Improvements in Spring or Elastic Picker Buffers for use in Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 21st July, 1892-Accepted, 10th Sept., 1892 ·
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring or Elastic Picker Buffers for use in Looms
for Weaving.
I THOMAS LONSDALE of The Uplands, Holcrombe Brook, Tottington near
Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Mill Furnisher, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My said invention relates to the buffers which are usually employed in connection
with pickers to check the picker after striking the shuttle. Such buffers consist
usually of a block or stop of leather threaded on the picker spindle and held or
anchored in place by a strap attached to the buffer and to the side of the slay.
It will be readily understood that such a buffer has practically almost no
elasticity as neither the strap nor the material constituting the buffer can be termed
elastic.
In addition to this the strap is often allowed to stretch so far that the buffer at
last lies against the face of the spindle stud, thus presenting absolutely dead
substance to the blow of the picker. The natural results of these disadvantages
are that not only the buffer but the picker and picker straps are subjected to rapid
wear and destruction through the unyielding nature of the check.
My invention is designed to overcome these defects and with this object. I
suspend or attach the buffer to or upon a spring which offers an elastic resistance to
the blow of the picker. According to one method of so attaching the buffer I
provide a flat U spring and attach one limb to the head of the ordinary spindle stud
bolt or to a bolt taking its place. The other limb of the spring carries the buffer
in its usual position on the picker spindle, the hole in the buffer and spring through
which the spindle passes having sufficient clearance to permit of the vibration of
the buffer on the spindle.
The flat limb of the spring presents a supporting backing to the buffer which is
of great value in strengthening it and rendering it more durable.
In carrying out my invention I can if desired utilise existing buffers by attaching
them to the improved buffer springs, but I prefer in making new buffers to make
them of several thicknesses of hide and present the side of the thickness of hide
to the picker instead of the end as is generally the case. My buffer is thereby
rendered still more durable. In some cases to increase the strength of the spring
or its range of elasticity I might place a short coiled spring on the picker spindle
and between the back of the buffer and the face of the spindle stud or I might use
such a coiled spring alone to give the required elasticity to the buffer. I do not
confine myself to the U form of the flat spring as any other suitable shape might
be given to it according to taste or in conformity with the disposition of the parts
in conjunction with which the spring is used. Wherever possible however I prefer
that a portion of the spring should form a metallic backing for the buffer. Not
only does the elastic yielding motion of the buffer by softening the concussion
prevent too speedy destruction of the buffer and picker, but also the resilience of
the buffer by gradually bringing the picker to a stand saves the picking strap from
the destructive jerk which it would otherwise undergo and causes it to last much
longer. Although I have referred to the buffer as made of leather, it will be
understood that it may be made of any other suitable material. My improvements
can be easily applied to existing looms at less expense or at no greater expense than
the old strap and buffer arrangement.
Dated this 20th day of Octal -...
1001
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James' Square, Manchester, Agents.4

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring or Elastic Picker Buffers for use in Looms
for Weaving.
I, THOMAS LONSDALE, of The Uplands, Holcrombe Brook, Tottington, near
Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Mill Furnisher, 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 :-
My said invention relates to the buffers which are usually employed in connection
with pickers to check the picker after striking the shuttle. Such buffers consist
usually of a block or stop of leather threaded on the picker spindle and held or
anchored in place by a strap attached to the buffer and to the side of the sley.
It will be readily understood that such a buffer has practically almost no
elasticity as neither the strap nor the material constituting the buffer can be termed
elastic.
In addition to this the strap is often allowed to stretch so far that the buffer at
last lies against the face of the spindle stud, thus presenting absolutely dead
substance to the blow of the picker. The natural results of these disadvantages
are that not only the buffer but the picker and picker straps are subjected to rapid
wear and destruction through the unyielding nature of the check.
My invention is designed to overcome these defects and with this object I suspend
or attach the buffer to or upon a spring which offers an elastic resistance to the
blow of the picker.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have caused to
be appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference
indicating like parts in the various figures, showing in plan four different methods
of carrying out my invention.
According to one method of so attaching the buffer a, see Fig. 1, I provide a
flat spring with one or more plies and in old looms attach one limb thereof
to the head of the ordinary spindle stud bolt c by means of a bracket d placed on
the bolt c and having a screw stud and nut e for the reception of the said spring
limb. In new looms I use a specially formed bolt c, see Fig. 2, having a flat head c
to which the said spring limb is attached directly by means of a bolt e. The other
limb of the spring 6 carries the buffer a in its usual position on the picker spindle f
the hole in the buffer a and spring & through which the spindle passes having
sufficient clearance to permit of the vibration of the buffer a on the spindle f. The
flat limb of the spring 6 presents a supporting backing to the buffer a which is of
great value in strengthening it and rendering it more durable.
b
In carrying out my invention I can if desired utilise existing buffers by attaching
them to the improved buffer springs but I prefer in making new buffers to make
them of several thicknesses of hide and present the side of the thickness of hide to
the picker, as shown in annexed drawing, instead of the end as is generally the case.
My buffer a is thereby rendered still more durable.
In some cases to increase the strength of the spring b or its range of elasticity
I might place a short coiled spring g on the picker spindle and between the back
of the buffer a and the face of the spindle stud i, as shown in Fig. 3, or I might use
such a coiled spring g alone to give the required elasticity to the buffer a, as shown
in Fig. 4.
I do not confine myself to the U form of the flat spring b as any other suitable
shape might be given to it according to taste in conformity with the disposition of
the parts in conjunction with which the spring bis used.
Wherever possible however I prefer that a portion of the spring b should form a
metallic backing for the buffer a. Not only does the elastic yielding motion of the
buffer a by softening the concussion prevent too speedy destruction of the buffer
and picker but also the resilience of the buffer by gradually bringing the picker to

page_text: a stand saves the picking strap from the destructive jerk which it would otherwise
undergo and cause it to last much longer.
Although I have referred to the buffer a as made of leather it will be understood
that it may be made of any other suitable material.
My improvements can be easily applied to existing looms at less expense or at no
greater expense than the old strap and buffer arrangement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
In spring or elastic picker buffers for looms, the use of a buffer suspended or
attached upon a spring or springs substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 20th day of July 1892.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicant.