IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS USED IN WEAVING NARROW FABRICS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Burrows; of Leicester, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS USED IN WEAVING NARROW FABRICS."
Sealed the 13th April 1863, and dated the 14th January 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Burrows at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
January 1863.
I, BENJAMIN BURROWS, of Leicester, do hereby declare the nature of the
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS USED IN WEAVING NARROW FABRICS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in looms used in weaving
narrow fabrics. For these purposes in order that shuttles of less length may
be employed than has heretofore been necessary in weaving a given width of
fabric, and so to admit of a greater number of fabrics being woven in a loom
of a given width than has heretofore been possible,. I employ springs to each
shuttle, which springs may either be fixed to the shuttle or to the batten, and
each of such springs is arranged to act on that end of the shuttle which is
still in the groove or slot in the batten, so as to counteract the tendency of
the other end of the shuttle to drop as it passes across the space where the
reed is situated, and before such other end of the shuttle has entered, and is
supported in the groové or slot in the batten at the other side of the reed. In
weaving narrow fabrics it is common 'to employ two shuttles in making each

page_text: fabric, and usually each shuttle has a reciprocating rack and a pinion to
actuate it.
Now, I employ only one reciprocating rack to actuate the pair of shuttles,
and I employ therewith two toothed wheels to each pair of shuttles. The
reciprocating rack gives motion to the two toothed wheels, and they give
motion to two pinions, one on each side of the space in the batten where the
reed is situated, and on the axes of such pinions there are two other pinions
which take into the racks of the two shuttles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Burrows in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th July 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
BURROWS, of Leicester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Benjamin Burrows, Her special licence that I, the said Benjamin
Burrows, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Benjamin Burrows, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOOMS USED IN WEAVING NARROW FABRICS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Burrows, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Benjamin Burrows, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-

page_text: This Invention has for its object improvements in looms used in weaving
narrow fabrics. For these purposes in order that shuttles of less length may
be employed than has heretofore been necessary in weaving a given width of
fabric, and so to admit of a greater number of fabrics being woven in a loom
of a given width than has heretofore been possible, I employ springs to each
shuttle, which springs may either be fixed to the shuttle or to the batten, and
each of such springs is arranged to act on that end of the shuttle which is still
in the groove or slot in the batten, so as to counteract the tendency of the
other end of the shuttle to drop as it passes across the space where the reed is
situated and before such other end of the shuttle has entered, and is sup-
ported in the groove or slot in the batten at the other side of the reed. In
weaving narrow fabrics it is common to employ two shuttles in making each
fabric, and usually each shuttle has a reciprocating rack and a pinion to
actuate it.
Now, I employ only one reciprocating rack to actuate the pair of shuttles,
and I employ therewith two toothed wheels to each pair of shuttles. The
reciprocating rack gives motion to the two toothed, wheels, and they give
motion to two pinions, one on each side of the space in the batten where the
reed is situated, and on the axes of such pinions there are two other pinions
which take into the racks of the two shuttles.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more fully
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows part of a front view of the batten of a loom wherein narrow
fabrics are woven, and where two shuttles are used to each narrow fabric;
Figure 2 shows a transverse section of Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows a plan
of one of the shuttles full size.
a, a, are springs, which are shown applied to the shuttle, but which may be
applied to the batten. The object of this arrangement is to prevent the fore
part of a shuttle dropping as it proceeds across the shed formed in the warp,
which a shuttle of the length shown would otherwise be liable to do but for
the springs a, a, one of which acts on the other end of the shuttle to that
which is for the time passing through the shed, so as to uphold the end whilst
it passes through the shed, and till that end is supported in the slot in the
batten on the other side of the shed to where the supporting spring is acting.
By these means narrow fabrics may be woven nearer together in a loom than
heretofore, as shorter shuttles may be used. b is a rack, which is moved to
and fro in the batten. This rack gives motion to the two toothed wheels c

page_text: and d, which give motion to the two pinions e, e, on the two short axes f, f,
on which axes there are other pinions g, g, which give motion to the shuttles
by taking into the racks h-formed in the shuttle.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to any
of the mechanical parts separately; but what I claim is,―
First, the application of springs to the shuttles or battens of looms, as herein
described.
And, secondly, the combined arrangement. of parts herein described for
actuating the shuttles of looms.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Burrows, have hereunto
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
set my
BENJAMIN BURROWS.
(L.S.)