IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Portway, of Bradford, in the County of York,
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING,"
Sealed the 27th September 1878, and dated the 30th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Portway at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th March 1878.
HERBERT PORTWAY, of Bradford, in the County of York, Manufacturer.
PROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
"IM
This Invention relates to an improved apparatus to be employed for stopping the
loom by means of electricity when an "end" or a thread of the warp breaks.
According to this my said Invention I employ wire or metal healds having loops
and eyes. The said healds are threaded or placed on metallic rods mounted in a
frame, and the loops admit of sufficient "play" or motion for purpose herein-after
described. The metallic healds and rod passed through the top loops thereof are
charged with electricity by a battery or magnetic machine. Another rod placed
below and under the metallic healds is also charged with electricity, the upper and
lower rods being negative and positive poles.
On an end or thread of the warp breaking the metallic heald connected with such
thread falls, its lower end reaching the lower charged rod, and so the electric circuit
is completed, whereon a plate or stop piece is attracted or moved into line with a
buffer attached to the slay (or other going part of the loom), the buffer acts upon
the plate or stop piece, and through the latter upon the "knocker off," and stops
the foom.
On completion of the electric current a plate or finger may be drawn upon the
weft fork or upon the "hammer head," and so the loom would be stopped.
In any of the above arrangements the removal of the stop handle from its notch
breaks the circuit instantly, and prevents waste of electricity.

page_text: On starting the loom the placing the stop handle in position adjusts the plates or
stop piece in relation to the buffer piece, so that the re-adjustment of parts is
effected by the act of setting the loom "on" again.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert Portway in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th Sep-
tember 1878.
HERBERT PORTWAY, of Bradford, in the County of York, Manufacturer. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
This Invention relates to improved apparatus to be employed for stopping the
loom by means of electricity when an "end or a thread of the warp breaks.
According to this my said Invention I employ wire or metal healds having loops
and eyes. The said healds are threaded or placed on metallic rods mounted on a
frame, and the loops admit of sufficient "play" or motion for purpose herein-after
described. The metallic healds and rod passed through the top loops thereof are
charged with electricity by a battery or magnetic machine. Another rod placed
below and under the metallic healds is also charged with electricity, the upper and
lower rods being negative and positive poles..
On an "end or thread of the warp breaking the metallic heald connected with
such thread falls, its lower end reaching the lower charged rod, and so the electric
circuit is completed, whereon a plate or stop piece is attracted or mould into line
with a buffer attached to the slay (or other going part of the loom), the buffer acts
upon the plate or stop piece, and through the latter upon the "knocker off," and
stop the loom.
On completion of the electric current a plate or finger may be drawn upon the
weft fork or upon the "hammer head," and so the loom would be stopped.
In any of the above arrangements the removal of the stop handle from its notch
breaks the circuit instantly, and prevents waste of electricity.
On starting the loom the placing of the top handle in position adjusts the plates or
stop piece in relation to the buffer piece, so that the re-adjustment of parts is
affected by the act of setting the loom " on again."
Such being the nature and object of this my said Invention, I will now proceed
to describe the same in detail, and in order that the Invention may be fully under-
stood I have hereunto annexed two Sheets of Drawings, and have marked the same
with figures and letters of reference, the same letter referring to the same part in
the various views or Figures.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of back of the loom.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation.
Figs. 3 and 4 are details of healds.
Figs. 5 and 5ª are elevation and plan of "coil" and "knocking off" apparatus in
position assumed after stopping the loom.
Figs. 6 and 7 are views of parts enlarged and herein-after described.
A, A, are metal healds in position when the warp threads are intact; B is a heald
in position after a warp thread is broken; C and D are metal rods which carry the
healds A and B; these rods are mounted in the wooden frame E. The rod Č bas

page_text: an extended and projecting hinged part or finger, which, at the time the heald
frame E is in the lowest position, that is to say, at the bottom of the tread, comes
in contact with an insulated bar F charged by a wire G from one pole of an electro-
inagnetic machine. On each descent of the frame E the adjustable foot H on the
spring spindle J comes in contact with the insulated plate I, the further descent of
the frame forces upwards the spindle J, on the upper end of which is the inclined
block M, caused at each descent of the heald frame E to act upon the hinged plate L,
moving the same into position, and forming contact between the plate L and fallen
heald B.
As the insulated plate I is in connection with one pole of the magnetic coil N by
means of the wire P and metallic parts R and S, and the rod C and healds A and B
are in connection with one pole of the magnetic machine, and the other pole of the
magnetic coil N is in connection with the other pole of the magnetic machine by
means of wire T, it will follow that on a warp thread breaking and its heald falling,
as at B (see Figs. 4 and 7), the plate L moves against the end of the fallen heald B,
so completing the electric circuit and charging the coil N, which attracts the
armature W, placing it in such a position that on the next forward movement of
the slay X the head of the adjustable screw Y will come in contact with and act
upon the part Z of the armature W, and knock off the stop handle of the loom.
The metallic parts R and S being separated by the movement of the stop handle
the circuit is broken. On the stop handle being again placed in position on
restarting the loom the metallic parts R and S are again in contact, but the circuit
is, as before, incomplete until a thread again breaks, and a heald wire falls and is
acted upon by the hinged plate L, as before.
The insulated bar F is fixed and attached to the end frame of the loom by means
of a casting U, and the insulated plate I is in like manner carried by casting V,
which may be made in any shape required.
Figs. 8, 9, & 10 shew application of this my Invention in connection with
worsted or cotton healds, letters and parts are same as already described, the healds
terminating at the lower ends in a slotted metallic loop A¹. The healds in this case
must tread a little lower than the warp treads, so as to permit the said loop A¹ of
any broken end to descend and to form contact between parts C and L.
It will be understood that wire or other metallic termination to the healds may
be used in order to form contact between C and L when an end is broken.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practicable effect, I would have it understood that I claim as my Invention,―
Firstly. I claim the use and employment of the healds A, B, having loops and
operating as described; or the equivalent metallic termination, such as A¹ of the
worsted or cotton bealds.
Secondly. I claim the use of electricity in combination with healds, such as
described, for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert Portway, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
HERBERT PORTWAY. (L.S.)
Witness,
J. E. WALSHE,
Mechanical Draughtsman to Walter Brierley,
Patent Agent,
Halifax and Blackburn.