IMPROVE- MENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Singleton, of Over Darwen, in the
County of Lancaster, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 9th June 1876, and dated the 13th December 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Singleton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 13th December 1875.
I, THOMAS SINGLETON, of Over Darwen, in the County of Lancaster,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IM-
PROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
The first part of this Invention relates to a fast reed loom, and is a
means of rendering the force of the concussion less violent when the
stop rod strikes the frog. On the crank shaft is placed as is customary
two driving pulleys, but instead of one of them being fast and the other
loose, they are both loose. The boss of the inner pulley is made with
teeth as a clutch box, and gears into a clutch box sliding on a key on
the crank shaft of the loom, or the pulley and the clutch box are formed ⚫

page_text: without teeth and are fitted together as a friction. The clutch box is
kept in gear with the pulley by means of a L lever, one end of which is
attached to the frog. When the frog is struck the L lever moves the clutch
box out of gear with the pulley, which is then free to turn, without
moving moving the crank and urging the slay onward, the frog at the
same time throws off the knocking-off handle which moves the strap on
to the outer pulley, applies the brake, and stops the loom in the
ordinary manner. A handle is attached to the frog by which the
operative presses it, and throws the clutch box into contact or gear with
the pulley before setting the loom to work. The two pulleys before-
named serve all the purposes of the ordinary fast and loose pulleys, and
it is only when the stop rod has struck the frog that the inner pulley
turns without moving the crank shaft.
The next part of this Invention is an improvement in the loose reed
loom, and is a means of making the reed fast at one time, and loose at
another. For this purpose the winged rod attached to the reed case
carries at one end a lever in which is fixed a stud carrying a bowl and a
tumbler or paul. When the loom is working and the shuttle is
travelling across the reed, and in order that the reed may be firm, the
bowl before-named works in contact with and on the inside of a bow
spring attached to a bracket fixed to the breast beam of the loom.
When the slay comes nearly to the front the reed is made fast and firm
to beat up the weft by the tumbler working in contact with and against
the under side of an incline carried by the breast beam of the loom.
Either the tumbler or the incline is fitted with a spring, and made:
capable of swivelling or receeding if struck. At that point where the
reed is usually thrown out if the shuttle be caught in the shed the bowl
has left the bow spring and the tumbler has not come under the incline,
the only pressure then upon the reed is from a small independent spring
which acts upon the winged rod. If the shuttle is caught in the shed
the pressure of the small spring before-named is overcome and the reed
is thrown out ; at the same time the tumbler is so lifted that it cannot
possibly get under the incline, but as some part of it may come into
contact with the incline either the tumbler or the incline swivels or
recedes when struck.
For actuating the stopping of the loom when the reed may be thrown
out, there is on the winged rod a notched finger which at each beat of
the slay comes in close proximity to a stud on a lever carried by the

page_text: finger rod or by the breast beam of the loom. The upper end of the
said lever clips a slide coming from and clipping the spring handle of.
the loom, and a notch in the slide fits on a stud on the breast beam of
the loom. When the reed is thrown out the notched finger is raised so
as to strike the stud and move the lever, which in turn moves the slide
so that the notch, escapes from the stud, when the slide and spring
handle at once fly forward, the latter stopping the loom in the usual
manner. An incline on the slide acts upon the holding finger and
presses it back each time the slide moves forward. The weft fork is
carried by a bow spring attached to the breast beam, a bracket on the
said spring clips the slide so that when the weft fork is drawn backward
the notch in the slide is pulled from off the stud, and the slide and spring
handle fly forward, the latter stopping the loom in the usual manner:
The next part of this Invention is an improved weft fork and grate.
The weft fork is made with one prong by which reed space is economised,
and the weft grate to work in connection with the said fork is made of a
single wire of tempered steel curled round many times at the bottom,
and then standing upright so that it will give way in any direction, and
spring back to its original position. In connection with the above I
prefer to use also a weft holder in the form of a small spring attached
to the breast beam. As the slay comes forward one end of the spring
passes along a small groove in the slay, and finally presses the thread of
the weft against the shuttle box back, thus holding it and making it
firmer and surer to act upon the weft fork.
The next part of this Invention relates to brakes for stopping looms..
Near the back of the loom is fixed a stud upon which the stud piece
swivels, one end of the stud piece is formed for pressing upon the wheel,
being covered with leather for the purpose, or the part that is covered
with leather may be a separate piece but attached to the stud piece.
The other end of the stud piece is formed to receive a long shank or
handle, which may either swivel horizontally in the stud piece or be
fixed firmly thereto, but made so as to spring or bend at the other
extremity, which is received in a slot in a bracket attached to the spring
handle of the loom, an inclined bracket or pulley is attached to the
loom side or to the strap fork or strap fork bracket, and the said bracket
acts upon the shank of the brake in such a manner that when the
spring handle mooves the shank outward the inclined bracket or pulley
raises the shank upward, and so takes the brake from off the wheel.,

page_text: When the spring handle moves inward the inclination of the bracket
allows the spring handle to fall and the brake is put on the wheel; a
weight or spring is placed on the shank to give the necessary pressure
on the wheel. A notch is formed in the slot of a bracket attached to
the spring handle, and the shank of the brake may be lifted by the
operative and placed in the said notch, by which means the brake may
be taken off the wheel while the loom is stopped so that the crank
may be turned to any position with ease; or the brake is formed with a
piece or block covered with leather for pressing upon the wheel. The
said block is connected with a shank, and the shank carries a spring
lever connected by means of a stud or notch with a bracket on the
spring handle of the loom. The block and the shank, or the spring
lever and the shank, are formed with an incline or spiral, and work
together as a screw and nut, and when the spring handle of the loom
moves inward and carries with it the spring lever it has the effect of
screwing the brake block up against the wheel.
When the spring handle is moved outward, and carries with it the
spring lever, the brake block is screwed or taken from off the wheel.
As it is often necessary to take the brake from off the wheel while the
spring handle remains inward and the loom is stopped, the spring lever
may be disengaged from the bracket on the spring handle by the
arrangement of stud or notch before-named, and the spring lever may
then be placed in such a position as to take the brake from off the
wheel. In the foregoing arrangement the power applied to the brake
must be in the strength of the spring handle, but in the following
arrangement the power is obtained from a weight. The spring lever is
dispensed with and an ordinary lever substituted, which rests against
the spring handle of the loom, and a weight is suspended from a boss or
lever on the shank. When the spring handle moves inward the weight
causes the shank to turn and screw the block up against the wheel; and
when the spring handle moves outward it actuates the lever resting
against it and turns the shank in a contrary direction, and thus takes
the block from off the wheel. To allow of the brake being taken off
from the wheel while the loom is stopped a handle is attached to the boss,
lever, or shank, and the said handle may be lifted up by the operative
and placed upon a catch on the spring handle of the loom. The lifting
of the handle causes the screw to turn so as to take the block from off
the wheel.

page_text: The next part of this Invention relates to the treading of the healds
for plain cloth. There are used two heald rollers, four healds, four
treaddles, and four tappets. The tappets are so formed that when the
shed is wide open there are two sheets of warp, as is usual, but as the
top sheet descends it divides into two, the bottom sheet doing the same,
so that at the crossing there are four sheets of warp instead of two.
When that part of the warp that was at the top has arrived at the
bottom, and that part that was at the bottom has arrived at the top, the
warp is in two sheets as before. This is done by forming the tappets so
that the curve of one rises faster than the other, after which it rises
slower than the other. The object of the above is that by dividing the
sheets of warp as explained any loose threads or broken ends that might
be among the threads of the warp, and might be holding two or more
threds of the warp together, might be the more likely to get opened
out and seperated than with the ordinary system of treading.
The next part of this Invention is a means of weighting the yarn
beam by friction. On the yarn beam is placed a ruffle, one edge of
which is formed as a ratchet wheel, and fitting loose upon this ruffle is
another ruffle carrying a catch which gears into the said ratchet wheel.
Pressing upon this latter ruffle is one or more blocks of wood, in each of
which is inserted a block of plumbago. The said piece or pieces of
wood are carried in a suitable frame and pressed by a spring or springs
actuated by a screw or screws. The pressure of the piece or pieces of
wood on the outer ruffle gives the amount of drag or friction required,
and the catch and ratchet wheel allows the operative by releasing the
catch to turn the yarn beam with ease.
The next part of this Invention is an improved spindle stud which is
made in two parts, each of which is recessed for the head of a bolt made
with a slot large enough for the spindle to pass through. The bolt is
screwed at both ends, one end serving to screw the stud in its place and
the other end serving to fasten the spindle. Half of the hole for the
spindle is formed in each part of the stud, and one end of the bolt
serves to attach one part of the stud to the other, by which means the
spindle is made fast. In connection with the above I use a slotted
plate placed at the box end, and capable of being so adjusted as to
prevent the hole in the box end wearing.
The next part of this Invention is an improved check strap. At the
back of each shuttle box is placed a spring, one part of which is in

page_text: contact with the swell. At the end of the spring is attached a strap,
which is brought through a hole in the box back and fastened at the
front of the slay or fastened to the same kind of spring in connection
with the other shuttle box. When the shuttle enters a box, and while
receiving the pressure of the swell, it strikes the picker, the picker
presses the strap and causes the spring to press the swell more forcibly
against the shuttle, thus acting as a check.
4
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Singleton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
SINGLETON, of Over Darwen, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman,.
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, .Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Singleton, Her special
license that I, the said Thomas Singleton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Singleton, my exe-
cutors, 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
LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Thomas Singleton, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 Scal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW VE that I the soid Thames Sincla

page_text: but part of my said invention, and in what manner the same is to de
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Slieet of
Drawings-
The inner
The first part of this Invention (shewn in Figs. 1 & 2) relates to a
fast reed loom, and is a means of rendering the force of the concussion
less violent when the stop rod strikes the frog. On the crank shaft is
placed, as is customary, two driving pulleys A, B, but instead of one of
them being fast and the other loose they are both loose.
pulley B is made to work in connection with a clutch box C, the two
being either formed with teeth for gearing together or fitted together to
turn by friction or contact. The clutch box C slides on a key on the
crank shaft, and the said crank shaft, always turns with it. The clutch
box C is kept in gear with the pulley B by an L lever D, one end of
which is attached to the frog E. When the frog is struck the L lever
moves the clutch box out of gear or contact with the pulley B, and the
said pulley is then free to turn without moving the crank and urging
the slay onward; the frog at the same time throws off the knocking-off
handle F which moves the strap on to the outer pulley A, applies the
brake, and stops the loom in the ordinary manner. A handle G is
attached to the frog, and the operative by pressing the said handle
throws the clutch box into contact or gear with the pulley B before
setting the loom to work.
It will be seen that by the foregoing means the power ceases to be
communicated to the crank the moment the frog has been struck, while
under the ordinary method of the fast and loose pulley the crank must
make half a revolution, or the driving strap must slip. before the said
strap can be moved entirely on to the loose pulley.
The next part of this Invention (shewn in Figs. 3, 4, 5, & 6,) is an
improvement in the loose reed loom, and is a means of making the reed
fast at one time and loose at another. For this purpose the winged'
rod H attached to the reed case carries at one end a lever K, Fig. 3, in
which is fixed a stud carrying a bowl L and a tumbler or paul M.
When the loom is working and the shuttle is travelling across the reed,
and in order that the reed may be firm, the bowl before-named works
in contact with and against the inside of a bow spring N attached to a
bracket fixed to the breast beam of the loom. When the slay comes

page_text: nearly to the front the reed is made perfectly fast to beat up the weft
by the tumbler working in contact with and against the under side of
an incline P carried by the breast beam of the loom. At another point
in the slay's motion where the reed is usually thrown out, if the shuttle
be caught in the shed the bowl before-named will have left the bow
spring and the tumbler will not have come under the incline, the only
pressure then upon the reed results from a small independent spring Q
which acts continually upon the winged rod. If the shuttle be caught
in the shed the pressure of the small spring before-named is overcome
so that the reed is thrown out and is loose at the same time the tumbler
is so lifted that it cannot possibly get under the incline and make the
reed fast. As some part of the tumbler may however come into contact
with the incline it is necessary that either the tumbler or the incline
should give way when coming together, the tumbler therefore is fixed
on a stud and fitted with a spring R, so that when it comes into contact
with the incline it will swivel on the stud and the spring R will bring
it back to its original position as the slay receeds.
For actuating the stopping of the loom when the reed is thrown out,"
there is on the winged rod H a notched finger S, Fig. 4, which at each
beat of the slay comes into close proximity to a stud on a lever T carried
by the finger rod or the breast beam of the loom. The upper end of the
said lever clips a slide U, Fig. 5, which comes from and clips the spring
handle V of the loom, and a notch on the said slide fits on a stud W on
the breast beam of the loom. When the reed is thrown out the notched
finger is raised so as to strike the stud and move the lever T, which in
turn moves the slide so that its notch escapes from the stud W, when
the slide and spring handle at once fly forward, the latter stopping the
loom in the ordinary manner. An incline X on the slide U acts upon
the holding finger and presses it back each time the slide moves forward.
The weft fork is carried by a bow spring Y, Fig. 6, attached to the
breast beam of the loom, and a bracket Z on the spring clips the slide,
so that when the weft fork is drawn backward the notch in the slide is
pulled from off the stud W, Fig. 5, and the slide and spring handle fly
forward, the latter stopping the loom in the usual manner.
The next part of this Invention is shewn in Figs. 5, 6, & 7, and is an
improved weft fork and grate. The weft fork a is made with one prong,
by which reed space is economised, and the weft grate 6 to work in
connection with the said fork is made of a single wire of-tempered steel.

page_text: curled round many times at the bottom, and then standing upright. It is
so tempered that it will give way in any direction, and then spring back
to its original position. In connection with the above I prefer to use a
weft holder, such as shewn in Fig. 7, and made in the form of a small
spring c carried by the breast beam of the loom. As the slay & comes
forward one end of the said spring passes along a small groove in it, and
finally presses the thread of weft against the shuttle box back e, thus
holding the weft and making it firmer and surer to act upon the weft
fork.
The next part of this Invention relates to brakes for stopping looms.
Figs. 8, 9, & 10 shew one form of brake, and Figs. 11 & 12 shew other
forms. In the brake shewn in Figs. 8, 9, & 10 a stud fis placed near
the back of the loom, and upon the said stud a piece g swivels ; one end
of the said piece is formed for pressing upon the wheel, being covered
with leather for that purpose, or the part that is covered with leather
may be a seperate piece from the rest of the piece 9, but attached
thereto, and made capable of being moved nearer to or further from
the stud f. The other end of the piece 9 is made to recieve a long
shank or handle h, which may either swivel horizontally in the piece g,
or may, as shewn in Drawing, be fixed firmly thereto, in which case
the shank is made that it will spring or bend easily, so that the other
extremity may move horizontally as required, and the said extremity is
placed in a slot in a bracket k, Figs. 8 & 10, attached to the spring
handle of the loom. An inclined bracket m, Figs. 8 & 9, is attached
to the loom side, and acts upon the shank h of the brake in such a
manner that when the spring handle moves the shank outward the
inclined bracket m raises the shank upward, and so takes the brake off
the wheel.
When the spring handle moves inward, as in stopping the loom, the
inclination of the bracket m allows the weight n to draw down the
shank, and so put the brake on the wheel. By moving the weight n on
the shank the necessary amount of pressure on the wheel may be
obtained, and, if preferred, a spring may be substituted for the weight.
A notch P is formed in the slot of the bracket k, Fig. 10, and the shank
of the brake may be lifted by the operative and placed in the said
notch, by which means the brake may be taken off the wheel while the
loom is stopped, so that the crank may be turned to any position with
case.

page_text: Fig. 11 shews another form of brake, in which, as before, a piece g is
covered with leather for pressing upon the wheel. The said piece is
connected with a shank q, and the said shank carries a spring lever
connected by means of a studs and notch with a bracket on the spring
handle of the loom. The piece g and the shank 7 work together as a
screw and nut, so that when the spring handle moves inward, as in
stopping the loom, it carries with it the spring lever r, and turns by
this means the shank q, and has the effect of screwing the piece g up
against the wheel.
When the spring handle is moved outward, as in setting on the loom,
it carries with it the spring lever, and the piece g is screwed or taken off
the wheel. As it is often necessary to take the brake off the wheel
while the loom is stopped, and the spring handle remains inward, the
operative, by pressing the upper end of the spring lever may disengage
the studs from the notch in the bracket t on the spring handle of the
loom, and then turn the spring lever to such an extent as shall have the
effect of screwing the brake off the wheel.
Fig. 12 shews the same kind of brake, as the last named, except that
a weight w is employed to turn the shank q, and give the pressure of
the brake on the wheel, instead of that pressure being obtained from the
spring handle of the loom; v is a lever having a stud resting against the
spring handle, and the weight w is hung on another lever u attached to
the shank q. When the spring handle moves inward the weight w
draws down the lever and causes the shank to screw the brake
on to the wheel; when the spring handle. moves outward it moves
the lever and the brake is taken off the wheel. To allow of the brake
being taken off the wheel while the loom is stopped, the operative may
lift the lever u and place it upon the catch x; by so doing the shank q
will be turned and the brake taken off the wheel.
v
The next part of this Invention is shewn in Figs. 13, 14, & 15, and
relates to the treading of the healds for plain cloth. For this purpose
there are used two heald rollers y, z, four healds A¹, B', C¹³, D¹, four
treddles E, F, G, H, and four tappets K¹; L', M', N¹. The tappets
are so formed and set that when the shed is wide open there are two sheets
of warp O¹, P¹, as is usual, but as the top sheet descends it divides into
two, the bottom sheet doing the same, so that at the crossing there are
four sheets of warp, as shewn in Fig. 15, instead of two. When that.

page_text: part of the warp that was at the bottom has arrived at the top, and the
top part at the bottom, the warp is in two sheets as before. This is
effected by forming the tappets so that the curve of one is first quicker
and then slower than the other. The object of this part of the Inven-
tion is that by dividing the sheets of warp as explained, any loose threads
or broken ends that might be among the threads of the warp, and might
be holding two or more threads of the warp together, might be the more
likely to get opened out and separated than with the ordinary system of
treading.
The next part of this Invention is shewn in Figs. 16 & 17, and is a
means of "weighting" the yarn beam by friction.
On the yarn
beam is fixed a ruffle Q¹, one edge of which is formed as a ratchet
wheel, and fitting loose upon this ruffle is another ruffle R' carrying a
catch S¹ gearing into the said ratchet wheel. Pressing upon this latter
ruffle are blocks of wood V₁, in each of which is inserted a block of
plumbago T, U¹. The said pieces of wood are carried in a suitable
frame W¹, and pressed by springs X' actuated by a screw Y¹. The
pressure of the pieces of wood on the outer ruffle gives the amount of
drag or friction required, and the catch S¹ and ratchet wheel Q' allows
the operative by releasing the catch to turn the yarn beam with ease:
The next part of this Invention is shewn in Figs. 18, 19, & 20, and
is an improved spindle stud. This stud is made in two parts a¹, b',
each of which is recessed for the head of the bolt c. The said bolt is
made with a slot large enough for the spindle Z' to pass through, and is
screwed at both ends, one end serving to screw the stud in its place, and
the other end serving to fasten the spindle. Half the hole for the
spindle is formed in both parts of the stud, so that when the spindle is
put in its place and the bolt screwed up, the said spindle is held as in a
vice. In connection with the above I use a slotted plate d', Figs. 18
& 19, placed at the box end, and capable of being so adjusted as to
prevent the spindle shaking in the hole in the box end and so wearing
it. If preferred, a small bush or nipple may be placed on one end of the
spindle, and the said bush or nipple may be gripped by the spindle stud
instead of the spindle being gripped. In connection with the said bush
or nipple, the ordinary box end spring may be used instead of the
slotted plate before-named.
The next part of this Invention is shewn in Fig. 21, and is an improved
At the back of each shuttle box is placed a spring 21
check stran.
one

page_text: part of which is in contact with the swell f¹, at the end of the said
spring is attached a strap g², and the said strap is brought through a
hole in the box back, and fastened to the front of the slay or fastened
to the corresponding spring in connection with the other shuttle box.
When the shuttle enters the box, and while recieving the pressure
from the swell f₁ strikes the picker ', the said picker presses the
strap g¹ and causes the spring to press the swell more forcibly against
the shuttle, thus acting as a check.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Singleton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-