IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING TEMPLES FOR LOOMS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH.”
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Levi Robertshaw, Engineer, of Thornton Road, Bradford,
in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING
TEMPLES FOR LOOMS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Levi Robertshaw at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th April 1877.
"
LEVI ROBERTSHAW, Engineer, of Thornton Road, Bradford, in the County of York,
IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING TEMPLES FOR LOOMS, AND IN APPARATUS CON-
NECTED THEREWITH.'
"
My improvements relate to employing glass, toughened glass, china, pottery, or
earthenware excentric division pieces or washers for self-acting temples for looms,
and in employing an apparatus to give temples the required movement to allow
them to adapt themselves to the peculiar movement of the material being woven
and to retain hold thereon close or near to the "shed" in the process of weaving,
and stretch the fabrics or material to the required width; also in fitting plates on
the going part of the loom to prevent the splintering when the going part comes in
contact with the temples. For this purpose I construct the excentric division pieces
or washers of self-acting temples of glass, toughened glass, china, pottery, or carthen-
ware, producing a great saving in the manufacture thereof, doing away with the
labour of turning and fitting of the iron or brass excentric division pieces or washers
heretofore employed.
The required movement is obtained by fitting on the breast rail of a loom move;
able fixings, so arranged that they will allow the moving of the temples to the
required width of the material to be woven; on these fixings are fitted steel springs,
the tops thereof being fixed to the temple bearers; these steel springs give the
necessary horizontal and lifting motions to the temples, preventing the material
already woven, moving back and returning or turning on the temples when the
"slay" is acting; the lifting motion allows a free course to the shuttle in passing
over the slay, and the motion is obtained when the going part comes in contact
with the temples and resumes it natural position on the receding thereof, preventing
Price 6d 1

page_text: by these means the warps becoming deranged and damaged, and allowing the "self-
acting temples" to adapt themselves to the peculiar movement of the material being
woven, and to retain hold and stretch it uniformly to the required width.
I also fix on the going part of the loom metal plates made of sufficient length to
admit of the different widths of material to be woven, and to prevent, when the
going part comes in contact with the temples, the splintering thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Levi Robertshaw in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th October
1877.
LEVI ROBERTSHAW, Engineer, of Thornton Road, Bradford, in the County of York,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING TEMPLES FOR LOOMS, AND IN APPARATUS CON-
NECTED THEREWITH,"
The said Invention consists of the employment of glass, toughened glass, china,
pot, earthenware, or other plastic material for the excentric division pieces, rings, or
washers of self-acting temples for looms, and in employing certain apparatus to give
temples the required movement to allow them to adapt themselves to the peculiar
movement of the material being woven, and to retain hold thereon close or near to
the "shed" in the process of weaving, and stretch the fabrics or material to the
required width. For the former purpose I construct the excentric division pieces,
rings, or washers of self-acting temples of glass, toughened glass, china, pot, earthen-
ware, or other plastic material, thereby producing a great saving in the manufacture
of temples, and doing away with all labour in turning and fitting which is required
in making the iron or brass excentric division pieces, rings, or washers heretofore
employed.
The required movement is obtained by fitting on the breast rail of a loom move-
able fixings, so arranged that they will allow the moving of the temples to the
required width of the material to be woven; on these fixings are fitted steel springs,
that is to say, a steel springing bar to each temple, on which is fixed the temple
bearer or bracket; these steel springs or springing steel bars give the necessary
horizontal motions to the temples and prevent the material already woven from
moving back or turning on the temples when the "slay" is acting. A lifting
motion is given to the temple head by making a hinge in each temple close or near
to the temple head; this allows a free course to the shuttle in passing over the slay
board and prevents the warps from becoming deranged and damaged. The com-
bined motions allow the "self-acting temples" to adapt themselves to the peculiar
movement of the material being woven, and to retain hold and stretch uniformly
the material to the required width.
But in order to enable my improvements to be better understood, I will proceed
to more particularly describe the same by reference to the accompanying Drawing,
in which,-
Figure 1 represents a front view of an excentric division piece, ring, or washer,
and Figure 2, side view of the same.
Figure 3 represents an elevation of improved temple and apparatus; Figure 4,
side view, and Figure 5, plan of the same.
Figure 6 represents a temple with hinged joint, drawn full size, and Figure 7
plan of the same.
Similar letters of reference are used in all the Figures to represent similar
parts.
A, excentric division pieces, rings, or washers fixed in the temple head B, made
of glass, toughened glass, china, pot, earthenware, or other plastic material. The
improved apparatus and temples are fitted right and left on the inside of the breast
rail of a loom, and are fixed thereto by means of bolts and nuts fitted in fixings C,

page_text: having lugs D, on which is secured a steel bar E of such strength as to allow a
springing motion which gives the necessary horizontal motion to the temple,
allowing the temple or temples to follow the slay or reed as it recedes from the
cloth, enabling the temple to retain hold close to the shed whatever vibration takes
place. On the steel bar E is fitted a bracket F, made with a projection G, through
which passes the bar E; and on the projection G is formed a boss H, in which is
screwed a set screw I to secure the bracket on the steel bar to the required position
and properly fix the temple or temples according to the various widths of the cloth
or material being woven. On the bracket F is bolted a bearer J, on which is fitted
the temple, Figures 6 and 7 in the Drawing; this temple is made with lugs L, in
which works the end of a short arm M, to which is fixed the temple head B and
temple guide or guard N; through the lugs L and the arm M is fitted a pin O, on
which works the arm which gives the temple head a rising and lowering motion,
which, with the horizontal notion herein-before mentioned, allow the "self-acting
temples" to adapt themselves to the peculiar movement of the material being woven,
and to retain hold and stretch uniforinly the material to the required width, pre-
venting the warps cutting the slay, and also preventing the slay breaking the
warps.
Having thus described my improvements and the best means I am acquainted
with for carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details shewn and described, as they may be varied
without departing from the peculiar character of the Invention, but what I do
claim is,
Firstly. The construction and employment of excentric division pieces, rings, or
washers made of glass, toughened glass, china, pot, earthenware, or other plastic
material, in "self-acting temples" of looms.
"
as
Secondly. The employment of steel springing bars which give the necessary
horizontal motion to the temples, allowing them to follow the "slay" or "reed
it recedes from the material being woven, substantially as herein-before described
and represented in the annexed Drawing.
Thirdly. The construction and employment of hinged temples which give a rising
and lowering notion to the temples, and with the horizontal motion allows them to
adapt themselves to the peculiar movement of the material being woven, and to
retain hold and stretch uniformly the material to the required width, substantially
as herein described and represented in the Drawing annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Levi Robertshaw, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
WALTER JAS. TURNER, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Bradford,
LEVI ROBERTSHAW. (L.S.)