IMPROVEMENTS IN LET-OFF MOTIONS OF LOOMS
Year: 1884

page_text: We, JOHN NIGHTINGALE and JOSEPH NIGHTINGALE, of Paterson, in the county
of Passaic and State of New Jersey, one of the United States of America, Iron
Founders, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LET-OFF MOTIONS OF LOOMS" and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of our invention is to provide means by which the warp strands or
threads, may be delivered in the loom, from the warp roller with a uniform degree.
of tension. The invention consists of an automatic attachment for looms, having a
carrying lever secured to a warp roller having a gear wheel thereon, a notched
flange wheel journaled on a stud having a pinion, a brake lever having a brake
plate, and a weight and operating lever having a tooth, a spring, a stud, in
combination with the driving and take up mechanism of the loom which will
hereinafter be fully explained and pointed out in the claims.
Figure 1, of the drawing shows one end of an ordinary loom in elevation having
our invention attached, the top of the loom being removed.
Figure 2, is a plan of the same.
Figure 3, shows our invention in elevation and in engagement, the warp roller
being shown in section detached.
Figure 4, shows the parts of Figure 3 out of engagement with the means for
operating the device, a part of which is shown in sections.
(Construction.) A, represents a loom having a warp roller F, on the end of
which roller there is arranged and secured a gear wheel F¹. On the end of the
warp roller F, we adjustably secure a carrying lever L. To the lever L, on a
stud L, we journal a flange wheel K, having notches K¹, the wheel K, having
secured thereon a gear wheel F, which wheel meshes with the wheel F, arranged
on the roller F.
:
More centrally on the lever L, on a pivot stud L³, secured to said lever, we pivot
levers P, P The lever P, is provided with a tooth P, to engage notches K¹,
arranged in wheel K. The lever P¹, at its outer end is provided with an eye a², in,
which is secured a weight a, by means of a cord a¹. The inner. end of the lever P,
has adjustably secured therein by a pivot bolt P³, a curved brake plate P'; which
Poio G71
.:

page_text: plate conforms to the shape of the flange wheel K, and is arranged to be brought
into frictional contact therewith.
To the lever L, and between the levers P, P', there is secured by a bolt L2, a
spring L'. The lever P, is arranged to engage with and be operated by a stud B³,
which stud is arranged in the crank shaft B. The loom is also provided with a
crank shaft B¹, balance wheel B, stud B2, lathe or batten C, sword D, picking
.sticks D¹, and pickers, lever E¹, idle rollers G, H, cloth roller N, wheels 6, 61, b³,
ratchet lever e, pawl c, pivot d, tappet E, lever E¹, treadles K³, and heddles K², and
other parts of the usual construction.
(Operation) The loom is supposed to be in motion. The warp threads Z, are
taken from the roller F, over the roller G, and through the loom in the usual way
over the roller H, and are secured to the cloth roller N. As the warp Z, is being
drawn off from the roller F, by the cloth roller, the wheel I", on the warp roller F,
engages the wheel F2, secured to flange wheel K. The tooth P, having entered
the notch K¹, holds the wheel K, fixed and prevents its rotation which action by
reason of the continuance of the draught on the warp strands from the cloth
roller N, elevates the free end of the lever L, and its devices until the lever P, is
brought into engagement with the stud¸ B2, which in its engagement with said
stud is forced downward until the tooth P, is raised from the notch K¹, and
releases the wheel K, after which the free end of the lever L, and its devices
gradually descend to their former position. The springs L, having been compressed
in the action by the lever P, distends and forces the tooth P, down in its position
on the flange wheel K, ready to enter the notch K¹, on its return.
The brake plate P2, under the action of the weight a, is brought into frictional
contact with the wheel K, which action holds the warp, roller F, to its tensión until
the tooth P, reenters the notch K, and refuses the rotation of the wheel K, and
causes the elevation of the lever and its devices as before stated, to reengage
the stud B2 The cord a¹, can be made of any suitable length to allow the weight a,
to engage the floor and remove thereby all tension from the warp strands when
the warps are wanted to rest. The periods of engagement of the device may be
made more or less frequent according to the number of notches K¹, arranged in the
wheel K. By this our invention, a suitable and uniform degree of tension is
produced on the warp strands while passing through the loom.
As the device is automatic in its operation it lets off the warp with a uniform
degree of tension at every movement of the shed just at the right time, preventing
unequal strain from the warp threads on the harness, saving the harness from
undue wear and early fracture.
Whereas the drag ropes now used for keeping tension on the warp strands owing
to the difference of temperature and its influence on such ropes frequently let off the
warp strands unequally by jerks making the woven fabric or cloth ribby, bringing
unequal strain from the warp threads on the harness, causing early fracture of the
same, making it expensive to the manufacturer. Our automatic loom attachment
is easily and cheaply attached and applicable to all kinds of looms, saving much
expense in the way of ropes, and doing away with more than one half of the
weight usually used when the drag ropes are employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The combination with the carrying lever L, of the warp roller F, for journaling
said lever, with wheel F1, secured to said roller F, and roller G, and roller H, with
cloth roller N, frame A¹, and mechanism for actuating the roller N, as shown and
set forth.
'
2. The combination with the lever L, pivoted on the roller F, and gear wheel
secured to said roller of the flange wheel K, having notches K', and journaled on
stud L*, secured to lever L, and gear wheel F, and operating lever P, having a

page_text: tooth P, for engaging said notches K¹, and lever P¹, with stud L³, for pivoting
said levers P, P, and brake plate P2, for engaging wheel K, with weight a, secured
to said lever for operating said brake plate substantially as described.
3. The combination with the operating lever P, of the stud B, for engaging said
lever P, with shaft B, and spring L', secured by bolt L³, and mechanism for
actuating shaft B!, as shown and set forth.