IMPROVEMENTS IN HEDDLES FOR LOOMS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN HEDDLES FOR LOOMS." A communication from abroad
by Samuel Sewall, junior, of Tewkesbury, Massachusetts, United States of
"
America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th May 1880.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
HEDDLES FOR LOOMS."
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
[A communication from abroad by Samuel Sewall, junior, of Tewkesbury,
Massachusetts, United States of America.]
The object of the present Invention is to provide a heddle for looms, which
while occupying but small space laterally will present a broad bearing surface to
the warp-threads, and at the same time be free from angles and corners of a nature
liable to catch or pinch the threads, and thus weaken or break them. The broader
the bearing surface the larger will be the number of fibres over which the strain is
distributed, and thus the less the danger of the threads being thereby broken.
This object is effected by making the heddle from a thin strip of metal, preferably
steel. The eye is formed by slitting the blank longitudinally at the proper point
and then bending each of the two sections thus formed so that both of its ends
will be thrown outward from the general plane of the metal strip in one direction,
while the intermediate part of each section will be bent in the reverse direction
sufficiently to occupy a position on the other side of the general plane of the
strip. The corresponding parts of the two sections are to be bent in opposite
directions. By this construction the two sections will cross each other at two
points, and their intermediate parts will form a loop, which will constitute the eye
of the heddle. This eye may be circular or elongated, as desired.
As a heddle thus constructed performs its vertical reciprocations the warp-thread
passing through the eye will come to a bearing at either end thereof along a line
substantially in the plane of the heddle, and thus will be in contact with the inner
face of the shoulders formed by the bend of the two sections where they cross, and

page_text: as these sections do not meet face to face, but cross each other on opposite sides of
a plane perpendicular to the warp threads, it results that there is no corner or
angle into which the thread can draw and be caught or pinched. This circumstance,
as well as the extent of bearing surface which is assured by this construction,
becomes a matter of importance in fine work, or where the warp-threads are
of weak texture.
As this heddle can be made of very thin metal a large number may be arranged
in a given space, the construction being such that the configuration of each
corresponds with that of its neighbors, so that they nest together closely; and in
order to facilitate freedom of motion in a large series of heddles it may be found
desirable to bend them slightly in the direction of their length. If when thus
bent each alternate one is turned half around as it is slipped upon the heddle-rods
the eyes will nest together in two series. This may be found of advantage for the
reason that the same number of heddles can be made to occupy the same lateral
space with less friction upon each other than if they were perfectly straight, but
this bending of the heddle is not deemed by any means indispensable to this
Invention.
If desired the inner lips of the heddle-eye may be cut away somewhat. While
this does not diminish the extent of the bearing surface presented to the warp-
thread as the thread rises and falls to form the shed, it gives greater play to the
thread, and thus facilitates the passage of knots, and correspondingly diminishes
the chances of leakage.
This flat metal heddle is mounted in the frame in the following manner, that is
to say-A slot is cut in each end, the width and length of such slot being slightly
greater than the thickness and width of the heddle-rod which passes through it,
and the two strips of metal left at the sides of the slot are set up from the general
plane of the heddle, but in opposite directions, each parallel and raised in the same
direction as the corresponding section of the eye-portion of the heddle. This
construction.gives the heddle greater play upon the supporting rods than it would
otherwise have.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Harris Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
November 1880.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HEDDLES FOR LOOмs."
A communication from abroad by Samuel Sewall, junior, of Tewkesbury,
Massachusetts, United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to provide a heddle for looms, which while
occupying but small space laterally will present a broad bearing surface to the
warp-threads, and at the same time be free from angles and corners of a nature
liable to catch or pinch the threads, and thus to weaken or break them.. The
broader the bearing-surface the larger will be the number of fibres over which the
strain is distributed, and thus the less the danger of the threads being thereby
broken.
The said Invention relates to the peculiar construction of the heddle and the
method of mounting the same, whereby with the same number of heddles in a
given space they will have greater play or freedom of motion among themselves;
or if required the number of heddles in a given space can be increased without
impairing their freedom of motion. It also relates to devices for mounting the
heddles, so as to relieve them from injurious strain by the bending or warping of
the heddle-rods.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which,―
Figures 1 and 2 are a front and side view of my improved heddle, and
Figure 3 represents in perspective the middle and end portions of the same
drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figures 4 and 5 are a front and side view of the middle part of a heddle, in
which the eye instead of being elongated is circular.
Figure 6 is a side view of a modification of the eye shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3,
the modification consisting in cutting away a portion of the inner lips of the two
members or portions that form the eye.
Figure 7 is a perspective view shewing four of the heddles mounted in their
frame.
Figure 8 is a front view of a heddle frame, showing the devices for staying the
heddle-rods.
and
Figure 9 is a side view, shewing one of the clasps embracing the heddle-rod,
Figure 10 is a similar view of the clasp detached and open.
Figure 11 is a side view of one of the tie-rods employed for connecting the
heddle-rods.
This improved heddle is made from a thin strip of metal, preferably steel. The
eye is formed by slitting the blank at the proper point along its middle longi-
tudinally, and by means of suitable dies bending the two sections c, d, of the
divided blank into substantially the forms shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 6. By
referring to these Figures it will be seen that both ends of one section of the
divided blank are bent outward from the general plane of the metal strip in one
direction, while the intermediate portion of such section is bent in the reverse
direction sufficiently to occupy a position on the other side of the general plane of
the strip, the corresponding parts of the other section of the divided blank being
bent in directions opposite to those of the first part. By this construction the two
sections will cross each other at the two points f, f, and their intermediate parts
will form a loop h which will constitute the eye of the heddle. This eye may be
made elongated, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 6, or circular, as shewn in
Figures 4 and 5, as may be required to suit the nature of the work to which the

page_text: heddle is to be applied, the circular form being specially designed for the weaving
of fabrics made from wire.
As the heddle performs its vertical reciprocations the warp-thread passing
through the eye will come to a bearing at either end thereof along a line sub-
stantially in the plane of the beddle, and thus will be in contact with the inner
face of the shoulders formed by the bend of the two sections and of the point
where they cross, and as these sections do not meet face to face, but cross each
other on opposite sides of a plane perpendicular to the warp-threads, it results that
there is no corner or angle into which the thread can draw and be caught or
pinched. This circumstance, as well as the extent of bearing surface which is
assured by this construction, becomes a matter of importance in fine work or where
the warp-threads are of a weak texture.
As the said heddles can be made of very thin metal a large number may be
arranged in a given space, the construction being such that the configuration of
each corresponds with that of its neighbours, so that they rest together closely.
This will be the case even when the heddles are made straight throughout, or are
so constructed that the thread-eye lies in the plane of the supporting rods; but a
construction substantially like that shewn in Figure 2 is preferable, that is to say,
the middle part of the heddle being the part which contains the thread-eye, and
where therefore the crowding is liable to occur, is thrown a little to one side of the
plane in which the heddle-rods are situated, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2, in
which the parts forming the thread-eye are shewn as lying wholly on one side of
a straight line, joining the end slots which are designed to receive the heddle rods.
If when the heddles are thus formed each alternate one is turned half around as
it is slipped on the rods the eyes will be arranged in two series, as shown at a, a,
and b, b, in Figure 7, the one a little in front of the other. As above suggested
this mode of forming and mounting the heddles presents an advantage in that the
same number of heddles can be made to occupy the same lateral space, with less
friction upon each other than if they were so formed and mounted that all the
thread eyes would lie in the same vertical plane; or in other words, the arrange-
ment thus effected is a more compact one, permitting the assembling in a given
lateral space without undue friction from the over crowding of the thread-eyes
of a larger number of heddles than would be practicable if the eyes all lay in the
plane of the heddle-rods. This arrangement of the heddles upon a single pair of
heddle-rods, one at the top and one at the bottom, is of great advantage, as also is
the arrangement of the thread eyes in two or more series by throwing them out
of line with each other; this result has however been heretofore attained with
straight heddles by a duplication of rods either at the top or at the bottom, or
both. As compared with such older methods however the present arrangement
will be found simpler and therefore superior.
If desired, the inner lips of the heddle-eye may be cut away somewhat as shewn
in Figure 6. While this does not diminish the extent of the bearing surface
presented to the warp-thread as the thread rises and falls to form the shed it
gives greater play to the thread, and thus facilitates the passage of knots, and
consequently diminishes the chances of breakage.
This flat metal heddle is mounted in the frame in the following manner, that
is to say-A slot m is cut in each end, the width and length of such slot being
slightly greater than the thickness and width of the heddle-rod n which passes
through it, and the two strips of metal 7, 8, left at the sides of the slot are set off*
from the general plane of the heddle, but in opposite directions, each part being
raised in the same direction as the corresponding section c or d of the eye portion
of the heddle. This construction gives the beddle greater play upon the supporting
rods than it otherwise would have, and at the same time prevents the heddle from
turning around into a position to permit the thread to be caught between the
inner lips of the parts which form the eye through which the thread passes.
Although the above is deemed the best mode of mounting the heddle, yet it will
readily be seen that a beddle constructed as herein before described, but of a much

page_text: shorter piece of metal, may be suspended from the rods by other means. So also
the heddle may be made from a round wire, the middle or eye part and the end
parts only of the same being flattened.
It will readily be understood without further explanation that by the use of
properly-constructed dies the above described heddle can be formed from a plain
blank by a single blow. It will also be readily understood that instead of dividing
the eye part of the heddle-blank into two sections by a slit along the middle line,
as shown in the Drawing, it may be divided into three sections by two parallel
slits, one at each side of the middle line, in which case the middle section will be
offset in one direction, and the two side sections in the opposite direction.
In order to maintain the heddle rods at a uniform distance apart, so as to provont
strain on the heddles by the springing or warping of the rods, clasps and tie-rods
are used, the same being constructed and applied as hereinafter described. For this
purpose the tie-rods which join the heddle-rods together, and the clasps which tie
the heddle-rods to the shafts or beams of the frame are of special construction.
Other forms of clasps and tie-rods have been heretofore used, but the present
devices are specially convenient by reason of the facility with which they can be
put on or taken off, or otherwise adjusted.
Referring to Figure 8 of the Drawing A, A, represent the upper and lower
members of the heddle-frame; B, B, the usual heddle-rods connected to the uprights
of the frame in any well known manner; C, C, the sliding clasps which constitute
the improved tie-pieces for connecting the heddle-rods to the transvere sections
A, A, of the frame; and D, D, the tie-rods for connecting the heddle-rods to each other.
The clasps C, C, instead of being bolted to the bars of the frame are made to
surround them so as to slide freely thereon, and thus occupy any required position;
and by making these clasps with two jaws, as shewn in Figures 9 and 10, whereby
they are made to bear upon both sides of the heddle rods, they serve to an extent
to stay such rods against springing laterally. The said clasps are preferably made
of some clastic metal, so that when detached from the rods they will spring open,
as shewn in Figure 10. The main object in making these clasps to slide upon the
bars of the frame is to furnish means for the ready adjustment of the heddlo
according to the work in hand, which, as will be readily understood, can be more
readily effected when the tie-pieces slide than when they are bolted in a fixed
position. As with other forms of tio-pieces a convenient interval between these
clasps will be about two feet.
The tie-rods D, D, applied substantially as shewn, and in connection with tie-
pieces uniting the heddle-rods to the transverse bars of the frame, will effectually
prevent such bars from springing apart, and thus disturbing the parallelism of the
heddle-rods. Consequently the use of such tic-rods in combination with suitable
tie-pieces for connecting the heddle-rods to the transverse bars of the frame is
admirably adapted to secure rigidity to all parts of the heddle-frame whilst
permitting the heddles to move freely upon their rods. These tie-rods, as well as
the clasps C, C, should slide upon the heddle-rods. It will be understood that any
of the clasps C, C, can be readily put on or taken off by simply springing the heddle-
rod sufficiently to let the tips of the hook-portions of the clasp pass under it; the
tie-rods must for this purpose be moved aside sufficiently to permit the heddle-rod
to be sprung to this extent.
It will also be observed that tho tic-rod is so constructed that it can be readily
put on or taken off by springing the heddle-rod vertically when the clasps C, C,
have been moved laterally far enough to permit this to be done. For this reason
the open hook-form given to the ends of the tie-rods renders them far more
convenient to adjust than when the clasp and the tie-rod are united to each other
by screws as heretofore.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The improved heddle formed from a thin strip of metal slit at the proper

page_text: point for the thread-eye, and having the sections offset in opposite directions and
so as to cross each other, substantially as above described.
Second. A metallic heddle having its ends slotted and the two walls of the slot.
offset in opposite directions, substantially as herein described.
Third. A metallic heddle formed from a single strip of metal, and having its
thread-eye thrown out of the plane of the eyes or slots which receive the heddle-
rods, substantially as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The herein described construction whereby a series of heddles may be
mounted in their frame and arranged on a single pair of metallic rods independently
of the shafts of the frame, so that the thread-eyes will come alternately in front of
and behind the plane of such rods, substantially as above set forth, and for the
purpose specified..
Fifth. The combination with the said heddles and heddle-rods of the heddlo-
frame, the tie-rods constructed with open hook-ends, and the sliding clasps con-
structed with two arms or jaws for embracing the heddle rods, substantially as
above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Harris Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.