IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ephraim Ratcliffe and Christopher Ainsworth, both
of Over Darwen, in the County of Lancaster, Overlookers, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 3rd January 1865, and dated the 6th July 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ephraim Ratcliffe and
Christopher Ainsworth at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 6th July 1864.
We, EPHRAIM RATCLIFFE and CHRISTOPHER AINSWORTH, both of Over
Darwen, in the County of Lancaster, Overlookers, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to the "treadles" of looms for weaving, and consists
in constructing such treadles of two parts with a double boss, one boss
carrying the treadle, the other boss having a short arm cast thereto, in which
arm and in the treadle is a slot hole and bolt. On the inner face of the boss
carrying the treadle, and on the inner face of the boss of the arm, are a
number of indentations and teeth, so that the two may by means of the bolt
above mentioned be securely held together. The boss and arm being fixed on

page_text: the treadle shaft, the treadle may, by means of the bolt, indentations, and
teeth, be readily fixed to the said arm at any angle, by which means we are
enabled greatly to shorten the treadles and obtain different lifts with one
and the same tappet or set of tappets, and thus regulate the shedding as
desirable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ephraim Ratcliffe and Christopher Ainsworth in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 5th January 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, EPHRAIM
RATCLIFFE and CHRISTOPHER AINSWORTH, both of Over Darwen, in the County
of Lancaster, Overlookers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Ephraim Ratcliffe and Christopher Ainsworth, Her special licence,
that we, the said Ephraim Ratcliffe and Christopher Ainsworth, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Ephraim Ratcliffe
and Christopher Ainsworth, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Ephraim Ratcliffe and Christopher Ainsworth, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 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 Ephraim Ratcliffe and Christopher
Ainsworth, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to the treadles of looms for weaving, and consists

page_text: in constructing such treadles of two parts with a double boss, one boss
carrying the treadle and the other boss having a short arm cast thereto, in
which arm and in the treadle is a slot hole and bolt. On the inner face of
the boss carrying the treadle and on the inner face of the boss of the arm are
a number indentations and teeth, so that the two may by means of the bolt
above mentioned be securely held together. The boss, and arm work on a
stud fixed to a cross rail; the treadle may, by means of the bolt, indentations,
and teeth, be readily fixed to the said arm at any angle, by which means we
are enabled greatly to shorten the treadles and obtain different lifts with one
and the same tappet or set of tappets, and thus regulate the shedding as
desirable.
In order that our Invention may be clearly understood, we have attached
to these Presents a Sheet of Drawings illustrating the same, in which Figure 1
shews the inside of the frame end of a loom, and a cross rail to which our
improvements are attached; Figure 2 shews our improved treadles and part
of the cross rail; and Figure 3 is an end view of one of our improved treadles
(drawn about half full size).
A, the inside of frame end of a loom; B, a cross rail to which the
treadles C, C, are attached by and work on the stud c; to each of the
treadles C, C³, is attached an upright piece D, in the upper part of which is a
recess, in which and on the pin or stud d works the antifriction pulley E; the
tappets F, F, at each revolution of the tappet shaft F act on the antifriction
pullies E, E, (by means of the upright pieces D, D', which are secured to the
treadles by the bolts G, G³, and the teeth and indentations shewn at H,
Figure 3,) impart the necessary motion to the treadles C, C¹, which motion
by means of the "lam" rods J, J, actuate the healds as required.
It will be evident that treadles constructed as above described and illus-
trated in the Drawings, are much lighter and require proportionate less power
to actuate them than the ordinary treadles which extend in length the width
of the loom, and that treadles constructed as above described may readily be
set by altering the relative angles of the treadles C, C³, and the upright
pieces D, D', by means of the bolts G, G¹, and the slot hole I, so that the
said treadles may make a shorter or longer stroke actuating the lam rods and
healds in proportion, thus regulating the shed.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this our Invention
for "Improvements in Looms for Weaving," together with the manner in
which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect,
we would remark in conclusion that we claim as our Invention the con-
struction and arrangement of treadles, as herein set forth and illustrated in

page_text: the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification of the same acting in
substantially the same or in a similar manner.
In witness whereof, we, the said Ephraim Ratcliffe and Christopher
Ainsworth, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-fourth
day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-four.
(L.B.)
EPHRAIM RATCLIFFE.
CHRISTOPHER AINSWORTH. (L.s.)
Signed and sealed by the within-
named Ephraim Ratcliffe and
Christopher Ainsworth in the
presence of
RICHARD CHARLESWORTH,
Engineering Surveyor, &c.,
Blackburn.