IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING LOONS"
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Sutcliffe, of Todmorden, in the County of
Lancaster, Weaver, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING
LOONS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Sutcliffe at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st January 1882.
THOMAS SUTCLIFFE of Todmorden in the County of Lancaster, Weaver.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING LOOMS."
This invention of improvements in weaving looms has reference mainly to
(1) means whereby the forward movement of the picker sticks is arrested after
they have delivered their picks, without the intervention of the picker bands;
(2) means whereby the picker sticks are thereupon returned into position for again
delivering their picks; and (3) reducing the outlay in picker bands and such other
parts as would be injuriously affected if the picker bands were used for arresting
the forward movement of the picker sticks.
The following description indicates the nature of these improvements and how
they may be carried into effect. The picker stick shafts are acted upon by springs
in such a manner as that (1) after the picker stick shafts have been rotated
sufficiently in the forward direction to enable the respective picker sticks to deliver
their picks, their further rotation in the said direction and consequently the forward
movement of the picker sticks, is arrested in a more or less gradual manner, and
without the intervention of the picker bands for the purpose; and (2) the picker
stick shafts, and consequently the picker sticks, are thereupon returned into position
for again delivering their picks. Owing to the picker bands not being used to
arrest the forward movement of the picker sticks, the wear and tear upon them
and upon such other parts as would be injuriously affected if the picker bands
were so used is greatly diminished, and is accompanied by a corresponding reduction
in the outlay upon these items. The outlay in picker bands may from the same
cause as that just mentioned be still further reduced by making them of different
material to that commonly employed.

page_text: According to one arrangement under this invention each picker stick shaft is
encircled by two cylindrically coiled springs of strengths or resistances which differ
from each other. One end of each spring is secured to an arm or lever through
which the picker stick shaft passes; the arm or lever being free to vibrate upon
the shaft. The other end of the weaker spring is secured to a fixed part of the
loom, and the other end of the stronger spring is secured to an adjustable collar
carried upon the picker stick shaft. By an adjustment of this collar the two springs
have a torsional strain imparted to them sufficient to enable them to restore the
picker stick to the starting position after each forward movement thereof is
arrested; and the said forward movement is arrested by the arm or lever coming
in contact with a stop, and thereby causing the momentum of the picker stick and
of its shaft to be exhausted in communicating additional strain to the stronger of
the two springs only. And lastly according to one arrangement the picker bands
are made of wire suitably connected to the pickers and picker sticks.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Sutcliffe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th July
1882.
THOMAS SUTCLIFFE of Burnley in the County of Lancaster late of Todmorden
in the same County, Weaver. IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING LOOMS.
This invention has reference mainly to means whereby the forward movements
of the picker sticks in looms for weaving, may be arrested without following the
usual practice of employing the picker bands for this purpose.
The practice of employing the picker bands for arresting the forward movements
of the picker sticks, causes great wear and tear upon them, and also upon the
pickers and the jobbing leather used in conjunction therewith; while under the
present improvements, the wear and tear upon these parts from the cause referred to
is entirely avoided.
According to this invention the picker stick shafts are furnished with helical
springs and suitable connections therefor, so arranged that the elastic resistance of
the springs is availed of for arresting the forward movements of the picker sticks
in a more or less gradual manner, and that the picker bands are not employed for
this purpose.
The accompanying Drawing illustrates one method of carrying out this invention.
Fig. 1. is a side elevation showing part of a loom side fitted with a picker stick
shaft arranged according to this Invention.
Fig. 2 is a full sized view of part of the picker stick shaft fitted with a helical
spring and connections therefor.
Fig. 3. is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2.
1, is the loom side; 2, the picker stick shaft; 3, a stud on which the picker ball
or roller is mounted; 4 and 8, are respectively a footstep and bracket in which the
picker stick shaft is carried; 7, is the helical spring; 5, is a collar which receives
one end of the spring, and which can be clamped upon the picker stick shaft in
any desired position by means of a' setscrew as shown; 6 is a loose collar (having a
projection as shown in Fig. 3) which receives the other end of the spring; 9. is the
picker stick.
The action of the arrangement is as follows:-When the picker stick is in its
normal position, the projection on the collar 6, stands away from the loom side, but
while the forward movement of the picker stick is occurring the collar rotates
along with the picker stick shaft until its projection comes in contact with the
loom side, and the movement of this collar is arrested; as soon as this occurs the
spring 7, acting through the clamped collar 5, opposes an elastic resistance of
suitable force to the further rotation of the picker stick shaft, and arrests the
forward movement of this shaft and of the picker stick at the point desired,
without the picker band being used for the purpose; the collar 5, being so adjusted
as to cause the spring to arrest the said movement while the picker band is slack.
The recoil of the spring assists in returning the picker stick to its normal
position.
Having described my invention and shown how it may be carried into effect I
wish it to be understood that what I claim as novel is :-
--
The use in weaving looms of helical springs in combination with the picker
stick shafts substantially as shown, and described, and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Sutcliffe have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this eighteenth day of July-A.D. 1882.