Improvements in Weaving and in Apparatus Employed therefor.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec., 1887
Specification Accepted, 13th Jan., 1888
Improvements in Weaving and in Apparatus Employed therefor.
I EDWARD NEWALL MOLESWORTH-HEPWORTH of 29 Cooper Street Manchester in
the County of Lancaster Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to weave in one loom with one shuttle or more, two
or more pieces of cloth side by side at the same time, each piece of cloth having a
selvage upon each side or edge.
The nature of my said invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference to
the sheet of drawings hereunto annexed and the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 on the drawings is a vertical section through the slay and breast beam of a loom
with my improved apparatus shown as applied thereto, and Figs. 2 and 3 are plan
views of the apparatus drawn to an exaggerated scale (about twice the actual size).
In carrying out my invention the warp may be wound on the back beam as usual
but (if required) the latter may be provided with a wooden or other flange about one
or more inches thick fixed on the centre of the beam (when two pieces are being
woven) so as to divide the warp into two, leaving a vacant space in the centre of the
warp as it passes through the healds and reed, and onto the cloth roller.
If the flange is not employed the warp will be divided by the healds so as to leave
the required space between the two inner selvages.
On each side of the split thus made selvage yarns a, a (see full lines Figs. 2 and 3)
will be run in the usual way but will be made to tread a little wider than the rest of
the warp as seen at Fig. 1.
The warp being thus prepared the weft will be carried through the "shed" thereof
by a shuttle, as at present, but after the closing of the shed on cach pick of the weft
my improved apparatus comes into operation as follows.
To the breast beam b, b of the loom is fixed a plate c, c carrying a bracket d, d
provided with two studs e, e. Each of these studs carries a boss to which is attached
a semi-disc ff and a bent wire g, g which terminates in a pair of nippers h, h made
of spring steel or other suitable metal (see side view Fig. 4) This apparatus is
carried just above the edge of the cloth and in such a position that when the semi-
discs are caused to perform a portion of a revolution in the direction shown by the
arrows in Fig. 2. the curved nippers will enter the shed between the selvage warp and
the ordinary warp (see dotted curved lines in Fig. 2) and continuing their inward course
will seize the weft thread at the point marked * and sever the same in the centre

page_text: against a fixed knife i, i as shown at Fig. 3. each end of the severed weft remaining
fast in its respective nippers after being cut. I prefer to make the edge of the knife
inclined as shown at Fig. 4. and to make that point where the weft thread first strikes
rather blunt so as to push the thread home in the nippers. As the latter continues to
advance the thread runs up the incline slightly onto the sharpened part of the knife
and is instantly severed.
The motion of the nippers is now instantly reversed in the direction of the dotted
arrows in Fig. 3. which will cause the semi-discs f, f and nippers h, h to assume the
position shown by the curved dotted lines in Fig. 3. and in doing this the nippers
will draw the severed ends of the weft into the shed until they are drawn tight against
the selvage; and the nippers continuing to recede will then release and leave the
severed ends and be withdrawn through the shed ready for the next shoot.
This series of movements will take place rapidly after each beat up of the weft and
thus each shoot will be cut between the two cloths and the ends will be tucked each
into the next shed so as to form two perfect selvages.
The simultaneous movement of the two nippers h, h is effected as follows.
Each of the semi-discs f, is provided with two pins k and l.
One end of a cord m, m is tied to the pink and passing round the pin and the
boss and round a pulley u, u (see Fig. 1.) is attached by its other end to a slide o, 0
working in a slot Pp, p in a plate c, c and provided with a stud q.
Attached to the slay r, is a catch s, s which when the slay returns after beating
up strikes against the stud q thus giving a sudden pull to both cords m, m and giving
the required inward movement in the direction of the arrows to the two curved
nippers. Elastic cords t, t are also attached to the pins k, k and the fixed point n, n
(see Fig. 1.) which give the rapid return movement in the reverse direction (see
dotted arrows Fig. 3) as soon as the catch s, s releases the stud q. A suitable
"temple" must be employed close to the apparatus to keep the two selvages
always in the proper position with regard to the apparatus.
It will thus be seen that as the cloth is woven each piece will have a perfect inner
selvage made by the weft threads being severed after each beat up of the slay and the
ends turned or tucked into the shed by the curved nippers as the next shoot is taking
place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is: :-
First. The improvements in weaving whereby two or more pieces of cloth may
be woven side by side in a loom each piece having two perfect selvages formed by
the weft thread being severed and the ends turned or tucked into the shed sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described.
Secondly. I claim as a new manufacture cloth woven two or more pieces at a time
in the manner hereinbefore described with their inner selvages formed by severing
the weft threads and tucking or turning the severed ends into the shed; and
Thirdly. I claim the apparatus hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings
annexed consisting principally of two curved arms provided with nippers to which an
alternate circular motion is given so as to cause them to cut the weft thread and draw
the severed ends into the shed so as to form a selvage to each piece substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by the drawings annexed.
Dated this 7th day of December 1887
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.