CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING BRAID
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Ashton, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Machinist, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING
BRAID."
Sealed the 17th May 1854, and dated the 17th November 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Ashton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th November 1853.
I, WILLIAM ASHTON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFAC-
TURING BRAID" to be as follows:-
My improvements apply more particularly to weaving or manu-
facturing flat braids and other similar textures, and consist in giving to
the braiding threads as they are run off the bobbins, a certain amount
of tension, by which means the said braiding threads are brought in

page_text: contact at the forked bar above the spindle table where the braiding
operation is performed, at an equal degree of stretch or tension, thereby
rendering the braid closer, firmer, and much more regular than is
accomplished by the present method. The machinery or apparatus for
effecting such purpose is as follows:-Firstly, I fix two rollers of iron
or any other suitable metal, one on each side of the framing of the
machine, running in small bearings; between these drawing rollers
and the framing is also fixed a bar of iron or other metal or material,
having as many holes in it as there are threads required. The threads
to be braided are brought from the bobbins placed on the upper
edge of the framing or any other convenient place, first through each
or any of the said holes, and then passed over the upper surface of
the "drawing" rollers, from which it passes as heretofore through the
eyelets or holes at the bottom of the machine, and then upwards
through the spindle carriages, in the manner usually employed for
manufacturing flat braids (or a single roller may be used, if pre-
ferred, having the thread passing over it instead of between the two,
as described.) A series of detached iron rollers rest in little sockets
upon the drawing rollers, pressing the thread between them, and
preventing it slipping or passing over the roller at a greater speed
than the drawing rollers are driven. Secondly, the said two drawing
rollers on each side are connected by means of a small spindle running
across the end of the machine, having small bevil wheels at the ends
working into corresponding wheels on the ends of the drawing rollers
and a small pulley fixed upon it near or about its centre. Thirdly,
upon the end of the spindle of the upper of the delivery rollers is fixed
another pulley, around which a band passes to the one upon the small
spindle connecting the two drawing rollers, so adjusted that as the
braid is delivered at these rollers the upper pulley gives motion through
the lower one to the cross spindle, and thence to the drawing rollers,
which give out in their revolutions the exact quantity of thread
required equal to the length of braid woven. Should it be required to
increase or retard the delivery of the braid, the corresponding speed of
the rollers and the quantity of braiding thread given out by them will
in all cases be in equal proportion to the quantity of braid produced.

page_text: The machinery or apparatus herein described can also be adapted and
applied to all braiding machines wherein cones are used. By the above
described method of weaving or manufacturing flat braids and other
similar textures, and by the use of the above described machinery or
apparatus, I am enabled to produce a more regular, compact, and
uniform flat braid than by the methods now or heretofore in ordinary
use and practice.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Ashton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th May 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM ASHTON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in
the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Ashton, Her
especial license that I, the said William Ashton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Ashton,
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
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFAC-
TURING BRAID," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Ashton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said Wilham Ashton, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is
to say):
My improvements apply more particularly to weaving or manu-
facturing flat braids and other similar textures, and consist in giving to
the braiding threads as they are run off the bobbins a certain amount
of tension, by which means the said braiding threads are brought in
contact at the forked bar above the spindle table where the braiding
operation is performed, at an equal degree of stretch or tension, thereby
rendering the braid closer, firmer, and much more regular than is
accomplished by the present method. The machinery or apparatus for
effecting such purpose is as follows:-First, two or more rollers of iron,
or any other suitable metal, are placed on each side of the framing of
the machine running in small bearings; between these drawing rollers
and the framing is also fixed a bar or plate of iron or other metal or
material, having as many holes in it as there are threads required.
The threads to be braided are brought from the bobbins placed on the
upper edge of the framing or any other convenient place, first, through
each or any of the said holes, and then passed over the upper surface
of the drawing rollers, from which it passes as heretofore through the
eyelets or holes at the bottom of the machine, and then upwards
through the spindle carriages, in the manner usually employed for
manufacturing flat braids, or a single roller may be used, if preferred,
having the thread passing over it, instead of between the two or more
rollers, as herein-after described. A series of detached iron rollers rest
it little sockets upon the drawing rollers, pressing the thread between
them, and preventing it slipping or passing over the roller at a greater
speed than the drawing rollers are driven. Secondly, the said two or
more drawing rollers on cach side are connected by means of a small
spindle running across the end of the machine, having small bevil
wheels at the ends working into corresponding wheels on the ends of
the drawing rollers and a small pulley fixed upon it near or about its
centre. Thirdly, upon the end of the spindle of the upper of the

page_text: delivery rollers is fixed another pulley, around which a band passes to
the one upon the spindle connecting the drawing rollers, so adjusted
that as the braid is delivered at these rollers the upper pulley gives
motion through the lower one to the cross spindle, and thence to the
drawing rollers, which give out in their revolutions the exact quantity
of thread required equal to the length of braid woven.
Should it be
required to increase or retard the delivery of the braid, the correspond-
ing speed of the rollers and the quantity of braiding thread given out by
them will in all cases be in equal proportion to the quantity of braid
produced. The machinery or apparatus herein described can also be
adapted and applied to all braiding machines wherein cones are used.
But in order that my Invention may be more perfectly under-
stood and explained in detail, I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of
Drawings, drawn upon a scale of about three inches to the foot: the
same letters refer to similar parts of the machinery in all the Figures.
Figs. 1 and 2, represent front and side elevations of the framing of
a braiding machine with my improvements exhibited attached thereto;
Fig. 3, exhibits a plan or top view of the upper rollers for preventing
the thread from slipping over the lower or drawing rollers;" Fig. 4,
is an end view, exhibiting the top and bottom or drawing rollers, the
latter rollers in connection by a strap running round two small pulleys,
so that an uniform motion of the two drawing rollers may be obtained.
a, are the bobbins from which the thread is unwound, and travelling
over the light rod b, descends and passes through its respective hole in
the plate or bar e, from whence it passes over the drawing rollers d,
and e, and continuing its descent to the eyelets or holes f, and then
upwards through the spindle carriages to the completion of the braid.
y and I, are the small rollers to prevent the thread from slipping over
the drawing rollers, as well as preserving a more complete and regular
tension;, are the bearings which receive in their sockets the small
rollers g and h; k, is an endless chain passing over and under two
pulleys and, having teeth taking into each link of the chain, and so
communicating a continuous and certain motion (proportionate to that
of the delivery rollers m, m³, m², to the drawing rollers & and e, through
the bevil gearing n and o; ', is a bevil wheel for working another set

page_text: of drawing rollers on the opposite side of the framing. Motion is
communicated from the wheel and scroll 1 and 2, through the two
small wheels 3 and 4, to the gearing 5, 6, and 7, of the delivery
rollers and through them to the endless chain k.
Having thus particularly described my Invention, I wish it to be
distinctly understood that I claim the giving a certain amount of
tension to the threads used in braiding machines, which amount of
stretch or tension of the threads is preserved uniformly throughout the
passing of the thread from the bobbins to the delivery rollers, from
whence it is given out as braid by means of the improvements in
braiding machinery, as exhibited in the Drawings annexed and herein
fully set forth and described, or any slight modification or variation
thereof which shall be substantially the same in character and effect.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Ashton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Sixteenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
WILLIAM ASHTON. (L.S.)