Year: 1886

page_text: We, ROBERT BROWN, of Springfield, in the State of Missouri, United States of
America, Mechanic, and JOHN BRACE GORDON, of Springfield in the State of
Missouri, United States of America, "Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to let-off motions for looms, and its object is to provide
cheap, simple, durable, and self regulating devices for producing a certain positive
and uniform unwinding of the warp yarns from the beginning of the weaving
until the warp is all run off the warp beam.
This object we attain by means of the devices illustrated in tho accompanying
drawings forming a part of this specification in which:
Figure 1, is a side elevation of the devices detached.
Figure 2, is a plan view of the upper part of the devices.
Figure 3, is a plan view of the lower part thereof.
.
Figures 4 and 5 are detail views, Fig. 4 showing a modification.
Figure 6, is an end view of a loom with the invention applied thereto.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
A is a flange on the end of an ordinary warp or yarn bean and a, is a gudgeon
at one end of the yarn beam having a worm or endless screw a' formed thereon.
B is a shaft preferably placed horizontal in suitable bearings, 61, 63, which are
attached to the end of the loom. Said shaft has at one end a cog-wheel b, which
is operated by the worm a¹, and on its other end is a worm 63, which operates a
cog-wheel C, which is attached to the shaft c, carrying a second wheel C¹. D, is a
rack supported at the end of the loom in a suitable guide d³, so as to permit of
being raised and lowered; it has teeth, d, which engage the cog-wheel C¹, by which
it is operated.
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F, is a traverse attached by any suitable means to the lower part of the rack; it
has side pieces f, f, and a base f*, which is provided with any ordinary device for
shortening or taking up the same preferably a swivel link ƒ³, which has threads to
screw up on either or both parts of the base f^.
The ends ff, of the base f", are connected to the lathe sword L, and lever G,
so as to enable them to be raised and lowered to change the distance of the
traverse from the fulcrum of each; for this purpose the ends f¹, f¹, may be
provided as shown in Fig. 4, 'with holes to receive perpendicular arms g, l, which aro
mine

page_text: .
attached to and parallel with the lever G, and lathe sword; but we prefer con-
necting them as shown in Figure 1, wherein the lever G has a suitable fulcrum
bearing g¹ upon the end of the loom so as to permit the lever to vibrate back and
forth, and attached to the said lever, at or near its lower end is a rod, H. Said
lever G, is provided with a slot g³, in which works a headed bolt or rivet f³, on 5
one end of the base ft. The lathe sword is provided with a plate M, attached so
as to work outside of the loom frame at the end, and said plate has a slot m³, in
which works a headed bolt or rivet f³ on the other end of the base ft. This mode
of connection permits the traverse to move up and down the plate M, and lever G,
to change the extent of the motion of the rod H.
1
In using the perpendicular arms, g, l, nuts or rings f, fo, having thumb
screws f are employed for setting the traverse at the desired heights for
beginning the weaving of different kinds of cloth but in using the slots g³-m²,
bolts g,, having screw threads or other equivalent stays may be used to set the
traverse. The higher tho traverse is raised at the beginning of the weaving with 1
a given amount on the warp beam, the more rapidly the warp is unwound and
consequently the less the number of picks to the inch in the woven cloth. The
lower the traverse is placed in starting, the slower the warp beam turns, and
consequently more picks are put in to the inch in the cloth. Rod H, is connected to
the lower ends of the lever G, and lever i³, which lever i³, has a catch i, placed on
its upper end so as to drop into the notches of the wheel J, and move the latter.
is a worm in the ratchet shaft j which is placed horizontal, so as to obviate the
necessity of friction bands and straps for holding the worm in place to drive the
shaft K, which it does, by engaging with its cog-wheel k.
Shaft K has bevelled gear o³, that engages with the bevelled gear o², on the
shaft oʻ which shaft also carries the wheel P, that engages and drives the toothed
flange or wheel A of the warp beam. The relative sizes of these gear wheels o², o³,
may be changed to increase or diminish the velocity of the warp beam for making
different kinds of cloth.
The devices operate thus, as the lathe sword moves forward, the lever G, by
means of the traverse is also drawn forward and the rod H, moves the lever and
catch i so as to turn the ratchet wheel. The length of the stroke of rod H,
lever i³ and catch i, is regulated by the height of the traverse, for as the traverse
is raised it moves farther from the pivotal point or fulcrum of the lathe sword and
thus receives a greater motion and to this increased stroke is added the increased
movement of the lever G, as the traverse nears its fulcrum, g¹. The increased
motion or stroke communicated to the rod H, causes the catch i, to move over more
teeth at each stroke of the lathe sword. The motion of the ratchet wheel J, is
conveyed to the warp beam, preferably as above set forth by means of a worin j
driving a cog-wheel k, which is connected to the flange or wheel A, by the shafts,
bevelled gears, and cog-wheels above set forth.
.
°
The height of the traverse, and consequent speed of unwinding of the warp beam
is regulated thus;-The worm a' gives a very slow motion to the shaft B, by
engaging the cog-wheel b and said shaft gives a slow motion by worm b³ to the
cog-wheel C, and thus turns the shaft c, and pinion C¹, which engages and raises
the rack D.
$
Thus when the warp beam is full of yarn, to begin weaving in closely woven
cloth, the traverse is placed nearly or quite at the bottom of the slots g³, m³, which
causes the warp beam to move very slowly as the catch i, will then be caused to
'take up but one notch of the ratchet wheel at a time, but as the warp is unwound
the traverse is gradually raised by its connection with the gudgeon of the warp
beam, so that as the diameter and circumference of the warp beam are diminishing
its velocity is increasing in a corresponding ratio through the catch which at first
'caught each notch in the ratchet wheel being caused to take two, three, four o
more teeth at a time, as the traverse is raised and the warp unwound.
Thus we have a perfect and accurate let-off motion, that is self regulating with
out the use of springs, which so frequently get out of order. The worms a², 6ª, 7ª

page_text: all being upon horizontal shafts, friction, straps etc. to hold the machinery in
position is unnecessary. The catch i, we place above the wheel J, which makes it
positive in its action, and as the entire devices receive their power by means of
connection to the lathe sword we obviate all friction on the yarn and thus avoid
breakage of the same.
These simple devices can be regulated and adjusted to different kinds of cloth so
that when once started as desired they require no further alteration.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:
1. A warp beam having a worm a¹ on the gudgeon thereof combined with a.
movable traverse, F, rack D, cog-wheels C, C, the shaft c, and shaft B, having a
worm, bª and cog wheel, b, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. A. let-off motion for looms comprising a lathe sword, a vibrating lever, a
movable traverse, a ratchet wheel, J, a rod H, lever, i³, catch i, shaft, j, which has a
worm, shaft, K, having the cog-wheels k, o³, shaft of having wheels o², P, a warp
bean having a toothed flange A and worm a¹, on the gudgeon thereof, shaft B,
having cog-wheel b, and worm 63, wheels C, C³, shaft c and rack D, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
3. A let-off inotion for looms composed of a lathe-sword having a slotted piece, M,
a traverse, F, a lever G, a rod, H, ratchet J, lever i³, having a catch, i, ratchet shaft
having a worm, wheels k, P, and bevelled gears o³, o³, shafts K, o', a warp beain
having a toothed flange A, and a worm, a', on its gudgeon shaft, B, having wheel, b,
and a worm b, shaft c, having cogs C, C', and rack D, all substantially as shown
and described.
4. The combination of a warp beam having a toothed flange, and a worm on the
gudgeon thereof, a horizontal shaft having a cog-wheel b, and a worm b³, a shaft c,
having cog-wheels C, C, a rack D, and attached traverse F, and a lathe sword
with a lever, a rod, a ratchet wheel, catch and lover carrying said catch, a shaft
aving a worm, shafts having wheels, and bevel gears, substantially as shown and
described.
Dated this 15th day of November 1886.