IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Somerville, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WEAVING."
Sealed the 28th November 1856, and dated the 6th June 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Somerville at the
Office of the Commissioners. of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th June 1856.
I, JAMES SOMERVILLE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Manager, 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 to machinery or apparatus to be adapted to looms for
weaving,. and more particularly to power looms, for the purpose of working the
heddles or shed-forming details of the loom; such machinery or apparatus being
capable of producing a great variety of weaving effects, such as various kinds
of twilling or of diaper weaving, interspersed or combined with each other, or
with plain weaving; whilst provision is also made in it or in connection with it
for producing a cord in the cloth, by repeating the weft shots in the same shed,
twice or oftener, catch threads being brought into operation to prevent the weft
from returning with the shuttle, and also for acting on the taking-up motion of
the loom, to stop or retard it during any required number of shots, so as to
weave more or fewer weft shots in a given space.

page_text: The mechanism or contrivances, constituting the Invention, are simple in
construction and direct in their action, and looms fitted with them can be
driven at a considerable speed, whilst goods woven by them are produced at
comparatively economical rates.
The main feature of the Invention is the working of the heddles by what
may be termed pattern mechanism, or mechanism capable of being set or
adjusted according to any of the great variety of patterns which the apparatus
is capable of working in one action, instead of working the heddles by
mechanism, the action of which is merely regulated by the pattern mechanisin,
this latter mode being obviously very indirect, or in two actions.
According to one modification of the present Invention, the apparatus for
working the heddles is placed at the lower part of the loom framing and to one
side, but any other convenient or suitable situation may be adopted for it.
Two drums, with rows of perforations round them circumferentially, are carried
by separate frames or supports, to which a reciprocating motion is given in any
convenient manner, one drum rising whilst the other falls, and vice versa.
The reciprocating motion of the frames, bearing the drums, may be obtained by
means of racks upon them, acted upon by pinions on a spindle driven alter-
nately in opposite directions by a segment, which is made to oscillate by an
eccentric, fixed on a shaft corresponding to the low shaft of a common power
loom. Each of the drums is fitted with a ratchet wheel, which is shifted a
notch at each reciprocation of the drum by the action of a stationary catch,
with which the drum ratchet comes in contact. A catch is provided on the
frame carrying the drum to prevent the drum turning back after a shift round,
and a frictional strap, cord, or other appliance is provided to prevent the drum
from being jerked too far round at a shift. Immediately over the axis of each
drum is a row of pins, carried by separate sliding bars, and corresponding to
the rows of perforations round the drum. The perforations on the druin are
respectively filled up or left open at each step, accordingly as the respective
bars are to be acted upon or not at the period of the weaving action, corres-
ponding to the portion of the drum which is uppermost for the time being;
thus, as each drum rises, the bars corresponding to or over the filled up holes
are lifted by the drum, whilst the bars corresponding to or over the the open
holes are not moved as their pins enter the holes.
Instead of the mechanism just described for acting on the bars, any convenient
arrangement of jacquard apparatus may be adopted, it being prefered, when using
a jacquard barrel and cards, to make the barrel with six or more sides, so that a
less turn of the barrel than a quarter turn, as ordinarily required, may at each
shift bring a new side into play. The bars acted upon by the drums or barrels

page_text: are connected by wires or cords to the treaddles, by which the heddles are
moved. The catch threads for retaining the weft at the selvages, when it is
sent more than once through the same shed, are worked by one of the bars
acted upon by the drums or barrels. The stopping or retarding of the taking-
up motion may be effected in various ways, as, for example, by means of a
rod or spindle, a short lever on one end of which is arranged to lift one of the
taking-up catches, so as to prevent its action on the taking-up roller or beam.
The other end of the spindle is also formed with a short lever, which is con-
nected to one of the bars acted upon by the pattern drums or barrels. The
looms may be prevented from making what is commonly called a "back shot,"
which would derange the pattern, by means of a ratchet wheel and catch, or of
a wheel and friction strap adapted to the main shaft of the loom.
There are several ways of extending the range of pattern capable of being
worked out by means of the drums or barrels herein-before described; thus,
for example, when a number of strokes of the loom require to be made with
an unchanged heddle action, either of the drums may be made to pause in its
rotation, so as to save the space, which would be occupied thereon, by a repe-
tition of the same arrangement, of filled up and open holes, one drum being
made to act for this purpose on mechanism which, by taking the catch out of
gear, prevents the rotation of the other drum; or a separate secondary pattern
wheel or drum may be contrived to act on the catches which cause the shifting
round of the working drums, so as to prevent them from turning those drums,
except at each change in the heddle action. By the term change "in the
heddle action is not meant the mere alteration of shed, but the change from
the action required to produce plain weaving, for example, to that required
for twilling.
The ratchet wheels on the ends of the drums are figured in the way they
should move round, which enables the weaver or tenter in the event of the
pattern becoming deranged to put them right at once.
0 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Somerville in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th December 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
SOMERVILLE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Manager,
5 send greeting..

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
James Somerville, Her special license that I, the said James Somerville, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Somerville, 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 James Somerville, by an instru-
ment 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 tho
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Somerville, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
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 to machinery, apparatus, or means to be adapted
to looms for weaving, and more particularly to power looms, for the purpose of
working the heddles or shed-forming details of the loom, such machinery or
apparatus being capable of producing a great variety of weaving effects, such
as various kinds of twilling, or of diaper weaving, interspersed or combined
with each other, or with plain weaving; whilst provision is also made in it, or
in connection with it, for producing a cord in the cloth, by repeating the weft
shots in the same shed twice or oftener, catch threads being brought into
operation to prevent the weft from returning with the shuttle; and also for
acting on the taking-up motion of the loom, to stop or retard it during any
required number of shots, so as to weave more or fewer weft shots in a given
space.
The mechanism or contrivances constituting the Invention are simple in
construction and direct in their action, whilst looms fitted with them can be
driven at a considerable speed, the goods woven by them being produced at
comparatively economical rates.
The main feature of the Invention is the working of the heddles by the

page_text: single and direct action of what may be termed pattern mechanism, or
mechanism capable of being set or adjusted according to any of the great:
variety of patterns which the apparatus is capable of working, instead of
working the heddles by mechanism, the action of, which is merely regulated!
by the pattern mechanism, this latter mode being obviously very indirect, and
involving a combination of two or more actions.
According to one modification of the present Invention, the apparatus for
working the heddles is placed at the lower part of the loom framing and to
one side, but any other convenient or suitable situation may be adopted for
it. Two drums, with rows of perforations disposed circumferentially round
them, are carried by separate frames or supports, to which a reciprocating:
motion is given in any convenient manner, one drum rising whilst the other
falls, and vice versa. The reciprocating motion of the frames bearing the
drums may be obtained by means of racks upon them, acted upon by pinions.
on a spindle driven alternately in opposite directions by a segment, which:
is made to oscillate by an eccentric fixed on a shaft corresponding to the low
or tappet shaft of a common power loom. Each of the drums is fitted with
a ratchet wheel, which is shifted a notch at each reciprocation of the drum,
by the action of a stationary catch, with which the drum ratchet comes into
contact. A catch is provided on the frame carrying the drum to prevent
the drum turning back after a shift round, and a frictional strap, cord, or
other appliance is provided to prevent the drum from being jerked too far
round at a shift. Immediately over the axis of each drum is a row of pins,
carried by separate sliding bars, and corresponding to the rows of perforations
round the drum. The perforations on the drum are respectively filled up or
left open at each step, accordingly as the respective bars are to be acted
upon or not at the period of the weaving action, corresponding to the portion
of the drum which is uppermost for the time being; thus, as each drum
rises, the bars corresponding to or over the filled up holes are lifted by the
drum, whilst the bars corresponding to or over the open holes are not moved
as their pins enter the holes. Instead of the mechanism, just described, for
acting on the bars, any convenient arrangement of jacquard apparatus may
be adopted, it being preferred, when using a jacquard barrel and cards, to
make the barrel with six or more sides, so that a less turn of the barrel than
a quarter turn, as ordinarily required, may at each shift bring a new side into
play. The bars acted upon by the drums or barrels are connected by wires
or cords to the treadles or levers, by which the heddles are moved. The
catch threads for retaining the weft at the selvages, when. it is thrown more
than once through the same shed, are worked by one of the bars acted upon

page_text: by the drums or barrels. The stopping or retarding of the taking-up motion
may be effected in various ways, as, for example, by means of a rod or.
spindle, a short lever on one end of which is arranged to lift one of the
taking-up catches, so as to prevent its action on the taking-up roller or beam.
The other end of the spindle is also formed with a short lever, which is
connected to one of the bars acted upon by the pattern drums or barrels.
The loom may be prevented from making what is commonly called a "back
shot," which would derange the pattern, by means of a ratchet wheel and
catch, or of a wheel and friction strap adapted to the main shaft or to the
low or tappet shaft of the loom. There are several ways of extending the
range of pattern capable of being worked out by means of the drums or
barrels herein-before described; thus, for example, when a number of
strokes of the loom require to be made with an unchanged heddle action,
either or both of the drums may be made to pause in its or their rotation,
so as to save the space which would be occupied thereon, by a repetition
of the same arrangement of filled up and open holes; one drum being
made to act for this purpose on mechanism which, by taking the catch out
of gear, prevents the rotation of the other drum; or a separate secondary
pattern wheel or drum may be contrived to act on the catches, which cause
the shifting round of the working drums, so as to prevent them from turning
those drums except at each change in the heddle action. By the term change
in the heddle action, is not incant the mere alteration of shed, but the chango
from the action required to produce plain weaving, for example, to that
required for twilling. The ratchet wheels on the ends of the drums are
figured in the way they should move round, which enables the weaver or
tenter, in the event of the pattern becoming deranged, to put them right at
once.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I have
hereunto appended and shall now proceed to describe a Sheet of explanatory
Drawings, showing a mode of practically carrying out the same.
Figure 1 on the Sheet of Drawings is a side elevation, Figure 2 is a
front elevation, and Figure 3 is a plan, of a power loom as fitted with my
improved mechanism, such of the loom details as are not necessary in the
explanation of my Invention being omitted. Figure 4 is a front elevation,
and Figure 5 is a side elevation, of the shedding mechanism as detached
from the loom. Figure 6 is a side elevation, and Figure 7 is a transverse
section, of one of the pattern barrels; and Figure 8 is a transverse section
of a jacquard barrel with its cards, which may be used instead of the
pattern barrel. In the arrangement shown in the Drawings there are eight

page_text: heddles A, although of course various numbers may be used, and these heddles
are actuated by being drawn downwards by cords attached to the levers or
marches B, being raised by the reaction of spring C above. The levers B are
connected by cords to treadles or levers D, each of which last levers is
connected by a rod or cord E to the centre of a horizontal traversing bar F,
forming part of the shedding and pattern mechanism contained in or upon
the framing G, bolted down to the floor at one side of the loom. There are
nine of the traversing bars F, eight of them corresponding to the eight
heddles A, and the remaining one acting upon the taking-up mechanism of
the loom, as will be herein-after explained. Each of the bars F is fitted with
vertical pins II at each end, these pins working in holes in the framing.
cross bars I, and serving to guide the bars and retain them constantly in a
horizontal position. The bars F are each fitted with two pins, which project
downwards, each pin, as at J, in Figure 7, being over the centre line of a
barrel K. The two barrels K are carried each in a traversing frame L,
which is guided upon vertical rods M, fixed to the frame G. Each frame L
is carried and moved vertically by means of a rack N, the two racks N being.
on opposite sides of pinions on the same shaft O, so that the two frames always
move in opposite directions. The shaft O has fixed on it near the side of the
loom a pinion P, in gear with a toothed segment Q. which vibrates on a stud
pin R, bolted to the side frame of the loom. This segment Q is moved to
and fro by an eccentric S upon the shaft T, which corresponds to the tappet
shaft of an ordinary loom, being driven at half the speed of the crank shaft
U. The action of the segment Q causes the shaft O to turn alternately in.
opposite directions, and to move the barrels K up and down alternately, one
always rising whilst the other falls, and vice versa. Each barrel K is per-
forated with rows of holes running round them, as shown in Figure 6, each
row corresponding to one of the bars F. These holes are sufliciently large to
admit the pins J, which pass into any of them that are left open on the barrel
Krising. If any of these holes are filled or plugged up in any convenient
way, however, it will be obvious that the ascent of the barrel K will cause
the corresponding bars F to rise, the plug in each case pressing up against the
pin J immediately over it. The bars F in rising actuate the corresponding
heddle levers A, by means of the levers D and B. At each descent of either
of the barrels K, a ratchet wheel V on one end of the barrel comes in contact
with a
spring catch W, which causes the barrel to turn the distance of one
tooth, which corresponds to that between two contiguous longitudinal rows of
holes on the barrel. A fresh row of holes is thus brought under the pins J, so
that at the next lift of the barrel the heddles may, if desired, be actuated in

page_text: accordance with an arrangement of the plugged and open holes differing from
that of the preceding row. A pall X, carried by the frame L, falls into a
fresh tooth of the ratchet wheel V after each shift, and prevents any backward
movement, whilst a friction cord Y, passed round the other end of the barrel,
prevents the latter from being jerked round too far by the action of the catch
W. The movements of the two barrels are alternated as already mentioned,
and the ends of the barrels are numbered as shown in Figure 4, so that they
can be easily set round to accord with each other when required. In arranging
the mechanism to produce auf desired routine of shedding action, the holes
corresponding to the heddles which are to be actuated for the first shed are
plugged up on the first line of holes on one barrel. The person arranging the
mechanism next plugs up on the first line of the second barrel the holes cor-
responding to the heddles to be actuated for the second shed; he then returns
to the second row of the first barrel for the third shed, back again to the
second row of the second barrel for the fourth shed, and so on, arranging the
plugs for the successive shots alternately on each barrel. When the barrels K
are first made it will be unnecessary to bore all the holes, unbored spaces being
left to correspond to such holes as would otherwise have to be plugged for the
pattern the barrels are intended to work. Then, in arranging the barrels for a
second pattern, some of the holes may require to be plugged and some of the
unbored spaces to be bored. Sometimes, as in plain weaving, the shed action
will be such, that if the barrels K were kept turning, each successive row of
holes would be required to be plugged, according to the same arrangement as
the preceding row; and it will be obvious, that under these circumstances the
desired effect would be produced without turning the barrels, the space that
would be otherwise occupied upon the barrels by the similarly plugged rows of
holes being thereby saved, and the range of pattern consequently extended.
This stoppage of the barrel's rotation is effected when necessary by drawing
back the catches W, which operation is performed by means of a segment or
pattern wheel Z; this wheel Z is carried upon a stud pin in a bracket a, bolted
to the side of the loom, and is formed with ratchet teeth upon its circumference,
being moved round a notch at each revolution of the shaft T, by means of an
eccentric pin on the end of the shaft, a rod b, from which is jointed to a lever c,
vibrating from a centre near the flooring, and fitted with a pall d, which acts
on the ratchet teeth. The wheel Z has bolted to its face or side a number of
segments e, f, some of which project further from the centre of the wheel than
the others, and when they come round lift up a lever g, lying in the same
plane as the segments. The outer end of this lever g is connected by cords h,
passing round pulleys to the catches W, and when raised by the larger seg.

page_text: ments F, causes these catches to be drawn out of the way of the barrels K.
The segments e, f, on the wheel must be arranged according to the effect
desired to be produced by the shedding action;, the larger segments f being
placed at points corresponding to the periods in the pattern where it is not
necessary to turn the barrels K. In producing various kinds of weaving effects
in the same web by varying the shed action, for which purpose my improved
mechanism is more particularly designed, it is generally necessary or desirable
also to vary the taking-up action of the loom. Provision is made for this
by adding an extra bar F to the pattern mechanism, this bar being, acted upon
by a separate row of holes. upon each of the barrels K. This extra bar, which
is shown as projecting to one side at i, is connected by a cord to a lever j, on a
short horizontal spindle k, passing to the outside of the loom, where it has
attached another lever 1. The lever is connected by a cord m to the: retaining
pall of the take-up movement of the loom. With this arrangement it
follows, that when the bar F, i, is raised by means of a plugged hole in one of
the barrels K, the pall n will be. lifted up, and the taking-up lever and pall o
will make an ineffective stroke, as the ratchet wheel, will be drawn back again
by the tension of the warps, instead of being retained by the pall.n.in the
position to which the lever and pall o advances it. As it might derange the
pattern if the shaft T of the loom were to be turned too far backwards, it is
provided with a ratchet whcel p, which is acted upon by a pall q, this pall
being so connected with the stop movement of the loom as only to come into
action when the driving belt is on the loose pulley, so that when the loom is
working regularly the ratchet and pall occasion no noise. This ratchet.and:
pall arrangement may be applied to the crank shaft U if desired, but I prefer
to apply it to the shaft T, as shown. As already mentioned herein, jacquard
barrels and cards may be used instead of the barrels K, and such a jacquard
barrel with a portion of the endless chain of cards is represented in Figure 8
on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto attached. It is preferred to make this
barrel six sided or with more than four sides, as is the case with ordinary
jacquard barrels, so as to reduce the extent of turn required for each change.
It will be obvious. that when jacquard barrels and cards are used in this way,
the length of pattern which the loom may be made to take in is unlimited,
except by the extent to which it may be convenient to increase the number of
the cards.
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

page_text: 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 system or mode of actuating the heddles of looms, by the alternate
movement of two barrels or drums, having sets or rows of holes formed or
arranged in them according to the required pattern, which barrels or drums
act upon the actuating details of such heddles as are to be shed at each step in
the weaving action, as herein-before described.
Second, the application and use of jacquard barrels and cards in place
of the perforated barrels or drums referred to in the preceding claim, and as
herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of preventing the derangement of the pattern by
means of a ratchet wheel and pall applied to one of the main shafts of the
loom, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the herein-before described system or mode of stopping or retarding
the take-up movement of the loom for the purpose of varying the thickness of
the cloth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Somerville, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of December, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six.
JAMES SOMERVILLE. (L.S.)