IMPROVEMENTS IN WEFT STOP MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan-Brown, of the Firm of Brandon
and Morgan-Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, South-
ampton Buildings, London, and 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEFT STOP MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.".
-
A communication from abroad by Samuel Billings Capen, of
Devonshire Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of
Amominn
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-
Brown at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 23rd October 1874.
I, WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-
Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings,
London, and 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEFT STOP MECHANISM FOR LOOMS,"
to be as follows :-
:-

page_text: Firstly. In combining with a lay of a loom a positive stop motion
device consisting of a detector for the weft thread, which connects by direct
mechanism with a swinging dagger attached to the lower side of the lay.
This dagger is so arranged in connecting with the shipping lever and a
check on the breast beam, that in case the weft thread is absent the t
dagger will strike the knock-off lever, throwing off the belt, and at the
same time be stopped by the limited motion of the knock-off lever,
which motion is arrested by a check on the breast beam, thus bringing
the lay of the loom to a sudden stop.
Secondly. In a device for stopping the lay of a loom when the weft 1
thread breaks or is absent, said device being so arranged that the lay
stops before the shed changes, and also before the crank of the driving
shaft gets in line with the pitman on a dead centre, that is, the lay stops
with the crank in such a position that it can be easily pushed back by
the operator. In case a weft thread breaks so that its end remains 1
within the shed, if the shed is allowed to change, this broken thread is
woven in and has to be found and picked out, and the harness chain and
shuttle boxes moved into proper position before the loom can be again
started. But if the loom is stopped before the shed is changed and
before the crank has got on to its centre, that is, before the lay has a
reached the end of its forward stroke and before the last thread (the
broken one) is beaten up, and while it still lies in the open shed, then
the opcrator if using a loom with a positive harness motion has simply
to push the lay back (which has the effect of opening the sheet still
more); if using a loom with the old fashioned harness motion he must
adjust the harness before moving the lay. Having thus opened the shed
wide he puts the shuttle into the shed two or three threads back from
the point, at which the end of the broken one lies and passes it through
into the shuttle box; this will leave the shed with a thread in two parts
extending through it (the two ends of the thread overlaying a little);
then the loom may be started and the work go on, thus avoiding all
waste of thread, and saving much time. In case the thread breaks at
such a point as not to be within the shed at all, then the shuttle is
taken from the box and passed again through the entire shed into its
box, leaving a weft thread ready to be beaten up and the loom is in
condition to start. In case the thread is broken after passing the last
selvedge but before it reaches the detector, then the thread should be
connected at this selvedge. If the thread has all run out of the shuttle

page_text: the loom stops as though the thread had broken; it is only necessary to
put in a full shuttle, observing the same direction as given in the case of
a broken thread.
Thirdly. In a device for relieving the thread from the strain brought
upon it by the detector fork. This I do by a device which lifts the fork
slightly after it has fallen on to the thread, and holds it so as to relieve
the thread from the weight of the fork, while the lay is near the breast
beam both in the forward and backward stroke.
Fourthly. In a mechanism by which a positive stopping device
actuated by the weft detector takes effect at both ends of the lay, the
stopping daggers being connected with the protector rod and protector
rod daggers. By this arrangement the lay regardless of the width of
the loom is rigidly stopped by the weft device, and I am enabled to
make use of the protector rod as a means of communication of motion
from the weft detectors to the stopping daggers, thus economizing space
on the front of the lay and securing constant action; mechanically this
part of my Invention consists in connecting with the daggers of the
protector rod supplemental daggers so arranged that when the weft
thread is absent or broken these supplemental daggers shall act on the
stopping device and thus stop the loom. In order to effect this result the
protector rod fingers which rest against the shuttle binders are provided
with hinged joints at points near the rod, the upper parts of these
fingers being so connected with the weft detectors that when a weft
thread is absent the fingers are drawn off from the ends of the shuttle
binders, which action allows them to fall in towards the lay, and thus
allow the protector rod to revolve and throw up the daggers in such a
manner that the supplemental ones will come in contact with the knock
off device and stop the loom.
Fifthly. In combining with the weft detector let off device sliding
(laggers located on the face of the lay, said daggers being so arranged
and made to operate that when the weft thread is in place they will not
come in contact with the shipping and stopping devices which are
attached to the breast beam.
Sixthly. In a method for operating the rods which serve to prevent
the weft threads which have already been beaten up, on a loom which
has a number of shuttles, and upon which weft detectors are used from
_11..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 14th April 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 13,
Rue Gaillon, Paris, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Morgan-Brown, Her
special license that I, the said William Morgan-Brown, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Morgan-
Brown, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, usc,
excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WEFT STOP MECHANISM FOR LOOMS," a communication to
me from abroad by Samuel Billings Capen, of Devonshire Street, Boston,
Massachusetts, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Morgan-Brown, 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 William Morgan-Brown, 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: connects by direct mechanism with a swinging dagger attached to the
lower side of the lay. This dagger is so arranged in connection with the
shipping lever and a check on the breast beam, that in case the weft
thread is absent, the dagger will strike the knock-off lever, throwing off
the belt, and at the same time be stopped by the limited motion of the
knock-off lever, which motion is arrested by a check on the breast beam,
thus bringing the lay of the loom to a sudden stop..
Secondly. In a device for stopping the lay of a loom when the weft
thread breaks or is absent, said device being so arranged that the lay
stops before the shed changes, and also before the crank of the driving
shaft gets in line with the pitman or on a dead centre, that is, the lay
stops with the crank in such a position that it can be casily pushed back
by the operator. In case a weft thread breaks so that its ends remain
within the shed, if the shed is allowed to change, this broken thread is
woven in and has to be found and picked out, and the harness chain and
shuttle boxes moved into proper position before the loom can be again
started, but if the loom is stopped before the shed is changed and before
the crank has got on to its centre, that is, before the lay has reached the
end of its forward stroke, and before the last thread (the broken one) is
beaten up and while it still lies in the open shed, then the operator if
using a loom with a positive harness motion has simply to push the lay
back (which has the effect of opening the shed still more); if using a loom
with the old fashioned harness motion he must adjust the harness before
moving the lay. Having thus opened the shed wide, he puts the shuttle
into the shed two or three threads back from the point at which the end
of the broken one lies and passes it through into the shuttle box; this
will leave the shed with a thread in two parts extending through it (tho
two ends of the thread overlaying a little); then the loom may be started
and the work go on, thus avoiding all waste of thread and saving much
time. In case the thread breaks at such a point as not to be within the
shed at all, then the shuttle is taken from the box and passed again
through the entire shed into its box, leaving a weft thread ready to be
beaten up
and the loom is in condition to start. In case the thread is
broken after passing the last selvage but before it reaches the detector,
then the thread should be connected at this selvage. If the thread has
all run out of the shuttle the loom stops as though the thread had
broken; it is only necessary to put in a full shuttle observing the _same
direction as given in the case of a broken thread,..

page_text: Thirdly. In a device for relieving the thread from the strain brought
upon it by the detector fork. This I do by a device which lifts the fork
slightly after it has fallen on to the thread, and holds it so as to relievo
the thread from the weight of the fork while the lay is near the breast
beam, both in the forward and backward stroke.
Fourthly. In a mechanism by which a positive stopping device
actuated by the weft detector takes effect at both ends of the lay. The
stopping daggers being connected with the protector rod and protector
rod daggers. By this arrangement the lay regardless of the width of the
loom is rigidly stopped by the weft device, and I am enabled to make.
use of the protector rod as a means of communication of motion from the
weft detectors to the stopping daggers, thus economizing space on the
front of the lay and securing constant action. Mechanically this part of
my Invention consists in connecting with the daggers of the protector
rod supplemental daggers so arranged that when the weft thread is
absent or broken these supplemental daggers shall act on the stopping
device and thus stop the loom. In order to effect this result the
protector rod fingers which rest against the shuttle binders aro
provided with hinged joints at points near the rod, the upper parts of
these fingers being so connected with the weft detectors that when a
weft thread is absent, the fingers are drawn off from the ends of the
shuttle binders, which action allows them to fall in towards the lay and
thus allow the protector rod to revolve and throw up the daggers in such
a manner that the supplemental ones will come in contact with the
knock-off device and stop the loom.
Fifthly. In combining with the weft detector let-off device sliding
daggers located on the face of the lay, said daggers being so arranged
and made to operate that when the weft thread is in place they will not
come in contact with the shipping and stopping devices which are
attached to the breast beam.
Sixthly. In a new method for operating the rods, which serve to
prevent the weft threads which have already been beaten up on a loom
which has a number of shuttles, and upon which weft detectors are used,
from falling back on to the lay.
In order that this Invention may be better understood, and more
readily carried into effect, I will now proceed to describe the same with

page_text: reference to the annexed Sheet of Drawings and to letters and figures
marked thereon.
A represents the breast beam of a loom, and B the lay. To the rear
of the lay I attach the shaft F, Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, and to it the detector
forks G, H, Figures 2, 4, 10, 12, K representing the stationary grill
attached to the lay. The shaft F has upon it a lappet N, Figures 2 and
13, which is acted upon by the bent lever 8, 9, Figure 13. This bent
lever 8, 9, is acted upon by the cam arm 10, which is attached to the
breast beam A, see Figure 13. The function of this bent lever is to
throw up at the proper time the detector fork H; this it does by acting
through the lappet N and shaft F, sec Figures 2 and 13. U, Z, Figures 2,
3, and 4, is a lever dagger which serves to stop the lay; this lever is
pivoted to the protector rod W, and otherwise held in position by a
strong housing 5 attached to the lay, see Figures 3 and 4. This dagger
is so arranged in connection with the working parts that it is held in
such a position by the latch let-off R, P, Figures 3, 4, and 5 that the
point Z will pass under the bent knock-off lever X, Y, at each forward
motion of the lay, and not stop the loom so long as the weft thread is
on the grill of the detector, but in case the weft thread is absent from
the grill then the detector fork will fall through the grill; this action
will cause the lappet S' to strike the arm R of the let-off latch R, P, and
throw its hook at P, Figure 5, out of contact with the rod V of the lever
dagger V, Z, thus allowing the end V to be thrown down by the spring
(23), Figures 3 and 4, and the point Z to rise sufficiently high to strike the
knock-off lever X, Y, Figures 2 and 3; this lever ✗, acting through the
sliding rod 1, Figure 2, throws off the belt shipping lever in the usual
manner. The dagger Z also serves to stop the further motion of the lay,
since it rests against the arm X of the lever X, Y, which can only move
sufficiently far to ship the belt, when its further motion is arrested by
the check 3, Figures 2, 3, and 4; thus the further advance of the
dagger Z is abruptly terminated, and consequently the lay will be
stopped absolutely with the crank E in the position shown in Figure 3,
that is, before it comes into line with the pitman D or on dead centres,
and the shed is open.
With the lay and crank in the position above described the lay may
be readily pushed back, the shed opened wider, leaving the whole in
condition for readily finding the broken weft thread, and properly placing
the shuttle,

page_text: When the lever U, Z, has dropped from the let-off latch P, as above
described, the loom should not be re-started until the end V of the
dagger lever U, Z, is replaced in the let-off latch P, Figure 5. This is
done by means of the foot lever 7, Figure 3, and the treadle rod or its
equivalent. Instead of the treadle device for replacing the dagger lever
an automatic device may be used.
The object of the dagger let-off device is to separate as much as
possible the connection between the detector forks and the dagger lever.
Heretofore the two devices, that is the detector fork and the dagger,
have been connected together so that the weight or pressure necessary
to cause the dagger to do its work was added (by connection of the
parts) to the detector forks, so that the detector fork could not act with
the required delicacy on weak weft threads. By my Invention of trans-
mitting the motion from the detector fork to the lever dagger by means
of a let-off device I secure a greater delicacy of action of the detector
fork and still preserve the firmness and strength of action.
The device for relieving the weft thread from the pressure of the
detector forks H consists of a wedge pointed piece L, Figures 2, 3, and 4,
which I will call the reliever L. This reliever as now made is fastened
to the breast beam A, and is so placed that its wedge-shaped point!
extends over the grill of the detector when the lay is near the breast
beam. In case the detector fork H rests upon the weft thread, as shown
in Figures 4 and 13, then the reliever L will pass under the detector
fork and raise it so that it will not cause any strain on the weft thread,
that is, it will allow the weft thread to be drawn along under the
detector so as to allow sufficient length of thread between the
detector and the selvage to prevent breaking during the motion of the
lay as might happen in case the thread was pressed upon by the full
weight of the detector fork. This reliever L must be so placed that it
will not interfere with the falling of the detector forks; these detector
forks fall soon after the passage of the shuttle, that is, at the time the
lay has made about half of its advance stroke. If the thread is not
present then the fork will fall through the grill, as shown in Figure 2,
so that the reliever L would pass over it and not interfere with it at all.
This reliever should be made adjustable, and if desirable the reliever may
be arranged to move with the lay its relative position with the detector
grill to be changed automatically by the action of the grill or lay B.

page_text: Figures 6 and 8 represents the lay of a loom having the usual form
of the drop box. b is one of the shuttle binders made in the usual
manner; and c, Figures 6 and 8, is a finger of the protector rod d.
These fingers c, c, (there being one at each end of the lay) are made like
the ordinary fingers except that they are jointed at e and act in the
same capacity in connection with the shuttle binder b, procector rod d,
and dagger h, as the protector rod fingers of usual construction.
By the device of the jointed finger c and supplemental daggers 7 the.
protector rod is made to perform a double function, viz., to stop the
loom where the shuttle fails and also when the weft thread is absent.
These supplemental knock-off daggers may be formed in conjunction
with the ordinary dagger h, as shown at g, Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, or they
may be made distinct from them and connected to the protector rod by a
set screw or pin.
So long as the ends of the finger crest on the shuttle binder b,
Figures 7 and 8, and the shuttle is in place the dagger & will remain as
shown in Figure 7, that is so as to pass under the knock-off device w
and not stop the loom. If the shuttle be out of place then the binders b
will fall back and allow the dagger h to strike the knock-off device and
thus perform its ordinary function of stopping the loom when a shuttle
has failed to reach its box.
In order to allow the supplemental daggers 9 to stop the loom when
a weft thread breaks I connect the fingers c, c, with the let-off device,
as shown in Figure 8. This connection I will now describe :- and 1,
Figure 8, represent rods which serve to connect the swing parts of the
fingers c, c, with a cross lever m, so that if the cross lever m is moved it
will, acting through the rods and 2, cause a corresponding motion of the
fingers c and c, that is, if the cross lever m is moved in the direction
indicated by the arrow, Figure 8, it will draw the upper ends of the
fingers c off from the ends of the shuttle binders b, as shown in Figures 6
and 9, and thus allow them, the fingers, to fall back, which will allow
the protector rod to revolve and throw up the daggers h, g, so that the
supplemental part will strike the knock-off lever w, see Figure 9.
This action caused by the detectors falling through the grills / in the
absence of the weft thread, as will be explained, can only take place
when the lay is so near the breast beam that the point h of the dagger
has passed under the knock-off to and thus cannot act upon it. This

page_text: may be understood if we remember that the detectors do not fall until
after the shuttle has passed, that is, until the forward motion of the lay
is nearly completed. When the daggers are actuated by the yielding of
the fingers c, c, from the absence of the shuttle they, the daggers 7, act
during the first part of the forward stroke of the lay, and they have time
to risc into position to strike the knock-off w.
The protector rod D is held by a spring, so as to press the fingers
against the shuttle binders b, Figure 8.
P, which
The let-off device is made as follows:-The cross lever m, Figure S,
is attached to a shaft n, Figure 8, which passes through the lay and has
an arm o attached to it. This arm o is held by a pivoted latch,
is provided with an arm so arranged in connection with the finger &
that when the fingers is raised by the fall of the detector H through
the grill (in case of the absence of the weft thread) the arm will be
thrown up and the latch p disconnected with o; this action will allow
the springy to throw the shaft n and lever m around in the direction of
the arrow, Figure 8, and thus pull the fingers c and c off from the
shuttle binders, which action, as already stated, will allow the dagger h
to be thrown up, so that the supplemental part 7 will come in contact
with the knock-off device w and stop the loom. This stopping of the lay
takes place, as has already been set forth, at the time when the lay is nearly
at the end of its forward stroke, that is, when the cranks of the shaft
are nearly on centre, and consequently at a time when the lay is moving
comparatively slow; thus the shock of abruptly stopping the lay is
relatively slight.
In Figures 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15 I show sliding daggers located on
the face of the lay, these daggers being so arranged in connection with
the let-off device, somewhat different from the one already described,
that they will come in contact with the shipping and stopping devices
whenever a weft thread is absent.
The let-off device is shown in Figures 10 and 12, and consists of a
cross lever m', Figures 10, 11, and 15, which is attached to a shaft N¹,
Figure 10, which passes through the lay and has an arm o¹ attached
to it. This arm o³ is held by a latch P' which is provided with an
arm R', so arranged in connection with the finger or lappet S' that when
the finger or lappet S₁ is lowered by the fall of the detector H through
the grill (in case of the absence of the weft thread) the arm R' will be

page_text: thrown down and the latch P¹ disconnected with the arm O', this action
will allow the spring Y¹ to throw the shaft N' and lever M' around in
the direction of the arrow, Figures 10 and 11, and thus acting through
the rods Land K' draw the sliding daggers B' and H', Figures 11, 12,
and 15, inwardly, that is, towards the centre of the lay.
The sliding daggers H' and B¹, Figures 11, 12, and 15, are made firm
and slide in the housings C¹, and are so placed that when held by the
arm O¹, Figure 10, of the let off device they will pass by at each stroke
of the lay, the knock-off buttress X, and the fixed buttress W, Figure 12,
but when a weft thread is absent then the let-off device frees the arm O¹,
as has been described, which action allows the shaft N to rotate and
the cross lever M¹ to be thrown around, as indicated by the arrow,
and thus draw through the rods K' and L the sliding buttress B¹
and H' inwardly to the position shown in Figure 15, so that H' will
come in contact with the fixed buttress W, and B' will come in contact
with the knock-off buttress X, thus stopping the forward motion of
the lay.
The knock-off buttress X is bent up in the rear of the breast beam, as
shown at Figure 14, its lower end G¹ terminating in a lever D', pivoted
at U', Figures 12 and 15. This lever D' contacts at its outer and F¹
with a second lever E¹ pivoted at I', and arranged to act so as to throw
off the shipping lever J, Figure 12, whenever the buttress X is forced
back by the dagger B', as shown in Figure 15.
I do not confine myself to any particular device for connecting the
moving buttress X with the device for knocking off the shipping lever.
may
up
The action of my Invention is as follows:-In starting the loom the
sliding daggers B' and H' are set as shown in Figure 12, so that the lay
beat in the usual manner. Now if the weft thread is absent the
detector H will fall through the grill, and acting through the rod Fand
finger or lappet S₁ will disconnect the latch P' from the arm O¹, and
thus cause the sliding daggers B, H, as has been explained, to be drawn
into the position shown in Figure 15, that is, to cause them, the daggers,
to contact with the buttress W and X. As the buttress X is movable,
and projects beyond the buttress. W, as shown in Figure 12, it is hit by
the dagger B¹ before the buttress W is hit by the dagger H¹. The first
action (after contact) of the dagger B' is to push back the buttress X,
and throw off the shipping lever J. The continued motion brings the

page_text: .
bent part of the buttress X, see Figure 14, up against the breast beam,
at which point it will resist further motion of the dagger B¹, and consc-
quently of the lay. At the same time that the dagger B' is stopped, as
above described, the dagger H' at the other end of the lay contacts with
the fixed buttress W, and is stopped. Thus both ends of the lay are
stopped abruptly immediately after the belt shipping device has been
acted upon.
In Figure 1 I have shown the device for operating the rods a³, a¹², which
serve to keep the weft threads that have already been beaten from
up
the pulling back on to the detector grill K. In order to obtain the full
advantage of these rods, or, as I prefer to call them, the detector guards,
it is necessary that they be projected into such a position (at a certain
part of the stroke of the lay) that they will prevent the threads (that
have been beaten up and extend from the edge of the cloth to the
shuttles in the boxes) from falling back on to the lay; and at another
part of the stroke of the lay the guards a', a', must be withdrawn, so as
to allow the thread that has been beaten up to remain so, and not be
pulled back by the guards as they return with the lay. The lower ends
of the rods a', a³, are attached to arms ³, b¹, on the picker shafts c', e¹,
so that the rods a², a², may move up and down at each stroke of the
lay.
Experience has demonstrated that a weft stop mechanism for looms
may work perfectly upon one class of goods or one kind of loom, and
yet not be adapted to all. I have therefore been obliged to make a
variety of devices in order to be able to offer to the manufacturer a
practical Invention, that is, an Invention that embodies all the elements
required by the various classes of goods and looms in use.
Briefly, the devices as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5 apply only to
narrow looms, and may be placed on the middle. The devices shown in
Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15 are for use on broad looms, the
stopping daggers being on both ends.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention I would have
it understood that the arrangements which I consider as new and of my
Invention are all comprised in the weft stop mechanism. I do not
claim any of the parts of a loom immediately contributing to the forma-
tion of the cloth, nor the shipping lever, protector rod, or shuttle binders
or weft detectors of the weft stop mechanism, but I claim as my Invention

page_text: and desire to secure in the in part recited Letters Patent, the weft stop
mechanism and the parts thereof acting between the weft thread and
the check, or between the weft thread and the driving pulley in combi-
nation with each other, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan-Brown, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN. (L.S.)