IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOM'S FOR WEAVING
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Arthur Heald at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition on the 3rd November
1865.
I, ARTHUR HEALD, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOM'S
FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, first, in an improved method of treading or working.
the healds in looms direct from the crank shaft in the following manner :-I
length in which there is a
which occupies about six
place on the crank shaft a boss about one foot in
groove cut somewhat in the form of the figure 8
inches in length of the centre of the boss. Two-thirds or thereabouts of a
revolution of the crank shaft would carry a pin which works in this groove
a distance of six inches on the boss, and during the remaining third of the
revolution the pin will remain stationary in the groove, which will give the
necessary dwell to the healds whilst the shuttle is passing through the warp..
The next revolution will carry the pin back again and cause it to work on the
other side; by this means I give a continuous right and left motion to the pin as
the crank shaft revolves. I insert this pin in a collar about six inches in
length, bored to fit the boss and to work easily upon it; this collar has a
projection about nine inches in length upon the lower side, in which is placed:

page_text: a brass collar, which is cast upon a boss smaller than the above, in which are
cut one or more threads or worms of the necessary pitch that will enable the
brass collar, by moving six inches backwards and forwards on the boss, to give
sufficient turn to a small shaft, which passes through the centre of the boss, to
open and close the healds for the passage of the shuttle through the warp.
The healds are attached to two small rollers or bosses similar to those on the
top heald roller now in use. By this method of treading the healds will last
much longer than is usual, and will move more evenly and without any jerk
so that the yarn will break less frequently than is usual. Or, if preferred,
instead of using the lower worm and roller the collar which works on the boss
on the crank shaft can be attached to treadles, and the healds worked in the
usual way. Or, instead of having a worm of six inches in length on the crank
shaft, and connecting it direct with the worm on the bottom heald roller, I
have a worm of a much smaller pitch on the crank shaft, say, about two inches
from end to end. On this I have a pin working in a collar, as in the six-inch
I connect this collar to the worm on the heald roller by means of a
lever working on a centre, each end of which is forked to fit into a groove on
the outside of the collars which work on the top and bottom worms. By
this arrangement, as the top collar moves to the right the bottom one will
work in the contrary direction and vice versa. By this means the amount of
sweep given to the heald roller can be regulated to the greatest nicety, more
or less being given according to the distance of the centre of the lever from
the collars which work on the worms..
worm.
Secondly, my Invention consisted in an improved method of picking or
throwing the shuttle. At each end of the loom I have two india-rubber cords
or bands, either at the top and bottom or on each side of the picker; I prefer
the latter. One end of these cords or bands is attached either to the top and
bottom or back and front of the shuttle box at the end nearest to the cloth.
The other end of each cord or band is attached to the picker on the top and
bottom, or back and front. The picker is made of any suitable material and
form, and works either on spindles at the top and bottom or back and front of
it, or without spindles in a groove or slot in the back and front of the shuttle
box. I prefer this last arrangement. To the bottom of each picker a pin or
finger is attached, unless two spindles, viz., at the top and bottom of the
picker, are employed when the finger is unnecessary. In order to throw the
shuttle across the warp the picker and cords are stretched out as far is
necessary to give the required speed to the shuttle, and retained in that position
by means of a catch at the end of the shuttle box until the pick has to be
made. In order to elongate these cords or bands in the manner required I

page_text: attach a long rod, extending across the loom to the screw-treading motion
described above. To each end of this rod an arm is attached, which, as the
screw motion works the rod backwards and forwards comes into contact with
the pin or finger attached to the picker, and thus elongates the picker and
cords to the required extent. Another projection a finger is attached to this
rod which at the right time comes in contact with the catch at the end of each
shuttle box by the backward motion of the slay and releases the picker.
The force of the india-rubber suddenly pulls the picker forward and throws
the shuttle across the loom. Instead of india-rubber cords or bands spiral
springs may be used.
Thirdly, my Invention consists in an improved method of working the weft
motion direct from the crank shaft. I place on the crank shaft a tappet, one
half of which is excentric and the other bored in the centre, the side of the
excentric nearest to the crank shaft being level with that part of the tappet
which is not excentric. In each half of the tappet there is a groove which
extends round the whole of the circumference of the tappet. These grooves
intersect each other where the two parts of the tappet are level. To the end
of the greyhound tail or lever which works the hammer head, which catches
the weft fork when the weft breaks, I attach a loose pin somewhat similar
to that which I employ to work in the groove in the treading motion. This
pin works in these grooves, and consequently during each alternate revolution
of the crank shaft being in the excentric part of the tappet it will give
motion to the greyhound tail and so move the hammer head backwards and
forwards.
My Invention consists, lastly, in means of opening the air valves in what are
known as pneumatic looms, whereby their action in opening and closing is
made much more rapid than at present. By my improvement the air hás
more power over the shuttle and a smaller quantity is required.
At present
the levers for opening the valves are actuated by a V-stud which is attached to
the side and near the edge of a toothed wheel of about eight inches in diameter
at each side of the loom. The motion is communicated to these wheels by
two smaller wheels on the crank shaft half the diameter of the stud wheels,
so that each of these stud wheels makes half a revolution for every revolution
of the crank shaft, thus causing one of the valve.levers to be actuated by the
V-stud on the wheel at that end of the loom for each revolution of the crank.
Thus the shuttle is thrown across slay from one or the other end for every
revolution of the crank shaft.
Now one of my means for opening and closing the valves is as follows:-I
form a double groove intersecting itself on the edge of the flywheel used' in

page_text: looms, or on the boss, or on any boss made for the purpose and placed upon
the crank shaft of the loom, to cause alternate action on the lever, depending
upon the position of the lever in the groove or worm. The fly wheel being,
say, fifteen inches in diameter and turning with twice the velocity of the stud
wheels at present in use, the V-stud would strike upon the lever and pass it
with nearly four times the rapidity that it does at present.
Another of my methods of opening and closing the valves with as great a
degree of velocity as is desired, is as follows:-I place a worm or tappet or
grooved boss attached to the wheel, on which I place the V-stud on a stud
attached to the loom side either in a vertical or lateral position, whichever
may seem desirable. I place a large wheel on the crank shaft and a small
one attached to the ground boss and wheel, so as to give a great degree of
velocity to the latter, which can be regulated to any extent according to the
relative sizes of the two wheels. I provide as many grooves in the worm or
boss or wheel as will keep the end of the lever, which is worked in a similar
manner to the former method, out of the way of the V-stud, except for every
alternate revolution of the crank shaft. By this means the speed of the
opening of the valves can be increased to any extent, according to the relative
size of the wheels and the number of grooves in the worm or boss; a tappet or
a number of wheels could be employed so as to give still greater velocity to
that on which the V-stud is fastened. If preferred, instead of making use of
a V-stud the groove may be shaped of the required form for acting upon the
lever at the proper moment. If preferred, instead of placing grooves or
worms upon the face or boss or periphery of the fly wheel, the V-stud may be
made to work backwards and forwards from the centre to the circumference
of the fly wheel by means of a double screw with a bevil wheel attached to
the end of it, to which motion is given by its working in another bevil wheel,
which is fixed to the end of the stud on which the fly revolves. This double
screw is placed in the fly wheel, extending from the centre to the periphery.
There are just so many threads in it according to the number of the teeth in
the wheel attached to the crank shaft, and that which gives motion to the fly
or V-stud wheel as will cause the V-stud, which is attached to a collar, which
by means of a pin works up and down the worm or screw, to be brought to
the top of the screw once for every alternate revolution of the crank shaft.
By this means no change in the shape of the levers now in use is required.
Another of my methods of opening the valves is as follows:-I place
on the crank shaft a double worm or screw, somewhat similar to that which I
employ as a treading motion. To this worm I attach an iron rod either direct
or by means of an intermediate lever which extends beyond each end of the

page_text: loom side. To each end of this rod I attach a finger. This worm gives a
reciprocating motion to the rod, keeping the finger at each end of the rod out
of the way of the lever connected with each valve, except when the loom
requires to pick, when owing to the backward movement of the slay the valve
lever will come in contact with the finger on the rod, and so cause the valve
to open and shut almost instantaneously. Or two worms can be employed,
one at each end of the crank shaft, to move a finger at each end of the loom
out of the way of the valve lever, except when the loom requires to pick.
The backward motion of the slay causes the valve lever to come into contact
with the finger connected with the worm in precisely the same manner as
where one worm only is employed. I propose to use only one worm for opening
both valves.