IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOVEN FABRICS. AND IN THE MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT
to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes.
& Son. Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOVEN FABRICS. AND IN THE
MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN."-A communication from abroad by Mon-
sieur Eugene Mouline. Merchant, of Vals, Departement de l'Ardeche, in
the Empire of France.
Sealed the 26th July 1861, and dated the 2nd February 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd February 1861.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes & Son, Patent Agents,
123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOVEN FABRICS. AND IN THE
MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN," a communication to me from abroad by Monsieur
Eugene Mouline, Merchant, of Vals, Departement de l'Ardeche, in the Empire
of France. to be as follows:
To maintain an equal tension on all the warp threads during the operation
of weaving, a large oblong frame is placed behind the loom to support a
number of bobbins, each warp thread being wound on a separate bobbin with the
necessary drag or tension caused by the friction of its edges on a roller below
it, and by a slight spring being fixed at the exterior of the bobbin, if a warp

page_text: thread breaks, the operative will be advised of it by the noise caused by the
friction of the said spring against a longitudinal cross piece constituting part
of the framework. The threads of each bobbin pass over a glass rod placed
at the proper height for the threads to touch it, from whence they pass through
a stationary comb, and then through the reed to the ordinary beam. An iron
shuttle is used worked by an electric magnet, the iron shuttle being mounted
on small wheels. If the tension of the warp thread is very strong, the shuttle
will not deviate from its course because the action is continuous, but still a too
strong tension must be avoided. In the interior of the shuttle is fixed two
small bent springs which act against the cop or bobbin to regulate the tension
as its diameter decreases. To prevent the springs injuring the weft, they are
covered at the point in contact with it with a small piece of ivory of a dove-
tailed shape.
The electric magnet is kept in a small rectangular case open at the top, a
copper thread or wire enclosed in a gutta percha tube fixed to the said case is
the conductor, by leaving one end of the tube, the wire encircles two poles,
and enters into the other end of the tube, thus giving the alternate motion.
It is evident that the magnet must not be too powerful, or the pressure of the
shuttle wheels on the warp threads might bruise them.
The slay or lathe is similar to the ordinary one in shape and construction,
but is made much heavier by attaching iron bars to it, the weight is varied
according to the quality of cloth to be woven.
In weaving ribbons there must be as many electric magnets used as there
are ribbons to be woven, at the same time the said magnets to receive their
alternate motion from a pinion, and between each ribbon there is a small box
wheel to hold the shuttle whilst the slay beats up.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd August 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes & Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chan-
cery Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of February in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the

page_text: said Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said Edward
Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I. the said Edward Thomas Hughes, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOVEN FABRICS, AND IN THE MACHINERY EMPLOYED
THEREIN." a communication to me from abroad by Monsieur Eugene Mouline,
Merchant, of Vals, Departement de l'Ardeche. in the Empire of France, upon
the condition (amongst others.) that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes.
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my. or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer
tain 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 Edward Thomas Hughes, 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 accompanying two Sheets of
Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say):-
In order to maintain an equal tension on all the warp threads during the
operation of weaving, an oblong frame is placed behind the loom to support a
number of bobbins, each warp thread being wound on a separate bobbin with
the necessary drag or tension caused by the friction of its edges or rims on a
roller below it, and by a slight spring being fixed at the exterior of the bobbin.
if a warp thread breaks the operative will be advised of it by the noise caused
by the friction of the said spring against a cross bar constituting part of the
framework. The thread or warp of each bobbin passes over a glass rod
placed at the proper height, from whence they pass through a stationary comb
which determines the width of the stuff, and after being divided by lease rods
pass through the reed of the slay to the ordinary beam. The Drawings are
made without any scale or proportion, as it is only endeavoured to explain the
principles of the various arrangements and constructions, and the letters refer
to each Figure separately.
In Fig. 1 the bobbins are represented in plan at a, they are made of
heavy wood and well polished, and each bobbin has in its interior a cylinder
b of lead or other metal in order to give it greater weight.
The spindles

page_text: of the bobbins are shewn at c. they turn freely in bearings in the longitudinal
bars d, which bound together form the oblong frame behind the loom.
The warp thread on each bobbin is not wound to the edges of the rims. so
that the said rims may recline on horizontal wooden rollers e turned in an
opposite direction to that required for the bobbins. In consequence of the
friction of the rims on the roller, cach bobbia receives a retrograde tension,
and if the warp thread happens to break the roller gives it a rotary motion
of which the operative is advised by the noise of a slight spring fixed at
the side of the hobbin and rubbing against the side of the bar d. In order
to maintain the proper tension, it is sufficient that the rollers on which the
bobbins rest should have from five to six turns per minute, requiring but
little motive power. Fig. 2 represents an end view of the bobbins with one
of the modes of giving simultaneous motion to the rollers upon which the
bobbins rest. To one of the spindles of each roller is fixed a small crank
connected to a long rod on the outside of the framework, and by causing
a strap to turn one of the rollers, motion is transmitted to all the others,
this arrangement is very simple and efficacious, but any other suitable
mechanical movement may be employed. The thread of each bobbin passes
on or over a glass rod placed to suit the required height of the warps and
from thence it passes through a stationary comb or reed and onwards over
the lease rods and through the healds and reed of the beater; or the number
of bobbins is diminished by winding on them four threads of the warp of
which two rise and two fall alternately, thus each bobbin constitutes a small
independent roller and their number is the half of the teeth of the reed or
comb; when this plan is adopted the warp threads traverse a frame in
which are distributed as many glass rods as there are longitudinal ranges
of bobbins, which rods prevent the thread from rubbing against the edges or
rims of the bobbins.
One of the great advantages of this improved mode of giving tension to
the warp threads is to dispense with the delicate operation of warping which
has to be so frequently renewed. Each bobbin is subjected to the same
tension, inasmuch as they are all of the same dimensions, and the rollers
turn with the same speed, and as this tension is constantly in the reverse
direction to the bobbins, when the loom is in motion, each thread will be
equally stretched, and no more is unwound than is compelled by the taking
up of the woven material. As soon as the bobbins are empty it is only
necessary to replace them with others and knot their threads with the ends
of the warps, so that the weaving may continue without other preparation.
As soon as a thread breaks the operative is warned by the small spring, and

page_text: stops the loom, and when the knot is tied, and motion again communicated,
this thread necessarily acquires the same tension as the others.
One great
advantage of this system is the capability of determining beforehand the
pressure or tension on the threads without fear of drawing them out too
much, and also by giving a greater tension to the threads of the selvage
the employment of a temple may often be dispensed with. By the employ-
ment of the aforesaid arrangement the tension of the warp is constant, it is
unrolled by degrees as the material is woven, and when a thread breaks
the operative is instantly apprised of it. and moreover the work is more
continuous as a warp of great length may be employed.
Another part of this Invention relates to the shuttle. instead of that in
ordinary use, one made of iron and mounted on wheels is employed, and to-
and-fro motion imparted to it by means of an electric magnet, or a wooden
shuttle is used, having on its under surface a plate of iron. Fig. 3 represents
a plan looking at the bottom of the shuttle, it has three apertures, two for
the small wheels . and one for the bobbin or cop. the weft thread from
which passes through a glass eyelet in the usual manner. In order to
change the bobbins as seldom as possible and thereby economise time they
are made longer than usual and a greater quantity of weft is wound on
them. The traction of the shuttle is sufficiently powerful to compel the
weft always to become straight if it happens to curl, and if the tension of the
weft is very strong the shuttle will not deviate from its course because its
action is not imparted in too sudden a manner, but still a too strong tension
must be avoided and an equal one always maintained. In the interior of
the shuttle are fixed two small springs m which press against the cop or
bobbin to regulate the tension as its diameter decreases. To prevent the
springs injuring the weft they are covered at their parts of contact with
pieces of ivory of a curved shape. In Fig. 4 the electro-magnet is shewn
at n, it is kept in a small rectangular case or box o open at the top from
the side where the poles terminate. The copper wire which conducts the
electricity is in the interior of a gutta percha tube or cord p. which, fixed to
the case o. gives it the alternate motion, at q detaching itself from this tube
or cord p, the electric wire is rolled as at r around the two poles of the
electro-magnet, and enters at s into the other end of the tube p. It is evident
that the electro-magnet must not be too powerful or the pressure of the
shuttle wheels on the warp threads might injure them.
The slay or lathe is similar in external shape and construction to those in
ordinary use, but it is made much heavier by attaching iron bars to it. the
weight being varied according to the kind and quality of the fabric to be

page_text: woven Fig. 5 represents an end view of the slay or lathe, to which are
screwed the metal bars or plates t. The angle formed by the strip with
the arms of the slay is calculated according to the ordinary principles in
such manner that the warp threads lie flat on the slay at the opening of
the shed. The strips are attached to the body of the slay and are made
of hard wood well polished. The most important difference in the slay is
that in the body there is a longitudinal slot or groove c in which the rect-
angular case o, Fig. 4, can move freely from end to end. The two strips u
are fixed above this groove so as to leave a longitudinal opening as wide as
the distance between the wheels of the shuttle directly above the poles of
the magnet. Fig. 6 represents a front view of the slay and parts connected
with it. At each end of the slay there are grooved pulleys r. 7. for receiving
and guiding the gutta percha tube or cord p which transmits motion to
the electro-magnet n. This tube or cord p fixed to one side of the case o
passes under the pulley r and twice round the pulley a', which turns to and
fro alternately, and from thence it passes over a loose pulley b. and descends
to the pulley y. and is fixed to the other side of the case o. Between the
pulleys a and b, the electric wire extends from the tube or cord and passes
under the floor wound as a helix c. c', so that the successive lengthenings
may not cause it to break. At each end of the slay, near the bottom, is a
small metal frame d', d', each carrying a roller e¹ and between the arms r of
the slay and the pulleys r. y. are two boxes f', which receive the shuttle at the
end of its traverse and prevent its displacement by the shock arising from
the heating up of the slay. The covers of the boxes may be opened by
means of hinges to permit the renewal of the cops or bobbins. By its rotation
first one way and then the other, the pulley a' draws the tube or cord p
backwards and forwards, which causes the electro-magnet to traverse
alternately in the groove of the slay, and as the shuttle is made of iron or
of wood, with iron on its lower surface, it follows the attraction and participates
in this alternate movement. In order to bring the shuttle as near the
poles of the electro-magnet as possible the said poles may pass through the
slot or groove of the slay to the level of the surface, and the rollers or wheels
of the shuttle may be without necks so as to bring it as near the magnet
as possible. For the purpose of overcoming the inertia or sluggishness of
the shuttle, and prevent its remaining behind the electro-magnet, there is,
when required, a spring buffer at each end of the groove of the slay as shewn
in Fig. 7 g and are two springs each pressing at its inner end against
a plate or board k, l, extending through the slot of the slay.
When the case containing the electro-magnet arrives at the end of its

page_text: traverse it presses the plate on that side and contracts the spring behind it.
The effect of which is to assist the return movement of the case and electro-
magnet; and if the shuttle remains stationary the top part of the plate gives it
a slight blow which overcomes its inertia, and afterwards it follows the
electro-magnet.
II. notwithstanding
Figs. 8 and 9 represent end views of part of a loom to which these improve-
ments are applied. The framework A, B, C, D, E, F, G, HI, Fig. 8, is not as
broad from A to B as in the ordinary looms, and at the back is the oblong
frame d, inclined about ten degrees. Motion is transmitted from a shaft
below the floor to the shaft m' by a strap n'. To the shaft m' are fixed the
cams or eccentrics s', Figs. 8 and 9, which as they revolve act against the
rollers e on the frames and push the slay back, which position is maintained
for about one-third of the revolution of the shaft m'. After which the slay
comes forward, and the weft is beaten up as required.
the increase of weight by the addition of iron bars below the body of the slay
the beating up is not sufficient, adjustable arms p'. Fig. 9, are fixed to the
shaft m', and placed so as to come in contact with the rollers c', and give
the slay a second blow before the shaft m' has made a quarter of a revolution.
At one end of the shaft m' there is a wheel q', Fig. 8, having teeth on a little
more than a quarter of its circumference. These teeth are so arranged that
they only commence to gear with the teeth of the wheel r'. Fig. 8, when the
eccentrics o push the slay back, and they cease being geared together before
the slay falls abandoned to its own weight. The wheel gears with the
wheel s. and has twice as many teeth as there are in the segment q'; and
when it has made half a revolution it stops. The wheel s' has on the outside
a crank pin working in the slot of an arm ', which vibrates on the centre
pin u'. At the upper end of this arm there is another slot which encloses a
pin on a socket c', having in its interior a very coarse thread acting as a nut,
into which is fitted the screwed part of the rod to, working in suitable
bearings, and having fixed at one of its ends the grooved pulley a', around
which is rolled the gutta percha tube or cord which gives motion to the
electro-magnet placed in the slay, as shewn in Fig. 6. Thus each time that
the shaft m' makes a revolution, the wheel s' makes half a turn whilst the slay
is held back, and during this movement it causes the arm to move an arc of
a circle. The screwed socket r', drawn along by the arm (1, causes the rod 10¹
to turn, and also the pulley at, which acts upon the tube or cord p. and draws
the electro-magnet to one end of the groove in the slay. The blow of the slay
being given the warps are shifted, and the shaft m' commences another revo-
lution, causing that of the wheels to be completed, and moving the arm to

page_text: its former position, and with it the screwed socket e', which thus requires a
retrograde movement, and turns the pulley a' in a contrary direction to that
it moved at first, and consequently the shuttle returns to the other end of the
groove in the slay. It is to be observed that the teeth of the wheels q' and r'
must be of metal, and made of a triangular form, so that there may be no
back-lash when the teeth of the wheel q' commence gearing with the wheel r.
and also that the pitch of the screw
must be very coarse, in order that its
rotation may require but little power. A strap or band from a pulley fixed to
the shaft m'. turns a pulley x', which thus gives motion to all the rollers '
of the oblong frame, which is another mode of giving motion to the bobbins a.
The threads of the warp pass over the glass rod z', and then through the
comb or reed with steel teeth, and -from-thence to the healds or cords of the
jacquard apparatus.
The mode of regulating the taking up of the woven fabric is shewn in
Fig. 9. The ratchet wheel a, which gives motion to the taking up beam b,
receives its movement from a catch c, placed eccentric with the shaft m',
which catch is acted upon at one end by a crank or lever on the said shaft m',
and rests at a short distance from the wheel a upon a spring d.
The catch is
placed outside the eccentric o' and arm p, and may be more or less distant
from the centre in order to vary the speed of the wheel a, and also the taking
up beam b. for it is evident that if the alternate motion of the catch is
lengthened, the wheel a will advance a greater number of teeth, and vice
versa. But it may sometimes happen that in consequence of the weft being
100 thick or the speed of the taking-up beam badly calculated, that there is
more cloth manufactured than taken up. and thus the traverse of the slay
would be shortened and its blows have less effect, or the taking-up beam may
turn too quickly, and cause thin places in the fabric. To regulate the taking up
with more exactness than has hitherto been accomplished, the end of the catch c
is placed far enough from the centre to cause the ratchet wheel a to turn the
taking-up beam ba little faster than is necessary. Near the bottom of the
standard E. H. there is a bent lever e, working at one end upon a pin, and
baving at the other end a friction roller. A spring causes the lever e to rest
upon the catch, but so slightly as not to interfere with its action unless
required. The lever e is of such height that when the slay arrives at the part
where it ought to beat up the weft, one of the rollers e' comes in contact with
it and moves it down, which combined with the action of the spring, presses
down the catch e below the teeth of the ratchet wheel, and thus as the
shaft m' rotates the catch will be in the position of the dotted lines g, h, and
no longer cause the ratchet wheel to advance; but when the slay is moved

page_text: back the shaft m' continues its motion, and the catch c pressed up by the
spring d, takes up a tooth of the ratchet wheel a, and turns it until another
blow of the slay again presses down the catch, which operation is continued
so long as the weaving goes on correctly. But if the taking up of the fabric is
foo slow, then the slay no longer beats as far as it otherwise would, and the
roller e' does not advance to the lever e. and therefore as the catch c is not pressed
below the teeth of the wheel a, more teeth are acted upon by the catch than
before, and more cloth is taken up, and after a few blows the slay returns to
beat up at its proper part. The object of this arrangement is to compel the
slay to beat up at a certain part so that its effect may be constant, and for
allowing its blows to be given with almost as much gentleness as if worked by
hand. The click i holds the ratchet wheel a when the catch c is pressed down,
or when it is moving back. Motion is transmitted from the wheel a to the
beam b by wheels and pinions 1, 1. and the beam b is made of large dimensions
so that it may increase in diameter in a small proportion to the quantity of
material wound upon it. Before arriving at the taking-up beam the material
passes over the roller or beam m in order to maintain the warp at its proper
height.
Another mode of giving alternate motion to the electro-magnet is shewn in
Fig. 10, representing one side of a loom of which the other side is exactly
similar.
At the side of each end frame of the loom there is a cam or eccentric a of
a helical shape fixed on the shaft b, which receives its motion from the strap c.
and makes but one revolution whilst the slay gives two blows. These two eccen-
trics are placed inversely to each other, and each occupies a space of little more
than a quarter of a circle; as they revolve each comes in contact with the lower
part of a lever d working on a pin or centre e on each side of the frame of
the loom, and causes it to shift to the position d. At the top of each of these
levers is fixed an end of the gutta percha tube or cord in which is enclosed the
electric wire conductor, which is continued in the form of spiral springs f, 1.
The tube or cord from the levers passes over grooved pulleys F, F1, Figs. 7
and 10, to each side of the case of the electro-magnet, and when the lever d
moves to the position d', the electro-magnet and shuttle are brought to that
side of the loom. When the slay has given its blow, and the shed is changed.
this eccentric ceases to act, and that on the opposite side comes in contact
with the lever d on the other side, and gives it a motion corresponding with
that just described, which draws the electro-magnet and shuttle to the other
side of the loom. When the levers d arrive at their foremost positions they
come in contact with springs g, which lessen the shock and assist their return

page_text: movement. The healds h are connected to levers operated upon by a double
tappet in the usual manner.
Another mode of giving motion to the slay of the loom is shewn in Fig. 11.
On the shaft are fixed two eccentrics or tappets m, n, which cause the two
levers o and p to descend alternately, to which levers the healds may be con-
nected. Each lever in its descent comes in contact with one end of a double
lever 7, 8, working on a fulcrum t, and having its other end connected to the
slayu by the cord ; these two eccentrics are separated by a rim w having
projections x. As the shaft 1 revolves the eccentric, n causes the lever p to
descend, which opens the shed, and by means of the double lever r, s, pulls
back the slay u; the lever p is maintained in this position during the timo
that the eccentric a, Fig. 10, moves the lever d and causes the shuttle to pass,
then one of the projections a presses against the lever p and causes it to deviate
a little to the left so as to release the double lever r, s, and allow the slay by its
own weight to move forward and deliver the blow, after which the eccentric or
tappet m causes the lever o to descend so as to come in contact with the arm 8,
and by pressing it down opens the shed and causes the slay to be again brought
back and then released by the other projection r, and so on continuously.
Another mode of regulating the taking up of the woven fabric is shewn in
Fig. 12. The ratchet wheel a receives motion by the catch b on the arm or
lever c, which vibrates on the shaft d of the wheel a.
the shaft b, Fig. 10, into a toothed wheel as at e. it
time that the slay beats up; this wheel e carries an eccentric
revolves comes in contact with the arm or lever c and causes it to rise and
propel the catch b which turns the ratchet wheel a some teeth forwards, after
which the arm falls by its own weight until it is stopped by the elbow lever h
working on the centre h, which lever is extended on the other side as at 1, and
connected to the rod in acted upon alternately by the spiral spring n and the
slay o when it beats up the fabric; to the elbow lever h is fixed a toothed
quadrant p, in the teeth of which works the lever catch q.
By gearing a pinion on
makes a revolution each
which as it
The operations are as follows:-The eccentric lifts the arm c and causes
the ratchet wheel a to turn; at this time the slay delivers its blow, and pushes
forward the rod or shaft m, which causes the elbow h to rise a certain distance,
and the lever catch a working in the teeth of the quadrant p, holds it in this
position by means of the spring r; then the eccentric abandons the arm c,
which in its fall is stopped by the elbow h until it is again raised by the same
eccentric, after which a small eccentric & causes the arm of the lever catch q
to rise and move back to the other end with the catch. and by the action of
the spring n the elbow h is lowered, but the slay causes it to rise again more

page_text: or less in proportion to the distance it comes forward when beating up. Thus
the movement of the slay regulates the quantity of material which should be
wound on the taking-up beam, for if the winding on has proceeded too quickly
the slay advances a greater distance and raises the elbow higher, and thereby
causes the arm c to fall a less distance. so that the catch acts upon a less
number of teeth of the ratchet wheel, and consequently the speed of the
winding on or taking up is diminished. For weaving striped fabrics and
checks there may be placed, as in ordinary looms, a row of boxes containing
two or three shuttles at each end of the slay, which shuttles may be shifted as
required by two strong hooks having their movement regulated by cards of
the jacquard apparatus. The boxes must be contrived to move forwards and
backwards, for the arrangement of the slay prevents the ascending and descend-
ing motion. As before stated, the power of the electro-magnet ought not to
be very strong, and consequently its attraction will not hinder the changing of
the boxes and shuttles. In weaving ribbons there are as many iron or plated
shuttles and electro-magnets used as there are ribbons to be woven at the
same time; the said magnets receive their alternate motion from a pinion, and
between each ribbon there is a small box to hold the shuttle whilst the slay
beats up.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention as
communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I wish it to be understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details as herein described, as such
may be varied or modified without departing from the principle thereof; but
1 claim the improvements in the manufacture of woven fabrics, and in the
machinery or apparatus employed therein, as all such are herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings, or any modification
thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Ilughes, have hereunto.
set my hand and seal, this Second day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
E. T. HUGHES. (..s.)