AN IMPROVED PROCESS BY WHICH TERRY OR RIBBED VELVETS MAY BE MANU- FACTURED BY THE AID OF A NEEDLE-CARRYING SHUTTLE
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington Street,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED PROCESS BY WHICH TERRY OR RIBBED VELVETS MAY BE MANU-
FACTURED BY THE AID OF A NEEDLE-CARRYING SHUTTLE." A communication
from abroad by Francisque David, of St. Etienne (Loire), France, Ribbon
Manufacturer
ealed the 28th May 1878, and dated the 28th March 1878.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Edward Gedge at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th March 1878.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent.
"AN IMPROVED PROCESS BY WHICH TERRY OR
RIBBED VELVETS MAY BE MANUFACTURED BY THE AID OF A NEEDLE-CARRYING
SHUTTLE." A communication from abroad by Francisque David, of St. Etienne
(Loire), France, Ribbon Manufacturer.
The process herein-after described, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, permits the manufacture automatically of cut terry or ribbed velvet
more advantageously than by the methods hitherto used; in fact, this process gives
two novel and very important results in this kind of manufacture,―
1°. Absolute security against any cutting of the threads when the cutting needle
enters the fabric.
2°. The power of being enabled to leave in this fabric as many needles or wires
as may be required to ensure a good manufacture.
The application of this system, which might be made upon a cloth loom, is shown
upon the accompanying Drawings as made upon an ordinary taffeta ribbon loom
with several pieces.
The needle a is carried into the fabric A by the shuttle b operating in the ordinary
manner; this shuttle has within it a horse-shoe magnet, the two ends of which
c, c', come out in the front of this shuttle, which is flat, so as to seize and hold the
steel needle as securely as if it were seized and held with the fingers.

page_text: The opening of the threads of the warp of the fabric being operated this shuttle
passes into this fabric, coming from one box or catch d to the other d', havingleft
the needle in the fabric, as shown in Figure 1, which represents the batten of the
loom, for the needle, which is of the ordinary shape, carries at the end opposite its
cutting part a heel, tail, or stop piece a', which, coming against an iron pin e, fixed
to the edge of the reed or slay, and a little above the level of the piece, is thus kept
in the fabric, the treadle arrangement of which closes while the shuttle has given
itself to the catch, the two ends c, c², of the magnetized iron having slid along the
needle until its escape.
The weight of the heel a', herein-after described, keeps the needle in the required
position, the cutting edge of the razor or cutter always upward.
The batten is ascensional in order that the second shuttle n may work in the
woof of the fabric, and then in lowering place itself so that at each beat up of
the slay upon the fabric the needle is at the height v,, out of each of
the catches.
Figures 2 and 2* represent in elevation and plan view, drawn to an enlarged
scale, the mechanism fixed behind the bench or frame of the loom in front of the
batten, which operates the withdrawal of the needles from the fabric, the one after
the other, after the well-known manner in this kind of manufacture; the needle
furnished with its cutting part a³, while being withdrawn, cutting the nap of the
velvet, forming mails or curling along this needle.
Assuming the piece of fabric A to be carrying at M either four or more needles
very close to each other, separated only by, say, four shoots of the woof, and
that the needle furthest from the weaving point has to be removed; to effect
this a rule or straight-edged bar R, which may produce, say, every five strokes
of the loom, a come-and-go movement (by the aid of an ordinary handle and a
counterweight) seizes the needle and draws it out, as herein-after explained, to
replace it in the magnetized shuttle, which will carry it again into the fabric.
Assuming that four shoots of the woof separate each of the needles, at the fifth
shoot the batten places the magnetized shuttle at the height of the fabric, and also
at that of the sliding bar R. This rule or bar is double; the first part R has a
recess capable of receiving the heel a¹ of the needle which comes into it, the move-
ment of the fabric and the position of the rule or bar being carefully regulated for
this purpose.
When the needle is to be withdrawn the second part or double rule or bar R³, to
which is fixed the driving gear, acts and brings upon the heel of the needle (which is
then seized as if in a box) the plate r of one piece with this double bar; then, as this
latter moves alone to shut in this heel only by means of the slot g. When the length
of this slot is traversed the movement will be common to both parts of this double
bar, and the needle will be drawn from the fabric, of which it will have cut the nap,
and be brought in front of the magnetized shuttle, which will have returned to the
catch d. At the moment of the beat up of the batten the magnet touches and seizes
the needle, which is delivered to it by the sliding bar, the part R' of this bar having
freed the heel of this needle by playing on its return in the reverse direction to that
in which it moved in advancing in the slot g. The double bar R, R', then comes
back to its original position, while the magnetized shuttle carrying the needle retires
with the batten.
The heel or stop of the needle is made like a knife blade, so that on the outer
side it presents a certain thickness, by which the heels of the needles passed into the
fabric touch each other, and on the opposite side the heel being thin there is between
them a space permitting the closing plater, which is itself conversely beveled, to
enter between and separate the heel of the needle which is to be withdrawn from the
adjoining needle, and finally to close or shut it up.
Amongst the means which might be employed to draw out the needle is that
shown, Figure 3; it is by the use of an electro-magnet h, set on the sliding rule or
bar 8, and seizing the heel of the needle to carry it to the desired point; this electro-
magnet will at the moment of beating up yield the needle to the magnetized shuttle

page_text: by reason of the interruption of the electric current operated by the rocking of the
pieces t, t¹, driven apart by the wedge a connected with the batten.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention commu-
nicated to me as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is or may be performed, I
desire it to be understood that I claim,-
The use of a shuttle which may seize and hold the needle by means of a magnet
(preferably to any other means) to introduce it and leave it in the fabric, the cutting
part of this needle being dominated by the height of this shuttle, which protects the
threads from its attack.
The use of a single needle-carrying apparatus for an indefinite number of needles.
And, the transmission by a sliding rule or bar, either with closing plate or with
electro-magnet of the needle to the needle-carrying shuttle, substantially as herein-
before described, and illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
TH
Th AAAAT