IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SELECTING WARP THREADS AND FOR DRAWING. THEM. THROUGH THE EYES OF HARNESS AND THROUGH REEDS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Howard. Worthington Biggs, of Manchester,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SELECTING
WARP THREADS AND FOR DRAWING. THEM. THROUGH THE EYES OF HARNESS
AND THROUGH REEDS."
Sealed, the 3rd November 1868, and dated the 9th May 1868..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Howard
Worthington Biggs at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,.
with his Petition, on the 9th May 1868..
I, JOHN HOWARD WORTHINGTON BIGGS, of Manchester, do, hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR. SELECTING WARP THREADS AND FOR DRAWING THEM THROUGH THE EYES OF
HARNESS AND THROUGH REEDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for
selecting warp threads and for drawing them through the eyes of harness.
and through reeds..
In weaving fabrics when the warp, on the warp beams is spent
it becomes necessary to connect the ends of the threads of a new-
A

page_text: warp with the ends of the old warp, or else to draw the ends of the
new warp through the eyes in the healds and through the rccd; in
either case it is necessary to pick up the threads of the new warp
one by one in regular order to be connected up or drawn through as
the case may be. A similar operation of connecting up has also to
be performed in the operation of dressing the warp preparatory to
weaving. For this purpose the ends of the new warp being distended
as a sheet of threads parallel the one to the other, but very close
together, and perhaps in some cases sticking together, I cause a carriage
to traverse gradually from side to side of the warp. The carriage has
upon it a cylinder or cone revolving on an axis at right angles to the
threads. This cylinder or cone has a screw thread cut on its periphery
commencing with a very slow twist, the distances between the threads
of the screw corresponding by preference with the distances of the
threads of the warp or somewhere thereabout; here the cylinder or cone
is brought in contact with the threads first at the edge of the warp
at which the threads are to be selected for connecting or drawing
through; the threads fall into the screw and are carried along by it,
but the spacing will be only approximately accurate. There will some-
times be two or more warp threads in one thread of the screw and at
others there will be spaces on the screw in which, there are no threads.
After a short distance however the screw thread on the cylinder or
cone doubles its pitch and a second screw thread is introduced into '
the interval so that the screw is now double threaded. On arriving
at this point where there have been two warp threads in one groove
they will for the most part separate, the second thread entering the
new groove. This increase in the pitch and in the number of threads
in the screw is repeated any desired number of times on the same
cylinder or cone, or what is better in some cases two or more cylinders
or cones are employed and the warp threads are made to drop off the
end of the one on to the other; the fall then effectually separates any
threads which may be sticking together. When this selecting
mechanism is working in unison with other machinery which takes the
threads as they are selected and at once joins them up or draws them
through as the case may be, the apparatus is so arranged that when
a thread (or threads) has passed over the end of the last cylinder or
cone of the series and has so been selected it falls upon a trigger or
instrument and locks the cylinder or cone and prevents its revolving,
so that no more threads are delivered until this one has been taken

page_text: away to be connected up or drawn through by other parts of the
machine. Should it so happen that no thread is delivered by the time
when it is required the trigger or instrument remains unmoved and it
then causes the stoppage of the machine. When the threads are not
required to be taken one at a time to be connected up or drawn
through, but where the object is to prepare the threads to be simul-
taneously joined by suitable mechanism, I arrange the apparatus to
deliver the threads into the teeth of a comb, one thread into cach space;
the thread as it passes off the end of the last cylinder or cone of the
series drops at once into the comb, touching as it does so a trigger
which liberates a train of wheels on the carriage and allows the carriage
to move on a distance equal to one space of the comb; here the carriago
becomes again locked in position and is held until it is freed by another
thread passing off into the comb, and so the threads are as it were
counted one by one into the spaces of the comb. The movement of
the carriage when it is set free may be caused by a weight connected
with it by a cord. The comb or reed may have stops between its
teeth; the stops are placed at different levels in the different dents or
spaces of the comb or reed, and by supporting the threads at theso
different levels they divide the warp into sheds. When it is desired
to draw the warp ends through the eyes of the harness and through
the reed the four (or it might be other number of) healds are set
up one behind the other in a frame, and behind them and parallel
with the harness are the warp thread. The sheet of warp threads is
operated upon by selecting apparatus as already described and delivering
two threads at a time; or but less advantageously, in place of using
this selecting apparatus. the threads may be driven or drawn forward
as required by a reciprocating finger or hook. On the same carriage
with the selecting apparatus and traversing across the warp threads
with it is a heald needle or instrument with two hooks which alternately
advances and retires, and each time it advances its hooks pass througli
eyes in the harness and catch the two warp threads which have been
selected. In retiring the hooks draw the threads through the eyes.
and carry the ends forward over the reed, then immediately another
hook passes through the reed and catching the threads. draws them as
it retires through the reed and so clears. the threads. from the heald
needles, the heald needle then makes another forward movement, and
so the work goes on, the carriage moving between each action of the
heald needle and reed hook a distance equal to one dent of the reed:

page_text: The two hooks of the heald needle at every alternate stroke pass through
eyes in the first and third leaf of heddles (one hook through one of
the eyes of the first leaf and the other hook through one of the eyes
of the third leaf), and similarly at alternate strokes they pass through
eyes in the second and fourth leaf of heddles. The eyes of the harness
which are to be threaded at each stroke are selected by selecting fingers
which enter among the harness. The two leaves in which are the
eyes to be threaded are rocked towards the selecting fingers so that
the required threads of the harness bear against them, and the fingers
then trace these threads up to the eyes, which are thus brought truly
in position for the heald needle to pass through them. In place of a
revolving screw being employed for selecting the threads one by one
ás herein-before described, a revolving wheel may be employed having
on its periphery a notch or slight projection which is of sufficient depth
for one thread only to enter at a time. As the threads enter the notch
one by one they are by the revolving motion of the wheel carried away
from the other threads. In place of the notch or projection being
carried by a revolving wheel it may be carried by a slide having a
to-and-fro motion given to it. Previous to the threads being acted on
by the selecting mechanism they may be acted on by revolving blades
or wheels to jar the threads asunder, so that if two or more threads
were adhering together they may thereby be separated one from another.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Howard Worthington Biggs in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 9th November 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS. SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HOWARD WORTHINGTON BIGGS, of Manchester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-first
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Howard Worthington Biggs, Her special
licence that I, the said John Howard Worthington Biggs, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Howard
Worthington Biggs, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at

page_text: any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and all at times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, usc, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SELECTING WARP THREADS AND
FOR DRAWING THEM THROUGH THE EYES OF HARNESS AND THROUGH REEDS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Howard
Worthington Biggs, 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 John Howard Worthington Biggs,
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 :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for
selecting warp threads and for drawing them through the eyes of harness
and through reeds.
In weaving fabrics when the warp on the warp beams is spent it
becomes necessary to connect the ends of the threads of a new warp
with the ends of the old warp, or else to draw the ends of the new warp
through the cyes in the healds and through the reed; in either case it
is necessary to pick up the threads of the new warp one by one in regular
order to be connected up or drawn through as the case may be. A
similar operation of connecting up has also to be performed in the
operation of dressing the warp preparatory to weaving. For this
purpose the ends of the new warp being distended as a sheet of threads
parallel the one to the other, but very close together, and perhaps in
some cases sticking together, I cause a carriage to traverse gradually
'from side to side of the warp. The carriage has upon it a cylinder or
cone revolving on an axis at right angles to the threads. This cylinder
or cone has a screw thread cut on its periphery commencing with a very
slow twist, the distances between the threads of the screw corresponding
by preference with the distances of the threads of the warp or some-
where thereabout. Here the cylinder or cone is brought in contact with
the threads first at the edge of the warp at which the threads are to be

page_text: selected for connecting or drawing through; the threads fall into the
screw and are carried along by it, but the spacing will be only approxi-
mately accurate. There will sometimes be two or more warp threads in
one thread of the screw, and at others there will be spaces on the screw
in which there are no threads. After a short distance however the
screw thread on the cylinder or cone doubles its pitch, and a second
screw thread is introduced into the interval, so that the screw is now
double threaded. On arriving at this point where there have been two
warp threads in one groove they will for the most part separate, the
second thread entering the new groove. This increase in the pitch and
in the number of threads in the screw is repeated any desired number of
times on the same cylinder or cone, or what is better in some cases two
or more cylinders or cones are employed and the warp threads are made
to drop off the end of the one on to the other; the fall then effectually
separates any threads which may be sticking together. The object is to
prepare the threads to be simultaneously joined by suitable mechanism,
or to space them for any other purpose for which it may be required.
arrange the apparatus to deliver the threads into the teeth of a comb,
one thread into each space. The thread as it passes off the end of the last
cylinder or cone of the series drops at once into the comb, touching as
it does so a trigger which liberates a train of wheels on the carriage and
allows the carriage to move on a distance equal to one space of the
comb; here the carriage becomes again locked in position, and is held
until it is freed by another thread passing off into the comb, and so the
threads are as it were counted one by one into the spaces of the comb.
The movement of the carriage when it is set free may be caused by a
weight connected with it by a cord. The comb or reed may have stops
between its teeth; the stops are placed at different levels in the different
dents or spaces of the comb or reed, and by supporting the threads at
these different levels they divide the warp into sheds.
I
The machine for charging stopped reeds is constructed in the manner
shown at Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed, which is a side
view of the apparatus.
A is a carriage sliding the length of the reed B on grooved slides C.
It is drawn along the slides by a cord D; E is a stationary rack fastened
to the side of the slide C, into which a pinion F works; G, H, and I
are three screws, the threads of which are cut at an increasing pitch as
already in part described, and as is also more fully described herein-after

page_text: in reference to Figures 5, 6, and 7. They are geared together by the
toothed wheels J, K, and a third wheel at the back (not shown in the
Drawings); J has also a small bevel wheel m gearing with a pinion n
which slides on a square steel rod O which is kept turning by machinery
at its extremity; P is a lever having at its left end a small stop catch P*,
which locks a pin on the escapement wheel Q; R, S, T, and U are a
train of toothed wheels, on the last of which is the pinion gearing with
the rack E; V is a pulley on the carriage A supporting the stopped
reed B which it raises from an oblique position so as to cause its teeth
to rise above the thread bar W as the carriage moves to the left. The
bar W supports the threads to be selected.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The threads are laid over
the bar W across the path of the carriage A. The carriage A is then
brought up to the threads until the screw G presses against them, when
the shaft O is set turning. The screws now separate and count off the
threads until one of them falls over the end of the screw I into a space
in the reed B. In its course it depresses for an instant the lever P and
so frees the pin Q, and allows the carriage A to be moved by the cord D
along the slide to the left over a space equal to one dent in the reed, but
it is prevented travelling more than one dent by the lever P again
catching the pin O, for this lever returns immediately the thread has
passed it. The next thread is counted off in a similar manner and is
dropped into its space in the reed as before, the carriage moving along
as the reed becomes charged until all the dents are filled with threads.
The recd is now lifted clear from the bar W, and by reason of its having
stops of different height between the dents the threads are thrown into
four sheds or sheets ready for further use cither to be joined or drawn
through for weaving or joined for the dressing machine. When this
selecting mechanism is working in unison with other machinery, which
takes the threads as they are selected and at once joins them up or
draws them through as the case may be, the apparatus is so arranged
that when a thread (or threads) has passed over the end of the last
cylinder or cone of the series and has so been selected it falls upon a
trigger or instrument and locks the cylinder or cone and prevents its
revolving, so that no more threads are delivered until this one has been
taken away to be connected up or drawn through by other parts of the
machine. When it is desired to draw the warp ends through the eyes
of the harness and through the reed the four (or it might be other

page_text: number of) healds are set up one behind the other in a frame, and behind
them and parallel with 'the harness are the warp threads. The sheet of
warp threads is operated upon by selecting apparatus as already
described and delivering two threads at a time. On the same carriage
with the selecting apparatus and traversing across the warp threads with
it is a heald needle or instrument with two hooks which alternately
advances and retires, and each time it advances its hooks pass through
eyes in the harness and catch the two warp threads which have been
selected. In retiring the hooks draw the threads through the eyes and
carry the ends forward over the reed, then immediately another hook
passes through the reed and catching the threads draws them as it
retires through the reed and clears the threads from the heald needles;
the heald needle then makes another forward movement, and so the
work goes on, the carriage moving between each action of the heald
needle and reed hook a distance equal to one dent of the reed. The
two hooks of the heald needle at every alternate stroke pass through
eyes in the first and third leaf of heddles (one hook through one of
the eyes of the first leaf and the other hook through one of the eyes
of the third leaf), and similarly at alternate strokes they pass through
eyes in the second and fourth leaf of heddles. The eyes of the harness
which are to be threaded at each stroke are selected by selecting
fingers which enter among the harness.
Figure 2 is a plan, Figure 3 a longitudinal section, and Figure 4
a transverse section of a machine in which the ends of a new warp
are selected and drawn through the eyes of harness and its reed ready
for weaving.
A is the main framing of the machine; B is the new warp beam;
C, the healds to be threaded; D, the reed; E, the driving pulleys;
F is a moveable carriage sliding from one side of the frame to the other
on slides G, G.
The action of this machine contains three processes, which I describe
separately in order of operation and then conjointly in co-operation.
First process. To Select the Threads of the New Warp.-H are the
'threads proceeding from the new beam in front of the healds and held
distended in front of the healds by being clipped between two brushes I
or rods holding them tightly. Attached to the carriage F is a small
box K containing three screws (against which the threads H press)
these screws are shewn separately by Figures 5, 6, and 7 (full size)

page_text: Figure 5 is a plan, Figure 6 a vertical section, and Figure 7 an end
view of the screw box.
This apparatus effects the selecting in the following manner :-
Each screw is cut upon a conc with an increasing pitch, and when-
ever the space in the gauge of the screw permits an additional screw
thread is introduced in such a manner that if a collection of warp
threads are laid upon the commencement of the screw by the time
that they have been worked up to the end of the screw by its
turning each warp thread will be separated from its neighbour.
This operation is repeated three times on the concs L, M, and N to
insure the threads being perfectly separated, which separation is further
facilitated by the threads dropping over the ends of the cones from L
on to M and M on to N, which twangs separate any two or more
threads sticking together. When the threads pass over the end of N
they fall on a little catch O, Figure 5. The first thread that so falls
depresses the catch until the further descent of the thread is arrested
by its coming upon a pin O* fixed to the side of the screw box K.
The first thread thus brings the catch O into the proper position to
receive the second thread. When the second thread falls on the catch O
the catch is forced further down and enters the small catch wheel P,
causing the cones which are driven by friction to stop to prevent them
counting off further threads until the two just selected are removed.
The wheel Q (which is driven in time with the needles S yet to be
described) in the course of its revolution picks the two threads before
mentioned off the stop pin O* and brings them round to the opposite
side of the wheel, and there the needles S enter between the threads
and the axis of the wheel, so that as the wheel continues to rotate
it leaves the threads on the stems of the needles; the pin R on the
wheel Qat the same time lifts O and frees the catch wheel P, which
allows the screw cones to recommence turning and prepare two fresh
threads. The cones L and M are made to revolve by being placed
on tubes Land M' revolving on the axle N' of the conc N, and the
cones are driven by toothed wheels L, M, and N. These wheels are
geared with wheels IP, M, and N³, which are connected by means
of small pinions on their axles. In this way I turns a pinion on M³
and M³ turns a pinion on N³ in such a manner that the cone M revolves
four times as fast as L and N four times as fast as M. L' is keyed
on to the shaft T, at the end of which runs a pulley U connected
with its axis by a friction clutch. This pulley U is driven by a cord

page_text: passing round a pulley U¹ on to driving pulleys U turned by the
axis Q. When the catch wheel P becomes locked by the catch O the
pulley U continues to turn while the cones remain standing, but so
soon as the catch wheel is relieved of its catch the cones proceed
turning as before. The driving shaft Q₁ receives its motion by a small
screw shaft V driven by the rack teeth W³ on the cam wheel W of the
carriage. It is preferred that the screw thread on the cone L should
start at the point where the warp first comes in contact with it, say
at a pitch of about forty threads to the inch, and the pitch should
then gradually increase until it is about 9 at the lip of the conc. As
soon as by the increase of the pitch the pitch has become 20 and
sufficient room is thus obtained a new thread is started and from this
point the screw is double threaded. The second thread thus formed
on the screw cone is cut parallel to the first thread and 4 of an
inch from it. In a similar way a third thread is started as soon as
room is obtained for it, that is to say, when the pitch is about 13, and
finally a fourth thread is similarly introduced when the pitch is 10,
and from that point to the lip of the conc the screw is four threaded.
The cones M and N are similar to the cone L, except that as represented
in the Drawings, the cone M is geared to revolve in the direction
opposite to the other concs, and if the gear is thus arranged the threads
must be also cut in the reverse direction.
Second process. To Select the Eyes of the Healds through which the
Threads are to be Drawn.-The healds C are supported by the lever C'
and separated one from the other by having their ends put into the
stirrup C² attached to the lever. The customary leas rods C³ are passed
beneath the eyes of the healds whilst tubes C are introduced above
the eyes. The threads of the healds are held distended by the
customary heavy weight being hung on to their lower bars; the
bars C and tubes C' are rested on the side of the main frame A, A,
and are there secured, but in such manner that the tubes C may be
able to turn freely. The height of the eyes of the healds in relation
to the tubes is adjusted by raising or lowering the lever C¹ up or
down the catch bar C³. The tubes C are pointed at one end, so
that when they are lifted out of the frame they can be readily
passed between the threads of the healds, whilst at the other end
of cach tube a small shoulder or neck is turned. When the tubes
are mounted on the frame the pointed end of each is inserted into a
socket, and the neck at the other end fits into a bearing A', and is

page_text: kept in position by a flap C; this flap shuts down on to the top of
the series of tubes, and is locked by a spring C in such a manner
that the tubes although unable to move backwards and forwards can
be turned by the small pins 09 attached to them; these pins pass
through holes in the bar C which is caused to move backwards and
forwards by levers C" actuated by a cam C. Each tube C* has a
long slit in its under side (as shewn in Figures 8 and 9) along which
the selecter 1 slides. This selector 1 is attached to a small carriage 2
sliding inside the tube C across the whole length of the healds. This
carriage 2 is made to traverse the length of the tube by being strung
on the bar 3 which is constantly moved backwards and forwards by
the levers 4 actuated as herein-after described. A small spring 5
in the narrow end of the tube forces the rod outwards whilst a
button 6 projecting further from the end of the tube presses up against
the lever 4. The carriage 2 is a tube with a small coiled spring 8
within it, which clips the bar 3 and so serves to hold the carriage to
it, so that the carriage would if not interfered with move to and fro
with the bar 3, but after each forward stroke of the bar the blade 33
in connection with the needle slide comes behind the selector 1, and
in its return the selector is stopped by it, whilst the bar 3 sliding
through the coiled clipping spring of the carriage continues to move
back, and in this way the selector 1 with its carriage is moved pro-
gressively from end to end of the bar C*; it moves by short steps cach
equal to the distance between one eye of the healds and the next.
The cords of cach heald form as is usually the case the figure of an
inverted Y, thus A, the eye being just above the meeting of the cords,
and the tube C is so inserted that the upper cords of the healds are
alternately on either side of it, as they are seen in Figure 8, where the
alternate healds are represented by different colors.
The action then is as follows:-I will assume that the first heald
to be selected is on the left-hand side of the tube C (see Figure 8);
this being so the tube is rocked to the left hand and then advances
so as to cause the selector 1 to pass on the second heald of the
series or the heald which on the right-hand side stands first; it
pushes this heald back, and this heald carries within it all those
beyond whether they be on one side or the other of the tube in
consequence of the healds on the two sides crossing the one with the
other. The first heald of the series is thus left, and when a sufficient

page_text: clearance is obtained the tube C* rocks or partially rotates so as to
enter the selector 1 behind the first heald; the selector then returns,
carrying the heald thus selected back to the proper position for
threading; then the tube C' again rocks and the motions are repeated
and so on.
Process Three. The Selection of the proper Dents in the Reed D.-The
reed D is supported at either end by pulleys D', also in the centre by
pulleys D, so that the reed can freely move for a minute distance
backwards or forwards to compensate for any inaccuracy there may be
in the spacing of the dents. Working under the reed D is the reed
selector 11 and the reed needle 12 swinging with their respective levers
on the axles 12" and 11*; they are caused to move through the reed D
and away from it by their cam rods 12 and 11' worked by cams W
and W on the axle Z. The selector 11 is composed of two parts
nicely screwed together by a set screw 13 (Figure 12). The selector 11
at its extremity is tapered to a very thin knife edge, whilst the part 14
screwed to it is placed a quarter of an inch lower than the blade top
and is also knife edged at the top but widens out or thickens near its
base; this is better seen by Figures 10, 11, 12. The needle 12 is
also very thin near its top but is thickened at its base. The heald
needle S is composed of three parts, as shewn in Figure 5, videlicet S, S,
and 33, S and Sb being needles, and 33 being a steel rod running parallel
with the needles. These three parts are all fixed to the same slide,
and in position in the machine stand in advance of each other, as
shewn in Figure 5. The needles S and Sb have slits in their heads
for the reception of threads, as in the ordinary needles employed in
the hand process; they are secured in the slide 15 which moves accurately
backward and forwards in its guides 16 on the carriage F; it is actuated
by pins 17, between which passes the lever 18 centred on the carriage
at 19; the lever is balanced backward by the weight 20, and follows
the cam W on the wheel W.
The general action of the machine is as follows:-The shaft Z runs
in bearings F in the carriage and carries on it a toothed wheel W on the
sides of which are fastened two cams and a rack wheel, videlicet, the
cam W' for driving the heald needles, W2 for driving the reed needle 12,
and the rack wheel Ws for imparting motion to the screws of the screw
box K. The cam W is also keyed on to the axle Z and works the
selector 11. The cog wheel W receives its motion from the spur wheel X

page_text: which slides along the grooved axle Y as the carriage F progresses from
one side of the machine to the other. The driving axle Y is turned by
a strap passing over the fast pulley E. The loose pulley E¹ and the
screw pulley E2 attached to the cog wheel E³ run loose on the
axle Y. Pinion E at one end and bevilled pinion E at the other are
keyed on to the driving shaft Y. The screw 21 by which the carriage
is made to traverse the length of the healds is driven by a cog wheel 22
in gear with E' by intermediate wheel 23, as shewn in Figure 3
in red ink. The wheel 23 is on the handle 24, which is centred on
the axle Y in such a manner that various sized wheels can be put
on the squared end of the screw 21 still keeping the three wheels in
gear; the object of thus being able to fit on different sized wheels is
in order to suit various guages of work, and to give a corresponding
motion to the carriage so that it may move the distance between one
heald and the next between each reciprocation of the needles S* and Sb.
This gear draws the frame F forward, but to drive it backwards
to commence a new warp the wheel 23 is thrown out of gear with
the wheel 22 by moving the handle 24 to the left. This moves the
weight 25 and stop check 26 (which parts are fixed to the handle) to
the right, allowing the stop 27* on the fork rod 27 to pass, and
the workman can then move the rod 27 by means of the handle 31
so as to shift the strap off the loose pulley E' on to E2. E is cast
on the cog wheel E³, and is in gear with a small toothed wheel 28
keyed on to the screw 21, and the screw can thus be made to
turn backwards. The rod 27 is furnished with three stops 27*, 29,
and 30. 27 is the safety catch to prevent the strap being run on to
the screw back pulley E while the toothed wheels 22 for driving
the screw forward are still in gear. The stop 29 is moved by the
carriage F when it is traversed the whole width of the frame and
stops the machine by running the strap off the fast pulley E or to the
loose pulley E. The stop 30 is also acted upon by the carriage F;
when it is being screwed backwards for recommencing work it draws
the strap off the screw back pulley E' on to the loose pulley E'. This
rod 27 may also be moved independently by the handle 31 on the
lever 32 for starting, stopping, or backing the frame. The bevilled
wheel Es turns the wheel 33* keyed on to the shaft 34. The cam C¹²
and 34 and 35 are also keyed on to shaft 34. C is a cam for turning
the tubes C, which may also be turned for adjustment by the handle 37
on the rod Co by lifting the end of this bar. The cams 34 and 35 by

page_text: means of the levers 4 work the two pairs of tube rods 3 before described..
36 is a handle for adjusting by hand the position of the carriage F if
desired. To work the machine I place the beam healds and reed. in
the positions shewn (which positions are similar to those in which the
parts are put when drawing in by hand), and the usual rods C³ are
put in below the cycs of the healds, I insert the four tubes C
and lock them down in the bearings A¹ by the flap C, I attach the
customary weight to the bottom of the heald rods so as to draw the
lower threads of the harness tight against the rods C³, and then by
lowering the lever C' down the rack C³ I draw the upper threads also
tight bringing the top of the eyes of the healds nearly in contact with
the brass tubes. The warp threads from the new beam are drawn
down and brushed out in front of the healds and clipped into the
brushes I at a tension. The handle 32 is now drawn forward running
the strap on to the fast pulley E; this starts the machine. The screws
of the screw box K select two threads which are taken by the catches
on the wheel Qas previously described. One pair of the heald tubes C*
turn to the right, and at the same time the rods 3 of the first and third
healds are thrust forwards, bringing the selector 1 against the heald threads
and thrusting all of them back except the first as already described; the
pairs of selectors 1 now pass to the opposite side and returning catch
the eyes to be threaded. The selectors 1 as will be seen now bear
against the threads at the top and bottom of the eyes and so hold the
eyes square and open. Whilst this is going on the slide of the heald
needles S advances carrying the bar 33 in front of the selectors 1, and
the needles S and S to within a quarter of an inch of the eyes to be
threaded; then the selectors come in contact with the steel bar 33, and
so the selectors are stopped, holding the eyes exactly in front of the
needles, see Figure 9. The heald needles now advance through the
eyes thus held in position for them, and passing by the edge of the
wheel they receive on their stems the two threads which the wheel
has upon it, and returning the barbs of the needles catch the threads
and drag them out of the brush I through the eyes of the healds across
the reed D. Directly the needles have passed through the eyes of the
healds, the pair of selectors move a short distance towards the unthreaded
healds simply to be out of the way, they then as soon as the needles
have receded return pushing the threaded eyes back, and at the same
time they carry the warp threads which are in the eyes of the healds
across the nose of the reed needle 12, then immediately the selectors

page_text: advance again, making the first motion of the next selection, and here
they pause whilst the other pair of selectors go through their motions.
The recd needle which stands up for the reception of the threads
descends, pulling the threads through the reed. Before the needle 12 las
descended the knife edge of the lever 11 has slipped into the widened
space in the reeds occupied by the needles. As 12 descends dragging
the thread with it the reed springs back on to the thin knife edge 11, 11.
now rises, and the little wedge 14 being nicely adjusted for the gauge
of the reed rises upwards through the next space in the reed, wedging
it open and making a wide space through which the needle 12 returns.
Simultaneously the screws have selected two more threads, which are
drawn through in a similar manner, excepting only that the length of
stroke of the heald needles is slightly varied to correspond with the
difference in the position of the healds which have now to be threaded;
and thus the process proceeds until the carriage with its needles and
screws has traversed the whole length of the harness and has drawn the
threads of the new warp through all the cyes of the harness, and through
their correct spaces in the reed, just as if it had been done by hand.
This done the machine stops itself by coming in contact with a stop 29
as before described; the tubes C and the wooden rods C³ are now
withdrawn, the process is complete, and the heald with its reed is lapped
up ready for weaving in the ordinary way. To prepare the machine for
the next warp the handle 24 is moved to the left and the strap drawn
on to the screw back pulley E this rapidly runs the carriage F back to
the other side of the frame whore it stops itself. The handle 24 is put
into
gcar and the machine is ready for threading a new set of harness.
In place of selecting the healds by means of the tubes C³ with
their selectors 1, when the healds are coarse and tightly strained,
their eyes may be correctly threaded or drawn in through by a simple
method of selection, that is to say, by simply advancing the leaves of the
healds alternately to the needles and providing the needles with trough-
like guards, against which the eyes may rest to be threaded. Figure 13
illustrates this system which may be employed where the healds are
well stiffened and not too close together. A, A, represents an iron frame,
one of four, on which are mounted the healds B by placing their bars
under catches c, c, and turning handles D down so as to strain the
healds tightly by means of eccentrics as shewn; this fastens the healds
quite tight and steady. The 1st and 3rd, and the 2nd and 4th healds are

page_text: coupled together at their ends; each of these pairs is suspended by
connecting rods E and mado to move, say, onc inch and a half to the
left and right by the levers marked 4, Figure 3. As the frames move
to the right they draw the heald eyes against the trough-formed
guard H which is fixed to and moves with the needle itself, as is shewn
at Figure 13. The needle H' is shaped so as to bring the centre of
the eye just in the right place for its needle to go through. In place
of selecting the warp threads by means of screws with increasing pitch
they may, but less advantageously, be drawn forward as required by a
finger or hook made to reciprocate or move to and from the. sheet of
threads which are to be taken one by one by mounting it on a revolving
disc or otherwise, and such finger or hook is make at each reciprocation
to approach by a minute distance the sheet of threads, until presently it
takes one and carries it forward to be drawn through or otherwise used.
This apparatus and the other apparatus herein described for selecting
warp threads is applicable also to the selection of heald threads..
Figures 14 and 15 shew two sectional views of the plan of selecting
threads by a small disc wheel, having on its edge a neck or little
projection calculated to pick up one-thread at a time. A is the wheel;
B, the projection; C, the axle on which it turns; D, the small cord
pulley which turns it and is driven very rapidly by a cord from any
convenient part of the machine; F, F, are the bearings fastened to slide
carriage G; G slides in its bed H which is screwed to a frame which
may be part of a carriage progressing across the ways, as in Figures 2,
3, and 4, or it may be of a similar carriage traversing across the
warps and selecting them for twisting in either by hand or by machinery.
In this bed runs a screw I turned by a cog wheel K.; K is turned by
a long pinion L which receives its motion from a pinion m in gear with
a worm n on the spindle c. The carriage F also supports the catch P
falling in the spaces of the screw I at one end and forked over as shown
(Figure 14) at the other; Q is a spring forcing the carriage outwards;
R is a glass or polished bar over which the threads to be selected are
brushed parallel.
To work this selector let it be in the position shewn, Figure 14.
The pulley D is turned in the direction shown by the arrow;, the
wheel a will revolve rapidly, at the same time getting nearer and
nearer to the warp threads on the glass tube; at last it wisks one up
and into the mouth of the catch P, which falling back to the red dotted

page_text: position there holds the thread for further use, at the same time lifting
the catch free from the screw I, and allowing the carriage G to be
sprung backwards by the spring Q. This operation is repeated until
the whole warp is selected.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that what
I claim is,-
1st. The arranging apparatus for selecting warp threads with a screw
or screws separating the threads one by one from a sheet of threads, and
delivering them into a spaced comb or otherwise as may be required, as
herein described.
2nd. The arranging apparatus substantially as herein described in
respect to Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings.
3rd. The arranging apparatus for drawing warp threads through the
eyes of harness or healds with needles having a to-and-fro motion given
to them, and which at each forward motion pass through eyes selected
and held ready for them by instruments with which the apparatus
is provided, such needles then receiving warp threads presented to
them by selecting instruments, and on their return drawing the threads
through the eyes of the harness or healds, as herein described.
4th. The arranging apparatus for drawing warp threads through the
eyes of harness or healds with selecting apparatus, delivering the warp
threads to be drawn through on to a catch or lever or equivalent
instrument which is thus moved, and in moving arrests the action of the
selecting apparatus, as herein described.
5th. The arranging apparatus for selecting warp threads, and for
drawing them through the eyes of harness and through reeds in such
manner that the warp threads having been drawn through the eyes of the
harness by the heald needles may be presented to a reciprocating hook
which is protruded through the dents of the reed and at each recipro-
cation is moved one dent along the reed, such hook then drawing the
threads through the reed, as herein described.
6th. The arranging apparatus substantially as described in respect to
Figures 2, 3, and 4 of the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: 7th. The arranging apparatus for selecting threads with a recipro-
cating or revolving hook or finger, substantially as is described in
respect to Figures 14 and 15 of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Howard Worthington Biggs,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of Novem-
ber, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-eight.