IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Josiah Firth, Sir Charles Henry Firth, Knight,
and Edwin Firth, of the Firm of Edwin Firth and Sons, of
Heckmondwike, in the County of York, Carpet and Woollen
Manufacturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING."
Sealed the 13th September 1872, and dated the 30th April 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Josiah Firth, Sir
Charles Henry Firth, and Edwin Firth at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 30th April
1872.
We, JOSIAH FIRTH, Sir CHARLES HENRY FIRTH, Knight, and EDWIN
FIRTH, of the Firm of Edwin Firth and Sons, of Heckmondwike, in the
County of York, Carpet and Woollen Manufacturers, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOKS FOR WHAVING,"
to be as follows, that is to say :-
Our Invention relates to power looms for weaving three ply Scotch,
Kidderminster, ingrain, or damask carpetings; also woollen cloths and
textile fabrics.

page_text: For this purpose we employ jacquards fixed endways or otherwise on
the loom, which allows the cards of the jacquards to be worked over the
side or back of the loom. The jacquards are formed with a greater
number of threads or needles passing through them than those at
present in use, by these means allowing two sets of cards to pass over {
the jacquard cylinders at one and the same time, producing an action in
the needles and cards in the jacquards which enables us to raise the
number of threads in the warp (which passes through the eyes or mails
in the harness), and forming the requisite figure and thickness of cloth.
We also employ what are termed blank cards for the purpose of
raising or lowering the shuttle boxes, and preventing the picking or
weaving motions from coming into play. The shuttle boxes are ope-
rated upon by means of cords or wires passing through the jacquard,
and are worked by the cards passing over the cylinder of the jacquard.
These cords or wires are attached to bent levers working on pivots. One 1
end of the levers have clicks operating upon similar clicks fixed to the
end of wires attached to other levers. These other levers are fixed to
the loom frame, and work also on pivots; they are bent towards the
centre, and are acted upon by means of cams lifting or lowering the
shuttle boxes. By this arrangement we are enabled to move one, two,
or three boxes at one revolution, that is to say, we can either raise or
lower the boxes as required; or we can lift or lower the shuttle boxes
one at a time, by using a countershaft fixed underneath the loom
working a revolving cam, which sets in motion upright racks fixed to
the shuttle boxes. This countershaft is set in motion by means of gear i
attached to the jacquard.
We also prevent the occurrence of traps caused by the shuttle not
reaching the shuttle boxes at the proper moment. For this purpose we
employ a stud fixed to a lever, which is acted upon by the shuttle
passing under it, and should the shuttle be stopped in its course at the
entry of the shuttle box, or in any other part of the running board, this
stud and lever, by means of gearing, act upon the stop rod, and bring
the loom to a standstill.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Josiah Firth, Sir Charles Henry Firth, and Edwin
Firth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSIAH
FIRTH, Sir CHARLES HENRY FIRTH, Knight, and EDWIN FIRTH, of the
Firm of Edwin Firth and Sons, of Heckmondwike, in the County of
York, Carpet and Woollen Manufacturers, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and
and grant unto us, the said Josiah Firth, Sir Charles Henry Firth,
Edwin Firth, Her special licence that we, the said Josiah Firth, Sir
Charles Henry Firth, and Edwin Firth, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Josiah Firth, Sir Charles
Henry Firth, and Edwin Firth, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, 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 we, the said Josiah Firth, Sir Charles
Henry Firth, and Edwin Firth, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, 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 we, the said Josiah Firth, Sir Charles Henry
Firth, and Edwin Firth, do hereby declare the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the Drawings hereto annexed and to the figures and
letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
Our Invention relates to improvements in power looms for weaving

page_text: two and three ply Scotch, Kidderminster, ingrain, or damask carpetings;
also woollen cloths and textile fabrics.
For this purpose we employ jacquards fixed endways or otherwise on
the loom, which allows the cards of the jacquard to be worked over the
side or back or front of the loom. The jacquards are formed with a
greater number of threads or needles passing through them than those
at present in use, by these means allowing two sets of cards to pass over
the jacquard cylinder at one and the same time, producing an action in
the needles and cards in the jacquards which enables us to raise tho
number of threads in the warp (which passes through the eyes or mails
in the harness), and forming the required figure and thickness of cloth.
Wo also employ what we term blank cards for the purpose of raising
or lowering the shuttle boxes, and preventing the picking or weaving
motions from coming into play. The shuttle boxes are operated upon
by means of cords or wires passing through the jacquard, and are worked
by the cards passing over the cylinder of the jacquard. These cards or
wires are attached to bent levers working on pivots. One end of the
levers have clicks operating upon similar clicks fixed to the end of wires
attached to other levers. These other levers are fixed to the loom frame,
and work also on pivots; they are bent towards the centre, and aro
acted upon by means of cams lifting or lowering the shuttle boxes. By
this arrangement we are enabled to move one, two, or three boxes at one
revolution, that is to say, we can either raise or lower the boxes as
required; or we can lift or lower the shuttle boxes one at a time by
using a countershaft fixed underneath the loom working a revolving
cam, which sets in motion upright racks fixed to the shuttle boxes.
This countershaft is set in motion by means of gear attached to tho
jacquard.
We also prevent the occurrence of traps caused by the shuttle not
reaching the shuttle boxes at the proper moment.
For this purpose
we employ a stud fixed to a lever, which is acted upon by the shuttle
passing under it, and should the shuttle be stopped in its course at the
entry of the shuttle box, or in any other part of the running board, this
stud and lever, by means of gearing, act upon the stop rod, and bring
the loom to a standstill.
But in order to enable our improvements to be better understood we

page_text: will proceed to describe the same by reference to the accompanying
Drawings, in which Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents a sectional side view of
the lifting and lowering shuttle box motion; Figure 2, back clevation;
Figure 3, front elevation; and Figure 4, plan of the same; Figure 5,
Sheet 1, represents an enlarged side view of the catches or clicks;
Figure 1, Sheet 2, represents a side elevation of the trap motion ;
Figure 2, back elevation; and Figure 3, plan of the same. Similar
letters of reference are used in all the Figures to represent similar parts.
In employing blank cards for the purpose of raising or lowering the
shuttle boxes and preventing the picking or weaving motions from
coming into play, the shuttle boxes are operated upon by means of cords
or wires A passing over the cylinder of the jacquard. These cords or
wires A are attached to bent iron rods B (or we use straight rods),
having slot holes C for the purpose of allowing for the action of the
levers D. These rods are attached by studs to the levers D and D¹.
The levers D have a pin E working in the bent part F of the levers D¹.
When one shuttle box is required to be lifted or lowered the levers D
only act, but should two or more shuttle boxes be raised or lowered the
bent part F comes in contact with the pin E of the levers D, and lifts or
lowers the levers D', moving one, two, three, or more of the shuttle
boxes. The levers D and D' are kept in their places by means of the
guard G, and have catches or clicks H (Figure 5, Sheet 1), and work
upon catches I, I¹, formed on the lifting rod J and lowering rod K. The
lifting and lowering rods J, K, are attached to the bent levers L and L',
3. fixed to the loom frame by means of the bracket M. The other ends of
the bent levers are made with a curve N to allow for the forward and
backward motion of the loom sword O. The curved ends N' pass
through the eyes P of the bent lifting rods Q, and by the action of the
cords or wires A lifting or lowering the rods J, K, and consequently the
) levers L, L, and the rods Q, we are enabled to move one, two, three, or
more shuttle boxes at one revolution, that is to say, we can either raise
or lower the boxes as required. The levers Q have catches R for
lowering, and catches S for lifting, and catch in the racks T. These
racks are made with cut holes U, equal in number to the shuttle boxes
3 (or we can use a rack and pinion); these racks are fixed to the shuttle
box frame V, and according to the lifting and lowering of the lifting
rods Q cause the moving of one, two, or more of the shuttle boxes by

page_text: means of the catches R and S entering one or more of the cut holes U
in the racks T. W, spring to keep the lifting rods Q firmly to the
racks T, to allow the catches R and S to enter the cut out holes U at
any stroke of the lifting and lowering levers Q. The catch R on the
lowering lever is kept from entering the cut holes U when required by
means of the slide X, which is pressed up by the spiral spring X' fixed
between the guard on the sword frame of the loom and the head of the
slide X. Z, shaft fixed in brackets bolted to the sword of the loom. On
this shaft are fitted two levers y, having open lugs, in which are fixed
friction pullies Y'. These pullies act upon the lifting rods Q, and press
out the catches or clicks R and S from the cut holes U by means of the
connecting rods Z³ fixed on a stud fitted to the loom frame. The con-
necting rod Z³ is attached to a lever Z fixed on the shaft Z, so that
when the swords and shuttle box frames are working forward and
backward the friction pullies Y' are either pressing out the lifting
rods Q or allowing the catches R and S to act. C² is a strong spring for
the purpose of bringing back to its position the bent lever I after it has
lowered one or more of the shuttle boxes.
"
We can also lift or lower the shuttle boxes one, or two, or more at a
time by means of the cams A² fixed on a countershaft D³, fitted under
and on the side of the loom. These cams A³ act upon friction pullics B
fixed in the bent levers L and L' (or these levers may be made straight).
The countershaft D³ is worked by means of gearing attached to the
loom.
To prevent the occurrence of traps caused by the shuttle not reaching
the shuttle boxes at the proper moment, we employ the arrangement
shewn in Sheet 2, in which A is an inclined rail, upon which travels the
friction pulley B, fitted in a bent lever C, attached to the stop rod D.
On this stop rod D is fixed the shuttle stopping finger E. The stop
rod D works in a guide F fixed to the batten G and running board H.
The friction pulley B in its travel on the inclined rail A forces the stop
rod D up and down the guide F, and consequently the finger E, and is
kept in its up-and-down motion by means of the springs I and J, having
a metal piece L placed on the guide rod K, on which the spring rests,
forming two short springs to increase the springing power. One end of
the bent lever C is made with a curved lever M, on which is fixed a
friction pulley N. This friction pulley N works upon the bent lever O,

page_text: Fourthly. The prevention of traps caused by the shuttle being stayed
in its course, substantially, in the manner described and represented in
Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
"
In witness whereof, we, the said Josiah Firth, Sir Charles Henry
Firth, and Edwin Firth, have hereto set our hands and scals, this
Twenty-seventh day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
Witness,
JOSIAH FIRTH.
(L.S.)
CHARLES HENRY FIRTH. (L.S.).
EDWIN FIRTH.
(L.S.)
WALTER JAS. TURNER, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Bradford.