IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Storey Davies and Walter Edward Yates,
both of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jol Storey Davies
and Walter Edward Yates at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 28th March 1870.
WC, JOHN STOREY DAVIES and WALTER EDWARD YATES, both of
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of
our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be
as follows:-
The several portions of the loom hercin-after described as constituting
our Invention are designed for the purpose of simplifying and per-
fecting the mechanism of the loom in order to effect greater accuracy,
adaptibility, and economy in the production of woven fabrics.
The first part of our Invention relates to that part of the loom known
as the "letting off" motion, and is designed to deliver the yarn from

page_text: of "
65
the warp beam in an uniform and positive manner without the use of
weights, obviating thereby the destructive vibration entailed by the
rising and falling of the weights when the "shed" is opening and
closing, also enabling the yarn to be delivered from the "beam" at a
uniform tension throughout its whole length without any adjustment
or regulating after the loom is once gatted," and further this novel
arrangement of "letting off” also gives a tension to the yarns at the time
closing up," and relieves the healds from the weight of the warps
when " shedding." This first portion of our Invention may be thus
described. A rod forming the fulcrum of a double lever is supported
in the framing of the loom immediately above the flanges of the
"beam;" the upper lever or levers on this rod carry a bar passing under
and supporting the warp threads as they pass from the beam; the lower
or longer levers carry a rod that lies against the yarn of the beam, and
passes under the last fold or lap of the warp ends. The upper lever
carrying the rod or rods or the lower rod is supplied with a projecting
bracket or lever, which supports an adjusting screw or other equivalent,
the lower end of which is connected to a rope, cord, or chain that is
caused to pass first under a carrier pulley connected to the lower frame
of the loom below the warp beam, then under the drag pulley of the
warp beam, after which it passes downwards around a second carrier
pulley and secured to a helical or other suitable spring, the opposite
end of the said spring being secured to a rope or chain, which passes in
a similar manner as the one already described, and secured to the
adjustable screw or lever supported to the bracket on the opposite sido
of the loom; thus when the loom is in action the tension of the warp
first adjusted by the screw or screws connected to the ropes passing
round the beam are tightened up until the requisite tension is obtained,
50 that when the "slay" is beating home the weft the upper rod or bar
passing under the warp threads above the beam is drawn slightly in
by the action of the slay travelling forward, which causes the lower rod
against the beam to tighten the warp threads upon the beam and give
a pull or extra tension to the yarn that effects a perfect "cover" at the
time of closing in the weft. At the return of the "slay" when the shed
is forming the upper rod or bar is caused to incline outwards by the
action of the spring and ropes, which causes the lower rod against the
beam to relieve the tension of the warp threads direct on to the beam,
and also to relieve the tension of the ropes or chains encircling the drag
pullies at the time of "shedding." The tension is taken off the warp and

page_text: warp beam, which allowes the required quantities of yarn to form the shed
to be drawn off the beam free and at the proper tension. The yarn as it
becomes reduced upon the beam causes the lower tension rod as it is
carried with the warps to traverse nearer to the beam, thereby gradually
effecting during such traverse the reduction of the tension upon the
ropes or chains in proportion to the reduced diameter of the beam.
In some cases the above-mentioned motion may be worked direct,
which is accomplished by placing an eccentric upon the crank or tappet
shaft, and connecting it by crank arms to the top or bottom rod or bar,
or from the lathe sword or picking shaft, as the case may be, in order
that the motion will be transmitted direct to the rod.
Secondly. The Invention relates to the temples of looms, being that
portion of the mechanism employed for keeping the traverse tension
of the cloth across the selvadges uniform and fully distended during
manufacture. According to the present form of self-acting temples
the rollers thereof are supplied around their periphery with spiral
teeth, and the axis of the roller or rollers are placed and secured upon
the temple rod parallel to the " reed," and made to revolve with and by
the traverse of the cloth; by this arrangement it is obvious that the
traverse tension first so obtained will not be continued. The object of
this second part of our Invention is to maintain the tension by giving
a constant drag or pull upon the cloth outwards in the direction of its.
width, the amount of drag or pull so given being adjustable and capable
of being regulated as desired according to the fabric under manufacture.
The arrangement and construction of this portion of our Invention
consists in securing the "temple" to the " temple” rod by means of
adjustable brackets that will allow the temple in its position relative
to the "reed" to be slightly inclined, that is, slightly increasing its.
distance therefrom as it extends upon the cloth. This is effected by
forming a projection upon the frame of the temple at its outer extremity,
through which a slot is formed for the passage of its retaining bolt, its,
upper surface projecting under the temple rod, being serrated or supplied.
with fine teeth, upon which the bracket or holder supplied with.
similar teeth securing the temple to the temple rod is adjusted, the.
opposite end of the temple being hinged with a swivel to a second
bracket or holder on the temple rod; thus by moving the outward end
of the temple nearer to are further from the rod (its opposite end being
held by the swivel or hinge), and then securing its surface to the bracket

page_text: or holder of the temple rod any inclination or adjustment may be given
for effecting distention. The above adjusting bracket can be applied
to any class of temple. The temple roller may be supplied with spear or
double-edged teeth and may be covered by the ordinary cap, or the cap
may contain a roller composed of india-rubber or other yielding material
longitudinally and diagonally grooved for the purpose of clearing the
rollers of floss or loose fibre, the said roller being placed slightly in
advance of the lower roller in a position that will allow it to bear
against its surface at an angle between two centers of about 45°, the
top roller being adjusted by a slot in the cap, by which it can be
regulated to any position desired. The bottom roller may be "milled”
or grooved, or may be supplied with the double-edged spear-pointed
holders, or ordinary points fixed or cut in the roller in a diagonal
position may be employed, the object of such pins or points being for
the purpose of enabling them to have a hold upon the cloth from point
to root. This peculiar construction of temple can be employed with
great advantage upon all kinds of light or fancy goods where the ordinary
temples will not work.
"
Thirdly. Our Invention relates "to the "reed," and is designed to con-
struct "reeds" in a manner that will make them more durable and
adaptable for different widths and counts of cloth than hitherto, and the
improvements consist in first stamping or otherwise forming the dents
composing the "reed" of a peculiar shape, namely, the front or point
beating up the weft when "closing in" is of a greater width than the top
and bottom of the dent, the back thereof for this purpose being curved;
the top and bottom of the dent where they are secured on to the rods
aro provided with oval holes. When placing the "dents on to the
top and bottom rods at the time of forming the "rced" washers
corresponding with the ovals upon the ends of the dents are placed
between the dents for the purpose of "spacing" for the passage of the
warp threads; the washers at the selvadge ends of the reed are composed
of ridged washers, or washers composed of india-rubber or other yielding
material, the effect of which when in action will expand and contract
the distance between the "dents," which will keep the tension at the
selvadge ends uniform. It will be seen by this arrangement broken or
damaged dents can be withdrawn and replaced with new "dents," which
will enable the old reed to be renewed.
Fourthly The Invention relates to the healds, and is designed for the

page_text: purpose of constructing a heald that will be more durable and adaptable
than the present form of heald. The improvement consists, first, in the
peculiar form of the cyc or "mail," also in the knitting or construction
of the heald, and, secondly, in the novelty of threading or knitting.
According to the former the eye or "mail" through which the warp
passes has one side bent out and the other in, so as to present to the
reed their edge only, which allows the healds to rise and fall without
rubbing the shoulders or corners of the mail against the yarn, the thread
having a clear passage through the eye. According to the latter the
cord, worsted, wire, or yarn passing through the top and bottom hole
of the mail or through the ordinary eye is formed in loops, which are
knitted or joined together and attached to the bottom heald rod; the
top or upper portion of the heald is composed of two rods or shafts held
together by suitable springs; the loopes for the upper part of the heald
are formed of a continuous end of cord, which are made to pass from
the top shaft or rod through the upper hole in the eye or mail, or
through the ordinary cyc, then over the under or second shaft or rod
down through the eye or mail again, then on to the top shafts, where
it is knitted or secured, or the second shaft may also, if required, be
applied to the top and bottom shaft in a similar manner, thus the peculiar
formed eyes or mails are suspended with their flat or broad surfaces
in a position at right angles to the heald rods, thereby preventing the
rub or friction of their corners or shoulders when in action against the
yarn. The second upper shaft or heald rod, and also the second under
shaft or rod if applied, is employed and designed for the purpose of
causing the distance between the top and bottom heald shaft to yield or
expand when the tension upon the eyes of the heald or upon the warp
threads is too great or excessive, the effect of which enables the healds
to adjust and regulate themselves if the cords are too tight or the tension
of the warp is excessive or the loom as been carelessly "gatted,"
which prevents the breakage and cutting of the healds, thereby making
them more endurable and lasting than hitherto. Ordinary healds may
be supplied with the second or supplementary shafts and knitted in the
manner and for the purpose described.
According to our fifth improvement, relating to the swell, it is
arranged so that the swell of the loom is retained in the box indepen-
dently, and constructed of an incline that increases its distance in the box
from the point where the shuttle enters. The swell is held or secured

page_text: to a lever having a fulcrum on the back of the box, its lower end from
the fulcrum forming a bell-crank projection, made adjustable by a set
screw upon the vertical swell lever; the said bell-crank projection
terminates in an incline supporting the "frog "lever projecting from
the "stop" rod. The lever supporting the swell is supplied with a
set screw for adjusting the amount of throw desired to be given to the
frog lever, and its projecting lever supporting the frog lever is also
adjusting, thus the reduced action of the swell when adjusted will
through the medium of the supporting frog lever, also adjusted, give an
increased lift to such lever, thereby making it more certain and effectual
in its action.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Storey Davies and Walter Edward Yates
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th August 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JoHN
STOREY DAVIES and WALTER EDWARD YATES, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said John Storey Davies and Walter
Edward Yates, Her special license that we, the said John Storey
Davies and Walter Edward Yates, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said John Storey Davies and
Walter Edward Yates, our executors, 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 we, the said John Storey Davies and
Walter Edward Yates, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our, or or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,

page_text: 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 we, the said John Storey Davies and Walter
Edward Yates, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The several portions of the loom herein-after described constituting
our Inventions are designed for the purpose of simplifying and per-
fecting the mechanism of the loom in order to effect greater accuracy,
adaptability, and economy in the production of woven fabrics.
The first part of our Invention relates to that part of the loom known
as the "letting off" motion, and is designed to deliver the yarn from
the warp beam in an uniform and positive manner, without the use
of weights, obviating thereby the objectionable vibration entailed by the
rising and falling of the weights when the "shed" is opening and
closing, also enabling the yarn to be delivered from the beam at an
uniform tension throughout its whole length without any adjustment
or regulating after the loom is once started, and further the improved
novel arrangement of "letting off" also gives a tension to the yarns
at the time of " closing up and relieves the healds from the weight of
the warp when " shedding."
"
The first portion of our Invention may be thus described. A rod or
shaft forming the fulcrum of a series of double levers is supported by
the loom framing in a position immediately above the flanges of the
warp beam.
The two upper short levers projecting from this fulcrum
carry a bar parallel to the same, over and by which the warp threads are
supported in their passage from the beam; the two lower or longer levers
also carry a parallel bar passing under the last fold or lap of yarn
passing from the beam and in contact therewith; two arms or projecting
brackets are also secured to the fulcrum bar carrying the series of
levers, which support through the medium of nuts adjustable screws,
the lower end of which are connected to ropes, cords, or chains that are
after passing around and encircling the drag pulley of the warp beam
and under guide bowls secured to the two opposite ends of an helical
spring coupling. The required tension is given to the warps through
the medium of the screws secured to the projecting arms of the fulcrum
bar being tightened up, which gives a taughtness to the ropes passing

page_text: "
around the drag pullics of the warp beam, which is increased in pro-
portion as the coupling helical spring is expanded. At the time the
"sley" is beating home the weft “shot" the upper parallel bar supporting
the warp threads is drawn or caused slightly to yield, which forces the
lower rod against the beam to exert an extra pressure at this time
against the warp threads passing over it from the beam, which necessarily
gives a pull or extra tention to the yarn, which not only gives a cover
to the cloth under manufacture but also withdraws sufficient yarn from
the beam for the next pick. Therefore when the reverse action of the
sley" is taking place and the shed being formed the upper rod is
again caused to vibrate in and outward direction by the reaction of the
coupling spring through its being momentarily freed from the tcusion
of the warps, thereby causing the lower parallel rod against the beam
to relieve the tension of the warp threads direct from the beam, and
also the ropes encircling the drag pullics of the warp beam. The tension
thus taken off or relieved allows the required quantity of yarn necessary
for the next pick to be drawn off the beam free and at a uniformly
reduced tension, thereby relieving the healds from the friction of the
yarns when shedding. The yarn as it becomes reduced upon the beam
causes the lower parallel bar to traverse nearer to the centre of the
beam, effecting thereby during the delivery of the yarn a proportionate
reduction of tension to be transmitted to the helical coupling spring
through the medium of the connecting ropes or chains.
Secondly. Our Invention relates to the "reed," and is designed to
construct "recds" in a manner that will make them more durable and
adaptable for different widths and counts of cloth than hitherto, and
the improvement consists in constructing the reed of a series of
'peculiarly shaped dents, herein-after described, which are placed or
slipped one by one upon two bars or rods forming the top and bottom
of the recd, the spacing between the dents being effected by means of
washers, those at the selvage ends being composed of india-rubber, the
effect of which is for the purpose of expanding or contracting the distance
between such dents when the loom is in action, which will keep the
tension at the selvage ends uniform. It will be seen that by this
arrangement broken or damaged dents can be withdrawn and replaced
with new dents, which will enable the old reed to be renewed.
Lastly. The improvements relate to the "swell," and consists in con-
structing the swell on its contact surface with the shuttle in the form

page_text: of an incline that increases its distance in the shuttle box from the point
where the shuttle first enters to about two-thirds its distance, and
supporting it independently in the box by means of a bracket secured
to a rod or supporting finger connected to the stop rod of the loom.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained
in detail, we have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawing having similar
letters of reference marked upon corresponding parts thereof.
Fig. 1 represents a back elevation of the loom having adapted thereto
the improved arrangement of letting off apparatus; Fig. 2 represents
a transverse sectional elevation of the loom having the improvements
applied showing the position of the apparatus when the "sley" is on
its front center beating home the weft shot; Fig. 3 represents a
detached view similar to the last shewing the position of the apparatus
of the warp beam at the time the "sley" is on its bottom center and
the shed open; Fig. 4 represents a front elevation of the improved
"reed" having the center portion thereof removed; Figs. 5 and 6
represent respectively the end view of the "reed" and the peculiar
formation of the dent; Fig. 7 represents a plan view of the shuttle
box shewing the position of the swell in relation to the shuttle box;
Fig. 8 represents another modification of the swell and its supporting
bracket showing an arrangement of adjustment for giving more or less
inclination to the swell in the box, and Fig. 9 represents a transverse
section of the same. In these Figures, Figs. 1, 2, and 3 relate more
particularly to the letting off motion constituting the first part of our
Invention.
In these Figures a is a rod forming the fulcrum of the double levers b, b',
supported by the bracket secured to the framing c of the loom immc-
diately above the flanges of the warp beam d; the upper or shorter
levers b, b, carry or support a bar or rod e passing under and supporting
the warp threads as they pass from the beam d; the lower or longer levers
b, b, carry a rod that lies against the yarn of the beam and passes
under the last fold or lap of the warp ends. The upper levers carrying
the rod e is supplied with a projecting bracket g, which supports an
adjusting screw and nut h; the lower end of this screw underneath the
bracket is connected to a rope, cord, or chain that is caused to pass
first around the drag pulley of the warp beam, then under a carrier
pulley connected to the lower frame of the loom below the warp beam,
| after which it passes onwards and is attached to one end of an helical

page_text: or coiled spring i; this helical spring is the medium or connection between
the ends of the two cords, ropes, or chains ; the opposite end of such
spring is attached to a rope or chain which passes in a similar manner-
as the one already described around the opposite drag pulley of the warp
beam to the adjustable screw h supported by the bracket secured to the
fulcrum shaft a of the lever c on the opposite side of the loom. When
the loom is ready for action the tention of the warps are first adjusted.
by the nuts and screws h, h, which tighten up the ropes k, k, passing
around the drag pulley of the warp beam d connected to the coupling
spring i. The action of tightening up these cords or ropes through
the medium of the nuts and screws is continued until the required
tension of the warp is obtained. When the tension is accomplished
and the loom in action the beating up of the "sley
" when closing in.
the weft, at which time the crank is on its front centre, as shewn at
Fig. 2, draws forward the top bar c, thereby causing the lower rod f to
exert a pressure upon the warp threads that gives an excess of tension to.
the same at the time of beating home the weft shot which effects a cover
upon the cloth under manufacture. On the return of the sley when
the shed is forming and the sley is on its bottom centre (vide Fig. 3)
the upper rod or bar e is caused to incline outwards by reason of the
action of the spring i through the medium of the ropes h, causing thereby
the lower rod f against the beam to become relieved so as to reduce
its tension upon the warp, simultaneously with which the ropes encircling
the drag pulleys of the beam are also cased, which allows the necessary
quantity of yarn to be drawn easily from the warp beam, sufficient for
the next pick and the healds to open the shed without strain or tension
upon the yarn. Again as the diameter of the beam becomes reduced
with the delivery of yarn therefrom, the lower tension rod f is carried
with the passing warp threads gradually nearer to the beam, thereby
effecting during the delivery of the yarn a proportionate reduction of
tension to the springs forming the coupling between the ends of the
ropes k, k.
The conand nont of our Invention illustrated at Fios 4 5 and 6 refere.

page_text: on to their parallel supporting bars a, a, the two bars being connected
at either end by the tie rods b, b. The distance or spaces of the dents
upon the rods are effected by placing between each dent a washer
which at the selvage ends of the reed may be composed of india-rubber,
the effect of which when in action will expand and contract the distance
between such dents as the sley moves from its back to front centre,
keeping thereby the tension at the selvage ends uniform. By this
arrangement of reed damaged dents can be readily displaced by slackening
the nuts c, c, and new ones put in their places.
•
17
The third and last part of our Invention, shewn at Figs. 7, 8 and 9,
relates to improvements upon the " swell," and consists in forming the
same of a peculiar inclined construction that increases its distance in
the box from the part where the shuttle first enters and also for sup-
porting and maintaining the swell in the orifice or opening in the back
of the shuttle box independently. In these Figures d is the "swell"
supported by the brackets or arms e secured to the stop rod f; the
distance the swell d is allowed to protrude in the shuttle box g is
regulated by the set screws h, thus when the shuttle enters the box
the swell moves bodily back, giving by the form of its inclined surface
an increased resistance to the shuttle on its completing its race, but when
the shuttle is again expelled the resisting incline acting then upon the
shuttle in its reverse direction at once relieves and assists by the
of its incline the expulsion of the shuttle into the opposite box.
pressure
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, together with
the method of carrying the same into practical effect, we wish it to be
distinctly understood in conclusion that we claim, —
First. The novel arrangement, construction, and adaptation to looms
for weaving of the peculiar arrangement of levers and supporting bars,
or any slight modification thereof, so long as the essential features of
the Invention consisting of the top and bottom vibrating bars are re-
tained together with the arrangement of mechanism forming the first
part of our improvements employed for governing and regulating the
tension of the warps as the same are delivered from the warp beam,
as herein-before described and set forth in the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. We claim the novel arrangement and construction of "reed"
forming the second part of our Invention, as herein-before described and
set forth in the Drawings attached.

page_text: And, lastly. We claim the novel employment of an independently
supported "swell" free of the shuttle box, having a peculiarly inclined
formation, as herein-before described, set forth, and fully illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Storey Davics and Walter
Edward Yates, havo hereunto set our hands and scals, the Ninth
day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy.
Witness,
(L.S.)
JOHN STOREY DAVIES.
WALTER EDWARD YATES. (L.S.)
THOMAS WRIGLEY,
Agent to the Patentees,
Imperial Chambers,
Manchester.