IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF Aommunicatio JACQUARD Looms
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marc Antoine François Mennons, of the British and
Foreign Patent Offices, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of
France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
Aommunicatio
JACQUARD Looms"
Sealed the 5th October 1858, and dated the 14th August 1858.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Marc Antoine François
Mennons at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition and Declaration, on the 14th August 1858, pursuant to the
9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARC
ANTOINE FRANÇOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices,
No. 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF JACQUARD LOOMS," communicated to me from a foreigner
residing abroad, and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the
same, and have made solemn declaration that it is a communication:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, do
hereby declare that the following Complete Specification under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawing, and to the letters marked thereon, that is to say:

page_text: The Invention communicated to me consists in an improved construction of
jacquard looms specially applicable to carpet manufactures, and in certain
cases to the production of shawl and "broché" tissues. The principal parts
of the improved machinery are, 1st, an articulated apparatus with four hooks
and moveable lames (Fig. 4); 2dly, a free batten (Figs. 2 & 3); 3dly, a
secondary apparatus mounted with hooks (D, Fig. 1); 4thly, a series of
guides, which indicate to the workman the colours to be employed (Fig. 23);
and 5thly, a colour plate (Fig. 19).
In the mechanism of the jacquard machines as at present constructed the
lames are fixed in position. In the improved apparatus these lames are
mounted on a rack work, as seen in Figure 4, and are thus rendered moveable,
so as to be worked at will, either together or partially. In the ordinary
jacquard loom the batten is worked by the hand. In the present case it is
put in movement by the treadle, provided with the following accessories:-
1st, a spiral spring, proportioned to the dimensions of the machine (say, for an
ordinary loom of 7 feet in length by 11 inches in breadth); 2dly, a shoulder
piece in iron; 3dly, an iron beater; 4thly, a wooden roller, also proportioned
to the dimensions of the machine, say, about 3 feet 7 inches in length, by 3
inches in breadth for an ordinary loom; 5th, two pullies, one at each
extremity of the roller, and on which are passed the bands in communication
with the batten; 6thly, two bands secured each at one end to the batten, and
at the other to the pullies on which they work; 7thly, a third band secured to
the centre of the roller, and connected to the treadle by iron rods. When the
loom is at rest, the bands fixed to the extremities of the batten are unrolled
from the pullies, while the third band communicating with the treadle is
coiled on the centre of the roller.. In this state the spring is expanded, and
the beater touches the shoulder piece or stop. When the loom is in operation,
the beater falls back in describing a semicircle, and the bands fixed to the
extremities of the batten are rolled on the pullies, whilst the third or central
band is uncoiled from the roller by the action of the treadle, and so on
alternately. The batten being thus set in motion, the workman has nothing
further to do with it, and the operation goes on continuously by the simple
action of the treadle.
The secondary mechanism, seen in D, Fig. 1, which commands the articu-
lated apparatus, Fig. 4, is mounted with twelve hooks, four of which act
on the four corresponding pieces of the latter. The remaining eight of these
hooks are thus distributed :-One for the ground stroke, one for the binding,
three for the bell, one for the return stroke, one for the unrolling, and one for
the false moves.

page_text: In the looms now employed, the shading of the colours depends entirely
on the intelligence of the workman. By means of the guides employed in the
present system, the colours, instead of being pointed out by a sample piece, are
indicated by a number inscribed on each guide. These guides, which aro
equal in number to the colours required by the design, are each fixed to a
fork, which corresponds to the first hooks of the articulated apparatus. The
forked pieces are passed on the first and second ranges of the thread plate, and
the guides are attached to their under extremities. The spools or, small
shuttles containing the threads to be woven have cach a number corresponding
to that marked on each guide, so that the workman in pressing the treadle
causes a portion of the chain threads to rise, and raises at the same time the
corresponding guide.. If, for instance, the rising guide carries "No. 15," the
workman takes the corresponding spool, and throws his colour without paying
further attention to the operation. The colour plate is formed of a flat piece
of wood of about 3 feet 3 inches in length by one foot in height. This plate is
provided with forty or fifty ranges of pins, on which are placed the bobbins,
and each range is marked with a number corresponding to those of the guides.
The plate thus mounted with its bobbins is placed before the workman, who,
according as the supply of his shuttles becomes exhausted, recharges them
with the bobbins of the corresponding numbers.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents a view of the improved
loom. A is the colour plate; B, the guides; C, the articulated apparatus
(Fig. 4); D, the secondary mechanism commanding the above; E, the
batten. Figure 2 is a section of the loom at rest; Figure 3 is a section of
the loom at work. A, A, the batten; B, band fixed to the batten; C, spring;
D, rod fixed to the treadle, and connecting it with the centre of the roller;
E, treadle. Figure 4, articulated apparatus: A, case; B, B, spring hooks;
C, C, C, C, springs for bringing back the hook and lames to position;
D, D, D, D, lames; E, transversal pieces of wood. Figures 5 & 7: B, racks;
C, spring. Figures 6 & 8: D & D, side view of the racks. Figure 9,
roller A, shoulder-piece fixed to the standards of the loom; B, beater fixed
to the roller; D, D, standards; E, spring fixed to the roller; F, pulley;
G, band fixed to the pulley; II, roller, on which are mounted the pulley, the
spring, and the beater; I, band on the centre of the roller, and communicating
with the treadle K by the rods J, J, J. Figures 10 & 11: A, shoulder
piece; D, standard. Figure 12: A, shoulder-piece; B, beater fixed to the
roller; D, standard; E, spring mounted on the roller; F, pulley; G, band
fixed to the pulleys; H, roller. Figure 13: C, free spring. Figures 14 & 15,
front and side views of the shoulder-piece. Figures 16 & 17, front and side

page_text: views of the beater. Figure 18, diameter of the roller and pulleys. Figure 19,
colour plate. Figures 20, 21, & 22, spools or shuttles. Figure 23, guide.
Having thus described the nature of the said improvements, and the
manner of putting them into execution, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to the exact details of construction above laid down, but
reserve the right of modifying them within the principle on which the system
is based; but what I claim is,-
1stly, the racks and springs above described and represented in Figures 4, 5,
6, 7, & 8 of the accompanying Drawing.
2dly, the free batten above described and represented in Figures 2 & 3 of
the Drawing.
3dly, the substitution of the colour plate, guides, and numbers to the
colour samples hitherto employed, as above described and shewn in Figures
19, 20, 21, 22, & 23 of the accompanying Drawing..
In witness whereof, I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
MT MENNONS
M. F. MENNONS. (L.D.)