An Improved Shuttle Guard for Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 20th Nov.. 1894-Accepted, 22nd Dec., 1894
An Improved Shuttle Guard for Looms for Weaving.
We ROBINSON RAPER of 1004 Wakefield Road Bradford, SAM PITTS of
11 Cordingley Street, Tong Street, Dudley Hill, near Bradford, and GEORGE
NOBLE of 624 Sticker Lane Bradford, Overlookers do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention consists in an arrangement for preventing accidents caused by the
shuttle leaving the loom during the process of weaving. To accomplish this we
attach two or more brackets to the hand-rail of the lay or going part, one of
these brackets being of a special form somewhat in the nature of a cam shape.
These brackets are made to carry lever arms to the lower end of which we attach a
wood rod, or a series of' steel or other rods, or bars, and we so arrange it that when
the loom is in motion these rods or bars are held in such a position over the warp
and shuttle race, and parallel with the reed or sley of the loom that the shuttle will
be effectually prevented from flying out, or leaving the loom. To enable us to
remove the guard so as not to interfere with the weaver in taking up threads, or
other work, when the loom is at rest the rods and levers may be turned inwards or
upwards so as to lie close to the hand rail and be completely out of the way. To
facilitate this, and to keep the guard in either of the desired positions we make the
cam-shaped bracket with the swell upon it in a direction parallel to the sley and
we produce the arm carrying the rods beyond the fulcrum so as to slide upon the
surface of the cam-shaped bracket. Upon the spindle carrying the lever arm we
place a spring held in position by a collar, screw, or other suitable means which
will always keep the lever arm in contact with the cam shaped bracket and so.
ensure it keeping in the desired position. Or we may obtain a like result by the use
of a spring of any form.
By this arrangement when the loom is at rest a slight pressure of the finger will
bring the guard close up to the hand rail and out of the way of the weaver, and
when the loom is started the movement of the working parts is sufficient to bring
out the guard over the shuttle race without any interference on the part of the
weaver.
By this means we produce a shuttle guard at once economical and effective.
Dated thin 15th of Rabu 1001
An improved the Guard for
We, ROBINSON RAPER of 1004 Wakefield Road Bradford, SAM PITTS of
11 Cordingley Street, Tong Street, Dudley Hill, Bradford and GEORGE NOBLE
of 624 Sticker Lane Bradford, Overlookers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention consists in an arrangement for preventing accidents by the shuttle

page_text: leaving the loom during the process of weaving. To accomplish this we attach two
or more brackets to the hand rail of the lay or going part. One at least of these
brackets being of a special form, somewhat in the nature of a cam-shape. These
brackets are made to carry lever arms, to the lower end of which we attach a wood
rod, or a series of steel or other wires, rods or bars, and we so arrange it that when
the loom is in motion these rods or bars are held in such a position over the warp
and shuttle race, and parallel with the reed or slay of the loom that the shuttle will
be effectually prevented from flying out or leaving the loom. To enable us to
remove the guard so as not to interfere with the weaver in taking up threads or
other work when the loom is at rest, the rods and levers may be turned inwards
or upwards so as to lie close to the hand rail and be completely out of the way.
To facilitate this and keep the guard in either of the desired positions we make
the cam shaped bracket with the swell upon it in a direction parallell to the slay,
and we produce the arm carrying the rods beyond the fulcrum so as to slide upon
the surface of the cam shaped bracket. Upon the spindle carrying the lever arm
we place a spring held in position by a collar, screw or other suitable means which
will always keep the lever arm in contact with the cam shaped bracket and so
ensure it keeping in the desired position. Or we may obtain a like result by the
use of a spring of any form.
By this arrangement when the loom is at rest a slight pressure of the finger will
bring the guard close up to the hand rail and out of the way of the weaver; and
when the loom is started the movement of the working parts is sufficient to bring
the guard over the shuttle race without any interference on the part of the
weaver.
And in order that our invention may be understood we proceed to describe it by
by the aid of the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a plan showing the hand rail of the loom with the bracket and shuttle
guard attached and in the working position.
Fig. 2 is a section of the hand rail and the shuttle guard and a side elevation of
the bracket and lever; the guard being in the working position as in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is also a section of the hand rail and guard, but with the guard pressed up
to the hand rail as when the loom is at rest; and
Fig. 4 is another section showing the guard thrown back so as to give the weaver
full access to the slay or reed.
The lettering corresponds to the several parts on all the drawings.
A is the hand rail of the loom, B the bracket, bolted or screwed to such hand
rail, C is the wooden lath or guard, and D the lever arm carrying the guard, and
attached to or working upon the spindle upon which is the spring F, which may be
either a helical spring as shown, or we may employ any suitable form of spring.
The bracket B has a species of shoulder or hollow formed at b. in which the upper
arm of the lever D rests when the guard is in the working position and from that
point the bracket curves gently outwards for some distance and then curves
inwards, as shown in the plan at Fig. 1. By this arrangement the pressure of
the spring F keeps the guard firmly in position when working and the curve at the
opposite extremity being less pronounced the guard will be kept pressed gently up
to the hand rail when the loom is at rest as shown at Fig. 3: but the least
vibration of the loom will throw it back from that position into the working
position as shown at Fig. 2. It will thus be seen that by this arrangement the
lever arm D sliding smoothly along the surface of the bracket B and kept in close
contact with it by the spring F the guard must always be in its proper working
position when the loom is running, and when the loom stops a slight pressure of
the finger will put it back under the hand rail so as to permit of any ordinary
operation in front of the reed.
Should it be desirable to have the guard clear out of the weaver's way for any
purpose, such as drawing a large number of threads through the reed the weaver
has only to draw the guard to one side so as to bring the lever arm clear of the
shoulder b, and throw the guard backwards towards the top of the hand rail as

page_text: shown in Fig. 4, where it will remain out of the way as long as desired; and should
the weaver forget to put it down the vibration of the loom the moment it is started
will bring it down into the working position. We may vary the form of the cam
shaped bracket by having the shoulder b. on the under side of the bracket at a
distance from the hand rail, and instead of producing the lever arm D as shown we
should allow it to fall into the hollow adjacent to the shoulder at a point between
the fulcrum and guard bar as at G in Fig. 2. In that case the swell of the cam on
the bracket would be on the underside between the point G and the hand rail,
and the working and detail would be practically as described.
We may either use one of the cam shaped brackets along with the ordinary plain
supporting brackets for holding the guard or we may use several of the cam shaped
brackets, according to the width of the loom, so as to give greater firmness and
stability to the guard.
To facilitate the adjustment of the guard to suit different depths of reed we
form slots in the bracket where the screw or bolt fastening it to the hand rail passes
through so that we can raise or lower it to any extent.
By these means we produce a shuttle guard at once economical and effective.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
1st. A cam shaped bracket or series of brackets attached to the hand rail of the
loom as and for the purpose herein set forth and described.
2nd. Levers carrying the shuttle guard as and for the purpose set forth and
described, and
3rd. The general arrangement of the said brackets, levers and guards as set forth
and described.
Dated this 15th day of November 1894.
THOS. R. ASHENHURST,
Agent.