Improvements in Pickers for Looms.
Year: 1888

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pickers for Looms.
I, JABEZ OLDFIELD, of the firm of J. Oldfield and Sons, of 26 to 34 Kerr Street,
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Leather Merchants, and Manu-
facturers, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows, that is to
Bay :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the formation of pickers for looms
and to render them less liable than as hitherto constructed, to catch the weft.
My Invention is applicable to pickers used with what is known as the "under"
picking mechanism as well as with those of "over" picking mechanism. The picker,
whether made of leather or of huffalo hide or of similar material comprises parts
which are fixed together by means of rivets or staples or other like fastenings.
Hitherto although such fastenings have not projected beyond the surface of the
picker side the leather or other material has been slightly indented round them, and
they have frequently caught the weft when a loose loop of it has happened to come in
contact with them. In carrying out my Invention I cause the fastenings to be
compressed or driven inwards so as not to project to the outer surface and I apply
and cement or otherwise fasten on one or more surface pieces of thin leather or of
thin metal or other suitable material so as to cover the fastenings and present a smooth
outer surface over the entire side or sides of the picker.
Dated this Fourth day of July 1888.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pickers for Looms.
I, JABEZ OLDFIELD of the firm of J. Oldfield and Sons of 26 to 34 Kerr Street,
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain Leather Merchants and Manu-
facturers 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, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the formation of pickers for looms,
and to render them less liable than as bitherto constructed, to catch the weft.
My Invention is applicable to pickers used with what is known as the under picking
mechanism. The picker whether made of leather or of buffalo hide or of similar
material comprises parts which are fixed together by means of rivets or staples or other
like fastenings. Hitherto although such fastenings have not projected beyond the
surface of the picker side the leather or other material has been slightly indented
round them, and they have frequently caught the weft when a loose loop of it has
happened to come in contact with them. In carrying out my Invention I cause the
fastenings to be compressed or driven inwards so as not to project to the outer surface
and I apply and cement or otherwise fasten on one or more surface piecos of thin
leather or of other suitable material so as to cover the fastenings and present a
smooth outer surface over the entire side or sides of the picker.
Figures, 1, 2, and 3, on the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings are
respectively a plan, a side elevation, and an end elevation of a picker as made
according to one modification of my Invention. The improved picker is made by
coiling a strap of leather into a suitable form with an opening through it for the
picker stick or lever. At one end of the opening there are fixed two pieces of leather
to form a feather, A to guide the picker by moving in the slot at the end of the race
in which the picker stick works and up through which it projects into the picker.
The feather pieces, A, and the coils of the picker body are fixed together by staples, R,
indicated by dotted lines. Two staples are shown, being entered from opposite sides
and having their ends clinched or turned down after passing through the leather.
The parts of the staples, B, outside the body coils are forced in flush with the surface
of the leather, and then an external coating of thin leather, C, is cemented round the
picker to form a smooth external surface presenting nothing on which a weft thread
can catch.
As it is only on one side of the picker that the weft thread is liable to catch, it is
not absolutely necessary to cover the staples or fastenings, on more than the one
side; and instead of an outer coating of thin leather being applied for the purpose,
the body coil of the picker may be arranged and fastened so that the fastenings are
covered on one side. This modification will be understood from figures, 4, 5, and 6,
which are sections, figures, 4, and 5, showing the picker as partly made, and
figure, 6, showing it as completed. Instead of passing the staples or fasteners, B,
through all the thicknesses of the coiled leather, they are passed through and one of

page_text: them clinched before the outer coil is put into its close position. The ends of the
second staple are left standing as shown in figures, 4, and 5, and the end, D, of the
strap is brought over and forced down on them the loop, E, of the inner coil being
temporarily doubled in to allow the end, D, to be drawn round far enough for the
staple ends to enter it at the proper places, and so as when closed down and when the
picker has been compressed into proper shape, to hold the outer coil tight upon
the inner coil as shown in figure, 6. The inner and outer ends of the strap forming
the body coils are chamfered or tapered so as to yield an oven outer surface as shown
in figure, 6. The outer end of the strap is cemented down and is further secured by
small pegs close to its extreme end; and after the end is closed down the staple ends
projecting through are turned down or clinched.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :-
Constructing pickers for looms substantially in the improved manner hereinbefore
described, the essential feature being the covering of the staples or fastenings on at
least one side with leather or other suitable material.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.