Improvements in Wire-weaving Machinery.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 4th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Mar., 1894-Accepted, 7th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wire-weaving Machinery.
We, JOSEPH NICHOLS, JOSEPH HENRY NICHOLS, WILLIAM EDWARD
NICHOLS, and ERNEST ARTHUR NICHOLS, trading as Joseph Nichols and Son of
Cheapside Wire Works, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of looms for the
weaving of wire, and has for its object principally, the automatic working of the
parts of the said loom, as hereinafter described.
Suitably mounted within bearings carried by an upright frame supported upon a
suitable bed, is a transversely directed warp beam, consisting of a drum or roller,
whose length is equal to the breadth of the loom, and which said beam is provided
with a series of circumferential grooves or channels as usual, wherein the warp
employed is wound.
Made fast to this said warp beam is a tangent or worm wheel, with which a worm
upon a worm axis mounted within suitable bearings, and directed at right angles to
the warp beam, gears. This worm axis carries a bevel toothed wheel, or a spur
wheel, which gears with another bevel toothed wheel or spur toothed wheel made
fast upon, or connected to, a countershaft or axis disposed below the warp beam,
and driven by an excentric from the main shaft or axis, by operating upon a ratchet
wheel made fast to the other end of this countershaft, thus giving an intermittent
movement to the said warp beam.
Mounted within suitable bearings and situated above the warp beam is a guide
roller, which keeps the warp, and also the gears, always at one elevation or one
height, so that no re-adjustinent of the gears or the warp is necessary consequent
upon the amount of warp paid out from or left on the beam. This guide roller is
fitted with yielding spring bearings, preferably of rubber, which give tant to the
warp as the same is delivered.
The warp passes through gears adapted to cross each other as usual, and which
gears consist of two or more rectangular frames, with holes or piercings made
through them corresponding to the warp.
The frames of these gears are connected to the ends of straps or bands which pass
over pins or rollers of depending or hanging brackets, loop-ended bolts or their
equivalents, adjustably fitted, and passing through the cross head or cross framing
of the general framing supporting the said gears. The undersides of the said gears
are connected to the terminal ends of a pair of treadles by obliquely directed chains,
straps or their equivalents, and with the said chains having right and left hand
adjusting means for changing or adjusting the lengths of the said attachments.
These treadles, which are mounted upon an axis, and supported by rest uprights at
their inner ends, also have upon their top sides, inclined or V-shaped wiper snugs
(or rollers), against which the acting faces of a twin cam, (or independent cams)
loose upon the main axis, come, so that as the said cam is rotated, the acting
surface of the one half first presses down the one treadle by impinging upon the
part of the snug coming within its path. Then on the termination of the said part
getting clear of the first treadle, the second part begins to operate upon the other
treadle, and so alternating movements of the treadles are produced, and by them
the pulling down of one of the gears, and the lifting of the other to a corresponding
extent and also the crossing of the said gears, and the opening of the alternate
members of the warp to admit of the passage of the shuttle carrying the weft
therethrough is performed

page_text: The twin cam for operating the treadles is loose upon the main axis, and
geared down to half the speed of the main axis through a spur wheel on the saia
main axis intergearing with a like wheel upon a second countershaft, which carries
a second toothed wheel, which gears with another like toothed wheel carried by
or made fast to the twin cam, hence the reduction of the speed of the means for
operating the gears.
Working upon the warp members forward of the gears, comes the reed, which is
carried by and moves with the sleigh, and which reed and sleigh operate forward of
the shuttle race or the motion of the shuttle, which, as is hereinafter described, is
carried through the shuttle race by shuttle carriers, which approach to and recede
from each other and alternately move out of the way of the sleigh for the reed
to be propelled forward with a compound movement, so as to place the weft in its
proper position relative to and in conjunction with both movements made by the
gears.
Thus, the sleigh, which carries the reed which runs upon the warp up to the
weft, and gives the same a double impact, so as to ensure the setting right of the
weft, should any disturbance have taken place consequent upon the crossing of
the gears, consists of a hanging and swinging frame, having at its lower end, a head,
fitted with means for holding the reed, and which sleigh is operated by compound
toggle joints, consisting of a pair of links united by a joint at their meeting ends,
and with their outer ends respectively jointedly connected to the lower part of the
sleigh and the upper part of a rod or long link, whose lower end carries, and is
jointedly connected to, a sliding and slotted frame, working between bearings, and
over the main shaft, with the lower end of the said slide carrying a roller or stud
which takes into the channel of a channel cam, mounted upon and made fast to the
main axis and contiguous to the slide.
The upper end of the long link or rod is also connected to another link, whose
outer end is jointedly connected to the fixed framing, which extends forwardly into
a semi-arch, from which the joint of the sleigh is supported.
The compound toggle or knee links are supported by a fulcrum link, jointed at
its outer end to the joint of the two first-named links, and at its other end to the
fixed framing.
The channel cam, which operates the sleigh, gives the reed one impact up to one
point, then the sleigh is made to slightly retire, and then again to momentarily
advance, hence a primary and secondary impact is given to the reed.
Forward of the reed and sleigh is a breast roller, over which the work passes to
the receiving roller, and which breast roller is mounted crosswise to the warp, and
with the upper part of the periphery being at such an elevation that the work to be
delivered is horizontally liguable with the warp.
Mounted below the said breast roller, and in the same cross direction, is a
receiving roller for receiving the work.
The mechanism for driving and reducing the motion of the receiving roller from
the main shaft consists of a double winged cam or wiper cam, acting upon the
underside of a counterpoised lever, whose outer end is weighted, and its inner end
jointed, and connected to the end of a short arm. At the inner end is a pull or
drag pawl, whose outer end is made hookwise, and engages with the teeth of a
ratchet wheel, on a countershaft, having a pinion upon its axis which works
within bearings in the general framing, and which pinion intergears with the teeth
of a spur wheel on the axis of the receiving roller, so that as the cam or double
cam rotates, an alternating rocking movement is given to the lever, and through
the drag pawl, the ratchet wheel is rotated, imparting motion to the pinion, which
turns the receiving roller through the spur wheel in gear with it and gives approxi-
mately the same motion to the receiving roller, as is given to the warp beam.
The motion to the receiving roller is such that the work wound upon it is kept
taut, whilst the motion of the warp beam is kept consistent with the amount of
warp wound upon it, that is to say, the delivery of warp from it is regulated
automatically according to the feed required, and which automatic regulation is

page_text: determined by jointing the pawl of the ratchet wheel of the beam at the outer end
of a slotted lever or arm, within the slot of which, a pin or block carried by an arm
of a lever, slides, whilst the other end of a lever bears upon the warp within the
beam, so that as the beam delivers the warp, so the motion of the axis is increased
by the pawl being made to take a greater number of ratchet teeth consequent
upon the reduction of the periphery.
"
The shuttle mechanism, which is disposed forward of the gears and reed, and
crosswise to the warp, consists of two opposite slide rests or saddles, reciprocated
in a plane and upon beds supported by suitable framings directly under the
shuttle race, and which saddles are made to reciprocate in opposite directions, so
as to carry to and fro the shuttle and its weft.
Connected with each slide rest, which is reciprocated by a slide lever or arm of
long radius, with a pin at its end engaging with an upright slot in the said slide
rest, is radius arm, having jointed to its outer end, a box carrier or sheath, whose
interior is of a size capable of comprehending and holding one half part of the
shuttle. The shank of the said sheath has an ear, and so also has the saddle, and
to which ears a coupling rod is jointed at its ends, so that as the arm is rotated
by the boss portion of it being provided with teeth alike unto a toothed sector,
engaging with a stationary rack carried by the fixed framing, the arm and
coupling bar together constitute a parallel motion link, so that as the shuttle
carriers and the slide operating them are approaching the end of their back
traverse the teeth of the quadrant sectors, which are mounted centrally upon pins
or axes engage with the rack teeth of the fixed racks, and swing the shuttle box
carriers with the shuttle in one of them out of the way of the sleigh and reed,
when the last named is required to operate upon the weft.
The parallel motion arms keep the shuttle carrier proper oblique or otherwise to
the shuttle race, while the arm or coupling members swing outwardly.
By thus making the shuttle incline forwardly to the direction of the shuttle
race, any undue bending of the weft carried by the shuttle is prevented.
The shuttle carriers and their accessories are made to approach and recede from
each other through the arms connected with the slide rest, and the ends of the
short arms take into the channel cams disposed at two opposite ends of the main
shaft, which is driven by gear from the shaft or axis carrying the driving pulleys,
fly wheel and the like.
Instead of employing a rack and pinion for giving the outward movements to
the shuttle carriers, we may employ lever spring or other equivalents in combina-
tion with clutch mechanism for retaining the parts in their proper positions before
returning.
The shuttle has upon its outer side, and near its middle, two studs, whilst each
of the box carriers or the sleeve sheaths carry hook-ended catches with inclined
planes formed upon their extreme outer ends, and adapted to automatically release
each other from the shuttle when the same is to be transferred from one to the
other.
Thus assuming the shuttle to be moving from the right hand side, and the same
to be locked by its catch within its carrier, then the said carrier with shuttle at
one side traverses, and meets the carrier without a shuttle coming from the other
side, and as the carriers approach each other, the catch of the empty one acts
against the catch of the filled one, and releases the shuttle thereby by the lifting
of the catch above the near side stud. Then as the motion of the carriers is
suddenly stopped, the shuttle by its inertia, continues its movement fully into the
empty carrier upon the other side, and as the said shuttle progresses forward, the
same is caught and locked by the catch of the last named carrier taking over
the other stud, hence the locking or holding of the said shuttle in the other
carrier.
Then the shuttle carriers, the one empty and the other full, retire, and as their
toothed sectored ends come in contact with the rack (or other expedients as

page_text: aforesaid) they are then slung outwards out of the way of the reed, which is then
made to give the necessary intermittent double impact to the weft. For twill and
other weaving we employ four or other number of gears with a corresponding
number of treadles for operating the same.
The main axis is driven through transmitting and reduction gear carried by a
driving axis carrying coned or other pulleys, and fitted with a fly wheel.
It is understood that the movements of these parts follow each other in the order
taken by the parts of ordinary hand weaving machinery.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1893.
JOSEPH NICHOLS,
JOSEPH HENRY NICHOLS,
WILLIAM EDWARD NICHOLS,
ERNEST ARTHUR NICHOLS,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.
We JOSEPH NICHOLS, JOSEPH HENRY NICHOLS, WILLIAM EDWARD
NICHOLS and ERNEST ARTHUR NICHOLS, trading as Joseph Nichols and Son,
of Cheapside Wire Works, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
1
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of looms for the
weaving of wire, and has for its object principally, the automatic working of the
parts of the said loom, as hereinafter described.
Our self-acting wire weaving loom comprehends or embodies a warp beam,
provided with compensating means for ensuring an invariable feed; means for
winding warp upon the warp beam; a guide-roller; gears and their harness for
the decussation of the warps; a slay with reed; a shuttle, with means for banding
the same through the shed; a breast roller; a take-up beam, and mechanism for
working the whole of the parts automatically.
'
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents, in front elevation, a wire-
weaving machine or loom constructed, arranged and provided with improvements
according to our invention.
The said view represents the loom harness with its gears and also the take-up
beam for receiving the fabric made and also the breast roller mounted immediately
above the take-up beam and adapted to keep the work and the warp in a constant
plane relative to path of the shuttle and the shed. The view also represents the
means for the working of the shuttle and also shows the mounting of the swinging
slay and the general framing of the machine. In this said view the shuttle is
shown in the act of being handed over from the one sheath or carrier to the other.
Figure 2 represents, upon an enlarged scale, a portion of one of the gears,
whilst Figure 3 is a further enlarged view of one of the eyes wherethrough the
warp passes.
Figure 4 represents upon the same scale of Figure 2, a portion of the reed
carried by the swinging slay for the pushing home and compacting of the weft or
woof laid by the shuttle in the shed formed by the decussations of the warp.
Figure 5 represents a complete longitudinal vertical section upon the dotted
lines A B of the said wire-weaving loom Figure 1 looking from right to left, and
which section shows the positions of the whole of the component parts of the

page_text: said machine and particularly those parts designated and hereinafter fully described
as the let-off and take-up beams, the means of working the let-off beam, the self-
acting means of equalizing the feed consequent upon the diminution of the coiled
warp upon the beam, the breast roller and the taut or guide roller mounted within
yielding bearings for giving taut to the warp as the same is being fed. The said
view also shows the swinging slay with reed, and the position of the shuttle relative
to the latter, and. also the adjustable harness of the gears and how the said gears
are connected to their respective treadle-like levers, which receive their motion
from the principal axis. The view further exemplifies the means for working
the slay and for giving the primary and secondary impacts for the compacting of
the weft.
Fgure 6 represents the cat means for working the sleigh from off the principal
shaft.
Figure 7 represents a front elevation of the twin cams for working the treadle-
like levers for actuating the gears.
Figure 8 is a transverse vertical section upon the dotted lines C D Figure 5.
This view shows the principal shaft carrying the excentric for working the warp
beam, also the twin cam for working the harness of the gears and the reduction
gear for the working of the cams, also the cam-plates for operating both the slay
and the shuttle, also the cams for giving the movement to the take-up beam and
also the motion-transmitting means.
Figure 9 represents the toggle links which form the means for taking home and
impacting the weft. The said figure shows the position which the sleigh takes in
giving the primary impact.
Figure 10 represents the said sleigh and parts carried by it (as in Figure 9) in
the position which the sleigh takes when slightly withdrawn prior to the weft being
impacted a second time and subsequent to the crossing of the gears and prior to
another pass of the shuttle through the shed.
Figure 11 represents a section of the shaft upon the dotted lines E F Figure 8,
looking from right to left and showing the reduction gear for working the cams for
giving the movement to the gear.
Figure 12 represents a plan of the shuttle portion of the machine and shows the
shuttle exchanging sheaths in the act of handing the shuttle from one to the other
of them and also shows the reaching arms which work and approach each other
within the shed and then retire and by which means, the shuttle is passed back and
forth through the shed and the weft laid or deposited therein, which weft is
subsequently pushed home and impacted by the reed and through the slay. The
said view further shows in dotted lines the positions which both of the reaching
arms take on the movement of the reed for the impacting of the welt.
Figure 13 represents upon an enlarged scale, an outside end portion of the bed
of the shuttle-currying arm, which bed is adjustable, so as to accommodate the same
to the setting of the slay.
Figure 14 represents an end view of Figure 13.
Figure 15 represents an inside end portion of the bed.
Figure 16 is a transverse vertical section upon the dotted lines G H Figure 1,
representing the means for communicating motion to the take-up beam and means
for intermittently tensioning the work and warp and also the means for working
one of the shuttle arms. The said view also shows a portion of the bed upon which
the slide of the shuttle carrying arm traverses.
Figure 17 represents an elevation of the back part of the machine, showing the
let-off beam and the tension or guide roller, also the framing and the gear of the
warp beam and the clutch action for the winding and un-winding of the warp; also
the means for self-equalizing the feed from the let-off beam.
•
Figure 18 represents a means for transmitting motion from the principal axis to
the let-off or warp beam and the means connected therewith for mounting the
transmitting worm.

page_text: end elevation of Figure 18.
Figure 21 is a longitudinal horizontal section of the shuttle and shuttle-carrying
meaus.
Figure 22 represents a like view as Figure 21 with the sheaths or carriers
separated or in retiring or advancing positions and with the shuttle held or carried
by the left hand sheath, and also with an end of the shuttle entering the mouth of
the empty sheath.
Figure 23 represents a like view as Figures 21 and 22, showing the action of the
releasing and locking means and the shuttle being transferred from one carrier to
the other.
Figure 24 represents a side view of the said sheaths or carriers and their reciprocal
and locking means.
Figure 25 represents a transverse section upon the dotted lines K L Figure 21.
Figure 26 is an end view of the shuttle, Figure 27 is an end view of the sheath,
whilst Figure 28 is an end view of the shuttle, whilst Figure 29 shows partly
in section, the sheaths or carriers separately and Figure 30 is a side view of
Figure 29.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
The warp-beam, which is, in other words, a let-off roller, by which an invariable
intermittent feed of warp is given to the loom, consists of a roller or drum a (see
Figures 5, 17 and 18) whose entire length is about equal to the breadth of the loom
and whose periphery a', has formed or sunken within it a series of circumferential
grooves a³, in each of which, a series of warp lengths of wire b, ', are wound.
This said warp beam is mounted upon a shaft a³, working within end bearings c¹²,
fitted within the opposite upright sides of the general framing c, of the loom. Also
made fast upon the left hand end of the shaft a³, is a driven toothed wheel a',
which intergears with a pinion a, having upon its face, coupling teeth a" and being
-carried loose upon a supplementary shaft a, whose ends work within bearings a',
carried by rest and upright brackets a, a, the former forming a part of the left
hand side of the framing of the loom, whilst the latter is supported from the rest
plate or bed. Sliding upon, and over a feather a10 of the said shaft a, is a sliding
clutch d, having the couplings d', at both ends respectively adapted to take within
the recesses a, e, lying within the coupling teeth a", e, carried by the pinion a³,
and loosely mounted driving wheel e, which coupling or clutch is worked by a fork-
ended lever with rollers d', taking within the channel or circumferential grooveď³,
whilst made fast to the said left-hand outer end of the shaft a, are stepped
pulleys e, and fly wheel e.
Intergearing with the wheel e, which in Figure 17 is shown made fast upon the
shaft as, through the feather a10, and he-coupling d¹, engaging with the she-recess e¹,
is a driven reduction wheelf, made fast to the principal axis f', which is supported
by and works within bearings f, located within the upright sides of the general
framing e, and which, as hereinafter described, carries the principal agents for
-driving and controlling the parts of the loom from which the principal agents are
.obtained.
9,
Upon the right hand end of the warp beam shaft a³, is a driven tangent wheel
intergearing with a worm g', made fast upon the axis g', and fitted and working
within bearings g', carried by brackets g', from the right hand side of the general
supporting framing c of the loom, whilst is a bevel wheel made fast on the
axis g and intergearing with the teeth of a second bevel or mitre wheel 9%, made
fast upon a countershaft g', supported and turning within bearings 98, and carrying
at and having made fast to its extreme end 9, a toothed ratchet go, embraced on
its two opposite sides by the cheeks or plates of a loosely mounted rocking
lever, fitted at its upper end with three or other number of pivotedly jointed
drag pawls g, whose hooked ends are respectively adapted to engage differentially

page_text: with the teeth of the ratchet on the rocking arm g, being moved to
through the medium of the forked end 2, of the leg, of an excentrich, whose
strap, embraces the plate or boss, which is mounted upon the principal
shaft f.
Both sides of the rocking and loosely mounted and turning arm gl, have slots g
in which, studs, directed inwardly from the inside faces of the branches of the
forked end 2, of the excentric leg, engage and slide, whereby the motion of the
warp beam is accelerated and by which the intermittent feed of the warp is made
invariable by jointing to the end, of the fork 2, a link h, to the upper end of
which a gravitating or drop link ', carrying a tracing roller h³, is jointed, whilst
the other end of the link ', is jointed at 2, to an upright bracket h₁o, supported
from the bed of the loom. This tracing rollers, comes upon the wound warp b,
lying within one of the grooves a², of the warp beam. As the grooves contain a
like amount of warp which is reeled off sub rata with each other, only one equalizing
means is required.
The necessity of employing a compensating or equalizing means arises from the
fact that as the warp from the beam is consumed by being woven into fabric, so the
diameter of the wound warp is decreased and so the amount of warp given off by
each intermittent movement of the warp beam is proportionately lessened and this,
unless compensated, would render the feed variable, which feed is required to be
invariable, and this invariable feed is brought about by gradually accelerating the
motion of the beam sub rata with the amount of warp paid off or consumed from
the grooves within the beam.
The tracing roller, which follows up the warp as it is paid off, takes the leg of
the excentric nearer to the axis of the ratchet wheel, and so imparts a greater
range of motion to the pawls as they wipe over the ratchet teeth, whereby the
speed of the beam is variable in the inverse proportion to the amount of wound
warp within the grooves and the rate of feed of the warp over the guide and taut
roller (as hereinafter described) above it is invariable or equable.
The axis g, of the worm wheel g', which intergears with the teeth of the tangent
wheel 9, made fast upon the axis a³, is mounted within bushed bearings gl³,
having shoulders g16, working within frames or brackets g, carried by the right.
hand side of the upright framing c, of the loom. These excentric bushed bear-
ings are united together by a cross bar g17, which, on being pulled up, rotates
the excentrics within their bearings and takes the worm from out of the range of
the teeth of the worm wheel, when the beam is being wound with warp, that is to
say, assuming that the beam is empty and requires to be re-filled, then the
transmission of motion to the warp beam in the ordinary way is suspended and
by the medium of the clutch, motion is transmitted direct to the beam only for
winding.
The excentric h, which is adjustable, consists as before described, of a boss or
plate, encompassed within the strap, connected with the leg or rod h', whilst
made fast upon the shaft ", is a (excentric) carrying bracket, fitted at one end
with a set screw 6, which takes through a screw box h', formed through a lug h³,
carried .upon the inside face of the excentric plate or boss ', which has a middle.
clearance h, to admit of the same being adjusted or the throw of the same.
changed.
The gears, which govern the decussations of the warp and open out or form the.
shed for the weft, consist of rectangular shaped counterbalanced frames i, i',.
connected together and made to rise and fall in unison one with another by being
suspended from straps, passing over pulleys, pivotedly suspended from the
lower ends, of vertically and horizontally adjustable set-screws is, which screws
take down clearances c³, directed through the cross or bridge framing ct, bridging
from one side to the other of the crane-shaped sides c, directed upwardly from the
general framing c, of the loom. Taking upon the adjustable screws, are lever
screw boxes,, which come upon the two opposite sides and opposite the gaps of
the cross framing e*, and by loosening the upper or both upper and lower screw

page_text: boxes the harness with the gears admit of being adjusted both vertically and
horizontally.
The connection of the straps, are made by the ends of them being connected
to jointed links i⁹.
10
The gears respectively are connected at their lower sides to treadle levers ¹º, ¹¹, by
straps,The said levers are jointedly connected at 1, to a stationary bracket
or framing e, and are operated by twin cams, 16, running loose and turning
upon the principal axis f, whilst the rises ", 18 of the levers 10, 11, respectively
follow the respective curves 19, 70 of the cams 1, 16, which are integral (see
Figures 5, 7, 8 and 11). These cams which alternately raise and lower the gears
respectively, are speeded down to one half the rate of motion of the principal
shaft, by the right hand face of the double cam being formed into an internal
gear or toothed annulus, which has 60 teeth, with which an idle pinion, with
15 teeth, engages, which idle pinion is supported by a bracket, and intergears
with a pinion, having 30 teeth, and being made fast upon the principal shaft",
so that as the said principal shaft makes one rotation, the double cams are timed to
make one half a rotation. Each of the gear frames (best seen in Figure 1) carry
or have stretched between their upper and lower parts vertically directed twisted
wires, having eyes 26, formed about their middles, respectively, and through
which the warp wires pass. Thus, the warp wires b, pass through the eyes
the gear i, and the warp wires b', pass through the eyes, of the gear, and on
the said gears being alternately raised and lowered through the harnesses of
them, the shed for the shuttle to pass through for the placing of the weft is made
as represented in Figure 5.
of
The slay with reed, which beats up and compacts the weft thread as the work
or weaving progresses, consists of a rectangular shaped and swinging frame j,
pivotedly mounted at 2, and working within bearings, mounted near the extreme
ends c, of the crane-shaped sides c, of the framing e, whilst the lower part of the
slay is fitted with a reed k, encompassed or embraced between a fixed or stationary
lower part or receiver, and a loosely fitted and attached bar js, the opposed inner
faces of which said parts,, are channelled or sunken with recesses, wherein
the frame, of the reed k, is held. Thus the reed consists of a frame k, fitted with
vertical bars, rods or dints k³, through which the two sets of warp threads b, b', pass.
The slay, which has a double action, compacts the weft after the same has been
lain in the shed and then again after the crossing of the gears and prior to the
passing of the shuttle through the shed formed by the crossing, so that should any
disturbance of the weft be occasioned by the recrossing of the gears, then the
same is put right by a second compacting prior to the placing in the shed of the
next weft by the passage therethrough of the shuttle.
The means of working the said slay consists of duplicate mechanism each
consisting of a jointed link m, with one end jointedly connected to the slay frame
and the other end jointedly connected to a rocking link m', jointed and supported
at m², to and by the general framing c, and at the end m³, to a third link m, which
is jointedly connected at its other end by a joint m³, to the end of a fourth link mo,
jointed at m7, to the fixed framing and also to a fifth link m", whose lower end m³,
is jointedly connected to a slide m, working within guides m", in the fixed framing,
and having a roller stud m, at its lower end, taking into a heart-shaped channel
cam n, of a face plate n, made fast to the principal shaft f".
By the rotation of the face plates n, the slay is swung first forwards and then
backwards; the forward movement beats the weft up to the work and there com-
pacts the said weft by a double impact and then retires without the path of the
shuttle on the rearward movement.
Thus assuming that the roller stud m2, of the slide is in the position represented
in Figure 6 and that the slay is in the position represented in Figure 5, then as
the face plate n, is rotated in one direction the channel of the cam moves over the
stud and the slide m, is lifted within its guides and the weft lying in the shed by
the previous pass of the shuttle is beaten home and compacted on the full cross

page_text: represented in Figure 6 coming coincident with the stud and on the muks assuumug
the positions as in Figure 9.
Then by the further traverse of the face or cam plate n, the declivity of the
cam takes the toggle links m, me, beyond the line of their centres, as represented
in Figure 7, and the slay is made to slightly retire, when the gears cross and as the
cam plate still further travels, and the part of the cam marked with the dotted
cross in Figure 6 comes coincident with the roller stud m", then a second com-
pacting of the weft occurs; then by the further progress of the cam plate and the
travel of the channel over the roller stud in the reverse direction, the slay with
reed is again swung back into the position shown in Figure 5, whilst the stud
comes again into the position shown in Figure 6.
The means for the working of the shuttle are in duplicate or in double order
and each consists of four primary parts first, a motion-transmitting mechanism;
secondly, half sheaths, holders or cases for the carrying and transferring of the
shuttle from one side of the shed or race to the other; thirdly, mechanism for
the carrying of the sheaths or cases, and fourthly, automatic and reciprocal shuttle-
locking and releasing means.
:
In the first part, the face or cam plates n, which are in double order or in
duplicate and are situated near to the two opposite ends of the principal shaft f',
act in common for both operating the slay and the shuttle. Thus each of the face
plates (which are fast upon the principal shaft f') has a heart shaped channel n²,
sunken within its outwardly presented face wherein a roller stud o³, carried by a
slide o', working contiguous with the face of the slide m, which also has its
stud m, taking into the channel n³, takes.
This slide o', is raised and lowered in unison with the slide m10, but in opposite
directions, so that when the roller stud of the shuttle-operating stud is at the
middle of the upper part of the race, the slay operating stud is at the extreme
lower part.
Now this vertically reciprocating slide o', which works within like guides as the
slide mo, has at its lower part, an armed extension o³, which passes through
clearances in the slay-working slide and side framing of the loom, and which
carries a stud 0, which takes through an elongated slot 0%, at the end of the
arm o, of a bell-cranked lever o, carried by a counter-shaft o', working within
bearings . The upper end of the arm o", of the said lever o, is connected to about
the middle of a radius link oo, turning upon an axis o", of a bearing o", by a
jointed coupling link o, whilst the slotted branches of the forked upper end o", of
the said radius link oº, engage over roller or plain studs p², of a reciprocating
saddle or slide p, which traverses upon the bed p¹, and carries an upright pivot or
which
post p, upon which the inner end q', of a shuttle-sheath-carrying arm q,
carries and has jointed to its outer end a half shuttle sheath or carrier casing r,
jointed. The joint end of the arm 9, has a stop pin g³, which traverses the bed with
the arm and is adapted for the purpose of throwing the said arm with its sheath
into the position represented in dotted lines in Figure 12 on the said arm making
its full backward traverse. This is occasioned by the said pin q³, coming against
the upright pinª, carried by the bracket p³, lying within the path in which the
pin q, reciprocates. The said inner end of the arm q, has a contact block q³, which
takes its bearing, when in traverse, against the side wall p, of the bed p¹.
is
The half sheath r, which has a cranked arm r², jointed at, to one end of a
coupling rod, which is jointed at its other end at , to the saddle or slide p, is
vertically pivoted at r', so as to admit of the sheath or case making an angle with
respect to the arm q and coupling rod r¹.
The bed pl, is supported at its outer end by an upright post or pillar p', and at
its other end by the side of the general framing c, and is accurately set by being
adjustably mounted at its two ends upon screws p³, working through screw boxes p³,
and swivelling within the upper parts 10, of the brackets p', pl, respectively.
The rotation of the screws p, causes the said ends of the bed to rise and fall and
thereby the necessary adjustment is obtained.
B

page_text: Assuming that the roller stud o³, is in the position represented in Figure 6; on
the principal shaft, being rotated, the face or cam plate n, is turned with it, and
as the roller stud 0, follows the channel of the cam, so the bell-cranked lever o, is
rocked backwards and the radius link o¹, is moved back in the direction of the
arrow and with it the saddle p, the arm q, the parts carried by the said saddle, and
also the shuttle sheath and shuttle t, and on the pin g², forcibly coming against the
stud, (the same being out of the line of the centre of mounting of the arm_q),
the said arm is swung outwardly, and as the inner end of the coupling rod is
jointed at a point outside the centre of jointing of the arm q, the virtual length of
the said rod is increased, which causes the casing to be turned inwardly upon
its centre as the arm is swung outwardly, by which any angles in the weft are
prevented.
The shuttle t, consists of a double-nosed hollow case, open at one end to allow
for the introduction of the spool which end is closed by
and working within the interior of the said shuttle is a spool or cop s, carrying
a nose cáp t, and mounted
the woof or weft, which spool runs freely upon a central axis or spindle t³. The
inner or near side of the shuttle has upon it a cross slot or depression t*,
bounded upon two opposite sides by shoulders to, t, which gap is approached by
inclines t', t.
The sheaths or shuttle half cases, which are respectively marked r, *, carry
spring or yielding wedge shaped shuttle catches,, carried from the free ends
of springs,, connected to the sheaths by screws or otherwise.
When the shuttle is in operation, the same is first carried by one sheath, and
then by another after the same has been transferred from the first to the second.
Now assuming that the sheaths are being brought together as in Figure 22, and
that the shuttle is held by the left hand sheath, and is therein locked by the
catch, taking into the gap t, and coming against the shoulder is, then as the
open mouths of the empty sheath approaches the other sheath carrying the shuttle
then the inclined plane, of the catch, which is in advance of the open mouth
of the sheath r, carrying it, travels up the incline plane t", of the shuttle t, and
then the nose, forcibly impinges against the inclined plane a², of the catch
the sheath, and forces the said catch away as represented in Figure 23, where
the sheaths are shown as having nearly approached each other, whereby the said
catch e, is forced from in front and out of the range of the shoulder to, and clear
of the gap t, thereby unlocking or releasing the shuttle from the sheath *, and
locking it to the sheath r, by the catch coming coincident with the said gap, and
snapping over the shoulder to, on the right hand side thereof.
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of
The shuttle being now held within the right hand sheath r; both sheaths retire
in unison through the whole length of the shed or race, and then swing outward
simultaneously as before described.
After the weft has been lain in the shed and pushed home and compacted, the
gears crossed and the weft again compacted, the empty shuttle, case advances to the
filled one in unison, and on the same coming together, the same operation as before
described is repeated and the shuttle is again transferred from the oue case to
the other, hence an alternate handing over of the shuttle from the one sheath or case
to the other.
The guide roller, which guides the warp to the gears and which is situated
immediately above and parallel with the warp beam, consists of a plain faced drumu,
with its end bearings u³, taking within gaps u³, made out of the sides of the general
framing, which ends u², impinge upon rubber bearing blocks uª, whereby the said
drum is made to slightly yield, give a little taut and prevent the warp from possibly
being over stretched on the decussation of the sets.
Situated in the front of the framing of the loom, and slightly in advance of
the take-up bean, which is hereafter described is a breast roller r, over which
the work or wire fabric passes or is drawn, and which roller turns and works
within bearings fitted within the opposite sides of the framing.
The take-up bean, upon which the wire fabric made is wound consists of a

page_text: drum to, made fast upon an axis to³, mounted and turning within bearings in the
sides of the general framing, and provided with fast driven toothed wheels 10³,
at its two ends, which respectively intergear with toothed pinions w³, mounted
upon an auxiliary shaft w, having made fast upon the two opposite ends of it,
ratchet wheels, wo, which are alternately and intermittently rotated by double
levers 7, 10, through the drag pawls 10, 10, engaging with the teeth of the
ratchet wheels 10; 10, as seen in Figure 1. These levers 10, 10% are jointed
at ol, and are counterpoised at the ends of the long arms o, by weights w13,
which give a proper adjustment to the tant consistent with the character of the
wire being woven.
The take-up is operated through by rises w¼, on the lovers w³, 10%, respectively
coming upon the wiping edges of double-sided cams y, y', made fast upon the
respective outer ends of the shaft f, so that on the said shaft being rotated by
the means as described, an alternate and intermittent motion is given to the
work wound upon tlie take-up beam w.
It is seen that the mechanism for operating the beam is in duplicate and is
located upon the two opposite sides of the loom, and is adapted to intermittent
wind up the fabric woven, and at the same time to give the said work and warp
four intermittent pulls upon each rotation of the shaft whilst the counterpoise
weights give a constant taut.
The take-up mechanism is prevented from running back by or is held without
back lash by differentially mounted stop-pawls 2018.
Now assuming that the rotation of the shaft has taken the take-up beam
mechanism into the position represented in Figure 16, the drag pawl w, upon
the right hand side of the machine has wiped over a tooth or teeth of the
ratchet wheel w, and the rise y³, of the cam y, having passed the swell w¹,
then the long arm w", of the lever w', falls, and by it, the take-up beam is
rotated through the drag pawl to pulling the ratchet wheel round and with it
the pinion o³, which intergears with the driven wheels w². There is now a
slight pause on the recedance of the cam y until the continued rotation of the
principal shaft f¹, now brings the rise of the cam y', up to the swell w¹,
of the lever 08, when the same operation is repeated as before but on the
opposite side of the machine. The rises y³, y³, of the cams y, , operate upon
the levers 10, 108 in succession as the same are brought round by the rotation
of the principal shaft.
The imparting of motion to the two ends of the take-up beam alternately, is
for the purpose of correcting any inequalities or faults in the stretching and
rolling-up of the work, and it is clearly understood that dwellings or pauses
come between the pulls and that the taut imparted to the work is only due to
the force exerted by the weights 20".
OPERATION.
Assuming that the warp beam is empty, then the same is directly filled with
warp in manner following:
Place the ends of the wires in their proper relative positions within the grooves
and then operate the clutch and slide the same forward upon the driving shaft a
and upon the feather a¹, of it, by the rollered and forked ends ³, d, of the
lever d, and on the he part d', passing into the she part a" on the face the pinion a,
motion is entirely suspended in the other parts of the mechanism of the loom
through the principal shaft f¹. Subsequent to the clutch being slid forward the

page_text: he part d', of it, with the she part c', on the shaft as, when motion is then com-
municated to the beam in a reverse direction and to the other mechanism of the
loom through the principal shaft f', on the excentric mounting of the worm g¹
being placed in its normal position, and in gear with the tangent wheel g.
Assuming that the warp wires, or the forward ends of. the warp wires have been
passed over the yielding guide roller u, and that the intermediate and alternate
sets of warps have respectively been threaded through the eyes and spaces between
the strands of the respective gears and then brought forward in their proper order
and directed through the openings between the bars in the reed and from thence
brought forward over the breast roller to the take up beam, and assuming also that the
loom has been worked and that a length of wire fabric, has been made and coiled
around the said take-up beam and over the breast roller to within touch of the
reed on the forward swinging of the slay, and that the component parts of the
loom are in the respective positions represented in Figure 5 where the slay is
shown swung full back and assuming that the loose shuttle is held in the left hand
sheath and that the shuttle arms are clear of the shed and out of the path of the
reed, and that the gears are crossed, the warps decussated and the shed formed for
the reception of the weft trailed by the shuttle, then the weaving is conducted in
manner following :-
Ey the rotation of the principal shaft f¹, the face or cam plates n, are rotated,
and the channel cam formations, of them are made to travel over the rollered
studs o³, and assuming that the channel cams are in the positions represented by
the chain dotted lines in Figure 6, and that the active parts of the same extends
from 1 to 3 and from 3 to 2 and that the rest parts extend from 1 to 2, then by the
rotation of each of the plates in the direction of the dotted arrow, the rollered
stud o³, is made to descend until it takes the position occupied by the numeral 3,
when the cam plate is then in the full line position shown in Figure 6. The like
movement of both cam plates operates the bell-cranked levers o, and the radius
arms o, through the links o, and through the said radius arms oo, the shuttle
arms 9, are first straightened out from the position represented in dotted lines in
Figure 12 to the full lined positions of the same figure and so also are the shuttle
sheaths, the left hand one of which carries the shuttle which is pointed in a right
line across the warp and through the shed, and the whole traversed upon the beds
by the respective carrying slides, and through the shed until the shuttle sheaths
meet in the middle thereof, when the naked half of the shuttle passes into the open
mouth of the right hand sheath, and as the mouths of the cases or sheaths become
approximate to each other, the shuttle is automatically unlocked from the left hand
sheath and at the same time locked in the right hand sheath.
The still further movement of the roller studs o², in the other active parts of the
races, viz., from 3 to 2, causes the shuttle arms to retrace their former movement
and to retire away from each other and clear of the ends of the shed, whilst the
shuttle, in being transported through the shed, deposits in its trail, the weft or
woofs. Before the saddles carrying the shuttle arms have completed their back
traverse, the studs q2, of the arms q. impinge upon the studs p', whereby the arms
are turned obliquely outwards and the shuttle carried by one of them is made to
make an obtuse angle with the arm so as to avoid any sharp angles in the weft
during the beating up. The rollers o², now pass to the rest parts of the channels
during the operation of the slay and the working of the gears, and during this
period of rest, the active parts of the channels now commences to act upon the
studs m, of the slay-operating mechanism, so as to lift the slides m, and push up
the links m, and force outwards the links m, m2, m and rock the same upon the
links m', and by these links becoming straightened out or assuming a right line as
in Figure 9, the slay, is slung forward and ou the points marked with a full cross
in the active parts of the cams coming coincident with the rollers m¹, the reed k, is
made to beat the weft slaid by the previous handing of the shuttle through the
shed, up to the work, and compact the same.
Instantly this first compacting has been accomplished, the slay slightly retires

page_text: and the gears cross each other by the twin cams of the harness parts of them
operating the treadle levers 10, 1, so as to elevate one gear and depress the other,
which crosses the series of warps 6,, and interlocks the weft s', and also forms the
shed for the passage of the next weft, but before the next transferring of the:
shuttle, a second impact is given to the weft to correct any displacement of
the same which might have occurred during the crossing of the warps and the
decussation thereof by the gears. This second impact is performed by the neutral
declivity of the can now traversing backwards thereby bringing the links and slay
into the position Figure 10 and on the part marked with a dotted cross coming
coincident with the roller studs m", the links are again brought into the position
Figure 9, and a second impact is thereby given to the weft.
:
The amount of work thus fabricated is taken up and kept on the stretch by four
intermittent pulls given to it for every rotation of the shaft through the
cams y, y', (see Figure 15) and at the same time, the take-up beam is rotated to an
extent equal or about equal to the amount of work made. At the same time that
the work is taken in by the take-off beam, the warp beam is also rotated and
receives its motion from the principal shaft, through the medium of the
excentrich, which transmits a rocking movement to the slotted rocking arms ",.
and by them, the drag pawls pull round the ratchet wheel on the return movement.
of the arms, by which ratchet wheel, the countershaft g' and bevel wheel grotates
thereby turning the second bevel g³, and countershaft g² gearing with the worm
wheel which communicates a feed or let-off motion to the warp beam a, through.
the tangent wheel g.
The rate of let-off' is made constant or invariable sub ruta with the diminution of
the store of. wound wire in the grooves by the tracing roller, falling to the
circumference of the wound warp, thereby allowing the outer end of the lever ',
to drop and with it the studs g, in the slots of the rocking arms g, and so the
range of the pawls is increased so as to comprehend more teeth, which gradually
accelerates the rate of motion of the warp beam and makes the feed invariable.
The shuttle arms again pass up the shed and meet at the middle and the shuttle-
in the right hand sheath is transferred to the left hand sheath. The shuttle arms.
again retire, the weft lain in the shed by the shuttle is beaten up and compacted,.
the gears cross, the weft compacted again, the take up and let off beams rotated
and so on and thus weaving is conducted.
For twill and other fancy weaving we employ four or other number of gears with.
corresponding mechanism for the working of them.
It will be seen that the shuttle part has upon its side a longitudinal web 4, through
a longitudinal slit 5, of which, the weft from the cop outwardly passes and which
web forms a means for guiding the cases onto the shuttle and for preventing the
entanglement of the said weft with the locking means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inveu-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
:-
First In the shuttle part of wire-weaving machinery, conveying the shuttle
from one side of the warp wires to the other and through the shed formed by
the decussation of the said warp wires, through the medium of approaching and
receding carriers which on coming together hand or transfer the shuttle from
one to the other, substantially as described and set forth.
Secondly In the shuttle part of wire-weaving machinery, conveying or
transferring the shuttle from one side of the warp wires to the other and
through the shed formed by the decussation of the said warp wires, through
the medium of approaching and receding sheaths or cases carried upon the
terminal ends of arms or equivalents, which sheaths or cases, on coming together,.
transfer or hand over the shuttle from one case to the other, substantially as
described and set forth.
Thirdly-In the shuttle and shuttle carriers, cases or sheaths of wire-weaving.

page_text: machinery, alternately locking and releasing the shuttle within and from one or
other of the cases, carriers or sheaths, substantially as described and set forth.
Fourthly In the shuttle and shuttle carriers, cases or sheaths of wire-
weaving machinery, alternately locking and releasing the shuttle within and
from one or other of the cases, carriers or sheaths by spring catches which
act upon each other reciprocally and respectively, substantially as described and
set forth.
Fifthly In conveyance cases, sheaths or carriers for the shuttles of wire-
weaving machinery, jointing the same to the ends of shuttle arms or equivalents,
substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Sixthly In the conveyance cases or carriers of shuttles, the means as herein
described for changing the direction of the said cases on the same coming clear
of the shed, substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Seventhly In the shuttle-carrying arms or equivalents of wire-weaving
machinery, the means herein described for changing the plane of the said arms
or equivalents substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Eighthly The general construction arrangement and combination of the
parts of the shuttle mechanism of wire-weaving machinery, substantially as
described and set forth.
--
Ninthly In the shuttle mechanism as in the last preceding claim, the general
construction, arrangement and combination of the parts and means for operating
and controlling the same substantially as described and set forth.
Tenthly In wire-weaving machinery the slay and reed for beating-up the
weft by two impacts of the slay, one prior to the crossing of the gears and the
other subsequent thereto in combination with the links, slides, cams and cognate
parts of the slay substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Eleventhly In slays of wire weaving machinery for giving two or more
impacts to the work, operating and controlling the said slays by or through the
medium of knee or toggle links, operated in the way substantially as described
and set forth.
Twelfthly In wire-weaving machinery, the mechanism for controlling the
slay-operating links, substantially as described and set forth.
Thirteenthly -In wire-weaving machinery, the combination with the gear
parts and their harness, of the reduction gear, substantially as described and set
forth.
Fourteenthly-In wire-wearing machinery, the means for regulating and
controlling the let-off or warp beam, substantially as described and set forth.
Fifteenthly In wire-weaving machinery, the means for equalizing the feed
of warp to the loom, substantially as described and set forth.
:
Sixteenthly-In wire-weaving machinery, the general construction, arrange-
ment, combination fitting and working of the parts, substantially as described
and set forth.
JOSEPH NICHOLS,
JOSEPH HENRY NICHOLS,
WILLIAM EDWARD NICHOLS,
ERNEST ARTHUR NICHOLS,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.