IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTS OF LOOMS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hodgson, of Bradford, in the County of
York, Loom Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTS OF LOOMS."
Sealed the 20th February 1874, and dated the 27th August 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hodgson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th August 1873.
I, GEORGE HODGSON, of Bradford, in the County of York, Loom
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTS OF LOOMS," to be as follows:-
The object of the Invention is simplicity and economy of con-
struction.
Hitherto it has been customary to form the parts carrying the inclined
grooves or channels for the support of the breast board, also the bearings
for the iron roller over which the cloth passes, and the bearings for the
"smoother" by separate and independent castings, cach of which

page_text: required separate and independent casting, polishing, and fitting, as well
as separate screws and bolts for the application thereof.
According to my Invention I form all these bearings in one casting for
each end of the loom.
The inclined grooves or channels for the support of the breast board |
are formed at the upper parts of the plates of the respective castings,
and the bearings for the support of the said iron roller are formed in the
same plate as are also the slotted or hooked bearings for the "smoother
bar," and the plate carrying all these parts at each end of the loom is
formed necessarily with but one projecting bearing part to be retained
with a single bolt and nut with its washer. By my improved arrange-
ments very considerable labor and expense of construction are saved.
I also form the "smoother bar" with the bearing edge thereof curved
and polished, and the opposite or back edge thereof inclined to a some-
what thin edge or rim, and in place of being secured to its bearings by :
bolts and nuts it is formed to pass into them, and is there held by its
hooked or notched form.
The improvements also relate to the application of bearings or
pedestals supported by brackets from the end framing of the loom for
the support of the crank shaft on the inside of the cranks thereof, and
which are also applicable to other main shafts in lieu of the vertical
frames generally employed for the purpose, by which increased facility
is afforded for keeping the inside of the loom clear for the introduction
of any fancy weaving or other extra fixings.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said George Hodgson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th February 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HODGSON, of Bradford, in the County of York, Loom Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the

page_text: thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said George Hodgson, Her special
license that I, the said George Hodgson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Hodgson, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no.
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTS OF Looms," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said George Hodgson, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters.
Patent.
NOW KNOW.YE, that I, the said George Hodgson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The object of the Invention is simplicity and economy of con-
struction.
Hitherto it has been customary to form the parts carrying the inclined
grooves or channels for the support of the breast board, also the bearings
for the iron roller over which the cloth passes, and the bearings for the
"smoother" by separate and independent castings, each of which
required separate and independent casting, polishing, and fitting, as well
as separate screws and bolts for the application thereof with trouble and
inconvenience to the overlooker.
According to the first part of my Invention I form all these bearings
in one casting for each end of the loom.
The inclined grooves or channels for the support of the breast board
are formed at the upper parts of the plates of the respective castings,
and the bearings for the support of the said iron roller are formed in the
same plate as are also the slotted or hooked bearings for the "smoother
bar," and the plate carrying all these parts at each end of the loom is .

page_text: formed necessarily with but one projecting bearing part to be retained
with a single bolt and nut with its washer. By my improved arrange-
ments very considerable labor and expense of construction are saved,
whilst a saving of time and trouble with the general convenience of the
overlookers is also attained.
Secondly, I form the "smoother bar" with the bearing edge thereof
curved and polished, and the opposite or back edge thereof inclined to a
somewhat thin edge or rib, and in place of being secured to its bearings
by bolts and nuts, it is formed to pass into them and is there held by its
hooked or notched form.
The improvements thirdly relate to the application of bearings or
pedestals supported by brackets from the end framing of the loom for
the support of the crank shaft on the inside of the cranks thereof, and
which are also applicable to other main shafts of looms in lieu of the
vertical frames generally employed for the purpose, by which increased
facility is afforded for keeping the inside of the loom clear for the intro-
duction of any fancy weaving or other extra fixings, and the shafts are
held to work more steadily
But that the Invention may be fully understood, I will by the aid of
the accompanying Drawings proceed to describe means pursued by me in
carrying the same into effect.
front or breast rail of a loom with one part of my improvements applied
to it.
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, shew opposite side and edge views of one of the
castings separately.
Figures 7, 8, and 9, shew section, side, and plan views of a portion of a
smoother bar separately.
In each of these views the same letters indicate corresponding parts.
a is the breast rail; 6 is one of the castings which according to one
part of my Invention is formed not only with an inclined groove or
channel b³, to carry one end of the breast board c, but also with a slotted
opening 62 to receive the pivot at one end of the weighted roller d, and

page_text: also another slotted opening 63 to receive one end of the smoother bar e.
There is a corresponding plate 6 formed to receive the opposite ends of
these parts c, d, and e, towards the opposite end of the loom, and each of
these plates is formed with but one projecting bearing 6*, and is attached
to the under flange of the breast bar a by a single screw and nut f.
When necessary the bearings for the ends of the roller d may be formed
in separate pieces, one of which is shown separately at Figures 10 and 11
and by dotted lines y, in Figure 3, attached each by a set screw to its
plate b.
The smoother bar e according to the second part of my Invention is
formed with its upper or bearing edge e¹ curved and polished, and its
under or opposite edge thin, in the form of a rib e³, and in place of being
secured as usual at its ends by screw and nut it is formed at each end eª
somewhat hooked, so that when those ends are passed into their slotted
opening 6 the weight of the bar will retain it in position.
The third part of my Invention is shown by plan and inside views at
Figures 12 and 13, where x represents a portion of one end frame of a
loom; g is a portion of one end of the crank shaft, and the additional
pedestal and bearing for the support of the crank shaft just within the
crank at that side of the loom, and i is the bracket by which that
pedestal is supported. A similar arrangement is applied to the opposite
end framing, and similar arrangements are also applicable to give
additional support to other main shafts of looms in lieu of the vertical
frames generally employed.
Having thus described my Invention and means which I adopt in
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details shown and described as the same may
be varied without departing from the peculiar character of the several
parts of my Invention, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Hodgson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 24th day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.