Improvements in Shedding or Heald-operating Mechanism for Looms.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 2.th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 13th Apr., 1815
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Shedding or Heald-operating Mechanism
for Looms.
I, AMOS LOCKWOOD of 38 Willow Bank, King Cross, Halifax in the County
of York, Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows, that is to say :-
It relates to the production of loom shedding mechanism for moving or operating
the healds or heddles in both directions positively and consists of forming,
constructing and arranging said mechanisms in such a manner as to enable them to
perform their functions accurately and with precision.
To carry my invention into effect I make use of the usual arrangement of jack
or top and bottom levers or bowls, each of these I couple to a rod operated by a
toothed segment wheel to which it is coupled eccentrically. The teeth of the
segment wheel are arranged to gear with those of a rack formed to slide in the
framework of the machine so that by its reciprocatory movements the segment
wheel is caused to partly revolve and carry with it the jack's connecting rod from
its dead centre point on one side of it to that on the other in each of which positions
this said rod, as also its lever and the heald it operates, is firmly held from being
moved by any force acting upon it through said heald.
In each of these sliding racks are formed two notches in suitable relative positions
so that catch pieces carried by two reciprocatory draw-bars may engage therewith
as is desired for causing the said draw bars to move them.
These draw-bars are arranged to operate in one and the same horizontal plane
and the catch-pieces which freely slide within a longitudinal slot formed in them,
are at all times carried by these draw-bars, so that when any one of these catch
pieces is allowed to move into one or other of the notches in the sliding rack, this
rack is coupled to and caused to move with the draw-bar carrying same.
The draw-bars are arranged to move in opposite directions and in order that
their respective catch-pieces may be operated by the pattern surface so that they
may be coupled to the sliding racks at either of the extremities of their respective
movements, a series of operating levers which are formed and mounted in such a
manner as to engage with these catch pieces when the draw-bars assume their said
extreme positions and yet allow same to freely move from such engagement, thus
four of such series of levers are required, two for each draw-bar. One lever in
each of these series is coupled to a horizontal connecting rod extending for its outer
end to engage with the pattern surface, so that one hole or peg in this said pattern
surface will simultaneously operate all the four levers coupled to each rod, however
as only two of these levers are at any given time in actual contact with the catch
pieces it will be seen that the others are only moving idly, while since only one or
other of the two notches in the corresponding sliding rack can possibly be in
position for receiving its catch piece, the other catch piece will descend to rest
ineffectually upon the smooth straight edge of said sliding rack, by which means
although there are four operating levers, and two catch-pieces for each sliding
rack, only one hole or peg on the pattern surface is necessary for putting this into
effectual operation.
To prevent those of said catch pieces which at the commencement of the move-
ment of the draw bars, were not allowed to effectually engage with their respective

page_text: sliding racks, from thus engaging with them as these latter are moving into and
passing their central positions, plug-pieces are made to fill each of the notches
in these sliding racks, the same being arranged by suitably formed pendent levers
(which are either carried by their respective racks or are mounted on a shaft and
arranged to lie in the path of motion of these said racks) to rise into and fill said
notches at this part of the path of motion of their sliding rack provided always
that at this time such notches are not already filled by the catch pieces coupling
them to the draw-bars.
The pendent levers when carried by their respective racks are caused to allow
these plug pieces to descend from occupying these notches, by coming in contact,
at each extremity of their horizontal movement, with a cross bar or other part of
the framework of the machine.
The joint for coupling the connecting rod to the segment wheel is formed by a
cavity being made in said wheel in proximity with the joint so that the body, part
of the rod may enter therein while its coupling pin which is formed integrally. with
it may enter its pivotal opening.
Dated this 26th day of May 1801.
AMOS LOCKWOOD,.
Per Samuel Hey,
Agent.
i
Improvements in Shedding or Heald-operating, Mechanism
for Looms.
I' AMOS LOCKWOOD, of 38, Willow Bank, King Cross, Halifax, in the County
of York, Machine Maker, 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, that is to say :-
It relates to the production of loom shedding mechanism for moving or operating
the healds or heddles in both directions positively and consists of forming
constructing and arranging said mechanisms in such a manner as to enable them to
perform their functions accurately and with precision.
To attain this object I employ certain well known parts to or in connection with
which I couple or arrange other parts as hereinafter described and as illustrated by
the accompanying sheets of drawings in which :-
Fig. 1 is front elevation of the shedding mechanism shown as detached from a
loom.
Fig. 2 is sectional elevation of said shedding mechanism, showing only a little of
the framework the other parts of which are omitted for the sake of clearness.
Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 but is drawn on a reduced scale, and shows the
method of coupling the mechanism to the heddles of a loom, this latter being also
omitted from the drawing as unnecessary.
Fig. 4 is a top view of a sufficient part of the mechanism to show the relative
proportions and positions of the principal parts.
Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are drawings in detail hereinafter referred to.
Figs. 8 and. 9 are similar views to Fig. 1, and are illustrative of alternative
methods for performing certain of the operations hereinafter explained.
Similar letters and figures of reference indicate similar parts throughout the
several views:
A indicates the framework of the machine, and B the healds or heddles.
In carrying my invention into effect I make use of the jack or top-levers a, (or a
the series of bowls 13 as shown by Fig. 8 might be employed in place of the
levers a as is well understocd) as well as the bottom levers 6 which are formed an.l

page_text: coupled or joined together and to the heddles B in the usual and well known
manner as by the rods c and cords d.
The arms a' of the levers a are coupled by the rods e to the toothed crank
wheels (mounted loosely to revolve on shaft f) which are caused to rotate or
move by the racks g as these latter are moved backward and forward or reciprocate,
such movement of the wheels being to bring their crank pins f¹ from one side of
their pivotal centres to the other, the two extremes being shown by Fig. 3.
These racks g are mounted to slide upon the cross rails or framework A' A' of
the machine, thus their movements are at all times in a straight and even course.
In each of these racks g are formed two notches g¹ 92 in suitable relative positions
as shown so that catch pieces hh carried by the two reciprocatory drawbars k k¹
may engage therewith as is desired for causing the said draw-bars k k¹ to move said
racks g. These draw-bars kk are arranged to slide within guiding slots m formed in
each of the side frames A A² such slots m being parallel with the upper edges or
surfaces of the racks g while the catch pieces are made and formed to slide
freely in slots 2, made in these draw-bars kk' by which bars kk¹ they are at all
tinies carried so that when any one of these catch-pieces his allowed to move or
fall into one or other of the notches g g in the sliding racks g such rack g will be
coupled to and caused to move with the draw-bar k or k¹ carrying same and that
through a sufficient space to cause the wheel to rotate as desired.
To the extremities of the draw-bars kk are pivotally attached the pendent
levers nn nn³ the other extremities of which span the extremities of the shaft o
and the fixed studs or pins pp respectively which shaft and studs form the fulcrums
for these levers so that by these latter being coupled with the rods qqqq³ to the
double eccentries (mounted on the shaft 2) as these eccentrics rotate the
levers nnnn³ are moved backward and forward and so also are the draw-bars k k',
and, as will be seen, the movements of said draw-bars kk' will be in opposite
directions; and in order that their respective catch pieces h¹ may be operated by
the pattern surface t so that they may be coupled to the sliding racks g at either
of the extremities of their respective movements, a series of operating levers' s
(or s¹²) each lever in which is formed and mounted AS on the cross
shafts uu uu u in such a manner as will enable it to engage with its respective
catch-piece or when the draw-bars kk' assume their said extreme positions and
yet allow same to freely move from such engagement, thus four levers of such
series of levers ss ss3 are required, two for each draw-bar k and k. However, as
only one connecting rod v is used for coupling four levers (one lever in each of the
four series of levers) together, one peg t¹ (or hole) in the peg-lags t2 (or cards if
these are used instead of peg-lags) into connection with which it reaches, is
sufficient to control or move all the four levers simultaneously (in one direction
when pressed against it by the advancing movement of the cylinder t, which is
caused to oscillate as hereinafter described, the movement in the opposite direction
being effected by gravity through the weighted arm of the lever s which is '
sufficiently in excess of the weight of the pieces as will enable it to sustain
them when not acted upon by the pattern surface), while since only two of such
levers can possibly be at any given time in actual contact with the catch pieces :
it will be seen that the others are only moving idly and further since only one or
other of the two notches g¹ or g2 in the corresponding rack can possibly be in
position for receiving its catch-piece h or h', the other catch-piece will descend to
rest upon the upper surface of the rack where there is no notch hence it is not
coupled thereto although it is in contact therewith and to prevent it from falling
into its notch as it is moving over same as the rack is being moved by the other
catch-piece, the upper end of each catch-piece is formed to have a projecting
rib extending laterally from it to slide upon a similar rib wo formed upon each
of the guide pieces ww¹ two series of which are carried by being fixed upon or
made to take over the cross-bars or shafts w² w³ and to respectively as illustrated
by detail drawings 5, 6 and 7.
Or instead of these guide pieces wow being employed plug-pieces 6 and 7 might.
1
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page_text: he employed as shewn by Figs. 8 and 9, these pieces 6 and 7 are made to fill each
of the notches gl or g³ and fit loosely therein so that by their tail pieces 8 passing
through the racks g for contact with the levers 9 and 10 respectively the weighted
ends of which are sufficiently heavy to raise the plug pieces 6 and 7 level with the
apper surfaces of the racks g when they are not held down by the catch-pieces h h¹
having hold of the draw-bars k k¹, the said plug pieces as will be seen being moved
clear of the levers 9 and 10 at each extremity of their path of motion in order that
they may be free to be operated upon by the pattern surface.
These levers 9 and 10 may be formed as shown by Fig. 9 and arranged to be
carried backward and forward with the draw-bars k k¹. Stop pieces 11 and 12
being employed for causing these levers 9 and 10 to turn or move out of position.
with the tail-pieces 8 of the pieces 6 and 7 at each extremity of the movement of
said bars for the purpose of allowing freedom for the actions of the pattern
surface as stated above; however I preferably employ the method of guiding the
pieces has first before described.
Oscillatory motion is imparted to the pattern barrel t by the cam x and spring
(the former being mounted on the rotary shaft o) operating the levers 22 and 23
pivotted at a while intermittent rotary motion is imparted thereto by the train of
wheels y, peg-wheel y' and star-wheel y² from said shaft o, which derives its motion
from the shaft through the gear-wheels o' and o².
which
The shaft is rotated by being geared with the wheels to the shaft
is in turn rotated through the vertical shaft 7 by any motor part of the loom such
as the top or bottom shaft of said loom.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that the several parts for operating
the racks g are all arranged so that they have their several respective bearings
common to all the series, thus the racks g have notches g¹ g2, the catch-pieces h h¹
are all arranged to slide in their respective grooves in the bars kk common to
their series and the several series of levers ss ss3 are carried by their common
shafts u unu³, by which means stronger joints are formed and that in an easier
and more expeditious manner than when each operating part has to be pivotally
connected to another.
The joints at fl for coupling the rods e to the segment or crank wheels fare
formed by a cavity (shown in broken lines Fig. 8) being made in said wheel so
that the solid end piece e¹ of the rod e may be taken into the pivotal opening while
the body part of said rod e may be spanned by the walls of the wheel at e².
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In loom shedding mechanism, the combination of draw-bars means for
imparting reciprocatory motion to these bars, catch-pieces arranged to slide upon
or within slots made in said bars, means operated by a pattern-surface for acting
upon said catch-pieces, sliding racks having notches to receive said catch-pieces,
crank-wheels gearing with said racks and levers and connecting parts for coupling
said crank wheels to the heddles substantially as specified.
2. In loom shedding mechanism the combination of reciprocatory draw-bars,
catch pieces arranged to have a common bearing or attachment on or to said draw-
bars, four series of levers and their respective connecting rods for operating said
catch-pieces and pattern mechanism for operating said parts substantially as herein
set forth and described.
3. In loom shedding mechanism the combination of draw-bars, catch-pieces in
connection with said draw-bars, sliding racks formed to receive said catch-pieces
and segment cranks for gearing with said racks substantially as herein specified.
4. In loom shedding mechanism the combination of draw-bars catch pieces
carried by said bars, means for operating said catch pieces and means for preventing
same from falling into connection with the sliding racks substantially as herein
*pecified.

page_text: 5. The improved shedding mechanism formed arranged and constructed sub-
stantially as herein specified and as illustrated by the accompanying sheets of
drawings.
A. LOCKWOOD,
Per Samuel Hey,
Agent.