IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING LOONGEES AND OTHER ORNAMENTAL FABRICS, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1880

page_text: '
LETTERS PATENT to Christopher Cross, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING LOONGEES
AND OTHER ORNAMENTAL FABRICS, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christopher Cross at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th March 1880.
CHRISTOPHER CROSS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WEAVING LOONGEES' AND OTHER ORNAMENTAL FABRICS, AND IN THE
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
16
"
My improvements principally relate to weaving in the power loom by the aid of
the "
dobby" or other similar apparatus certain fabrics called loongees,"
dhooties," and other such fabrics as have ornamental colored borders of the kind
known as " kincobs." and "daggarees," or combinations of the same along each
border or selvage, together with "kincob," "daggaree," and other ornamental
headings across the piece.
These fabrics may be woven on power looms worked with one or more shuttles,
or with what are known as "pick-and-pick " looms.
"
According to the first part of my Invention I "neck up or "bunch" the harness
of the power loom with a calico or other ordinary tissue for the plain or centre part
of the fabric, or I draw it in through ordinary healds or shafts, and in the border
portions I "neck up" a double faced "kincob," pile, cashmere, or other ornamental
tissue, and pick the shuttle weft from selvage to selvage in the ordinary way, so as
to weave a straight ornamental border along each side.
In other cases I " neck-up" the border portion with a "daggaree" or "kutarree"
tie up, and I weft in this border portion by means of colored "lap" or " whip-
thread," which is caught by the shuttle weft and drawn into the shed a certain
regulated distance from each selvage. The positive and accurate delivery of this
lap or whip thread in the required lengths at each pick is regulated in the following
manner:
The bobbins on which the lap or whip thread is wound are mounted on vertical
sliding bars, which have a rising and falling motion given to them by means of

page_text: levers worked by excentrics mounted on the tappet shaft, so as to draw off from
the bobbins the maximum quantity of "lap weft" at each pick. Between the
orifice of the lifting rod and the mail which lifts the "end" I place a counterpoise
motion of great precision, over which the "lap weft" passes, and which always
presses upwards so as to take up the "slack" of the "lap weft" and keep it tight,
excepting at the moment of throwing the shuttle, when the shuttle weft loops
round the "lap weft" and draws it into the shed, at which time the increased
tension bears down the counterpoise and gives out the exact amount of "lap-weft"
required.
By another mode of delivering " lap-weft" I give to the bobbins a horizontal to
and fro motion (instead of a vertical one), which brings the "lap thread" close to
the mail, care being taken to place the counterpoise balance beam in a more
perpendicular position. Unless the counterpoise is equitably balanced I find that
the "lap weft either breaks or over-delivers itself, thus causing "slubs in the
pattern.
With either of the above methods I sometimes employ a pair of nippers which
seize the "lap thread," and deliver the exact quantity requisite on the throw of the
shuttle.
The second part of my improvements relates to a method of stopping the loom
whenever either of the "lap-threads" breaks. This I accomplish by placing under-
neath the counterpoise a weigh-beam with a spoon at one end and a hook at the
other. When the weft thread breaks the counterpoise rises, and the spoon end of
the lever follows it, and on the hook end consequently falling it catches against the
vibrating "hammer-action" of the loom, and throws the strap onto the loose pulley.
By the use of this arrangement I can also dispense with the ordinary "weft-fork,"
because if the shuttle weft should break it will fail to draw in the "lap-weft," and
the consequent extra slackness of the latter will allow the counterpoise to rise and
produce the same effect as if the "lap-weft" were to break, as above described.
33
A third improvement consists in weaving piled or plush borders to "loongees
and other similar fabrics in both "single and double ply" by so arranging the
tie-up" as to allow the "drains" for cutting the pile to lie across the cloth instead
of lengthwise.
"
A fourth improvement consists in weaving ornamental borders of cashmere " tie-
up," either with or without "floating fash yarn," by the employment of " tie-ups,"
which show the warp threads only and conceal the weft threads.
A fifth improvement consists in weaving borders with either straight or scalloped
fringes or scalloped selvages by the use of the same "lap-threads" as before described,
but in some cases I let certain warp ends gradually drop out and taper away from
the general fabric. The fringe is produced by carrying the "lap-threads" round
two or three warp threads, placed (say) about an inch or more outside the general
selvage, which outside warp threads are afterwards drawn out and the fringe cut
or left in loops.
"
33
across
A sixth improvement relates to the weaving of an ornamental “ heading
either tab end of the piece. For this purpose I use a tie-up" in separate clusters,
and by means of the "dobby or other similar apparatus so shed them as to produce
quilting, rep, kincob, damask, pile, or fustian fabric.
"
For the purpose of making this heading sufficiently solid it is at the same time
necessary to decrease the speed of taking up the cloth to (say) about one fourth or
one sixth so as to put in as much weft as possible, and to proportionately increase
the weighting of the yarn beam.
To effect this I employ a special tappet, which lifts the taking up click off the
taking-up ratchet wheel, and allows it only to take-up the cloth at intervals (say,
every fourth or sixth pick), and the same movement which throws this tappet into
gear locks the warp weighting levers by means of wedges which increase the strain
on the yarn, so that the taking-up and letting off motions are both retarded
together.

page_text: The same lever which controls these motions also puts in gear the shuttle box
motion for changing the weft, and at the same time changes the action of the
"dobby" so as to cause the requisite "shed" of the warps to weave the pattern
required.
**
This I effect in the following manner :-I punch the "cards" with two (or
more) sets or rows of holes, one row for the plain cloth and the other for the
headings, and by means of the lever aforesaid I either raise or lower the cylinder of
the "dobby" so as to bring the "needles" opposite to the required set of holes, or
I leave the cylinder stationary, and I raise or lower the "needles" accordingly.
It will be evident that this method of weaving headings may be applied to
weaving handkerchiefs, table cloths, checks, and other ornamental fabrics.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by Martha Cross, Widow and Administratrix of the said Christopher Cross
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th September 1880.
MARTHA CROSS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Widow, and
Administratrix of the late Christopher Cross, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, who died on the Second day of August last. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WEAVING LOONGEES' AND OTHER ORNAMENTAL FABRICS, AND IN THE APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN."
"6
"
These improvements relate principally to weaving in the power loom, and by the
aid of the "dobby" or other similar apparatus certain kinds of fabrics known as
loongees," "dhooties," and such other fabrics as have ornamental colored borders
of the kind known as "kincobs," and " daggarees," or combinations of the same,
along each border or selvage, together with "kincob," daggaree," and other
ornamental headings across the piece.
These fabrics may be woven on power looms worked with one or more shuttles,
or with what are known as "pick and pick" looms.
"
According to the first part of the Invention I " neck-up" or "bunch" the harness
of the power loom as for a calico or other ordinary tissue for the plain or centre
part of the fabric; or I draw in the yarn through ordinary healds or shafts, and in
the portions to form the borders I "neck-up" a double faced "kincob," pile,
cashmere, or other ornamental tissue, and I pick the shuttle weft from selvage to
selvage in the ordinary way, so as to weave a straight or parallel ornamental border
along each side. In other cases I "neck-up" the border portion with a "daggaree
or "kutarree" tie-up, and I weft in this border portion, by means of a colored
lap-weft"
or "whip-thread," which is caught by the shuttle weft and drawn
into the shed of the warp threads a certain regulated distance from each
selvage.
"
"
The positive and accurate delivery of this colored lap or whip-thread in the
required lengths at each pick is regulated by means of the following apparatus
which forms the first part of the Invention, and which is illustrated by Sheet 1 of
the annexed Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of so much of a
power loom as is necessary to show the application of the Invention thereto :-
=
a, a, is the framing of the loom; b, b, the ordinary warp beam for the central
portion of the fabric; c, c, the warp beams for the border warp; d, d, the crank
shaft; e, e, the tappet shaft; f. f, the lathe or slay; and g, g, the cloth roller.
The bobbins h, h, (one on each side of the loom) on which the lap weft or whip-
thread is wound, are mounted on vertical sliding bars or rods i, i, which have a
rising and falling motion imparted to them so as to draw off from the bobbins h, h,
the maximum quantity of "lap-weft" required at each pick. This motion is
derived from a crank j, j, on the tappet shaft e, e, which by means of a connecting
rod and lever le, k, gives a horizontal to and fro motion to a toothed rack l, l, which
by means of a toothed wheel gives an alternate rotary motion to a shaft m, and a
wheel n on this shaft imparts a vertical rising and falling motion to the second
toothed rack o, o, forming a continuation of the sliding rods i, i, which support the
bobbins h, h.
This movement may (if preferred) be imparted, as shown in Fig. 2, by means of
an excentric j,j, (instead of a crank) a connecting rod k, k, and bell crank lever l, l.
In some cases I also propose to deliver the "lap-weft" by giving a horizontal or other
to and fro motion to the bobbins, instead of a vertical one. The lap weft p, p,
passes round a small pulley q, carried by the rod i, i, and between this point and
the nail r,r, which lifts the thread p, p, I place a counterpoise s, 8, of great precision
(see enlarged views, Fig. 3), over which the "lap-weft "p, p, passes, and which
always presses upwards so as to take up any "slack" of the "lap weft," and keep
it tight, excepting at the moment of throwing the shuttle, when the shuttle weft
loops round the "lap-weft," and draws it into the shed of the warps, at which

page_text: moment the increased tension of the lap-weft p, p, bears down the counterpoise 8, 8,
and gives out the exact amount of "lap-weft" required. The constant upward
pressure of the counterpoise 8, 8, is due to the action of the weighted lever t, t,
below its end, and unless this counterpoise is equitably balanced I find that the
lap weft" either breaks or over delivers itself, thus causing faults or blemishes in
the pattern.
«
Instead of the bobbins h, h, I sometimes wind the lap weft onto pirns or cops, as
shown at Fig. 1, and I regulate the tension by means of a perforated plate and
spring ho, or otherwise.
"
The second part of the Invention relates to the method of stopping the loom
whenever either of the "lap threads" breaks. This is accomplished by the lever or
weigh beam t, t, which has & spoon' "at one end beneath the counterpoise, and a
hook at the other end. When the lap weft thread p, p, breaks the counterpoise 8, 8,
rises and the spoon end of the lever t, t, follows it, and on the hooked end conse-
quently falling it catches against the vibrating hammer v, v, in connection with the
ordinary weft fork w, w, of the stop motion, and throws the strap onto the loose
pulley. By the use of this arrangement however I can dispense in some cases with
the ordinary weft fork w, w, because if the shuttle weft should break it will fail to
draw the "lap-weft" into the shed, and the consequent extra slackness of the
latter will allow the counterpoise 8, 8, to rise, and produce the same effect as if the
lap-weft" were to break, as above described.
kr
A third improvement consists in weaving ornamental borders of cashmere "tie-
up," either with or without "floating fash yarn," by the employment of " tie-ups,"
which show the warp threads only and conceal the weft threads.
A fourth improvement consists in weaving borders with fringes by the use of the
same "lap threads" as before described.
The fringe is produced by carrying the "lap threads" round two or three warp
threads placed (say) about an inch or more outside the general selvage, which
outside warp threads are afterwards drawn out, and the fringe cut or left in loops.
A fifth improvement relates to the weaving of an ornamental "heading" across
either tab end of the piece. For this purpose I use a "tie-up" in separate clusters,
and by means of the "dobby" or other similar apparatus I so shed the warp threads
as to produce quilting, rep, kincob, damask, pile, or fustian fabric.
For the purpose of making this heading sufficiently solid it is at the same time
necessary to decrease the speed of taking-up the cloth to (say) about one fourth or
one sixth, so as to put in as much weft as possible, and to proportionately increase
the weighting of the yarn beam.
To effect this I employ a special apparatus, which is illustrated on Sheet 2 of the
annexed Drawings, in which Figs. 4 and 5 are partial sectional views, Fig. 6 a front
view, and Figs. 7 and 8 back and front elevations of the cam drawn to a larger
scale.
On a bracket x, x, I mount a special cam y, y, acting upon a lever z, z, and this lever
is so connected by a rod 1, 1, with the ordinary taking up catch 2, 2, that when
the bowl of the lever z, z, rests upon one of the "risers" of the cam (as shown at
Figs. 4, 6, and 7) the taking up catch 2, 2, is held out of gear with its ratchet
wheel 3, 3, and ceases to take up the cloth,-but-when-the-bowl-of-the-said-lever-
falls into one of the depressions of the cam the said catch falls into action again.
When the loom is weaving the principal portion of the fabric the cam is allowed
to remain in the latter position, and the weaving and taking-up proceed in the
usual manner, the hand lever 4, 4, being in the position in which it is drawn in
dotted lines in Fig. 5, but when it is required to weave the close heading the weaver
pulls this hand lever towards him, which by means of the link-action 5, 5, draws the
click 6, 6, into gear with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 7, 7, (see Fig. 7) and this
click 6, 6, being connected by a link action 8, 8, with the slay sword 9, 9, causes it
to take up one tooth of the wheel 7, 7, at every beat up of the slay, and so imparts
an intermittent rotary motion to the cam y, y, and as the risers of this cam are.
about twice the width of the depressions the loom will then take up for two picks,

page_text: and lift the taking up catch for four picks, and so on alternately, according to the
particular pattern of the cam y, y, which may be varied to suit circumstances.
It will be seen on reference to Fig. 8 that the cam y, y, may be made in sections
or segments, which can be put together to any required pattern, or a pattern chain
formed of links might be employed for the same purpose. The same movement of
this hand lever 4, 4, also by means of a curved slot 10 (Fig. 5) acts upon a lever
11, 11, and causes it to thrust a wedge 12, 12, over the weighting lever 13 of the
warp beam b, b, which increases the strain on the yarn so that the motions for
taking up the cloth and letting off the yarn are both retarded together. This
arrangement or a modification thereof, as shown on Fig. 4, is also applied to the
beams c, c, containing the border warp. The same lever which controls these
motions is also caused in any simple and convenient manner to put in gear the
shuttle-box motion for changing the color of the weft (as will be readily understood
by any mechanic conversant with looms), and at the same time to throw the whip
thread stopping motion out of gear and change the action of the "dobby" so as to
cause the requisite shedding of the warps to weave the particular pattern of heading
required.
This latter I effect in the following manner :-I punch the pattern cards 14, 14,
(Fig. 6) with two (or more) sets or rows of holes, one row for the plain cloth, and
the other for the headings, and by means of the rod 15, 15, attached to another
arm of the hand lever 4, 4. I either raise or lower the cylinder 16 of the "dobby"
so as to bring the required set or row of holes opposite the needles of the machine,
or, if preferred, the cylinder 16 may remain stationary, and the rod 15, 15, may be
made to raise or lower the needles accordingly, which will produce the same effect.
It will be evident that this method of weaving headings may be applied to weaving
handkerchiefs, table cloths, checks, and other ornamental fabrics. I would here
remark that although for the sake of clearness the various movements are each
drawn distinctly and separately, I wish it to be understood that they are all applied
to one and the same loom, and all work either together or separately, according to
the particular nature of the weaving desired to be produced. I would also here
observe that since the filing of the Provisional Specification it is discovered that
the third part of the Invention, as therein specified, is not so new or original as it
was then supposed to be, I therefore hereby disclaim that portion of the said
Invention.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as the Invention of my late husband,
the said Christopher Cross,―
First. The apparatus above described for the positive and accurate delivery of
the "lap-weft or " whip-threads" for forming the colored borders.
Secondly. The apparatus above described for stopping the loom when either of
the lap-threads breaks.
"
borders to "
loongees'
"
Thirdly. Weaving ornamental "cashmere
ornamental fabric by the employment of " tie-ups" which show the warp threads
or other
only and conceal the weft.
Fourthly. The method described of weaving fringed selvages; and
Fifthly. The apparatus, as hereinbefore described, for weaving ornamental colored
headings across the fabric.
In witness whereof, I, the said Martha Cross (as such administratrix), have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of September, in the year of 5
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.