An Improved Picking Motion of Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Picking Motion of Looms for Weaving.
We, JAMES Moss, and ABRAHAM Moss, of Brunswick Works, Hebden Bridge,
in the County of York, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this.
invention to be as follows:-
:-
Our invention refers to the picking mechanism of looms for weaving, and our
improvements consist in the use and employment of a new form and construction
of apparatus for throwing the shuttle across the loom, and for this purpose we
employ preferably overhead picking arms composed of flat spring steel so that after
being bowed or bent and suddenly released they exert sufficient force as to.
propel the shuttle backwards and forwards across the loom. These spring picking
arms are connected at their upper ends to short cross shafts and these are con-
nected together by lever arms and connecting rod so that when the cross shafts are
rocked or oscillated the two picking arms are moved backwards and forwards in
the same direction, consequently when one picking arm is leaving the shuttle box
the other picking arm is entering. The necessary rocking motion is imparted to
one of the cross shafts by an eccentric and suitable arrangement of rods and levers
driven from the crank shaft by toothed wheels. The lower ends of which picking
arms on being sent home to the shuttle box is received and taken hold of by a
catch or trigger and one of these triggers is released from its position holding the
picking arm at each alternate movement of the slay board and this is performed
by a star wheel at the end of a horizontal rod placed under the slay board pressing
onto the foot of a short vertical rod being wedge shaped at its upper end and
entering a slot in the trigger so that on the star wheel pressing upon the foot of
the vertical rod the wedge descends and permits lateral movement of the trigger
for the purpose of releasing the picking arm. The horizontal rod carrying the
star wheel is rotated by means of a clutch and slotted lever riding over a fixed
stud projecting from the loom frame so that as the slay moves backward and
forward the horizontal rod is made to rock and so giving the necessary movement
to the star wheel. We throw or power exerted by the picking arms can be
regulated by a clutch to which the picking arms are connected.
Dated this 20th day of April 1893.
TASKER & CROSSLEI,
Halifax, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Picking Motion of Looms for Weaving.
We, JAMES Moss and ABRAHAM. Moss, of Brunswick Works, Hebden Bridge,
in the County of York, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention refers to the picking mechanism of looms for weaving, and our
improvements consist in the use and employment of a new form and construction
of apparatus for throwing the shuttle across the loom, and for this purpose we
employ, preferably overhead picking arms composed of flat spring steel so that
after being bowed or bent and suddenly released they exert sufficient force as to
propel the shuttle backwards and forwards across the loom. These spring picking
arms are connected at their upper ends to short cross shafts and these are connected
together by lever arms and connecting rod so that when the cross shafts are rocked

page_text: or oscillated the two picking arms are moved backwards and forwards in the same
direction, consequently when one picking arm is leaving the shuttle box the other
picking arm is entering. The necessary rocking motion is imparted to one of the
cross shafts by an eccentric and suitable arrangement of rods and levers driven
from the crank shaft by toothed wheels. The lower ends of these picking arms
on being sent "home" in the shuttle box are received and taken hold of by a
catch or trigger and one of these triggers is released from its position of holding
the picking arm at each alternate hovement of the slay board and this is performed
by a star wheel at the end of a horizontal rod placed under the slay board pressing
onto the foot of a short vertical rod which is wedge shaped at its upper end, and.
enters a slot in the trigger, so that on the star wheel pressing upon the foot of the
vertical rod, the wedge descends and permits lateral movement of the trigger for
the purpose of releasing the picking arm. The horizontal rod carrying the star
wheel is rotated by means of a clutch and slotted lever riding over a fixed stud
projecting from the loom frame, so that as the slay moves backward and forward-
the horizontal rod-is-made to rotate and so give the necessary movement to the
star wheel. The throw or power exerted by the picking arms can be regulated by
a clutch to which the picking arms are connected.
Such being the nature and object of our invention we will now describe the same
more fully, and for that purpose make reference to the accompanying sheets of
drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 is right hand end elevation of a loom having our improvements applied
thereto, Fig. 2 is side elevation of the opposite end of the said loom and Fig. 3 is
back elevation.
A represents the framework of the loom, B the crank shaft, C the slay board,
and D the reed. The picking arms are shewn at E which are made of thin sheet
steel so that they will bend and when released spring forward for propelling the
shuttle across the loom as hereinafter more fully explained. These spring picking
arms are connected to a lever arm F mounted upon a stud G carried by a clutch
bracket H mounted on the cross shaft I which is made to oscillate or rock by
means of bell crank lever J, connected by stud K to vertical rods L and L' on the
bottom end of which is an eccentric M driven by a pair of wheels N from the crank
or other suitable shaft, the eccentric being driven at half the speed of the crank
shaft so as to cause one of the picking arms to be operated when the slay is in its
rear position as is now the case with ordinary picking motions. Although we shew
the eccentric M to be applied to one side of the loom, we would observe that there
may be one at each side of the loom, and in broad looms it may be preferable to
employ two eccentrics. The two spring picking arms are connected together by a
lever arm O and connecting rod P to the bell crank lever J (see Fig. 3) in order
that the two picking armis may work in unison so that when one picking arm has
thrown the shuttle out of the box, the other picking arm is at the opposite end of
the shuttle box ready for throwing the shuttle back across the loom.
Each time one of the picking arms arrives at its furthest outward movement in
the shuttle box, it is caught hold of and temporarily retained until the reed has
beaten up the last shoot of weft and this is effected by means of a catch or trigger Q
capable of having a slight oscillating movement upon stud Q¹. This trigger is
made with a slot shewn clearly in plan view Fig. 4 and within the slot is a vertical
wedge shaped rod R. the lower end of which rod is provided with a shoe or toe
piece R' operated upon at the right time by a star wheel S fixed on the end of a
horizontal rod S₁ arranged under the slay board, therefore when the elastic picking
arm is forced to its furthest outward position in the shuttle box it strikes against
the trigger Q and passes the sneck thereon, by which it is received and held until
the weft has been beaten up, and at a proper and suitable time the star wheel
makes part of a revolution pressing upon the toe piece R₁ at the foot of the vertical
rod, the effect of this operation is to draw the vertical rod downwards, in doing
which the wedge on the top thereof is drawn down the slot thereby lessening the
thickness of the rod within the slot consequently the trigger is allowed to have a

page_text: slight lateral movement on its stud Q' and' as the picking arm during this time is in
a bent or bowed position, the power thereof forces the trigger sideways, thus the
picking arm releases itself from the holding catch and at once, with great force,
propels the shuttle across the loom; and simultaneous with such movement the
opposite picking arm is thrown backward and caught hold of and retained by a
trigger at the opposite end, of the shuttle box, and this operation is quickly
performed and continued so long as the loom is at work. We would here remark
that the force of the picking arm is in itself inherent and that it does not depend
upon the speed of the loom or the motor which.drives. it, as is the case.with ordinary
looms.
The star wheel S is revolved intermittently by the horizontal shaft S' which
is operated in the following manner:
:-On one end of the horizontal shaft S¹ (see
Figs. 2 and 5) is a lever arm T provided with a slot which rides on a stud U
projecting from a bracket suitably placed for that purpose, so that as the slay
mores backwards and forwards the slotted lever arm, through the intervention of
the said stud U, receives a pendulous motion, and if it were fast upon the horizontal
shaft S¹ such shaft would simply receive a backward and forward motion, but the
slotted lever T is loose upon the said shaft, but gears with a clutch V fastened
upon the shaft, so that when the slotted lever T is raised the clutch. is moved
partially around and the shaft with it, but when the slotted lever is lowered or
moved in the opposite direction the clutch teeth in the slotted lever slip over the
teeth in the fast clutch and imparts no motion to the horizontal shaft, the spring W
allowing the slotted lever to move backward for that purpose, but the spring
forces the clutches together again on the return movement of the slotted lever.
In order to keep the horizontal shaft rigid, it has an eight sided disc X fixed
upon it, and a bent steel spring Y pressing upon it to prevent any backward motion
of the said shaft, the bent spring Y being forced upon the eight sided disc by a
light spiral spring Z.
The force or strength of the pick given by the picking arms can be regulated or
adjusted by means of the picking head H being made in the form of a clutch as
shewn in Fig. 1. The part H of the picking head can be removed from the corre-
sponding part and revolved or twisted on the shaft so as to give more or less
tortional strain on each picking arm.
By the arrangement and combination of parts described herein and illustrated in
the drawings an effective, reliable and steady picking motion is provided much
cheaper in construction and taking less power to drive same; and in this loom there
are no picking spindles which are objectionable when weaving light coloured fabrics
because of the specks of oil thrown off the spindles by the picker, whilst the power
to operate our picking mechanism is reduced to a minimum.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
Firstly. In looms for weaving, the employment therein of spring steel picking
arms, connected together substantially as shewn in Fig. 3 for the purpose of moving
backward and forward together in unison.
Secondly. In looms for weaving, the employment therein of spring steel picking
arms, connected together substantially as shewn in Fig. 3 and operated substantially
as hercin shewn and described.
Thirdly. In looms for weaving, the employment therein of spring steel picking
arms, connected together substantially as shewn in Fig. 3 in combination with
holding and releasing triggers operated substantially as herein shewn and
described.
Fourthly. In looms for weaving, having spring steel picking arms and holding
and releasing triggers, the combination therewith of the horizontal rod S¹ operated
in the manner and for the purpose shewn and described herein.
Fifthly. In looms for weaving having spring steel picking arms, the combination

page_text: therewith of a clutch such as H for adjusting and regulating the force or strength
of the pick as described herein.
Lastly. The general arrangement, construction, and combination of parts forming
our improved picking motion all substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 29th day of September 1893.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.