IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Leonard Ellis and Sidney Aquila Ellis, of Dudley
Hill, near Bradford, in the County of York, Spinners and Manufacturers, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Leonard Ellis and
Sidney Aquila Hill at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
11th June 1879.
WILLIAM LEONARD ELLIS and SIDNEY AQUILA ELLIS, of Dudley Hill, near
Bradford, in the County of York, Spinners and Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WEAVING AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Our Invention relates to a peculiarly arranged and constructed apparatus fitted
to a loom whereby plain or coloured designs are woven in the fabrics, producing
curved, zig-zag, or wavy designs or figures, which designs heretofore have only been
produced in straight lines.
For this purpose we remove the present hand rail of a loom and fit thereon
instead an iron rail, which receives a to and fro front motion by means of wedges,
which work in inclined guides which are secured to the swords of the loom; a
metal bar is passed through the tops of the wedges and fixed therein, and on the
bar is fitted a series of needles which form the rack of the apparatus; the threads
to produce the designs are wound on bobbins which are passed over spindles fitted
in a frame, which is fixed in a suitable position near and in front of the jacquard
engine; the threads pass from the bobbins and through suitable guides to the eyes
of the needles of the rack, and the rack receives a lowering motion which lowers
the needles to the bottom sheard and allows the shuttle to pass over the ends; the
lowering motion of the rack is actuated by a rod fitted on the side of one of the
wedges; the bottom end of the rod is secured in the end of a lever which is fixed
J

page_text: on one of the ends of a shaft, the other end of the shaft being fitted with another
lever but turned the reverse way of the lever of the rod; the shaft is secured in
brackets fixed in the bottom part of the loom; the shaft is actuated by the
jacquard, which at the required time lifts up the lever at the back of the shaft and
lowers the lever to which is fitted the rod, thereby lowering the rack. The rack 5
receives also a sideway to and fro motion which is produced by a screw, which is
worked by a catch wheel and which is actuated by catches worked by jacquards;
the sideway to and fro motion of the rack gives the to and fro motion to the
needles and consequently to the threads, which produce curved, zig-zag, or waved
designs in or on the fabrics.
1

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Leonard Ellis and Sidney Aquila Ellis in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 8th December 1879.
WILLIAM LEONARD ELLIS and SIDNEY AQUILA ELLIS, of Dudley Hill, near
Bradford, in the County of York, Spinners and Manufacturers.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN WEAVING AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
The said Invention relates to a peculiarly arranged and constructed apparatus
fitted to a loom, whereby plain or coloured designs are so woven in the fabrics as
to procuce curved, zig-zag, or wavy designs or figures, which designs or figures have
heretofore only been produced in straight-lines.
For this purpose we remove the present hand rail of a loom and fit an iron rail,
which receives a to and fro front motion by means of wedges which work in
inclined guides secured to the swords of the loom; a metal bar is passed through
the tops of the wedges and fixed therein; on the bar are fitted supports, which
support a set of iron bars, in which are fitted a series of needles forming the racks
of the apparatus; the threads to produce the designs are wound on bobbins, which
are passed over spindles fitted in a frame fixed in a suitable position near and in
front of the jacquard engine; the threads pass from the bobbins through suitable
guides to the eyes of the needles of the racks, and the racks receive a lowering
motion which lowers the needles to the bottom shcard and allows the shuttle to
pass over the ends. The lowering of the racks is effected by rods fitted on the
sides of the wedges, and the bottom ends of the rods are secured to the ends of
levers fixed on a shaft fitted in the bottom part of the loom, and a lever is also
fitted on the shaft to which is fixed a wire or rod, which is actuated by the
jacquard, and two other levers are fitted near the centre of the shaft to which is
fitted a balance weight. The shaft is actuated by the jacquard, which at the
required time lifts up the rod lever and lowers the levers, and the rods fixed to the
sides of the wedges lowering the racks. The racks also receive a to and fro motion
sidewise, which is produced by a screw worked by a catch wheel actuated by
catches worked by the jacquard; the sidewise to and fro motion of the racks gives
the to and fro motion to the needles and consequently to the threads, thereby
producing curved, zig zag, or waved designs in or on the fabrics.
But in order to enable our improvements to be better understood we will proceed
to more particularly describe the same by reference to the accompanying Drawing,
in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a loom frame provided with our
improved apparatus, and Figure 2 front elevation of the same.
The ordinary hand rail of the loom having been removed we fit thereto an iron
rail A, which is secured in wedges B, and receives a to and fro motion from the
wedges which work in the inclined guides A¹ made in brackets C which are secured
to bearers D fitted to the swords Z of the loom; in the top part of the wedges is
secured a bar E, by preference made square; on the bar are secured two supports F',
having guides in which work two flat bars G, in which are fitted a series of
needles H which form the racks of the apparatus; the flat bars and needles receive
a to and fro motion sidewise and also a lifting and lowering motion.
The threads to produce the designs are wound on bobbins which are passed over
spindles, fitted in a frame fixed in a suitable position near and in front of the
jacquard engine; the threads pass from the bobbins through suitable guides to the
eyes I of the needles H; the needles or racks have the lifting and lowering motion
communicated to them by means of the wedges B, which are actuated by rods J
fitted to the sides of the wedges; the rods are fitted on studs secured to levers K,
fixed on a shaft L, which works in bearings secured to the frames of the loom; the
shaft L is actuated by a lever M, which is worked by a rod N actuated at the
required time by the jacquard engine, which lowers the needles to the bottom

page_text: sheard and allows the shuttle to pass over the ends; a balance weight O is fitted
to the side levers P, which are secured to the shaft L to bring back the wedges and
racks. The needles and racks receive the side to and fro motion by means of a
screw Q, which is actuated in the usual way by a catch wheel R, actuated by
catches S worked by the jacquard engine; through the boss cast on the screw
traveller T which is worked by the screw is passed a rod U, which is bent and
works in a guide lever V secured to the front flat bar of the needles; the traveller T
receives from the screw a to and fro motion, which communicates by means of the
rod U and guide lever V a to and fro motion to the front flat bar and needles or
rack, and also a to and fro motion to the back flat bar or rack by means of a band
or bands W secured to the front rack and to the back rack, and also passed over
a pulley X which is fitted to a small lever Y secured to the square bar E; the band
or bands W communicate the to and fro side motion to the back rack; the side to
and fro motion gives a similar to and fro motion to the threads, and consequently
produces zig zag or waved designs in or on the fabrics.
Having thus described our improvements, and the best means we are acquainted
with for carrying the same into effect, we would have it understood that we do not
confine ourselves to the precise details shewn and described, as they may be varied
without departing from the peculiar character of the Invention, but what we do
claim is,-
The general arrangement, construction, and. employment of apparatus fitted to a
loom, whereby plain or coloured zig zag, curved, or waved designs are woven in
or on the fabrics which are produced by means of wedges actuating racks or
needles, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and represented
in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Leonard Ellis and Sidney Aquila
Ellis, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty ninth day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy nine.
Witness,
WALTER JAS. TURNER, C.E.,
Patent Agent
Bradford.
WILLIAM LEONARD ELLIS. (L.S.)
SIDNEY AQUILA ELLIS.
(L.S.)