Iм- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF PATTERNED FABRICS, IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYEDREIN
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Edwards, of the Town and County
of the Town of Nottingham, Mechanist, for the Invention of "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF PATTERNED FABRICS,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Edwards
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th September 1870.
I, FREDERICK EDWARDS, of the Town and County of the Town of
Nottingham, Mechanist, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF PATTERNED
FABRICS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN,” to be as
follows:-
The object of my Invention is to manufacture or produce patterned
fabric goods, such as have been hitherto usually made by cards and

page_text: jacquard machines, for which this Invention is intended as a substitute.
For this purpose I use an endless band of paper or other convenient
substance which is perforated, and it is worked by a cylinder or shaft
with gathering pins to carry the band round. On the end of the same
is a wheel having teeth in number to suit the required pattern. This
wheel and shaft or cylinder are moved by a wheel having winged teeth,
so formed that the wheel drives the cylinder or shaft one tooth or more
as required, and thus a portion of the revolution of the shaft or cylinder
is performed so as to bring the perforated band in connection with the
needles or hooks that raise the threads or other appliances employed to
make the figure or pattern. I sometimes employ a number of these
bands working on a cylinder or shaft of the length of the machine or
loom, especially when making a number of breadths of work, such as
ribbons or other goods, and each breadth or piece of work may be made
of a different pattern. By this method the lashing or harness is fixed
direct for the work, thus avoiding the necessity of mounting the
machine or loom "high" and saving the extra length of cord heretofore
required as well as avoiding variations hitherto caused by atmospheric
pressure upon the cards. And by this direct action of the cord they will
not require the weight of hinges to bring them down. Thus the weight
and cost of the machine or loom will be reduced.
My Invention is applicable to the manufacture or production of lace,
ribbons, silks, stuffs, carpets, and all patterned fabrics and goods usually
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th March 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
EDWARDS, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham,
Mechanist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give

page_text: and grant unto me, the said Frederick Edwards, Her special licence
that I, the said Frederick Edwards, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick Edwards, my executors,
administrators, and 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 THE MANU-
FACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF PATTERNED FABRICS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Frederick Edwards, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of 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 same 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 I, the said Flederick Edwards, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings here-.
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
The object of my Invention is to manufacture or produce patterned
fabric goods such as have been hitherto usually made by cards and
jacquard machines for which this Invention is intended as a substitute.
For the purpose of my Invention I use an endless band of paper or other
convenient substance which is perforated, and it is worked by a cylinder
or shaft with gathering pins to carry the band round; on the end of the
same is a wheel having teeth in number to suit the required pattern.
This wheel and shaft or cylinder are moved by a wheel having winged.
teeth so formed that the wheel drives the cylinder or shaft one tooth or
more as required, and thus a portion of the revolution of the shaft or.
cylinder is performed so as to bring the perforated band in connection
with the needles or hooks that raise the threads or other appliances
employed to make the figure or pattern. I sometimes employ a number
of these bands working on cylinders or a shaft of the length of the

page_text: machine or loom, especially when making a number of breadths of
work, such as ribbons or other goods, and each breadth or piece of
work may be made of a different pattern. By this method the
"lashing" or "harness" is fixed direct for the work, avoiding the
necessity of mounting the machine or loom high and saving the extra
length of cord heretofore required, as well as avoiding the variations
hitherto caused by the atmosphere upon the cords, and by this direct
action of the cord they will not require the weight of lingoes to
bring them down. Thus the weight and cost of the machine or loom
will be reduced.
My Invention is applicable to the manufacture or production of lace,
ribbons, silks, stuffs, carpets, and all patterned fabrics and goods usually
hitherto made by jacquard machines.
I now proceed to more particularly show with reference to the
accompanying Drawings in what manner the Invention may be carried
into effect.
Figure 1 is a sectional view of my improved apparatus for the pro-
duction of patterned fabric goods such as are usually made by and
with the aid of cards and jacquard machines; Figure 2 is a sectional
view of the left end of one of the cylinders, showing the method of
securing it upon its shaft; Figure 3 is an end view of the driving
shaft and the cams which operate the several parts; Figure 4 is a
partial front view showing the right-hand end; Figure 5 is a plan
showing the respective positions of the several parts. In this view
portions of the apparatus are shown broken away in the direction of
the centre of the length of the first cylinder to the right, and a portion
only of the length of the second cylinder is shown.
The apparatus consists of an endless band A, Figures 1, 3, 4, and 5,
of paper, metal, or other convenient substance, perforated according
to the required pattern. Such perforations are shown at Figures 2
and 5, only the length of the band varies according to the length of
the pattern or patterns to be produced. The band may be of the
width of the cylinder herein-after referred to. There are holes punched
near each edge of the band to receive the gathering pins B¹ which
project from the cylinder B near each end. The cylinder forms part of
or is secured firmly upon and turns with the shaft O, to one end of which
is attached a wheel C¹, having teeth to suit the required pattern. The

page_text: wheel shaft and cylinder are moved by a wheel C³ carried by a cam
shaft at one end. of the framing.. The wheel C has winged teeth,
which teeth. arc so formed that the wheel drives the shaft one tooth
or more as required, and thus performs a portion of a revolution
of the cylinder and brings the perforations in the band opposite the
inner ends. of the needles which operate the hooks attached to the
harness to raise the threads or other apparatus employed to make
the figure or pattern. The band A after leaving the gathering pins
of the cylinder passes round two smaller cylinders D. and D, over
a cylinder D³, into a trough. or other receptacle, from which it passes.
over a cylinder D³ to two other cylinders D', which cylinders slightly
press the band between them and hold it steady until drawn up by
the partial revolution of the cylinder B. The six smaller cylinders
keep the band steady and stretched when a short patterned band is.
used, but when the band is somewhat longer its own weight will
pass it into the trough or receptacle.. The cylinders or rollers D, D',
D2, D3, may then be dispensed with. To ensure the band being
kept upon the gathering pins as they pass upwards I use a pair of
pressing rollers E at each edge of the band, each roller being grooved
to allow of the passage of the gathering pins; these rollers turn upon
axles carried by a curved arm which works on a pin in a bracket E!
screwed to the framing F, thus allowing the rollers E. to rise or fall.
according to any inequality of the band. When I employ long
bands or pattern bands, liable to be repeatedly used I strengthen.
the edges and protect the gathering, holes from being frayed or worn.
by placing a perforated linen or other tape or narrow band on the
inside or outside of the perforated pattern band and join tho three bands.
together by inserting brass or other metal eyelet holes, and I close
the said metal eyelets. by a punch, thus insuring the line or lines
of pattern perforations ranging with the line or lines of needles.;
these narrow bands and eyelets are shewn at Figures 2 and 5. The
framing F may be of cast metal or other material, and to it the
several parts of the apparatus may be attached, the said framing and
apparatus. may be placed above the loom or other machine to which it
is applied or it may be secured to the framing of the machine. Below
the gathering cylinder C is a bar G which is pierced with horizontal
slots for the greater part of its length, thèse slots are for the inner ends
of the needles to pass into, the bar is free to slide horizontally upon

page_text: stands G¹ screwed in the framing, so as to clear cach side of the per-
forated band; in the back of the slots there are links G³, held by pins,
the back end of each link is hinged to one end of a bell-crank lever K,
the other end of the lever is hinged to a rod K³, connected with a rod K³
which has its right end screwed into a swivel, hinged to the upper end
of a lever K', which rocks in a clip bearing on the right outer end
framing, the lower end of the lever K' carries a truck operated by a
cam K³ on the cam shaft, by this arrangement the bar G is moved the
required distance towards the front of the apparatus to make a selection
of the hooks H while the perforated band is not revolving, the bar being
moved back into the position shewn in Figures 1 and 5 by a spring
which is attached at one end to the rod K', and at the other end to any
convenient part of the framing, but not shewn in the Drawings. In
front of the bar G, and moving to and fro with it is a right angled sley
bar attached to the bar G by studs interposed between them at each side
of the endless band which passes between the back of the skey and the
front of the bar G, which arrangement at each motion of the machine
clears the band from the ends of the needles; these needles H are
arranged in pairs, their front ends are looped and lie in, and pass through
slots in a front sley bar G³, out of which slots they are prevented from
escaping by a small cotter pin H¹. Each needle centrally of its length
forms a small eye through which is passed the hooked end of a looped
wire I, the other straight end of the wire forming a spring rests upon the
back of a wire L supported by the framing. This spring forces the
hooked end of the looped wire to lie over the upper edge of an inclined
bar M except when it is held clear of such bar by the non-perforated
parts of the endless band pressing upon the back end of the needle H,
the hooked end of the wire then occupies the position shown by the
dotted lines in Figure 1. At each motion of the machine the hooks
which lie over the bar M are lifted the required height by the following
means: The inclined bar M is attached by brackets to a lifting bar M²,
which slides at each end in grooved brackets M² secured to the framing,
the lifting bar is attached near each end by a double-ended link to the
lower end of a bell-crank lever M³, which rocks in a bearing attached
to the top of the framing, the upper end of the lever is hinged to a
rod M', having its right end screwed and adjustable in a clip hinged to
the upper end of a vertical rocking lever M³, which carries at its lower
end a truck operated by the cam M on the cam shaft, which is also

page_text: provided with a bevil wheel gearing into a similar wheel on a vertical
shaft driven by the machine to which the apparatus is applied. The
lower end of the looped wires I are formed of the shape shewn at
Figure 1, so as to rest upon a horizontal sley N through which the loops
are passed to the lower end of the loops, the cords of the harness are
tied, the threads to be lifted being passed through the eyes of the
mails N¹ which may be weighted as required.
I proceed to pescribe a second modification in which the several parts
above described are employed with the following alterations:-The bar G
and its connections, and the sleys G³, Gʻ, and G³ being placed lower
down on the hooked wires I, a considerably less to-and-fro horizontal
movement of the bar G will suffice to clear the hooked ends of the wires
from the inclined bar M. In such case I substitute an endless band of
paper, metal, or other convenient substance without any other perforations
in it than the holes for the gathering pins, the selection of the needles
being effected by raised surfaces on the endless band; such surfaces may
be embossed in any suitable manner according to the pattern required;
or they may be formed by taking a piece of printed, checked, or ruled
paper, each line or squares of which will range with the line of needles H
and glueing or otherwise cementing portions of cardboard or other
material cut to the width of the squares and of various lengths to the
outer surface of the endless band, such cardboard or other material being
of the same thickness as corresponds with the required throw of the
needles when moved clear of the bar M, portions of a band so prepared
are shown in plan at Figure 5 to the right, a portion of a perforated band
is shewn at the left of the Figure. It may sometimes be necessary to
employ a number of these bands to work on a shaft of the same length
as the machine or loom, especially in machines or looms making a number
of breadths of work such as ribbons or other goods where each breadth
made is of a different pattern; by this method the lashing or harness is
fixed direct for the work, and thus the necessity of mounting the machine
or loom high is avoided, and the evils arising from atmospheric variations
are avoided, and the extra length of cord heretofore required is saved.
By such direct action of the harness a great weight of lingoes to bring
them down will not be required. These modifications are applicable to
the manufacture or production of lace, ribbons, silks, stuffs, carpets, and
all patterned fabrics, and goods usually mode by jacquared machines. In

page_text: the above modifications: I have only described and shewn one tier or
line of projections or perforations and needles,, but I sometimes employ
two or other number of tiers or lines of projections or perforations and
needles according to the pattern or patterns required or according to
the arrangement of the loom or other machine to which the apparatus
is applied.
The above modifications, each producing the same effect, differ mainly
in the substitution of a raised surface for a perforated one, and in the
variation of the length of the needles H, which when employed on an
endless band carrying projections on it will require to be, say, one-
sixteenth or one thirty-second of an inch shorter than the needles
operated by a perforated band; if the projections stand above the band.
one-sixteenth or one thirty-second of an inch, that is to say, the needles
operated by the projections will require to be as much shorter than the
needles operated by the perforated band to an extent equal to the depth
of the projection. In both arrangements the hooked wires are acted on:
simultaneously and the selected wires are held clear of the grid or lifting
bar or bars while it or they rise through the space required for the lift.
The advantages of employing the above arrangements are these,
suppose many breadths of narrow fabric goods are made in one loom or 2
other machine, it is customary to connect one cord from every breadth
of work to the same hook, for instance, if making sixteen breadths the
looped hook has sixteen cords connected with it, if worked by one
jacquard machine, and eight if worked by two jacquards. Whereas with
my improved apparatus I employ four bands to sixteen breadths of work, 2
and then it will be necessary to attach four cords to each hook, and if
the sixteen breadths of work are all of the same pattern, the four bands.
can be all punched at the same time, being placed on the plates one over
the other. If punched separately of different patterns the loom or
machine will produce sixteen breadths of four distinct patterns, and thus a
if two breadths of work are connected eight different patterns will be
produced, if separate sixteen patterns, the advantage of which is
evident.
.
The Drawings shew a scale of of an inch for each perforation or
projection, that is sixty-four to each square inch of band surface. 3
Suppose the apparatus be attached to a loom and one band and pattern
be employed to four breadths of work in making a ribbon two and a half

page_text: inches wide, I should require 3 inches opening in the lathe or batten for
making the work in, and 6½ inches for the shuttle race, that is, thirty-
eight inches for my pattern space, and in this space I am enabled to
work with one tier of hooks three hundred and four threads occupying
5 one-eighth of an inch in length of the paper band for every shoot. If I
employ two rows of hooks one-quarter inch of band will raise 608 threads,
and if I employ 3 rows of hooks ths of an inch of band will raise 912
threads. In employing a raised or projecting surface greater space is
provided for any variation of paper, as a space of th of an inch square
is given to receive the point of the needle H. As there are no holes in
the band except the gathering holes which are shown in the Drawings,
one on each side to each inch of length of band, or the gathering pins may
be placed any suitable distance apart, and the cylinder moved the distance
required, any width of band and number of rows of hooks may be
employed as the nature of the work or machine requires. Draught paper
of the same scale as the apparatus used in the direction of its width
may have the pattern drawn upon it by the designer, and the projecting
bits cemented on it where marked according to the nature of the pattern,
the projections knocking the hooks clear of the lifting bar or grid, and
the unselected ones raising the threads.
In case of weaving broad goods, say carpets or other goods, a number
of bands may be used, each containing a portion of the pattern, thus in
a carpet 3 feet wide there would be 288 hooks acting over the work direct,
and they would not require to be mounted high; if more threads were
required to be moved it can be done by extending the cylinder and shaft
over the ends of the machine; if it projected 12 inches over each end the
2 feet in length will give an addition of 190 hooks, making altogether
480 hooks in one row, occupying one-eighth of an inch of band in length
for each shoot.
The above modifications are applicable to all machines to which
jacquards are applied as the lift is not interfered with.
My improvements may be applied to such machines by simply taking
away the cylinder or cylinders and movements, and substituting a
cylinder or cylinders and movements as above described.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,-

page_text: First. The improved method of manufacturing or producing patterned
fabrics herein-before described.
Secondly. The arrangement and combination of parts herein-before
described constituting the improved machinery or apparatus for the
manufacture or production of patterned fabrics.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Edwards, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Office,
Nottingham.
FREDERICK EDWARDS. (L.S.)