IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Weightman Harrison, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 24th February 1865, and dated the 30th August 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Weightman
Harrison at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th August 1864.
I, CHARLES WEIGHTMAN HARRISON, of Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates,first, to additional improvements upon my Invention
for driving shuttles in looms by the direct action of compressed air, for which
I obtained Letters Patent on the 18th November 1862, No. 3097.
The present improvements consist in dispensing wholly or in part with a
main pump and pipes to condense and convey air under pressure to looms, and
instead thereof to make each loom condense its own air, and thus be self-

page_text: supplying, or nearly so. One mode by which I offect this is to attach a lever
to each side of the loom, and to connect one end thereof by an arm to the
lathe or its sword, the other end of each lever being connected with the
piston rod of an air pump fixed to the loom side. When the loom is nt
work motion is communicated by the lathe to the piston of the pumps, and
condensed air thereby forced through outlet valves at the end of the pump
cylinders into a pipo which loads to the valve boxos at the end of the
shuttle boxes.
This Invention relates, secondly, to improvements in the construction of
the shuttle boxes in looms, and consists in forming an interior movable
case or slide which fits air-tight or nearly so within the box, and is free to
move a sufficient distance to throw the shuttle along its race whenever a jet
of air, steam, or other vapour is made to act upon such slide or casc. The
air or vapour may be conveyed away in a waste pipo.
And, thirdly, this Invention consists in causing the shuttle in looms to be
driven by atmospheric pressure. For this purpose I form an exhaust box or
chamberat each end of the lathe,and by suitablearrangements either through
a main exhaust pump operating a number of looms or by an exhaust
pump or bellows on each loon, I withdraw air from the chamber, and at the
proper moment for driving the shuttlo re-admit air by the opening of a valve.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charlos Harrison Weightman, in the Great Seal Patont
Offico on the 28th February 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
WEIGHTMAN HARRISON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Charles Weightman Harrison, Her special licence that I,the said
Charles Weightman Harrison, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Charles Weightman Harrison, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,

page_text: from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon
the condition (amongst others) that 1, the said Charles Weightman
Harrison, my executors or administrators, 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 Charles Weightman Harrison, do
hereby declare the nature of any 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, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
This Invention relates, first, to additional improvements upon my Invention
for driving shuttles in looms by the direct action of compressed air, for which
I obtained Letters Patent on the 18th November 1862, No. 3079.
The present improvements consist in causing each loom to condense its
own air and thus be self-supplying or nearly so, whereby I am enabled to
dispense wholly or in part with a main pump and pipes to coudense and
couvey air under pressure to the looms. One mode by which I effect this
is to attach a lever to each side of the loom, and to connect one end thereof
by an arm to the lathe or its sword, the other end of each lever being
connected with the piston rod of an air pump fixed to the loom side.
When the loom is at work motion is communicated by the lathe to the
pistous of the pumps, and condensed air thereby forced through outlet
valves at the end of the pump cylinders into a pipe which leads to the valve
boxes at the end of the shuttle boxes.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents an arrangement of
this kind adapted to the right-hand side of a loom, a like arrangement
being also adapted to the left-hand side.
A is an air condensing pump carried by the lathe at the loom side; B is a
piston rod working through an aperture or recess in the lathe and extending
from one side of the loom to the other; C and D are two inlet valves, the
first admitting air into the pump cylinder where by the motion of the piston
it is then forced through D into the pipe or valve box E; F is an outlet

page_text: valve for admitting compressed air into the shuttle box to drive the shuttle G.
Motion is communicated to the piston C by the lever E. This lever works
through a bracket I attached to the side of the loom, and receives its motion
in a horizontal direction from one or more inclined studs bolted on the wheel
or pinion K fixed on the main axis or crank shaft of the loom. By the
revolution of this wheel or pinion an inclined stud J is brought in contact
with the vertical bowlT projecting from the lever El, whereby the other end
of the lever is made to press against the adjustable bowl L on the piston rod B,
forcing the piston into its cylinder, and thus condensing the air therein. A
similar arrangement at the left side of the loom draws the piston back whon
compression is taking place there, both pistons being attached to the same
rod B one at each end; M is a vertical lever fixed to the loom side by the
bracket S as shewn. This lever is actuated by means of the inclined stud O,
bolted on the second toothed wheel P, which is double the diameter of the
first wheel or pinion K, and a bowl projecting vertically from the lever us
seen at U. The upper end of this lever is furnished with a cross head or
arm at right angles to the lathe whereby the spindle N by means of its
bent end is pressed back at the moment the inclined stud strikes the bowl
on the other end of the lever, and by means of the small lever Q attached
to the air box opens the valve F at any part of the vibration of the lathe,
accordingly as the studs and levers are set and admits a jet of air at the
proper moment to drive the shuttle.
Another mode which I also adopt to make each loom self-supplying with
condensed air is to work a revolving fan in connection with the loom as
represented in Figure 2. In order to obtain by this arrangement sufficient
pressure of air to commence with it is necessary that the fan should be started
a moment before the weaver begins to weave; this is easily accomplished by
the simple contrivance shown in the Figure. A represents the main or crank
shaft of the loom carrying the two pulleys B and C, the one fast and the other
loose. On the upper surface of these pulleys, and in close contact therewith,
is a roller D supported by a bracket J which is slotted and bolted to the loom
frame; this roller for better frictional contact may be covered with leather;
E is a pulley on the axis of this roller which serves to convey by means of a
band or strap motion to the fast and loose pulleys G, H, on the axis of a
rotury fan enclosed in the box I, one end of this axis, as well as the box I, is
supported from a cross rail or bracket placed in any convenient position, the
other end passing through or supported by the loom side. The passage for
the exit of the air from the fan box is somewhat conical in form and a flexible

page_text: tube is securely fastened to its aperture through which tube condensed air
is conveyed to the valve boxes.
The operation of this arrangement is as follows :--The weaver when about
to commence weaving by means of the handle and fork K moves the driving
band F from the loose to the fast pulley on the axis of the fan; by this move-
ment as the roller D is always in motion when the engine shaft is revolving
the fan is at once put in action and in a very short period the air in the valve
boxes will have attained a proper amount of compression ready for the loom
to be set at work and the supply of air kept up for propelling the shuttle.
The diameters of the several pulleys may be adapted to give any required
velocity and amount of air. One fan may be made of sufficient proportions
to contribute air for the supply of other loons by means of suitable con-
necting pipes.
This Invention'relates, secondly, to improvements in the construction of the
shuttle boxes in looms, and cousists in forming an interior movable case or
shuttle box slide which fits air tight or nearly so within the box, and is free
to move a sufficient distance to throw the shuttle along its race whenever a
Jet of air, steam, or other vapour is made to act on such slide or case; the
air or vapour may be conveyed away in a waste pipe.
Figure 3 represents a vertical section of my improved shuttle box C, which
is formed of plates held together by adjustable screws. D is the valve for
the admission of air, and A is the shuttle box slide which fits air-tight or
nearly so within the box, a recess being made in the top and bottom or side
plates extending from C, C, to E, E, in order to receive it and check the
extent of its motion. I prefer to make this shuttle box slide or case of
vulcanite or leather when compressed air is used, but when steam or other
vapour is used 1 make it of brass or other suitable metal. 1 form the face of
it with a concavity, so as to receive or fit the end of the shuttle, the back of
the slide being made flat and fitting closely or nearly so against the aperture
of the valve. The waste aperture B, for the escape of the compressed air, is
made at a suitable distance from the valve end of the shuttle box to allow of
sufficient propulsive force being given to the shuttle according to the length
of its race and velocity required. When steam or other vapour is used to
drive the shuttle box slide, I connect a flexible or other suitable pipe with the
waste aperture B, and convey it away to a pipe passing under the floor of the
mill. When compressed air alone is used, 1 prefer to form the slide with
a small aperture entirely through its centre; a slide of this kind is shewn
in section in Figure 4.

page_text: And, thirdly, this Invention consists in causing the shuttle in looms to be
driven by atmospheric pressure. For this purpose I form an exhaust box or
chamber ateuch end of the lathe, and by suitable arrangements either through
a main exhaust pump operating a number of looms, or by an exhaust pump
or bellows on each loom, I withdraw air from the chamber, and at the proper
moment for driving the shuttle re-admit air by the opening of a valve.
Figuro 5 represents an arrangement of this kind adapted to one side of a
loom by which, with a corresponding arrangement at the other side, this part
of
my Invention may be carried into operation. A is an exhausting piston.
the rod of which is carried through the lathe, and connected to a similar
piston at the other end of the lathe. A reciprocating motion is imparted to
the pistons by a lever at each side of the loom working horizontally, the
arrangement and action of which is similar to that herein-before described
with reference to the self-acting compressing arrangement as seen in Figurel,
H, I, J, K, T. The end of one of these levers is seen at B, Figure 5. C is
a slide, valve which keeps the passage or port 1. closed by means of a spiral
spring, as seen in the Figure,acting on its spindle except whon it is moved by
the lever F. This lever is attached to the loom side, its construction and
action being in all respects similar to the lever M, Figure 1, herein-before
described. The action of this arrangement is as follows:-When the
chamber E, which may be of any suitable form and capacity, has been
exhausted or partially so of air by the action of the piston A, the lever F nt
the proper moment for driving the shuttle strikes the bent spindle of the slide
valve C, and opens the port whereby the air in the cylinder D which is fitted
with a piston G rushes into the chamber E, and atmospheric pressure acting
on that piston causes the spindle I with its bufl'er M, through the intervention
of the lover H, to impel the shuttle across its race. The piston G is then
brought back to its former position by means of the spiral spring around its
spindle, as seen at K. Modifications of this arrangement may be readily
adopted to carry out this part of my Invention, as, for instance, the employ-
ment of bellows or fans instead of pistons to exhaust or compress air.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my "Improve-
ments in Looms for Weaving,"-
First, the arrangements, herein-before described, whereby each loom is
made to condense its own air for the purpose of driving the shuttles, and
thus be self-supplying with condensed air.
Second, constructing shuttle boxes in which a movable slide or case is
inclosed and fitted air-tight or nearly so, as hereiu-before described.

page_text: Third, the arrangements, herein-before described, whereby the shuttle is
driven by the ordinary pressure of the atmosphere.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Weightman Harrison,have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, .
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
C. WEIGHTMAN HARRISON. (L.S.)