IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKERS FOR LOOMS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Shorrock and George Shorrock, both of
Withnell, in the County of Lancaster, Picker Makers, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKERS FOR LOOMS."
Sealed the 6th October 1866, and dated the 2nd May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Shorrock and
George Shorrock at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 2nd May 1866.
We, JAMES SHORROCK and GEORGE SHORROCK, both of Withnell, in the
County of Lancaster, Picker Makers, do hereby declare the nature of our.
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKERS FOR Looms," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to pickers used in looms for weaving and constructed.
of buffalo hide; heretofore the practise has been to construct pickers of such
length that when the two sides of the lower part were cut away the centre
part remaining formed a "foot" or tongue which was received by and worked.
in the slot or groove of the shuttle box.

page_text: Our improvements consist in constructing pickers of buffalo hide and of the
ordinary form, but instead of cutting away the sides of the lower part we
attach a separate piece of buffalo bide (or other material or metal) forming
a foot or tongue, and secure such piece to the picker by screws, pins, or
rivets, thus dispensing with the labor and waste of cutting such pickers, less
material is required, and pickers so made are much more durable, because
the sides not being cut the picker is not readily split or damaged by the tip
of the shuttle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Shorrock and George Shorrock in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 29th October 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
SHORROCK and GEORGE SHORROCK, both of Withnell, in the County of
Lancaster, Picker Makers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year.
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto us, the said James Shorrock and George Shorrock, Her special licence
that we, the said James Shorrock and George Shorrock, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said James Shorrock
and George Shorrock, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 PICKERS FOR LOOMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said James Shorrock and George Shorrock, our executors or administrors,
by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 we, the said James Shorrock and George Shorrock,
do bereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to pickers used in looms for weaving, and constructed
of buffalo hide; heretofore the practise has been to construct pickers of such
length that when the two sides of the lower part were cut away the centre
part remaining formed a "foot" or tongue which was received by and worked
in the slot or groove of the shuttle box.
Our improvements consist in constructing pickers of buffalo hide and of
the ordinary form, but instead of cutting away the sides of the lower part we
attach a separate piece of buffalo hide (or other material or metal) forming
a foot or tongue, and secure such piece to the picker by screws, pins, or rivets,
thus dispensing with the labor and waste of cutting such pickers, less material
is required, and pickers so made are much more durable, because the sides
not being cut the picker is not readily split or damaged by the tip of the
shuttle.
Such being the nature and object of this our said Invention we will now
proceed to describe the same more fully, and in order that the same may be
distinctly understood we have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings
illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with figs. and letters of
reference, the same letter referring to the same part in the various views or
Figures. At A, Fig. 1, is shewn section of a picker constructed according to
our Invention with separate piece of buffalo hide (or other material or metal)
forming a foot or tongue B, secured to the picker by the pins or rivet C;
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, at Fig. 3 is shewn a picker with the
lower part of the foot or tongue B passed through an opening or hole D
made in the lower part of the outer layers of the hide from which the picker
is made; the piece of hide from which this foot is made is pressed or squeezed
(when in the soft state) by any ordinary means, so as to obtain the necessary
thickness for such foot (see Figs. 5 and 6); Fig. 4 is a plain view of Fig. 8.
At Fig. 7 is shewn a picker with the foot B formed by passing the ends of
the inner strips of hide from which the picker is made through an opening or
hole in the lower part of the outer layers as above described; Fig. 8 is a plan
view of Fig. 7. The pickers are secured by the wires E in the ordinary
manner.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this our said
Invention, together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, we would remark in conclusion
that we claim as our Invention, the construction of pickers for looms for

page_text: weaving as herein fully described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Shorrock and George Shorrock,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-fourth day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-six.
Witness,
WILLIAM. LEE,
Withnell.
(L.B.)
JAMES SHORROCK.
GEORGE SHORROCK. (L.s.)