IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING.
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Collins, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Machine Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS
FOR WEAVING.'
Scaled the 18th May 1877, and dated the 29th November 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Collins at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th November 1876.
JOHN COLLINS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Machine
Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
This Invention has reference to a new or improved construction and adaptation
of endless pattern chain and mechanism for shedding or controlling the action of
the ordinary positive shedding mechanism of the leaves of the heddles in "tarlatan "
and such like weaving, where cords and checks are formed by passing a number of
weft shots through the same shed, and for the stopping and starting of the action of
the heddles at the proper time for that purpose, and going on with the plain
weaving again, all regularly and in succession, according to the pattern in motive
power and other looms, and in a more simple, certain, and efficient manner than by
the mechanism heretofore employed for the said purpose.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention consist of an improved construction
of light pattern chain, with short links, single and double alternately, when the
links are made by punching them out of sheet malleable metal, but they might bo
with single and double jaw or joint ends to take into each other when made of
brass or malleable cast iron. In either case the links would be plain on the top
outside for giving the normal position of the parts for plain weaving, and have a
raised part in the centre for giving or producing the stationary position of the
heddles required for the cord or "tarlatan" effect or weaving, while all the links
would have a projecting slightly bevelled or plain square tooth formed on their
inside, which rolls on and enters notches in an otherwise plain pattern wheel keyed
or fixed on the side of a ratchet wheel with a corresponding or equal number of
teeth, which both rotate looso or with a friction washer on a stud in the one side
of the loom adjacent to the crank shaft, which by an eccentric or crank pin on it
and connecting rod connected to one end of a two armed or bell-crank lever actuates

page_text: •
two pawis carried on its other end, so as to turn the ratchet wheel and chain pattern
wheel when either or both of the pawls are allowed to fall into the teeth of the
ratchet wheel, started by a cord attached to one of them and carried to a lever, the
other end of which works over a plain wood pattern wheel with recesses or notches
in it, as at present used and well known, and driven at a slow speed from the taking
up or other motion of the loom, for the lever to drop into the notches at the parts
where a cord is to be woven, and its shed controlling pattern mechanism is to como
into action; and plain all between the recesses where the lever and pawls are out
of action and when plain shedding and weaving is to be worked. The notched
wheel of the pattern chain would have rims to keep the pattern chain properly
working on it, and the endless chain would be jointed or made up of plain and
raised links in number equal to the shots of weft in the complete pattern, or cord,
or series of cords required, or a repeat of this, with a plain lateral flat projection
over the teeth or face of the ratchet wheel, where its regular turning pawl
reciprocates, so that at each repeat of the pattern this flat projection would keep
this pawl from falling into the teeth and turning the pattern wheel and chain while
the plain cloth was being woven, and until the next recess in the ordinary plain
barrel come round to give a repeat of the improved shedding pattern mechanisın
and weaving when irregular shedding is required. The raised parts on the links of
the pattern chain may either be formed on them, or made separate and screwed or
dovetailed into them; and a long pattern lever is fulcrumed on a fixed stud, so as to
rest by an antifriction roller or other equivalent on the outer raised and plain parts
of the endless pattern chain over the middle or breast of its carrying and turning
wheel, all so as to raise the outer free end of this lever when the raised links come
round sufficiently that a cord or wire attached to it and to a bell crank or other
equivalent connected to the ordinary spring or weighted lever of the shedding boss
or clutch box (or it might be other positive acting shedding mechanism) will pull it
out of action into a stationary clutch with the shed open (for as many shots as there
are raised links in succession) against the power of the spring or weight capable of
putting it into action when the said pattern lever again comes to its lower normal
position with its roller carried and rolling on the lower plain links of the pattern
chain, when the shedding boss or clutch would again fall into the regular shedding
coupling or mover and weave plain cloth until the next action or rising of the
pattern lever, which would again suspend and regulate the shedding in accordance
with the pattern chain. This commencing and turning of the pattern wheel is
effected by the ordinary long starting pawl kept out of action by its cord and lever
and slow motion wheel, as before described, which allows this recessed pawl to fall
into the tooth of the ratchet wheel behind the other pawl and projection, keeping it
out of action, so that it continues to turn the pattern wheel and chain until the
pattern has been woven, and the next lateral projection keeps the short pawl from
turning the wheel again, the starting pawl having in the meantime been drawn
back by its cord, lever, and recessed wheel, so that plain cloth would be woven until
another recess in this wheel came round, and so on alternately throughout the
weaving of the whole web.
It will be understood that, as in all such "tarlatan" or cord weaving where
several shots of weft are thrown into the same shed, while the heddles cease to move
the usual strong binding warp threads at the edges of the web are crossed at each
pick to hold the weft at the selvages, all as usual and by the ordinary means, tho
invention not interfering with this or the actual positive shedding mechanism
further than controlling the time of its action and suspension or inaction by the said
new or improved pattern shedding chain and mechanism.
Although a stationary wheel has been described for carrying the improved pattern
chain it will be evident that a reciprocating or oscillating barrel such as now used
for giving the positive motions in shedding and shuttle box moving mechanism
might be used with the said chain, or with ordinary metallic cards with projections
on them, or with holes, and a pin on the pattern lever to be acted on to raise it at
or on the blank or plain cards and pass through those with the holes, the upward

page_text: or forward motion and force of. the pattern..barrel moving the lover to throw the
shedding mechanism out of gear, as in the first modification or arrangement of the
improvement herein-before described.
i
1
In heavy looms, or where the shedding motion requires considerable power to
pull it out of action, and which would be too severe on the new or improved pattern
chain and mechanism, the actual disengaging might be done by the positive action
of a crank pin or eccentric on the crank shaft and connecting rod with a lateral
pulling catch on its free end, which though reciprocated every turn of the crank
shaft would only be pulled into action by the cord of the pattern lever and pattern
chain when required to cause the eccentric to pull the shedding motion out of gear
against the power of a light spring capable of taking the catch on the eccentric rod.
out of action, which would disengage the catch. again as soon as the plain or.
lowering links of the pattern chain passed, and allow the strong spring or other
equivalent to pull the shedding motion into action again for the ordinary shedding;
and the acting pawl on the eccentric rod might deliver the end of the lever which
it raised on to a carrying catch lever or pawl, while the shed required to be open
and be drawn back by the light spring and raising catch rod when the plain part of
the pattern chain lowered its lever and cord.
-
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Collins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th May 1877.
JOHN COLLINS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Machine
Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING.".
My said Invention has reference to a new or improved construction and adapta-
tion of endless pattern chain and mechanism for shedding or controlling the action
of the ordinary positive shedding mechanism of the leaves, of the heddles in
"tarlatan" and such like weaving, where cords and stripes or checks are formed by
passing a number of weft shots through the same shed, and for the stopping and
starting of the action of the heddles at the proper time for that purpose, aud going
on with the plain weaving again, all regularly and automatically in succession
according to the pattern, in motive power and other looms, and in a more simple,
certain, and efficient manner than by the mechanism heretofore employed for the
said purpose.
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing my said Invention
may be properly understood, I shall now proceed to describe the several Figures on
the Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of showing
the best modes and means I am at present aware of for putting the Invention into
effect or practice; the same reference letters and numerals indicating the same or
equivalent parts in all the Figures where shown.
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively an end and front elevation of an ordinary power
loom frame and Figure 3 is a plan of the one end corresponding to Figure 1, with
sufficient of the ordinary parts shown to explain and illustrate the proper action of
my said new or improved automatic pattern mechanism for controlling the action
of the heddles and their shedding mechanism, and shown in all the Figures complete
under one modification or application as applied to this loom for the weaving of the
said class of corded or striped fabrics.
Referring to these Figures 1, 2, and 3, the loom is of an ordinary construction,
with two side frames 1 secured by transverse rails 11, 11, so as to carry all the
working mechanism of the loom and the journal bearings of the first notion crank
shaft 2 with its driving belt pulleys 21 which drive the beating-up reed and lathe
of the loom, in this case carrying the picking levers, none of which is shown in the
Drawings. In this loom the tappet or can shaft 3-is carried in the journal bearing
blocks 3 on the side frame 1 below the lathe, so as to work the picking. levers
°

page_text: carried on this during its backward motion through rods and pins 5 raised by.
cranks or tappets on this shaft at 51, and also below the warp-shedding heddlo
leaves 6 worked direct by this shaft 3 through the lower drawing bands 7 and
shifting clutcli 7 and upper hanging, reversing, and guiding bands 8 carried on
pulleys 8¹ on the spindles 8" revolving loose in bearing brackets 8111 on the upper
bow rail 11 of the frame 1 of the loom. The second motion tappet shaft 3 is
actuated from the upper crank shaft 2 at half its speed by the pinion 0 and wheel 9¹
in the proportion of 1 to 2, the latter being carried on a fixed or revolving centre 911
on the one side frame, so as by a crank pin 10 in it, and the connecting rod 10¹, and
oscillating segmental toothed lever 11 working in the segmental toothed pinion 12
fixed on one end of this shaft 3 which is thus oscillated to give a shed of the warp
and a pick of the shuttle from either side of the loom, each revolution of the crank
shaft 2 and half revolution of the wheel 91 and down or up stroke of the
lever 11 which stops the motion of the shaft 3 by the stop ends or horns 11¹ and
121, while the crank pin 10 is turning its upper and lower centres and the shuttle
is passing through the shed. The warp from the beam 13 is passed over the back
and breast beams 11 of the frame 1 through the heddles 6, and shown in Figures 1 and
2, as in the shed position for the shuttle to pass through the divided warp at *, the
woven cloth being indicated at ¹ as led over the breast beam 1111 round the feeding and
cloth beams, fitted with their differential wheel gearing 3, all so far sub-
stantially as in ordinary forms of power looms used for the said class of striped or
other fabrics, and particularly that known as Todd's loom, with under reciprocating
shedding and picking shaft or mechanisin 3.
The nature, construction, and arrangement of the new or improved mechanism
consists of a light and simple construction of endless pattern chain a, a, seen
complete to a small scale in Figure 1, and a few links full size in side elevation
and plan detached in Figures 4 and 5, to show their construction more clearly.
Each single link a or a¹ is short, with a single and double end, so that the single
end of one link ships into the double or forked end of the other with the joint pin
through them, as shown, when made of brass or malleable cast iron; but they might
be made of single and double links alternately, when the links are made, as in some
chains, by punching them out of sheet malleable metal. These links a, a, are either
made plain on the top, outside, or edge, as seen at a, for giving the normal position of
the lever F and other parts which they control (as will herein-after be explained) for
plain weaving, or have a raised part, as seen at a', for giving the raised positions of
the lever F and open stationary or shed position of the heddles required for passing
several shots of the weft through for producing the corded stripes or "tarlatan" effect
in weaving; while all the links have a projecting slightly bevelled or plain squaro
tooth formed on their inner edge or side at which enter or take into cor-
responding notches divided and cut in the rim of an otherwise plain pattern chain
wheel A keyed or fixed on the side of its actuating ratchet wheel B with a cor-
responding or equal number of teeth 6 to the notches in the chain wheel; which
wheels both rotate loose, or with a friction washer on a stud A¹ fixed in the bracket
C-secured to one of the side frames 1 of the loom adjacent to the crank shaft 2,
which by an eccentric D (or crank pin) on it, and connected rod D' jointed at its
free end to one end of the two armed (or bell crank) lever E which actuates two
pawls e, e¹, carried on its other end, so as to turn the ratchet wheel B and chain
pattern wheel A, when either or both of theso working or starting pawls e, c', are
allowed to fall into the teeth of the ratchet wheel B. The pattern chain wheel A is
preferably formed with edge rims to keep the endless pattern chain a, a, properly
working on it; and the chain is jointed or made up of the raised and plain links, as
a or a, in number equal to the number of shots of weft to be woven in each cord,
and woven plain between the cords respectively, a link for each shot or pick of weft
in the whole series of cords required in the pattern and length of chain. The
starting pawl c¹ is controlled by a cord f attached to the projection el on its free
end, and carried over guide pulleys f¹ and attached to a lever, the other end of
which works over a plain wood pattern wheel with recesses or notches in it (or

page_text: other equivalent as known and in use for controlling the action of levers in pattern-
weaving looms, and so not shown in the Drawings), and which would be driven at a
slow speed froin the taking up gearing, or other motion of the loom proportionate
to the length of cloth woven, for the cord lever to drop into the notches at the parts
where a cord is to be woven across the fabric as it is taken up, the lever slacking
the cord fand letting the pawl e fall into the teeth of the ratchet wheel B by its
own weight or by the power of the spring g when the new pattern mechanism is to
come into action, and produce one or a series of cords corresponding to the length
and the arrangement of the links of the pattern chain a, a¹, and produce plain cloth
all between the recesses of the ordinary plain pattern wheel where the said cord-
lever keeps this pawl e¹ and pattern mechanisın out of action, and allows plain
shedding and weaving to be worked at the beginning or end of the pattern chain'
a, a¹, as seen at a* in Figure 1, to inake it join or suit the notches on the ordinary
cord lever pattern wheel.
A plain lateral flat projection is formed on the side of one of the links a, as seen
at a in the detached views, Figure 6, so as to project over the teeth or face of tho
ratchet wheel B where its regular turning pawl e reciprocates, so that at the end of
cach repeat of the pattern and chain where this link a is inserted, so that its flat.
projection would keep the pawl e out of the ratchet teeth band prevent it froin
turning the pattern wheel A and chain a, a¹, while the long distances of plain cloth
between series of pattern cords were being woven, and until the next recess in the
ordinary plain barrel came round to let the starting pawl el into action, and so pass
the link a round and allow the regular pawl e to come into action and give a
repeat of the improved shedding pattern mechanism and weaving when irregular.
shedding is required, all as determined by the pattern chain a, a¹.
The raised parts a¹ of the links a, a, of the pattern chain may either be formed
on them or made separate and screwed or dovetailed into them; and a long pattern
lever F is fulcrumed on a fixed stud C¹ in the bracket C, so as to rest by an antifriction.
roller F, or other equivalent, on the outer raised and plain parts of the endless
pattern chain a, a¹, over the iniddle or breast of its carrying and turning wheel A,
so that when the raised links a¹ come round they raise the outer free end F" of
the lever F, which is attached by the wire or rod G to the horizontal arm of a.
bell crank H (or other equivalent lever) with its other or vertical arm connected by
the rod G¹ to the ordinary spring pressing engaging lover 7 of the shedding boss
or clutch box 7 (mounted loose on the middle of the shaft 3, or it might be other
positive acting shedding mechanism) all so as to pull the box out of the actuating
tappet or clutch 3, fixed on the shaft 3 into the stationary clutch 711 on tlie
bracket 7x, secured to the central rail 11 of the loom frame at the moment the
shed is open and retain it so for as many shots as there are raised links a¹ in
succession, all against the power of the spring 7 (or a weight) capable of pulling
the clutch box 7' into action with its driving tappet 31 as soon as the said pattern.
lever F again comes to its lower normal position, with its roller F1 carried and
rolling on the lower plain links a of the pattern chain a, a', when the shedding boss
or clutch 7 would thus fall into the regular moving and shedding tappet
coupling 31, and weave plain cloth until the next action or rising of the pattern
lever F by projecting pattern links a¹, which would again suspend the shedding
and regulate the number of shots of weft to the cord or cords in accordance with
the pattern chain until again stopped by a link with the projection a² coming.
under the pawl e, to raise and keep it out of the teeth b of the ratchet wheel B
until the starting pawl e¹ again comes into action. This commencing and turning
of the pattern wheel A is effected by the ordinary long starting pawl el kept out
of action by its cord fand lever and slow inotion pattern and tooth wheels, all
as herein-before described, which allows this pulling and starting pawl c¹ to falls
into the teeth of the ratchet wheel B behind the other pawl e, and projecting.
links a keeping it out of action, and which being passed on brings this pawl e into
action so as to continue to turn the ratchet and pattern wheels B, A, and chain a, a¹,
until the pattern has been woven, and the next lateral projecting link a² comes

page_text: round and keeps the short pawl o from turning the ratchet wheel B further, the
starting pawl having in the meantime been drawn back by its cord f, and lever,
and recessed wheel, all as before stated; so that plain cloth must thus be woven
until another recess in this wheel comes round and slackens the cord f to again
bring the starting pawl e into action, and so on alternately throughout the weaving
of the whole web.
It will be understood that, as in all such "tarlatan" or cord weaving where
several shots of weft are thrown into the same shed to form the cord or stripe
while the heddles are held open and cease to move, the usual strong binding warp
threads at the selvedges or edges of the web are crossed at each pick to hold the
weft at and form the selvedges, all as usual by the ordinary shedding eyelet
cords, attached to their moving pulleys 3111 on the shaft 3, and over the reversing
guide pulleys 14, carried on stud brackets 141 on the upper rail 1" of the loom
frame in a vertical line over the selvedge warps, all in a usual manner, the
Invention not interfering with this or the actual positive shedding and other
mechanism of the loom indicated by numerals and the letter, further than con-
trolling the time of action and suspension or machine of the positive shedding
mechanism, all as herein described, by the said new or improved pattern shedding
chain and its connections and actuating mechanism indicated by alphabetical letters
from a to H.
Although a stationary wheel A has been described for carrying the improved
chain a, a, it will be evident that a reciprocating or oscillating barrel, such as now
used for giving the positive motions in shedding and shuttle box moving mechanism,
night be used with the said pattern chain, or with ordinary metallic cards with
projections on them, or with holes, and a pin on the pattern lever in place of the
pulley to be acted on to raise it by, or on the blank or plain cards, and pass
through those with the holes, the upward or forward motion and force of the
pattern barrel moving the lever F to throw the positive shedding mechanism out of
gear, as in the first modification or arrangement of the improvements herein-before
described in reference to the Drawings.
In heavy looms where the positive shedding mechanism requires considerable
power to pull it out of its regular shedding action, and which would be too severe
on the new or improved pattern chain a, a, and its mechanism, the actual
disengaging might be done by the positive action of a crank pin or eccentric on the
crank shaft and a connecting rod with a lateral pulling catch on its free end, which
though reciprocated every turn of the crank shaft would only be pulled into action
by the wire or cord f of the pattern lever F and pattern chain a, a, when required
to cause the eccentric to pull the shedding motion out of gear against the power of
a light spring capable of taking the catch on the free end of the said eccentric rod
out of action, and which would raise or disengage the catch again as soon as the
pulling or depressing projecting links at of the pattern chain passed, and thus allow
the strong spring or other equivalent to pull the shedding box or other positive
shedding mechanism into action again to give the ordinary shedding motion, and
the acting pawl on the eccentric rod might deliver the end of the lever which is
raised on to a carrying catch lever or pawl while the shed required to be open, and
be drawn back by the light spring and raising catch rod when the plain pattern
chain lowered its lever and cord.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode and means
by which it is or may be performed or carried into effect, I would observe that I do
not confine myself to the precise form or construction of the details herein described
or shown as many variations may be made therefrom without departing from the
main or essential features of the Invention, but what 1 consider novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hercin-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The general construction or combination of parts of a pattern chain a, a',
with a raised and plain lower link for each single shot of weft in the cords and
spaces between them respectively, forming the whole pattern or set of cords in it to

page_text: be woven, with its carrying and actuating. wheels and mechanism herein
distinguished by letters a to H, for controlling the action of the positive shedding
and holding mechanism of the beddles of looms, which as well as the other ordinary
parts are herein indicated by numerals, all substantially as and for the purposes
herein described in reference.to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any
merc modification thereof.
Second. The construction and adaptation of the said pattern chain a, a³, and its
wheels A, B, actuated by a starting and regularly acting and stopping pawl e¹ and e
carried on a lever E, reciprocated every revolution of the crank shaft, and shot of
the weft for controlling the positive shedding mechanism of looms, all substantially
as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or
any mere modification thereof...
In witness whereof, I, the said John Collins, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,.
JOHN BROWN,
Patent Agent,
96, Buchanan Street,
Glasgow.
JOHN COLLINS. (L.8.)