CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING LACE COMMONLY CALLED ORNAMENTED BOBBIN NET LACE
Year: 1836

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
BIRKIN, of the Parish of Basford, in the County of Nottingham, Lace Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth
by His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Eleventh day of May, in the sixth year of His reign,
and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, did, for
Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Richard
Birkin, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Richard Birkin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Richard Birkin, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should, at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR MAKING LACE COMMONLY CALLED ORNAMENTED BOBBIN NET LACE;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Richard Birkin,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe

page_text: and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large 5
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Richard Birkin, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
My improvements in machinery for making lace commonly called orna-
mented bobbin net lace consist in certain additions to the mechanism of a
lace-making machine, constructed upon the principle commonly called or
known as the Lever's machine, and are designed for the purpose of producing
spots upon the meshes of bobbin net by lapping certain of the bobbin threads
transversely round certain of the warp threads, which is effected without
interrupting the progressive movements of the parts that perform the twisting
of the threads for the production of the fabric of the ordinary net. This
improved mechanism.may be variously adapted to produce the spots upon the
face of the fabric in different directions, arrangements, devices, or figures.
I shall therefore consider it sufficient to describe the construction of machinery
suited for making one arrangement or disposition of spots, pointing out after-
wards the variations necessary to the production of other dispositions of spots.
The construction of a Lever's machine being well understood, I have considered
it sufficient to exhibit in the accompanying Drawings partial views only of the
machine, shewing particularly the forms, dispositions, and offices of the several
parts of the novel mechanism; the respective letters of reference pointing out
the same parts in all the Figures.
:
Figure represents a portion of the right-hand end of the machine, as seen
in elevation; Figure 2 is a partial elevation of the back of the machine;
and Figure 3, a vertical section taken through the machine transversely,
A is the warp beam, from whence the
looking from the left-hand end.
ordinary warp threads proceed upwards through guides B, in the usual way
a is an extra warp beam, from which I find it convenient to conduet, through
extra and peculiar guides b, those warp threads in couples that I am abou
to produce the spots upon, though these threads are intended to work in with
the other threads, as ordinary warp, in the production of the fabric of the net

page_text: The
C are the bobbins and carriages working in the combs D, D, in the same way
and actuated by the same mechanism as is usually employed in the Lever's
machines for twisting the bobbin threads round the warp threads; and
E, E, are the series of points for taking up the twists in forming the meshes
of ordinary bobbin net, which are also worked by mechanism in the usual
way. But from the series of points fixed on the front point bar I remove those
points which would act between the couples of warp threads that the spots are
to be formed upon, and on an extra bar I fix the extra points e, which are to
fall into the vacant spaces, and to act in conjunction with the ordinary points
in taking up the twist. The machine being prepared with warp threads and
bobbin threads, and brought into working condition by the ordinary and well-
known movements of the mechanism, the whole is put into action. Supposing
the machine to be at work, and all the bobbin carriages to have arrived at and
become stationary in the middle of the machine between the warp threads,
by the advance of the back pushers the carriages will become divided into two
series, the back and front catch bars then respectively are made to take the
two series of carriages, and draw them away from the warp threads into tho
back and front combs. The wheels now must rack the guides and the front
comb bar with its carriages; and when that is done, the carriages are by the
usual means passed again between the warp threads into the middle.
bobbin threads having thus been made to cross each other, the back catch
bar immediately takes hold of the whole series of carriages in one row, and
The
draws them through the warp threads completely into the back combs.
guide threads are now racked toward the left hand, and the front comb bar
having been restored to its former position, the carriages are again passed
through the warp threads into the front combs. In this position of the bobbins
and carriages the novel parts of the machinery begin to act; but before I
describe their operations it will be necessary to show the peculiar features,
positions, and offices of the extra guides b. The series of ordinary guides B
are fixed upon a bar as usual, extending in coincidence along the middle of
the machine, conducting all the warp threads, and such of these guides as
conduct the several couples of warp threads that the spots are to be produced
upon are to be bent a little out of the line of coincidence, in order that those
particular warp threads may be operated upon by the extra guides, without
interfering with the other warp threads. The extra guides bare fixed by
solder or otherwise to extra guide bars, and are bent nearly at a right angle at
their upper ends, in order that they may stand over and act severally upon the
threads of the couples of ordinary guides which have been bent out of the
general line. The upper end of each extra guide has a longitudinal slot or

page_text: long eye, through which the two warp threads intended to receive the spot are
passed, and hence, by means of lateral movements, the extra guides cause the
two warp threads to be occasionally brought together. The whole of the
bobbins and carriages having arrived in the front combs, as before sail,
the whole of the guides with the warp threads are shogged towards-the-right
hand, the ordinary guides B being moved one gate by the means of the ordinary
wheel F, the front extra guides b two gates by means of the extra guide
wheel and lever f*. This being done, the carriages are again passed through
the warp threads into the back combs, and then the guiles are all, slidden
toward the left hand, the ordinary guides moving one gate only, the extra guides
three gates. The whole of the bobbins and carriages are now to be passed
into the middle of the machine, and are then-in the positions technically called
the front take-up. The carriages are then to be again divided; and the front
points brought down, in order to take up the twist. It will be remembered
that the front row of taking-up points consist of two series, the ordinary
points E and the extra points e. The mode of connecting and of working
these two series must now be described. The bar on which the ordinary
points are fixed is attached to arms pendant from the pintles at the end
of the machine, technically called the top joints; the bar of the extra
points e turns upon pivots at its ends in the arms of the ordinary point
bar. The extra points e, as before said, are bent so as to enable them
to fall into coincidence with the series of ordinary points in taking up the
ordinary meshes of the net; but in producing the spots upon the net it is
necessary that those extra points which are in a line with or acting between
the
warp threads of the intended spot should be raised, in order that they may
be introduced between the warps above the situations of those bobbin threads
that have, in commencing to make the spots, been coiled round the couples of
warp threads, and partially contracted the spaces between them. This raising
of the extra points is effected by a rotary cam gacting occasionally through a
sliding bolt h upon a tail lever i at the back of the extra point bar, which cam
-I-have-found-it.convenient.to-place upon a small horizontal axle mounted in
bearings on the front point bar arm at the right-hand end of the machine.
The axle of this cam carries also a ratchet wheel k; and every time that the
front point bar descends to take up the twist one of the teeth of the ratchet
wheel strikes against a clawker 7 pendant from a stationary part of the frame,
which thereby drives the cam g round. At the period of the evolutions of the
machine mentioned above as the "front take-up" the cam 9 by its rotation is
brought into operation so as to depress the bolt h, and to cause the extra
points to rise, as shewn by dots in Figure 4, which is a sectional represen-

page_text: tation of the working parts drawn full size. The front points being now
passed in between the warp threads for the purpose of taking up the extra
points e in their raised positions, enter just above the coils of the bobbin
threads, yet sufficiently low to take up the twist; and in the rising of the point
bar a pin on the side of the ratchet wheel k is brought against a pendant
stop m, which gives the wheel k a further rotary movement, and causes the
cam g to slip off the bolt h, and the extra points to fall into coincidence with
the ordinary points, as before. The front take-up being effected, the two ranks
of bobbins and carriages are respectively drawn by the catch bars into the
back and front combs, and the front comb bar is shogged two gates towards
the right hand, the front extra guides bare at the same time shogged
one gate towards the right hand, but the main or ordinary guides B remain
stationary. The carriages are then closed, that is, the whole are brought into
the middle of the machine between the warp threads, and are from thence all
drawn by the front catch bar into the front combs. The front combs with the
carriages are now shogged two gates toward the left hand, and the front extra
guides one gate to the right, the ordinary guides B remaining stationary,
b
and when that has been done the bobbins and carriages are all again passed
through the warp threads in the middle into the back combs. The ordinary
guides B are at this time shogged one gate towards the left hand, and the
front extra guides 6 three gates in the same direction, after which the bobbins
and carriages are all passed through the warps in the middle into the front
combs, and the ordinary guides B are then shogged one gate towards the right
After
hand, and the front extra guides b two gates in the same direction.
this the bobbins and carriages are to be closed again, that is, brought into the
middle of the machinery, when they will stand in the position ready for what
is technically called the "back take-up." In this situation the carriages must
be now divided, and the back points brought down, for the purpose of taking
up the twist given to the threads by the evolutions just described. The
carriages baving been thus divided, they are to be withdrawn in the usual way
into the back and front combs, and the front series of carriages shogged two
gates towards the right hand. The main or ordinary guides B are also
shogged two gates to the right hand, and the front extra guides three gates in
the same direction, after which the carriages are to be closed into the middle,
and are thence altogether driven into the back combs. The ordinary guides
are now to be shogged two gates, and the front extra guides three gates, both
toward the left hand, which finishes the laps of thread required to form the
spots. At this period of the evolutions of the machine the operations of the

page_text: ordinary mechanism, in conjunction with the extra guides b, as described
above, have caused certain couples of the bobbins to coil their threads each
two and a half times round the respective couples of the warp threads which
are commanded by the extra guides.
I have now therefore to describe the manner in which the coils of bobbin.
threads are taken up so as to produce the spot upon the fabric at those parti-
cular parts; but as the coils have necessarily drawn their respective couples of
warp threads close together, I must first explain the means by which the
tension of those threads is relieved. For this purpose I employ a series of forks,
which at the proper times are advanced, and made to confine and draw out
from those bobbins that have lapped or coiled the spotting threads round
the couples of warp threads further lengths of threads, in order to allow the
several laps when taken up by the points to form the spots without contracting
the lateral distances of the warp threads, or deranging the figures of the
meshes. These forks are mounted upon a longitudinal bar n at the back
of the machine, which bar is connected by bent levers to a rotary cam, and by
means of that cam (as will be described) is moved in and out of operation at
the proper periods. One of the pairs of forks employed for this purpose is
shewn full size in two positions at Figures 4 & 5. As many of these pairs of
forks are mounted upon the longitudinal bar n (see Figure 3) as there
are intended to be spots in a line across the width of the sheet of bobbin net.
The arms o, Figure 3, extending from the fork bar n, are made fast to the
levers p, which turn upon centres q mounted on the back rail.
An arm r,
extending from the back of these levers, carries a stud and antifriction roller,
which works in a cam groove or hollow rotary frame s, s, s,-fixed upon a hori-
zontal shaft t behind the machine. This shaft t also carries a ratchet-wheel u,
having forty-one teeth, which is made to revolve by the ordinary movements of
the machine through the agency of a clawker v attached to the goose-neck
levers. Hence, as the cam groove s.revolves the forks will at the proper
period of the evolutions of the machine be moved inward,-and-be made to stop
the threads of the several spotting bobbins as their carriages recede into the
back combs; and this movement is so regulated by the adjusting screws as to
draw out the required lengths of thread to form the spots.
..
The construction and object of theso forks being now understood, we will
return to the working of the machine. After the ordinary guides have been
shogged two gates to the left, and the front extra guides three gates to the
left, as described above, the bobbin carriages are then all passed through the
warps into the front combs, and the ordinary guides B, and the front extra

page_text: guides b, are both shogged one gate toward the right hand. The bobbins and
carriages are then again passed through the warps into the back combs; but
before they commence this receding movement the forks have been brought
forward by the rotary cam groove 8, as described above, and become stationary
in their advanced position. The situation of the rotary cam represented in the
Drawing is that corresponding with the period of the back take-up imme-
diately preceding the movement of the forks. As the carriages thus recede, the
threads from each of the bobbins employed in producing the spots are severally
caught between the prongs of the respective forks standing opposite to them, and
the threads being thereby held in tension the further receding of the carriages
causes a certain length of thread to be drawn off from each of the spotting
bobbins. When this has been done the carriages are passed back again into
the middle of the machine, the distended threads hanging from between the
prongs of the forks, and remaining in those positions ready for the "front
take-up." The whole combined series of front points are now brought into
operation in the usual way; and in taking up the twist to form the ordi-
nary half meshes of the net they take up also the coiled threads, which
by their laxity are allowed to slip, and to be drawn to the required
tension, and laid in even transverse laps over their respective couples of
warp threads, which movement completes the row of spots. In order to
withdraw the forks, which must be done before the carriages make another
movement, a spring latch w, attached to what is called the pumping rod
of the front point bar, has been brought up by the last movement of the
front point bar into the situation shewn by dots in Figure 8, and in descending
again this latch w strikes against a pin in an arm x, and thereby knocks
the ratchet wheel u round one tooth. This occurs when the stud or anti-
friction roller of the lever r is upon the highest point of the cam s; and
the consequence is, that the stud or antifriction roller immediately slides
down the radial part of the cam, and the levers with the forks fall back into
their former positions.
The construction and object of these forks being understood, we will return
to the evolutions of the machine, which now go on making the ordinary
meshes of plain net for any space that may be desired, until another row
of spots are to be produced across the sheet of net.
But in the pattern or
disposition of the spots which are now working, after the completion of the row
of spots as described, I continue making plain net for the space of four meshes
in depth, and then bring in the spotting mechanism, as before described,
observing that now the back extra guides 6* are brought into operation in

page_text: order to form the next row of spots upon the net in situations in the warp
exactly intervening between the preceding spots, by which arrangement the
several series of spots when worked will stand in diagonal ranges across the
net. In commencing to produce this row of spots, the back extra guides are
first moved one gate toward the right hand at that period of the evolutions
when the third movement is making after the back points have taken up, the
carriages being then all in the front combs. From hence the movements are.
to be as described in the former instance until the completion of the row of
spots, observing that the extra points are placed upon the front point bar
opposite to tlic space between every couple of warp threads upon which a spot
is to be produced, and that the independent rising of the extra points will not
be attended with any inconvenience at those parts where no spots are forming,
as they are not raised so high as to avoid taking up the ordinary twist. The
forks are brought into operation exactly in the way described before; but as
there are only as many forks as are required for one series of spots, they must,
after every series of spots bave been made, be shifted laterally, in order to be
brought opposite to the several bobbin threads at the time employed in pro-
ducing spots. This lateral movement of the forks was effected when they'
were thrown back, as described above, through the agency of a sliding bolt y,
acted upon by a lateral cam i, on the side of a ratchet wheel m, mounted in a
frame fixed to the upper end of one of the levers p, which cam and ratchet
wheel are moved round upon their axis as the lever p falls back by means of
à driver z, mounted upon the back tie bar. In taking up the spots it will be
found convenient to relax the tension of those warp threads on which the spots
are to be produced. This I effect by means of a lever a, mounted on a stud
fixed in the lower part of the wood framing (see Figure 3), which lever is
connected at one end by a lifting rod 6 to a short arm extending from the
spindle bar of the front points. To the reverse end of this lever a a cord is
attached, which is passed round the end of the extra warp beam a, and
-weighted-for the purpose of holding it firmly; and at the moment that the front
point bar is depressed for the purpose of taking up the spots, the reverse end
of the lever a is lifted by the rod b, and the extra warp beam turned a little
round, which relaxes the tension of the extra warp threads as required. The
cut of wheels adapted to this machine for shogging the guide bars and fork
bar in working the pattern or diagonal arrangement of spots described above
are shewn full size at Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, and will require no further
explanation, except that it may be said they are actuated by a driver c, con-
nected to the goose-neck lever at the right-hand end of the machine, as seen in

page_text: the Drawings at Figure 2, which driver takes into a ratchet wheel f, of eighty
teeth, fixed upon the vertical shaft 9 of the extra guide bar wheels.
It will of course be understood that I do not intend to confine the employ-
ployment of my improved mechanism to the production of one pattern or
arrangement of spots alone, but that I vary the parts in such manner as may
be required for the production of spots in different orders of arrangement over
the surface of the sheet of net. For instance, I have, in the mechanism
described above, made such dispositions of the parts as will cause fourteen
warp threads between every two spots in each horizontal range to be left for
the formation of plain net, and not be acted upon by the spotting mechanism
at the time of making that row of spots. And I have also allowed nine
courses of meshes in depth to be made between each spot in a perpendicular
direction, the positions of the diagonal spots being at similar distances apart,
formed on the two middle warp threads between the former range, and on the
fifth row of meshes in depth. But if I desire to place the spots at greater or
less, equal or unequal, distances apart, in the width of the net, 1 have only to
arrange the extra guides, extra points, and forks to correspond with the
intended disposition of the spots; or if I wish to place them at greater or less,
equal or unequal, distances apart, lengthwise of the net, I have only to intro-
duce a greater or less number of ordinary motions between the spotting
motions upon the shogging wheels of the spotting guide bars, the driving
ratchet wheels of the extra points and forks having the number of their teeth
such as will bring the spotting mechanism into operation at the required
periods.
Having described my construction and arrangement of novel mechanism
for producing spots on bobbin net lace, I desire it to be understood that the
particular features of my improvements consist,―
First, in the manner in which the extra points are mounted and brought into
operation to effect their particular purpose.
Second, the extra guides for bringing the warp threads together to receive
the lapping.
Third, the method of working the forks for drawing the threads off the
bobbins.
And, fourth, the mode described of effecting the operation of spotting the
net without interrupting the ordinary operations of the machine.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Birkin, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six.
RICHARD (L.S.)
BIRKIN..

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Tenth day of November, in the
seventh year of the reign of His Majesty King William the Fourth, the said
Richard Birkin came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and
acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein con-
tained and specified, in form above written. And also the Instrument afore-
said was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the fifty-fifth
year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.