An Apparatus to Simplify and Improve the Method or System of Reading Patterns, and Manipulating the Punches for Cutting Jacquard Cards for Lace and other Weaving.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 22nd July, 1893-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Apparatus to Simplify and Improve the Method or System of
Reading Patterns, and Manipulating the Punches for Cutting
Jacquard Cards for Lace and other Weaving.
I ARCHIBALD FRAME, Jacquard Pattern Reader, and Card Corrector, for the
time being resident at 54 Easterhill Street Tollcross, near Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark Scotland, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
An apparatus to simplify and improve the method or system of reading patterns,
and manipulating the punches for cutting Jacquard cards, for lace and other
weaving.
The apparatus can be affixed or attached to the present selecting machine.
There are a number of vertical rods (say 12 more or less) moving in horizontal
grooves, backwards, and forwards, and follows the driving bar (to be afterwards
mentioned) by means of a series of springs and are so brought back to the normal
position, at right angles to each vertical rod, and about the middle of it, is placed
a jointed arm kept in position by means of a spring, so that they can be easily
depressed and again recover.
These arms are depressed by means of levers or keys, so placed as to be easily
operated upon, by the fingers of the operator, when the pattern fills the space on
the point paper (or vice versa).
In front of the aforesaid arms there is a horizontal driving bar moving backwards
and forwards in grooves, this bar may be worked by the foot of the operator by
means of a crank and lever, or other suitable mechanism, and drives forward the
arms that are not depressed and consequently the vertical rods or bars.
Immediately in front of the said vertical rods or bars, there is an intermediate
box containing the same number of needles or short spindles as there are vertical
rods. Each of these needles or spindles has a spiral spring which keeps the said
needles or spindles always out towards the vertical rods aforesaid, so if the vertical
rods are moved outwards, the said needles or spindles are always moved out-
wards also.
The said intermediate box, and needles or spindles moves upwards and down-
wards automatically in grooves guides or spindles moving one division (or tier of
drawing needles to be afterwards mentioned) every time the driving bar is driven
home and consequently the design can be read from right to left or from left to
right, or alternately thus saving time.
A sliding box moving backwards and forwards horizontally on two guides or
spindles containing the same number of wires or needles horizontally as there are
vertical rods, and vertically a number of tiers of wires or needles (say 56). These
are pushed forward by the needles or spindles of the aforesaid intermediate box.
These wires are returned to their places by means of a splashboard and camb
arrangement or other convenient lever or spring movement, also, in each of these
wires or needles there is a bent notch in which rests transversely and at right
angles to them, an equal number of double hooked drawing needles forming tiers
(say 56 as aforesaid) of crossed needles, one hook of the drawing needles when
pushed forward by means of the notch, and the needles or spindles in the inter-
mediate box, is caught or fixed by means of a stationary, gridiron, or other frame,
so that these needles which have been pushed forward remain, (by being caught by
the aforesaid gridiron, or other frame,) when the sliding box containing the said

page_text: wires or needles is pulled along the guides or spindles, by means of a treadle or
other suitable motion, worked by the punching operator, who transfers the
impressions with the ordinary hand plate to the cutting press.
The other end of the drawing needles, are in the form of a long loop, in which is
threaded the threads or strings, (the number of strings to each drawing needle,
depending, on the number of repeats of the pattern) going through the sley plate,
to the needle box, containing the selecting needles.
So that if a drawing needle is stationary, that is caught by means of the gridiron
or other frame aforesaid, the strings attached to the said needles are held, and
prevents the corresponding selecting needles in the selecting needle box, from being
carried forward by the selecting box, and allows the remaining needles to
operate on the punches, which are caught in the hand plate, and the cards punched
in the usual manner.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1892.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Apparatus to Simplify and Improve the Method
or System of
Reading Patterns, and Manipulating the Punches for Cutting
Jacquard Cards for Lace and other Weaving.
I, ARCHIBALD FRAME, Jacquard Pattern Reader and Card Corrector, residing
at 54 Easterhill Street, Tollcross near Glasgow, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement in writing, that is
to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved method or
system and arrangement and combination of appliances for reading patterns and
manipulating the punches for punching or cutting Jacquard cards for lace and
other weaving, so as to be able by one punching operation to repeat the pattern
any required number of times.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended three explanatory sheets of drawings in which the same reference letters
are used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet 1 are side and end elevations, partly in section, at right
angles to each other of a machine or arrangement and combination of needles, bars,
and mechanism forming part of my improved method.
Figure 3 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 2, and Figure 4 a corresponding
horizontal section as taken on the line 2-2 Figure 2.
Figure 5 on Sheet 2 is a side sectional elevation of a sliding box containing
needles and fittings as constructed and arranged in accordance with my improve-
ments; and Figure 6 is a horizontal section as taken on the line 5-5 Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a face view broken away looking at right angles to Figure 5, but
with the front framework removed.
Figure 8 is a sectional plan view corresponding to Figure 7. And
Figure 9 a detached view of one of the notched needles broken away.
While
Figure 10 represents front and edge views of the needle board or plate looking
on the left hand side of Figure 5.
Figures 11 and 12 on Sheet 3 show end and side elevation diagraphic views of
the complete apparatus.
Referring to these drawings:-The apparatus can be affixed or attached to the
present selecting machine.
There are a number of vertical rods a (twelve being shown in the drawings
Sheet 1) moving in horizontal grooves a', backwards and forwards in the top and

page_text: punches for cutting Jacquard cards for lace and other weaving, the combination of
the appliances and mechanism shown on Sheet 1 with that shown on Sheets 2 and 3
or the mechanical equivalents thereof, substantially as set forth.
Dated the 21st Jul 1893
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.

page_text: of the motion of the sliding box F, when the inclined surface F³, of the splash-
board F², comes in contact with end of lever F", and the splashboard F is kept
out of action with the needles by helical springs F4, mounted on stud spindles F³.
Each of these wires or needles f, passes at its one end through the perforated
board G and is formed at its other end with a spring end; and there is a bent
notch in each needle in which rests transversely and at right angles to them an
equal number of double hooked drawing needles, Figure 6, forming tiers of
crossed needles. When the operator is to take an impression of the pattern card,
the hooks of the drawing needles corresponding to the pattern being formed,
are pushed forward by means of the notches f' and the needles or spindles e, in the
intermediate box E; and these hooks ', are caught or fixed by means of a
stationary gridiron or other frame G, Figure 6, (carried on the same spindles F¹
that carry the sliding box F, and which is held in position by a projecting arm or
other catch) so that these needles which have been pushed remain stationary (by
being caught by the aforesaid gridiron or other frame G) or vice versa and the
sliding box F containing the said wires or needles is pulled along the guides or
spindles F by means of a rod H, bellcrank lever H¹, connecting rod H2 and foot
treadle levers H³, shown in Figures 11 and 12, worked by the punching operator,
who transfers the impressions with the ordinary handplate I, to the punching press.
The other end of each of the drawing needles is in the form of a long loop h²,
Figure 6 in which is threaded the threads or strings i (the number of strings to each
drawing needle h depending on the number of repeats of the pattern) going through
the sley plate or thread guide I, Figure 11, to the needle box J, containing the
selecting needles j; so that if a drawing needle his stationary (that is caught by
means of the gridiron or other frame G aforesaid) the strings i attached to said
needle are held, and the corresponding selecting needles in the selecting needle
box J are prevented by said gridiron frame G from being carried forward by the
selecting box J, and the remaining needles are enabled to operate on the punches,
which are caught in the handplate I, and the cards punched in the usual manner.
The appliances and mechanism are preferably all carried on the framework K,
shown in Figures 11 and 12.
By this improved method or system of reading patterns and manipulating the
punches for cutting Jacquard card carried out as hereinbefore described with
reference to the drawings the punches require only one action to repeat the pattern
being operated on any required number of times. And the mechanism illustrated
in the drawings may be modified to embrace any well known mechanical equivalents
which would perform the functions required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The improved method or system of reading patterns and manipulating the
punches for cutting Jacquard cards for lace and other weaving, so as by one
punching operation to repeat the pattern any required number of times, substan-
tially as herein described.
Second. In a method or system of reading patterns and manipulating the punches
for cutting Jacquard cards for lace anl other weaving, the arrangement and use of
vertical rods with projecting arms carried on a frame, and an intermediate movable
needle box and needles, operate.l by mechanism, substantially as or the equivalent
of that shown on Sheet 1 of the accompanying drawings.
Third. In a method or system of realing patterns and manipulating the punches
for cutting Jacquard cards for lace and other weaving, the arrangement and use of
a sliding box, and sets of crossed needles and operating mechanism, substantially
the same or the equivalent of that shown on Sheet 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
Fourth. In a method or system of reading patterns and manipulating the

page_text: bottom parts A', A', of the machine framework A, and they follow the driving
bars c (to be afterwards mentioned) by means of a series of springs all, and are so
brought back to the normal position. At right angles to each vertical rod a, and
about the middle of it, is placed a jointed arm a² kept in position by means of a
spring a³, so that they can be easily depressed and again recover, and each arm a² is
formed with a projecting horn a'. These arms a² are housed within the part A³, of
framework and depressed by means of levers b, which project in alternate sequence
from opposite sides and are fulcrumed at 1, b¹, and provided with a key b³, so
placed as to be easily operated upon by the fingers of the operator when the pattern
fills the space on the point paper, or vice versa. In front of the aforesaid arms a²,
there is a horizontal driving bar c moving backwards and forwards in grooves c,
and this bar c is worked by the top jaw d' of the one arm d, of a lever d, d², which
is in turn actuated from a stud spindle c¹¹, oscillated by a lever c from a rod c³,
connected to ordinary treadle mechanism worked by the foot of the operator, and
this mechanism drives forward the arms a² that are not depressed and consequently
the corresponding vertical rods or bars a. Immediately in front of the said vertical
rods or bars a there is an intermediate box E containing the same number of needles
or short spindles e, as there are vertical rods a. Each of these needles or spindles e,
has a spiral spring e' which keeps the said needles or spindles e always in towards
the vertical rods a aforesaid, so that if these vertical rods a are moved outwards
the said needles or spindles e are always moved outwards also.
The intermediate needle box E is carried on and between endless driving steel
bands B, passing over sprocket wheels B' mounted on spindles B in the machine
framework, and is guided by having socket eyes sliding round the vertical fixed
spiniles E'. The arm d² of the two armed lever d, d², is attached to the centre C
of the duplex pawls C1, C2. One of the legs C¹ or C2 of these pawls is made by
moving the crosshead a to gear with the square or prism ended barrel D, and the
inner end of the spring controlling lever C3 bears over this barrel to prevent it
turning more than one fourth of a revolution at each action of the pawl C¹ or C².
These pawls C and C2 are put in and out of action with the projections or teeth of
the barrel D, by means of the crosshead which is mounted in the frame of
machine and provided with a turning or adjusting handle, as seen in Figure 2.
When the point al of crosshead is by turning the handle all made to engage with
the notch y on the pawl C¹, as shown in Figure 1, the barrel D is made to turn
from left to right, and the point a² bearing on notch of pawl C² keeps it out of gear;
and conversely when the point 2 of crosshead is made to engage with the notch y
on the pawl C2, the direction of motion in which the barrel D is turned by this pawl
is reversed to from right to left. A pinion D' is secured to the barrel D, and gears
with a spur wheel D³, secured to the lower sprocket wheel B' or spindle B". By
this arrangement when the driving bar c is operated by the treadle mechanism, the
endless bands B, B, are simultaneously turned to move the intermediate needle
box E, and needles e. The intermediate box E, and needles or spindles e are thus
moved upwards and downwards automatically, on their guide spindles E', and
actuate one division, or tier of drawing needles h, hereinafter described, every time
the driving bar c is driven home and approaching the termination of its return
motion, and consequently the design can be read from right to left, and from left to
right, or alternately thus saving time. A sliding box F, shown in Figure 5, moves
backwards and forwards horizontally by its two eye flanges moving on two guides
or spindles F, F¹, and this box F contains the same number (twelve) of wires or
needles f, in parallel rows horizontally as there are vertical-rods a in the machine,
shown on Sheet 1; and these rows of twelve needles are arranged in a number of
tiers vertically over each other, twenty tiers being shown in Figure 5, are guided
through the holes g in the end plate G¹. These needles f, are pushed forward by
the needles or spindles e of the aforesaid intermediate box E, as shown in Figures 5
and 11, 12, and these wires are returned to their places, by means of a splash-
board F, operated by a spring recoil lever F which gives the action at the end