CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Owen and John Robert Aldred, both of Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 14th March 1879, and dated the 23rd September 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Owen and John Robert
Aldred at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd September
1878.
JOHN OWEN and JOHN ROBERT ALDRED, both of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster. CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
"
Our Invention consists in certain improved arrangements of machinery for
making the shed commonly called the shedding motion. Our improved machinery
consists of a pattern drum or chain which is actuated by a star wheel from the.
crank shaft or other convenient part of the loom; the pattern drum or chain acts
on a series of catches which are hinged to a sliding frame moved to and fro from
the crank shaft; to this frame is also hinged a series of levers and a corresponding
series of tumblers. On the treadles, which are connected, the top and bottom jacks
as usual are bowls which work between guide beads on the divisions of the sliding
frame. When the loom is at work and the frame approaches the pattern drum or
chain it depresses the catch and lifts the corresponding tumbler, so that when the
frame recedes the tumbler depresses the corresponding treadles to form the upper
part of the shed; the lower part of the shed is formed by the tumblers raising the
treadles. The treadles are all brought in a level line when the frame again
approaches the pattern drum or chain by projections on the levers acting on the
treadles. The levers above referred to may be dispensed with, and the tumblers
may be acted upon by a series of double catches swivelling upon a stud in the frame
end. Our Invention may be modified by dispensing with the sliding frame above
described, and employing in lieu thereof circular tapped plates acting on the treadles
which are elevated or depressed to form the shed by a double lever, the upper arm
of which is acted upon by the pattern drum or chain, and the lower arm actuates.
the tumbler which is moved to and fro in the tappet plate to raise or lower the
treadles according to the pattern required.
The above details may be varied.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Owen and John Robert Aldred in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 22nd March 1879.
JOHN OWEN and JOHN ROBERT ALDRED, both of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Our Invention consists in certain improved arrangements of machinery for making
the shed, commonly called the shedding motion.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, we will proceed to describe the accompanying three Sheets of
Drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
On Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is an end view of part of a loom to which our improvements
are applied, and Fig. 2 is a front view of the same; these looms are particularly
suitable for weaving twills and "fancies," but they may be used for other fabrics.
Our improved machinery consists of an ordinary pattern drum or chain a which
is actuated by a pin c' in the disc c²; this pin gears into the star wheel b, and the
disc c is fixed to the crank shaft c; or the drum a may be driven from any other
convenient part of the loom; the pattern drum or chain acts on a series of catches d
which are hinged to a sliding frame e which has as many divisions as there are
treadles. The frame e is moved to and fro from the crank shaft by the pin c³ in
the disc c², and the lever e¹ jointed to the frame side; to this frame e is also hinged
a series of levers f, the front edges of which are wedge-shaped, and at the back
are hooks which are acted upon by the lower ends of the catches d. Above the
levers f is a corresponding series of tumblers fl. On the treadles g, which are
hinged to the frame side as usual, and which are connected to the ordinary top and
bottom jacks, are bowls g¹ which work between guide beads g² on the divisions of
the sliding frame e.
When the loom is at work and the sliding frame e approaches the pattern drum
or chain a it depresses the catch and lifts the corresponding lever finto the
position shewn in dotted lines, so that when the sliding frame recedes the wedge
end of the lever f depresses the corresponding treadles to form the upper part of
the shed; the lower part of the shed is formed by the levers fraising the treadles g.
The treadles g are all brought in a level line when the sliding frame e again
approaches the pattern drum or chain a by guide beads g² acting on the bowls g₁
of the treadles g. The catches or tumblers d and f' above referred to may be
dispensed with, and the levers f may be acted upon by a series of double catches
swivelling upon a stud in the frame end.
Our Invention may be modified, as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4 of Sheet 2, by
dispensing with the sliding frame e above described and employing in lieu thereof
circular tappet plates k acting on the treadles, l, which are elevated or depressed to
form the shed by double levers m, the upper arms of which are acted upon by the
pattern drum or chain a, and the lower armis actuate the T shaped levers n which
open and close the switch plates n¹. When the switch plates are closed the bowls ¹
are raised, and when the switch plates are open the bowls are drawn down by
the switch plates n¹ and beads 1, thus raising or lowering the treadles according to
the pattern required at each revolution of the tappet plates.
Another method of performing our Invention is by dispensing with the switch
plates shewn in Figs. 3 and 4, and the T shaped levers n; and instead of the
bowls we place crescent-shaped sliding blocks 12 on the treadles 7, as shewn in
Sheet 3, the ends of which are lowered by the levers as the pattern drum acts on
the swell of the levers. When the lever depresses the end of the sliding block
nearest to it the opposite end is raised and the bead k¹ passes under it when the.
tappet plate revolves, thus raising the treadle, and when the lever is not acted
upon by the pattern chain the bead ' passes over the sliding block 1², thus
depressing the treadle l.

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same, we wish it to be understood that we do not intend to limit
ourselves to the details given as the same may be varied or modified ; but what we
claim is,―
First. The improved combination of machinery shewn, and as described in
reference to Sheet 1, and particularly the wedge-shaped levers ƒ for actuating the
treadles.
Secondly. The improved combination of machinery shewn and described in
reference to Sheet 2, and particularly the tappet plates and the switch plates for
actuating the treadles.
And, Thirdly. The improved combination of machinery shewn and described in
reference to Sheet 3, and particularly the tappet plates and sliding blocks for
actuating the treadles.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Owen and John Robert Aldred, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-first day of March, One.
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
JOHN OWEN. (L.S.)
J. R. ALDRED. (L.S.)