Improvements in the Picking Motion of Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 20th May, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Picking Motion of Looms for Weaving.
I, EDWARD HOLLINGWORTII, of Hutchinson, Hollingworth & Company, Limited,
of Dobcross, in the County of York, Power Loom Makers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention (which has been communicated to me by George Frank
Hutchins, of the Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Massachusetts, in the
United States of America, Power Loom Maker) and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:
My invention relates to the picking motion of a loom, and particularly to that
class of picking motions in which the picker is secured in a fixed position to the
upper end of the picker stick, and the picker stick is so supported and operated
that that part of the picker which engages the point of the shuttle has a horizontal
motion, or a motion parallel with the lay.
In this class of looms, the rocker shaft or pin on which the rocker iron of the
picker stick is secured, must be parallel with the lay. Any slight variation in
level of the rocker shaft or pin from its proper position, will cause a variation
in the parallel motion of the picker at the point where it engages the shuttle.
The object of my invention is to provide means for overcoming any variation
from its proper level of the rocker shaft or pin on which the rocker iron of the
picker stick is secured, and to obtain an exact horizontal or parallel movement of
the picker where it engages the shuttle, in case there is any such variation.
Heretofore in this class of picking motions to which my invention relates,, the
supporting arm of the rocker iron on which the picker stick is supported, has been
made integral with, or rigidly attached to the rocker iron, so that the position
of said supporting arm, relatively to the rocker iron could not be varied.
My invention consists in certain novel features of construction of the mechanism
for supporting the picker stick, as will be hereinafter fully described, and the
nature thereof indicated by the claim.
Referring to the drawings:-
Fig. 1 shews one end of a loom frame and a picking motion embodying my im-
provements; the picker stick is shewn in its outward position.
Fig. 2 corresponds to Fig. 1, but shews the picker stick and the other parts of
the picking mechanism in their reverse position, and.
Fig. 3 is a cross section through the rocker iron on line bb, Fig. 2, looking in
the direction of arrow a, same figure.
In the accompanying drawings, 1 is the loom side, 2 is the lay sword fast at its
lower end on the rocker pin 3, mounted in bearings in the lower end of the loom
side 1. 4 is the lay, and 5 the projecting end of the lay carrying the shuttle
box 6 for the shuttle 7, shewn in dotted lines. 8 is the rocker iron fast on the rocker
shaft or pin 3. 9 is the supporting arm of the picker stick; the arm 9 is made
separate from the rocker iron 8, and is supported thereon on a pin 10, on which
said arm has a pivotal motion to adjust the position of said arm. This adjustment
is in this instance obtained by a screw 12, screwing in and out of a screw threaded
lug 81 on the rocker iron 8, with its inner end bearing against a projection 91
on the arm 9. A check nut 13 holds the screw 12 in its adjusted position.
After the arm 9 has been adjusted on the rocker iron 8, it is held in its adjusted

page_text: position by a bolt 14 secured to the arm 9, and passing through a hole 15 in the
rocker iron 8, and a nut 16 is screwed on to said bolt.
The outer end of the arm 9 is connected by a link 17 with the picker stick 18,
one end of the link being pivotally attached to the arm 9, and the other end to the
picker stick 18. The lower end of the picker stick 18 is pivotally attached to the
outer end of an arm 19, the inner end of which is pivotally attached to the rocker
iron 8 by the pin 10. A flat spring 20 is secured, at one end to the upper end of
the rocker iron 8, and at its other end bears on the outer end of the arm 19, and
acts as a check to receive the shuttle, and also as a check to the forward motion of
the picker stick.
A spring 21 is attached at one end to a collar 22 fast on a rod 23, and at its
other end, through a strap 24, to the lower end of the picker stick 18, and acts
to draw the picker stick into its outer position at its upper end, as shewn in
Fig. 1, in the usual manner.
The lug strap 26 is connected at its outer end by a loop 27, to the picker stick 18,
and at its inner end to an arm 28 fast on the picker shaft 29 mounted to turn in
bearings 30 secured to the loom side 1, in the usual way.
The inward movement or rocking of the picker shaft 29, through arm 28 and lug
strap 26, will cause the picker stick 18 to move inwardly, as far as the strap 32
will permit and cause the picker 31 to have a parallel motion at the point where
it engages the shuttle.
If the rocker shaft or pin 3 is not at its proper level, the rocker iron 8 will
be out of position, and this variation of position will be multiplied at the upper
end of the picker stick, so that the picker 31 at the point where it engages the
shuttle will not have a horizontal or parallel motion. Therefore if the rocker iron 8
and supporting arm 9 are made rigid or integral, the position of the rocker shaft
or pin will have to be adjusted or changed, to obtain a horizontal motion of the
picker, but my making the supporting arm 9 separate from the rocker iron 8, and
adjustable thereon, it is only necessary to adjust the position of the supporting
arm 9 on the rocker iron 8, so as to overcome any slight variation in the proper
position of the rocker shaft or pin 3.
The advantages of my improvements will be readily appreciated by those skilled
in the art.
It will be understood that the details of construction of some of the parts of my
improvements may be varied if desired.
!
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―
In the picking motion of a loom of the class described, the combination with the
rocker shaft or pin, the rocker iron fast thereon, and the picker stick pivotally
attached at its lower end to the outer end of an arm, and said arm pivotally attached
at its inner end to the rocker iron, and a flat spring attached at
one end to the rocker iron with its other end bearing on the outer end of
said arm, to act as a check for the shuttle, of the picker stick supporting arm, a
moveable link connecting the same with the picker stick, and said supporting arm
pivotally connected at its lower end with the rocker iron, and adjustable thereon,
and means for adjusting the position of said arm on the rocker iron, to overcome
any variation in the proper position of the rocker shaft or pin, and for holding
the supporting arm in its adjusted position, substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 19th day of April 1899.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Patent Agents, Halifax.
Agents for Applicant.