Improvements in the Dobby and Harness Mechanism of Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 10th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Dobby and Harness Mechanism of Looms for
Weaving.
I, EDWARD HOLLINGWORTH, of Hutchinson, Hollingworth & Co., Limited, of
Dobcross Loom Works, Dobcross, in the County of York, Power Loom Makers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been communicated to me by
William Wattie, of The Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Massachusetts, in the
5 United States of America, Power Loom Maker), and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to looms, and to that class of looms provided with what is
termed a dobby mechanism, the pattern surface of which controls the movement of
the harnesses.
The object of my invention is to do away with the long pattern chains usually
employed to weave a certain class of fabrics, as towels, with a plain body and
headings, and to use a short dobby pattern chain, which is moved in one direction or
the other alternately, so that a chain with a small number of bars will weave the
pattern desired.
My invention consists in certain novel features of construction of my improve-
ments, and more particularly in combining with the ordinary dobby mechanism,
supplemental mechanism, automatically operated from the drop box pattern chain, to
cause the dobby pattern chain to move in one direction or the other, as desired, and
for the length of time desired, according to the pattern to be woven, as will be
hereinafter fully described.
Referring to the drawings:-
Fig. 1 shows a plan view of portions of a drop box pattern mechanism.
Fig. 2 is a side view of some of the parts shewn in Fig. 1, looking in the direction
of arrow a, same figure. Several of the parts shewn in Fig. 1 are not shewn in
Fig. 2 for the sake of clearness.
Fig. 3, is on an enlarged scale, a horizontal section through the reverse gears,
shewn at the lower right hand corner of Fig. 1, shewing the sliding reverse key in its
outward position.
Fig. 4 corresponds to Fig. 8, but shews the opposite position of the sliding reverse
key.
Fig. 5 is an end view of the parts shewn in Fig. 2, looking in the direction of
arrow b, same figure.
Fig. 6 is a section on line 6, 6, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of arrow b, same
figure, and,
Fig. 7 shews a modified construction of my improvements, in which the
ordinary harness pattern chain cylinder of the Knowles loom is substituted for
the dobby pattern chain cylinder.
In the accompanying drawings, 1 is the dobby frame, supported on the upper and
of the loom side or frame, not shewn, and 2 is the shaft of the dobby pattern cylinder.
The dobby pattern cylinder 3 may be of ordinary construction and is provided with a
[Price 8d.]

page_text: series of longitudinal grooves or recesses 4, in which extend the bars 5 of the pattern
chain, in the ordinary way. Only one pattern chain bar 5 is shewn in Fig. 1.
The pattern chain 5 is provided with two rows of holes 6, arrange: alteruately
to receive the pattern pins which act on the indicator levers, not shewn, of the
dobby, in the usual and well known way, and control the mɔvement of the harness
frames.
The end of the dobby pattern cylinder shaft 2 has a worm gear 7 loose thereon,
which is held to turn with the shaft 2 by a spring actuated clutch device 8, of
ordinary and well known construction, consisting of a spring actuated arm or dog 81,
pivoted at one end on a plate 811, the hub 8111 of which is fast on the shaft 2. A
coiled spring 9 bearing at one end against a collar 10 fast on the end of the shaft 2,
and at its other end against the arm or dog 81, acts to keep said dog 8¹ in
engagement with the lugs 71 on the worm gear 7, so that the revolution of the
gear 7 will revolve the shaft 2 of the pattern cylinder 3. The shaft 2 can be turned
by hand if desired, the dog 81 slipping by the lugs 7¹ on the worm gear 7, and the
spring 9 contracting, so that the shaft 2 and the pattern cylinder 3 may be turned
in either direction, independently of said worm gear 7, all in the usual and well known
way.
Secured to the dobby frame 1 are the three arms or brackets 11, 111, 111,
which in this instance support the drop box pattern mechanism, and also the shafts
carrying the system of gears. The driving shaft 12 extends only between the
frames 11, and 1111, and is about half the length of the two other shafts 16 and 18
see Fig. 1. Said shaft 12 has a gear 13 loose thereon, but which may be clutched
thereto by any ordinary clutch nechanisin, not shewn; said gear 13 is driven by a
system of gears on some driven part of the loom, not shewn.
The shaft 12 has a gear 14 thereon, which meshes with a gear 15 fast on a
sbaft 16, and drives said shaft 16. The gear 15 also ineshes with a gear 17
fast on the shaft 18 of the drop box pattern mechanism, and drives said
shaft 18.
On the shaft 16 is fast a gear 19, which meshes with a gear 20 loose on a stud 21.
The gear 20 meshes with a gear 22 loose on a shaft 23, which is in alignment with
the shaft 12, see Fig. 1. The gear 22 has two pins 24 on opposite sides thereof, see
Fig. 1, which are adapted to be engaged by the projecting end 25¹ of the sliding
key 25, to canse the shaft 23 to turn with the gear 22 when desired. The sliding
key 25, see Figs. 3 and 4, extends and is adapted to have a longitudinal motion in
a slot 26 in the shaft 23, and to turn with said shaft. A collar 27 secured on the
end of the shaft 23 by a set screw 28, holds the sliding key 25 in the slot 26 in
said shaft. On the outer end of the sliding key 25 is secured a grooved pulley 29,
into which extends the yoked end of an arın 30 secured on the end of the longitudinal
sliding shaft, 31 see Fig. 2, which is caused to have a sliding motion in a manner to
be hereinafter described.
On the collar 27 in the end of the shaft 23 is loosely mounted a gear 32, which
is provided with a set screw 33, the inner end of which extends in an annular
groove 27¹ in the collar 27, to hold the gear 32 in proper position thereon.
The gear 32 is provided with two pins 34 on opposite sides thereof, which are
adapted to be engaged by the projecting end 251 of the sliding key 25, to cause
the shaft 23 to turn with the gear 32. With the gear 32, a gear 35 fast on the
shaft 16, meshes.
On the shaft 23 is fast a worm 36, which extends below and engages and turns the
worm gear 7 on the shaft 2 of the pattern cylinder 3 above described. The worm 30
has a dwell of one-half a revolution, at which time the sliding key 25 is given its
longitudinal motion, but the worm 36 having a whole revolution each pick, the
worm gear 7 and dobhy pattern cylinder 3, is made to turn every pick of the loom
with the other half of the worm. In some weaves the pegging of bar 5, used in
going forward, would not indicate right on the reverse of the chain, in which case
the second row of holes would be used in 'bar 5, as will be understood by those skilled

page_text: in the art, it being understood that one row of holes only may be used in bar 5, or a
bar with a single row may be used as desired.
From the above description, it will be seen that by means of the system of gears
connected with the shafts 12, 16, and 23, according to the engagement of the
sliding key 25 with the gear 22, or the gear 32, the shaft 23 is rotated with the
worm 36, to rotate the pattern cylinder 3 in one direction, or the other.
The automatic movement of the reverse key 25, through sliding rod 31, is controlled
and regulated by an additional finger or lever 38 over the drop box pattern chain
cylinder 44. A link 39 connects the outer end of the lever 38 with an angle lever 40
pivoted at 41. The opposite end of the angle lever 40 engages with a collar 42 on the
sliding rod 31, which is supported in suitable bearings. A spring 43 secured to a
projection 401, on the angle lever 40, below its pivot point 41, acts to draw the
sliding rod 31 to the left, Fig. 2, and the reversing key 25 into engagement with the
pins 24 on the gear 22, as shewn in Fig. 4.
With the key 25 in this position, the dobby pattern cylinder 3 will continue to
revolve in one direction but when a roll on the box pattern chain comes under the
lever 38, said lever is raised, and through the connector 39, angle lever 40, sliding
rod 31, and arm 30, the key 25 is moved outwardly into the position shewn in Fig. 3,
to engage with the pins 34 on the gear 32, and cause said gear to revolve with said
shaft 23, leaving the gear 22 loose on said shaft. The shaft 23 will then be revolved
in an opposite direction through the gear 35 fast on the end of the shaft 16,
and likewise the dobby pattern chain cylinder 3 will be revolved in the opposite
direction.
As long as a roll remains under the lever 38, the dobby pattern chain cylinder
will continue to revolve in the same direction. When a roll does not come under
the lever 38, said lever will drop, and the spring 43 will act to move the sliding
rod 31, and through connections, the key 25, to engage with the pins 24 on the
gear 22, and cause the dobby pattern chain cylinder 3 to turn in the opposite
direction. Thus the dobby pattern chain is alternated, or turned forward or
backward automatically as desired, and for the length of the pattern desired.
The drop box pattern chain mechanism, and the auxiliary or multiplier pattern
chain mechanism shewn in Fig. 1 of the drawings at the left is of the ordinary and
well known construction and operation, and therefore does not need to be described
herein.
I have shewn in Fig. 7 my improvements combined with the ordinary harness
pattern chain cylinder of the Knowles loom, instead of with the dobby pattern chain
cylinder shewn in Fig. 1. In said Fig. 7, the multiplier pattern chain cylinder A, and
the box pattern chain cylinder B, and their operating parts correspond with the
multiplier pattern chain cylinder, and the box pattern chain cylinder, and
their operating parts, as shewn at the left in Fig. 1. The additional finger or
lever 38, (Fig. 7) corresponds with the finger or lever 38 shewn in Fig. 1, and
above described, and operates, through the same connections, the reverse key 25,
(Fig. 7).
The harness pattern chain cylinder 45, (Fig. 7) is fast on the same shaft that the
box pattern chain cylinder B is mounted on, and in which the reverse key 25 is
supported and slides.
Motion is communicated to the harness pattern chain cylinder 45, to turn it in one
direction or the other, as desired, by the gears 47 and 48, which are loosely mounted
on the shaft of the harness pattern chain cylinder 45, and are positively driven in
opposite directions, as indicated by arrows (Fig. 7) by a series of gears, not shewn,
from some driven part of the loom.
The sliding key 25, provided with the projecting end 251, is operated by lever 38,
according to whether a roll or tube comes under said lever, through connections shewn
in Fig. 2, and above described, to engage the pins 47¹ on the gear 47, to cause the
sbalt on which said gear is loosely mounted, and the harness pattern chain cylinder 45
to revolve in one direction with said gear, or to engage the pins 48¹ on the gear 48, to
cause the shaft on which said gear 48 is loosely mounted, and the harness pattern chain

page_text: cylinder 45 to revolve in the opposite direction, and thus the revolution of the harness
pattern chain cylinder 45 in one direction or the other, to operate the harness levers
and harnesses to weave the fabric, is controlled.
It will be understood that the details of construction of some of the parts of my
improvements may be varied if desired, for instance, instead of using a sliding reverse
key in connection with the reverse gears, some other well known form of clutch
mechanism may be substituted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a loom of the class described the combination with the dobby pattern chain
cylinder, and means for operating the same, and the box pattern chain cylinder, and
means for operating the same, of a supplemental lever operated by the box pattern
chain, connections from said lever to a sliding key or clutch, and said key or clutch
which automatically engages either one of two gears, and said gears loose on the
shaft which operates the shaft of the dobby pattern chain cylinder, to cause said shaft
to revolve in one direction or the other, and move forward or backward the dobby
pattern chain alternately as desired, substantially as shewn and described.
2. In a loom, the combination with the harness pattern chain cylinder, and the box
pattern chain cylinder, of a supplemental lever operated by the box pattern chain,
connections from said lever to a sliding key or clutch, and said key or clutch, which
automatically engages either one of two gears, and said gears loose on the shaft on
which the harness pattern chain cylinder is fast, to canse said harness pattern
chain cylinder to revolve in one direction or the other, and move forward or back
the harness pattern chain alternately as desired, substantially as shewn and
described.
T
SL 1000