and operating, sub-
stantially as set forth.
8. In wire weaving, a shuttle having a chamber with top and bottom walls rigid
with each other and said chamber open at its front, and a spindle and spool
supported wholly within said chamber and removable together at the front of the
shuttle, in combination with the lay in which the shuttle is confined and having top
and bottom parts II and E' and the shuttle carrier, substantially as set forth.
9. The construction described, of a lay pivoted at its top and having a sheave
fixed at its top on each side thereof, a shuttle and straps connected therewith and
passing over said sheaves, and the shafts of said sheaves having each a clutch at its
inner end, in combination with shafts having clutches in permanent engagement
with the clutches on the sheave shafts, and mechanism to rotate said clutch
alternately in opposite directions, substantially as set forth.
10. The mechanism for propeiling the shuttle and its carrier, consisting in the
shuttle and the currier, an endless chain connected with said carrier over wheels at
the ends of the batten, and a toothed coupling on the batten connected with one of
said wheel, in combination with a toothed coupling on the mein frame to engage
with the coupling on the batten and means to operate the said coupling on the inain
frame, substantially as set forth.
11. The main frame, the coupling actuating toothed segment pivoted on said
frame, a cam and mechanism to vibrate said segment and a pinion and gea
mechanism connecting the segment and coupling, in combination with the batten and
a coupling at one end thereof to engage with the coupling on the main frame, and
the shuttle and carrier and endless connection operated by said couplings, substan
tially as set forth.
Dated this 8th day of October 1895.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.