CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO LOOMS FOR WEAVING VARIOUS KINDS OF FABRICS
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
LUKE SMITH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanic,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria
did, by Her Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster the
Sixteenth day of November, in the seventh year of Her reign, give and
grant unto me, the said Luke Smith, my exors, adñiors, and assigns,
Her special licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Luke Smith, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Luke Smith, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within that part of Her
said Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called
England, Her dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed,
my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO LOOMS FOR
WEAVING VARIOUS KINDS OF FABRICS;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso, that if I, the said Luke Smith, should not
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention,
⋅

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in
Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, that
then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages what-
soever thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine, and become
void, as in and by the same Letters Patent, reference being thereunto
had, may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso I, the
said Luke Smith, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention to
consist in, First, in so constructing the loom that it will form two
separate sheds in the same warp, one above the other, and that it will
pass two shuttles through the warp at the same time, one through the
upper and the other through the lower shed, each of which shuttles
leaves a weft thread in the shed through which it has passed to be
struck home by the reed and formed into cloth. By these my improve-
ments of passing two weft threads into different sheds of the warp at
the same time a great saving of time and labour is effected. Looms
now in general use form one shed only, pass one shuttle only, and
leave one weft thread only in the warp at a time. Secondly, in the
construction of a revolving shuttle box containing a number of com-
partments arranged round the axis of the box, each of which is formed
to hold a shuttle, and in the application of such box to either or
to both ends of the lathe of a loom, which box or boxes are steadier
during the action of the lathe, are more easily moved to the position
from which a shuttle from any of the compartments in the circle has to
be delivered, and whereby also a larger number of compartments can
be formed in such box than can be formed in the vertical tiers of boxes
now in common use. Thirdly, in a new combination and arrangement
of mechanical parts forming the picking apparatus, through which
motion is transmitted from the crank shaft to throw the shuttle or
shuttles through the warp, which new combination and arrangement of
parts admit of the crank shaft and tappet of a loom being turned back
to find a broken weft thread, or for other purposes, without the shuttle
or shuttles being thereby moved out of the shuttle box, and the stop

page_text: rods coming in contact with the stop blocks. In looms, as at present
constructed, when the lathe and tappet have to be turned back for the
purposes before named, the shuttle is thrown out of the shuttle box,
and the stop rods thereby come in contact with the stop blocks. These
my improvements are all of them applicable to power looms, and the
first and second of these improvements are also equally applicable
to hand looms.
Description of the Drawings, in which the same letters and figures
denote the same parts throughout the scales to which the several
Figures are drawn, are shewn on the Drawings:-
In Sheet 1, Fig. 1, represents a side elevation of a loom with part
of my improvements exhibited attached thereto. Fig. 2, repre-
sents a front elevation of the same loom. Fig. 3, represents a de-
tached part of the lathe containing a shuttle box with two shuttles
in it. Fig. 4, represents a plan of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5, represents an
end view of Fig. 3. In Sheet 2, Fig. 6, represents a front elevation
of one of my revolving shuttle boxes attached to one end of a lathe ;
Fig. 7, represents an end view, and Fig. 8, a plan of the same; Fig. 9,
represents a section of the shuttle box, in which three compartments.
for three shuttles are shown. In Figures 1, and 2, Sheet 1, A, repre-
sents the tappet by which the sheds in the warp are formed, by means
of the treddles, the cords attached to them, and to the top and bottom
jacks, and the heddles through which the warp passes. This tappet is
formed of discs in the usual manner of disc tappets, but the projecting
pieces commonly called jiggers, which are cast on one side of each of
the plates, by which the friction bowls on the treddles are elevated or
depressed, or kept equidistant between the extreme points of eleva-
tion and depression, as the pattern may require, are so placed that
during the action of the loom some of the threads of the warp are left
in an horizontal position, whilst others are lowered so as to make a
bottom shed, and others are raised so as to make a top shed, which two
sheds are plainly shown at e, e, Fig. 1. This tappet may be easily
formed by any mechanic conversant with the construction of disc
tappets. In the shuttle box two shuttles f. f, are shewn, see Fig. 2,
the top one resting on the shuttle under it, and the bottom one

page_text: resting on the race board of the lathe; the top shuttle is in a line with
the opening in the warp called the top shed, and the bottom one
is in a line with the opening in the warp called the bottom shed, so that
when the picker strikes the two shuttles at once, the top shuttle will
pass through the top shed, and the bottom shuttle will pass through the
botton shed simultaneously, and they will arrive in the opposite shuttle
box together in the same relative position in which they were before
they were struck from one shuttle box to the other. In their passage
through the warp they will each of them leave a single, or, if required, a
double weft thread in the respective shed through which each has passed;
when by the action of the loom these weft threads have been struck home
so as to form cloth, and the lathe is returned to the position shewn
in Fig. 1, the tappet will have formed two other sheds in the warp,
through each of which one of the shuttles will return, leaving a weft.
thread as before, and in this manner the weaving is continued. In
Figs. 3, 4, and 5, one end of the lathe is shewn on an enlarged scale
with my improvements attached. In Fig. 3, ff, represent a front
view of the two shuttles, resting as before described; and in Fig. 5, f, f,
represent an end view of the same shuttles, with the picker and picking
stick removed to shew the form of the shuttles and their position in the
box. In Fig. 5, g, g, represent the two swells of the shuttle box in
the lathe, the top one pressed out by the top shuttle, and the bottom
one pressed out by the bottom shuttle; on the outer end of each swell
there is a curved piece of metal h, h. 1, is a rod which passes under-
neath the lathe, and which passes through and works in two brackets,
each of which brackets is fixed to one of the swords of the lathe.
is shewn so attached in Fig. 1. On each end of this rod 1, is fixed a
bar k, the front part of which bar acts as a stop rod, and the back part
of which bar supports a rod j. The top of each of these rods. ter-
minates in a stud n, placed at right angles to the rod j, one of which
only is shewn in Fig. 5. On the stud n, is placed a curved piece of
wood i, which has a circular hole cut through it, through which hole
the stud n, passes; the upper side of this wood bears against the swell
which is pressed out by the top shuttle, and the lower side bears against
the swell which is pressed out by the hottom shuttle.. If either or both
One

page_text: This axis runs
the face plate p,
the shuttles should fail to reach one box from the other in sufficient
time, the curved piece of wood will approach so near to the back
of the lathe as to allow of the stop rods k, k, falling so low as to
catch against the stop blocks of the loom, and thereby stop the
loom in the usual manner. In Sheet 2, Fig. 6, represents a front
elevation of one of my revolving shuttle boxes m, containing three
compartments; attached to one end of a lathe o, is the axis of this
box, around which the compartments are formed at equal distances
from the axis and apart from each other; see Fig. 9.
the whole length of the box, but does not project past
which plate is made of iron and turned bright on its edge, that the
edge may act as an axis in concert with the axis o; so that the box
may be kept parallel at all times with the lathe. This edge rests and
turns freely in a collar, fixed to the lathe. There is a slot q, cut in
each of the compartments to admit of the picking peg passing into
it and driving out the shuttle when such compartment with the
shuttle in it is in the position shewn in Fig. 6.
In each com-
partiment there is also a swell 15, which is pressed out by the shuttle,
and which acts upon the stop rod k, in the manner before described,
which is common in power looms, and which prevents the reed
striking the cloth, when the shuttle has not passed from the box on
one side of the lathe to that on the other in the time allowed for
that purpose.
The picker is constructed with an opening in the
middle of it, through which opening the picking peg passes, and thereby
moves the picker backwards and forwards; see Fig. 2. On the axis o,
and near to the end of it, are fixed two plates 3, and 4, side by side,
each plate having upon its outer edge three projections or catches
which correspond in number to the compartments in the shuttle box;
the projections on one plate are inclined in a contrary direction to those
on the other. On the axis o, and outside the plates, is fixed a tri-
angular piece of iron 1, on one of the sides of which a strong spring
2, is always pressing to adjust the shuttle box to its position each
time it is turned either one way or the other by the levers v, and
w, and the plates 3, and 4. To the breast beam is attached a
bearing bars, see Fig. 8, to the end of which are fixed two studs t,

page_text: and u.
On the stud u, two bent levers v, and w, with bent ends
are placed; these levers act alternately upon their respective catch
plates 3, and 4, when required, in order to turn the compartment
in which the required shuttle is, so that the shuttle may be acted upon
by the picker and picking peg. On the stud t, is placed a drum z, sec
Fig. 7, which has six projections on its periphery, and a ratchet wheel a,
is fixed by which the drum z, is turned. Over this drum an endless
leather belt is passed, having holes cut in it to admit of the projections
on the drum to pass through them, see Fig. 6; resting within the inner
curve of the strap is another drum y, with an axis through it, from
which is suspended a weight; this drum and weight are used to keep
the endless strap tight upon the drum z. On the external surface of
the strap are fixed a number of projecting studs 5, see Figs. 6, and 7;
affixed to the lathe is a lever 6, with a slot in it, see Figs. 7, and 8, in
which is screwed a stud 7; see Fig. 8. When the lathe moves with
the reed to the cloth the stud 7, is passed over one of the teeth in the
ratchet wheel a, and when the lathe moves back again to the position
shewn in Fig. 7, it will have drawn the ratchet wheel by the tooth
over which it fell, and consequently the drum to which it is attached,
one sixth of a revolution, and the leather which passes round the drum
will have moved forward at the same rate as the surface of the drum.
When one of the studs 5, is taken by the motion of the strap under the
lower end of the bent lever e, the other extremity of the lever is pressed
so low that on the lathe again approaching the cloth one of the teeth
on the plate 3, will pass under the hooked end of the lever v; and on
the return of the lathe to the position shewn the hook will have acted
en the plate and turned the shuttle box so as to present the shuttle in
the next compartment to the action of the picker. When one of the
studs 5, is passed under the end of the bent lever w, the other end of
the lever is raised so as to catch a tooth in the wheel 4, during the moving
of the lathe once to and from the cloth, and the shuttle box will thereby
be turned one compartment in the contrary direction to that in which it
is turned by the lever v. The new arrangement by which the crank shaft
and the tappet of a loom may be turned in the contrary direction to
that in which they turn during the operation of weaving, to find a

page_text: broken weft thread in the shed in which it was deposited, or for other
purposes, without the shuttle being moved out of the shuttle box, and
the stop rods thereby being brought in contact with the stop blocks, is
as follows:-Upon the inner side of each of the sides of the loom is
fixed a plate 8, 8, see Fig. 2, through which the crank shaft passes, in
each of which plates two excentric grooves are cast, which run nearly
round the plate on the side opposite to the fly wheel of the shaft.
These grooves unite, and leave only a single groove or space between
them at that part of the plate shewn in dotted lines at 9, Fig. 1. In
the groove of each plate is placed a curved piece of metal with a
projecting stud upon it, which stud takes into a slide fixed upon the
fly wheel of the shaft; this slide works between two guides, and on the
opposite end to that where the last-described stud is placed is fixed
another stud or friction bowl, which, when the crank shaft is turned
round, strikes at each alternate revolution of the crank shaft the finger
10, see Fig. 2, which is fixed on the inclined rod 11; the foot of this
inclined rod works in a pedestal, and the top of it in a collar, so as to
allow of its having only a circular motion; 20, is a spring by which
the inclined rod 11, is moved into the position to be acted upon by the
friction bowl or stud after the crank shaft has been moved backwards.
Affixed to and near the bottom of this rod is another finger 12, sec
Figs 1 and 2, with a piece of leather 13, united to it, and to the pick-
ing peg 14, see Fig. 2. When the crank shaft is moved round,
that stud which takes into the slide on the fly wheel, and which
is fixed to the curved piece of metal in the groove of one of the
plates, moves that curved piece of metal out of one groove into the
other, in consequence of the peculiar form of the grooves, and by this
inward and outward action of the curved piece of metal the slide
on the fly wheel into which it takes is thereby moved nearer
to and further from the crank shaft. When the curved piece is
in the inner groove the friction bowl or stud at its other extremity
goes round without striking the Figure 10, on the inclined rod; but
when it moves round the outer circle it strikes against the finger 10,
and through that finger, the inclined rod, the strap, the picking peg,
and the picker, it throws the shuttle or shuttles through the shed or

page_text: sheds of the warp into the opposite shuttle box. When the curved
piece of metal is in the inner groove in one plate that in the opposite
plate is in the outer groove, in order that the shuttle or shuttles may be
struck, first from one side, and then from the other. By this arrangement
of the picking (friction bowl or stud) and the finger 10, on the inclined
rod 11, it will be obvious that when the crank shaft is turned in the
contrary direction to that in which it turns when weaving, this friction
bowl or stud will strike the finger 10, on the back, see Fig. 2, and
will thereby move the lower finger 12, outwards, whereby the strap
which unites it to the picking peg will be slackened, and the picking
peg and the picker to which it is attached will remain at the extremity
of the shuttle box.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim
as of my Invention, first, the improved construction of a loom so that
it will form two separate sheds in the same warp, one above the other,
and will drive two shuttles concurrently and at the same time through
the warp, one through the upper and through the lower shed, as herein-
before mentioned, and which I claim as of my Invention, however the
form, arrangement, or combination of parts by which those objects are
shown to be accomplished by me may be varied or modified; secondly,
the construction of a rotating shuttle box, divided into several compart-
ments arranged round the longitudinal axis of the box for the reception
of shuttles, and to which rotatory motion in either direction, and either
continuous or at intervals, is given, so as to present each shuttle or two
shuttles in one compartment to the action of the picker, as required,
and which shuttle box may be applied to either or to both ends of
the lathe of a loom, and also the application of the apparatus for
producing and regulating the required alternating rotatory motion of
the shuttle box in accordance with the requirements of the pattern or
style of work to be manufactured; and, thirdly, the improved arrange-
ment and combination of parts forming the picking apparatus through
which motion is transmitted from the crank shaft to the shuttles to
throw them through the warp, admitting of the crank shaft and tappet
of the loom being turned back, when required, without the shuttle or

page_text: shuttles being moved out of the shuttle box, and the stop rods thereby
striking against the stop blocks and stopping the loom; including in this
my claim any similar arrangement or combination of parts having the
like objects, and which may not substantially deviate from the general
plan or design of my said improved arrangement and combination.
In witness whereof, I, the said Luke Smith, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-four.
LUKE (L.S.) SMITH.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifteenth day of May,
in the year of our Lord 1844, the aforesaid Luke Smith came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and
specified in form above written; and also the Specification aforesaid
was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for that
purpose.
Enrolled the Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-four.