IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING CARPETS AND OTHER FABRICS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Adam, of the Firm of Tomkinson and Adam,
Carpet and Rug Manufacturers, of Kidderminster, in the County of Worcester,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING CARPETS AND
OTHER FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Adam at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd January 1881.
WILLIAM ADAM, of the Firm of Tomkinson and Adam, Carpet and Rug Manu-
facturers, of Kidderminster, in the County of Worcester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING CARPETS AND OTHER FABRICS,"
The Invention relates to that class of loom for weaving carpets and other fabrics
in which weft threads are carried through the shed or opening of the work by a
"needle," and consists of means whereby the weft thread is slackened while the
needle carrying the same is in motion inwards, and tightened at the proper
time, thereby preventing the weft thread from breaking, and giving facility for
making better and more regular edges.
In order that my improvements may be clearly understood I will first describe
the method now employed of arranging the weft threads when inserting the same
into the shed by means of a needle. The weft thread is passed through an eye or
guide and between a flat iron surface and spring immediately above the guide.
The thread is then passed upwards and through two other guides or eyes which
stand in the shape of a fork, in the centre of which is a moveable finger, which is
connected with the spring and lever below. Each time the needle carries the weft
thread into the shed the thread has to lift the finger and lever, and open the
spring, thereby causing considerable strain on the thread while going into the
work.
I retain the general arrangement above described, but according to my Invention
I cause the lever, finger, and spring to be lifted by mechanical means just as the
needle is going into the open shed, thereby slackening the weft thread, and relieving
it from strain while the needle is passing into the shed, and allowing the finger,
spring, and lever operate while the needle is returning.

page_text: The method I prefer to employ in carrying the Invention into effect is as
follows:-
I fix on the end of the main shaft at the side of the loom a cam with spaces or
recesses formed therein at intervals. In connection with this cam is a small lever,
mounted on a stud or axis, and provided at one end with a small pulley resting on.
the cam, whilst the other end thereof has a flat piece of iron which fits below the
rod and lever now in use. The lever is held up to its cam by a spring. When
the cam is in motion one end of the small lever drops into the spaces or recesses
in the cam, and the other end of the lever moves upward, and lifts the rod and
lever now in use, thereby lifting the finger and loosening the spring which presses
on the weft thread, after which the spring is again allowed to operate when the
needle is going back, by which means both edges of the work are perfectly made.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Adam in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
July 1881.
WILLIAM ADAM, of the Firm of Tomkinson and Adam, Carpet and Rug Manu-
facturers, of Kidderminster, in the County of Worcester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING CARPETS AND OTHER FABRICS."
The Invention relates to that class of loom for weaving carpets and other fabrics
in which weft threads are carried through the shed or opening of the work by a
"needle," and consists of means whereby the weft thread is slackened while the
needle carrying the same is in motion inwards, and the means heretofore in use is
allowed to tighten it at the proper time, thereby preventing the weft thread from
breaking, and giving facility for making better and more regular edges.
And in order that my said Invention may be clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, fully to
describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a sectional end view, and Figure 2 is a back view of parts of a loom
representing my Invention applied thereto, and Figure 3 is a sectional end view
of a slight modification thereof. a, a, represent parts of the loom framing; b, the
cam shaft; and c, the guide bar for the weft inserting needle d.
In order that my improvements may be clearly understood I will first describe
the method now employed of arranging the weft threads when inserting the same
into the shed or opening of the work by means of a needle, which arrangement
is shown in the accompanying Drawings in combination with my present
improvements.
The weft thread is passed through an eye or guide e, and between a flat iron
surface formed on the standard f and a spring 9 immediately above the
guide e.
The weft thread is then passed upwards and through two other eyes or guides
ff, which stand in the shape of a fork formed on the upper end of the standard f,
in the centre of which is a guide h¹ formed on a moveable finger or lever h, which
is formed below with a lever h³ to lift the spring g.
Each time the needle d carries the weft thread into the shed the thread has to
move the finger or lever h and lever h³, and open the spring g, thereby causing a
considerable strain on the weft thread while going into the work.
I retain the general arrangement above described, but according to my Invention
I cause the finger or lever h and lever h³ to be operated by mechanical means so as
to lift the spring g just as the needle d is going into the open shed, thereby
slackening the weft thread and relieving it from strain while the needle d is passing
into the shed, and allowing the finger or lever h, lever h², and spring g to operate
as heretofore, so as to hold the thread while the needle d is returning.
The method I prefer to employ in carrying the Invention into effect is as
follows:-
I fix on the end of the main cam shaft b at the side of the loom a cam i with
spaces or recesses 2 formed therein at intervals.
In connection with this cam is a small lever j¹, mounted on a stud or axis j, and
provided at one end with a small pulley resting on the cam i, whilst the other
end 3 thereof acts when required to raise the rod k, and thereby to operate the
lever h, h³, now in use. The lever is held up to its cam i by a spring j*. When
the cam is in motion one end of the small lever j² drops into the spaces or

page_text: -
recesses in the cam i, and the other end j³ of the lever j' moves upward and lifts
the rod k and lever h² now in use, thereby moving the finger lever h, h³, and forcing
back or loosening the spring 9, which presses on the weft thread, after which the
spring g is again allowed to operate when the needle d is going back, by which
means both edges of the work are perfectly made.
The cam i may however be formed, as shown at Figure 3, with projections i' in
lieu of with recesses ¹ before described, in which case the lever, as shown at
Figure 3, is placed underneath the cam i.
The cam and lever m, connected to the lower end of the rod k, are those
heretofore employed for pulling the weft thread away from the small shuttle used
at the left side of the loom to secure the weft thread inserted by the needle d, and
for bringing the loop, through which the said small shuttle passes, close to the edge
of the work, but such forms no part of my present Invention.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode in which
I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
Slackening the weft thread on the passage inwards of the weft inserting needle d
by means of cam i and lever j¹, and allowing the means heretofore in use to tighten
it at the proper times, substantially as herein shown and described and for the
purpose stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Adam, have bereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
WILLIAM ADAM. (L.S.)