IMPROVEMENTS IN JACQUARD MACHINES FOR WEAVING
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Smith, of Failsworth, near Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Jacquard Machine Maker and Ironfounder, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN JACQUARD MACHINES FOR WEAVING
"
Scaled the 12th June 1857, and dated the 13th December 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said JohnSmith at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th December
1856.
I, JOHN SMITH, of Failsworth, near Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster, Jacquard Machine Maker and Ironfounder, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN JACQUARD MACHINES FOR
WEAVING," to be as follows:-
1st, my Invention relates to an improved arrangement of the needles and
hooks of jacquards that are sprung by a bent tail piece on the hook, which.
improved arrangement reduces the friction and wear, and thereby diminishes
the power. required in working, and also allows each hook and needle to bo
readily removed without disturbing the others. It consists in bending the
tail piece to the side opposite to that on which it is usually bent, and in
forming a long or slot eye in the needlo, through which both the hook and
tail piece are passed, the tail piece having its abutment against a wire or bar.
on the outside, which causes the elastic action of the spring tail picco of the
hook to force the book against its end of the long eye of its needle.

page_text: 2nd, my Invention consists in substituting iron or other metal for the wood
hitherto employed for "needle boards," "bottom hook boards," and "cumber
boards." They are made of thin metal, with a strengthening margin.
Cumber boards may be made with an iron frame, so that the "holed" part
may be readily removed and replaced to suit a different count.
Srd, my Invention relates to a mode of causing the griff to become inclined
as it rises in hook jacquard machines, so as to make the warp threads form an
oven shed; and it consists in mounting the griff or griff frame on pivots placed
in the centre of the griff frame so that it may be swivelled, and in jointing an
arm from it to one on a pivot secured to the frame of the machine; or this
pivot may be the lifting shaft, and arms secured on it may be jointed with
arms secured to the griff frame. When the griff frame is down the arms
may be supposed perpendicular to each other, but when it is lifted they will
become inclined to their first position, and consequently the griff will assume
a corresponding inclination. The amount of incline may be regulated by
adjusting the longths of the arms and position of the centres.
4th, my Invention relates to an improved mode and arrangement of
mechanism for actuating the card barrel to bring it against the needles. This
consists in connecting the barrel frame by a rod or rods with a crank pin or
pins, the crank pin in relation to the connection rod or rods being in the
position described by the expression "on the centro" when the barrel is against
the needles. The crank pin or pins are placed in the side of toothed wheels,
which have an oscillating movement given to them by toothed racks actuated
from the motion of the griff or griff frame. This arrangement gives a slow
movement to the barrel, amounting to a "dwell," against the ends of the
needles when the griff is taking or selecting the hooks.
5th, my Invention relates to jacquard machines where the griffs or trap-
boards are made so as to work when required in two divisions, which alter-
nately rise and fall, the card barrel turning one card for both, lifts of the griff's
or trap-boards. Such machines have hitherto been actuated from the loom by
separate movements.
This part of my Invention consists in actuating such machines from the
loom by one motion or movement, tho mechanism being also arranged in such
manner that it may be readily changed to work the griff's either as a whole or
in two divisions. This is accomplished as follows:-Arrangements are made
so that both trap-boards or griffs may be lifted together, and in such manner
that they may be readily disconnected, and so that the motion imparted to one
may be transmitted and reversed by levers or wheels and toothed racks to the
other, in such manner that one of the griffs or trap-boards will be ascending

page_text: when the other is descending. Arrangements are also made so that the card
barrel is actuated from the reciprocating movement of the griffs or trap-boards,
or from the parts giving motion to them, by a cam path, which acts upon an
antifriction bowl; this bowl, when it arrives at one end of the reciprocation, is
compelled to travel in another portion of the cam path during the return
reciprocation by a hinge or swivel piece, forming one side of the cam path,
which, by the action of a spring, closes the path against the return of the bowl.
This reciprocating cam path is curved in form, or at an angle to the direction
of the reciprocating movement, so as to push the card barrel from and then
draw it against the ends of the needles at each end of the reciprocating move-
ment, and to cause the barrel to dwell against the ends of the needles during
the time the griffs are selecting. A cam path on the principle above described
will produce the movements required, either when the antifriction bowl or the
cam is the actuator, that is, the cam may have motion imparted to it to act upon
the bowl, or the bowl may have motion imparted to it to act upon the cam,
and the cam may be adapted either to rectilinear or segmental reciprocations.
In place of the cam path, the barrel may be made to strike against the ends
of the needles at the time each division of the griff should select the hooks to
be lifted, by an arrangement similar to that described under the fourth head;
but, in this case, the crank pins would have to make one complete revolution
and back for each complete movement of the mechanism giving motion to the
griff's or griff frames, but the card barrel would only have to turn once for
each two beats of the barrel; this being accomplished by allowing the hook
employed to rotate, the barrel to act on the usual arrrangement of mechanism,
placed so as to rotate on a pin fixed in the frame carrying the barrel, this
mechanism gearing by an intermittent arrangement with the axis of the
barrel. Another method of accomplishing this part of my Invention consists
in conveying rotating motion from the loom to a shaft in the jacquard machine,
which, by means of cranks and cams upon it, gives the movements required by
the jacquard.
6th, my Invention relates to an improved arrangement of that part on the
card barrel called "the lantern," and the parts operating upon it which are
omployed to rotate the barrel backward or forward and to hold it "square"
after each rotatory movement. These improved arrangements consist as
follows: The mechanism for turning the barrel backwards is a rod arranged
and made to slide vertically; it has a pawl jointed to it; this pawl acts against
pins in the "lantern;" the rod is kept up so that the pawl is clear of the pins
of the "lantern" by a spring, but when this rod is pulled down by a
greater force than the spring exerts to keep it up, the pawl comes against the

page_text: pins in the lantern and rotates the barrel back one descent and ascent of the
rod rotating the barrel, equal to one card. The hooks or pawls and mechanism
for rotating the barrel backward and forward and retaining it "square" are
placed in the most convenient positions, and the "lantern" is provided with a
distinct series of pins, sides, or faces to suit these positions of the parts referred
to.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th June 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JoпN
SMITH, of Failsworth, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Jacquard
Machine Maker and Ironfounder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, tho
said John Smith, Her especial licence that I, the said John Smith, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Smith, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
JACQUARD MACHINES FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said John Smith, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Smith, 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
and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
-
Firstly, my Invention relates to an improved arrangement of the needles
and hooks of jacquards that are sprung by a bent tail piece on the hook, which
improved arrangement reduces the friction and wear, and thereby diminishes

page_text: .
the power required in working, and also allows cach hook and needle to bo
readily removed without disturbing the others. It consists in bending the
tail piece to the side opposite to that on which it is usually bent, and in form-
ing a long or slot eye in the needle, through which both the hook and tail piece
are passed, the wire or bar forming the abutment of the spring tail piece being
placed on the outside of it, cansing the elastic action of the spring tail piece
to force the hook against its end of the long eye of the needle.
This part of my Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings by
Fig. 1, an elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan view (Sheet 1). Two hooks are shown
on one needle. The hook a is arranged in the original manner; the hook a¹
according to my improved method. The wires or bars band 'form the abut-
ments of the spring tail piece of the hooks. d is the needle; c, the guide
plate to keep the lower ends of the hooks in their places. I claim as this
part of my Invention in jacquard machines the arrangement of the hooks and
needles, substantially as herein-before described.
Secondly, my Invention relates to a mode of causing the griff to become
inclined as it rises in hook-jacquard machines, so as to make the warp threads
form an even shed; and it consists in mounting the griff or griff frame, or
pivots placed in the centre of the griff frame, so that it may be swivelled, and
in jointing an arm from it to one on a pivot secured to the frame of the
machine, or this pivot may be the lifting shaft, and arms secured on it may be
jointed with arms secured to the griff frame. When the griff frame is down
the arms may be supposed perpendicular to each other, but when it is lifted
they will become inclined to their first position, and consequently the griff will
assume a corresponding inclination. The amount of incline may be regulated
by adjusting the lengths of the arms and position of the centres.
This part of my Invention is explained in the Drawings by Fig. 3 (Sheet 1),
partly an end sectional elevation. The griff or griff frame (a) has its pivots
in blocks (6), one at each end, arranged to slide in vertical slots formed in the
framing (c) Arms (d) from the griff frame (a) are jointed with arms (6) on
a shaft (f), having oscillating motion imparted to it from the loom. As
represented in full lines, tho griff is supposed to be in its lowest position and
horizontal; as represented in dotted lines, it is supposed to be in its highest
and inclined position.
I claim as this part of my Invention arrangements for causing the griff
to become inclined, substantially as herein-before described.
Thirdly, my Invention relates to an improved mode and arrangement of
mechanism for actuating the card barrel to bring it against the needles. This
consists in connecting the barrel frame by a rod or rods with a crank pin. or

page_text: pins, the crank pin in relation to the connecting rod or rods being in the
position described by the expression "on the centre" when the barrel is
against the needles. The crank pin or pins are placed in the side of toothed
wheels which have an oscillating movement given to them by toothed racks
actuated from the motion of the griff or griff frame, or from mechanism giving
motion to it. This improved arrangement gives a slow movement to the barrel,
amounting to a "dwell," against the ends of the needles when the griff is
taking or selecting the books. This part of my Invention is explained in the
Drawings by (Fig. 4, Sheet 1), partly an end or side elevation. The card
barrel (9) may be mounted on a slide or in a frame, made to oscillate in the
usual manner. In Fig. 4 the barrel (g) is supposed to be mounted in sliding
rods (g), and one end of a connecting rod (h) is supposed to be attached to
the axis of the barrel, the other end of the rod (h) being on a pin (k) fixed on
a toothed wheel (¹) free on a stud fixed in the frame. This toothed wheel ()
has motion, in the example shown, from the shaft f (having oscillating motion
from the loom) by means of a toothed segment (1). When the barrel is
mounted on slides or sliding rods, two connecting rods (h), wheels (k'), and
segments (1) are used, one at each side of the machine to give parallel motion
to both ends of the card barrel (9).
I claim as this part of my Invention the method of actuating the card barrel
of jacquard machines to bring it to and from the ends of the needles by means
of a crank pin or crank pins, arranged so that the crank pin or pins are on
the "centre" when the barrel is against the ends of the needles, as herein-
before described.
Fourthly, my Invention relates to an improved arrangement of the part on
the card barrel called the "lantern," and the parts operating upon it, which
are employed to rotate the barrel backward or forward and to hold it "square"
after each rotatory movement. These improved arrangements consist as fol-
lows: The mechanism for turning the barrel backwards is a rod, arranged
and made to slide vertically; it has a pawl jointed to it; this pawl acts against
pins in the " lantern." The rod is kept up, so that the pawl is clear of the
pins of the lantern," by a spring; but when this rod is pulled down by a
greater force than the spring exerts to keep it up, the pawl comes against
the pins in the "lantern," and rotates the barrel back one descent and ascent
of the rod rotating the barrel, equal to one card. The hooks or pawls and mecha-
nism for rotating the barrel backward and forward and retaining it square are
placed in the most convenient positions, and the "lantern" is provided with a dis-
tinct series of pins, sides, or faces to suit these positions of the parts referred to.
This part of my Invention will be understood by reference to Sheet 1, Fig. 5,

page_text: partly a side elevation, and Fig. 6, partly a front view. In this example the
barrel (9) is supposed to have its bearings in sliding bars (91). The vertical
sliding rod (m) is placed on a part m', that is attached to or formed on one of
the sliding bars (9) carrying the barrel (9). A pawl (m²) is jointed on a stud
on the upper end of the sliding rod (m). This pawl has a projection from it
which will come in contact with the rod (m), the object of this being to prevent
the pawl from getting too near the barrel. The spring round the rod (m)
abuts against its lower bearing (m³), and acts against a shoulder or pin in the
rod (m). The hook for rotating tho barrel forward is represented by n. The
"lantern" is formed by a disc (p) having pins or ribs on each side; those on
one side are acted upon by the hook n, the others by the pawl m³. A cord
is attached to the vertical rod m, so that the weaver can actuate it when
required.
--
I claim as this part of my Invention the arrangement and combination of
mechanism for rotating the card barrels of jacquard machines backward or
forward, substantially as herein-before described.
Fifthly, my Invention relates to jacquard machines where the griffs or
trap-boards are made so as to work when required in two divisions which
alternately riso and fall, the card barrel turning one card for both lifts of
the griffs or trap-boards. Such machines have hitherto been actuated from
the loom by separate movements.
This part of my Invention consists in actuating such machines from the
loom by one motion or movement, the mechanism being also arranged in
such manner that it may be readily changed to work the griffs or trap-boards
either as a whole or in two divisions. This is accomplished as follows:-
Arrangements are made so that both trap-boards or griff's may be lifted
together, and in such manner that they may be readily disconnected, and so
that the motion imparted to one may be transmitted and reversed by levers
or wheels and toothed racks to the other, in such manner that one of the
griffs or trap-boards will be ascending when the other is descending. Arrange-
ments are also made so that the card barrel is actuated from the reciprocating
movement of the griffs or trap boards, or from the parts giving motion to
them, by a cam path, which acts upon an antifriction bowl. This bowl, when
it arrives at one end of the reciprocation, is compelled to travel in another
portion of the cam path during the return reciprocation by a hinge or swivel
piece, forming one side of the cam path, which by the action of a spring
closes the path against the return of the bowl. This reciprocating cam path
is curved in form, or at an angle to the direction of the reciprocating.
movement, so as to push the card barrel from and then draw it against the

page_text: ends of the needles at each end of the reciprocating movement, to cause the
barrel to dwell against the ends of the needles during the time the griffs are
selecting. A cam path on the principle above described will produce the
movements required, either when the antifriction bowl or the cam is tho
actuator, that is, either when the cam has motion imparted to it to act upon
the bowl, or the bowl has motion imparted to it to act upon the cam, and
the cam may be adapted either to rectilinear or segmental reciprocations.
A machine constructed in the manner just described is exhibited in Sheet 2
of the Drawings by Fig: 7, a front, and Fig. 8, a side elevation.. a are
the side frames of the machine. The griffs are formed as usual by series
of thin bars fixed in pieces secured to cross bars. These cross bars (6) slide
vertically in guide slots formed in the side frames (a). A toothed rack (6')
is formed at the ends of each bar (6), so that they can be geered together
by means of two pin wheels c, each of which is fixed on a stud securod in
the framing.
With this arrangement it will be clear that when one griff ascends the
other will descend, and that it is only necessary to impart motion, to one of
them. This is done by a lever d (actuated by the loom), which has its fulcrum
(d) in a bracket fixed at the top of the framing, the cud of this lever being
connected by a link d jointed to one of the sliding griff bars (6). . The card
barrel (e) is mounted on a frame (f) in the usual manner. This framno has
its fulcrum on studs in brackets secured to the framing. The usual arrange-
ment of hooks (f) may be employed for rotating the barrel, and also tho
ordinary slide bars (f³) for keeping the barrel "square" after. cach rotatory
movement. A bracket (9) is fixed to the front griff bar (6), in the end of
which a stud is secured which may have an antifriction bowl upon. it; this
enters a groove or cam path (h); secured to the oscillating frame (f), carrying
the card barrel (e). A detached side view of this cam path is shewn by Fig. 9.
The part will swivel on the centre h³, upon which a short arm (h) is fixed,
which is jointed to a rodi (h'), the end of which passes through a guide bracket
(1) secured on the frame (f). Upon this rod h' is placed a vertical: spring,
which keeps the swivel piece (h') in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 9,
except when acted upon by the bowl or stud.. When the bowl descends, the
hinged piece gives way, and allows it to pass; by this means the bowl is
compelled to travel along the curved part of the cam. path when it ascends.
The oscillating frame is motionless, and the card barrel is against the ends of
the needles, when the bowl is in the straight, part of the cam path. When the
pins on the studs carrying the wheels (c) are removed, and the wheels are
taken away or turned on the studs with the teeth outwards, so as not to gear.

page_text: with the racks formed on the sliding griff bars (6), and the second griff bar
is connected to the end of the lever by a link similar to d² (one being on
each side), the machine will act in every respect as a single-action jacquard
machine.
I would here remark that I do not confine myself to the arrangement of
mechanismi shewn and described for actuating the grifts; this may be variously
modified. As an instance, I will explain a method illustrated by a Diagram,
Fig. 9, Sheet 1.
Let the line 1, 2, 3, represent the lever d, shown in Figs. 7 and 8 (Sheet 2);
2 being the fulcrum: let the line 4, 5, be another lever, having its fulcrum
at 5 let an arm 5, 6 branch from the fulcrum 5, and one also 2, 7, from
the fulcrum 2, and let these two arms be connected together by a rod repre-
sented by the line 6, 7 let the ends of the lever 3, 4, be connected with the
griff bars (6) by links corresponding to the link d², Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. It
will now be seen, that when motion is imparted to the lever 1, 2, 3, it will be
transmitted by the arm 2, 7, and connecting rod 7, 6, to the arm or lever
6, 5, 4, so that when one griff is ascending the other will be descending. In
place of the cam path, the card barrel may be made to strike against the
ends of the needles at the time cach division of the griff should select
the hooks to be lifted, by an arrangement similar to that described under
the third bead of my Invention; but in this case tho crank pins would
have to make one complete revolution and back for each completo move-
ment of the mechanism giving motion to tho griffs or griff frames, but tho
card barrel would only have, to turn once for each two beats of the barrel;
this being accomplished by allowing the hook employed to rotate tho
barrel to act on the ordinary arrangement of mechanism placed so as to
rotate on a pin fixed in the frame carrying the barrel, this mechanism geering
by an intermittent arrangement with the axis of the barrel.
Another method of accomplishing this part of my Invention consists in con-
veying rotating motion from the loom to a shaft in the jacquard machine,
which, by means of cranks or cams upon it, gives the movements required by
the jacquard. This method is illustrated on Sheet 3 of the Drawings by
Fig. 10, a front elevation, and Fig. 11, an end view. A shaft k is fixed in
bearings formed by brackets secured on. the jacquard framing; this shaft
receives rotating motion from the loom. A cam is fixed on one end of the
shaft lc, which acts upon a bowl placed on a stud that is fixed on a rod ď³ con-
nected to one of the griffs. The rod works in a guide 7, which resists the side
action of the cam on the bowl. Motion is transmitted from one griff to the
other in the same manner as in the machine shewn by Figs. 7 and 8, and

page_text: herein-before described, but it is evident that both griffs may be worked each
from a separate cam on the shaft k. The frame (f) carrying the card barrel (e)
receives the required movements from another cam (m), also on the shaft k,
this cam acting on a bowl or stud placed in an arm (f*) projecting from one
of the fulcrums of the oscillating frame (ƒ).
Another improvement under this division of my Invention, advantageous for
double-action machines and others working at high speeds, is exhibited in
Fig. 7 and Fig 8. This consists in two or more T-formed pieces P, arranged
parallel and to slide in the same direction as the needles, one on each side of
the machine. These pieces (P) have helical springs arranged to push them
out towards the card barrel. These arrangements press each card as it comes
round on to the pins of the barrel, so that they are thus kept accurately in
their places, and strike the needles exactly, and they also push the cards off
the ends of the needles when the barrel moves back.
I claim, under this division of my Invention, the system or mode of
operating the griffs or trapboards of double-lift jacquard machines from one
cam or one movement, also working or operating the entire jacquard from one
cam or one movement, whether reciprocating or rotatory, substantially as
herein-before described..
I also claim as my Invention arrangements in jacquard machines for
pressing the card on the pins of the card barrel when the barrel is moving
towards the ends of the needles, and for pushing the cards off the ends of the
needles when the barrel is withdrawn, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Smith, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
JOHN
TTTTTTGATIO
HLINS NHOP