Improvements in Picking Sticks for Looms.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 6th Nov., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Picking Sticks for Looms.
We, THOMAS WILDMAN, GEORGE WILDMAN, and THOMAS KELLET WILDMAN
of the Firm of Thomas Wildman & Sons, of Caton near Lancaster, in the County
of Lancaster, Bobbin Manufacturers do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement;-
-
This invention relates to improvements in picking sticks used in: looms for
weaving but more especially to the class of sticks employed in what are known as
"Overpick" looms, the object being to provide a stick that will last or wear longer
without being impaired, that will enable a steadier pick to be given to the shuttle
and that will act less injuriously upon the picking band than the sticks hitherto
in use.
Hitherto it is well known to those engaged in weaving that picking sticks used
in "overpick" looms have the part to which the picking band is attached formed
parallel to or on the same axis as the body of the stick proper. Our Invention
consists essentially in forming the part to which the band is attached at an angle
to the axis of the picking stick, the said part being in itself parallel or of a conical
shape.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing
which indicates in plan a picking stick made in accordance with our invention.
In this A is the body of the stick which is attached to the picking shaft in any
suitable way and B is the part to which the picking band is attached as will be
well understood. Instead of making the part B parallel to the body A we make
it at an angle thereto as indicated by their respective axes a and b. The angle
between the two axes a and b may be, say, 25° 30° though we do not confine
ourselves to aity particular angle, but on the other hand we adopt that angle which
will best accomplish the objects we have in view. The part B may be parallel in
itself that is to say its periphery may form a true cylinder, as in the present form
of sticks, but we, perferably, make it of conical form as shown so that during the
whole sweep of the stick when picking the shuttle, the picking band bears across
the whole surface of the cone and consequently the band does not slip up, or slide
on, the part B when the picker strikes the shuttle. The principal object in making
the part B at an angle to A is to make the tension on the picking band equal across
the whole of the surface B and when that surface is conical as shown the best results
are obtained though as aforesaid the part B may be parallel in itself and still
accomplish the object of our invention. In all other respects the picking stick
may be formed as usual and of any suitable material. C indicates the picker
spindle the picking stick being in the position relative thereto as when the picker
is delivering the shuttle and is about to leave the buffer on the spindle.
By constructing picking sticks as described we claim that a steadier pick is
obtained, that picking bands last or wear much longer and that by the bands bearing
along the full width of the part B instead of on one edge they are not so liable to

page_text: break. The sticks themselves are also subject to less harsh wear and they also in
consequence last much longer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. A picking stick with the part B to which the picking band is attached formed
at an angle to the main axis of the picking stick substantially as and for the
purposes described.
2. A picking stick constructed or arranged substantially as described and as shown
in the accompanying drawing.
WILLIAM H. TAYLOR,
Swan Chambers, 69, Market Street, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.