Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Nov., 1886.
Complete Left, 20th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 21st Oct., 1887
This invention relates to machines for making fishing nets and other net fabrics
and the apparatus constituting the invention consists of two end frames in the rear
part of which there is carried a shaft having on one end a driving pulley or other
means of communicating motion from a steam engine or other prime mover. On the
said shaft there are also situated two wypers which, as the shaft rotates, act on cam
surfaces made at the ends of two bars lying parallel to the length of the side frames
and carried in guides therein. Towards the forward ends of these bars eyes are inade
through which vertical rods or bars pass, the vertical bars having eyes or jaws at
their lower ends sliding on horizontal rods which are carried in vertical guides
secured to or formed on the frames. At the upper ends of the vertical bars carriages
also sliding on horizontal guide rods are formed or fixed and between these carriages
a duplex or compound bar or fame extends horizontally across the loom parallel to
the driving shaft. To cach part of this duplex bar or frame a series of pendants or
hangers are secured which pendants carry or support spool or shuttle boxes, two
spools or shuttles being situated in each box. The shuttle boxes are each maintained
in position by a spring situated at the back of its hanger and in conjunction with the
said springs, cross spindles are provided both at the upper and lower ends. The
spindles have each at or near their centres a cam or eccentric enlargement and at
their ends they have two arms which being depressed at certain parts of the operation
of weaving cause the cams to act upon the backs of the shuttle boxes and momentarily
disconnect them from the hangers. The upper spool or shuttle in each box is that on
which the thread or yarn to be used in weaving is wound and the lower shuttle in
conjunction with which a spring is provided acts to take up the slack yarn or thread.
Under the duplex spool carrying bar there is provided another bar carrying a series
of plates or fingers projecting at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the bar, two
such plates or fingers being provided for each spool or shuttle carrier. The duplex
spool or shuttle carrying bar has both a vertical and reciprocating motion in the
direction of from front to back of the loom and one part of it has also a reciprocating
motion from side to side of the loom, the vertical motion being produced from cams

page_text: on the main or driving shaft acting through levers on the guide rods on which the
carriages of the shuttle carrying bar are situated. The horizontal backward and
forward reciprocating motion is effected by the wypers before referred to on the main
or driving shaft, whilst the sideward reciprocation of the part of the bar which so
moves is obtained from a cam shaft hereinafter referred to. The plate or finger
carrying bar has a reciprocating motion from side to side of the loom and also a
motion through an are at right angles to the said reciprocating motion. The sideward
or reciprocating motion is produced by a bell-crank lever one arm of which is
connected to a collar on the bar its other arm being connected to a vertical rod or
lever whose lower end is furnished with a roller situated in the groove of a cam wheel
or disc carried on a shaft at the front of the machine or instead of a groove the cam
surface may be produced on the periphery of the wheel. The shaft carrying the said
cam is rotated from the driving shaft by bevel gearing or by a belt or band or its
equivalent. The motion through an arc of the plate or finger carrying bar is effected
by another cam on the said shaft acting on the lower end of a lever whose upper end
has a pin in it which passes through a slot made in an arm formed on or connected to
the bar. Behind the shuttle or spool carrying bar or frame and parallel to it there is
supported another frame or bar carrying a series of hooks or needles and to the said
frame or bar motion is given in a vertical plane and in two horizontal planes one at
right angles to the other. The vertical motion is effected by a cam situated on the
cam shaft before referred to which acts on one end of a horizontal lever the other end
of the lever being connected to the lower extremity of a rod whose upper end is
attached to the needle bar or frame. Forward and backward reciprocating motion of
the needle bar is obtained from a cam on the main or driving shaft which acts on a
roller carried by a vertical lever the said lever being connected to the needle frame or
bar by a suitable link. Sideward reciprocation is given to the needle bar by a cam
either situated on the cam shaft before referred to or on a separate shaft geared with
the said shaft the said cam acting on the bar through a suitable lever or link.
In weaving with the loom constructed as herein before described the threads from
the shuttles are conducted parallel to each other under a breast beam or roller, thence
under another beam to a beam or roller laid across the framing. The bar carrying
the fingers or plates is brought into such position that the plates project from it
horizontally rearwards in which position the duplex spool or shuttle carrying beam or
bar is slightly in front of the said plate or finger beam. The shuttle beam then moves
rearwards until it arrives, at the extreme ends or points of the plates or fingers after
that it moves cross-wise so as to lay the thread in notches formed at the upper parts
of the fingers or plates it then again moves forwards after which it sinks until the
upper ends of the shuttle boxes are below the fingers or plates.
Another sideward movement next takes place which brings each shuttle box under
and between two fingers after which the shuttle boxes rise between the fingers to
their highest position. By these motions a knot is formed and it only now remains
to draw it tight which is effected by the hooks or needles moving forward and
drawing the yarns or threads off the fingers or plates thereafter receding to pull the
knot tight any slack thread so produced being taken up by the spring shuttles. The
needles or hooks free themselves from the knots by the sideward movement before
referred to. Whilst this operation of closing the knot is being effected the rearward
part of the duplex spool or shuttle bar moves to one side a distance equal to the
distance between two shuttle carriers and so brings each of its series of shuttles or
spools opposite the shuttles or spools in the front part of the bar next those to which
they were immediately previously opposite and by this means a mesh is formed in the
act of tying the next series of knots.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents.

page_text: Mesh Fabrics.
I, JOHN STRATHDEE of Galston in the County of Ayr, Mechanic, 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 :-
This invention relates to machines for making fishing nets and other mesh or net
fabrics and the apparatus constituting the invention is illustrated in front end
elevation by figure 1, in elevation of the side marked X, by figure 2, in elevation of
the side marked Y, by figure 3, and in longitudinal section by figure 4, of the accom-
panying drawings, figures 5 to 15, inclusive being details hereinafter more particularly
referred to. As shown by these figures the apparatus consists of two side frames A,
in the rear parts of which there is carried a shaft B, having on one end of it fast and
loose belt pulleys C, through the fast one of which motion is communicated to the
various moving parts of the machine. On the shaft B, a spur pinion D, is also
secured and geared with a spur wheel E keyed on a shaft F beneath and whereon
there are secured two cams G, one being situated at each side of the machine. Each
cam G has a groove in one side of it into which is entered a roller or projection
centred or made on a lever H the said levers being at their lower ends fulcrumed on
the side frame A, and at their upper ends connected to the rear extremities of links I.
At their forward ends the links I are connected to horizontal plates or bars J, which
slide in guides J¹, made on or secured to the side frames A. On the horizontal
plates or bars J, vertical guides K are formed or fixed within which slide vertical
plates or bars K¹, the said plates or bars at their lower ends being connected by
links L, to the forward extremities of levers L' centred on the side frames A, and
having at their rearward ends sidewardly projecting rollers which enter grooves made
in cams M, also keyed on the shaft F. To the upper ends of the plates or bars K¹
carriages N, are bolted or otherwise secured and between these carriages there
extends horizontally across the machine a duplex or compound bar or frame 0, 0¹ to
each part of which there is bolted a series of pendants or hangers a; the back part 0,
of the bar has one pendant more than the front part 0¹. These pendants each carry
or support a box b, for the thread or yarn to be used. Figures 5, 6, and 7 are
respectively a detailed side elevation, vertical section and front elevation of one
hanger a and its box b. The boxes are each divided into upper and lower com-
partments and they are maintained on the hangers by arms c, which are connected
to spindles d, each spindle having at or near its centre a cam or eccentric enlarge-
ment d' against which the free end of a spring e bears so as to hold the arms in a
horizontal position. Each arm has a pin projecting from it which enters a curved
recess or groove made in the side of the box b, as seen at 6' figure 5, and at certain

page_text: times during the operation of weaving the net each pair of arms is depressed until
its pins are free from the recesses in the box 6 whereby the box is momentarily
disconnected from the arms. At the said times the connection between the boxes
and their hangers is maintained by springs e, e provided for that purpose.
The cop or spool of thread or yarn is placed in the upper compartment of the
shuttle box which is furnished with a hinged lid or cover capable of being easily
opened for renewal of the supply. From the said compartment the thread is
conducted through a hole in the bottom and through an eye in a spool centred
on a pin in the lower compartment, the said spool having in conjunction with it a
coil or other spring the function of which is to act as a tension on the thread being
paid out and to take up slack yarn or thread. The rearward boxes b, have each a
finger or bar 62, connected to its under end and projected forward so that it extends
to the front of the forward box where the finger has an upturned eye through which
the yarn from the rear box passes.
Underneath the hangers a there is situated a bar 9, which lies parallel with the
duplex or compound bar 0, 0, and carries a series of fingers h, two such fingers
being provided for each carrier b. The bar g, is supported at both ends in brackets g¹
bolted to the side frames A, and it has a reciprocating motion communicated to it by
the lever P, centred at P1, the forward end of the lever being forked so as to embrace
a collar i on the bar whilst its rearward end has a roller which enters a groove made
in the periphery of a cam Q, situated on a shaft R a spur wheel R¹ on one end of
which gears with the spur wheel E on the shaft F. Besides the said motion the
bar 9, has a movement through an are produced by the mechanism illustrated in detail
at figure 8, and consisting of a cam S, keyed on the shaft R, with the groove of which
cam one end of a lever S¹ is geared. The lever is centred on the framing at S² and
its other end has a toothed segment gearing with a quadrant T formed or keyed on
the bar g. At each end the bar g, has a collar 1, upon through which an adjustable
pin 2, is screwed or tapped as more particularly seen at figure 4, and the said pins
coming in contact with the brackets g¹ act as stops to the bar and prevent it being
turned round too far.
Besides the vertical movement of the duplex bar 0, 0¹, caused by the cams M,
and the horizontal movement in the direction of from front to back of the machine caused
by the cams G, the part O¹ of the bar together with its boxes b, has a reciprocating
motion from side to side of the machine which motion is produced at the required
times by the eccentric U, keyed on the shaft B. The eccentric rod at its forward end
has a hook U, which grips upon pins or studs j projecting from the back of a bevel
wheel V, keyed on a stud supported on one side frame A. When the hook U¹ grips
upon one or other of the pins j, it drags the wheel V, round a quarter of a turn
which has the effect of turning the bevel pinion V¹, keyed upon the vertical spindle V*;
on whose upper end is a crank V³ a pin in which as shewn by the detailed plan
figure 9, enters a slot in one end of the lever W, centred on the vertical spindle W¹.
By the other end of the lever W, and by a supernumery lever W2 also centred on
the spindle W¹ there is carried a vertical rod or spindle k, whose upper end passes
through a slot made in a piece 7, secured to the section O', of the duplex or compound
bar 0, 0. Thus when the bevel wheel V, is dragged round, the levers W and W2
are moved through and are in a horizontal plane and, through the rod or spindle k,
reciprocate the part O¹ of the compound bar. The said part and the mechanism
carried by it are required to so reciprocate once only for every four revolutions of the
shaft B, and to prevent the hook U¹, from acting on the pins j, excepting at the
desired times a bar or lever m, is provided. The said bar or lever is at its rearward
end fulcrumed to the side frame A, and at or near its middle it has a roller m¹
centred upon it which roller bears upon the periphery of a cam m³ keyed
upon
the end of the shaft R. When the parts of wider radius of the said cam are
under the roller m¹ the forward end of the lever, which has a roller centred on it,
holds up the eccentric rod and prevents its hook U₁ from catching the pins j, but
when the part of lesser radius of the cam comes under the roller m¹ the lever m, and
with it the eccentric rod drops down and enables the hook to turn the wheel V. To

page_text: maintain the said wheel stationary when it is not being so acted upon a brake lever n, is
provided one end of which is held in frictional contact with two of the pins j by the spring n'.
In front of the finger carrying bar 9, and parallel to it there is supported another
frame p carrying a series of hooks or needles p' and to the said frame motion is
communicated in a vertical plane and in two horizontal planes one from front to back
and the other from side to side of the machine. The vertical movement is effected
from cams Q, situated on the shaft R, and which act upon ends of levers q¹, centred
on the side frames A, the forward ends of the said levers being connected to vertical
rods which slide in guides r, made on or attached to bars or levers fulcrumed at their
lower ends on the frames A. The upper ends of the rods r, are connected to the
frame and to each other by tie rods or bars as more particularly seen at figure 1.
The backward and forward movement of the needle frame p, is effected by the
cams t, keyed on the shaft R, with the grooves of which cams the levers t¹ are geared
the said levers being also connected by links t* to the bars or levers ³.
r
Sideward reciprocation is communicated to the needle frame by the lever u, which is
centred on the bracket u¹ projecting from the back of one of the bars the upper end
of the lever being connected by a link u to the frame p whilst its lower end passes
through a slot in the forward extremity of a lever v, centred at v¹ and geared with
the groove of a box cam ³ which is centred on a stud vt fixed in the side frame A.
The cam is rotated by a spur wheel w, keyed upon its axis and geared with a pinion
secured upon one end of the shaft R.
In operating with the machine constructed as hereinbefore described the threads
from the boxes b, are conducted parallel to each other over a breast beam w¹ thence
underneath another beam w³ to a roller w³ whereon the web is wound by any suitable
take up motion. In commencing to weave the bar g, carrying the fingers h, is brought
into such position that the fingers project from it horizontally as indicated at
figures 10 and 11.
Through the intervention of the mechanism hereinbefore described the finger bar g,
is then moved to the right a distance sufficient to lay the thread across the back of the
fingers has indicated at 20, fig. 12. This being effected the compound bar O, 0¹,
moves forward and lays the thread along the side of the left hand finger h in each
pair as indicated at 21, fig. 13. The compound bar 0, 0¹ then dwells until the finger
carrying bar g has made a motion to the left sufficient to lay the thread across the
notches at the front ends of the fingers has indicated at 22, fig. 14, after which
the compound bar O, O', makes half a movement rearwards and brings its thread to the
position shown at 23, fig. 15. By this series of movements a strand of yarn or thread
from both the front and rear boxes & has been carried right round the fingers h on the
bar 9, the thread being duplicated between the points 24 and 25 figure 15, on the
right hand figures. The compound bar 0, 0¹ is then caused to sink until the upper
ends of the boxes bare below the lower edges of the fingers h. The finger bar g then
again moves to the right a distance sufficient to bring the right hand finger h in each.
pair above the space between the back of the box, band hanger_a.
The compound
bar O, O' then rises and during this motion the lower edge of the right hand finger acting
successively against each pair of arms momentarily disconnects the boxes from their
hangers, the rising motion passing the threads or yarns from the boxes thro' the loops
made as hereinbefore described. Whilst this latter motion is being effected the needle
bar or frame p moves upward so as to catch the loops at a point between the boxes b
and the left hand fingers and this being effected the finger bar g swings downward
thro' an are thereby releasing the loops from the fingers and leaving them hanging
upon the needles. Immediately this movement is accomplished or simultaneously
with it the coil springs provided in conjunction with the spools f¹ as herein before
described wind up the slack of the thread or yarn. The needle bar or frame p then
moves forward which forward motion in conjunction with the tension exerted by the
spool springs draws the knots tight on the needles.
Whilst this forward motion of the needle bar or
immediately after it the finger bar g moves back
fingers h are in the position shown at figs. 4, 10 and
frame is being accomplished or
thro' the same are until the
11, and during this movement

page_text: the barg has also communicated to it a motion towards the left hand side of the
machine so as to bring the fingers into proper position to receive another loop of
thread as herein before described.
The rising motion of the compound bar O, O' having brought the front series of
boxes b into a position above and intermediate between the ends of the fingers h after
the finger bar g has been so moved the compound bar O, O¹, retires to the position
shown by figs. 4 10 and 11. The part 0¹ of the said bar then moves to the left until
each of its series of boxes 6 comes opposite a rear box immediately to the left of that
which it had previously been opposite and at the same time as or immediately after
this movement the needle bar or frame p which is at its extreme forward position
sinks downwards and draws the needles out of the knots previously made, which being
effected the needle bar moves rearwards and a distance to the left equal to the
movement of the bar O¹. The finger bar g and compound bar 0, 0₁ then make
another series of movements similar to those above described until the front series of
boxes b again arrive at the position 24, fig. 15. The compound bar O, O¹ then sinks
the finger bar 9 moves to the right, the bar 0, 0¹ rises the needle bar moves
upwards and catches the loop the finger bar g moves downwards thro' an arc and the
needle bar p moves forwards with a fresh knot.
P
During the next series of movements the part 01 of the compound bar moves to the
right the distance between two hangers a and simultaneously or immediately afterwards
the needle bar or frame p moves in the same direction an equal distance. It will thus
be seen that after each loop is made the motion of the finger bar is always to the left
whilst the horizontal motion of the bar O¹ and the needle bar or frame p is alternately
to the left and to the right and by this means the regular form of the mesh is
maintained.
The size of the mesh is regulated by the length of forward and backward movement
of the needle bar or frame p and this movement is adjusted by connecting the link t³,
extending between the levers t¹, and at a greater or less distance from the centres
or fulcrums of these levers which have each a series of holes in them for that purpose.
To hold the yarns or threads against the sides of the right hand fingers during the
horizontal movements of the said fingers and of the frame O, O a bar extending
across the machine at a position between the ends of the fingers and the needle bar or
frame p, and having a series of vertical fingers or combs is or may be provided the
said bar when used having horizontal movements communicated to it at the proper
times from the shafts B, F or R or other convenient moving part of the machine.
The knots made as hereinbefore described are fast and permanent instead of being
slip knots liable to run and destroy the regularity of the mesh as is the case with such
machines as before constructed.
my
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. In a machine for making fishing nets and other mesh fabrics the compound bar
or frame consisting of the parts O, O' each having a series of hangers to each of
which is connected a box containing the thread or yarn and a take up and tension
spool one section of the said bar or frame being capable of horizontal movement in the
direction of the length of the other section, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In a machine of the class referred to a box divided into compartments and
containing in one compartment the thread or yarn to be used and in the other
compartment a spool having a coil or other spring in conjunction with it said spool
acting as a take up and tension apparatus, substantially as described.
3. In a machine of the class referred to the mode of connecting the boxes 6 to the
hangers a, substantially as described.
4. In a machine of the class referred to the bar 9, with fingers / arranged and
acting, substantially as described.
5. In a machine of the class referred to the needle bar or frame p, arranged and
operating, substantially as hereinbefore described.

page_text: 6. In a machine of the class referred to the combination of the compound bar or
frame 0, 0¹ carrying the boxes b, with the finger bar g, substantially as described.
7. In a machine of the class referred to the combination of the finger bar g with
the needle bar or frame p, the said combination acting substantially as described.
8. In a machine of the class referred to the combination of the compound bar 0,0¹
provided and operating substantially as set forth with the finger bar 9 operating
substantially as set forth and the needle bar or frame p, operating substantially as set
forth.
9. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improved
machine for making fishing nets and other mesh fabrics, substantially as described
with reference to the drawings annexed.
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CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents.