IMPROVEMENTS IN REEDS, SLEYS, OR COMBS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Henry, of Fleet Chambers, 68, Fleet
Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
“IMPROVEMENTS IN REEDS, SLEYS, OR COMBS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
TEXTILE FABRICS."-A communication from abroad by Ernest Georges
Eugene Dupa, of 17, Boulevart Saint Martin, Paris, France.
Sealed the 22nd October 1872, and dated the 1st May 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION:left by the said Michael Henry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st May 1872.
I, MICHAEL HENRY, of Fleet Chambers, 68, Fleet Street, in the City
of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REEDS, SLEYS, OR COMBS USED IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF TEXTILE FABRICS," communicated to me from abroad by Ernest
Georges Eugene Dupa, of 17, Boulevart Saint Martin, Paris, France,
to be as follows:-
Hitherto reeds, combs, or sleys employed in the manufacture of textile.
fabrics have been so constructed that their teeth or dents are always
placed at regular distances apart for the same fabric breadth or work,

page_text: and if a change has to be made in respect of the work or fabric the warp
threads have had to be severed to allow of the teeth being re-arranged,
whereby injury to the material and loss of time are occasioned.
Whereas according to this Invention the reed, comb, or sley is con-
structed with moveable or adjustable teeth, splits, or dents in such i
manner that its said teeth or dents may be set at any required intervals,
or at various distances apart at pleasure for the same fabric or breadth,
so that different sorts of work may be produced thereon, and new effects
obtained. The teeth or dents may be moved and adjusted (and therefore
the intervals, gauge, or spaces between them may be varied and
lated) while the work is going on without having to sever the warp
threads, and if a tooth or dent should break a new one can be substituted.
regu⚫
The various parts of the reed may be made of any suitable material,
such as iron, brass, ivory, glass, or other desirable substance, and as the
reed can be taken to pieces, parts made of one material may be used for 1
one sort of work, and parts of another material may be used for another
sort of work, as the description of fabric may require.
The outer bars and the inner bars may be divided into any desirable
number of parts, so that several of various sizes may be used in the
same reed, the inner bars being formed with slots or notches at various
distances from each other, so that by combining them various descrip-
tions of work may be produced on the same surface by the aid of bars
or jacquards, according to the number of threads between the dents.
I describe one arrangement of reed constructed according to this
Invention. There are two outer bars (a top and bottom bar) with a heel's
piece or flange, on which is a rib or projection. Opposite these are two
plain outer bars. Two inner bars (top and bottom bar) are formed with
a number of notches, slots, or sockets (to receive the teeth) at any
required intervals apart, and also with a longitudinal slot. The teeth,
dents, or splits have a notch near each end. When the parts are to be
put together the inner bars are screwed to the heeled, flanged, or ribbed
outer bars, the long slot in the former fitting the rib on the latter, and
the teeth or dents are fitted into their notches in the bars, the notch in
each tooth or dent fitting on the rib. The plain outside or closing bars
are then secured in place.
1

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Michael Henry in the Great Seal. Patent Office
on the 1st November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL
HENRY, of Fleet Chambers, 68, Fleet Street, in the City of London,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of May, in the year.of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Michael Henry, Her special licenso
that I, the said Michael Henry, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Michael Henry, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
6 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REEDS, SLEYS, OR COMBS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TEXTILE FABRICS,"
O communicated to me from abroad by Ernest Georges Eugene Dupa,
of 17, Boulevart Saint Martin, Paris, France, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Michael Henry, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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 I, the said Michael Henry, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, as communicated to me, reference
being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
Hitherto reeds, combs, or sleys employed in the manufacture of
textile fabrics have been so constructed that their teeth, splits, or dents

page_text: are always fixed at certain required distances apart for the same fabric
breadth or work, and if a change has had to be made in respect of the
work or fabric the warp threads have had to be severed to allow
of the teeth splits or dents of the comb, reed, or sley being re-arranged,
whereby injury to the textile or fibrous material and loss of time are t
occasioned.,
Whereas according to this Invention the reed, comb, or sley is con-
structed with moveable or adjustable teeth, splits, or dents in such manner
that its said teeth, splits, or dents may be set at any required intervals, or
at various distances apart as desirable in one and the same breadth, so 1
that different sorts of work or weaving may be produced on one ground,
and new effects may be thus obtained. The teeth or dents according to
this Invention may be moved and adjusted, and therefore the intervals,
gauge, or spaces between them may be varied and regulated while the
work or weaving is going on without having to sever the warp threads. 1
And if a tooth. or dent should break during the work a fresh one can be
readily substituted.
The various parts of the reed or comb constructed according to this
Invention may be made of any suitable material, such as wood, iron,
brass, ivory, glass, or other desirable substance, and as the reed or comb
can be taken to pieces, parts made of one material may be used for one
sort of work, and parts of another material may be used for another sort
of work, as the description of fabric may require.
The outer bars and the inner bars of the comb or reed may be divided
into any desirable number of parts, that is to say, the bars may be con-
structed of two or more parts easily separable or detachable, so that one
or more parts may be replaced by another part or parts, and hence
several parts of various sizes may be used in the same comb or reed.
The inner bars are formed with slots or notchs at various distances from
each other, so that by combining them various descriptions of work may
be produced on the same ground or surface by the aid of bars or
jacquards, or other ordinary appliances for such purposes, according to
the number of threads between the teeth or dents.
I describe one arrangement of reed or comb constructed according to
this Invention. There are two outer bars, a top and bottom bar with a ;
heel or flange on which is a rib or projection. Opposite these are two
plain outer bars. Two inner bars, a top bar, and a bottom bar are

page_text: formed with a number of notches, slots, or sockets to receive the teeth
at any required intervals apart, and they are also formed with a
longitudinal slot. The teeth, dents or splits have a notch near each end.
When the parts are to be put together the inner bars are screwed
to the heeled, flanged, or ribbed outer bars, the long slot in the former
fitting the rib on the latter, and the teeth or dents are fitted into their
notches in the bars, the notch in each tooth or dent fitting on the rib.
The plain outside or closing bars are then secured in place.
The accompanying Drawings represent an improved comb, sley, or
reed constructed according to this Invention.
Figure 1 is a plan of a comb or reed constructed according to this
Invention, so that it may be made larger or smaller as required, that is
to say, increased in size by the addition of parts or reduced in size by
taking parts away.
Figure 2, plan of comb, the top part of which is removed so that the
warp threads extended on the loom may be withdrawn.
Figure 3, plan of comb having the two bars C removed, so that it is
ready for the changing or adjusting of its teeth or dents.
Figure 4, side view of the comb. Figure 4* shews in side elevation
and in plan the detached parts of the comb, illustrating the mode of
fitting or securing a tooth or dent in place. Figure 4* is a side view of
one of the teeth F..
Figure 5, side view of parts of the comb illustrating the arrangements
for the ready removal of the top of the comb.
Figure 6, side view of the comb having its top removed.
Figure 7, plan of the comb without the top bar, and also without the
bar O, which is taken off so that the mode in which the teeth or dents
are fitted and arranged may be understood.
Figure 8, plan of a comb or reed with teeth or dents fitted and arranged
at various intervals apart, so that various descriptions of fabrics may be
produced on the same ground or surface.
The improved comb, reed, or sley constructed according to this In-
vention consists of the following parts :-A, A, are two outer bars each
having a lip, heel, or flange A*. In each bar A is fitted a small plate,
rib, or bar B forming a projection. C, O, aro two plain outer bars, that

page_text: is to say, bars without flanges or lips; D, D, are two inner or in side bars,
they are slotted, that is to say, in each bar there are a number of slots,
notches, or sockets d, d, spaced out at various intervals apart. E is a longi-
tudinal groove or recess formed in each bar D in a direction at right angles
to the direction of the slots or notches d, d. F, F, are the teeth or dents
of the comb or reed. Each tooth or dent is detachable or removable,
and in each tooth or dent near cach end theroof there is a groove,
notch, or recess G.
The parts are fitted together in the following manner to form the
improved comb, reed, or sley :—
In order to form the top or upper portion of the comb, reed, or sley
one of the flanged bars A is taken, and one of the inside bars D is
screwed thereto. The slots d in this bar D should be rather easy, that is
to say, not too tight, so that the top of the comb may be readily removed,
care being taken that the longitudinal groove or recess E formed in this
bar D shall exactly fit on to the small projecting ribs or bars B.
The modo just described for fitting together the parts of the comb at
the top or upper portion is also used for fitting together the parts at the
bottom or lower portion, except that the inside bar D selected for this
lower portion or bottom of the comb is the one which has the smaller or a
less easy slots or notches d. The teeth or dents F are fitted into the
notches or slots d, one tooth in each slot or notch, care being taken that
the notch G shall fit suitably on the projection B, the top of the tooth
abutting exactly and firmly against the bottom of the slots or notches d
in the bar D, the breadth of the tooth should exactly fill up the sectional
area of the bottom of the slot or notch. Then the outer bar C is fitted
on and secured by screws n or other convenient fastenings. When
screws are used they must pass quite through the three bars so as to
strengthen the comb or sley.
One advantage of the employment of the improved combs or recds:
_ constructed according to the Invention is that considerable saving in
material and labour results from the fact that the use of the Invention
dispenses with the necessity of having to sever the warp threads when-
ever a comb or reed has to be changed, whether for widening or
narrowing the work or fabric, or for modifying or altering the arrange- a
ment of teeth. Hence the trouble of tying the threads is partially
dispensed with and the operation of replacing the threads in the comb

page_text: is facilitated. Thus the workman can proceed with the work without
having to call in other hands for such purposes.
Of course the particular mode of securing the teeth or dents in the
bars may be varied provided the general and substantial character of the
Invention as herein described be retained.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,―
•
First. The construction of comb, reed, or sley in which the teeth, dents,
or splits are capable of being set or disposed at various intervals, spaces,
or gauges as required for the same breadth of fabric.
Second. The construction and arrangement of comb, reed, or sley
having moveable or adjustable teeth or dents which can be set at any
required spaces or intervals apart as required, while the work is going on
and without cutting the warp.
Third. The improved comb, reed, or sley with moveable or adjustable
portions, subtantially herein-before described, for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Henry, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of October, in the year One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
E.: DE PASS,
68, Fleet Street,
London.
M. HENRY. (L.S.)