IMPROVEMENTS IN SHUTTLE-BOX OPERATING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, JOHN BROWNLEE of 53 Mill Street, Bridgeton Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SHUTTLE-BOX OPERATING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS," to be as follows-
-
My invention consists of improvements in the construction and organisation of
parts of shuttle-box operating mechanism for looms
I actuate the shuttle-box spear from the tappet shaft or other rotating shaft of
the loom through levers and cranks or eccentrics and toothed gearing which 18
caused to engage as required by means of jacquard or other pattern mechanism
In the case of a four shuttle box loom I fix upon the tappet shaft a toothed
wheel or disc which rotates with the shaft and on which teeth or cogs are formed
at one part or at two or more equally spaced intervals apart the intermediate parts
of the wheel or disc being plain segmenta extending to the taps or points of the
teeth, and on diametrically opposite sides of the shaft I fit upon studs or spindles
two pinions in position to engage with the teeth of the wheel
The pinions are
formed with teeth only on diametrically opposite sides of the circumference, the
teeth of the intermediate parts being cut away, and those parts are of concave
form to fit the plain part of the driving wheel so that the pinions are not acted
upon when these sides are presented to the rotating wheel. On the pinions or on
the spindles which carry them, are formed cranks or eccentrics to which links are
connected reaching to a lever to which they are jointed below, and this lever is
connected to the lower end of the shuttle-box spear, which it actuates according as
the pinions and eccentrics are acted on
The arrangement of the cranks or eccentrics and lever is similar to that described
and illustrated in the Specification of Letters Patent N° 4562 dated 6th November
1880, the mode of operating the cranks being however different.
On the stud or spindle of each pinion is fitted a sliding sleeve or similar device
carrying two fingers, one on each side of each pinion projecting radially outwards
to the point where the tooth or teeth of the pinion is or are cut away, the one
finger on one side of the pinion taking the place of the tooth awanting at one
point of the circumference, and that on the other side taking the place of the tooth
omitted at the diametrically opposite point of the circumference of the pinion
The fingers or teeth on the sliding sleeve are at such a lateral distance apart that
when the one is in contact or in immediate proximity to the side of the pinion the

page_text: other is quite clear of it. On both sides of the toothed wheel projecting pieces are
formed at intervals corresponding to the number of times the pinions are to be
acted on in the rotation of the wheel, and these pieces come into contact with the
finger on each of the pinion sleeves which for the time being is in close proximity
to its pinion and thereby turn the pinion partly round so that its teeth engage
with the teeth of the wheel which rotates it to the extent of a semi-revolution and
thereby brings the crank or eccentric to a position diametrically opposite to that
first occupied by it The further motion of the pinion is arrested by the plain part
of the periphery of the driving wheel, and as the projecting fingers turn with the
pinion, the finger which was acted on is now out of the path of the projections on
the rotating wheel, while the other finger on the same sleeve requires to be moved
laterally before it comes into the path of the projections on the opposite side of the
wheel and the pinion thus remains idle The necessary, lateral motion of the
sleeve to obtain the next movement of the pinion and crank is effected by a knife
bar on an oscillating lever which acts on a jointed hook on the end of a clutch
lever connected to the sleeve, but only when the jointed hook is raised or dropped
into the path of the knife bar by the jacquard or other pattern mechanism to
which it is connected The knife bar acts on the hook in one direction only the
hook being retracted by a spring for the succeeding movement
A fixed stop piece is provided to prevent the pinion from the effects of vibration
engaging with the driving wheel before a shift of the sleeve takes place
A single oscillating knife bar may be used, but a separate lever and jointed hook
acted on by the Jacquard is provided for each sliding sleeve, so that each pinion
may be operated independently of the other, and any required shift of the shuttle
box spear may be effected
In the case of a six or eight shuttle box loom an additional rotating toothed
wheel is fitted on the loom shaft, and one or more pinions and cranks or eccentrics
are fitted in connection with that wheel and are arranged to be operated in the
same manner as those in connection with the first wheel The cranks or eccentrics
are connected to compound levers actuating the spear in the manner described and
illustrated in the Specification of Letters Patent hereinbefore alluded to

page_text: Improvements in Shuttle-box Operating Mechanism for Looms.
I, JOHN BROWNLEE of 53 Mill Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow, Lanarshire, Manu-
facturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
saine is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement
-
My invention consists of improvements in the construction and organisation of
parts of shuttle-box operating mechanism for looms wherein the shuttle-box spear
is actuated from the tappet shaft or other rotating shaft through levers, cranks or
eccentrics and toothed gearing which is brought into engagement as required by
means of jacu ird or other pattern mechanism
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention figure 1 is a front
elevation, figure 2 a side elevation, figure 3 a back elevation, and figure 4 a plan of
part of a loom frame F fitted with a modification of my improved shuttle-box
operating mechanism as adapted for four shifting boxes Figures 5, 6 and 7 are
respectively and end elevation, side elevation and plan of part of a loom frame F
showing the application thereto of an example of the improved apparatus as
adapted for operating six shuttle boxes Figures 8 and 9 are views of details
hereinafter referred to
In the case of the four shuttle-box loom I fix upon the tappet shaft A a toothed
wheel or disc B which rotates with the shaft A and on which teeth or cogs b are
formed in the present example at two opposite parts of the periphery (but it might
be at one part only or at several equidistant intervals of the periphery) the inter-
mediate portions of the periphery of the wheel or disc being plain as shown On
diametrically opposite sides of the shaft A two pinions C and C are fitted upon
studs D, D¹ (or spindles) in position to engage with the teeth of the wheel said
studs D D¹ being fixed to a frame F secured on the side of the loom frame F
These pinions are formed with teeth only on diametrically opposite sides of the
centre the teeth being cut away at the intermediate parts which are of concave
form as shown in figure 8, to fit the plain part of the driving wheel so that the
pinions are not acted upon when these sides are presented to the rotating
wheel B-On the pinions C, C³, (or on the spindle carrying them) are formed or
fitted cranka E, E, (or eccentrics) to which links e and e¹ are connected and extend
down to a lever G to which they are jointed, and this lever G is connected to the
lower end of the shuttle-box spear H which it raises or lowers in accordance with
the movements of the cranks E, E, which are acted on by the pinions C. C' The
lower end of the speal H is connected to the usual balanced lever h which is keyed
on the transverse shaft h³, and serves to communicate its motion to the shuttle box
spear at the opposite end of the loom
The arrangement of the cranks E, E¹, and lever G is similar to that described and
illustrated in the Specification of Letters Patent N° 4562 of 1880, as applied to a
four shuttle box loom their action upon the spear H being also similar but the
mode of operating the cranks is different In the present arrangement the spear
lever G is hung by the links e, e', from the operating cranks E, E, the joint pin f
serving as a fulcrum or centre upon which the lever oscillates when acted on from

page_text: the joint pin f¹ and vice versa The arrangement of the spear lever, connecting
links and actuating cranks will be the same as that described with reference to
figure 1 of the drawings annexed to the Specification above referred to if the
pinions C, C, and cranks E, E¹, be both fitted upon the same side of the shaft A,
in which case however a separate toothed disc must be provided for each pinion
On each stud or spindle, D, D¹, is fitted a sliding sleeve or device I, I, consisting
as is shown in figures 8 and 9, of a pair of glands or discs connected by studs or
pins 2,2 passing through the pinion Ĉ or C₁, said sliding piece carrying or being
formed with two fingers 3, 3, one on each side of each pinion projecting radially
outwards to the point where the tooth or teeth of the pinion is or are cut away, the
one finger 3, on one side of each pinion taking the place of the tooth awanting at
one point of the circumference and that, 7', on the other side taking the place of
The
the tooth omitted at the diametrically opposite point of the circumference
fingers or teeth 3,ª³, on the sliding sleeve piece are at such a lateral distance apart
that when the one is in contact with or in immediate proximity to the side of the
pinion C or C¹ and of the wheel B the other is quite clear of the pinion and of
projecting pieces 6¹ formed on the sides of the wheel B in advance of each series of
teeth b, which act on the pinions These projections 6¹, in the rotation of the
wheel come into contact with the finger, or on either of the pinion sleeves I, II,
which for the time being is in close proximity to its pinion and by acting thereon
the pinion is turned partly round so that its teeth engage with the teeth 6 of the
wheel B which rotates it to the extent of a semi-revolution and thereby brings the
crank E, or E¹, to a position diametrically opposite to that first occupied by it If
the fingers 3, or 1, on both sleeve pieces I, I, are in proximity to the wheel or
disc B, both pinions C, C, and cranks E, E¹, are acted on at once to the extent of
a semi-revolution The further motion of the pinions is arrested by the plain
portion or portions of the periphery of the driving wheel B, and as the projecting
fingers 3,, turn with the pinion to which they are connected, the finger or
which is acted on is by the semi-revolution of its pinion carried out of the path of
the projections 61 on the rotating wheel, while the other finger 3, or 7, on the same
sleeve piece is clear of the projections 61, on the opposite side of the wheel B,
and until it is moved laterally to come into their path the pinion remains idle
The necessary lateral motion of the sleeve piece I or I¹, to obtain the next move-
ment of the pinion O or C¹, and crank E or E¹, is effected by a knife bar k, on an
oscillating lever K operated by a cam piece K¹ on the disc B, against the power of
a spring M, the lever K acting on a jointed hook or on the end of a clutch
lever Lor L, connected to the sliding sleeve piece I or I¹, but only when the
Jointed hook of ª, is raised or dropped into the path of the knife bar k by the
jacquard or other pattern mechanism to which it is connected by a cord or wire m
or m¹
The knife bark acts on the hook or in one direction only, the clutch
lever L or L³, being retracted by a spring N or N', to throw the sleeve I or I¹, into
the acting position for the succeeding movement when by the pattern mechanism
the hook or, is taken out of the path of the knife bar k. Fixed rest pieces O
are fitted in the path of the fingers, to prevent the pinions through vibration
engaging with the driving wheel before a shift of the sleeve pieces takes place
A single oscillating knife K, k, 18 or may be used, but a separate lever L or L¹, and
Jointed hook or 0, acted on by the Jacquard is provided for each sliding sleeve
piece so that each pinion may be operated independently of the other, and any
required shift of the shuttle box spear may be effected
In the case of a six or eight shuttle-box loom an additional rotating toothed
wheel B' is fitted on the loom shaft A, as shown in sheet 2 of the drawings One
additional pinion C³, crank E³, and link e, are provided in the case of a six
shuttle-box loom and two pinions, cranks and links in the case of an eight shuttle-
box loom the arrange in the latter case being practically a duplication of the four
shuttle-box operating mechanism with the exception of the spear levers G and G¹,
which are arranged as described with reference to the eight shuttle box loom in the
Specification of Letters Patent N° 4562 of 1880, the relative positions of the cranks

page_text: and levers, for the several positions of the shuttle boxes being also fairly indicated
by the diagrams in the drawings annexed to said Specification. The lever G is
hung from the cranks E, E, and to it is jointed the lever G', to which the crank E³,
18 connected and which acts directly on the spear H A separate clutch lever L',
and hook, acted on by the pattern mechanism is provided to effect the lateral
shifting of the sleeve piece 12, which brings the fingers thereon into position to be
operated on by the wheel B₁ The parts of the six shuttle loom corresponding to
like parts of the four shuttle loom are indicated by the use of the same reference
letters.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
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(1) The combination of parts constituting the improved shuttle-box mechanism
for looms under its several modifications, substantially as herein described and with
reference to the drawings annexed
(2) In shuttle box operating mechanism for looms the combination of the
continuously rotating wheel, having alternating toothed and plain parts on its
periphery with the pinions provided each with an operating crank or eccentric
acting through linked levers on the shuttle box spear means being provided for
throwing the wheel and pinions into gear, substantially as herein described with
reference to the drawings annexed
(3) In shuttle box operating mechanism for looms, the arrangement of the
sliding sleeve pieces (I) and clutch lever for throwing the operating crank
pinions (C) into gear with the driving wheel (B) as determined by the pattern
mechanism substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings
annexed.