IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Smalley, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster,
Cotton Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING."
Sealed the 26th May 1877, and dated the 16th December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Smalley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th December 1876.
WILLIAM SMALLEY, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
This Invention of "Improvements in Looms for Weaving" is applicable to the pro-
duction of satteens and other woven fabrics in which the weft is raised upon one side
of the piece more than upon the other, and has for its object an improved arrange-
ment of the tappet and treadle apparatus resulting in an economy of driving power,
a diminution of friction on the warp, and a consequent saving of wear and tear on
the healds.
My improved apparatus is also cheaper in construction and more easy of access
for alterations of the tappets than any other arrangements hitherto known to me.
In the ordinary construction of looins used for weaving satteens the tappet shaft
is placed below the healds, the lower staves of the latter being connected to treadles
upon which a downward pressure is exerted by the eccentric cams or tappets as
they rotate. The healds are suspended from springs placed in a convenient position
above the loom, and these springs keep the healds stretched and the treadles in
contact with the lower side of the tappets below. This arrangement of tappets and
treadles has the following consequences:-If the cloth is woven with the weft raised
on the upper side, and supposing for the sake of illustration that there are five
healds, of which one is up and four are down at each "pick," the tappets and treadles
will have to hold down four-fifths of the healds and the warp passing through
them, four-fifths of the warp therefore being subjected to friction with the healds
during every "pick." If on the other hand the system of operating the five healds
be reversed, that is to say, four are up and one is down, then the friction on the
warp will be reduced from four-fifths to one-fifth during each "pick," but this
arrangement would cause the weft to be raised on the under side of the cloth, and
therefore out of sight of the weaver, which is obviously undesirable.

page_text: Now according to my Invention I so arrange the five tappets and treadles (still
assuming for the sake of illustration that five healds are employed), that instead of
four healds or four-fifths of the warp being held down from below one heald or one-
fifth only of the warp is lifted up from above, thereby taking off the friction from
the warp and from the tappets which in the ordinary arrangement would be
pressing down upon the treadles, at the same time causing the weft to be raised on
the upper side of the cloth and visible to the attendant. To this end I place the
tappets above the loom and the springs below, the tappets exercising an upward
pressure on the treadles instead of a downward pressure as usually arranged. I
mount the tappet shaft which in my arrangement is placed in a direction at right
angles to the loom above the healds, thereby pointing the treadles in a direction
parallel to the healds in a suitable frame fixed to the upper framing of the loom,
the tappets being arranged upon the shaft as to number and position according to
the requirements of the cloth to be produced. Above each tappet is a treadle
provided with a bowl or friction roller, one end of the treadles working on a pin or
axis, the other end being connected by means of cords or wire to the healds, and the
springs which are usually above the loom being placed below and connected to
the lower side of the henlds in the usual manner. Motion is communicated to the
tappets from the ordinary tappet shaft of the loom by means of an upright shaft and
geared wheels, which are capable of being changed, so as to regulate the number of
revolutions of the tappet shaft relatively to the number of "picks" made.
I am aware that the same results as regards producing the cloth with the weft
ruised on the upper side and the taking off of the friction from the warp and the
healds may be effected by other existing machines without the employment of my
improved arrangements, as for instance, by the application to a loom of the appliance
known as a "dobbie;" such appliances however are all of a more or less complicated
and cumbersome character, and as compared with my improved apparatus are much
more expensive in construction.
I have described my improved apparatus only in its application to the production
of satteens in order that the nature and method of working my said Invention may
be better understood, but the same arrangement with slight modifications is also
applicable to the weaving of various other kinds of cotton cloth, such as small
checks, hair cords, serges, et cætera.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Sinalley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th June
1877.
15
WILLIAM SMALLEY, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Manufacturer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
This Invention of improvements in looms for weaving is applicable to the pro-
duction of satteens and other woven fabrics in which the weft is raised upon one
side of the piece more than upon the other, and has for its object an improved
arrangement of the tappet and treadle apparatus resulting in an economy of driving
power, a diminution of friction on the warp, and a consequent saving of wear and
tear on the healds.
My improved apparatus is also cheaper in construction and more easy of access
for alterations of the tappets than any other arrangements hitherto known to me.
In the ordinary construction of looms used for weaving satteens the tappet shaft
is placed below the healds, the lower staves of the latter being connected to treadles
upon which a downward pressure is exerted by the eccentric cams or tappets as
they rotate. The healds are suspended from springs placed in a convenient position
above the loom, and these springs keep the healds stretched and the treadles in
contact with the lower side of the tappets below. This arrangement of tappets

page_text: and treadles has the following consequences-If the cloth is woven with the weft
raised on the upper side, and supposing for the sake of illustration that there are
five healds, of which one is up and four are down at each "pick," the tappets and
treadles will have to hold down four-fifths of the healds and the warp passing
through them, four-fifths of the warp therefore being subjected to friction with the
healds during every "pick." If on the other hand the system of operating the five
healds be reversed, that is to say, four are up and one is down, then the friction on
the warp will be reduced from four-fifths to one-fifth during each "pick," but this
arrangement would cause the weft to be raised on the under side of the cloth and
therefore out of sight of the weaver, which is obviously undesirable.
Now according to my Invention I so arrange the five tappets and treadles (still
assuming for the sake of illustration that five healds are employed) that instead of
four healds or four-fifths of the warp being held down from below one heald or one-
fifth only of the warp is lifted up from above, thereby taking off the friction from
the warp and from the tappets, which in the ordinary arrangement would be pressing
down upon the treadles, at the same time causing the weft to be raised on the upper
side of the cloth and visible to the attendant. To this end I place the tappets
above the loom and the springs below, the tappets exercising an upward pressure
on the treadles instead of a downward pressure, as usually arranged.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a side and
an end view showing so much of a loom as is necessary to illustrate the application
of my Invention. A is the framing of an ordinary loom, B, the beam, C, the
cloth roller, and x, the warp that is being woven; a, a, are the hoalds, of which
five are shewn down and one up.
Figs. 3 and 4 are side and end views, partly in section, of my improved tappet
apparatus detached from the loom, and Fig. 5 is a plan of the same.
The tappet
shaft b in my arrangement is placed in a direction at right angles to the loom above
the healds a, thereby pointing the treadles or levers c in a direction parallel to the
healds. I mount the tappet shaft in a suitable frame a fixed to the upper framing
of the loom, the tappets e being arranged upon the tappet shaft b as to number and
position, according to the requirements of the cloth to be produced. The shed made
by any particular heald may be kept open during one or more "picks" by making
the tappets with a short or long dwell, that is to say, with periphery surfaces of
various lengths, as shewn in Fig. 3. Above each tappet is a treadle ▸ provided
with a bowl or friction roller f, the treadles working at one of their ends on a pin
or axis g, whilst their other ends are connected by means of cords or wire h to the
healds a.
The springs i which are usually above the loom I place below, and con-
nect to the lower sides of the healds in the usual manner. Motion is communicated
to the tappets from the ordinary tappet shaft j of the loom by means of the upright
shaft and geared wheels L, 1, 2, and 3, which are capable of being changed so as
to regulate the number of revolutions of the tappet shaft relatively to the number
of "picks" made.
I am aware that the same results as regards producing the cloth with the weft
raised on the upper side and the taking off of the friction from the warp and the
healds may be effected by other existing machines without the employment of my
improved arrangements, as for instance, by the application to a loom of the
appliance known as a "dobby." Such appliances however are all of a more or less
complicated and cumbersomo character, and as compared with my improved
apparatus are much more expensive in construction.
I have described my improved apparatus only in its application to the produc-
tion of satteens in order that the nature and method of working my said Invention
may be better understood, but the same arrangement with slight modifications is
also applicable to the weaving of various other kinds of cotton and woollen cloth,
such as small checks, hair cords, serges, et caetera.
Figs. 6 and 7 shew a device called a "lattice drum," adapted to the purpose of
my Invention. The tappets a are fastened to the cross bars m by screws or by
other convenient means, the cross bars being supported on the two sides of a drum n

page_text: rotating with the tappet shaft band placed below the treadles or levers c as in
Figs. 3 and 4.
Fig. 8 shews a mode of adapting the contrivance known as a "lattice" to my
improved treadle apparatus, the lattice bars o to which the tappets a are fastened
being preferably of metal instead of wood as ordinarily employed. The lattice is
drawn along by the peg wheelp which is fastened upon the tappet shaft and rotates
with it, the tappets coming beneath and actuating the treadles or levers in the
manner already described.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of per-
forming it, I would have it understood that I do not intend to claim any of the
mechanical parts herein-before shewn and described when taken separately and
apart from the combination or application thereof, in manner and for the purposes
herein described; but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim
as secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,—
1. The method of operating the healds by a tappet and treadle apparatus arranged
above the warp, as described.
2. The combination of parts constituting the improved apparatus, constructed,
arranged, and operating substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Smalley, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
WILLIAM SMALLEY. (LS.)