CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hudson, of Burnley, in the County of
Lancaster, Machinist, and Christopher Catlow, of the same Place,
Overlooker, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS
FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 31st August 1859, and dated the 21st March 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hudson and
Christopher Catlow at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 21st March 1859.
We, WILLIAM HUDSON, of Burnley, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist,
and CHRISTOPHER CATLOW, of the same Place, Overlooker, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING," to be as follows:-
Our said Invention consists in improvements upon a certain part of an Inven-
tion described in our Specification filed in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd day of January, 1858, in pursuance of the conditions contained in Letters
Patent bearing date the 23rd day of July, 1857, and granted to us for the
Invention of "Certain Improvements in Looms for Weaving." The part of
the said previously described Invention to which our present improvements have
reference is that which has for its object the stopping of the loom upon the
occurence of "float," and of the two modifications of apparatus or combinations
of mechanical parts for effecting that purpose mentioned in the aforesaid
Specification. Our present improvements apply only to that secondly or lastly
therein described, and which is moreover represented in and explained by

page_text: reference to the 11th and 12th Figures of the 4th Sheet of the Drawings
appended to the said Specification. On referring thereto, it will be seen that
the manner of performing that part of our said former Invention is by the
application of a comb behind the reed extending across the whole reed
space of the loom and suspended by the ends or pivots of its back rib in
bearings behind the sley cap, the dents hanging down and penetrating through
the warp at intervals, so that any obstruction (such as broken yarn sticking
in the shed) being encountered by any one or more of the dents will cause
the comb to vibrate towards the reed. From one end of the back rib of
the comb a finger projects through or under the sley cap towards the breast
beam, and this finger being raised by the vibration of the comb, meets a stop
piece carried by the weft fork stand and moving the weft fork and lever, causes
the stoppage of the loom.
The first of our present improvements consists in dividing the comb into
several sections or short parts which are suspended from a common axis or
bearer occupying the place of the back rib of the comb in the former arrange-
ment. The sections are suspended in such a manner that each section has
free radial motion separately from and independently of all the other sections
but each of them when advanced within a certain distance from the reed abuts
upon a projecting part or lip of the bearer, and if pressed forward beyond that
position, causes the bearer to turn partly round its axis; hence, any one of the
sections encountering in the shed such an obstruction as is contemplated, and
being thereby forced towards the reed vibrates the bearer; the latter carries
the finger or arm which strikes the stop piece on the weft fork stand and
thereby stops the loom.
The second of our present improvements consists, firstly, in disconnecting
the finger before mentioned from the back rib of the comb so that the dents
of the comb may be free to move backward radially upon the pivots of the
back rib without disturbing the position of the finger; secondly, in causing
the dents when pressed towards the reed beyond the proper limit to act upon
and raise the finger through the medium of a spur or arm with which the
latter is furnished for that purpose; and, thirdly, in imparting to the comb a
determinate radial motion distinct from the motion of the sley and regulated
so that the dents of the comb shall alternately enter and retire from the warp,
inserting themselves as the sley recedes, assuming the position proper for
action if any obstruction present itself in the open shed, and withdrawing
again as the sley advances.
In this last mentioned improvement, it is to be understood that we retain
the original construction of the comb in one entire piece, the comb may,

page_text: however, be applied either with the dents pointing upwards or downwards.
A vertical rod pivoted on a stud a little behind the rocking rail and bearing
against a spur projecting backward from the back rib of the comb may be
used to give the motion-required for entering the dents into the warp, and
they may be withdrawn by the action of a spring. But a variety of other
methods are also available for the same purpose from the use of any of which
we do not restrict ourselves.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Hudson and Christopher Catlow in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 21st September 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
HUDSON, of Burnley, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist, and CHRISTOPHER
CATLOW, of the same Place, Overlooker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said William Hudson and Christopher Catlow, Her
special license that we, the said William Hudson and Christophor Catlow,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
William Hudson and Christopher Catlow, our 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 of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Hudson and
Christopher Catlow, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our or their, or one of our or their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the samo
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters* Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Hudson and Christopher
Catlow, do hereby declare that the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described

page_text: and ascertained in and by this present instrument in writing, reference being
had unto the Drawings hereunto annexed, by means of the letters and nume-
rical characters marked thereon, which letters or characters, when repeated,
are to be understood always to indicate the same or similar parts or things.
The said Invention applies to power looms, and consists in improvements
upon a certain part of a former Invention of "Certain Improvements in
Looms for Weaving," for which Her Majesty's Royal Letters Patent were
granted to us bearing date the Twenty-third day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-seven (No. 2025), and of which Invention a Specification
in pursuance of the condition contained in the said Letters Patent was made
and duly filed by us in the Great Seal Patent Office on the Twenty-third day of
January, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight. The part of the said
former Invention to which the improvements which constitute this our present
Invention relate is that which is in the aforesaid Specification described as the
second improvement, and which is therein stated to consist in the application
of certain novel apparatus for arresting the motions of the loom upon the
occurrence of defective or imperfect weaving, commonly known as "float."
Two modifications of the said second improvement or part of the Invention
are described in the Specification thereof before mentioned and of these our
present Invention is applicable only to that secondly or lastly set forth in the
said Specification, and which is explained by the eleventh and twelfth Figures
on the fourth Sheet of the Drawings thereto annexed.
The nature of our said former Invention and the manner of applying and
carrying into effect the same being easily ascertainable by inspection of the
Specification thereof, we do not deem it necessary now to enter into a detailed
and particular description of the before mentioned improvement or part of the
former Invention to which the new improvements comprised in our present
Invention have been stated to be applicable. Upon reference to the said
Specification, and moro especially to that part of the same which is contained
between the thirtieth line of the eleventh page, and the thirty-third line of the
twelfth page (both inclusive) of the copy of the said Specification printed in
pursuance of the provisions of the "Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852," and
published at the Great Seal Patent Office, it will be seen that the manner of
effecting the improvement in question is by the application of a comb pivoted
behind the reed with the dents thereof pointing downwards and penetrating
the warp at intervals. In the event of any fragment of yarn becoming
entangled with the warp, so as to prevent the perfect opening of any part of
the shed, the obstruction so created acts upon the dent or dents of the comb
which encounter it as the sley goes back and vibrate the comb towards the

page_text: reed, thereby raising a projecting finger which, being retained in its elevated
position by a detent, impinges at the next advance of the sley upon a stop piece,
the consequent motion of which effects the stoppage of the loom through other
mechanism with which it is connected.
The first of our present improvements consists in dividing the comb into
several sections or short parts which are suspended from the axis of a bar
occupying the place of the stock or back rib of the comb in the original
arrangement in such a manner that the motion of each section is independent
of that of the others, but each of them when pressed towards the reed beyond
a certain point acts upon the bar before mentioned so as to cause it to turn
upon its axis through a small angle; any one of the sections encountering
the contemplated obstruction in the shed is thereby caused to approach the
reed, pressing against and slightly oscillating the bar; the latter carries the
finger which strikes the stop piece, and which finger being slightly elevated
by the motion of the bar stops the loom by the same means as in the
original arrangement.
This improved construction of the comb is explained by the first, second,
third, and fourth Figures on the first Sheet of the Drawings. Figure 1 is an
elevation of a portion of the comb as viewed from behind the sley; Figure 2
is a section, and Figures 3 and 4 represent detached parts hereinafter referred
to. T is the sloy beam, S is the reed, and R the sley cap. a, a, a, are dents
belonging to the sections or divisions of the comb represented. The dents are
formed of wire slightly tapered at the points.. They are combined in the
form of a comb by being inserted through holes drilled or punched in the
opposite flanches or parallel sides of ribs or balks b, b, b, formed of plates or
sheets of metal curved so that their transverse sections have nearly the form
of a horseshoe, the edges projecting in parallel directions, but the lower
extending beyond the upper one. This sectional configuration appears at 6 in
Figure 2. The sections are suspended from a rod or wiro c, which forms an
axis common to the whole of them, and also to the bar d. The latter is of
sheet metal having its transverse section of the form shewn in Figures 2 and 3
of the Drawing, and furnished at equidistant intervals with corner pieces or
gussets e, e, e, one of which is shewn separately in side view at Figure 3, and
edgewise at Figure 4. Each of these is perforated as shewn at ƒ (Figure 3)
to receive the rod or wire c, which passes through them from end to end
supporting the bar d, and also the sections of the comb (one of them between
each adjacent pair of gussets), and having its ends pivoted in brackets attached
to the sley cap, one of which is seen at g.
forward under the sley cap is affixed to
The arm or finger h, which projects
the end of the bar d, and oscillates

page_text: with it; when elevated by the motion of the bar d, it is received and retained
in a notch of the detent l, so as to be carried forward in its elevated position
when the sley beats up. When the sley recedes, if one or more of the dents
of any section of the comb encounters an obstruction in the shed, it will
thereby be vibrated towards the reed. The lower edge of its rib 6 impinging
upon the vertical side or flanch of the bar d, will cause the latter to turn
slightly upon its axis, that is upon the rod or wire c. The partial rotation so
effected will elevate the finger or arm h, which, being carried forward in that
position at the next following beat up of the sley will come in contact with
the stop piece upon the weft fork, and thereby cause the stoppage of the loom
through the agency of the weft motion as in the original arrangement.
Our second improvement consists, firstly, in disconnecting the finger or arm
which acts upon the weft stopping apparatus from the comb, so that the
motions of the latter may not necessarily disturb the position of the said finger;
secondly, in causing the disconnected comb, when its dents are urged towards
the reed beyond a certain limit to act upon and raise the aforesaid finger into
the position proper for acting upon the weft fork; and, thirdly, in imparting to
the comb a positive separate and distinct motion proper to itself, and timed
and regulated so as to cause the dents of the comb alternately to enter into and
withdraw from the warp, inserting themselves as the sley recedes and disen-
gaging themselves as it advances. According to this improvement, we retain
the original construction of the comb in one entire piece. The comb may be
applied either with the dents pointing downward as in the original arrange-
ment, or in an inverted position with the dents pointing upwards. We prefer
the latter arrangement, both as being generally more advantageous and as
interfering less with the weaver's facilities of access to the part of the warp
lying between tho sley and the healds. Figure 5, Sheet 1 is a sectional view
of so much of a loom as will suffice to enable us to explain the general
arrangement and mode of applying the mechanism by which we carry this
improvement into effect; Figure 6, Sheet 2, is a sectional view on a larger
scale of the parts adjacent to the sley beam at the pulley side of the loom,
shewing the construction and application of the parts more clearly; Figure 7
on the same Sheet is the corresponding elevation as viewed from behind the
sley; Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, and 14 are views of detached parts. m
are the dents of the comb, and n the stock or back rib. We prefer to make
the latter of light brass tube, and the dents of round wire tapered towards the
points, but not sharp. The dents are inserted in equidistant holes punched or
drilled through both sides of the tube. The number of dents in an inch may
be seven or eight, or more if the apparatus is for weaving a very fine fabrio.

page_text: The stock or back rib of the comb is pivoted in small brackets attached to the
back of the sley beam of which that on the pulley side is shewn at O, a
separate view of its profile being given at Figure 9, and a front view at
Figure 10. Corresponding views are given at Figures 11 and 12 of brackets
used for supporting the comb at intermediate points; Figure 13 is an end
view, and Figure 14 a back view of a small casting, the reduced end of whose
stem p, is inserted into the end of the tube n, and rivetted thereto so as to
form one of the necks or pivots of the comb. This casting has two arms q
and r, the relative positions of which will be understood from the Drawing.
The finger h, which in this case is detached from the comb, consists of a piece
of strong wire bent into the form shewn in the Drawning, and carried by the
bracket or fixing 9. When the dents of the comb are forced towards the reed
the pendant part of the arm h is struck by the arm q, and the horizontal part
raised into its acting position, in which it is retained by the higher notch of the
latch or detent 1, the front view of which is shewn at Figure 8. s is a light
thin bar or slip of iron, the lower end of which works on a pin joint in an
adjustable standard v, carried by the bracket w, which is bolted to the lower
part of the loom side about four or five inches behind the rocking rail bracket,
(see Figure 5). The bar s is recurved for a short length at the head or
upper part thereof, as shewn in the Drawing, and the arm or spur r rests
upon the convex upper surface of that part; t is a bracket or staple affixed to
the back of the sley beam having an opening through which the recurved part
of the bar s passes, so that the head of the latter is confined to the sley and
compelled to vibrate along with it, but is free at the same time to rise and
fall irrespectively of the sley; u is a spring, the lower end of which is
attached to the bar s, at a, and the upper end to one of the dents of the
comb by a strip of leather y. The action of the spring is exerted to depress
the spur, and keep it in close contact with the top of the bar s, except when
the comb is moved from its normal position by contact of some of its dents
with an obstruction present in the shed. By an inspection of Figure 5, it will
be seen that the path of the top of the rod s is in the arc 1...2, and that the
path of the axis of the comb is represented by the are 3...4. The effect of
the divergence of the paths of these two parts, and of the confinement of the
spur r, in contact with the top of the rod s is that the comb is made to rotate
partially upon its axis n, changing its position at every successive point in the
sweep of the sley, so that when the crank is at the back centre, the dents will
be upright or in the position indicated by the dotted line 5 (Figure 6), when
at the top centro in the position 7, in which they are represented in Figure 6,
when half way between the last mentioned points they will be at 6, or in the

page_text: position shewn in Figure 5, and when at the front centre at their lowest position
as at 8. If the successive movements or changes of position gone through by
the warp be considered in connexion with the corresponding positions assumed
by the sley during a revolution of the crank shaft, it will be seen that the
ultimate effect of the resulting motion of the comb will be to cause it to
penetrate the warp as the sley goes back, gradually rising at the same time
towards the vertical position so as to be in readiness to be acted upon by any
obstruction in the shed, and upon the advance of the sley to be again depressed
and withdrawn from the warp before the crossing of the shed takes place.
This withdrawal of the comb at every shedding contributes much to the
perfect action of the apparatus, both by preventing broken ends straggling in
the warp from being carried back towards the healds and by doing away with
the liability of two adjacent ends to become crossed over one of the dents.
The action of the apparatus is virtually the same as that of the original
arrangement. As the sley goes back, if an obstruction exists as at * (Figure 5)
.one or more of the dents of the comb will encounter it and overcome the
resistance of the spring u, and the comb being consequently vibrated towards
the reed will lift the arm or finger h into the upper notch of the detent 1, in
which position it will produce the proposed effect through the agency of the
weft motion, in the same manner as in the former or original Invention.
Figures 15 and 16 (the former a sectional, the latter a corresponding back
view) explain a modification in which the comb is caused to enter and to be
withdrawn from the warp in a slightly different manner.
In this arrangement
two of the rods or bars s are used (one at each side of the loom) the upper
extremities of which bars carry a bar of wood z extended between them.
In brackets affixed to this latter bar, the comb is mounted with the dents
pointing upwards in a vertical position which it maintains through the tension
of the spring u, tending to draw it backwards until it is stopped by a small
pin inserted in it, and abutting against a shoulder on the bracket o. The
comb retains the vertical position throughout its sweep, but its track being
parallel to that of the apex of the rods, that is, to the arc 1...2, (Figure 5),
its dents will enter and retire from the warp with the same beneficial result
as in the previously described arrangement, but always with a rectilineal or
straight up and down motion. The other parts of these Figures are similar to
the parts indicated by like letters of reference in Figures 6 and 7, the descrip-
tion of which is applicable to them.
It is obvious that the peculiar motion of the comb, or an equivalent one,
may be produced by other expedients besides the use of the rod s; but so
long as the essential character of our Invention is retained, we do not limit

page_text: ourselves to the particular mechanical means of carrying it into effect which
we have herein-before described as being the best known to us. We have
been compelled by the nature of the subject, and with a view of perspicuity,
to describe much of our former Invention along with our present improve-
ments, but we do not therefore wish to be understood as making any claim
to anything included in or being part of our former Invention; we therefore
declare that the improvements which we now claim as new and of our present
Invention are,―
Firstly, dividing the comb into sections or short parts suspended from a
common bearer so that each section may have separate liberty of motion and
of action upon the common bearer.
Secondly, the manner herein-before described of combining and arranging
the parts of a comb constructed upon the principle lastly before mentioned.
Thirdly, disconnecting the finger which acts upon the weft fork from
the comb and causing the comb so disconnected to act when occasion requires
upon the said finger by the means herein-before described.
And fourthly, imparting to the comb a motion whereby the dents thereof are
caused to enter and retire from the warp alternately by either of the methods
berein-before described, or by any modification or variation of or mechanical
equivalent for such methods or either of them.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hudson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Signed and sealed by the afore-
said William Hudson in the
presence of
JN°. TAYLER, Patent Agent,
Manchester.
WILLIAM HUDSON. (L.S.)