Improvements in or applicable to Shuttles for Smallware Looms.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 10th Dec., 1393-Accepted, 14th Jan.,
1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Shuttles for Smallware Looms.
We, STEPHEN BARNWELL, of 118, Everton Road, Manchester, Manufacturer, and
THOMAS KERFOOT, of Holly Mount, Seymour Grove, Old Trafford, Manchester,
Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our said invention relates to certain improvements in the shuttles used in small-
ware looms.
One part of our said invention relates to the means for producing the drag or
tension of the weft in the process of weaving. In shuttles as heretofore constructed
the drag is produced by a brake finger bearing on the surface of the weft on the bobbin
or pin in the shuttle. The necessary pressure is produced by a bent wire spring
mounted in the widest or back part of the gap of the shuttle. Owing to the form of
spring hitherto used the pressure of the brake finger is very much greater when the
bobbin is full than when it is empty and there is a continual decrease of the tension
of the weft as the bobbin lessens in diameter. The spring having been hitherto
mounted in the rear or widest part of the gap the most valuable part of this space
is occupied by the spring itself and consequently the size of the bobbin which can
be used is limited unless the depth of the shuttle (from back to front) is augmented.
It is however a matter of considerable importance to keep the depth of the shuttle
as small as possible.
According to our said invention we obtain the pressure on the brake finger from
one or more spiral springs coiled about a shaft or wire. One end of each spring is
secured to the shaft while the other is attached to the brake finger so as to produce
the necessary pressure. The shaft or wire is so mounted in the shuttle that it can
be removedl for adjusting the pressure which is effected by turning the brake finger
about its shaft so as to uncoil the spiral spring or to coil it up more tightly as may
be desired. Owing to the power of the spring being stored up in several convolu-
tions of the spiral and the angular displacement of the brake finger being propor-
tionately so small as compared with the number of whole turns of the spring the
pressure of the spring on the brake finger is practically constant whether the bobbin
be full or empty and thus a uniform drag or tension is put on the weft.
We mount the spring or springs and the pin or shaft in the front or bow part of
the shuttle and by thus availing ourselves of the space thus gained at the rear of the
gap of the shuttle we are enabled to use a much larger bobbin without increasing
the depth or distance from back to front of the shuttle.
Another part of our said invention relates to the construction of the body or frame
of the shuttle itself. The back part of the shuttle is provided with grooves or
channels for guiding the shuttle to and fro. As heretofore constructed such grooves
have been formed in the wooden body itself and consequently the flanges or sides of
the grooves must of necessity be of considerable thickness in order to withstand wear
and tear when in use. According to this part of our said invention we form the
flanges or sides of the groove by applying metal plates to the wooden body of the
shuttle. Such metal plates may be made very thin and yet be sufficiently strong to
act as guides and to withstand wear and tear. By this construction we are enabled

page_text: to materially lessen the depth of the shuttle from back to front without diminishing
the gap or bobbin holding space. Such a decrease in the depth of the shuttle
enables us to get the shuttle further back into a wider part of the shed hence a
shorter crank may be used thus diminishing the throw and the weaving friction on
the warp besides enabling the loom to be driven at a higher speed.
We, STEPHEN BARNWELL, of 118, Everton Road, Manchester, Manufacturer, and
THOMAS KERFOOT, of Holly Mount, Seymour Grove, Old Trafford, Manchester,
Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
Our said invention relates to certain improvements in the shuttles used in small-
ware looms.
In order that the same may be more clearly understood we will describe it with
reference to the accompanying drawing in which
Fig. 1 is a plan.
Fig. 2 is a cross section on x-x of Fig. 1.
Figs. 3 and 4 respectively show the bobbin spindle and the spring shaft
separately.
In all the figures the same letters refer to the same parts.
a is the frame of the shuttle, b the bobbin, c the bobbin spindle, the brake
finger, e the spring shaft, ff the grooves at the back of the shuttle, and g g the plates
forming the flanges of the grooves.
One part of our said invention relates to the means for producing the drag or
tension of the weft in the process of weaving. In shuttles as heretofore constructed
the drag is produced by a brake finger bearing on the surface of the weft on the
bobbin or pin in the shuttle. The necessary pressure is produced by a bent wire
spring mounted in the widest or back part of the gap of the shuttle. Owing to the
form of spring hitherto used the pressure of the brake finger is very much greater when
the bobbin is full than when it is empty and there is a continual decrease of the
tension of the weft as the bobbin lessens in diameter. The spring having been
hitherto mounted in the rear or widest part of the gap the most valuable part of this
space is occupied by the spring itself and consequently the size of the bobbin which
can be used is limited unless the depth of the shuttle (from back to front) is
augmented. It is however a matter of considerable importance to keep the depth of
the shuttle as small as possible.
According to our said invention we obtain the pressure on the brake finger d from
one or more spiral springs h coiled about a shaft or wire e. One end of each spring
is secured to the shaft e while the other is attached to the brake finger d so as to
produce the necessary pressure. The shaft or wire e is so mounted in the shuttle
that it can be removed for adjusting the pressure which is effected by turning the
brake finger about its shaft so as to uncoil the spiral spring or to coil it up more
tightly as may be desired. The shaft or wire e is flattened at one end as shown in
Fig. 4 so as to prevent turning when in position. Owing to the power of the spring
being stored up in several convolutions of the spiral and the angular displacement of
the brake finger being proportionately so small as compared with the number of whole

page_text: turns of the spring the pressure of the spring on the brake finger is practically constant
whether the bobbin be full or empty and thus a uniform drag or tension is put on
the weft.
We mount the spring or springs and the pin or shaft in the front or bow part of the
shuttle as shown and by availing ourselves of the space thus gained at the rear of the
gap of the shuttle we are enabled to use a much larger bobbin without increasing the
depth or distance from back to front of the shuttle.
Another part of our said invention relates to the construction of the body or frame
of the shuttle itself.
The back part of the shuttle is provided with grooves or channels ff for guiding
the shuttle to and fro. As heretofore constructed such grooves ff have been
formed in the wooden body a and consequently the flanges or sides of the grooves
must of necessity be of considerable thickness in order to withstand wear and tear
when in use. According to this part of our said invention we form the flange or rear
side of the groove by applying one or more metal plates y to the wooden body a of
the shuttle. Where two plates are used we insert a narrow block or distance piece g¹
between the plates to form the groove. The metal plate forming the rear side of the
channel may be made very thin and yet be sufficiently strong to act as a guide and
to withstand wear and tear. By this construction we are enabled to materially
lessen the depth of the shuttle from back to front without diminishing the gap or
bobbin holding space. Such a decrease in the depth of the shuttle enables us to get
the shuttle further back into a wider part of the shed hence a shorter crank may be
used thus diminishing the throw and the weaving friction on the warp besides enabling
the loom to be driven at a higher speed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A smallware shuttle substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.
2. In a shuttle for smallware looms the combination of a brake finger d, and a
spiral springh for the purpose of producing tension in the weft substantially as set
forth and shown.
3. A shuttle for smallware looms having a weft tension device mounted in the
front part or bow of the shuttle substantially as set forth.
4. In a shuttle for smallware looms the use of a metal plate g to form the rear
side of the guiding groove substantially as set forth and shown.
Dated this 8th day of December 1898