Year: 1898

page_text: We, RICHARD SHARPLES, of 10, Corporation Street, Poolstock, Wigan, in the
County of Lancaster, Powerloom Overlooker, and JAMES THOMAS ANDERTON, of
1, Tipping Street, Poolstock, aforesaid, Weaving Manager, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an improvement in loose reed looms whereby
if the shuttle gets trapped in its course in front of the reed the reed is at once
freed and thus the breaking of the thread caused by the action of the loom is
avoided. It also has for its object preventing a similar catastrophe if the shuttie
stops partly in the reed and partly opposite the fly board in the box back and the
invention consists essentially in so arranging the springs or counter-weights
which keep the fly board and fly rail in their normal positions that their strength
of pull shall rapidly lessen as the fly rail or fly board is pushed out and after
passing the dead point said springs or counter-weights shall have a tendency to
keep the fly board or fly rail as the case may be in its freed position. The result
is that when the shuttle is trapped in front of the reed the fly rail is pressed back
and the reed consequently is only held at the top and is free to fall back and thus
not press against the trapped shuttle. A similar action takes place with the fly
board when the shuttle stops opposite it. The method of arranging the spring
consists in causing it to pull at a tolerably acute angle with the lever or crank
to which it is attached and in such position that when a pressure comes caused
by the shuttle getting trapped the crank or lever is thrown over the dead centre
and thus the springs holds it in the open position. In our experimental apparatus
we have placed a small bracket at the back of the fly board. A short spindle is
pivoted above with a cranked arm pressing against this bracket. A crank at an
angle of about 20 degrees from the vertical on the same spindle on the opposite
side to the said bracket is connected by the spring to an adjustable support
immediately below, thus when the fly board is pressed out the lower crank arm
is pressed outward and the upper cranked arm passes inward, thus the spring
passes the dead point and the upper arm strikes against the box back and remains
there through the pressure of the spring until released by hand. An almost
precisely similar arrangement is used for the fly rail spring. In place of this
spring pulling at approximately right angles with the cranked arm it pulls at a
very acute angle so that a comparatively slight movement of the fly rail will force
it over the dead centre and thus liberate the fly rail and consequently the reed.
It will be noticed that in each instance the greatest strain on the fly rail or the
fly board is when in its normal position, the strain rapidly lessening as the out-

page_text: ward movement continues, whereas with the ordinary spring arrangement the
pressure continually increases as the fly board or fly rail is pressed outward thus
intensifying the evil in case of the shuttle being trapped.
The Hy board is usually attached by means of a bent spring. We use this
spring as a hinge but no longer require it bent and we dispense entirely with the
usual long blade spring.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.
We, RICHARD SHARPLES, of 10, Corporation Street, Pool Stock, Wigan, in the
County of Lancaster, Loom Overlooker, and JAMES THOMAS ANDERTON, of
1, Tipping Street, Pool Stock, Wigan, in the County aforesaid, Weaving Manager,
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:-
This invention relates to improvements in loose reed looms whereby if the
shuttle gets trapped in its course in front of the reed, the reed is at once freed
and thus the breaking of the yarn caused by the shuttle is avoided, or if the
shuttle stops partly in the reed and partly opposite the fly board in the box back.
The invention consists essentially in so arranging the springs or counter-weights
which keep the fly board and fly rail in their normal positions that their strength
of pull shall rapidly lessen as the fly rail or fly board is pushed out and after
passing the dead point said springs or counter-weights shall have a tendency to
keep the fly board or fly rail as the case may be in its freed position.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which sufficient of the shuttle box slay, slay cap and reed of a loose reed loom are
shown to illustrate the invention.
Fig. 1. Elevation from the back of shuttle box and slay.
Fig. 2. Transverse section showing mechanism for holding the fly board.
Fig. 2. Transverse section showing mechanism for holding the fly board in
another position.
Fig. 3. Transverse section showing mechanism for holding the reed.
Fig. 4. Elevation from back of shuttle box showing a modified arrangement of
mechanism.
Fig. 5. End elevation of same partly in section.
The shuttle box back A the slay B the slay sword C the slay cap D the loosè
reed E the fly board F and the stop rod G and the fly rail P are of any ordinary
or suitable construction.
..At the back of the fly board F either to the slay sword C as shown or above the
fly board to the shuttle box back A is affixed by bolt screw or otherwise a suitably
shaped bracket H in which a short spindle K is pivoted free to oscillate or rotate
part of a revolution backwards or forwards. The spindle K is provided with a
crank or eccentric L at one end which engages with or bears against a small knob
or bracket projecting from the back of the fly board F. On the other end of
the spindle K is fitted a crank arm or lever K¹ to which the spring M is attached
the other end of the spring being attached to an adjustable hook or arm m.
The

page_text: crank arm or lever K' is set about 20 deg., from the vertical so that when in
working position almost the whole force of the spring when extended is exerted
upon the lever and transmitted through the spindle K and crank L to the fly
board to hold it in position. When the fly board F is pressed out the crank L
is pressed outward until the crank arm or lever K¹ passes over the centre of the
spindle K without appreciably increasing the force or pressure of the spring M
and as soon as the crank arin K' passes the centre the pressure of the spring is
exerted to move the crank L away from the fly board F and entirely relieve it
of pressure and thus withdraw all pressure upon the shuttle if trapped against
the fly board. When the loom is adjusted for re-starting the crank arni Kis
moved back by hand until it again passes the dead centre over the spindle K
and thus set to bring the pressure of the spring M again upon the fly board.
The fly board F instead of being connected to the shuttle box back by a bent
spring as has hitherto been the case is connected by a hinge Ft preferably with
a loose pin so that it can be readily removed and replaced.
To hold and release the loose reed É a similar arrangement is employed. On
the end of the stop rod G is fitted a crank N which instead of being at right
angles to the longitudinal axis of the spring as is usually the case, is so placed
that the spring O pulls or acts at a very acute angle such that when the fly rail P
is pushed back very little additional force is exerted by the spring O until it
passes over the dead centre and then it exerts its pressure to hold the fly rail back
and relieve all pressure upon the reed and shuttle.
In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5 one spring is employed to hold both
the fly board F and the fly rail P in position.
The stop rod G is fitted with a crank N as in the previous figs. but the bracket
and spring for, holding the fly board F are dispensed with.
Above the fly board is pivoted an arm or lever R which engages with the pro-
jection or knob k on the back of the fly board and on the stop rod G is placed
an additional finger or lever g which engages the pivoted lever R and holds it
against the fly board and thereby holds the fly board in position. The crank N
on the end of the stop rod G to which the spring O is attached may be made with
a slotted arm n to engage with a pin s on à lever S to which the other end of the
spring is attached thus providing a compound lever to give greater effect to the
pressure of the spring. Should the shuttle be trapped against either the fly board
or the reed the stop rod is rotated against the pressure of the spring O until the
crank N has passed the centre when the action of the spring holds the lever
and the fly rail P away from their working positions and relieves the fly board
and reed of the pressure of the spring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. In a loose reed loom the mechanism for holding the fly board comprising a
spindle capable of oscillating movement provided with a crank at one end which
bears against the back of the fly board and a crank or lever at the other end to
which the spring is attached set at such an angle or position that the spring pulls
obliquely thereto exerting approximately its full force and when the fly board is
pushed out the crank is carried over the dead centre and the force of the spring
is exerted to hold the other lever away from the fly board and relieve it of pressure
substantially as described and shown.
2. In a loose reed loom the mechanism for holding the reed comprising a lever
or crank on the stop rod to which the spring is attached set at such an angle or
position that the spring pulls obliquely thereto exerting approximately its full
force and when the reed and fly rail are pushed out the crank is carried over the
dead centre the force of the spring is exerted to hold the fly rail away from the
reed and relieve it of pressure substantially as described and shown.

page_text: 3. In a loose reed loom the mechanism for holding the fly board and reed
having the several parts arranged in combination substantially as described and
shown with reference to either of the figs. of the drawings.
Dated this 14th day of December 1898
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.