IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOBBIN NET OR TWIST LACE
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MOSES
POOLE, of Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Second day of November, in the fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Moses
Poole, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the
said Moses Poole, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Moses Poole, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Isles of
Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her said Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOBBIN NET OR TWIST LACE," communicated to me
by a certain Foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso that I, the said Moses Poole, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in
part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Moses Poole, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say:-
The Invention relates, first, to a mode of actuating the carriages by
means of a driving bar composed of or carrying a series of pushers, such
bar being so arranged as to act as a common driving bar and drive all
the carriages; but by the pattern surfaces of jacquard cards any of the
carriages may be missed in the movement of the driving bar, by which
arrangement the pattern of the work produced may be constantly varying,
depending on the perforated cards used. The manner of actuating the driving
bar will in some degree vary with the class of bobbin net or twist lace
machinery to which the same may be applied. Secondly, the Invention relates
to a mode of arranging machinery so as to unwind portions of the threads of
those bobbins which are at any time selected to form the pattern. Before I
proceed to describe the Drawings, I will shortly explain the nature and mode
of action of the improvements. The pushers are capable of sliding upon a bar,
and can advance towards the front of the machine and return towards the
back. Each of the pushers has a notch upon the upper surface, as is shown.
An angular locking bar is used, which fits into this notch, and when the pushers
are all at an equal distance from their driving bar, the locking bar descends
and fixes them in that position. They then act as an ordinary driving bar,
and when in this condition the groundwork of the lace may be made, and
when it is required to ornament any part of the work, the driving bar of
pushers will be acted on by pattern surface of jacquard cards, in such manner
as to move some of the pushers and cause them to range differently from the
others. The locking bar is to be raised by the workman, by which the pushers
are released from their fixed position, in order that the pattern surfaces may select
some of the pushers; I would remark, that each of the pushers is fastened at
its back end to one end of the threads of the jacquard. The workman puts
in operation the lever, which causes the jacquard to raise all the threads which
have not been removed from the hooks by the cards; this movement removes
back the pushers thus selected, and the locker bar again falls down and
secures them in the position which is given them by the action of the
jacquard. The machine can then be worked as with an ordinary driving bar,
and without the intervention of the jacquard, until the pattern is executed by
the pushers. In raising the locker bar, a bar is brought into action which
brings all the pushers in contact with what is called the line bar; the

page_text: jacquard, as has been before explained, then selects those pushers which are
intended to be put out of action, and the locker bar fixes them in their
respective positions; the machine will then again work as with an ordinary
driving bar until the pattern is finished, when the locking bar is again raised
and the pushers brought in a line, as has been before described, and the locker
bar descends and fixes them so that they form an ordinary pusher bar. Thus
it will be seen, that the apparatus consists of a driving bar of pushers, which
can, by the aid of the jacquard, produce a variety of different modifications; it
can be worked without the aid of the jacquard in that degree that it should
give movement to the same bobbins several times to produce the same effect.
The jacquard is only applied to the apparatus to produce a change in the work
as the pattern may require to be executed, and when the pattern is executed
the pusher becomes an ordinary one. In applying this apparatus above
mentioned for ornamenting lace, it will be evident that modifications will have
to be made according to the character of the machine to which the same is to
be applied, but the principle of action will always be the same. The apparatus
for slacking or unwinding the threads from the bobbins, for the same reason,
will be varied in' its construction and arrangement.
Description of the Apparatus applied to a Lace Machine to produce
Ornamental Work by the aid of Jacquard Machinery: The object of this
apparatus is to enable' a' workman to obtain any pattern or design in bobbin
net or twist lace, by selecting the bobbins according to the order required;
for this purpose each bobbin is put in action by a small sliding plate of
iron called a pusher, a, seen in Drawing No. 1, Figure 3, which pusher
will be seen free in a small groove of a comb at a¹; any of the pusher's can
be withdrawn from the line of the others and remain out of work and without
any action upon the bobbin in the 'carriages in the spaces" opposite such
pushers, according to the order in which the jacquard cards are perforated.
When the jacquard is put in operation the threads 'a² fixed to the end of the
pushers and to the hooks of the jacquard machinery, which is of the ordinary
construction, and in raising such hooks, they draw from the back those pushers
which are not required to be in action. In the four different machines to
which I have shown the apparatus applied in the Drawings, the selection of the
pushers takes place at each half mesh of the ground of the lace; and when
each half mesh is entirely' terminated, the workman, if he would produce a
pattern, takes the handle of the lover A, Drawing No. 1, Figure 4, and draws
it from left to right; this handle of 'the lever moves on an axis at B from left
to right, or from right to left, and the lever' A moves up and down upon an
axis, 'C;' this movement releases the projecting stop of the lever a and brings
f.

page_text: the stop in contact with the lever D, which also moves on an axis, and the
front end of the lever D. will be pushed from right to left. At the back
end of the lever D is fixed a cord, which passes over a pulley, and is attached
to the lever E, and thus raises the locker bar F (which is placed on axes) out
of the notches, No. 1, of the pushers; the pushers thus released by this first
movement from left to right of the lever A, the workman lowers the lever A,
by pressing upon it, and in so doing raises the other end of it, to which is
fastened a cord (=) which is attached at its other end to the lifting lever of the
jacquard placed above the machine, and which is the same in character as the
ordinary jacquard machine of looms; the jacquard apparatus then withdraws
the pushers, which are selected by the pattern card, by means of the connecting
threads a², which are attached to the pushers and to the hooks of the jacquard
apparatus, and it will be seen that each selected pusher is withdrawn so far
that the notch or projection No. 2 of each of the pushers drawn back is found in
a line with the notches No. 1. of those pushers which are not drawn back, as
shown in Drawing No. 1, Figure 3. Then the lever A having arrived at the
end of its downward movement, the workman again passes it from left to right,
which movement causes the stop of the lever to enter into the notch 2 of the
stop plate, which keeps it lowered and allows the lever D to move, and con-
sequently the locker bar F to fall again into the notch No. 1 of the pushers
which have not been drawn out, and into the notch No. 2 of those which have
been drawn back. The machine thus arranged will evidently be capable of
producing a great variety of twist lace, according as the various bobbin threads
are for the time being acted on, or omitted to be acted on, by the pushers
opposite the spaces of the combs in which the bobbin carriages are. The
operation of twisting of the bobbin threads with their warp threads, where
the pushers have not been selected, is then performed; to produce twist
for half a mesh of the ground of the fabric, the workman again takes the
handle of the lever A, and moves it from left to right, in order to release
it from the notch 62, which keeps it lowered; this movement acts upon the
lever D, and releases the locker bar F, which leaves the pushers free, and he
again raises the handle A; the jacquard then falls and the bar G moves by
a spring, and is guided at its ends in grooves or slots, shown in Drawing
No. 1, Figure 2; this movement of the bar G forces all the pushers which
have been drawn back to be again placed in a line with the other pushers;
this mode of bringing the pushers to range in the same line is regulated
by the inner part of the hook or turned-up end of each pusher, which
is brought to rest against the line bar I, Drawing No. 1, Figure 1. Note,
the movement of the bar G follows every movement of the jacquard, and

page_text: is connected with it by a cord g, passing over a pulley. When the pushers are
all in a line, the handle of the lever A, will be at its greatest height; the
workman again pushes the lever to the left, the end of which enters into the notch
b, and allows the lever D to come again towards the right, which allows the
locker bar F again to fall into the notch No. 1 of all the pushers. The
pushers thus arranged act as a driving bar, and make ordinary bobbin net,
and any quantity may be made without using or employing the ornamenting
apparatus, which is only brought into action when the handle of the lever A.
is lowered. To regulate the horizontal drawing of the pushers, the threads
attached thereto, in coming from the jacquard, pass through a copper plate,
pierced with holes, and rub against the round part of the bar J, Drawing 1,
Figure 1.
The apparatus is composed of five parts:-K represents the bar which
carries the combs or guides, in which the pushers move; F is the locker
bar; I, the line bar; G, the bar to force back the pushers into their
places against the line bar; J, the slay bar. This apparatus is fixed in
machines of the pusher system by its ends, and supplying the place of the
back pusher bar, and it is guided in its work by the screw C, Figure 2,
Drawing No. 1, working on a surface cut to correspond with the curve of the
combs. The apparatus is applied to the swing jacks of circular bolt or comb
machines, and in a straight bolt machine it is affixed to the carriage of the
driving bars. In Lever's machines the apparatus moves on axes fixed on the
bars which carry the pushers. The application of the apparatus to various
machines is shewn in Drawings No. 2 and No. 3, which represent sections of
each of the above-mentioned systems of lace machines. An additional lace wheel
or wheels is or are necessary for each machine to regulate the interlacings and
twisting of the embroidery. The spindle bar L, which crosses the machine
from one end to the other, and carries at each end a lever 1, is acted upon by
the lowering of the handle of the lever A, which strikes the screw a², and
turns the spindle bar L; this one movement locks the ordinary wheel and puts
in motion the additional wheel opposite, and when the handle is raised the
additional wheel is locked, and the ordinary wheel is released and may be set
in motion.
Application of the Apparatus for producing Ornamental Lace to Pusher Ma-
chinery:-The ornamenting bar supplies the place of the back pusher bar, and
acts for that bar to form the groundwork of the lace, as has been before men-
tioned, and when the workman desires to ornament the work, he ceases to make
the groundwork, and presses the left hand upon the handle of the lever A, to
raise the jacquard and withdraw the pushers which are not required, as has
already been explained. In the pushing machine all the bobbins are in a row

page_text: there are nevertheless (as also in the circular and straight bolt machines)
two rows of bobbins, the back row which works diagonally from right to
left, and the front row, which moves diagonally from left to right; there is in
each pusher bar, only half the number. of pushers as there are bobbins, in
order that the front pushers, for example, should. strike the carriages of the
back row bobbins, and the back pushers those of the front row of 'bobbins;
and when the bar of pushers is working as an ordinary back pusher bar, ordi-
nary bobbin net will be made. The workman,.in lowering the handle of the
lever A, turns the spindle bar L, the levers at the right-hand end put out of
action the ordinary wheels, and brings into action the additional wheels M at
the left-hand end of the machine by the other lever; such additional wheels
being shown in the Drawing No. 2, Figure 2.
Description of this additional Wheel Work, which consists of seven wheels: -
Two racking wheels; two wheels for taking up the points, two wheels for
the guide bars, and one wheel for the front pusher bar. The arrangement of
these wheels will be found at Drawing No. 2, Figure 2.
Description shewing the Action of the Bobbins:-One portion of the
pushers being withdrawn by the action of the handle A, as before explained,
the rest are left in relation with the bobbins. The machine is then to
be worked, the apparatus. being. thus arranged, and the combs in front of
the bobbins are to be put in relation to the pushers which have not been
selected or withdrawn. When the pushers. are selected or withdrawn, the
additional wheels M: move one tooth, and. this first movement on moving
the guide bars.place at the same time by the wheel No. 2 of the wheels M
the front pushers just in front of those behind, and the front pusher bar
rests in this position all the time that the embroidery is made of each half
mesh; thus the bobbins pushed from the back combs into the front by the back
pusher, which are not selected or drawn back, will again be pushed from the
front combs into the back combs by the front pushers; the bobbins can be thus
turned around the warp threads as many times as there are projections on the
wheel (I generally use six) interlacing in the form of the Figure 8.
The Mode of Taking up by the Points:- The points are raised each twist
of the embroidery; they rise then six times for each half mesh, but as the
front and back points take alternately, and should raise the embroidered by
taking into the same spaces of the threads, there will be a slight change
of the points on each half mesh of the embroidery. These movements ar
aided by small wheels N, composed of four wheels, Figure 3, in Drawing No. 2,
which are placed perpendicularly on the left end framing of the machine; the
motion is given to these wheels by the levers, n, Drawing No. 2, Figure 3.
At the going out..of the points, the two upper. wheels, Nos. 1 and 2, receiv

page_text: motion, and the two lower wheels, 3 and 4, are put in relation with the lower
part of each guide of the bars of points, which guides are hooked or attached
above; thus by this means each bar of points causes the wheels N to be
turned, and the point bars receive at the proper time the necessary movement
for the passage of the points into the hreads.
The Mode of Drawing off the Thread of the Bobbins :-In order that the
threads of the selected bobbins should interlace with the threads of the
warp and form a mesh or spot, it is necessary that the thread should be
slackened at each movement, and before the points are raised; a bar P,
shewn in Drawing 2, Figure 1, called a slacking bar, is for this object
placed under the front comb bar; it turns upon its axis in the framing of the
machine, and when the bar P-is moved by the cord towards the centre of
the machine, the bobbin threads which are pushed from the back to the front
combs will carry the thread against the bar P, by which the threads will be
drawn off their bobbins; the half mesh being thus terminated and raised by
the points, the workman raises the handle A, and puts the machine into the
position to make the ordinary work to near the other half mesh, in which be
can or not, as required, use the embroidering apparatus.
P,
It will be seen that the workman can vary the nature of the work produced
according to the perforated cards used, and the times of bringing the pattern
cards into action.
Application of this Apparatus to the Lever's Machine:-These machines
have only one row of bobbins, but they form two, because after taking
up with the back points it will be seen that they are divided into two
rows. It is well known when this movement has taken place by means of
two bars, called pusher bars and dividing bars, they push each half of the
carriages. These pushers are not placed in front of each other, but in such
manner as to take alternate carriages, as is well understood, and this takes
place when the machine has been a little opened; the catch bars then fall into
the notches of the half of the carriages, which will be drawn half into the
front combs and half into the back combs. Although this description explains
only the ordinary work, yet it is necessary to understand the application of the
embroidery apparatus, which is placed in the machine in the place of the back
pusher bar. It is in this machine, as in all the others, that the embroidering
does not commence until after the half mesh of the groundwork is made. The
back pushers which are not required for the ornamenting apparatus will
be withdrawn, the ordinary action of the points upon the back pushers
forces those to act upon the bobbins, and they push under the catch bar
in front of the carriages or corresponding bobbins with the front pushers.

page_text: In the Lever's system of working, the carriages for the time being which are
out of work cannot remain in the groove, that is to say, in the warp threads
between the two catch bars. It is therefore necessary to prevent their threads
twisting with the warp threads; for this purpose they are at each movement
taken up by the back catch bar, and move from the middle to the back, and
from the back to the middle, without intertwisting with the warp threads; they
are retained in the back catch bar by means of counter pushers arranged in
such manner that they have like movement to the pushers of the embroidering;
these counter pushers are placed between the pushers of the front pusher bar
in order to correspond with the pushers of the embroidering.
These counter pushers are not put in direct connection with the jacquard
apparatus as the embroidery pushers are, but they have to keep up their move-
ment with those pushers.
When the handle A is lowered, a small wheel placed at the left-hand end of
the stop bar F of the counter pushers is put in motion by the cord d of the stop
bar of the back pushers, and forces the stop bar of the counter pushers to raise
the notches No. 2 of the counter pushers. This act of lowering the handle A,
which in raising the jacquard releases the end of the lever R, which by the
other end drives the bar G of the counter pushers, and puts them all in a line
with the fixed pushers. This movement being given, the bar G of the counter
pushers comes back by the action of the spring S. The counter pushers thus
placed (and not yet retained by their stop bar) will be free and in a line with
the fixed pushers; the points are worked as usual, which forces into the machine
the back pushers, which only drive forward the corresponding carriages with
the pushers not drawn back; these carriages in their turn force the counter
pushers which are in front of them to fall back; this movement of the points
causes the advance of the wheel of the stop bar F of the comb pushers, which
then fall again and retain in advance the counter pushers which have not yet
been selected by the back pushers, so that those which are pushed forward
present their notch No. 2 under the stop bar, remaining without action upon
the carriages of the bobbins. It is clear that the corresponding carriages to the
fixed pushers will be pushed back by them under the back catch bar, thus the
carriages will be found in front of the counter pushers, which are kept in their
stop bar in the notch No. 1. When the points move to raise the half mesh of
the groundwork, the machine is ready for the first operation of the embroidery
apparatus; the bobbins in relation with the pushers of the embroidery apparatus
are raised by the front catch bar, and the machine is shut up, and it is the
back catch bar which carries all the carriages. For this purpose the catch bars.
have each an additional wheel with which the tongue piece is put in relation

page_text: by the Dar L, in such manner that the tongued pieces of the ordinary wheels
are kept out of action.
Mode of Drawing off the Thread of the Embroidering Bobbin :-In the
Lever's, as in the pusher machine, the bobbins which are employed to form
the embroidery work, move out of the line of the other bobbins which do
not move, it is easy in drawing off the threads to oppose a bar which advances
horizontally towards the middle of the machine the whole of its length. This
bar P is placed for this purpose above and a little in front of the front point
bar; it turns on axes in the ends at the upper part of the machine p, and will be
seen drawn a little towards the centre of the machine by the lowering of the
handle A, by means of a cord which is attached to the end of the lever A at
the point pl. The bar thus brought towards the centre of the machine when
the embroidery bobbins in the front of the machine are drawn by the front
catch bar, the threads are drawn off against the bar P in the necessary degreo
to form the spot or pattern.
Taking up by the Points:-In the Lever's machine, the points can be put
double guage, by which means the embroidery is easily taken up without
varying the action of the point bars, consequently the small wheel N, which is
added to the pusher machine, may be dispensed with.
Taking up the Work on recommencing the Groundwork of Lace:-When
the last twist of the embroidery is finished, and before raising this last
twist by the points, the handle A should be raised to put the machine in a
proper state. This operation is made before working the points, in order that
the pushers of the embroidery apparatus may be caused to range in a line,
when the working of the points will force them to enter the machine, in order
that each of the embroidery pushers may, by the carriages, push against the
counter pushers; the division of the carriages will take place in the ordinary
way.
Thus, in a Lever's machine, the handle A should be lowered after the pro-
ducing a half mesh of groundwork, but before taking up, and the handle A
should be raised after the last interlacing of the embroidery, and also before
taking up with the points, the points by their action upon the embroidery
apparatus serving to bring the carriages in the proper order. The ornament-
ing part may be done when required, after the working of a half, mesh of the
ground, as has been before explained of the pusher machine. In the same
manner the lowering of the handle A puts in work the screw for the taking
up the work.
Application of the Apparatus to a Circular Comb or Bolt Machine :-
It is attached to the swing jacks, and is used in the place of the back

page_text: driving bar; shewn in Drawing 3, Figure 1. After having finished a half
mesh of the groundwork of the lace, and when the points are raised, the
handle A is to be lowered, in order to commence the ornamenting of the lace.
After having raised with the front points, for example, and when the two rows
of bobbins are in the middle of the machine, the handle A is lowered, and the
pushers which are not required in the ornamenting work are withdrawn by
means of the jacquard, and those only remain in front which the workmen will
require to act upon the particular bobbins, in order to form the ornaments;
the pushers being thus placed, and by the same movement the stopping of the
take up of the work being effected, and the additional wheels being brought
into action as described, before the workman commences to form the interlac-
ings of the thread for the embroidery.
Description of the Working of the Bobbin Threads: It is only by the
back bobbins that the twists round the warp threads are formed. Certain
of the pushers being drawn back, and the rest remaining in advance, the
workman presses upon the treadle, which gives movement to the swing
jacks towards the front of the machine, the embroidery pushers pushing
the back bobbins through the warp, the front bobbins remaining in front.
These front bobbins do not interlace with the warp threads, but being pushed
by the front driving bar, serve only to bring back the back bobbins into the
back bolt or comb bar. The combs of this-machine being hollow, all the back
carriages which are not in use for the ornamental part do not pass the centre;
not being driven by the back pushers they are, however, locked out of the
warp threads by the back locker bar.
The Mode of Slacking off the Threads of the Bobbins: The thread
of the back bobbins, which form the necessary twistings for the orna-
ments, do not go out of "the line of the other bobbins to perform this
operation, as with the pusher and the Lever machine it is impossible
to obtain this object by a straight bar which comes from the outside
towards the centre of the machine; but the necessary movement for
slacking off is obtained by means of a wire 'u, seen 'in the Drawing No. 3,
Figure 1, from one end of the machine to the other, and bearing upon
two uprights v, which turn upon a bar u', placed upon the lower cross piece
of the framing; when the machine' is making the ordinary work this wire will
be out of action between the locker bar and the front guide bar, so as
not to interfere with either the one or the other. To this purpose, the
end of each of the uprights vis guided by a groove w, in which it
moves. The bar is put in relation with the lever A by the lever u², from
which part a cord which passes in the pulley ; this bar turns upon its

page_text: axis, and forces the uprights v to rise up, guided on their course by the groove
w, the carriages being locked, that is to say, being half retained by the lockers
in the front bolt or comb bar, and half in the back; the extended wire being
forced to rise up, passes between the necks of the front bolts and the front
guides, and thus enters the two rows of carriages; it is raised sufficiently high
to allow of the carriages to pass under. That being done, it will be seen that
each time the back bobbins are driven by the unselected pushers of the
embroidery apparatus, and come into the front bolt or comb bar, that the threads
will come against the wire above the two rows of carriages, and will be slacked
off a quantity which may be determined or regulated by a screw placed upon
the end of the groove w; when the embroidery is finished, the return of the
lever A will cause the wire u to return to its place between the locker bar and
the front guides, in which position it does not interfere with the ordinary work.
The Mode of Taking up by the Points: In this machine, as in the pusher
machine, the points having to take the embroidery successively in their
from the one to the other, they should receive a suitable change of direction,
by means of the additional wheel N, placed perpendicularly at the left-hand
end of the machine, as shewn at Figure 3, in Drawing .No. 3; the two
levers n are put in relation with the point bars, giving motion to the wheels N,
by means of the two upper wheels 1 and 2; the lower wheels Nos. 3 and 4
are put in relation with the bolts of the point bars n' with the lower part of
the guides to the points, to give the necessary movements for them to go
through the course already opened by the points which have preceded them.
All these operations will have to be repeated at each half mesh of the
embroidery, as has already been described in the previous machines, and the
machine will be again in a position to resume the making of the groundwork
of the lace, by the return of the lever A.
passage
Application of the Apparatus to Straight Bolt Machine :-The working of
this machine being in most respects similar to the circular machine, it will not
be necessary to repeat the description. The only observation that it is necessary
to make with regard to the arrangement of this machine is, that the little space
that there is between the slay bar and the bolt bar will not allow of the pushers
of the apparatus being unlocked between them; I therefore suppress the
slay bar which keeps the carriages in a perpendicular position, and instead of
it I employ much wider bolt bars, which keep the carriages in their proper
position.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I am
aware that jacquard machinery has before been applied to bobbin net or twist