Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Producing a Woven Fabric.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 19h Mar., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Producing a
Woven Fabric.
I, WILLIAM TALBOT, a citizen of the United States residing at No. 3258 North
Fifth Street, in the City of Philadelphia, in the County of Philadelphia, and State
of Pennsylvania, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING
A WOVEN FABRIC, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a method of and apparatus for producing an inexpensive
and attractive woven fabric adapted for carpets and rugs, yet, nevertheless,
applicable to other somewhat analogous purposes.
The principal objects of my present invention are first, to provide a simple and
expeditious method of plain weaving especially adapted for the production of a
fabric constituting a cheap and acceptable substitute for such costly fabrics as are
usually employed for the manufacture of carpets, rugs and like articles ; for
example, a fabric having ground wefts and warps composed of jute, and face wefts
composed of plain or figured chenille or yarn, with binding warps tying said face
and ground wefts together at every pick and cither with or without stuffing warps
or floats separating the ground and face wefts; and second, to provide simple,
durable and efficient apparatus especially adapted for the conduct of the method
for the production of a woven fabric of the character hereinafter described.
My invention consists in employing warps in four divisions or half gangs, two for
the ground wefts, and two for binding the ground and face wefts, simultaneously
lifting one division of the ground warps for the formation of a ground web and one
division of the binding warps for tying the face and ground wefts together,
introducing ground and face wefts simultaneously or otherwise and manipulating
said face wefts for the production of the pattern, then lifting the other two divisions
of the warps and continuously introducing floats between said web and face wefts;
but the introduction of the floats may, if preferred, be dispensed with.
My invention further consists in providing mechanism for intermittently
reciprocating the reed or lay of the loom in such manner as to afford ample time
for the weaver or operator to manipulate the figured wefts according to require-
ments of the pattern, without the necessity of stopping the loom.
My invention further consists in providing means for lifting the warps so as to
form two superposed sheds and in also providing mechanism for simultaneously
throwing a shuttle into each of said sheds in order to introduce a shot of face weft
and a shot of ground weft; and
My invention further consists of the improvements hereinafter described and.
claimed.
The nature and characteristic features of my invention will be more fully
understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings forming part hereof; and in which
Figure 1, is a side elevation of a loom provided with improved mechanism for
intermittently oscillating the lay and reed to permit of the manipulation of the
face wefts according to requirements of the pattern.
Fig. 2, is a top or plan view of Fig. 1 ; and
Fig. 3, is a front elevation of Fig. showing parts of the loom removed, and
illustrating picker mechanism for driving two shuttles the one above the other in
the same direction and at the same time across the lay.
In the drawings A, is the frame of the loom. b, is a breast beam over which the
cloth passes in its progress to a cloth roller (not shown). b', 1ª and 6³ are

page_text: T
c, is a
respectively yarn beams adapted for the reception of ground, binding and stuffing
warps. are whip rollers over which the warps are led into the harness.
shaft provided with a fast pulley c¹ and a loose pulley 2, which are respectively
driven by means of a belt. c, or in any other preferred manner. c, is a spur-wheel
or pinion keyed to the shaft c, and meshing with a spur-wheel c, loosely mounted
on a counter-shaft c. c, is a cam-wheel adapted to run loose on the counter-
shaft This cam-wheel c8, is attached to or formed integral with the spur-
wheel, for a purpose to be presently set forth. c, is a toothed sector attached to
or made part of the spur-wheel e, and adapted to mesh with a pinion . This
pinion is keyed or otherwise attached to a crank-shaft e", and is provided with
slots, adapted for the reception of an adjustable tooth or pin e. c, is a crank-
arm formed upon the shaft c. c, is a link pivotally connected at the respective
extremities to the crank arm c", and to the swords cl, of the lay c. 18, is a spring
actuated detent loosely mounted on the shaft c, and provided at one extremity with
a roller c, engaging with the cam c, and at the opposite extremity with a jaw c²º,
for engaging the tooth or pin c When the loom is in operation motion is
transmitted continuously to the shaft c, by means of the belt and pulley el, and
this continuous motion is imparted to the spur-wheel c, by means of the pinion
The toothed sector c, rotating with the spur-wheel c, engages with the pinion clo,
once during every revolution of the spur-wheel c, and consequently imparts an
intermittent motion to the shaft c. This shaft c", is rotated while the sector e, is
in engagement with the pinion e, and is permitted to remain at rest while the sector
is out of engagement with said pinion c. The cam-wheel c³, engaging the roller c¹B,
actuates an arm c18, and causes the jaw c; to engage and firmly hold the pin c¹³,
while the sector c³, is out of engagement with the pinion co, and thus prevents the
shaft c, from being turned either accidentally or by the recoil of the moving parts.
The intermittent rotary motion of the shaft c", is imparted to the lay c", by means
of the links c, so that the lay c", and reed d, are driven forward and backward and
are then permitted to remain at rest to afford the weaver an opportunity to shift
the wefts according to the requirements of the pattern, before the reed and lay are
again driven forward. e, is a working beam pivotally supported at the center by
means of trunnions e, mounted upon the upper portion of the frame A. This
beam e, is provided with suitable mechanisin (not shown) for oscillating it about
the trunnions e', with an intermittent motion in order to enable the warp to be
maintained in open position for a purpose hereinafter fully described. This
mechanism for operating the beam e,, may comprise ordinary and well known treadle
levers connected with the beam and controlled by the feet of the weaver or by a
cam provided with an elongated high or working surface and connected with a
rotating member of, the. loom in the usual or in any well understood manner.
ffff and represent the respective harness of the loom. The leaves or
inembers of the harness and f, are attached to one extremity of the beam e, by
means of cords or in any other preferred manner, and the leaves or members of the
harness and f, are attached to the other extremity of the beam, so that the
leaves or members of the harness and 2 are lifted when the beam e, is turned, as
shown in the drawings, and the leaves or members of the harness 3 and, are
lifted when the beam e, is turned in the other direction and the leaves or members
of the harness and, are lifted higher than the leaves or members of the
harness and f³, because they are located farther from the center of oscillation e¹.
The harness, is a dead or stationary one having the headle eyes thereof located
about midway between the extreme upper and lower positions of the headle eyes of
the harness and f'.
Referring now to Fig. 3, g, is a positively driven picker-shaft provided with
cams g, and collars g, and supported in suitable bearings attached to the frame A.
g, are bell-crank levers pivotally attached to the frame A, and having one arm
thereof in engagement with the cams g¹, and the other arm g' thereof, attached to
spring actuated picker-sticks h, by means of straps . and i', are superposed
shuttle boxes located at the respective extremities of the lay and slotted for the

page_text: a
reception of the picker-sticks h. The upper extremities of the picker-sticks are
slotted and are connected with the pickers and h³. When the shaft g, is
revolved the pickers and h², throw the two shuttless and s', simultaneously across
the lay, first in one direction and then in the other.
"
The entire warp is divided into three portions hereinafter designated as the
ground-warp," binding-warp" and " extra-warp." The ground-warp is pre-
ferably composed of jute and is wound on a beam 6. The binding-warp is
preferably composed of fine cotton yarn and is wound on a beam 62, and the extra-
warp is composed of jute or other inexpensive material and is wound on a beam 6³.
The ground-warp appertains to the ground web of the fabric and is divided into
two portions or half gangs, as they are sometimes called by weavers designated
respectively by the numerals 2 and 3. The binding-warp appertains to the face
and ground wefts and is divided into two portions or half gangs designated
respectively by the numerals 1 and 4. The extra warp comprises stuffing warps or
floats 5, but is not divided in half gangs. The four divisions or half-gangs of the
warp are led into the harness of the loom in the following order :-Divisions 2
and 3 of the ground warp through the leaves or members of the harness and f
respectively; and divisions 1 and 4 of the binding warp through the leaves or
members of the harness and f", respectively. The extra warps 5, are led in
through the stationary or dead harness f
In order that the mode of operation of the above described apparatus and the
particular features of the improved method of weaving may be fully understood, a
brief description of the process of producing woven fabrics by means of said
apparatus will now be given.
First, the leaves or members of the harness and are lifted by the bean e,
and the half gangs or portions 1 and 4 and 2 and 3 of the warps form two sheds.
The shed formed by the half gangs and 4, is located above or superposed upon
the shed formed by the half gangs 2 and 3 by reason of the harness, appertaining
to the half gang 1 being lifted higher than the harness, appertaining to the half
gang 2, as has been hereinabove explained. The extra warp 5 passing through the
dead or fixed harness, lies between and separates these two sheds and constitutes
shuttle race
for the upper shed. The two shuttles s and s, carrying the
ground and face wefts respectively are driven through these sheds towards the
right in the drawings and at the same time by means of the pickers and ² and
picker-sticks, and thus a ground weft is introduced into the lower shed and a face-
weft into the upper shed. It will be obvious that the two shuttless and s¹, may be
thrown successively, but excellent results have been attained in practice by throwing.
them simultaneously and consequently preference is given to the latter method.
The figure effect is not produced in my improved method of weaving by means of a
Jacquard machine, but by the employment of a parti-colored face-weft thread; that
is, a thread provided at different places with the requisite color for producing a
figure effect. This face-weft thread may comprise a parti-colored chenille thread
or a parti-colored yarn thread. A parti-colored chenille weft-thread adapted for
this purpose may be produced by weaving a figured fabric and then cutting the
same up into strips and tying or otherwise joining the ends of said strips together
to form a continuous thread. A parti-colored yarn weft thread suitable for this
purpose may be produced by the ordinary printing operation. In either case the
weft thread is so colored as that after its introduction into the fabric the requisite
color portions thereof are brought into proximity with each other and thus form a
colored figure effect upon the face of the fabric. In order to produce a good
colored figure effect it is necessary that each shot of parti-colored weft should be
accurately adjusted by hand with reference to the preceding shots of weft after it
has been introduced into the warp and before each beat-up of the lay. And this
result may be attained in practice by shifting each shot of weft towards the right
or left of the loom, so as to insure the requisite alignment of the colors for pro-
ducing a figure effect in the finished fabric. The required manipulation of the
face wefts or fingering" as the operation is sometimes called by weavers may
"
y he

page_text: readily accomplished during the interval of time which elapses while the lay "
and reed d, are at rest between each successive beat-up of the loom. In weaving
plain cloth, this manipulation of the face wefts is of course dispensed with; and
Second, the leaves or members of the harness 3 and, are lifted by the beam e,
and the half gangs 3 and 4 and 2 and 1 form two superposed sheds. The shuttles s
and s, are then thrown toward the left in the drawings in the manner above
described, and the face and ground wefts are introduced into the two sheds, the
former into the upper shed and the latter into the lower shed, thus completing one
operation of the loom. By repeating the above described operations the process of
weaving is made continuous.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and objects of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The method of producing a figured woven fabric, which consists in
simultaneously forming two superposed sheds and maintaining the same in open
position, then introducing a ground weft into one of the sheds and a parti-colored
face weft into the other of the sheds, then manipulating the parti-colored face-weft
for the production of a figure effect while the sheds are maintained in open position.
and then repeating the shedding operation, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
2. The method of producing a figured woven fabric, which consists in
simultaneously forming two superposed sheds and maintaining the same in open
position, then introducing a ground weft into one of the sheds and a parti-colored
face weft into the other of the sheds, then manipulating the parti-colored face weft
to produce a figure effect while the sheds are maintained in open position, then
repeating the shedding operation and continuously introducing stuffing warps
between the face and ground wefts, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. The combination in a loom, of a lay and reed, a crank-shaft and link connected
therewith for operating the lay, a spur-wheel keyed to said crank-shaft, a toothed
sector engaging said spur-wheel, and means for rotating said sector, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
4. The combination in a loom, of a lay and reed, a crank-shaft provided with a
pinion, a link connected with said lay and crank-shaft, a spur-wheel provided with
a toothed sector meshing with said pinion, and means for rotating said spur-wheel
and sector for imparting an intermittently reciprocating motion to said lay and.
reed, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
5. The combination, in a loom, of a lay and reed, a crank-shaft provided with a
pinion, a link connected with said crank-shaft and lay, a pin attached to said pinion,
a spur-wheel provided with a cam and with a toothed sector engaging with said
pinion, a detent engaging with said cam and adapted to mesh with said pin, and
means for rotating said spur-wheel, sector and cam for imparting intermittently
a reciprocating motion to said lay and reed and for checking the same, substantially
as set forth.
6. The combination, in a loom, of a lay and reed, a crank-shaft provided with a
pinion, a link connected with said crank-shaft and lay, a pin attached to said
pinion, a spur-wheel provided with a cam and with a toothed sector engaging with
said pinion, a detent loosely mounted on a shaft and adapted to engage with said
cam and mesh with said pin, a driver on said shaft meshing with said spur-wheel
and means for rotating said shaft, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
7. The combination, of a working beam, a pair of harness attached to each of
the arms of said beam, the members of each pair being attached at different points
on the arm, means for oscillating said beam to lift one member of a pair of harness
higher than the other member thereof, a lay, pickers and picker-sticks a picker-
shaft, cams on said picker-shaft, bell-crank levers engaging said cams and connected
with said picker-sticks and means for rotating said picker-shaft, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 8. In combination, a loom provided with a lay having two superposed pickers,
picker-sticks and a picker shaft adapted to simultaneously operate said sticks, a
working beam provided with arms on opposite sides thereof, a pair of harness connected
with each of the arms of said beam the members of each pair being attached at different
points on the arm, means, as described, adapted to actuate said beam to shift one
harness of each pair higher than the other and means as described to inter-
mittently reciprocate said lay and to maintain said harness in open position after
each beat-up of the loom, for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 21st day of July 1891
WILLIAM TALBOT.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.