CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WEAVING AND WINDING
Year: 1823

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, STEPHEN
WILSON, of Streatham, in the County of Surrey, Esquire; send greeting.
WHEREAS His present Majesty King George the Fourth, by His Letters
Patent under the Great Seal Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster,
the Thirty-first day of May, in the fourth year of His said Majesty's reign, after
reciting therein that I, the said Stephen Wilson, had, by my Petition, humbly
represented that in consequence of my own discoveries, and communications made
to me by Foreigners residing abroad, I was in possession of " CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WEAVING AND WINDING," and that the same had never
been practised, to my knowledge or belief, by any other person or persons in
this Kingdom or the Colonies, did give and grant unto me, the said Stephen
Wilson, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, His especial licence, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Stephen Wilson, my exors,
adiiors, and assigns, and every of them, by myself and themselves, or by my
and their deputy or deputies, servants or agents, or such others as I, the said
Stephen Wilson, my exors, adññiors, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and all times hereafter during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend the said Invention, within that part of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland called England, the Dominion of Wales, and Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all His Majesty's Colonies and Plantations
abroad, in such manner as to me, the said Stephen Wilson, my exors,
adors, or assigns, or any of them, should in my and their discretion seem
meet, and that I, the said Stephen Wilson, my exors, admors, and

page_text: assigns, should and lawfully might have and enjoy the whole profit, benefit,
commodity, and advantage from time to time coming, growing, accruing,
and arising by reason of the said Invention, for and during the term of years
therein mentioned, to hold the same unto me, my exors, adiñors, and
assigns, for the term of fourteen years from the date of the said Letters
Patent; in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that if I,
the said Stephen Wilson, should not particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and scal, and cause the same
to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calen-
dar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, that
then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages whatsoever
thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine, and become void, anything
therein-before contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding.
NOW KNOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Stephen Wilson, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Improvements
in Machinery for Weaving do consist in causing the axe carré, or revolving
bar to act more immediately on the lifting hooks or upright wires than in the
machines now in use, by means of an apparatus which does away with the
necessity of the lifting bars and needles, which are required to complete the
operation of raising the threads of the warp in weaving machines as they
are now constructed, and in which said apparatus the revolving bar is placed
at the top of the machine instead of at one side, and is connected with the
lever in such manner as to rise and fall with it, performing by such rise and
fall the necessary operation on the hooks or upright wires, without the inter-
vention of lifting bars and needles, as before mentioned. And further, I do
hereby declare, that the nature of my said Improvements in Machinery for
Winding do consist in placing the rices or reels in a revolving frame, which I
call a revolving table, in such manner that the winder may turn cach bobbin,
and cach rise or reel to his or her hand at pleasure, without deranging or
stopping the winding movements of the others. And in further compliance with
the said proviso, I, the said Stephen Wilson, do hereby describe the manner
in which I perform my said improvements by the following description thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings and Figures annexed, that is to say:-
And, first, I do hereby describe the manner in which I perform my said
Improvements in Machinery for Weaving, reference being had to the Drawing
marked A.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus comprising my said im-
provements in weaving. A is a lifting movement acted upon by a lever C,

page_text: and moving on axes at a, a. b, b, b, b, are two rods of iron, fastened to the
frame of the lifting movement, which I call the elevator, at D, D, and therefore
moving up and down with it; these rods turn on axes at D, D, in order always
to preserve a perpendicular when rising and falling. At the top of these rods of
iron, and turning on its axes in them, is B, the axe carré, or revolving bar.
C is a spear-headed catch turning on a fixed center at e, and so placed that
when the revolving bar rises with the elevator the under side of one bar 6 of
the
spear head catches on a projection or knob, of which there are four, one
at each corner of the square end of the bar, and turns it round a quarter of a
revolution, while the angle made by the head of the spear allows the bar to
descend without interruption. The cord fand weight 9 are for the purpose of
inclining the spear head always to that side towards which it is wished the
bar should turn. When it is required to turn in a contrary direction the cord
and weight are brought over to the other side of the framework. h, h, are
two springs to steady the revolving bar, and for the purpose of better regulating
its quarterly revolution. These springs open or extend to admit the diagonal
of the square in its revolution, but this movement is shewn more clearly and
at large in Figure 7, to which I here refer, and in which the letters cor-
respond with those marked on Figure 1, where the parts are similar. It is
very essential to the clear comprehension of this apparatus that this first and
leading movement should be distinctly understood, and therefore I have
described a second perspective view of the same.
Figure 2 is the said second perspective view of the said apparatus, and
shews the situation of the revolving bar, the spear-head catch, and the springs
h, h, when the elevator has been raised by pressing down the lever C.
Having thus shewn the connexion between the revolving bar and the elevator,
and that they move up and down strictly together, and which is the first
principal movement of the apparatus, I will now describe the next or second
principal movement connected with the apparatus. But I will first observe,
that in this apparatus the wires which are acted upon by the axe carré, or
rovolving bar, are those to which the necking is actually fastened; and the mode
by which these wires are raised and depressed and retained in their respective
situations at pleasure is what I am now about to describe by Figures 3 and 4,
and constitutes the said second principal movement connected with the apparatus.
Figures 3 and 4 represent two thin metal plates, perforated with holes
exactly corresponding with those in the revolving bar and with each other,
and laid one over the other. This position of the plates I call their open
position. Figure 4 represents the aforesaid plates laid over each other, but with
the upper one moved about the sixteenth of an inch in a longitudinal direction
from A to B, just so that the holes in it and the lower one shall not corre-

page_text: spond, but shall have the appearance represented in this Figure, which position
I call the shut position of the plates. E is a piece of wire, and F a boss or
bead on the middle of the same, and these are introduced merely for the pur-
poses of elucidation and explanation. Now it is quite evident that the bead
on the wire E not being quite so large as the holes in those plates, Figure 3,
if I attempt to pass the wire through the plates while the holes are in exact
opposition, as at Figure 3, it will do so readily; but if I attempt the same
thing while the holes are not in opposition, as at Figure 4, it is equally evident
that, though the wire will pass through as far as the bead, yet the bead cannot
pass through, and thus the progress of the wire will be arrested at that par-
ticular point.
Now, having laid down this position, I will proceed to show its application
to my said weaving apparatus, in describing the said second principal movo-
ment, reference being had to the following Figure.
Figure 8 represents the upper part of my said apparatus, C being the
revolving bar. At soine distance under the said bar I introduce two of the
aforesaid plates, as at G; and in order to cause a backward and forward sliding
motion of the upper of these plates on the under one, I fix a slight spring at
one end of the upper plate to force it one way, and cause a point K, which
protrudes from the other end, to strike against a motion plate J, and force it
the other way; but in order to shew this motion more clearly it is drawn
large at Figure 9, to which Figure I here refer. To cause this point to act
I cause the plates G to rise with the rods b, b, b, b, but not till the rods have
first risen about an inch and a half, that the revolving bar may be clear of the
upper ends of the wires, and free to revolve without touching them in its revo-
lution. I then fix the motion plate J to the side of the framework, and the
point K, which is fixed to the upper of the two perforated plates, when it is
raised with the elevator, strikes against the motion plate, and forces back the
upper perforated plate. This motion plate J turns on a pivot at r, and is pushed
back when the perforated plates rise, by means of the side guide S. When
the perforated plates descend, there is a boss P, on the rod b, which strikes the
motion plate, and pushes it forward to meet the point K again when next it
ascends. I should observe, that when the perforated plates descend to a certain
point, the motion plate J, having been pushed back by the side guide S, the
point slips off, and the spring at the opposite end of the upper plate pushes it
forward. This constitutes the open position of the perforated plates; and it
should be stated, that so long as the point K acts against the motion plate, so
long the perforated plates are in their shut position, which is in fact at all
times except when the point K slips off the motion plate for an instant on
its arrival in its descent at the situation R, after which the point K is

page_text: immediately acted upon again by the motion plate, being forced forward by
means of the boss P on the rod b.
Having now described how I obtain the sliding motion of the upper
perforated plate, I will proceed to describe the operation of this motion on the
wires and beads.
Figure 6.-A, B, and C, are mere boards, like comber boards, used as guides
for the wires, being bored with holes corresponding with those in the revolving
bar, but of a size only to admit the wire and not the bead. D is a frame con-
taining the two perforated metal plates, and in which frame the sliding motion
the upper of of these plates takes place. 9, 9, 9, 9, are four upright wires or
lifting hooks, and ffff, are four of the cords for the necking attached to
these hooks or wires at e, e, e, e. a, a, a, a, are oval beads soldered on to the
wires, equidistant from their upper ends, and c, c, c, c, are four other beads also
soldered on to the wires at the distance of about two inches and a half below
the upper beads. Slipt loosely on the wire, under the lower bead, is a small
open spiral spring. When the wires are first arranged to commence a piece.
of work, and before they have been acted upon by the revolving bar, all strain
from the necking will be taken off them by means of the knots b, b, b, b, and
the wires will be supported in the situation here represented by the spiral:
springs h, h, h, h. In this position of the wires it will be seen that the upper
beads are above the perforated plates in the frame D, and in this position the
perforated plates are supposed to be shut, so that when the elevator is raised,
the beads not being able to pass below the perforated plates, the wires will
be. carried up with them, the revolving bar will perform one quarter of a
revolution, and according to the patern punched on the pasteboards in the
ordinary way, when the elevator descends again a certain number of the wires
will be pressed downward, and the sliding motion of the perforated plates
being so contrived that they shall be open at that particular moment, the_
beads are enabled to pass below the said plates, when such pressure as afore-
said is received from the pasteboards, and the wires will assume a position as
represented in Figure 10, the beads of the wires a, a, being forced below the
perforated plates. On looking at these wires a, a, as drawn in the Figure, it
will be seen that the spiral springs are compressed, and that the cords attached
to the hooks at the bottom of the wires are slack, the knots b, b, preventing
the weight of the necking from having any effect on them. It should here be
observed, that the perforated plates are never open, except for a moment of
time, and that the moment the beads have passed through, the plates again
assume their shut position. Thus it will be seen, when the elevator is raised
for a second operation, the perforated plates will only take up with them such

page_text: of the wires, the beads of which have not in its previous descent been
forced below the said plates, and in this manner, or at least on this principle,
all the changes in raising the threads of the warp are effected which are
required in weaving. It should be remarked, that when the clevator is raised
for the second operation, and the downward pressure taken off the beads of
the wires a, a, the springs h, h, will raise the wires up again to their original
position, and the perforated plates being open at that particular moment of
time in there descent, when they arrive at the situation which the beads a, a, of
the wires a, a, have then obtained, the said beads will of course pass through
the plates, thus returning for a moment during every descent of the elevator
to their original position, and if not pressed down again by the pasteboards to
effect the particular patern which may be required, will, when the plates shut,
be secured above them.
And now I hereby describe the manner in which I perform my said In-
provements in Machinery for Winding, reference being had to the Drawing
marked B.
J
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the principal parts of my said revolving
table. A is a pedal which turns the crank B, and gives motion to the wind-
ing movements. C is a fly wheel, or rather a fly. D is a cogged wheel, to
the axis of which the crank B is attached. This cogged wheel D works in
the cogged wheel E, which is attached to the lower parts of the spindle, and
turns all the parts colored green and grey, that is to say, the parts marked
F, G, and e, of which F is a pulley wheel, G a fly, and e an endless screw.
is the upper part of the fixed spindle, on which the table top and other parts
revolve.. K, K, is the table top, the edges of which are fitted as is more par-
ticularly described in Figure 2. L is a sea-saw movement; and M is a slight
hoop or wooden frame, moving on a centre, and supported on rollers fixed in
the edge of the table top, as shewn at N, and answering the purpose of the
ordinary guider. To this hoop the sea-saw movement L is attached, and the
alternation is obtained by means of the spring O, which acts upon the rod P,
which extends completely across the table, and is fastened, as a sort of guide,
at each end to the rim of the hoop. As there is nothing new in this sea-saw
movement I shall not describe it more particularly here. Qis a thread band
coming from round the pulley wheel F, leading over the guide pulley R, which
is double, in order to keep the band separate, and thence passing over a motion
or friction roller at the edge of the table, described more particularly at
Figure 2. S is the reel or rise, containing the hank of silk to be wound.
T is a point or inverted cone fixed to the center of the under side of the
table top; and it should be particularly observed, that the parts colored yellow

page_text: and red revolve on this point wholly unconnected with the winding movement
given by the revolutions of the parts F, G, and e, the parts U and V of the
framework of the table moving loosely round the spindle.
I will now describe Figure 2, in order to explain the manner in which the edge
of the table is arranged, and also the manner in which motion is communicated
from the motion rollers to the bobbins, and I will then refer back to No. 1,
in order to explain the general action which is obtained by this arrangement.
Figure 2 represents part of the edge of the table, which, as it consists of a
series of bobbins and apparatus to move them, I shall describe one bobbin and
its appurtenances, which will explain the whole. W is the motion or friction
roller mentioned in Figure 1, and X, X, are bobbin spindles, one on each side
of the motion roller, and turned by it by means of the wooden but or end Y
of the bobbin spindle rubbing against the corresponding end of the motion
roller; the other end or point of the bobbin spindle fits into a small socket in
the end of the spring Z, which is a small spring to keep the bobbin spindle in
its place, when the process of winding is going on, and to enable the winder
to remove the bobbin with ease when it is full. I represents a bobbin full of
silk on one of the bobbin spindles.
Now, having described the apparatus at the edge of the table top, 'I shall
refer back to Figure 1, and explain by the following references to it the
general action of the machine, that is to say,-
It will be seen by the arrangement here described, that if motion be given
with the foot of the winder, who is supposed to be seated to the pedal A, it
will at once be communicated to the pulley wheel F, and thence, by means of
the band Q, to the friction rollers in the edge of the table top, which friction
rollers turn the bobbins, and thus wind the silk off the rices. In the mean-
time the endless screw e, which revolves equally with the other parts round the
fixt spindle, works in a small cog wheel at the back of it, which cog wheel is
attached to the rod r, and by its means communicates motion to the sea-saw
movement. Thus, while the winding is going on, if the thread breaks, or
gets entangled on any of the bobbins or the rises, the whole upper part of the
table, and which in this Figure colored red and yellow, may be turned round
till the part requiring attention comes to the hands of the winder without
stopping the winding of the other parts. It should be observed here, that the
hoop to which the sea-saw movement is attached is furnished with a guide for
each bobbin, through which the thread passes, and the sea-saw movement is
only to distribute the thread evenly along the bobbin.
Fig. 3 is a view of the main or fixed spindle and sea-saw movement,
unembarrassed with the upper part of the table frame and table top. This

page_text: view shows more clearly the endless screw e and cog wheel on the rod r work-
ing into it. From this view it will be clearly seen that the whole sea-saw
movement being loose on the main or fixed spindle, and unconnected with
the endless screw and parts united to it, may revolve round the fixt spindle
without moving the parts connected with the screw; and, vice versa, the parts
connected with the screw may revolve without any check to the sea-saw
movement. Similar letters are used to designate similar parts in all the
Figures in the Drawing.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of my revolving tables complete, with
the set of twelve reels or rises, each rise having its bobbin, and each bobbin
its guide on the red hoop, and every two bobbins a motion or friction roller.
Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a bobbin spindle.
Figure 6 is an enlarged view of one of the projections on the edge of the
table top, showing more clearly the spring and socket for the point of the
bobbin spindle.
Figure 7 is an enlarged view of one of the rises or reels, showing how the
axes of the lower reel run in slits, by which means they accomodate themselves
to the exact length of the hank of silk to be wound from it, its weight being
suspended by the silk.
Now whereas the only proportions or dimensions which regard my said
improvements for weaving that will not be familiar to mechanics accustomed
to the manufacture of weaving machines are, the proportions and dimensions
of my said perforated plates, and the beads on the lifting hooks or upright
wires, I therefore hereby declare that the said perforated plates which
I have made use of have been made of thin sheet iron, and that the
beads which I have used have been of a size considerably smaller than the
holes in the perforated plates, which said holes have always been of a
corresponding size with the holes in the revolving bar. And whereas there
are many parts of my said Drawings to which I have herein-before referred
which represent parts of machines now in use in weaving and winding silk,
and such parts of machines being common to my said improvements, as well
as to machines now in use for the purposes aforesaid, I have not particularly
described the same, except where I have thought it necessary to do so for the
purposes of explanation. And whereas I do not claim to be entitled to exclu-
sive privilege to any such parts of machines as aforesaid considered separately;
but, as regards my said improvements for weaving, an arrangement of appa-
ratus whereby the axe carré, or revolving bar, is situated immediately over the
upper ends of the lifting hooks or upright wires to which the cords for the
neckings are attached, and whereby the said revolving bar, or the pasteboards to

page_text: be used thereon, acts or act immediately on the ends of the said upright wires,
performing thereby the necessary operation of raising the threads of the warp
without the intervention of the lifting bars and horizontal needles or
wires now in use; and more particularly the said herein-before described
perforated plates, together with the sliding motion of the upper plate, and
also the arrangement of oval and other beads and spiral springs, as applied
to the said lifting hooks or upright wires, being, to the best of my knowledge
and belief, entirely new, and, as regards my said improvements for winding
a revolving table, whereby the winder may turn each bobbin, and each rise
to his or her hand, the winder remaining in the same position, without
deranging or stopping the winding movements of the others, in manuer
herein-before described, being also, to the best of my knowledge and belief,
entirely new, and both my said improvements for weaving and my said
improvement for winding never having been before practised, to the best
of my knowledge and belief, in these Kingdoms, or in any of His Majesty's
Colonies or Plantations abroad, I do hereby declare this to be my Specifica-
tion of the same, and that I do verily believe this said Specification doth com-
ply, in all respects, fully and without reserve or disguise, with the said proviso
in the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent contained, and I do
hereby propose to maintain my exclusive right and privilege to my said Im-
provements for Weaving and Winding.
In witness whercof, I, the said Stephen Wilson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of