IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Wilson, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WEAVING."
Sealed the 5th May 1857, and dated the 28th February 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Wilson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th February 1857.
I, GEORGE WILSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN WEAVING" to be as follows, that is to say
This Invention relates in some degree to an Invention of "
degree to an Invention of "Improvements
in Weaving" for which Mr. George Wilson has already applied for British
Letters Patent, and it embraces additional and further means of effecting the
ends described or referred to in the Provisional Specification of that previous
Invention.
These improvements have reference to looms in which two or more shuttles
are used, and consist of arrangements whereby two or more picks may be
effected from one side of the loom in immediate succession, so that in weaving
harness muslins, for example, in which the pattern is produced by the weft,
two weft threads of different thicknesses being used, a single shot of either of
the threads may be thrown in at any time to suit the pattern.
In weaving corded checks in the power loom the effect of the cord is
generally produced by throwing in a number of weft shots whilst the warps are
kept open at the same shed; by means of the present improvements a single

page_text: cord or thread of thicker material than the ordinary weft may be thrown in
at any point to suit the pattern. The power of throwing in at pleasure an
odd or even number of shots from any one shuttle will also be very advan-
tageous in check looms weaving with two or more wefts of different colors,
and generally in all power looms where two or more shuttles are used.
In carrying out the Invention in practice, as adapted, for example, to an
ordinary loom, in place of taking the picking movement from the lathe action,
as described in Mr. Wilson's previous Provisional Specification herein-before
referred to, the present improvements are modifications of the existing picking
actions. A pin or pattern wheel or other available movement is fitted up in
the loom so as to operate by means of levers or other connections upon the
details forming the communication between the tappet shaft and picking shafts,
or the vertical spindles carrying the picking sticks. In the case of what is
technically termed "cone" picking, a connection from this pin wheel or
governing movement passes to the cam and cone pulley movement of both
picking shafts, so that the picking action can be thrown out of gear on one
side of the loom at any time, as may be determined by the setting of the
governing pins. As this action communicates with both picking movements
whenever any shift takes place, one picking movement is thrown out of gear
whilst the other is put in. One convenient means of effecting this discon-
necting action is carried out by making the stud of the cone pulley adjustable
in a socket in the picking stick, this stud being connected with the pin wheel
barrel or other movement, so that when the picking action is to be suspended
the cone pulley is withdrawn from the range of action of the actuating cam,
or the cam may be shifted on its shaft with a similar result.
This system of working is obviously applicable to all kinds of picking with
suitable modifications of the working parts. Provision is made upon the
same general principle as herein-before described, for preventing derangement
of the weft.fork action, or to prevent the loom from being stopped when from
this system of weaving there is no weft thread operating upon the fork.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Wilson in the Great Seal Patent, Office on the
28th August 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WILSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Manufacturer,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Wilson, Her special license that I; the said George Wilson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Wilson, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Wilson, 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 immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Wilson, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates in some degree to an Invention of improvements
in weaving for which I, George Wilson, have already obtained British Letters
Patent, and it embraces, additional and further means of effecting the ends
described or referred to in the Final Specification of that previous Invention.
These improvements have reference to looms in which two or more shuttles
are used, and consist of arrangements whereby two or more picks may be
effected from one side of the loom in immediate succession, so that in weaving
harness muslins, for example, in which the pattern is produced by the weft,
two weft threads of different thickness being used, a single shot of either of the
threads may be thrown in at any time to suit the pattern.
In weaving corded checks in the power loom the effect of the cord is
generally produced by throwing in a number of weft shots whilst the warps
are kept open at the same shed; but by means of the present improvements
a single cord or thread of thicker material than the ordinary weft may be
thrown in at any point to suit the pattern. The power of throwing in at
pleasure an odd or even number of shots from any one, shuttle will also be
very advantageous in check loom weaving with two or more wefts of different

page_text: colours, and generally in a power looms where two or more shuttles are
used.
.5
In carrying out the Invention in practice, as adapted, for example, to an
ordinary loom, in place of taking the picking movement from the lathe action,
as described in my said previous Final Specification herein-before referred to,
the present improvements are modification's of the existing picking actions.
A pin or pattern wheel or other available movement is fitted up in the loom
so as to operate by means of levers or other connections upon the details
forming the communication between the tappet shaft 'and picking shafts, or
the vertical spindles carrying the picking sticks. In the case of what is
technically termed "cone" picking; a connection from this pin wheel or
governing movement passes to the cam and cone pulley movement of both
picking shafts, so that the picking action can be thrown out of gear on one
side of the loom at any time, as 'may be determined by the setting of the
governing pins. As this action communicates with both picking movements
whenever any shift takes place, one picking movements is thrown out of gear
whilst the other is put in. One convenient means of effecting this discon-
necting action is carried out by making the stud of the cone pulley adjustable
in a socket in the picking shaft, this stud being connected with the pin wheel
barrel or other movement, so that when the picking action is to be suspended
the cone pulley is withdrawn from the range of action of the actuating cam,
or the cam may be shifted on its shaft with a similar result.
This system of working is obviously applicable to all kinds of picking with
suitable modifications of the working parts. Provision is made upon the
same general principle as herein-before described, for preventing derangement
of the weft fork action, or to prevent the loom from being stopped when from
this system of weaving there is no weft thread operating upon the fork.
And in order that my Invention may be properly understood, I shall now
proceed to describe the several illustrative Figures on the explanatory Sheet
of Drawings, which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of showing
certain modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously carried
out in practice.
Figure 1 on my Sheet of Drawings is a side elevation as arranged with
one modification of my improvements; Figure 2 is a back view of the loom;
Figure 3 is a plan corresponding to Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is an
end view of a portion of the details. Figure: 5 is a plan; showing another
modification of my improvements; and Figure 6 is a side view of one of the
cams or wipers forming a part of the details of the second modification.
The framing A of the loom is of the ordinary kind, consisting of a
pair

page_text: of open rectangular side standards united by transverse stays. The crank
shaft B, which is driven from the engine or prime mover by means of a
belt pulley arrangement, communicates a reciprocatory movement to the
lathe C by means of the crank levers D. Upon the end of the crank
shaft B, and between the fly wheel E and the adjoining side, standard A, is
an eccentric F, which is connected by means of the rod G to the lever H..
This lever is attached by a stud to a bracket pendant from the centre part.
of the side standard A, the stud forming the fulcrum of the lever about
which it moves. To the lever H, and about midway between its fulcrum
and upper extremity, a light rod I is secured by a pin. The free end of this
rod I forms a pall or detent, which takes into the ratchet teeth of the pin
wheel J.. This wheel has a series of holes made in the face, in which
holes a corresponding number of pins K are fitted; and these pins are made
moveable, so that their number, and. disposition can be altered to suit the
exigencies of the pattern that is being woven in the loom, that is to say,
it is by means of the pins K in the wheel J that the succession of the shots
of weft is regulated. The crank shaft B gives a rotatory motion to the
eccentric F, which moves the lever H in concert with it, and by means of
the detent rod I the. pin wheel J is moved one tooth. These intermittent,
movements of the pin wheel take place at the instant prior to the shuttle
being driven through the shed. It is by means of the arrangement of the
pins K that the succession of shots from one side of the loom or the other
is determined. This is effected by means of the lever L and the details
connected therewith. The lever L is fastened at its centre to a stud, on a
bracket bolted to the framing of the loom. The inner end of the lever L,
or. that which extends towards the front of the loon, is bent downwards,
forming a book-like termination. This end of the lever conies in contact
with the pins K, whilst its outer end is connected by means of a rod M. with the
bell-crank lever N. The. fulcrum. of the bell-crank lever N is, a stud projecting
from the bracket O, which is bolted to the flooring of the weaving shed.
The extremity of the vertical arm of the bell-crank lever N is attached by
pin to the link P, the other end of which is connected to the horizontal
lever Q. The fulcrum of the lever Q is a stud in the bracket R, which is
bolted to the back part of the framing. The link P, just referred to, is
attached to the lever Q, midway between its fulcrum and outer end, which
projects to some distance beyond the back of the loom framing. The outer
end of the lever Q is attached to a rod or intermediate lever S, which extends.
from side to side across the entire width of the loom. The intermediato
lever S is attached at its other extremity, to a lever T, which corresponds,
a

page_text: or nearly so. with the lever Q. The fulcrum of the lever T is a stud in
the bracket U, which projects from the loom framing, and corresponds to the
fellow bracket R upon the opposite side. The inner or front ends of the
pair of levers Q aud T are connected by means of pins to a pair of cone
pulley shafts V and W, which pass through bosses made for the purpose upon
the picking shafts X, which carry the picking sticks Y, arranged in the usual
manner. The picking stick shafts are actuated by means of the rotatory
motion of the tappet shaft Z, which carries the tappets or cams a and b.
These tappets as they come in contact with the cone pulleys c and d 'on the
shafts V and W strike against them and cause the picking sticks to drive
the shuttle through the shed. The shafts and W being connected to each
other by the levers Q and T and the intermediate lever S will obviously work
in concert, so that when the inner end of either of the levers Q and T is
moved inwards it has the effect of thrusting the cone pulley shaft towards
the centre of the loom. This inward movement of the cone pulley shaft las
the effect of bringing the pulley in a line with one of the rotating tappets,
by which the picking stick shaft is actuated and the pick made. The inward.
movement of one of the levers Q or T has the effect of thrusting the inner
end of the other lever outwards, and consequently withdrawing the other cone
pulley beyond the range of the tappet or cam upon that side of the loom,
as is clearly indicated in the plan, Figure 4 of my illustrative Drawings.
The reaction of the lever L is obtained by means of a spiral spring N¹,
attached to the horizontal arm of the bell-crank lever N and the flooring of
the weaving shed, or a counterweight may be used instead of the spring.
Wherever a pin is inserted in the pin wheel J it depresses the lever L and
causes the cone pulley of that side to be thrust inwards, which brings it in
contact with the tappet a, and the pick is made. If now the next shot is
to be made from the opposite side of the loom, a pin is left out of the wheel,
the inner or hooked end of the lever L rises, and this action depresses the
rod M and the horizontal arm of the bell-crank lever N, which causes the
inner end of the lever S or T to be withdrawn and with it the cone pulley
shaft, so that no shot of the weft can be made on that side of the loom;
therefore if the pins are put into the holes consecutively the shots of weft
will be made in succession from that side of the loom only. On the other
hand, if two or more of the pins are removed from the pin wheel J, the outer
end of the lever L is thereby depressed, which raises the horizontal arm of
the bell-crank lever N and pushes the outer end of the lever Q inwards;
this motion of the lever Q draws the 'cone pulley shaft outwards and 'away
from contact with the tappet a, consequently the picking stick, Y, through

page_text: the shaft of which the cone pulley shaft passes, is not actuated, and no shots
can be made from that side of the loom until the position of the tappet a
is altered; meanwhile a number of picks or shots of weft, correspond to
the number of pins omitted in the pin wheel J, is made from the opposite
or left-hand side of the loom. By means of this arrangement any number
of shots of weft can be thrown through the shed from either side of
the loom as required, according to the pattern or kind of fabric to be
woven. Connected with the movement for actuating the picking sticks is
an arrangement for lifting the shuttle boxes, so as to throw in the wefts
in accordance with the predetermined pattern to be woven. This is effected
by means of a pattern wheel, which moves in concert with the pin wheel J ;
the lever H, which actuates the pin wheel J through the detent rod I, extends
below its fulcrum, and to its lower extremity is attached a detent rod or lever e,
which comes into contact with the ratchet teeth upon the pattern wheel f, and
pushes it round one tooth at a time simultaneously with the motion of the pin
wheel J. The pattern wheel ƒ has upon its periphery segmentally-shaped
projections g, which come into contact as it rotates with a roller on the inside
of the lever h; this lever is attached at its centre to a stud on the lower part,
of the framing, and near its front end is attached a vertical lever i, which is
attached to and moves the shuttle boxes j of the right-hand side of the loom.
The front end of the lever h is attached to a strap k, which is carried across
the loom parallel with its front, and attached to the vertical arm of a bell-
crank lever ; to the horizontal arm of the bell-crank lever is attached a
vertical lever m, which corresponds to the lever i upon the opposite side of the
loom. The lever 7 serves to actuate the shuttle boxes n on the left-hand side
of the loom, but in the Drawing the boxes are on the right-hand side, the
loom being viewed from the back. As the pattern wheel frotates, the pro-
jecting parts g of its periphery depress the lever h, the front end of the lever is
thereby raised, and with it the vertical lever i, which raises the shuttle boxes
to which it is attached. The shuttle boxes upon the other side of the loom are.
lifted in like manner by the end of the lever h as it rises, drawing the k, which
depresses the vertical arm of the bell-crank lever 1, and lifts the horizontal
arm, and with it the vertical lever m and shuttle boxes n. The order in which
the several shuttle boxes are brought opposite the shed is regulated by the
projections g on the pattern wheel f, the projections varying in the degree of
their convexity, according to the number of shuttle boxes used in the loom. If
there are three shuttle boxes; as shewn in Figures 1 and 4 of my illustrative
Drawings, the pattern wheelf must have three different diameters given to it by
means of the projections g. The smallest diameter of the wheel serves to bring.

page_text: the upper shuttle box in a line with the shed; the next diameter raises the
central shuttle to the shed, and the largest projection places the lowest shuttle
box in the proper position for the action of the picker. The shuttle boxes are
guided in their vertical movement by the parallel guide bars o, which are bolted
to the framing of the lathe. To this portion of the lathe frame is hinged a
lever which is attached at its central part by means of a link q to the back
of the shuttle boxes n, so that the lever rises and falls with the motion of the
boxes. The inner part of the lever is bent upwards, as shown in dotted lines
on the right-hand side of Figure 1, and is again bent inwards towards the weft
fork, as shown in the plan, Figure 3 of my Sheet of Drawings. The inner
end of the lever carries horizontal fork r, the two prongs of which pass
through those of the ordinary weft forks s. As the shuttle boxes rise with the
upward motion of the vertical levers i and m, the horizontal weft fork r is also
raised, and as it passes between the teeth of the weft fork s it lifts the weft
thread of the upper shuttle above the fork s, and leaves the shed clear for the
weft of the shuttle below the upper one to pass through the shed. This arrange-
ment of an additional weft fork also prevents the loom from being stopped by
the ordinary weft fork action during the changing of the weft threads.
Figure 5 of my Sheet of Drawings is a plan of another modification of my
improvements in actuating the picking sticks on either side of the loom, as
required. In this arrangement it is the tappets or cams which are moved to
and fro upon the tappet in lieu of moving the cone pulleys into or out of
contact with the tappets, as in the arrangement first herein-before-described.
The lever L is actuated by means of a pattern wheel, as shown in Figure 1 of
my Sheet of Drawings, and by means of the vertical rod or lever M moves the
horizontal arm of the bell-crank lever N, which turns upon a stud attached to
the bracket O. The vertical arm of the bell-crank lever N is connected by.
the link P to the horizontal lever Q, the outer end of which is attached by
means of a rod or intermediate lever R to a corresponding lever T upon the
opposite side of the loom framing. The inner ends of the levers Q and R are
connected with each other by the rod U, which lies below but parallel with the
tappet shaft V. The tappets a and b slide to and fro upon the shaft, which is
made with feathers upon it for the purpose, as shown in the plan, Figure 5 of
my Drawings. Each of the tappets is moved upon the shaft by means of a
forked clutch Y, which is best seen in the side view of one of the tappets,
Figure 6 of my Drawings. The clutches Y are fast to the rod U, and the
forked ends of each pass between the flanges of a retaining collar Z, made
upon each of the tappets a and b. When the lever L. moves up or down by
the action of the pins in the pin wheel the outer ends of the levers Q and T

page_text: move to and from the bell-crank lever N. The motion of the levers Q and T
causes the clutches Y on the rod U to move the tappets a and b on their shaft
V, and by this means they are put into or out of contact with the cone pulleys
c and d on the vertical shafts of the picking sticks. In Figure 5 of my
Drawings, the left-hand tappet W is shown in contact with the cone pulley a,
whilst the right-hand tappet X rotates clear of the cone pulley b. It is there-
fore obvious that by means of this arrangement either of the picking sticks
may be brought into action according to the arrangement of the pins in the
pin wheel, and the picks made from either side of the loom as required.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may 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 my 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 arrangement and construction of looms in which two or
more picks can be made from either side of the loom, as herein-before
described.
Second, the mechanical arrangement by means of which the picking sticks
are actuated either alternately or caused to throw any number of picks in
succession, as herein-before described.
Third, the mechanical arrangement for working the picking sticks, in which
arrangement the tappets are caused to slide to and fro upon the tappet shaft
either alternately or intermittently, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the mechanical arrangement for lifting the shuttle boxes and causing
either of the shuttles to be thrown through the shed as required, as herein-
before described.
Fifth, the mechanical arrangement by means of which the weft of the upper
shuttle is lifted above the ordinary weft fork, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Wilson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-seven.
GEORGE WILSON. (L.S.)