Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 6th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 7th Jan., 1887.
I WILLIAM KENNEDY, of Robert Street, Cheetham, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is the application to what are known as Ladder-tape
Looms, of self-acting mechanism for stopping such looms when any of the wefts
break.
In carrying out my invention I employ a special arrangement of tension device in
the shuttles of such looms acting on a "needle" mounted in the said shuttle in such a
manner that the needle is caused to project beyond or out of the shuttle when a weft
breaks and by acting on mechanism hereinafter described connected with the strap
fork so as to stop the loom.
The tension device hereinbefore mentioned consists of a fixed tube mounted horizon-
tally in the shuttlo inside of which tube the "needle" hereinbefore referred to moves
freely through an inner and smaller tube forming a bearing and locking device for it.
Two slides provided with eyes move freely on the outside of this tube and are pressed
apart by a spring bearing against eyelets. One of the slides is connected through a
slot in the tube with the "noedle" in the inside of the tube. The woft coming from
the shuttle bobbin is passed first through an eye at the front of the shuttle thence
through the eye of the slide connected with the "needle" back to the eye of the
second slide and finally out through the cye imbedded in the front of the shuttle in
such manner that the spring on the tube acts as a tension device to keep the weft
tight but also to operate the "needle" for self-acting the loom.
The effect of this arrangement of tension device is to draw the "needle" into the
tube when the weft is intact but the moment a weft breaks, the spring on the tube
being no longer compressed by the tension of the woft the "needle" projects out of
the tube and by contact of such "needle" with mechanism hereinafter described,
stops the loom.

page_text: The mechanism for transferring this action of the "needle" to the strap fork for
stopping the loom is as follows:-
From the crank shaft of the loom I gear a horizontal shaft preferably turning
revolution for revolution with the crank shaft baving on its end a crank or eccentric
through a connecting rod imparting reciprocative motion to a rod running the whole
length of the loom in front of and below the lathe. This reciprocating rod has
mounted on it a series of detents one for each set of shuttles capable of acting against
a corresponding series of projections arranged on a second horizontal rod capable of
sliding in bearings under the action of the detents. This last-named rod is connected
with the strap fork so that when movement is imparted to it by the detents the strap
is moved and the loom stopped. The detents herein before named are ordinarily held
out of contact with the projections by a plate sliding in a suitable frame and acted on
by a trigger rod or lever rising up and adjusted in front of the shuttles in such
manner that as long as the "needles" hereinbefore referred to in the said shuttles are
drawn in the "needles" pass clean of the trigger rod but if a weft breaks the "needle"
appertaining to that shuttle projects, strikes the trigger rod and by moving the plate
allows the detent belonging to that set of shuttles to fall into contact with the projec-
tion on the strap fork rod so moving such rod and stopping the loom.
This self-acting mechanism can also be arranged to stop the loom in case a shuttle
is out of position.
To effect this I utilize the existing wire guide for keeping the pieces in their proper
position and so arrange it as to be connected through a link, chain or cord, with the
trigger rod hereinbefore mentioned so that if the guide is struck by a shuttle, move-
ment is imparted to the trigger rod and the loom stopped.
I would here remark that this my improved tension device is applicable to all
similar descriptions of looms in which a tension device is required when used without
the self-acting needle.

page_text: Improvements in or Applicable to what are Known as Ladder-tape
Looms.
I WILLIAM KENNEDY of Robert Street, Cheetham, Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is the application to what are known as Ladder-tape
Looms of self-acting mechanism for stopping such looms when any of the wefts
break.
In carrying out my invention I employ a special arrangement of tension device in.
the shuttles of such looms acting on a "needle" mounted in the said shuttle in such
a manner that the needle is caused to project beyond or out of the shuttle when a
weft breaks and by acting on mechanism hereinafter described connected with the
strap fork so as to stop the loom.
On the accompanying drawing Fig. 1. is a side sectional view of so much of a
ladder tape or smallware loom as is necessary to explain my improvements which are
illustrated as applied thereto and Fig. 2. is a front sectional view of Fig. 1. upon the
line ab. Fig. 3. is a plan view (full size) of my improved shuttle.
My improved tension device is more particularly illustrated in Fig. 3. It con-
sists of a fixed tube a. mounted horizontally in the shuttle b. and inside of which
tube a "6
needle" c. moves freely to and fro, through an inner and smaller tube
forming a bearing and locking device, for it shewn dotted and marked a¹. Two
eyelet slides d,d provided with eyes or rings e, el move freely on the outside of
this tube and are pressed apart by a light spiral spring f. bearing against two inner
eyelets g.g.
One of the slides d is connected through a slot in the tube a. with
"
the " needle c. in the inside of the said tube so as to slide therewith. The weft
coming from the shuttle bobbin h. is passed first through the eye or ring i. at the
front of the shuttle, thence through the eye or ring e. of the slide d. (connected
with the "needle") across to the eye or ring e of the second slide d' and finally
out through the eye j. imbedded in the front of the shuttle in such manner that
the spring f. on the tube acts as a tension device to keep the weft tight but also
to operate the "needle" c. for self-acting the loom.
The effect of this arrangement of tension device is to draw the "needle" into
the tube a. when the weft is intact but the moment a weft breaks the spring f. on
the tube being
no longer compressed by the tension of the weft and the "needle"
being free projects out of the tube (as illustrated in Fig. 3.) and by contact of such
"needle" with mechanism hereinafter described stops the loom.
"
The mechanism for transferring this action of the "needle to the strap fork for
stopping the loom is as follows:-
From the crank shaft of the loom I gear by bevil gearing a horizontal shaft k.
preferably turning revolution for revolution with the said crank shaft and having
on its end a crank or eccentric k¹ through a connecting rod imparting recipro
cating motion to a rod 1. running the whole length of the loom in front of and
below the lathe. This reciprocating rod 1. has mounted on it a series of detents m.

page_text: one for each set of shuttles b. capable of acting against one of a corresponding
series of projections o. arranged on a second horizontal rod o¹ capable of sliding
in bearings o² under the action of the detents. This last named rod o¹ is con-
nected with the strap fork p. by the rod pl. so that when movement is imparted
to it by the detents the strap is moved from the fast pulley q. on to the loose
pulley and so the loom is stopped. The detents m. hereinbefore named are
ordinarily held out of contact with the projections o. by a plate r. (see plan view
Fig. 4.) sliding in a suitable frame or bracket and each acted on by a trigger rod or
lever s. rising up and adjusted in front of each set of shuttles b. in such manner that
as long as the "needles c. herein before referred to in the said shuttles are drawn in
the "needles" pass clear of the said trigger rod s. but if a weft breaks the needle c.
appertaining to that shuttle b. projects strikes the trigger rod s. and by moving the
plate r. to the position indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 4. (in which position the
projection t. on the underside of the said plate drops into the hole u. formed to receive
it in the bracket ) allows the detent m. belonging to that set of shuttles to fall off
the plate into contact with the projection o. on the strap fork rod o¹ so moving such
rod in the direction of the arrow and stopping the loom. To return the plate r. to the
original position again I employ a cord v. or chain by means of which it can be lifted
and so be conveniently replaced.
As applied to other descriptions of looms in which the strap fork is differently
situated the connection with the strap fork rod would require to be varied accordingly
but this could be effected without departing from the principle of my invention.
It will be apparent that instead of the "needle" being caused to project in case of
a weft breaking as aforesaid a hinged tongue might be released and caused to spring
out from the shuttle and so come in contact with the trigger rod in case of a weft
breaking but this I should consider to be a modification of my invention.
This self-acting mechanism can also be arranged to stop the loom in case a shuttle
is out of position.
To effect this I utilize the existing wire guide for keeping the pieces in their proper
position and so arrange it as to be connected through a link chain or cord with the
trigger rod herein before mentioned so that if the guide is struck by a shuttle move-
ment is imparted to the trigger rod and the loom stopped.
I would here remark that this my improved tension device apart from the self-
stopping mechanism is applicable to all similar descriptions of looms in which a
tension device is required when used without the self-acting "needle."
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. The improved arrangement of mechanism constituting a tension device for
the shuttles of ladder-tape and smallware looms substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
2nd. In combination with my improved tension device the arrangement of self-
acting mechanism for moving the strap fork and so stopping the loom in case of a
weft breaking substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accom-
panying drawing.
3rd. The employment of a trigger rod actuated by coming in contact with a
needle or projection upon the shuttle in combination with a sliding plate and pair
of rods one of which is connected to the strap fork and all operated substantially as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying
drawing.