IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS OR MACHINERY FOR WEAVING CORDS AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Smith, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN LOOMS OR MACHINERY FOR WEAVING CORDS AND OTHER FABRICS."
Sealed the 30th September 1864, and dated the 4th April 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Smith at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th April
1864.
I, JOHN SMITH, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS OR MACHINERY FOR WEAVING CORDS AND OTHER FABRICS,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention relates, firstly, to what is commonly termed "a positive
taking-up motion," that is, to mechanism for winding up the cloth upon the
beam as it is woven by self-acting means, so that as the cloth upon the
beam increases in diameter the rotary motion imparted to the beam decreases
in extent, and the warp or cloth by this means receives an uniform inter-
mittent motion; and this part of my Invention consists in an improved
arrangement and combination of mechanism, namely, the cloth beam is
arranged in bearings so that it can freely slide up & down in vertical slots in
the framing, and by weights, springs, or the tension of the cloth it is kept up
so that its periphery or the surface of the cloth wound upon it rests against.

page_text: the periphery of a roller placed so as to be free to rotate in bearings in the
framing above the cloth beam and parallel to its axis. Instead of a roller
a fixed smooth surface may be used. Upon one end of the cloth beam a
worm wheel is secured which gears with a long worm fixed on a vertical
shaft secured in bearings on the framing, the length of the screw or worm
being such that the worm wheel will keep in gear with it in every position of
the beam. The vertical shaft has a hand wheel upon it for convenient
adjustment of the "taking up," and has also a ratchet wheel upon it with one
or more pawls arranged to take any number of teeth or fractions of teeth,
these pawls being connected with a lever centred freely on the vertical shaft,
which lever receives motion from another lever, the fulcrum of which is carried
by a bracket projecting from one of the bearings of the cloth beam, by which
means the fulcrum of this lever is changed in position (by the descent of the
beam as the cloth is wound upon it) in relation to the pawl lever of the
ratchet wheel upon the vertical shaft. The lever having its fulcrum carried
by the bearing of the cloth beam receives motion by a connecting rod from
the slay or any other convenient working part of the loom. The ratchet wheel
may be placed upon a separate axis, and may be connected with the vertical
shaft by gearing.
The second part of my Invention relates to means for imparting the
required movements to leaves of healds in looms for weaving, and consists in
an arrangement and combination of parts as follows:-Two sets of tappets
are employed on separate short shafts placed at right angles to the shafts of
the healds and in gear with a shaft which passes across the loom and which
forms the tappet shaft or picking shaft of ordinary looms. Each leaf of
healds is placed in suitable vertical guides, and one end of the leaf or frame
receives motion from the lever of its tappet on one shaft, and the other end of
the frame or leaf receives motion from the lever of the corresponding tappet
on the other shaft; by this means each leaf of healds has simultaneous up
and down motion imparted to it at both ends as required, by means of
connecting rods jointed directly to the tappet levers.
The third part of my Invention relates to a system or mode of weaving
cords and other fabrics, and by which weft may be put into one, two, or more
sheds of warp simultaneously, and such weft may be continuous in length, if
required, so that no stoppages are required to supply weft as in an ordinary
loom where a shuttle is used. The main feature of this part of my Invention,
more particularly in respect to broad fabrics, consists in inserting the weft in
the shed or sheds by a rod (instead of a shuttle) which is passed into and
across the shed, and carries the weft with it, and when across the shed, the

page_text: weft is pinched, hooked, or otherwise held, so that when the rod is withdrawn
from the shed, the weft is left in it, and then the reed beats it up. By this
system double weft is left in the shed by each insertion and withdrawal of the
rod from the shed; or single weft may be left in the shed, but in this case
one edge of the fabric is a raw edge. Instead of the rod taking or carrying
the weft into the shed, it may be passed into the shed from one side, and may
then take hold of the weft at the other side, and draw it into and through the
shed as it returns either single or double by means of either nippers or hooks
upon its end. The fabric made by this means may have loops or fringes upon
one or both edges. If both edges of the cloth are to be made good selvedges
then the loop ends of the double weft left on one side of the cloth have a
shuttle passed through them, and by this means the shuttle passes a thread
corresponding to a warp thread through all the loops of the weft, or the loops
of weft at the edge of the fabric may be secured to form a good selvedge by
a hooked needle, having a crotchet action.
Another novel feature according to my Invention and particularly applicable
for weaving cords and like fabrics, and whereby both edges of the fabric may
be made good selvedges, consists in introducing the weft from each side of the
fabric alternately, that is, by taking into the shed a double thread when
inserting the rod, and another double thread on withdrawing the rod, and thus
introducing four threads by one double movement of the weft rod. In
weaving fabrics by drawing weft into the shed by a rod, I arrange, when
required, several different wefts, and pass these several wefts through eyes in
a moveable part, actuated by jacquard mechanism or its equivalent, so that by
changing the position of the part any required weft can be brought opposite
the hook or other instrument on the rod which draws the weft into the shed.
This part of my Invention also consists in the arrangement and combination
of self-acting mechanism for weaving according to my improved system or
mode of inserting weft into sheds, particularly for broad fabrics. The weft
rod or rods (according to the number of sheds) is mounted upon a suitable
slide which can move in a line with the shed, and motion is imparted to it to
and fro by a cam acting through connecting rods and levers. The reed is
made to beat after the rod has been inserted and withdrawn from the shed by
cam action or other equivalent means acting quickly so as to give as much
time as possible for the movements of the weft rod or rods. The weft rod is
formed hollow and the weft passes through it and is so arranged at the end
of the rod that a hooked point or pair of nippers can readily take hold of it,
which hook, point, or nippers may be operated by cam action; or if a good
selvedge is to be inade the shuttle at the edge of the fabric is passed through

page_text: the loop of the weft at the end of the rod by cam action. If the selvedge is
secured by crotchet action the hook needle has up and down and partly
rotatory movements imparted to it by cam action. When the weft is intro-
duced from each side of the fabric alternately two sets of points, holders, or
nippers are used. The weft is wound in the cop form, and is placed in any
convenient position in which it can pass without obstruction to the hollow of
its rod.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
October 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SMITH, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
⚫ WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said John Smith, Her special license that I, the said John
Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Smith, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOOMS OR MACHINERY FOR WEAVING CORDS AND OTHER FABRICS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Smith, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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 John Smith, do hereby declare the nature
of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement and
accompanying Drawings (that is to say):
My Invention relates, firstly, to what is commonly termed a "positive taking-

page_text: up-motion," that is, to mechanism for winding up the cloth upon the beam as
it is woven by self-acting means, so that as the cloth upon the beam increases
in diameter the rotary motion imparted to the beam will decrease in extent,
and the warp or cloth by this means will receive a uniform intermittent
motion, and this part of my Invention consists in an improved arrangement
and combination of mechanism, namely, the cloth beam is arranged in bear-
ings, so that it can freely slide up and down in vertical slots in the framing,
and by weights, springs, or the tension of the cloth the roller is kept up, so
that its periphery or the surface of the cloth wound upon it rests against the
periphery of a roller placed so as to be free to rotate in bearings in the
framing above the cloth bean and parallel to its axis. Instead of a roller a
fixed smooth surface may be used. Upon one end of the cloth beam a worm
wheel is secured, which geers with a long worm fixed on a vertical shaft
secured in bearings on the framing, the length of the screw or worm being
such that the worm wheel will keep in geer with it in every position of the
beam. The vertical shaft has a hand wheel upon it for the convenient adjust-
ment of the taking up, and has also a ratchet wheel upon it with one or more
pawls arranged to take any number of teeth or fractions of teeth, these pawls
being connected with a lever centred freely on the vertical shaft, which lever
receives motion from another lever, the fulcrum of which is carried by a
bracket projecting from one of the bearings of the cloth beam, by which
means the fulerum of this lever is changed in position (by the descent of the
beam as the cloth is wound upon it), in relation to the pawl lever of the
ratchet wheel upon the vertical shaft. The lever having its fulcrum carried
by the bearing of the cloth beam receives motion by a connecting rod from
the slay or other convenient working part of the loom. The ratchet wheel
may be placed upon a separate axis, and may be connected with the vertical
shaft by geering; an inclined shaper may be secured to the bearing of the
cloth beam in place of the lever carried thereby, this shaper regulating the
back movements of the ratchet lever, which are given by a weight or spring,
the forward movements being given by a rod having a positive movement of
definite extent.
My Invention relates, secondly, to means for imparting the required move-
ments to leaves of healds in looms for weaving, and consists in an arrangement
and combination of parts as follows:-Two sets of tappets are employed on
separate short shafts, placed at right angles to the shafts or rods of the healds,
and these short shafts are in geer with a shaft which passes across the loom,
and which forms the "tappet shaft" or "picking shaft" of ordinary loomis ;
each leaf of healds is placed in suitable vertical guides, and one end of the

page_text: leaf or frame receives motion from the lever of its tappet on one short shaft,
and the other end of the leaf or frame receives motion from the lever of the
corresponding tappet on the other short shaft, by this means each leaf of
healds has simultaneous up and down motion imparted to it at both ends, as
required, by means of connecting rods jointed directly to the tappet levers.
My Invention relates, thirdly, to a system or mode of weaving cords and
other fabrics, and by which weft may be put into one, two, or more sheds of
warp simultaneously, and such weft may be continuous in length, if required,
or wound into large cops, so that no stoppages, or but few, are required to
supply weft as in an ordinary loom where a shuttle is used. The main feature
of this part of my Invention, more particularly in respect to broad fabrics,
consists in inserting the weft in the shed or sheds by a rod or rods (instead of
a shuttle), which rod is passed into and across the shed and carries the weft
with it, and when across the shed the weft is pinched, hooked, or otherwise
held, so that when the rod is withdrawn from the shed the weft is left in it,
and then the reed beats it up. By this system double weft is left in the shed
by each insertion and withdrawal of the rod from the shed, or single weft
may be left in the shed; but in this case one edge of the fabric is a raw edge.
Instead of the rod taking or carrying the weft into the shed, it may be passed
into the shed from one side, and may then take hold of the weft at the other
side, and draw it into and through the shed as it returns either single or
double by means of either nippers or hooks upon its end. The fabrics made
by this means may have loops or fringes upon one or both edges. If both
edges of the cloth are to be made good selvedges then the loop ends of the
double weft left on one side of the cloth have a shuttle passed through them,
and by this means the shuttle passes a thread corresponding to a warp thread
through all the loops of the weft; or the loops of weft at the edges of the
fabric may be secured to form a good selvedge by a hook needle having a
crotchet action.
Another novel feature according to my Invention, and particularly appli-
cable for weaving cords and like fabrics, and whereby booth edges of the fabric
may be made good selvedges consists in introducing the weft from each side of
the fabric alternately, that is, by taking into the shed a double thread when
inserting the rod, and another double thread on withdrawing the rod, thus
introducing four threads by one double movement of the weft rod. In weaving
fabrics by inserting weft into the shed by a rod, I arrange, when required, several
different wefts and pass these several wefts through eyes in a moveable part
actuated by jacquard mechanism, or its equivalent, so that by changing the
position of the part any required weft can be brought opposite the hook, or

page_text: other instrument upon the rod, which inserts the weft into the shed. This
part of my Invention also consists in the arrangement and combination of self-
acting mechanism for weaving according to my improved system or mode of
inserting weft into sheds, particularly for broad fabrics. The weft rod or rods
(according to the number of sheds) is mounted upon a suitable slide, which
can move in a line with the shed, and motion is imparted to it to and fro by a
cam acting through connecting rods and levers. The reed is made to beat
after the rod has been inserted, and withdrawn from the shed by cam action
or other equivalent means acting quickly, so as to give as much time as
possible for the movements of the weft rod or rods. The weft passes along
the rod, and is so arranged at the end of the rod that a hook point or pair
of nippers can readily take hold of it, which hook point or nippers may be
operated by cam action; or if a good selvedge is to be made, the shuttle at
the edge of the fabric is passed through the loop of the weft at the end of the
rod by cam action. If the selvedge is secured by crotchet action the hook or
needle has up and down and partly rotatory movements imparted to it by cam
action. When the weft is introduced from each side of the fabric alternately
two sets of points, holders, or nippers are used. The weft is wound in the
cop form, and is placed in any convenient position, in which it can pass without
obstruction to the inserting rod.
The manner in which my improvements are carried into effect will be
deseribed by reference to the illustrations on the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation, and Fig. 2, a plan view, intended to explain
the mode of carrying out the first part of my Invention.
(A) is the framing; (a), the roller over which the cloth passes as it is
woven, this roller extends across the loom, and is free to rotate in bearings
in the side frames; (b) is the cloth beam, it is free to rotate in bearings (61),
which can slide in vertical slots in the side frames. Upon the axis of the
cloth beam, a worm wheel (shown in dotted line,) is keyed, which geers with
a worm (62) of such length, as to keep in geer with the worm wheel, both in
its highest and lowest position. The worm (62) is keyed upon a vertical shaft
(63), the lower end of which rests upon a footstep bearing, carried by a bracket
or projection from the framing, and the upper bearing of the shaft is also in
a bracket or projection from the framing, having a slot in it parallel to the
axis of the cloth roller (6), so that the upper end of the shaft (63), can be
drawn on one side to bring the worm (63) out of geer with the worm wheel
when the cloth is to be removed from the beam. The shaft (63) is kept in
the vertical position, when in gear with the worm wheel, by a piece (6*),

page_text: which fits into the slot, and fills it up except a circle, the diameter of the
shaft, which then forms its upper bearing. Upon the upper end of the shaft
(63) a hand wheel (65) is secured for convenience of adjustment, and upon
the lower end of the shaft a broad ratchet wheel (6) is fixed, and just above
this a lever (c) is placed, capable of oscillating upon the shaft; in one end of
this lever (c) a stud is secured, upon which a series of pawls (c¹). are placed,
which are of different lengths, so as to take fractions of a tooth, and a spring
is fixed for each pawl upon a projection from the lever (c),'s
so as to press each
pawl upon the ratchet (c). A similar series of pawls and springs (c2), see
Fig. 2,) are placed upon a stud upon the framing to act as retaining pawls
to prevent back movement. These retaining pawls may be dispensed with
if a certain amount of friction is put upon the vertical shaft (3). The lever
(c) has a slot in it radiating from the axis of the shaft (6), in which the end
of a lever (c³) can slide freely, this lever being mounted upon a fulcrum (c'),
carried by a bracket secured to a projection from the bearing (6'), of the
cloth roller (6). The upper end of this lever (c) plays between fingers,
which are placed upon a rod (c), so as to be adjustable to a greater or less
distance from each other. The rod (c) is actuated by the slay of the loom,
or by any other convenient working part, and has a fixed extent of to-and-fro
motion in the direction of its length, and the quantity of this fixed motion
to be imparted to the lever (c) is determined by the adjustable fingers. If
the fingers are placed close to the sides of the lever (c³) without play, then
all the motion of the rod (c) is imparted to the lever (c³), but if the space
between the fingers is enlarged, there is less motion imparted to the lever (c³,)
so that by means of these adjustable fingers the taking up motion can be
altered to suit each change of space between the picks, without change wheels.
The position of the rod (c), and lever (c) being fixed, then as the beam (b)
fills with cloth the lever (c) will descend, and the leverage will lengthen at
its upper end and shorten at its lower end, consequently the oscillating
motions of the ratchet lever (c) will diminish in extent, and the movement
of the ratchet wheel (66) will be reduced in the same proportion. The rod
(c) with the fingers may be placed at the lower end of the lever (c), if
required. In place of the vertical lever (c), an inclined shaper may be used,
attached to the bearing of the cloth beam (6'), and the edge of this shaper
comes against one side of the ratchet lever (c), so as to limit the extent of
the back movements which are given by a weight or spring, while the forward
movements are given directly to the ratchet lever by a rod and adjustable
finger (c), which movements are always to the same extent forward.
the beam descends, the shaper will form a stop cutting the back movements
As

page_text: shorter and shorter, and thus the ratchet wheel will receive less and less
movement as the cloth beam fills.
The second part of my Invention is illustrated by Fig. 3, a front elevation,
explaining the mode of actuating leaves of healds.
(A), framing; (A'), cross framing, upon which bearings are fixed carrying
two short shafts (d), placed at a right angle to a shaft (d), corresponding to the
tappet or picking shaft of ordinary looms. These cross shafts (d) geer with
the shaft (d'), by bevel wheels, the shaft (d') being geered to the crank
shaft ().
Upon each of the short shafts (d), a set of ordinary "shedding"
tappets (d) are secured, which act upon bowls in levers (d') having their
fulcrums (d) on studs fixed to the side frames. There are thus two similar
tappets and levers to each leaf or set of healds, the tappet levers (d) being
connected by rods (6) with the frame (d') of each leaf or set of healds.
These heald frames (d') are arranged as shewn to slide up and down in
vertical guides.
The manner in which the third part of my Invention is carried into effect is
illustrated by those Figures of the Drawing yet undescribed. The main
peculiarity of this part of my Invention is in a novel method of inserting and
securing weft in sheds for broad fabrics by means of a rod or rods. The
warp is arranged on a beam and is weighted as in ordinary looms. The cloth
may be taken up as it is formed as in ordinary looms, or by my improved
taking up motion as herein-before described, and the sheds for the weft may
be formed by any ordinary heald motion, or by my improved heald motion
herein-before described. The slay of the loom has no shuttle boxes or picking
motion, these not being required as in the ordinary loom. A reed is used and
an equivalent for a shuttle race. The reed may be mounted to oscillate to
and from the fell of the fabric on a fulcrum, as in the ordinary loom, but I
prefer to arrange it as illustrated by Fig. 4, a longitudinal elevation in section.
The reed (e) is mounted in a frame (e¹) the ends of which are fitted so as to
rest and slide upon the side frames (A) of the loom. To the reed frame (e¹)
links (e) are jointed, one at each side and in each link a slot is formed in the
direction of its length, the end of the link being thus forked and passing on
to a crank in a crank shaft (d') which can move in the slot or fork. When
the crank comes to the inner end of the fork the reed frame (e¹) is pushed
towards the fell of the cloth, and as the crank retires two powerful springs
(not shown) one at each end of the reed frame force it back till it arrives
against a stop (e³) (one on each side) where it remains stationary till the
crank again comes to the inner end of the forks of the links (e³). Helical
springs may be used to force back the reed frame (e¹) one at each side, one

page_text: end of each spring is secured to the end of the reed frame, the other to the
back part of the framing of the loom, the springs pulling in the line of the
required motion. Instead of the crank arrangement, cams may be used either
single or double acting, that is, the reed frame may be moved forward towards
the cloth by the cam, and brought back by springs, or moved in both direc-
tions by double action cams. If cams are used the forks of the slotted links
(e) pass on to the shaft, and each link carries a stud with a bowl on it,
placed between the shaft and the reed frame, and the bowl rests against the
face or enters the path of each cam, which in this case are disc cams.
Fig. 5 is a front elevation, and Fig. 6 a plan view shewing the arrange-
ment of the rod for inserting the weft, and the manner of actuating it. On
one side of the loom a slide path (f) is formed, which is attached to the side
frame (A) of the loom at one end, and supported by a foot (A³) at the other
end. In this slide path a slide (f¹) is fitted so as to move freely from end to
end in a line parallel with the face of the reed (e); to this slide the outside
end of the weft inserting rod (f) is secured, the other end being free. This
rod is placed so as to be parallel with the face of the reed (e) and a little in
front of it when at its greatest distance from the "fell" of the cloth, and the
lower side of the rod rests upon a "race" (e) passing across just under and
level with the lower part of the "shed." The end of the rod rests upon the
end of the "race" when withdrawn, and it is guided and prevented from
moving out of its place by a pin (f³) secured in the "race" in a vertical
position. When the rod is withdrawn from the shed its point is carried
forward by the motion of the reed to the fell of the fabric, being sufficiently
elastic to give way to the movement. The slide (f¹) receives motion so as to
insert and withdraw the rod (2) from the shed, from a cam (f) which may
be placed so as to rotate freely on the shaft (d¹) corresponding to the tappet
shaft of ordinary looms, and may be driven by geer from the crank shaft (d²)|
the wheel (f) being fast to the cam (f) which is a drum or cylindrical
double action cam that acts upon a bowl free on a stud in the end of an arm
(f), secured on a short shaft (f") which is placed at a right angle to the axis
of the drum cam, this shaft oscillates in bearings formed in brackets secured
to the side framing of the loom, and has another arm on it which is con-
nected by a rod (f), with an arm (f) having its fulcrum on a stud or short
shaft (10) in brackets from the framing; the upper end of this arm (f) is
connected by a link (fx) with the slide (f) to which the inserting rod (f) is
secured.
The manner in which the rod (f) carries the weft into the shed will be
understood by reference to Figs. 5 and 6 and 7, 8, and 9, which are detached

page_text: enlarged views; Fig. 7 being a longitudinal section; Fig. 8 a plan view, and
Fig. 9 a cross section of the end of the weft rod in the position in which the
shuttle passes over it to secure the weft and make a good selvedge. It will
be seen that the end of the rod (f) has two holes through it and a hollow
or some part on its upper side between the holes. The weft passes from a
large cop placed in any convenient position at (x) then to an eye or guide (9)
then round the pin (f) then down the eye (1) furthest from the point end
of the weft rod, then along a groove (2) on the under side of the weft rod
between the two eyes, then up the eye (3) nearest the end of the rod, and
then to the fell of the fabric. In Figs. 5 and 6 the rod is shown in the
position in which it is withdrawn from the shed, in which position the weft
extends from the opposite side of the fabric to that eye (3) nearest the end of
the rod and the weft from the other eye (1) makes an angle in passing round
the guide pin (f) which gives sufficient friction to draw the weft tight before
it is beaten up by the reed. When the weft rod has passed across the shed
it is secured to make a good selvedge, as shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, that is, by
means of a shuttle, similar to those used in sewing machines, this shuttle
works in a "race" formed by a trough (h) which is carried by a bracket (h¹)
secured to the side frame of the loom (see Fig. 6) the trough for the shuttle
clear through a gap in the "race" (e) for the weft rod. The trough (h) for
the shuttle has a 'gap" cut in its side for the end of the weft rod to pass
through as shown, and the bottom of the trough is at such level as to correspond
with the level of the sunk part between the eyes (1 and 3) at the end of the
weft rod. The thread from the shuttle (2) passes from its side through the
gap in its trough (h) and then to the "fell" (y) of the cloth. When the
shuttle has passed over the rod (f) its thread will hold the weft and prevent it
from being drawn back by the rod. The shuttle is acted upon by a driver (h³)
which receives motion directly from a suitably shaped cam upon the crank
shaft (d). The weft rod is passed through the shed then waits till the
shuttle passes across it and secures the weft when the weft rod is drawn back,
and then the shuttle moves back to the position shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the
reed now beats up, and during this time another shed is formed by the healds
and the operations described are repeated. In fabrics where two or more
sheds can be formed one above the other, then two or more weft rods may be
used attached to the same slide (f), one resting upon the other same as two
shuttles one above the other in a double shed loom. The weft may be secured
in this case by separate shuttles one above the other as shown by the side view
Fig. 10. The trough (h) is double, and the drivers (h³) are connected together
at the ends to one rod, and are both actuated by the same cam. The weft

page_text: down.
rods may be turned so that the top side, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9,
will be towards the fell of the fabric, and in this case the shuttle race may Le
secured to the reed frame (e¹) and the driver may be actuated by a bell crank
lever centered upon the reed frame so as to give motion to the shuttle up and
With weft rods so arranged one shuttle may be employed when two
or more rods are used for different sheds. In place of the shuttle I prefer to
employ a needle having a crotchet action to secure the ends of the loops to
make a good selvedge. This mode of using this crotchet needle is illustrated
by Fig. 11 a plan view, (w) represents the selvedge of the fabric, (y) the
fell of the cloth, (f) the end of the weft rod, (x) the weft. The crotchet
needle () is placed in a horizontal position in a line with and near
the selvedge of the fabric, it is fixed in the end of a rod (p) as shown; this rod
is carried by suitable bearings and is free to slide in the direction of its length,
it passes through the space between the reed and the end of the reed franie and
is actuated by a suitable cam on the crank shaft. The crotchet needle (h²)
has a spring hook at one end, the point of which can be forced into a cavity in
the needle shown by dotted line, so that the point of the hook is below the
surface of the plain part of the needle. When the weft rod has passed through
the shed, as shown, the crotchet needle is advanced under the weft (x) as
shown, and when the rod is withdrawn the loop of the weft is left upon the
crotchet needle, and this loop enters within the hook part of the needle when
it is drawn back, and when the hook part comes opposite the projection (p')
the point is forced into the cavity of the needle, and it is kept in this position
till the loop of weft previously taken has passed over the hook part, and the
crotchet hook is drawn back till the loop has passed off the end of the needle,
when it may again move forward ready to pass through the next loop of weft
but its end does not cross the weft rod till the rod has come through the shed.
The under side of the end of the weft rod is made to strike upon an incline
about an inch from the end of its movement so as to cause the rod to lift a
little to allow the needle to get under the weft, and so that the rod can with-
draw without coming in contact with the needle. The action upon the point
of the crotchet needle may be performed by a cam, or it may be made to pass
the loop over the hooks by partly rotating the needle. A crotchet needle
having a partial rotatory motion is shown by Fig. 18 an end view, Fig. 19 a
side view, and Fig. 20 a plan view. (p) is the rod carrying the crotchet needle
which is free to rotate on its axis; a tail part (h*) projects from the end of
the needle, which fits into a screw-formed groove in a bracket secured to the
framing, being concave on its upper face; this bracket is placed immediately
under the tail part of the needle. The back movement of the rod (p) will

page_text: cause the needle to turn so that the book point is towards the selvedge when
the loop is to be passed off the needle. A crotchet needle may be arranged
on both sides of the fabric when weft is taken into the shed from both sides
of the fabric by the weft rod, and a hook upon its end, and in this case the
crotchet needle will pull the loop from the hook which takes the weft into the
shed when it has been drawn across. In fabrics where a secured selvedge
is not of importance it will only be necessary to catch the weft from the rod
by a point or hook actuated by a cam.
The manner in which this may be accomplished is illustrated by Fig. 12 an
end elevation, and Fig. 13 a plan view. (w) represents the selvedge, (y) the
fell of the fabric, () is a hook rod carried in a horizontal position in suitable.
bearings. The hook part can be drawn across the weft rod (f), and in
passing it will take the weft (x) with it,, and will then be clear of the rod,
which can be drawn back without contact with the hook. When the reed
beats up, the hook rod () will be moved at the same time towards the fell (y)
of the fabric, so that when the weft is beaten up the hook () will have been
withdrawn from the loop of weft, and is then ready to move back to take
hold of the next loop of weft inserted by the rod (f). When weft is to be
taken into a shed from both sides of the fabric, so as to form practically good
selvedges on both sides of the fabric without shuttles or crotchet needles, a
book (k) is fixed upon the end of the weft rod (f) a shown in dotted line in
Figs. 7 and 8. The point of this hook stands at about an angle of forty-five
degrees to the horizon. The weft to be drawn in by the hook upon the end
of the rod is secured to the selvedge (w) of the fabric, and passes between
the hook (j) and the selvedge of the fabric through the reed frame, and
past the end of the reed, then through an eye similar to that for a warp
thread in healls or jacquard harness, then to the cop of weft from which it
is drawn, which is placed in any convenient position. The weft thread so
arranged is actuated same as a warp thread except as to the time. It is kept
up till the rod has passed through the shed, when it is allowed to descend so
that the hook (k) will catch it when the weft rod goes back. When the weft
is drawn through the shed the book beats up with the reed, and as the shed
closes it holds the weft, and the hook leaves it when the reed retires.
some facbrics I arrange a series of weft threads of different character or color
as above described, but actuate them by jacquard mechanism of ordinary con-
struction, so that a different weft thread, or any of the series, may be taken by
the hook each time. For some fabrics I can take into the same shed by the
same rod, and from the same side of the fabric two or more wefts, keeping
them separate. This is accomplished by making two or more sets of eyes
For

page_text: (1 and 3) in the weft rod, side by side. These threads may be secured to
make a good selvedge by passing the same shuttle or needle through their
loops, and they may be held by the same hook when the selvedge is not of
importance. Figs. 14, 15, and 16, illustrate the manner in which I insert
single weft by means of a rod and nippers. Fig. 14 is a side view,
(1) are a pair of spring
Fig. 15 an end view, and Fig. 16 a plan view.
nippers, the jaws of which are pressed together by their own elastic force, the
pinching force being regulated by the screw (1). Fig. 15 shows the fabric by
the line (w), the shed by the lines (t), the end of the nippers (1), and a rod (m),
in bearing secured to the framing of the loom, which rod may be actuated by
a cam in the direction of its length. Fig. 16 shows the end of the weft rod
through the shed, the fell of the fabric by the line (y), and its selvedge by
the line (w), and also the rod (m). The weft (a) to be drawn in is fast to
the selvedge at one end, then passes in a horizotul direction through the reed
to the cop, from which it is drawn, being supported by suitable guides. When
the nippers (1) have passed through the shed, their ends will come against
the weft thread (a), and at the same time against the rod (m), which will
cause the nippers to open, and to admit the weft between the nipping sur-
faces (which are slightly roughened), and as the rod (m) is then withdrawn
by cam action, the nippers shut upon the weft. When the back movement
of the weft rod takes place, the weft between the nippers and selvedge is
broken or cut by a knife (m¹), (which may have its edge placed obliquely),
the weft is then drawn into the shed, and the reed beats it up, when the shed
closes and secures it, and the weft is again fast to the selvedge at the entering
side. As the pincers enter the shed after having drawn in a weft thread,
that end held by them is broken away or withdrawn from the nippers.
Fig. 17 shows a section of the end of a weft rod, arranged with a double-
acting pair of hook nippers for taking into the shed single threads of weft from
both sides of the fabric. The end of the weft rod (f) is hollow, and a
T-formed piece (1) is fitted in it in suitable guides, so that it can slide up and
down slightly. The T part (1) is kept down upon the upper surface of the
rod by a spring (7). Under the end of the T part (1) a sliding rod () is
arranged, which has two spiral spring (13) acting against a central bearing
(7). When the rod (13) is slided endways these springs will bring it back to
the central position when released. The inclines upon the rod (78) will lift
the T part to open a space for the weft to pass in or out of the hook. A pin
(17) is placed in the side of the rod (1³), about half an inch long, extending
towards the fell of the cloth, and this pin comes in contact with a pin at each
end of the weft rod race, about one inch before the weft rod arrives at each

page_text: end of its movement, consequently the rod (13) will be slided lengthway, and
will cause the hook nippers to release the weft held by them, and open ready
to catch the next weft to be taken in the opposite direction. The weft threads.
for this double hook nippers are arranged (so as to be taken by the hook
nippers) in the same manner as for the hook (k) shewn in Figs. 7 and 8.
Weft threads of different colors or material may be drawn in by these means
when arranged and actuated by jacquard mechanism as herein-before explained,
where the threads are drawn in by a hook or hooks upon the weft rod. The
cam giving motion to the weft rod is so shaped as to take the rod through the
shed in about one-fourth of a revolution, it then allows the rod to dwell a little
to give time for the shuttle or crotchet needle to act, say, about one eighth of
a revolution, and then withdraws in another fourth of a revolution and
remains stationary or dwells during the remainder of a revolution. The cam
or cranks are made to act to force the reed to and from the fell to beat up the
weft in about half a revolution, commencing immediately when the weft rod
has been withdrawn, or a little before it is fully withdrawn the cams or cranks
of the reed dwell for about half the revolution while the rod is in the shed.
The heald tappets cross the shed and form another shed while the lay is
beating up, beginning to move a little before the rod is fully withdrawn, and
they keep the shed open during the remainder of the revolution. The cams
for the shuttles or crotchet needles are made to pass the shuttle or crotchet
needle quickly over the weft rod, then they may make their back movements
when the reed is beating up, and part of their forward movements whilst the
weft rod is being inserted, so as to be just ready to pass quickly over the weft
rod when it comes through the shed.
I have now particularly described the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same may be carried into effect, and claim as my
Invention,
Firstly, the arrangement and combination of mechanism for taking up
the fabric as it is woven in looms for weaving, substantially as herein-before
described under the first head of this Specification.
Secondly, the combination and arrangement for working healds in looms
for weaving, substantially as described under the second head of this Speci-
fication.
Thirdly, I claim looms for weaving broad fabrics by inserting weft by a rod;
the mode of securing the loops of the weft, and forming a good selvedge by
shuttles or crotchet needles; the system or method of inserting weft from one
side of the fabric by a rod, and drawing in weft from the other side of the
fabric by the return movement of the rod; the system or method of inserting

page_text: weft in two or more sheds at the same time by rods; the system or method of
inserting weft of different character or color by a weft rod and jacquard
arrangements; the system or method of inserting single threads of weft by
nippers, and single threads of weft of different character or color by nippers
and jacquard mechanism; and the combination and arrangement of the
mechanism for carrying out these several operations substantially as herein-
before described under the third head of this Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Smith have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
JOHN SMITH. (L.S.)