IMPROVEMENTS IN TWIST LACE FABRICS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Bentley, in the employment of Edward Elsey, of
the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Lace Manufacturer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TWIST LACE FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Bentley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th November 1880.
GEORGE BENTLEY, in the employment of Edward Elsey, of the Town and
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
County of the Town of Nottingham, Lace Manufacturer.
TWIST LACE FABRICS."
or net.
The object of my Invention is to produce readily in twist lace machines lace
fabrics, such as curtains, and similar articles which consist of a groundwork or net,
with a pattern or fining, or opaque work, or openwork larger than the groundwork
The not or openwork is produced by the warp crossing from one pillar to
another on one motion, and by the spool thread crossing from one pillar to the
other on the opposite motion; the opaque work or fining is produced by the spool
threads traversing across one or more warp threads on both motions as required.
In order to do this, the drafting is different to what has been done before. I use
three colours instead of two, each colour representing a different action; one colour
represents the warp threads crossing from one pillar to the other on the front
motion; a second colour represents the spool threads crossing from one pillar to the
other on the back motion, and the warp threads crossing from one pillar to the
other on the front motion; a third colour represents the spool threads traversed
across one or more pillars, as may be required on both the back and front motions.
The warp threads in the opaquo or fining work only rising and falling one gate
for forming the foundation with the bobbin threads.
The threads and jacks are worked in the following manner :-When the carriages
have passed into the back combs, the jack bar when clear of the threads rises one
gate, then the spool bar rises one gate, and the warp bar two gates; the unselected
jacks then enter the threads, when the spool bar rises two or more gates as required;
the carriages then enter the threads, and when they have passed into the front

page_text: combs, the jack bar when clear of the threads falls one gate, the spool bar falls
three or more gates as required on to the dead stop, the warp falls one gate, the
unselected jacks then enter the threads, and the warp bar falls one gate onto the
dead stop.
To effect the above movements the jacquard is required to work in what is
called double action time, or every motion, the cylinder pressing the unselected
needles back from the grid or lift as the carriages are passing the centre of the
machine from back to front, or from front to back, the grid lifting the selected
needles left by the perforated card as the carriages are passing from centre to back,
or from centre to front.
I employ two guide bars for one spool thread, and one warp thread to each
bobbin thread, the spool bar traversing three or more gates, and the warp bar two
gates as described. And to make other kinds of net by my Invention I employ an
extra warp bar, the bar rising one gate when the carriages are in the back, and
falling one gate when the carriages are in the front.
The three colours employed in the draft cause the jacks to be selected from the
threads by three separate actions on the two motions in the following manner :-
One colour selects the jacks from the threads when the carriages are in front, a
second colour selects the jacks from the threads when the carriages are in the back
and in the front, a third colour selects the jacks from the threads when the
carriages are in the back.
By such means I am enabled to produce a greater variety of open work than has
ever been produced before on the twist lace machine, and at the same time produce
it quicker than heretofore:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said George Bentley in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 21st May 1881.
GEORGE BENTLEY, in the employment of Edward Elsey, of the Town and
County of the Town of Nottingham, Lace Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TWIST LACE FABRICS."
The object of my Invention is to produce readily in twist lace machines laco
fabrics, such as curtains and similar articles, which consist of a groundwork or net
with a pattern or fining, or opaque work, and openworks larger than the groundwork
or net. The net or openworks are produced by the warp crossing from one pillar
to another on one motion, and by the spool thread crossing from one pillar to the
other on the opposite motion. The opaque work or fining is produced by the
spool threads traversing across one or more warp threads on both motions as
required.
In order to do this the drafting is different to what has been done before. I use
three colours instead of two, each colour representing a different action. One
colour represents the warp threads crossing from one pillar to the other on the
front motion; a second colour represents the spool threads crossing from one pillar
to the other on the back motion, and the warp threads crossing from one pillar to
the other on the front motion; a third colour represents the spool threads
traversed across one or more pillars, as may be required, on both the back and
front motions.
The warp threads in the opaque or fining work only rising and falling one gate
for forming the foundation with the bobbin threads. The threads and jacks are
worked in the following manner-When the carriages have passed into the back
combs the jack bar when clear of the threads rises one gate, then the spool bar rises
one gate, and the warp bar two gates. The unselected jacks then enter the threads,
when the spool bar rises one or more gates as required; the carriages then enter
the threads, and when they have passed into the front combs the jack bar when
clear of the threads falls one gate, the spool bar falls three or more gates as
required on to the dead stop, the warp bar falls one gate, the unselected jacks then
enter the threads, and the warp bar falls one gate on to the dead stop.
To effect the above movements the jacquard is required to work in what is
called double action time, or every motion, the cylinder pressing the unselected
needles back from the grid or lift as the carriages are passing from the centre of the
machine from back to front, or from front to back, the grid lifting the selected
needles left by the perforated card as the carriages are passing from centre to back,
or from centre to front.
I employ two guide bars for one spool thread, and one warp thread to each
bobbin thread, the spool bar traversing three or more gates and the warp bar two
gates as described. And to make other kinds of net by my Invention I employ
an extra warp bar, the bar rising one gate when the carriages are in the back, and
falling one gate when the carriages are in the front. The three colours employed
in the draft cause the jacks to be selected from the threads by three separate actions
on the two motions in the following manner:—
One colour selects the jacks from the threads when the carriages are in front, &
second colour selects the jacks from the threads when the carriages are in the back
and in the front.
A third colour selects the jacks from the threads when the carriages are in the
back.
By such means I am enabled to produce a greater variety of open work than has
ever been produced before on the twist laco machine, and at the same time produco
it aniolzen than horotofone

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents a sectional view of a portion of a twist lace machine sufficient
to illustrate my improvements, and showing the relative positions of the guide bars
and their threads, the jack bar and spring jacks with the strings for selecting
them.
Figure 2 is a side view of a stop plate cam.
Figure 3, a side view of the jacquard lifting cam.
Figure 4, a side view of the cam for operating the guide bar No. 2.
Figure 5 represents a sectional view of the method of regulating the position of
a spring jack direct from the jacquard by means of a single string.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL PARTS AND THEIR SEPARATE MOVEMENTS.
When using an extra warp bar, that is three bars in the whole, exclusive of the
perforated steel bars, for laces, purls, scollops, and other kinds of breadths, I
employ the arrangement of the several parts as shewn at Figure 1.
The cams employed for operating the guide bars 1 and 3 are the same as those
used when making the ordinary double or single tie curtain net.
The cam used for rocking the jack bar is the same as that used when making
the ordinary single or double tie curtain net,
And the requisite traverse of the jack bar and jacks in the direction of the
length of the machine is obtained by the usual cam employed when making the
ordinary double tie curtain net.
A represents a string attached to the hook or upright needle of the jacquard,
and to a lever G; the strings are passed through the sley B supported by two or
more brackets C secured to the front of a bar F the length of the machine, the
bar being attached at each end, and intermediately when required to the standards
or framing.
D, a lever trick lead carrying trick plates E, between which levers G rock which
regulate the action of the spring jacks; each lever has two flat rests G', G³, on its
back under edge; the back lower edge is formed with two hooks, to one or other
of which one end of a spring is attached, its other end being attached to a spring
jack J; H is a stop plate carried by a requisite number of stop plate brackets H',
each provided with a set screw H to adjust its vertical height. The brackets H'
are secured to and rock with a stop plate bar I operated by the cam, Figure 2.
One of the flat rests G' or G³ lies upon the top front edge of the stop plate H,
according to the position in which it is placed by the cam, Figure 2; J, J, J, show
the different positions of the spring jack on the two separate motions.
K is a jack trick lead carrying tricks in which the upper selecting ends of
the spring jacks lie. The jack trick leads are secured by screws to a bar K¹ in
the usual way.
The guide bara 1, 2, 3, each carry a full set of guides, and are supplied with
threads from beams or spools as required.
The letters A, B, C, D, on Figure 2 shew the four separate motions of the stop
plate cam. The letters A, B, C, D, on Figure 3 show the four separate motions
of the jacquard lifting cam; it is worked on the ordinary time shaft, and the
excentric cam for working the cylinder is fixed on a counter shaft driving double
time.
The letters A, B, C, on Figure 4 shew the three separate motions of the cam for
operating the guide bar number 2. I employ the ordinary spring jack J, trick
leads K, and trick or sley bar K. The movements of the spring jack may be
regulated to the position required on the separate motions of the machine either
with the lever G and stop plate H, or without them, or the jacquard lifting cam,
Figure 3; or I may regulate the required position of the jack on both motions
by the ordinary excentric lifting cam, and the string attached to the hook or

page_text: upright needle of the jacquard passing through a sley at the back of the machine;
and attached to the jack as shewn at Figure 5. The movements for regulating the
position of the jack on both motions of the machine are as follows: When the
carriages are in the back combs, and the stop plate His in the position of H³, and
the jacks are in the position of J. The needles of the jacquard, by the action of
the perforated card and the lifting cam, Figure 3, motion C, having selected the
levers and placed them in their highest position, seen at Figure 1, the jacks rise
one gate, number 3 guide bar rises one or more gates, number 2 guide bar rises
two gates, and number 1 guide bar rises one gate; the stop plate having now
changed its position by means of the cam, Figure 2, motion B from H³ to H',
the unselected jacks enter the threads, the selected levers lie on the stop plate on
rest G2, number 3 guide bar then rises one, two, or more gates. The carriages then
enter the threads and pass into the front combs, and when clear of the threads the
jacks fall one gate onto the dead stop, No. 3 guide bar falls onto the dead stop,
No. 2 guide bar falls one gate, and No. 1 guide bar falls one gate onto the dead
stop.
'
The whole of the selected jacks then enter the threads by means of the stop
plate changing its position from H' to H³, operated by the cam, Figure 2,
motion A, and the needles of the jacquard by the action of the perforated card
and the lifting cam. Figure 3, motion B, having selected the levers and placed
them in the centre position, the stop plate then changes its position from H³ to H*
by means of the cam; Figure 2, motion D. The selected levers rest on the stop
plate or rest G. The selected jacks now being in a position between the second
and third guide bars, the No. 2 guide bar falls one gate on to the dead stop.
-
The carriages then enter the threads and pass into the back combs. To regulate
the action of the jacks, as abové described, it is effected in the following manner:-
As the carriages are passing from the central to the back combs, the grid lifts the
selected hooks, which places the lever Ginto the highest position, shewn at Figure 1,
leaving the unselected levers in the lowest position. As soon as the grid has lifted,
the stop plate changes its position from H³ to H', by means of cam; Figure 2,
motion B. The levers now resting on the stop plate at Gs the grid may at once fall
in proper time to lift the selected hooks for the front motion in the following
manner-The grid lifts the selected hooks just above the unselected hooks by
means of the cam, Figure 3, motion A, and remains there until the stop plate
changes its position from H to H³; it then lifts the selected hooks and levers G
into the central position by motion B, Figure 3. As soon as the grid has lifted,
the stop plate changes position from H³ to H. The levers G now lie on the stop
plate H at G¹, the grid may at once fall in proper time to lift the selected hooks
for the back motion.
By the improvements above described of operating upon the warp threads with
the jacks, when the carriages are in the front only, and by traversing the warp
threads two gates in the manner described, I am able to produce a greater variety
of openworks than heretofore, thereby producing an improved combination net, and
by the described arrangement of the guide bars, and my improved method of
selecting and regulating the jacks, I make a further improvement in the
combination net, and I can produce imitation Swiss net with an improved
embossment in colours, that is, the colour of an embossed figure will be the same
on both sides of the net, and by using the ordinary jacquard with one needle only
to each string, I can produce imitation Swiss and combination nets with muslin
shades more readily and quicker than heretofore.
In the above description I have mentioned an arrangement employing three
guide bars alone or in addition to the perforated bars, but I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to this arrangement when I employ two
guide bars, either alone or in addition to the perforated bars. The movements are
effected in the following manner :-The number 1 guide bar being dispensed with,
the number 2 guide bar traverses 2 gates on both motions, as already described,
and the number 3 guide bar is traversed across one or more warp threads on both

page_text: motions as required, that is to say, when the carriages have passed into the back
combs the number 2 guide bar rises two gates, the number 3 guide bar rises one or
more gates when required, and the jacks rise one gate. The unselected jacks for
forming the openworks then enter the threads, and the number 3 guide bar again
rises one or more gates as required; the carriages then enter the threads and pass
into the front combs, and when just clear of the threads, the number 3 guide bar
falls on to the dead stop, the number 2 guide bar falls one gate, and the jacks fall
one gate on to the dead stop, and the whole of the selected jacks then enter the
threads, and the selected jacks to allow the threads passing through the number 2
guide bar to fall one gate on to the dead stop are drawn just clear of the number 2
guide bar threads, but not clear of the number three guide bar threads; the
carriages then enter the threads and pass into the back combs; the jacks are
selected in the same manner as already described when using three guide bars,
that is, with the method as shewn in Figure 1, and I may also select them in the
usual manner, namely, by the jacquard driving double time, and using an excentric
cam for lifting the hooks and the strings attached to them, which strings are passed
through a sley at the back of the machine, as shewn in Figure 5. Such are the
methods I employ for selecting the spring jacks for the purposes set forth.
Having now fully described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that I claim, the several separate com-
binations of apparatus for manufacturing improved lace fabrics in twist lace
machines, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Bentley, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of May, in 'the year of our Lord One thousand
Witness,
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Nottingham.
GEORGE BENTLEY. (L.S.)