IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING BY ELECTRIC POWER, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gen-
tleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING BY ELECTRIC
POWER, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."-A com-
munication from Mons' Louis Bolmida, Banker, President of the Electro
Weaving Company, at Turin, in the Kingdom of Sardinia.
Sealed the 20th May 1856, and dated the 22nd March 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd March 1856.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING BY ELECTRIC
POWER, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," a com-
munication from Mons' Louis Bolmida, Bauker, President of the Electro
Weaving Company, at Turin, in the Kingdom of Sardinia, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the general construction
and arrangement of looms suitable either for plain or figure weaving, with the
[Price 8d.]

page_text: aid of a jacquard, the needles of which are actuated by a peculiar arrangement
of electro-magnets.
One portion of the improvements consists of an improved system or mode of
elevating the "griff" or "lifter of the main jacquard. This is effected by means
of a horizontal vibrating arm, working on a centre at one end, and actuated at
its free end by a stud or pin in a revolving disc, the pin working in a slot
formed in the end of the arm. To this arm the "lifter" is connected by suitable
rods and levers.
A second part of the Invention consists of an improved system or mode of
working the small supplementaryjacquard for actuating the several "headles."
This is effected by two cains, on the tappet shaft actuating a pair of levers
below, which may or may not be coupled together, and are connected by rods
and levers to the "griff" of the small jacquard. The object of having two
cams is that the loom may be used for weaving linen by simply the jacquards
out of gear, and keying one cam at right angles to the other, for the purpos
of working two heddles, the levers being disconnected from each other. The
shuttles may be worked either directly from the picking sticks by the aid of
a driver, the pickers being actuated by leather thongs connected to levers
which are worked by tappets on the tappet shaft. The brake for effecting the
stopping of the loom is mounted on the end of a vertical lever, working on a
centre at its lower end. A bent lever is connected by a link to the brake
lever, and tends, by means of a spring, to keep the brake constantly pressed
towards the fly-wheel, but is kept out of contact with it by a hook, acted upon
by the starting handle, but when the starting handle resumes its original
position the hook allows the spiral spring to act and forces the brake against
the fly-wheel. The take-up motion is obtained from the lathe by a coil or
chain attached thereto, actuating a lever and pall which takes into the teeth
of the ratchet wheel, the motion of which is regulated by means of a roller
resting upon the cloth as it is wound on the beam, the gradual rising of this
roller coutroulling the motion of a hinged plate, which carries the backward
motion or stroke of the actuating pall. In order to obtain an efficient drag or
friction of the yarn beam, the brake employed consists of a strap or belt
'passed over a pulley on the end of the beam, and having both ends united
below and attached to a curved or forked blade spring, the power of which
may be adjusted by a helical spring and nut and screw interposed between the
two arms of the blade spring. Different sized friction pulleys may be used, so
that when a great drag is required the belt or strap may be shifted on to a
larger pulley. The jacquard and electro-magnetic apparatus for actuating it,
which forms the essential feature of this Invention, are carried on a suitable.

page_text: over-head support attached to the loom. The hooks or vertical wires of the
jacquard, and the horizontal needles for actuating them, are arranged in the
ordinary manner with this exception, that in place of being pushed backwards
they are impelled forwards, thosenot intended to be acted upon being prevented
from moving by stops presented by the electro-magnetic apparatus. The
lifting bars need not be inclined, but to insure certainty of action a slight
oscilating motion is imparted to the "griff" or "lifter." The back ends of
the needles are passed through a moveable grating, fitted with spiral springs,
and when this grating is pushed forward all the needles not encounteringa stop
will be carried forward with it, whilst those which encounter a stop will not
move forward, but their springs will be compressed simply without moving the
needle. The forward movement of the grate is effected by the descent of the
"griff," by the aid of anti-friction pullies and incline planes or cams on the
grate; spiral springs serve to draw the grate back again after its forward
traverse. The front ends of the needles are enlarged or thickened slightly,
and pass through a species of guide plate made in two halves, one of which
may be fixed to the electric apparatus.
The electro-magnets are arranged horizontally with the needles, there being
as many stages or steps as there are needles in height, each range of magnets
being supported on metal bars or plates, which are a:ain supported at each
end on metallic supports. Each electro-magnet is composed of a rod of soft
iron fixed into the support bar, and having fitted tightly thereon a species of
brass reel, the bottom of which rests upon and is in metallic contact with
the supporting bars. An insulated copper wire is wound round the reel, and
one of its ends is fastened to and in metallic contact with the lower portion
of the reel, whilst its other end is in metallic contact with a conducting plate
in communication with the pattern.
Above the electro-magnets are arranged a number of horizontal spindles
corresponding to the needles and the various tiers of magnets. These spindles
are all connected at the end next the needles to one common plate, whilst at
their opposite ends the needles of each horizontal row are connected to a cross
bar of their own. To each spindle is fixed an arm of wrought iron, which
serves as an armature to the respective magnet. The ends of the spindles in
front of the needles are furnished each with a bent arm or stop, which forces a
needle and prevents it from being pushed out unless removed to one side by
the attraction of the armature to one of the electro-maguets.
All the armatures are arranged to be in constant contact with the magnets,
but those which are attracted are drawn on one side co an oblique position, to
remove the needle stops, by imparting a slight lateral motion to the magnet

page_text: frame, whilst those armatures which have not been attracted remain suspended
on their spindles in a vertical position immoveable.
.
The lateral motion is imparted to the magnet frame by suitable levers and
connecting rods from the griff. The end of each needle has a conical recess
made in it to adapt itself more easily to its respective stop, and the point of
the stop is made conical to correspond to the recess in the needle.
The pro-
duction of the pattern may be effected in various ways, as, for example, by
cementing metallic plates or powder, after the form or contour of the required
design, on to sheets of paper; but the system found most preferable is to use a
thin uninterrupted sheet of metal, which may be cemented on to a sheet of
paper. On this metallic surface is traced the outline of the design, and the
ground is then coated over with any non-conducting varnish, leaving the
pattern alone uncovered. This pattern surface is then applied to a wooden
cylinder, over the circumference of which it is stretched and fixed, if its length
does not exceed the circumference of the cylinder; should it be longer,
however, the pattern surface may be used in the form of an endless band.
The electric current is made to pass through the whole of the magnets by
means of the several coils which are connected at one end to the conducting
plates, herein-before referred to; these plates are supported by a wooden
cross bar, and are insulated one from the other. On each of the conducting
plates rests the point of a copper plate or tracer, the opposite pointed end of
which rests upon the pattern cylinder or surface; these tracers are so formed
that they rest by gravity alone on the conducting plates and pattern cylinder,
being suspended at each end the two points before referred to. Between
the tracers is a similar but shorter plate, resting at one end on a transverse
copper bar, and at the other end on the pattern surface or cylinder. The
transverse copper bar is connected by a wire with the negative pole of the
battery. The copper plates or tracers, and the shorter intermediate plates, are
insulated from each other by having their sides covered with paper or other
suitable non-conducting material. It will thus be obvious that the circuit will
be established only when the point of a tracer and the point of its intermediate
plate rest on the conducting metallic surface of the pattern cylinder. The
current from the positive pole of the battery enters by the magnets, and passes
to the conducting plates, thence by the tracers to the cylinder, and thence by
the intermediate plates to the transverse copper bar, whence it passes along
the wire connected therewith to the negative pole of the battery. This circuit
will, however, be broken at the cylinder in those places where the non-
conducting varnish presents itself; consequently the corresponding magnetwill
not operate, and as the corresponding stop will remain in front of its needle in

page_text: the jacquard, that needle will not come into action. The pattern is made to
advance regularly after each shoot of the weft, and at each rise of the griff,so
that the order and number of the hooks of the jacquard may be altered for the
next shoot. An arrangement is adopted for raising the points of the tracers
and intermediate plates off the surface of the cylinder at the moment when it
makes a forward movement, by which means the varnish on the surface is not
injured or scraped off, as would be the case were the points resting constantly
thereon.
An arrangement is also adopted for elevating the points by hand when
requisite. At the parts where the contact is broken and again re-made, an
electric spark is produced, which injures the pattern; it is therefore necessary
to break the circuit at some other point than on the pattern surface, and work
the tracers during its interruption only.
For this purpose, an interrupting apparatus of a peculiar construction is
employed. The positive wire is connected to a piece of metal, which is fixed
to but insulated from the magnet frame. Another wire, which is connected to
the plate supporting the magnets, is fastened to a blade spring,also insulated
from the frame, but pressing against the centre of a bent or bell-crank lever,
oscillating on a fixed centre. The horizontal arm of this lever has its free end
held in contact with an ivory or other suitable non-conducting support by a
helical spring, whilst at the same time its vertical arm is kept out of contact
with a projection on the insulated piece of metal before referred to.
The circuit is established or broken by the vertical arm being brought in or
out of contact with the fixed piece of metal before referred to.
The supple-
mentary jacquard,herein-beforereferredto, for workingtheheaddles, mayeither
be a card jacquard or an electric jacquard,similar to the one above described.
According to one arrangement, the headdles, which are thirteen in number,
are each actuated by two cords, one at each end, passing over two correspond-
ing overhead pullies, and attached to one of the thirteen hooks of the supple-
mentary jacquard, the griff of which is drawn downwards when required to
act, in place of being lifted upwards, so that the hooks must be reversed
accordingly. These hooks are actuated by needles worked by a cylinder
pierced with holes, the holes corresponding, to those needles which have to
work being plugged up. This cylinder makes a stroke at each shoot, and then
a thirteenth of a revolution, it being made with as many sides as there are
headdles.
It is proposed also to apply electricity to the throwing of the shuttles,
although the ordinary mode may be adopted in this loom, if preferred. A
spur pinion on the end of the driving shaft gives motion to two cams, which

page_text: actuate or vibrate respectively two segmental toothed levers,gearing each into
a rack carried by a box, which slides vertically on suitable guide rods. One
lever and its box is made to rise as the other falls, and vice versa. Behind
these two rack boxes is a third box, sliding along vertical guides and
connected by rods and a lever to the shuttle or drop box. The third box,above
referred to, is fitted with two vertical rows of moveable tappets or pins,
which are pressed constantly back by means of spiral springs. These
rows of pins serve, one to elevate and the other to depress the drop box
as the picks are effected. The extent of vertical motion imparted to the
tappet box will require of course to be varied according to the varying heights
of shuttles to be brought into action. This regulation is effected by means
of electro-magnets, which cause one of the pins on the left or right-hand
row to project and be encountered by the rising or descending rack box.
As the rack boxes have an uniform motion imparted to them, it follows that
according to the varying heights of the pins in the tappet box, so will the
amount of elevation or depression of that box be regulated. The box will be
retained in any required position by a rack and friction brake. The requisite
electro-magnets for actuating the pins in the tappet box are brought into
action as found desirable by a pattern surface, somewhat similar to the one
herein-before described, consisting of a metallic surface partially coated with
non-conducting varnish, or a cylinder may be used pierced with holes, in
which holes metallic studs are introduced, which, in the rotation of the
cylinder, effect the desired circuits. By slight modifications these several
improvements may be applied to ordinary jacquard looms.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters l'atent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 22nd September 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and
of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry

page_text: Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN WEAVING BY ELECTRIC POWER, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPA
RATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," a communication from Mons Louis Bolmida,
Banker, President of the Electro Weaving Company, of Turin, in the King-
dom of Sardinia, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and im-
mediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the general construction
and arrangement of looms for weaving plain or figured goods by the aid of
electro-magnetism.
Sheet 1 of the Drawings contains three views of an improved power loom,
furnished with its electric apparatus.
Sheet 2 contains several views of the electro-magnetic apparatus detached.
Sheet 3 contains views,on a larger scale, of the electric apparatus by which
the changing of the shuttles is effected; also the take-up motion and break for
stretching or distending the warp.
Sheet 4 contains detail views of the mechanism and electric apparatus
applied to an ordinary loom.
Figure on Sheet 1 of the Drawings represents a front elevation of the
loom; Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same, shewing the driving mecha-
nism; and Figure 3 is a vertical section of the loom taken along the line 1-2,
in Figure 1.
A, A, are the standards of the loom, which are united by the rails A², A2,
and are surmounted by the arched or curved bars A³, supporting the electric
apparatus at B. The driving shaft C carries the fixed and loose pullics C', C²,
and is furnished with cranks and connecting rods D', in the usual manner, for

page_text: transmitting motion to the slay D. This shaft carries at one extremity a spu
wheel E, in gear at its lower part with the large wheel E on the tappet or
cam shaft F, and at its upper with the wheel E2, the short shaft of which
carries a disc G fitted with a stud pin, which causes the slotted end of the
sliding lever G¹ to oscillate or vibrate vertically. This motion, by an arrange:
ment of levers and connecting rods B', causes the griff frame B2, carrying the
lifters of the jacquard, to rise and fall. The shaft F carries at its centre two
cams F¹, working upon the antifriction rollers of two levers F2, which oscillate
at one end, while at the other they are guided by the segment F3, fixed to the
cross piece A2. These levers are here so united as to work as one single lever,
and actuate by a series of rods and levers G³ the griff H of the supplementary
small jacquard for working the heddles. The object of the two cams F¹ is to
enable the loom to be converted into one for weaving linen. To effect this, it
is simply necessary to disconnect both jacquards, and to key up one of the
cams F at right angles with the other, and to make use of them for actuating
the two linen heddles. I represents the yarn beam, and I' the cloth beam,
actuated by a suitable take-up motion, described hereafter. To the left of
Figure 1 the shuttles are actuated directly by the picking sticks J. To the
right they are shewn as being actuated by means of a driver acted upon by the
picking stick; either of these arrangements may be used. The picking sticks
receive their motion from the straps J' of the levers J2 fixed upon the shafts J3.
These shafts each carry a lever J', which is raised at the required moment by
the adjustable cams or tappets F on the shaft F. The loom is represented at
rest, the driving strap being on the loose pulley C2. To throw it into gear it
is simply necessary to draw back and engage in a notch the spring lever K, in
an opening of which rests the end of one of the arms of the lever K¹, the other
arm of which forms the fork for guiding the strap. This movement guides it
over the fixed pulley C. The fixed pulley is cast in one piece with a small fly
wheel, and can be instantaneously stopped on the application of the brake K2
to the periphery of the fly wheel. This brake is fitted to the extremity of a
vertical lever, oscillating on a stud at its lower end. A bent lever K3, to which
is attached a handle,and which is constantly acted upon by means of the spiral
spring K4, tends constantly, by means of a small connecting rod, to press the
break against the fly wheel. When, however, the lever K is drawn back to
start the loom, it acts upon a hook K³, oscillating on an axis like a bent lever.
The hook raises the lever K³, thus withdrawing the break from the fly wheel.
When on the contrary the lever K is allowed to resume its original position
on throwing the loom out of gear, the hook K5, by falling, allows the spring to
act upon the lever K³, thus pressing forward the break upon the wheel and

page_text: instantaneously stopping the loom. The break can be withdrawn by raising
the lever K3 by means of its handle, and engaging it in the upper notch of the
hook K5.
.
The ordinary swells D2 and levers are used for the purpose of stopping the
loom, by striking the frog DS whenever the shuttle is not boxed. The ordinary
weft fork may also be used in this loom if found desirable. The take-up
motion for actuating the cloth beam I' is represented in Figure 1, and on a
larger scale in Figures 12, 13, and 14 of Sheet 3. To a screw D' in the
shuttle box is attached a chain L', which is also attached at its other end to a
bent lever L,mounted freely upon the spindle of the ratchet wheel L³, and
carrying a pall L2 in gear with the ratchet wheel. A pinion on the spindle
of this wheel transmits a slight increment of motion to the cloth beam I'
through the train of wheels E3 at every back stroke of the slay. To the other
arm of the bent lever L is connected in a slot a small connecting rod L*,
jointed at its lower end to a plate 1%, oscillating at one of its extremities,and
tending constantly to draw backwards by its weight the pall L. The more this
plate is allowed to descend the more does the pall move, and it is consequently.
necessary that the play of the plate should be limited in order that cloth may
be regularly taken up. This is effected by means of a roller I³ (Figure 12)
resting with its weight upon the cloth beam, aud consequently rising as the
diameter of the roll of cloth increases; a small washer fixed to the rod I4
limits the desceut of the plate I to which the rod l' is connected. It will be
seen that in proportion as the roller I rises, the rod I will do the same, the
fall of the plate is gradually lessened; thus the course of the pall L² is'dimi-
mished, and, corresponding decrease is effected in the speed of the cloth beam.
The plate 12 is partially balanced by a counter weight M',and the roller 13 by
a counter weight M2 acting on a lever M³, which tends to raise the rod I4.
The drag or.friction of the yarn beam is generally effected by means of a
weight suspended to a belt or cord passed round the end of the beam or round
a pulley fixed thercon; I prefer, however, employing the arrangement shewn
in, transverse section and front elevation at Figures 22 and 23 (Sheet 3). It
consists of a belt N passing over a pulley N', fixed to the extremity of the
beam I, and united at both ends to a rod. N². This is attached by means of
nuts to a curved or horse-shoe spring N³ fixed to the ground, and to which any
degree of tension can be given by means of a nut and powerful spiral spring
N4. The friction of the belt on the pulley produces the drag on the beam
and requisite tension of the warp. If it should be necessary that this friction
should be increased the belt may be applied to the larger pulley N5. Such is

page_text: the general arrangement of the loom, which will be found similar in most re-
spects to those already in use.
Ishall now to proceed to describe the essential part of this Invention, which
is the electric apparatus for replacing the ordinary card jacquard, after which
I shall describe the small jacquard for the heddles,and the mode of changing
the shuttles. The curved portion A3 of the loom frame is surmounted by a
plate carrying the electro-magnetic apparatus B already referred to. This
apparatus is represented in side and front elevation, and in cross section in the
general views, Figures 1, 2, and 3 (Sheet 1); it is, however, represented on
a larger scale in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, Sheet 2. The apparatus is composed
of a frame Bin which are arranged hooks a,in a manner similar to ordinary
jacquards, to which hooks are attached the healds, mounted as in ordinary
looms and according to the pattern to be produced. These hooks are actuated
by needles a mounted in the ordinary manner, with this exception, that instead
of being pushed backwards, they are pushed forwards, those not wished to be
actuated being prevented from moving by stops presented by the magnetic
apparatus. With this arrangement the ordinaryinclination of the plates of the
griff B2 become needless; they are therefore placed vertically; nevertheless, to
avoid with greater certainty the raising and lowering of the hooks which ought
not to be raised, I have given to the griff a slight oscillating motion. The
hinder extremity of the needles a' pass through a grate a³, which is moveable,
boing attached to two levers or arms a³, oscillating on an axis passing through
their upper ends. Each time that this grating moves forward it pushesforward
the needles by means of spiral springs with which it is furnished. If one of these
needles encounters a stop its spring is compressed without the needle moving.
The oscillations of the grate are produced by the descent of the griff B2, which
is furnished with two arms terminating in friction pulleys 61; these arms on
descending act upon the fixed cams or inclined planes a, carried by a cross
piece c uniting the two levers a³. The grate then oscillates forward and is
drawn backward bymeans of the springs c¹. The cross bar c carries two arms
which terminate in friction rollers c2,and which necessarily follow the oscilla-
tions of the grate. The portion of the griffwhich carries the plates is moveable,
being suspended by two rods b², and drawn constantly backwards by a spring
63. The inclined planes &* encountering the friction rollers c² produces a slight
movement of the plates 6, which thus avoids raising the hooks which remain
behind, raising only those which are pushed forward.
I shall now proceed to describe the construction of the electro-magnetic
apparatus and the mode in which it acts upon the needles. This apparatus,

page_text: which is shown in the Figures which I have just described, is shewn also
on a larger scale in vertical section and partial plan in Figures S and 9. The
diameter of the front end of the needles a¹ is enlarged slightly, and this
enlarged part slides in holes in a front plate d formed in two parts, one of
which is fixed for greater precision to the electric apparatus. The front or
prolonged portion of the frame B carries a wooden support B³, which carries
all the magnets O, O. These are disposed in steps or stages, which are
arranged horizontally with the needlesa, the magnets being fixed to the plates
d,supported by two end standard or bearing plates B'. Each electro-magnet
is composed of a bar of soft iron e,fixed in the plates ; on this bar is fitted a
copper reel, the lower part of which is in metallic contact with the plated'. A
copper wire covered with silk or other non-conductor is coiled round this reel;
one of its ends is fixed to the lower part of the reel with which it is in imetallic
contact, while the other end is united to a conducting plate d², put in com-
munication with the pattern as described hereafter. When an electriccurrent
circulates in the wire surrounding one of these electro-magnets, the soft iron
bar e acquires an attracting power, which it loses the moment that the current
Above these electro-magnets are arranged a series of horizontal
spindles f, each row corresponding to a stage of the maguets. All of these
rods are supported at one end bythe plate f¹,and at the other by cross bars 12.
To each rod fis fixed an arm of wrought irou e', which serves as an armature
for the electro-magnets. Each rod corresponds to an electro-magnet, and they
are equal in number to the needles of the jacquard. In one range of r.ds f
the armatures è'arecurved alternately to the right and to the left to correspond
to the magnets, which in one stage are arranged alternately, as seen on the plan,
Figure 9. The other end of each rod f is furnished with a bent arm e², the
end of each of which faces a needle a¹. The result of this is, that when the
grate a pushes the needles forward, they each encounter a stop, which
renders them immovable, the only effect of the motion of the grate being to
compress the small spiral springs with which the needles are furnished.
ceases.
If, however, the armature e' of one of the rods f' is attracted to one side by
its electro-magnet, the branch e² moves to one side likewise, and allows the
corresponding needle to advance. In order that the oscillations of the rods f
maytake place freely the holes in the plate through which the arms c² pass
are of an elongated form. The attractive power necessary to maintain a piece
of iron in contact with the magnet is, it is well known, much less than that
necessary for attracting it when it is a certain distance off. It is, therefore,
arranged that all the armatures should come in contact with their magnets,
and then effect a lateral inotion. Those arinatures which are attracted by their

page_text: magnets remaining attached to them, the others regaining, or nearly so. their
vertical positions. To effect this, the plate f¹, the cross pieces f³, and the
plates to which they are attached, form a sort of chariot, carrying all the rode
f, and suspended to two bars f³, capable of sliding in the guides on each
side of the apparatus, as shewn in Figure 7, in which half of the chariot is
supposed to be broken away and removed. This chariot then is susceptible
of a slight lateral motion, which takes place on the movement of the griff B².
For this purpose a rod g (Figure 4) is attached by its upper end to the griff
and by its lower to the lever g'oscillating at g². This lever is made with a
hole, which is traversed by another lever h oscillating at h', and the upper end
of which is united by a small connecting rod to the chariot f¹, f³. The lower
extremity of the lever h is inclined, forming an inclined plane when the lever
g'rises, and when it descends a vertical plane. The result of this is a series
of oscillations of the lever h, and, in consequence, a lateral reciprocating
movement of the chariot; a guide g³ prevents the lever g¹ from deviating
from its course. When the griff rises the chariot moves forward, (which will
be seen on reference to Figure 4,) and all the armatures touch their electro-
movement,
magnets. When thegriff descends the chariot performs a reverse
and allows all the armatures e¹ to return to their original positions, with
the exception of those which, like e³ (Figure 9), remain attached to their
magnets, and making use of the rod f as a kind of pivot, diverts the branche²,
leaving a passage free for the corresponding needle a¹. In order to insure the
contact of the needles a¹ with the stop branches e² a conical hole is made in
the extremity of each needle, so that even if the adjustment of the needles
and the rods be not so perfect as desired, the branches e2 will nevertheless be
drawn towards the centre of the needle. And, again, to avoid the needles
striking the corresponding branches when they are diverted, the extremity of
each branch e² is formed into a point or cone, so that, if through bad adjust-
ment the needle encounters the side of the branch it will push it aside and con-
tinue its course.
I shall now explain the mode in which the electric current is made to cir-
culate in some of the electro-magnets andnot inothers, according to the pattern.
The pattern may be produced in various ways; it may be made by glueing
metallic sheets or powder to paper. It is preferred, however, to use an un-
interrupted sheet of metal rolled very thin, which is glued upon a sheet of
paper. On this metallic surface the outline of the pattern is traced, then the
ground is covered by means of a brush with a non-conducting varnish, leaving
the pattern itself in metal uncoated. Inversely the pattern may be covered,
leaving a metallic field. The pattern sheet is applied to a wooden cylinder P,

page_text: on which it is stretched or fixed, if its length does not exceed the circum-
ference of the cylinder. If, however, it is too long, its two ends are united, so
as to form an endless band, which is passed round a roller to keep it stretched.
In the latter case the inside of the sheets are furnished with transverse bars,
which gear into the grooves on the cylinder by which the pattern is made to
advance as the cylinder turns. The current arrives by the wire marked +
(Figure 4) at an interrupting apparatus, which will be described further on,
but which may be supposed for the present to be closed, that is to say, esta-
blishing a communication between the wire + and another wire which passes
through the frame B by an opening, to be united to one of the side plates B₁,
Figures 6 and 8. The current arrives then at these plates, and then at all
the plates d', and finally at all the wires round the electro-magnets, by those
extremities fixed in the reels. The other extremity of this wire communicates
also with the conducting plates d². These plates are supported by a cross piece
of wood P¹, and are insulated one from the other. Each of them carries a
pin, to which are attached the respective wires of the electro-magnet; but,
however, as the spaces which separate them are extremely small, it has been
thought necessary to separate them still further one from the other by
making the pins of different lengths and heights. They thus form five ranges,
as seen at Figure S.
I have, in order that this arrangement may be properly understood, num-
bered the eight stages of electro-magnets, and placed the corresponding
numbers against the rows cf pins of the plates d², to which the wires corre-
spond. Thus the wires of the electro-magnets No. 1 are attached to the
upper pins, which are the longest. The conducting plates placed immediately
to the side of the first have shorter pins and lower down, to which areattached
the wires No. 2. The following row receives the wires of the reels No. 3,
and the fourth those of No. 4. The wires 5 can return without inconvenience
to the first row, whence they enter the plate 1, and that at 5 has all the inter-
val occupied by the plates 2, 3, and 4, and the distance separating them. The
wires 6 and 7 return respectively to the rows 2 and. Finally, the plates of
the electro-magnets No. 8 have their pins very much lower than the others,
and the wires are attached directly to them.
By this arrangement the wires of the electro-maguets a c divided into
regular groups, which is very advantageous, by preventing all confusion in the
putting together and taking to pieces of the apparatus.
On each of the plates d² rests the point of a copper plate R, the other end
of which rests upon the pattern sheet of the cylinder P. The object of

page_text: giving to this plate the form shewn in the Drawing is, to place the centre of
gravity below the line uniting the two points 7 and, so that these plates by
their own weight will keep in a vertical plane, pressing at the same time on
their respective plates, and on the pattern.
At the side of each plate R, in the small space which separates them, (or
which separates the two successive plates (",) is another plate S, also of copper,
but not so long. Its extremity s carries a bar of copper s, which runs along
the width of the apparatus, and to which is attached the wire marked-, and
which, leaving the frame by a hole y, (Figure 4) serves as the negative pole of
the battery.
Sheets of paper or other non-conducting material are pasted to the plates S
and R, so as to'insulate them one from the other. The other end s¹ of the
plate S, rests like the point upon the pattern. There is no communication
between these two points except when the points and s¹ both touch the
metal of the pattern at the sainc time, and in this case-only is there an elec-
tric current. The circuitifact takes place by the battery, the wire +, the
plate B, the plates the wire of the electro-magnets the conducting plated,
the plate R, the metal of the pattern, the plate S; the bar s2, the wire, and
thus returning to the battery. But if all these parts are not in connection, if
the pattern, instead of presenting its metallic portions to the points, presents
only its non-conducting varnish, the circuit is broken, and the electricity does
not circulate. Thus each of the magnets which correspond to the plates Rand S
when the plates encounter the metal have their magnetism excited, while
those which only encounter the varnish remain inactive. The corresponding
books of the machine are or are not raised, this taking place according to the
pattern.
I have represented in Figure 10 a detail view of a plate R, and at Figure 11
of a plate S. It will be easily understood that one plate S can serve without
inconvenience two plates R, so that the number can be reduced one-half, which
diminishes the space occupied by the plates and the width of the pattern for
a machine with the same number of needles. It is necessary that the pattern
should advance regularly after cach shoot of the weft, in order that the order
and number of the needles may be altered for the next shoot. The following
is the manner in which this movement of the circumference of the cylinder P
is produced
To the lever g (Figure 4) is jointed a rod i, carrying a shoulder or collar,
which at each clevation of the lever g raises another lever . To the
extremity of this latter is jointed a hook, acted upon constantly by a
a

page_text: spring, and which, each time that it is raised, turns a four-toothed rec-
tangular cam J a fourth of a revolution. A presser j¹, drawn by a spring 12,
presses against this cam), and maintains it in its position during the descent of
the hook. The cam jis fixed on an axis, the other end of which carries a
bevil pinion, in gear with a wheel of the same form . The axis of this
last wheel carries an endless screw 2 in gear with a worm wheel k³ on the
axis of the cylinder P. By this arrangement, each time that the griff b² rises
the pattern advances slightly, ready for the next shoot. By throwing the
wheels out, andthe wheel into gear, thedirection of the motion of the pattern
is reversed. This is done when it is necessary to undo a certain numberof shoots.
The rapidity of the motion of the pattern can be accelerated or retarded by
removing the wheels and ¹ and replacing them by others of different pro-
portions; different results can thus be obtained with the same patterns. It is
evident that during the revolution of the cylinder P the pointsr¹ and s¹ which
rub over the pattern; and scrape the varnish thereby finally removing it. To
avoid this inconvenience, the whole row of plates Rand S are raised during the
movement of the cylinder and allowed to touch it again when it has stopped.
To effect this, a bar P2 extends under all the plates R, S, across the width of
the loom, its ends resting on the horizontal arm of the bent levers P³. The
spindle of the lever g1 (Figure 4) carries the cams P (Figure 8), which at
each oscillation of the lever, that is, at each stroke of the griff, act upon the
bent levers P3, raising the bar P2, and consequently the whole of the plates R
and S. When the griff redescends (the moment at which the movement of
the pattern ceases) an inverse movement of the cams takes place, and the
points again touch the patterns. As it is sometimes necessary that the
plates R, S, should be raised by hand, a second cain P5 is used, to be worked
by hand for that purpose by means of a lever or handle. When the broken.
circuit is completed a spark is produced. This spark being produced at the
points and s injures the pattern, and it is therefore necessary to break the
circuit somewhere else and only to work the plates during its interruption; it
is for this purpose that interrupting apparatus already referred to and repre-
sented in Figure 4 is employed. The positive wire + is attached to the piecel,
fixed-to the frame B, but insulated therefrom; the wire a, which traverses the
frame in order to be attached to the plate B, is fastened to a spring, also
insulated from the frame, but pressing against the centre m of a sort of bent
lever m, m2. This lever can oscillate on an axis passing through its centre m,
and a spring tends to press its branch m² against an ivory support m³, thus
drawingthebranch m'away from a projectionwith which thepiece / isfurnished.

page_text: In Figure 4 the circuit is supposed to be thus broken. It will be seen that
the lever g¹ carries a stud n. The internal face of the head of the branch m
is formed in an inclined plane; this branch is jointed at n² so as to be able to
incline outwards (although a spring tends to keep it in its vertical position),so
that when the lever gi rises the stud n presses outwards the branch-m of the
bent lever without striking against the piece. But when the lever g₁ re-
descends its stud n encounters an inclined planciof ivory n' of the branch m¹,
which has been drawn inwards by its spring. The stud, in sliding along the
ivory n', pushes the branch.m¹ to the right, causing the whole of the bent
lever m, m, to oscillate. This movement completes the circuit by bringing
the branch m¹ into contact with the piece l until the stud n arrives at the end
of its course, when the lever escapes from it and assumes the position shewn in
Figure 4. The circuit is thus broken during the time that the plates R and S
are being raised. It is thus only when the plates have fallen that the circuit
is established, the spark being produced between the piece land the lever m',
instead of on the pattern, and it is not till the circuit is again broken that the
plates rise and the patterns inoves forward. It is well known that in most
jacquard looms, besides the ordinary heddles, a certain number of heddles are
used, the number and arrangement of which vary according to the nature of
fabric required, but which effects a certain cross action upon the warpat regular
intervals. A small supplementary jacquard is usually used of ten, twelve, or
fifteen needles to work these heddles, or any other number equal to thenumber
of the heddles. In this loom a small jacquard is also used, which may be a
small card jacquard or an electric apparatus similar in principle to the one
previously described.
The heddle T (Figure 1, Sheet 1) are thirteen in number, and each
of them is actuated by means of two cords T passing over two pulleys T2, and
is attached to one of the thirteen hooks of a small jacquard H', the griff H of
which is actuated by the series of levers G2, already described. This griff acts
not in ascending,butin descending on the hooks, which are in this case reversed.
These hooks are furnished with needles, which are actuated by a cylinder H2
pierced with holes in the usual manner. The holes corresponding to the
needles which have to work are closed with pegs, and the cylinder makes a
stroke for each shoot. For this purpose the frame H' of the apparatus is
formed with a horizontal slot o, traversed by the axis of the cylinder, and the
griff H has an oblique groove o¹, also traversed by the axis of the cylinder.
The result of the obliquity of the groove o' is, that when the griff descends the
cylinder is pushed outwards to the end of the groove o, although when thegriff

page_text: rises the cylinder rests against the needles. Each time that this double motion
takes place the cylinder effects a thirteenth of a revolution, since there are
thirteen heddles. These motions are effected in the following manner :-
The extremity of the prolonged axle of the cylinder carries a trundle wheel H³
(Figure 2). A presser 02, of an angular form, pressed upwards by a'spring o³,
presses against the toothed circumference of the wheel and prevents it turning.
Thespindle surrounded by this spring, and which carries the presser, is furnised
with an arm of, which is encountered by an arm attached to the griff H in
descending. The object of this encounter is to disengage the presser o by
compressing the spring and a hook of which is fixed to the spindle of the presser,
thus turning the wheel slightly, and, in consequence, the cylinder. As this
movement takes place when the cylinder is removed from the needles at the
end of the grooveo a spring pressero presses at this moment against a thirteen-
sided disc, carried at the end of the cylinder, and determines the quantity which
the cylinder shall turn, namely, the thirteenth part of a revolution. The
griff H begins to rise, the presser o again penetrate the teeth of the trundle
wheel, the cylinder withdraws from the presser of by moving in the groove o,
and it prepares for another blow on the needles to again raise the heddles.
The changing of the shuttles may be performed by any of the means in use for
that purpose in ordinary looms. Electricity has, nevertheless, been applied to
this operation, such application forming one of the main features of this Inven-
tion. Sheet 3 contains this mechanism, which may be modified in different
ways.
gears
Figure 12 is a front elevation; Figure 13 is a side view; Figure 14 is a
section, taken parallel to Figure 13; and Figure 15 is a plan. The driving
shaft C carries at its extremity a pinion C³ to the right of the loom, which
gears with a wheel C, the shaft of which carries a disc or cam U. The
wheel C+ with another wheel on a shaft U³, carrying a disc or cam U¹,
similar to the preceding one. The face of each of the discs U and U' carries
projections forming an eccentric groove, into which work the friction rollers c³
of the levers U2, oscillating on their extremities and terminating at their free
ends in toothed segments. The toothed seginents, as shewn in Figures 13
and 14, are one above, and the other below their levers, and the cams Uand U'
are fixed in opposite positions, so that one lever rises while the other descends.
One of these levers raises, the other lowers, the shuttle box; for this purpose
each of them gears respectively with a rack, with which two slides U'and Us
are furnished, sliding in the vertical guides U. These slides are counter-
balanced by weights suspended to cords; and, in consequence of the alternate

page_text: con-
and intermittent motion of the levers U2, theyoscillate simultaneously withthe
strokes of the slay or lathe, the one rising and the other descending, and vice
versa. Behind the two slides U and US is another slide V, also moveable in
vertical guides V, and which is represented in detail, back elevation, and
sectional plan, Figures 16 and 17. To the underside of this latter slide is
attached a connecting rod V, which unites it to the lever V3,having its fulcrum
in the centre, and being attached at the other end to a rod D6, which
nected to the shuttle or drop box Ds. The slide V is furnished with two rows
of moveable spindles or pius p,furnished with spiral springs, which press them
constantly backwards or inwards; these rows serve the one to elevate, the
other to depress the shuttle boxes as required. The extent of the movements
of this slide should be varied according to the compartments of the shuttle box,
which it is necessary to raise to the height of the shuttle race. For this purpose,
an arrangement of electro-magnets, which will be described further on, causes
to advance or project one of the pinsp of the left or right vertical row (Figure 16)
(according as the change ofthe shuttles is made by rising or descending). When
thebox Vrises the shuttle boxdescends,and vice versa. The pinp, which projects
outside, is encountered by a tappet pl, fixed to the slide U', and, as this has a
uniformmotion, it draws the box Va certain distance, according as the projecting
pin is situated higher or lower; or a tappet fixed to the slide Us encounters a
pin p of the other row (Figures 16 and 17), and causes the box V to descend
more or less according to the place occupied by the projecting pin. The effect
produced, the pin immediately draws back, and as the new position of the slide
V should last until a new change of the shuttle, this slide communicates with
a break maintaining it at any height. It carries a rack V'in gear with a pinion
ontheaxis of a pulley V³, on which presses a semicircular break V, oscillating
at one end, and furnished with a heavy.counter-weight (Figure 13). The axis
or fulcrum of this break is prolonged to carry a pulley, which guides the rack
Vby the back maintaining it in gear with the pinion. Behind the slide V is
a moveable support W, seen in detail, side and front elevation at Figures 18
and 19, and which is furnished with electro-magnets q, each formed of two
coils united. The armatures q' are small spindles, fixed to the extremity of an
equal number of levers q², oscillating on their centres and carrying small studs
3 at their other extremities, which fall when the armatures rise. When an
armature q¹ is in contact with the bar of its electro-magnet, its stud q3, which is
then at its lowest point, is exactly opposite one of the pins p of one or other of
the rows of the slide V; if then the support W approaches the slide V
the lowered stud 23 presses forward the pin p corresponding to it, and the re-

page_text: ciprocating motion of the slides [4,Us, produces the change of the shuttle; and
when one or other of the magnets q which acts the change is varied, as
is required, the support W has a reciprocating motion to and from the slide
V. To effect this, the shaft of the cam U carries a smaller cam W₁(seen in
dotted lines Figure 13), which presses at every revolution upon a spindle W
by a friction roller with which it is furnished; this rod is constantly drawn
upwards by a cord attached to a spring W3. The other end of the rod W is
united to a lever W oscillating on its centre in a horizontal plane, the other
extremity of which lever is attached to the moveable support W, which also
receives a reciprocating movement. Each time that the support W withdraws
a chain q' attached to the frame of the machine, and passing over a pulley
belonging to the support W, raises a cross piece q³ pressed downwards by
springs. In using this cross piece it draws with it the rods q, which raise al
the levers q2 and put all the armatures in contact with their magnets; those
which are attracted retain their positions, the others fall back into their old
ones when the support Wapproaches. The electricity is excited in the various
magnets in a similar manner to that already described for the pattern machine.
One of the ends of the wires of each electro-magnet is attached to a series of
metallic plates (Fig. 14), to which is attached also the wire + of the battery.
The other end of all these wires passes to the plates t (Figure 13), insulated
one from the other and forming a comb,seen in side view and plan, Figures 20
and 21. On the side of each plate t¹ there is another plate t2, and which is
also insulated from the first, bui all communicate with a contact piece to which
is attached the wire of the battery. The circuit for each electro-magnet
is interrupted between the two plates t, t, which correspond to it; but if a
metallic body effects a communication between these two plates the circuit is
complete, and the magnetism excited in the corresponding electro-magnet. A
pattern similar to that already described, made by means of varnish on
a metallic sheet, may be used; nevertheless, I have applied a cylinder t³
(Figure 13) pierced with holes, in which holes, according as the changes of the
shuttles are to be produced, are fitted metallic pins, which in the rotation of
the cylinder encounter, at the required moment, the two plates t', . The
rotation of the cylinder is produced in a similar manner to the motion of the
pattern drum herein-before described. A cam t' on the shaft U³ acts upon a
lever to, which is drawn down by a spring to,and which transmits its movements
by a rod u to the lever u¹ carrying the hook u². A small arm u³, fixed to the
lever ², raises at every movement, the comb t', 2, by means of a connecting rod
and small lever *. In order to shew the application of this system to an

page_text: ordinary loom, I have taken an ordinary loom with its jacquard, retaining th
cylinder of this last,and without modifying it much have endeavoured to apply
the electrical system to the needles.
Figure 25, on Sheet 4 of the Drawings, is an external elevation of a
modified jacquard; Figure 26 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale
Figures 27 and 27 are two portions of the same plan; portions of each of which
are removed that the whole may be more clearly understood; and Figure 28
is a longitudinal section, shewing the apparatus which actuates the hooks.
On the wooden frame which carries the jacquard Brests another frame B
enclosing the whole of the electric apparatus, and which can be easily removed
to be replaced by a jacquard cylinder with its cards, as a demonstration of the
facility with which our system can be applied to ordinary existing jacquards.
To the griff B' is attached a rod g, which is united to a lever g', receiving an
oscillating movement on its axis g; on this movement depends the whole
action of the electric apparatus. It is of course necessary that the needles a
should be acted upon in a similar manner to those of the card jacquards. To
effect this the rods f (Figure 26) are furnished at their extremities with a disc
e2 (Figures 29 and 30); they are, or are not, pushed against the needles,accord-
ing as the electro-magnets are, or are not, magnetised. There is a chariot j',
which carries cross pieces f forming lifters, and which, in consequence, con-
stitutes a sort of griff, which, with the assistance of a reciprocating movement,
pushes a portion of the rods against the needles. To effect this a lever X, the
fulcrum of which is at W (Figure 28) on the fixed plate f, is united by a stud
W, which passes through a slot in this plate to the moveable plate or carriage
To the lower extremity of the lever X is attached a weight X¹, which
tends to incline it in the direction shewn in Figure 28, which tends to press
the carriage f against the needles a. To the shaft y², before mentioned, is
fixed a lever arm g³, which is united by a rod g³ to a bell crank lever g*,
oscillating on a fixed axis. When the griff B 2 rises the axis g² is pressed in
such a manner that the horizontal arm of the bell crank lever g' presses on the
horizontal arm of the lever X, which then moves in a direction contrary to
that in which it is drawn by the weight X, and the carriage is pressed back
wards. A hook X, jointed to the upper extremity of the lever X, hooks by
its own weight on to a cross piece X3; but when the griff descends, the axle g²
and the levers 93 and 9' perform a reverse movement, and after having left the
horizontal arm of the lever X raises the hook X; the lever X thus liberated
again, obeys the impulse of its weight, and presses the carriage f³ against the
needles. This arrangement of levers is placed on each side of the apparatus.

page_text: The electro-magnets Oare arranged in stages on the plates d'; their armatures
are vertical axes e¹ mounted on pivots and carrying two horizontal arms e³,
above and below which, when the arm e is magnetised, apply themselves to it,
causing the axis to turn slightly. For this purpose the arms e are fixed to
the plate d'; but the reels O which they carry are a little raised, so as to leave
a passage under them; thus the electro-magnets, in this case, attract their
armatures a slight distance; but in utilizing the attractive properties of the
bar e above and below I compensate for this inconvenience. A very weak
spring tends to remove the armatures from their magnets. The upper arme³
of each armature is bent, and vertically prolonged (Figure 29), terminating in
an insulating piece on which rests the extremity of a rod f. Each rod fis fur-
nished with a small hook f', which traverses one of the bars f² of the chariot f³
by a mortice. When the rod is held up by the armature e³, the upper side
of the mortice of the bar, the thin side, and which forms the knife, en-
counters the hook f,and as the bar f moves with the chariot fit pushes the
rod against the corresponding nee:lle a'. If, on the contrary, the armature is
attracted by its magnet, as shewn in red, Figures 29 and 30.it allows the rodf
to escape; which, no longer being supported at its end, falls with its hook f* to
the bottom of the mortice of the cross piece f2; the knife then slides above the
hook without engaging; it. This is the same for all the stages of rods. In
order to raise again the end of the fallen rods on to the armatures which are no
longer attracted, the knives f, which are moveable in grooves f³, are raised
by means of two bars f6, carrying inclined planes or bosses, which act upon
rods e, with which the knives fare furnished; in this way, all the rods are
raised to their original height, and the armatures again assume their positions
under them. The bars f receive their reciprocatory motion from bent levers
g (Figure 28),and they are for this purpose furnished with two projections or
studs embracing the vertical arm of this lever.
Inorder that a very weak battery need only be required, and thus diminish
the expense of maintaining it, the battery is placed into communication with
the plates d', not simultaneously but successively. This is done in a very short
space of time during the descent of the grift, so that the current which is
sufficient to actuate one stage of magnets is sufficient to actuate all the stages.
This effect is produced in the following manner :-The connecting rod g³
carries a tapet 1, (Figures 27, 31, 32,) moving, by its reciprocating motion, a
piece l', sliding on a horizontal rod . The piece is of metal, and it is fur-
nished with a spring . Below the course of the piece there are metallic
insulated plates of a square shape, equal in number to that of the stages of
2.

page_text: electro-magnets, and each of them communicating by a wire with one of the
plates. These last are insulated one from another. The wire of the
battery communicates with a piece m,in contact with another piece of metal m³,
which stretches underneath the plates without touching them. The extremity
of the piece forms two inclined planes (thus
), the one above, and
the other below. The same is the case with the piece m¹. The result is, that
when the piece recedes (that is to say, approaches m. Figure 32,) the
encounter of its lower inclined plane with the upper one of the piece m¹ causes
it to rise up on this last one in which it is assisted by a spring m². When, on
the contrary, the piece advances in the other direction its upper inclined
plane encounters the lower one of the piece m', under which it is forced to
pass, bending the spring me. The result is, that in passing, the piece / or
rather its spring 13, rubs over all the plates/4 successively, and thus establishes
a metallic communication between the pieces m and m' and the plates ", in
consequence with the plates d', that is with the various stages of electro-
magnets. These, then, are successively actuated, and in a very rapid manner.
It will be seen that in Figure 26, that we have numbered every second plate
d, the uneven by 1, 2, 3, 4, and the even by 5, 6, 7, 8. The numbers shewn
correspond to the numbers on the plates . The object of this arrangement
is to lessen as much as possible the interval between the two plates d², which
successively receive the current so as to avoid as much as possible the bad
influence which one magnet would have upon the other, if two contiguous
plates successively received the electricity in so short a time as would take for
the passage of the piece from one plate to the next one. The inclined
planes or bosses of the bars f, are arranged so as to produce the same suc-
cession in the lowering of the knives fand the rods f, of the corresponding
rows assume successively, though in a very short time, their correct positions.
This done, the chariot f3 pushes all the rods which have not fallen from the
amatures against the needles. The wire of each electro-maguet communi-
cates at one end with its plate , and at the other with an insulated plate d²,
on which rests the plate R, the other extremity of which is supported by the
pattern cylinder P. The negative pole of the battery communicates with an
insulated plate s (Fig. 27,) which is pressed by a point, with which a lever of
metal &¹ is furnished, which lever is united by a conducting wire to a comb S,
formed of a plate carrying a series of small springs pressing on the pattern
close to the point of the plates R. I have stated that, if the pattern is
executed on a metallic sheet, it is only necessary to put in constant communi-
cation by means of a metallic point of contact, the negative pole (or the

page_text: positive; as the case may be), with this sheet; but, if the pattern is executed
iu metal on a non-conducting sheet, it is necessary that the comb S should
occupy the whole width of the pattern in order that it may always be in com-
munication with those of the plates R which encounter the metal. The
hooks H (Figure 28) of the jacquard are situated in the apparatus. Their
needles are in three rows, which will explain the apparent torsion of the rods
H' (Figures 27 and 28,) which actuate the needles. One of the extremities
of these rods thus forms three horizontal rows, while at the other only one row
is formed. Against this extremity presses a piece H³, fixed to the carriage f³,
and which presses in its movement all the rods at the same time. Underneath
there moves on a prism a chain H furnished with studs, which raise some-
times one, sometimes the other of the rods H. These raised cannot be pressed
by the piece H,aud, in consequence, the corresponding needle does not move,
and the hook is raised. It is proposed to weave one shoot of the pattern, and
a shoot of the body or ground alternately, therefore, for the ground, it is neces-
sary to disconuect the electrical apparatus. It has been found sufficient for
this purpose to effect at each shoot an interruption in the circuit. For this
purpose I have furnished every alternate plate of the pattern chain H³ with a
supplementary stud which should raise the lever s¹ (Figure 27), thus breaking
its contact with the piece s, and in consequence the circuit. The lifting of the
plates R and the comb S is accomplished by means of connecting rods P4,
jointed to the lever X, Figure 28, and which it pushes at each oscillation
of the bent levers P³, these carrying the cross piece P2 and the comb S, which
they raise. The pattern moves on a cylinder P; Q' designates a small roller
which presses upon the pattern, thus assisting its advancement and replacing
the cross pieces Q. The motion of the cylinder P, is produced by means of
an apparatus clearly seen in Figures 25 and 27. The oscillations of the
lever g¹ cause (by means of a stud with which it is furnished) the bent lever i
to oscillate, such lever forming an inclined plane which the stud encounters.
The lever i gives an alternating motion. to the vertical rod, actuating a
small lever, carrying two palls in gear with a toothed wheel h, the axle of
which carries another wheel k. The wheel gears with a crown wheel ¹,
which actuates the worm 2 and the worm wheel on the axis of the.cylin-
der P. By drawing the cord 1, Figure 25, the inclination of the lever * is
changed, and its right pall is put in gear instead of the left one. The pattern
then moves backwards in order to undo a portion when requisite. This move-
ment of the lever allows a lever H', which the lever supports, to lower
itself; this lever is fixed upon an axle ', Figure 27 and 28, which carries a

page_text: small lever arm ; this arm h2 presses a fork h³ with two hooks, which
causes the prism of the pattern chain to revolve. The right hook causes the
prism to turn forward, the left one causes it to turn backwards. The double
movement of the hook is communicated to it by a lever h4, which it carries,
and which forms an inclined plane, under which works a stud fixed to one of
the bars f.
I shall now proceed to describe an improved mode of constructing patterns.
At present these patterns are produced by varnish upon a metallic surface
usually composed of tin-foil glued upon paper; I make use of combs with simple
teeth for acting on this pattern,and establish a communication with one pole
of the battery, by means of one or two teeth in close proximity to the edge of
the metallic sheet.
Thus, let us suppose that the pattern, instead of being entirely covered with
a metallic sheet, is only furnished with small strips (a, a', a³, a³, Figures 33 and
34,Sheet 4,) the number of which is equal to that of the colours to be produced,
supposing also, that the different parts of the pattern which represent one colour
are united by means of one these small strips, and insulated from the others.
Thus, for example, those which should be red, with the strip a; those, which
should be black, with that at a', and so on; it will easily be understood that if,
when the pattern advances, the tooth(in connection with the pole of the battery)
be placed upon the strip a, the current will only pass through those teeth that
communicate with it; and, consequently, the griff in rising will only raise the
wires in connection with the red threads, and will actuate the shuttle of that
colour only and if the tooth be placed on the strip a' the griff will only actuate
the wires in connection with the black shuttle, the same being the case with all
the colours. When all the colours shall have passed, the cylinder is advanced
another step, and the point of the tooth again put upon the strip a, and the
operation repeated. The principle once established, the means of putting it
in practice are simple; the only change that is made in the mechanism being
in the pattern, and the point which completes the communication with the
battery.
Supposing a rose pattern be the one required, or one in which there are
four different colours, the operation is commenced by drawing the outline on
four sheets of metallized paper; then, from one of these all the portious, which
are of three of the colors are removed; for example, red, green, and yellow;
in the second, the portions of two other colours, thus, red and green; in the
third, the parts of a third colour, red; after this the sheets are laid one over
another, so that the edge of the second projects beyond the first, the edge of

page_text: the third beyond the second, and the edge of the fourth beyond the third, and
in such a manner that the outline of the pattern in all four sheets corresponds
exactly. By this arrangement four insulated strips are produced, each of which
corresponds to a metallic surface of one of the colours of the pattern. It is
necessary to employ very thin sheets both of paper and metal; it is possible
also to use a single sheet of paper, only laying the metallic sheets which are
required for the colours on it, a layer of varnish only separating them. One
of the metallized papers are then covered with varnish, those parts being
excepted which represent one colour of the pattern. To the upper side of this
a metallic sheet is applied, which adheres to those parts only which are
varnished. This sheet is then varnished, only leaving those parts uncovered
which represent another colour; and thus throughout.
The means of obtaining this new effect, that is to say, the changing the
communications at will not only with one pole of the battery, but with the two
poles at a time, thus effecting a partial circuit with the two poles of the battery
and with those teeth only of the comb which touch the parts of a colour, may
be varied to any extent. With regard to the tooth which should rest upon the
strips a, a, a, a³, it will be easily seen that a lateral motion might be imparted
to it with great facility, in such a manner as to shift it from one to the other.
as required; but it would be a better arrangement to make use of as many
teeth as there are strips, the number of which should never exceed eight or ten
to allow all these teeth to be in communication with one pole of the battery,.
keeping them in a raised position, and only allowing them to fall one by one in
the order in which the colours are required. Thus, if there are four different
colours, as in the case represented in Figure 33, it will be necessary at each
stroke, that is to say, at each passage of the shuttle, to allow a different tooth to
fall, the pattern being advanced a step at the fourth stroke. If there are 6, S.
or 9 colours, it will be after the sixth, eighth, or ninth stroke, that the pattern
will be advanced. Though many mechanical combinations might be adapted
for producing this effect, I will describe one that will fulfil the object in a
satisfactory manner.
Suppose that the pin f(Figure 35, Sheet 4) which rises and falls with the
motion of the griff of the jacquard encounters in its motion the wheel g,
furnished with as many teeth as there are colours required; each tooth i is so
jointed that it is pressed down on the descent of the pinf, while on its ascent
it falls back, allowing the pin to pass. It is on the shaft of this wheel that the
teeth m, acting upon the strip a, a', &c., are placed, and in a line with each
of the teeth of the wheel g; the shatt is furnished with a hole deep enough to

page_text: allow the tooth, which rests above, to fall down and touch the corresponding
strip of the pattern. In this manner at each rise and fall of the griff a tooth
of the wheel g passes, and only one tooth at a time can ever rest freely upon
the strip, the others being held in an elevated position. There is also a pin
upon the wheelg so arranged that at each revolution one tooth of the wheel n
is made to pass, by the motion of which the pattern is moved forward. It
will be seen that, by this arrangement, at each movement of the griff the wheel
gadvances a fourth sixth, eighth, &c., according to the number of colours that
are to be produced, and at each stroke it is a different tooth m which produces
the current through a different part of the pattern, and that after six or eight
strokes, the number being always dependant upon the number of colours
required, the pattern is inade to advance a step. If the number of colors is
to be varied it is only necessary to change the wheel g and its shaft. To
obtain the motion it is necessary to arrange on the same shaft two wheels g,
the teeth i of which yield in contrary directions, and to arrange the pin fso
that it may gear first with one and then with the other. By this means a
regular motion is produced.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of the said Invention ; but
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general construction and arrangement of looms for weaving by
the aid of electricity, as herein-before described.
Second, the peculiar constructions and arrangements of jacquards, and the
mode of working them by electro-magnetism, as herein-before described.
Third, the peculiar constructions and arrangements of pattern sheets for the
jacquard, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the raising of the tracer points from off the pattern cylinder during
its rotation for the purpose herein-before described.
Fifth, the system or mode of breaking the circuit of the current through the
tracers at any point other than that of the point of contact between the tracer
and the pattern cylinder, for the purpose of preventing the production of an
electric spark at that part, and also the working of the tracers only during such
interruption of the current.

page_text: Sixth, the peculiar construction, arrangement, and mode of working the
supplementary jacquard, as herein-before described.
Seventh, the changing of the shuttles or working of the drop boxes in looms
for weaving by means of electro-magnetism.
Eighth,the peculiarconstruction and arrangementof apparatusforchanging
the shuttles of looms by electro-magnetism, as herein-before described.
Ninth, the peculiar adaptation of electro-magnetic apparatus to the ordinary
jacquard, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henr yJohnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of September, One thou-
sand eight bundred and fifty-six.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)