AN IMPROVED MODE OF COMBINING TOGETHER AND ACTUATING CERTAIN PARTS OF MACHINERY ALREADY KNOWN AND USED FOR MAKING LACE (COMMONLY CALLED BOBBIN NET),
Year: 1833

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CROFTS, late of Lenton, but now of Radford, both in the county of Nottingham,
Mechanic, send greeting.
WHEREAS I did by Petition humbly represent unto His present most
Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth, that I had invented "AN
IMPROVED MODE OF COMBINING TOGETHER AND ACTUATING CERTAIN PARTS OF
MACHINERY ALREADY KNOWN AND USED FOR MAKING LACE (COMMONLY CALLED
BOBBIN NET)," and His said Majesty, being willing to encourage all useful
Inventions, was graciously pleased, by His Royal Letters Patent under the
Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing
date at Westminster, the Eleventh day of February now last past (One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-three), in the third year of His reign, to
give and grant for Himself, and His heirs and successors, unto me, the said
William Crofts, my executors, administrators, and assigns, His especial licence,
sole privilege and authority, that I or they should and lawfully might make,
make, use, exercise, and vend my said Invention within that part of His said.
Majesty's Dominions called England and Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, and also in the Colonies and Plantations abroad, by myself or
by my executors, administrators, and assigns, or by my or their servants,
deputies or agents, or such others as I or they should appoint (and no others),
from time to time during the term of fourteen years from the date of the said
Letters Patent, whereby his said Majesty enjoins all His subjects whatsoever

page_text: not to imitate, counterfeit, or resemble the said Invention. And whereas the
said Letters Patent contain a proviso obliging me, the said William Crofts,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and by
what manner the same is to be performed, by an Instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, and cause the same to be enrolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months after the date of the said
Letters Patent, as in and by the same (reference being thereunto had), will
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Crofts, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described and
ascertained in manner following, that is to say:-
My Invention is an improved mode (herein-after particularly described), of
combining together certain parts of machinery already known and used for
making lace (commonly called bobbin net), which parts are usually termed, by
mechanicians and manufacturers of that article, bobbins and carriages, combs
and comb bars, with the necessary bars for moving the carriages in the combs,
also thread guides and guide bars, also sleas and warp rollers, likewise taking
up points and point bars and lace roller, with all requisite appurtenances to the
said parts; and my said improved mode also includes the actuating of the said
combined parts, as herein-after described, by means of other suitable parts of
machinery already known and used for making lace, which parts are usually
called racking wheels for communicating racking or shogging motions to the
guide bars and comb bar; in order that by virtue of combining and actuating
the parts according to my improved mode two thicknesses or tissues or webs
of lace net may be made together in the same machine, whereof the parts are
combined together and actuated according to my aforesaid improved mode;
that is to say, the lace net which is made in the machine by twisting together
the bobbin threads and warp threads after being formed into regular meshes
by gathering up a row of meshes at a time by the taking-up action of the
points is then wound or rolled up around the lace roller as fast as it is made;
and the said lace will consist of two thicknesses applying in close contact one
against the other, the successive rows of meshes of both nets having been
gathered up together like one net by the said taking-up action of the points;
but when such lace net is afterwards unrolled and removed from off the lace
roller whereon it has been wound up like one net during the working of the
machine, the said lace net can be separated into two distinct pieces of lace net.
My said improved mode of combining together and actuating the aforesaid
parts for the purpose of making two pieces of lace net at once may be carried
into effect with parts of machinery, which is termed fluted bar or fluted roller

page_text: machinery, for which Messieurs Henson and Jackson obtained a Patent, dated
the Eleventh of January, One thousand eight hundred and twenty-five, and
which machinery is so called because the bobbins and carriages are moved
backwards and forwards in the combs and between the warp threads by means
of revolving fluted rollers, the flutes of which act between corresponding teeth
formed at the under sides of the carriages in the same manner as the teeth of
pinions act in the teeth of cog wheels. Or otherwise my said improved mode
may be carried into effect with the parts of what is called circular comb
machinery, the bobbins and carriages of which are moved in the combs by the
joint action of what are called swinging driving bars, situated above the combs
to push the carriages therein between the warp threads and lockers situated
beneath the combs, and turning on centres or axles so as to catch projecting
nibs at the under sides of the carriages, in order to draw them out from
between the warp threads into the opposite combs to those from which they
have been driven out by the previous motion of the driving bars.
Sheet I. of the Drawings hereunto annexed is a section, full size, of parts.
similar to those of fluted-bar machinery, but combined together according to
my improved mode in order to make two thicknesses of lace net as aforesaid.
The bobbins and carriages A and 7 have teeth at the lower part of them, to
be actuated by the flutes of the fluted bar or roller C, D, and 1, in order to
move the said carriages A, 7, backwards and forwards in the combs E, F, and 2,
by an action similar to that whereby the teeth of a pinion act in the teeth of
a cog wheel. The combs E, F, and 2, have tangs projecting from them at
each end, which are cast in leads to hold the combs together, the lead at one
end of each comb being adapted to be screwed against the comb bars G, H,
and 3, as usual in fluted bar machinery, but the lead 4, by which the extra
tangs at the opposite ends of the combs are united, is for the purpose of
retaining the combs steadily at their proper distances asunder. The fluted
rollers C, D, 1, are situated beneath the middles of the combs E, F, 2, re-
spectively, in the arches which are left between the tangs at each end of each
comb. The fluted rollers are supported on pivots at their ends in the usual
manner of fluted bar machinery, and each of the rollers is steadied in the
middle of its length by middle bearings a, b, and 5, to prevent it from bending
or springing. The guides B and 6 for the warp threads are cast in leads and
screwed on guide bars I and 8. The warp threads from the warp rollers K
and 9 are conducted up through the eyes of the guides B, 6, which hold the
warp threads side by side at equal distances asunder in each row, corresponding
with the distances at which the carriages are held asunder side by side in each
row by the combs. The two rows of guides. B and 6, instead of being close

page_text: together as usual in fluted bar machinery, are placed so far apart that the
middlemost row of combs 2 is included between the two rows of guides in
order that the carriages A or 7 of either row may pass completely out from
between one row of warp or guide threads B or 6 before the same carriages
make their entrance between the other row of warp or guide threads, whereas
in common fluted bar machinery the carriages must pass between both rows
of warp or guide threads at once. The guide bars I and 8 are capable of
shogging or racking endways in order to rack the warp threads, as usual in
other machines. The aforesaid bobbins and carriages A, 7, and the combs E,
F, and 2, and the guides B and 6, are made single tier gage instead of double
tier gage, as usual in common fluted bar machinery; that is to say, the front
row of bobbins A, together with the front row of guides B, must contain the
.requisite number of bobbin threads and warp threads for making one piece of
lace net (viz., the front piece of the two pieces which are to be made together),
whilst the other or back row of bobbins 7, together with the back row of
guides 6, must contain the requisite number of bobbin threads and warp
-threads for making another distinct piece of net, viz., the back piece of the
two pieces which are to be made together; whereas in common fluted bar
machinery the two rows of carriages and the two rows of guides, taken alto-
gether, only contain the requisite number of bobbin threads and warp threads
for making one piece of net instead of two pieces. The carriages A and 7
being single tier gage, the edges or shoulders of their grooves, which are to fit
in the combs E, F, and 2, will have less breadth of bearing than usual in
common fluted bar machinery, and likewise the tangs of the combs must be
thinner than usual, but the support which the combs will derive from the
extra tangs by means of their uniting leads 4 will fortify them, and also the
combs are shorter than usual, because they are only required to receive one
row of carriages in each row of combs at once, instead of two rows of carriages
in each row of combs. The front and back comb bars G and H are sus-
pended in the usual manner of fluted bar machines by joints at each end of
each bar from the main centre pins, which correspond with the horizontal
centre line of the circular curvature of all the combs, and the comb bars can
be lifted up about those pins as a centre of motion, in order to give access to
the guides B or 6 for mending threads. In the regular working of the
machine the front and back comb bars are never shogged or racked endways,
but remain motionless. The middle comb bar 3, which is situated between
the two guide bars I and 8, is racked endways when requisite to produce the
traversing of the bobbins. The middle comb bar 3 may be suspended from
the same centre pins aforesaid by joints of its own at each end of it, which

page_text: joints, by sliding along the said pins, will permit the racking motion to take
place. The middle fluted roller 1 is supported on pivots at each end of it in
bearings affixed to the ends of the middle comb bar 3, so that the fluted'
roller 1 will partake of the racking motion of the middle comb bar, and cach
extremity of the fluted part of the middle fluted roller 1 is provided with what
is called a turn-again piece of the same kind as is commonly used at one end
of each of the innermost fluted rollers in ordinary fluted bar machines for
permitting the turn-again of the carriages, that is, their transfer from one row
to the other at the ends of their respective rows; that is to say, a ferril or
short tube is fitted on the round part of the axis of the fluted roller 1 at each
end of the fluted part thereof, and the ferril is cut out with teeth corresponding
with the flutes of the roller, so that the two ferrils will form a combination or
prolongation of the flutes at each end of the roller 1. Each ferril is pressed
endways along the round part of the axis of the roller into close contact with
the end of the fluted part of the roller by a spiral spring coiled round the
axis, and the pressure occasions as much friction between the ends of the flutes
and the ferril as will be sufficient to cause the ferrils to turn round with the
roller, in order to give motion to the endmost carriages at each extremity of
the row of carriages whenever these carriages come into the spaces at each
end of the row of combs, so as to get beyond the ends of the fluted part of
the roller; for then the teeth of the carriages will be engaged with the teeth of
the said ferrils instead of being engaged with the flutes of the roller, although
teeth of all the other carriages are engaged with those flutes; nevertheless,
the ferrils being capable of slipping round about the axis of the roller 1, they
will give way whenever the endmost carriages (whereof the teeth are engaged
with the ferrils) are forcibly stopped and detained from moving in their combs
by means of stops which are fixed to the framing of the machine at each end
of the row of middle combs 2. The said stops intercept and detain the turn-
again carriages, that is, the endmost carriages of the row, whenever, by the
racking motion of the middle comb bar 3 and the consequent traversing of
the carriages in their respective rows, they get a carriage too many at one end
of either row, viz., at the right-hand end of the front row of carriages, or at
the left-hand end of the back row of carriages. Those carriages which are
too many are called the turn-again carriages. The said fixed stops, by de-
taining those turn-again carriages from passing along with the others, causes
them to join the other row of carriages at that end thereof where there is a
deficiency; that is to say, the stop at the right-hand end of the row of middle
combs 2 is so fixed as to prevent the turn-again carriage, which is in excess at
that end of the front row, from passing forwards between the front guide
threads B along with the other carriages of that row, but by detaining the

page_text: said turn-again carriage it joins the back row at the right-hand end thereof
where there is a deficiency, and vice versa; the stop at the left-hand end of
the row of middle combs 2 is so fixed as to detain the turn-again carriage
which is in excess at that end of the back row from passing backwards between
the back guide threads 6 along with the other carriages of that row, conse-
quently the said turn-again carriage joins the front row at the left-hand end
thereof where there is a deficiency. The racking motions of the middle comb
bar 3 are so managed as to cause a progressive traversing of the front row of
carriages from the left hand towards the right hand, endways in their row, and
vice versa, a contrary traversing of the back row of carriages from right to
left, for which purpose the middle comb bar is racked towards the right
hand when the front row of carriages are in its combs, but it is racked
towards the left hand when the back row of carriages are in its combs.
In consequence of the said traversing of the carriages they accumulate
and overflow at the right-hand end of the front row, and also at the
left-hand end of the back row, and for the same reason the carriages
become deficient at the opposite end of each of the said rows; but, as fast
'as one row becomes one carriage deficient at one end and the other row
gets one carriage in excess at the same end, the latter carriage is trans-
ferred from the row which has an excess to the row which is deficient
'so as restore the rows to their proper relative positions. Note, the afore-
said traversing action of the carriages and their turn-again action is the
same as in common fluted bar machines, except that as the turn-again of both
rows of carriages is performed when they are in the middlemost combs 2, a
turn-again piece or ferril is required at each end of the middlemost fluted
roller 1, instead of one fluted roller having a turn-again piece or ferril at one
end, and the other fluted roller like a turn-again piece or ferril at the opposite
end. The effect of the said turn-again action of the carriages is to lead the
traversing bobbin threads around the extreme edges or borders of the piece of
double net out of the front thickness or web of net into the back thickness or
web thereof, and vice versa, from the back thickness into the front, wherefore
the two webs or thicknesses of double net which are made together will be
united together at the extreme edges or borders of the double piece by the
traversing bobbin threads wherever they make their turn-again at the borders
of the piece, and those threads must be cut in order to separate the double
thickness into two pieces. Note, the warp threads for both the pieces of the
double net may be supplied from one large warp roller, such as is commonly
used in other lace machines instead of two warp rollers, as represented at K
and 9, in Sheet I., the threads from the said large warp roller being conducted
alternately through the eyes of the front guides B, and of the back guides 6,

page_text: in the usual manner of double-tier machinery. Note, owing to the short
length of the combs and to their being connected by lead at each end of each
comb, it would be difficult to take out carriages from the combs when.required.
Therefore to permit of drawing out the carriages at the open end of the combs
the two outermost fluted rollers C and D are so applied that they can be let.
down when required in order to quit the teeth of the carriages. For this pur-
pose the pivots at the ends of the front and back fluted rollers C and D, are
each supported in sockets 11, 11, which are fastened in the manner of short
crank bar arms to each end of horizontal axes or spindle bars 10, 10, placed.
parallel to the comb bars above and outside thereof. Each of the axes 10 is.
supported at each of its ends on pivots so as to be capable of turning a little
round in the manner of an axis, in order to let down the fluted roller (which
is supported in its arms 11, 11) as much as is requisite to disengage the flutes.
of the roller from the teeth of the carriages so as to set the same at liberty
and permit them to be drawn out at the outer or open ends of the combs. The
pivots at the ends of the crank bar axis 10 are supported in bearing sockets,
which are fastened to the ends of the comb bars, in the same manner as the
sockets for the pivots of the fluted rollers are usually fastened to the ends of:
the comb bar, and the crank bars 10, 10, may be steadied in the middle by.
a suitable support fixed to the middle of the comb bar. The middle bearing
a or b, for supporting the fluted roller at the middle of its length, in order to
prevent it from bending, may be screwed to the middle of the crank bar axis.
10. The weight of the crank bars 10, 10, being thrown upon the crank bars.
G and H, is no objection, because those comb bars do not require to be
shogged, and also because they admit of being supported where necessary to
prevent them from bending. When the fluted rollers C or D are thus let
down, in order to disengage the carriages, the latter must be prevented from
sliding down by their own weight in the combs E or F, and entangling
amongst the warp threads. For this purpose thin flat bars 12, 12, are.
applied edgeways upwards against the inside flat surfaces of the comb bars. G.
and H, being held thereto by screws which pass through upright slots cut
through the thickness of the bars 12, 12, across their length, and the screws.
are screwed tight into the comb bars, so as to permit the bars 12, 12, to be
slided upwards on the screws, in order that the upper edges of the bars.
12 may rise up into the way of the teeth at the under sides of the carriages
to stop them from sliding down in the combs towards the warp threads.. The
bars 12 must be slided up in order to intercept the carriages in that manner:
at the same instant when the fluted rollers are let down to disengage their
flutes from the teeth of the carriages; for this purpose a small elbow lever 13

page_text: is poised upon a centre pin 14, which is fixed to the comb bar, one such lever
13 being applied at each end of each comb bar, and others in the middle, if
necessary. The lower arm of each elbow lever 18 has a notch or opening in
its end to receive a return at the lower edge of the flat bar 13, and the upper
arm of each elbow lever 13-has a notch to receive a tooth at the end of a
short arm 15, which projects out from the crank bar axis, and acts in the
manner of a short lever, to move the elbow lever 13 about its centre pin 14,
and raise up the flat bar 12 into the way of the carriages, in order to stop
them from sliding down in the combs by their own weight. When the fluted
roller is raised up again to engage its flutes with the teeth of the carriages
the thin flat bar 12 is drawn out of the way by the same movements, and
continues so during the working of the machine. And in order to support the
fluted rollers securely at their proper distances from the combs, a long sliding.
bolt 16 is applied upon each of the comb bars, having a suitable projection
fixed on it at each end to prop and hold up the two crank bar arms 11, 11,
which form the sockets for the two end pivots of each of the fluted rollers, so
as to support them firmly. But when it is required to let down either of the
rollers, the long sliding bolt 16 is slided endways sufficiently to remove the
projections at each end of it from beneath the said crank bar arms 11, 11, so
as to permit them to drop as much as is requisite. The points for taking up
the meshes of the double net are applied as usual on point bars back and
front, which bars are suspended in crank bar arms, and they take up by
tilting down the points, as shewn in Sheet I., and' as is usual in many other
machines. Each of the rows of points, back or front, passes through the
meshes of both the thicknesses of the double net when they take up the
meshes, the action of taking up being the same as is usual in other machines
for making one thickness of net. The points are cast in their leads, the same
number side by side in their row as the number of bobbins or combs or
guides in the same width of leads. That is to say, if there are sixteen combs
side by side in every inch in width, (back row, front row, and middle row,) there
will also be sixteen bobbins and carriages side by side in each inch (back row
and front row), also sixteen guides per inch (back row and front row), and
also sixteen points in each inch (back row and front row). The lace roller is
placed at the upper part of the machinery as usual, and is turned slowly
round by the usual wheelwork, in order to wind up the web of lace net, as
fast as the same is produced, by a proper form being given to the meshes by
the taking-up action of the points. The warp roller must be retarded by the
friction of a cord which is passed round each end of it, and loaded with a
sufficient weight to give the warp threads a proper tension suitably to the

page_text: combs.
tension given to the bobbin threads by setting the springs of their carriages.
The aforesaid parts of machinery for making lace which are represented in
Sheet I. may be put in motion by the usual rotary machinery employed
in fluted roller machinery, in the manner which is partly represented' in
Sheet II. of the Drawings. The three fluted rollers C, D, and 1 are all
turned round backwards and forwards with an alternating revolving motion,
in order to pass the front row of carriages A between the front warp
threads from the middle combs 2 into the front combs E, and then back
again, and so on alternately. The back row of carriages 7 passing in like
manner, and with a corresponding motion, between the back warp threads
from the back combs F into the middle combs 2, and then back again.
The requisite turning motion is given to the three fluted rollers C, D, and 1,
by a toothed pinion on the end of the axis of each roller, and all 'those three
pinions are turned by one toothed sector L, Sheet II., which is fitted freely
upon one of the main centre pins at one end of the machine, that centre
pin being situated in the horizontal centre line or axis of curvature of the
The toothed sector L is moved backwards and forwards about its
centre pin with a vibrating or pendulous motion by means of a link d from the
upper end of a lever M behind the machine, the lower end of the same lever
being moved by a connecting rod N from a revolving crank e at the extremity
of a horizontal axis O, which is turned round with a regular and continuous
rotary motion by means of a pair of cog wheels P, Q, from the axis g and
winch handle f, which may be turned by the hand of the person who is
to attend the machine, or else a pair of fast and loose pullies may be applied
either upon the axis g of the winch handle f, or upon the axis O of the crank,
whichever place is the most convenient for receiving an endless strap or belt
in order to turn the said pullies and their axis O or 9 steadily round by the
power of millwork, which is the usual mode of working fluted bar machinery.
The racking wheels S for giving the small endway motions to the two guide
bars I and 8, and to the middle comb bar 3, are situated at each end of the
machine, both racking wheels being fixed upon a strong horizontal axis R,
which extends from one end of the machine to the other. The axis R is
turned round by a large toothed wheel r, at one end of it from a smaller
toothed wheels of half the size and number of teeth, which is fixed on the
axis of the revolving crank e, wherefore that crank e will make two
revolutions for every complete revolution of the racking wheels S, which is a
different proportion from that of ordinary fluted bar machinery, wherein the
crank makes three turns to one of the racking wheels. The racking wheels S

page_text: * give motion to the guide bars and middle comb bar by means of notches and
prominences on the circumferences of three prominent rims on the edge o
each racking wheel S, the motion being transmitted to the bars by elbow levers
which are poised on fixed centre pins, situated at each end of the machine
The upright arms of those elbow levers act by suitable gage screws to pull the
bars endways whenever the horizontal arms of the same levers are lifted up by
means of other under levers, which are situated across beneath the ends of the
said horizontal arms, and which under levers are alternately lifted and let fall
by the steps and notches which are cut in the circumferences of the said
raised rims of the racking wheels S. The said elbow levers at the opposite
ends of the machine counteract each other, to pull each of the bars alternately
endways, first one elbow lever at one end pulling the bar one way, and then
the other elbow lever at the other end, and pulling it back again in a contrary
direction. Each bar is provided at each end with such an elbow lever and its
under lever, with a series of steps and notches on the circumference of one of
the rims of the racking wheel to actuate it. Therefore there are in all six
elbow levers, six under levers, and six raised rims on the two racking wheels S,
being three of each at each end of the machine. All those parts are the same as
in the ordinary fluted bar machinery. The requisite motions of the point bars
are derived from suitable revolving cams fixed upon the horizontal axis R of
the racking wheels S at each end thereof, in order to pull down the point bars in
opposition to reacting springs which tend constantly to pull up those bars; also
another camm which acts at the proper time to knock out or withdraw one row
of points from the meshes of the double net; which being done, the aforesaid
pair of taking-up camms act together, one at each end of the same point bar
which has been just withdrawn, and they pull that point bar down in oppo-
sition to its springs with a tilting motion. The knocking-out camm then
retreats, and allows the points which have been so tilted down to penetrate
amongst the threads, in the manner represented in Sheet I., after which the
pair of taking-up camms allow the point bar to be pulled up again by its
springs, and, in going up, the points take up the meshes of the double-net
lace, and give those meshes their proper form, and at the same time the lace
roller is turned round a very little by the usual wheelwork for that purpose,
in order to wind up the portion of double lace net which has been so made.
At the next succeeding time for taking up the other points are withdrawn by
their own knocking-out camm, and after they are withdrawn the other pair of
taking-up camms pull down and tilt that point bar which is so withdrawn,
one camm pulling down at each end thereof. Then the knocking-out camm

page_text: allows the points to enter amongst the threads; and after they are so entered
the pair of taking-up camms allows the reacting springs to pull up the points
again, in order to take up the meshes.
Sheet III. is a section, full size, of parts similar to those of circular-comb
machinery, but combined together according to my improved mode, for the
purpose of making two thicknesses of lace net at once, as before stated. The
combs are disposed in three rows, E, F, and 2, front, middle, and back, as
before described; but the shape of the combs is rather different, because the
lockers which are to act beneath them will not permit of having projecting
tangs at each end of each comb to be cast in leads as in the fluted-roller
machinery. The middle comb 2 has the tang in the middle of its length, and
the back and front combs have the tangs at one end. The form of the car-
riages is similar to those used in circular-comb machines, with two nibs or
teeth a,
b, at the under side of each carriage, for the blades c, d, of the lockers
to take hold of. The front locker C, and back locker D, are the same as in
common circular-comb machinery, and are placed beneath the front and back
combs E and F in a suitable position for their blades c, d, to catch the outer-
most teeth of the carriages which are pushed into the combs over the lockers,
so as to draw out those carriages from between the warp threads when the
blades of the lockers are turned upwards and outwards from the warp threads.
But when the same blades are turned downwards and inwards, their acting
edges descend below the range of the nibs a, b, of the carriages, and allow
these nibs to pass over the acting edges of the blades, all which is the usual
action of single-bladed lockers, such as are used in circular-comb machines.
The driving bars L and I above the combs are also the same as in common
circular-comb machines. They are suspended as usual by what are called the
swing jacks from the fixed centre pins at the ends of the machine, which pins
are situated in the horizontal centre line or axis of curvature of the combs;
and the driving bars act with a vibrating or pendulous motion to push the
carriages along in their combs, and pass them between the warp threads; but
the driving bars I, L, cannot push the carriages quite through between the
warp threads, and therefore as soon as those nibs (of the carriages) which are
going foremost get far enough over the acting edge of the blade of that
locker which is situated at the opposite side of the warp threads, then that
locker is turned up, and its blade will draw those carriages quite through
the warp threads, when the driving bars drive one row of carriages.
Those carriages push the other carriages before them, all which is the
usual action of driving bars and lockers in circular-comb machines.
The middle combs 2 require two lockers, 19, 20, and 21, 22, to be

page_text: applied beneath them, of a different kind from the other lockers, one
locker 19, 20, being in the front, and the other locker 21, 22, at the back
of the middle leads. The pivots at the opposite ends of the axes 19 and 22
of those two lockers must be supported in sockets, which are fastened to an
upright sliding bolt 23, at each end of the machine (instead of being fastened
to the fixed framing as usual for other lockers; and those upright sliding
bolts 23 must be lifted up a little in order to bring the acting edges 20, 21,
of the lockers within reach of the nibs of those carriages which are at the
time in the middle combs 2; but whenever the said lockers 19, 22, are so
lifting up, their acting edges 20 and 21 must for the time be turned inwards
towards the leads of the middle combs; and the moment after those lockers have
been so lifted up (but not before) they must then be turned a little about their
axles 19 and 22, so as to throw out their acting edges 20 and 21 apart from
each other, in order that they may act against the nibs of the carriages to
draw them correctly within the ends of the middle combs 2. The action of
passing the carriages between the warp threads is as follows:-Suppose they
are all forwards, the front row of carriages A being in the front combs E, and
the back row of carriages 7 in the middle combs. Then all the four
lockers C, D, and 22, 19, are to be turned down, with one motion, to put the
acting edges of their several blades inwards towards each other, so as to go
out of the way below the reach of the nibs of the carriages; and also, the
middle lockers 19, 22, are dropped down at the same moment that the lockers
thus begin to turn down. The driving bars I, L, begin to swing backwards, and,
in so swinging, the front driving bar I pushes back the front row of carriages A
out of the front combs E, between the front warp threads B, into the middle
combs 2, and there meeting with the carriages 7 of the back row, the front
carriages A push the back carriages 7 backwards out of the middle combs 2,
between the back warp threads 6, into the back combs F. When the front
driving bar I gets as near to the front warp threads B as it can go, it will
have driven the carriages A, 7, as far back as it can follow them, and there
the driving bars 11 stop; but neither of the rows of carriages A and 7 have yet
got quite through between either front or back warp threads B or 6, therefore
the lockers C, D, 19, 22, are brought into action all four at once with one
movement. The two middle ones, 19, 22, being first lifted up to raise their
acting edges 20, 21, high enough to get within reach of the nibs of the front car-
riages A, which are now partly in the middle combs, but not quite therein, at the
same time the back locker D is turned up, that its blade may catch the back
nibs of the back carriages 7, and draw those carriages quite into the back
combs F; and also, the two middle lockers 19, 20, are turned, so as to throw

page_text: their blades 20, 21, outwards from each other; and, in so moving, the blade 20
of the back one takes the back nibs of the front carriage A, and draws those
carriages out from between the front warp threads B, completely within the
middle combs 2, the blade 21 of the corresponding locker at the same time
intercepting the front nibs of the front carriages A, so as to prevent any of
those carriages getting too far back, if they are disposed to do so; and the blade
21 will draw forwards any carriages which may have darted too far back. All
the carriages are now locked up in the middle and back combs, in the manner
shewn in Sheet II. ready for racking the warp threads B and 6; after which,
the driving bars I and L, resume their swinging motion to come forwards
again, and bring the carriages forwards into the front, and so on the action
of passing and repassing the carriages continues. Note, the guides B 6,
and warp roller or rollers, and the lace roller also taking up points,
are all to be very nearly the same, as in Sheet I., and therefore requires no
further explanation. The aforesaid parts of machinery for making lace which
are represented in Sheet III. may be put in motion by the usual parts of.
rotary machinery such as is employed in common rotary machines in the
manner which is partly represented in Sheet IV. The driving bars I, L,
may be swung alternately backwards and forwards by a connecting link dat
each end of the machine which go back from the swing jacks at each end
of the driving bars to driving levers M fixed on a horizontal back axis N,
which extends all the length of the machine, and carries a lever arm S at
the middle of its length, which is put in motion by a rollers at the extremity
of the said arm acting in a curved groove formed around the circumference
of a revolving camm R is fixed on the middle of a long horizontal axis Y.
The said axis Y being turned regularly by means of a cog wheel fixed
upon it, which is turned by another intermediate cog wheel Q which receives
its motion from another equal cog wheel P fixed on the axis g of the winch
handle fin front of the machine, which handle f may be turned by the
person who is to attend the machine, or else a pair of fast and loose pullies
may be applied to the axis of the handle, or to the axis Y in order to turn
the machinery by the power of millwork in the usual manner of rotary lace
machinery, and as herein-before described for the fluted roller machinery. The
back and front lockers C and D are both moved simultaneously by one locking
camm, which is fixed on the same axis Y with the main driving camm R,
and the said locking camm by the curvature of its circumference acts upon a
locking lever, which is connected by suitable links x, w, with short lever arms
o, p, affixed to each locker bar C and D, so as to turn those lockers upwards
in order to lock the carriages in the combs every time that a prominent part

page_text: of the said locking camm comes into action on the said locking lever, and
when the prominent part of the locking camm passes away the lockers are
turned down by the reaction of suitable springs, all which is the usual manner
of moving lockers in rotary machines. The two middle lockers 19, 21, 20, 22,
are turned up by a similar action of another like camm, which is fixed on
the axis Y, by the side of the first-mentioned taking camm.
The upright
sliding rods 23, which, as before mentioned, support the bearing sockets for
the two middle lockers, one at each end of the machine, may have their
trucks at their lower ends to run upon the curved circumferences of a pair
of lifting camms, also on the same axis Y one such camm at each end of
the machine under each of the sliding bolts 23. The prominences of the
said pair of lifting camms lift up the upright sliding bolts 23, and both lockers
19, 22, with them when requisite, in order to make those lockers perform as
before described, and then, as the prominences of the pair of lifting camms
pass away from beneath the trucks of the sliding bolts descend, to let both
lockers drop by their own weight. The necessary racking motions may be
given to the guide bars, and to the middle comb bar by suitable racking
wheels which may be applied at each end of the machine upon the ends
of the main axis Y as before described, and as is usually practised in
fluted bar machines; or else racking wheels may be applied only. at one
end of the machine with reacting springs at the other end to press
the bars endways towards the racking wheels. Or, instead of fixing the
said racking wheels on the end or ends of the axis Y, they may be all
fixed upon an upright axis at one end of the machine which is turned
continually round by a bevil wheel on the extreme end of the axis Y
working a bevil wheel of equal size and number of teeth fixed upon
the said upright axis which, together with the racking wheels, will go at
the same rate as the main axis Y, and as the driving camms which are fixed
upon it. The point bars may be actuated in the same manner as described
in the fluted roller machinery, by taking up camms fixed upon the main axis Y
in pairs, one camm being provided at each end of the axis Y for pulling down
each of the point bars, back and front alternately, and one other knocking-out
camm for each point bar, back and front, to withdraw the points from the net
and insert them again at the proper times. The winding up of the lace roller
is the same as in other machines, and as herein-before described, and the warp
roller or rollers is the same as herein-before explained. The aforesaid parts of
machinery for making lace, which are represented in Sheets I. and II., are
adapted for making wide pieces of double net, that is, a double tissue or web
as wide
as the machine will contain, but which can be separated into two thick-

page_text: nesses, when taken of the lace roller, by cutting the turn-again bobbin threads
at the edges of the double web which unite the two thicknesses together like
one whilst they are in the machine.
Having now explained my improved mode of combining together the afore-
said parts of machinery for making lace, it only remains to explain my
improved mode of actuating the said parts by means of suitable racking wheels
with such motions that two thicknesses or tissues or webs of laco net will be
made together, because the making of two pieces together depends upon a
suitable succession of shogging or racking motions being given by the racking
wheels and their accessory parts to the guide bars, and to the middle comb bar
corresponding to the backwards and forwards motions which are given at the
same time to the bobbins and carriages by the fluted rollers, or by the driving
bars and lockers. Suppose the front row of carriages A, Sheet I., have just gone
back into the middle combs 2, the back row of carriages 7 having at the same
time gone back into the back combs F, as represented in Sheet I., the front
points having penetrated between the threads and being in the act of taking
up the twists previously made; but, note, they ought to have risen further up
than is there represented. The middle comb bar 3 is first racked towards the
right hand, and the front carriages A being in its combs are traversed towards
the right, by which movement the endmost front carriage. becomes one too
many at that end of the row. The front guides B are also racked to the left
and likewise the back guides 6 to left. After this racking (which is performed
with an instantaneous motion) the the carriages begin to come forwards, the
back carriages 7 passing between the back warp threads 6 into the middle
combs 2, and the front carriages A passing between the front warp threads B
into the front combs E, excepting the aforesaid extreme carriage at the right-
hand end of the front row A, which carriage is detained by the fixed stop at 30
in front from coming forwards along with the other carriages; but it is made to
perform turn-again, and joins the back row of carriages at the right-hand end
thereof, where there is a deficiency and a vacant space for it. The carriages
being come forwards the middle combs 2 are next racked to the left, and the
back carriages 7, being in them, are traversed to the left, whereby the endmost
back carriage becomes one too many at that end of the row. The front guides
B are also racked to the right, and also the back guides 6 to the right; then
the back carriages go back again, the front carriages A passing between the
front warp threads into the middle combs 2, and the back carriages 7
passing between the back warp threads 6 into the back combs F, except
the extreme carriage at the left-hand end of the back row, in consequence
of which is intercepted by the back fixed stop 31, and detained from going

page_text: backwards along with the other carriages, but is made to perform turn-
again, and joins the front division at the left-hand end thereof, where
there is a deficiency and vacant space for it. Note, by this time the crank e
has made one complete revolution, and the parts have regained the same
positions as is represented in Sheet I., excepting the point bars, the back
points being now about to draw out from the net in preparation for descending
in order to take up the twists previously made. The remainder of the series of
movements is a repetition of the foregoing, viz., the middle combs are racked
to the right with the front carriages, the front guides are racked to the left,
and the back guides to the left; then the carriages come forwards, each row of
carriages passing its own row of warp threads, except the extreme right-hand
front carriage, which is detained by the front stop 30, so as to perform turn-
again, and join the back division, and when the carriages in coming forwards
have just got halfway through between their warp threads respectively, the
back points penetrate amongst the threads, in order to take up the twists
which have been made; the middle combs are then racked to the left with the
back carriages 7 in them, causing them to traverse to the left; the front
guides are racked to the right, and the back guides to the right; then the
carriages go back again, but the extreme left-hand carriage of the back row
is detained by the back stops 31, so as to perform turn-again, and join the
front division; and when the carriages in going backwards have got just
halfway through between their warp threads respectively, the front points
penetrate between the threads, in order to take up the twists previously made.
By this time the crank has made another complete turn, and the racking
wheels have made one complete turn, and all the parts have returned to the
situation represented in Sheet I., and thenceforward the continuance of the
operation of the machinery is an exact repetition of the preceding series of
movements. The proper steps on the different racking wheels which are
required for actuating the machinery in the manner above described are
represented in Sheet II., and the explanation written thereon is sufficient
without further description. Note, in the above series of movements, the
back guide bar and the front guide bar always move together in racking, and
therefore they may be both connected together, and one racking wheel will
serve for racking both the guide bars. The series of movements above
described will give a less number of twists in forming the meshes of the net
than it may be thought desirable to give them. A double quantity of twist
may be given by actuating the middle comb bar differently; that is to say, it
must be racked once to the right, and then to the left, and must then remain
motionless all the rest of the course above described; in consequence, the

page_text: traversing of the carriages will not be repeated half so frequently as before
mentioned, and twice as many twists will be given in the intervals between the
time of traversing, also the taking-up action of the points will be repeated
only half as often as aforesaid. The proper steps for the racking wheel of
the middle comb bar to effect the double quantity of twists is delineated in
Sheet II., and the proper times for taking up with the back and front points
is there marked. The racking wheels for the guide bars will be just the
same, and as represented in Sheet II., whether the twist is made as above
described, or whether twice as much twist is given. Note, the aforesaid
improved mode of actuating parts of machinery for making lace, by giving
such movements thereto by suitable racking wheels as will make two thick-
nesses of net at once, may be carried into effect with the parts of double tier
machinery, such as fluted roller machinery, and circular comb or circular bolt
machinery, when those parts are arranged in their usual manner.
This may
be done combining the same with racking wheels suitably formed for
actuating the parts with such racking movements as will make two thicknesses
of lace net thereby in manner following:-Let a double-tier fluted roller
machine, or a circular-comb machine, be made with the parts which operate
on the threads of a finer gage than is usual for double-tier machinery, for
instance, with eighteen points per inch, back and front, and eighteen combs per
inch, back and front, and eighteen bobbins and carriages per inch, in each row,
back and front, and eighteen guides per inch, back and front, and with thirty-six
warp threads per inch, warped on the usual warp roller, viz., of those eighteen
threads to go through the front guides, and eighteen threads to go through the
back guides; all the parts of the machinery may be constructed in the usual
manner, except the racking wheels, which must be adapted to go round once
for two turns of the crank of the fluted roller machinery instead of three times,
as commonly done, and the circumferences of those racking wheels must be
cut with steps, according to the patterns given in Sheet III., and which
racking wheels will actuate the parts of the machinery with the following
movements, which are proper for making two thicknesses of lace net thereby,
instead of making one piece of bobbin-net lace, as is usually made in such
machinery. Suppose, for a commencement of the description, that both rows of
carriages are in the back combs, and that the front combs are standing racked
to the left (and they are empty), the front guide bar standing to the left (note,
it is capable of racking two spaces to the right from its present position),
and the back guide bar standing to the right, the front points took up
at the last time of taking up and the back points are drawn out, the
preparation for taking up in their turn at the next time of taking

page_text: up. The parts being in those positions, suppose the machinery to begin
to move, its action will be as follows:-The front carriages come through
forwards between the warp threads, and whilst they are coming through
the back points penetrate amongst the threads, the front combs then racked
to the right. The front guides rack one space to the right, and the
back guides rack to the left; the back carriages come through forwards
between the warp threads. The front combs then rack to the left, with the
back carriages (thereby traversing towards the left hand), the front guides
rack one space one space to the left, and the back guides rack to the right.
The back carriages go through backwards between the warp threads. The
front combs then rack to the right with the front carriages, thereby traversing
them to the right. The front guides with two spaces to the right, and the
back guides remain as they were. The front carriages go through backwards
between the warp threads. The front combs then rack to the left (being
empty). The front guides rack two spaces to the left, and the back guides
remain as they were. The crank has now made one complete turn, and the
racking wheels half a turn, the remainder of the movements is an exact
repetition of the preceding, except that the front points will take up instead
of the back points. The front carriages come through forwards, and, whilst
they are coming through, the front points penetrate amongst the threads.
The front combs rack to the right. The front guides rack one space to the
right and the back guides rack to the left. The back carriages come
through forwards. The front combs then rack to the left, with the back
carriages thereby traversing them again to the left (a second time). The
front guides rack one space to the left, and the back guides rack to the right.
The back carriages go through backwards, the front combs then rack to the
right, with the front carriages thereby traversing them again to the right (a
second time). The front guides rack two spaces to the right, and the back
guides remain as they were. The front carriages go through backwards, the
front combs then rack to the left (being empty). The front guides rack
two spaces to the left, and the back guides remain as they were. The
racking wheels have now gone quite round, and all the parts have resumed
the positions which they had at the commencement of this description.
Having now described my said improved mode of combining, together and
actuating certain parts of machinery for making lace, I, the said William
Crofts, do hereby declare that the Invention, whereof the exclusive use is
granted to me by the Letters Patent herein-before recited, consists in the im-
proved mode (herein-before described). of combining together parts of machinery
for making lace, so as to have a row of middle combs with a row of warp

page_text: threads on each side of those middle combs, whereby one row of carriages may
be passed through one row of warp threads before those carriages arrive at
the other row of warp threads, and of actuating the parts of machinery for
making lace with suitable racking movements, to cause the said parts to make
a double web or tissue of lace net in the manner herein-before described,
which, when taken out of the machinery can be separated into two distinct
pieces of lace net by cutting the turn-again traversing bobbin threads, by
which the borders or edges of the piece of double net were united together
during its fabrication in the machinery.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Crofts, have' hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of August, One thousand eight hundred
and thirty-three.