IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Foster Connor, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim,
Ireland, Linen Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Scaled the 22nd August 1856, and dated the 29th February 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Foster Connor at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th
February 1856.
Fat:
I; FOSTER CONNOR, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, Linen
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN LOOMS. FOR WEAVING" to be as follows:-
. In order more freely to admit of the extension or separation of the warp
yarns for the formation of sheds in weaving, & then to take up the slack,
such yarns have sometimes been caused to pass over a bar or rod hung upon
centres of motion; so formed and placed that such bar or rod has acted as a
lever, and by means of a weighted arm or arms applied thereto, has been
caused to give the necessary tension to the yarns. It has also been proposed
and Patents have been had for applying, in connection with a weighted lever
for acting upon such arrangement of vibrating bar to give tension to the
yarns, means for. governing the letting-off of yarn from the warp beam, but
the weighted: lever, as applied in combination with such vibrating bar &
means.for governing the letting-off of the warp, has been found too rigid in

page_text: its operation with some descriptions of yarn, especially those of a weak
character.
And my improvements consist in substituting for the weight a spring or
springs (capable of being regulated) to act upon the vibrating bar or lever, in
order that the tension given by it to the yarns in the working of the healds
may be of a more elastic and equable, character when such bar is acting in
combination with motions to govern, by the position for the time being of the
rocking bar, the let-off from the warp beam, by which I obtain a combined
tension and delivery to the warp yarns of an elastic character adapted especially
to the weaving of the finer classes of goods.
I apply a stop or stops to control the distance of movement of the rocking
bar & regulating means to vary the amount of let-off when required; and
I also in some cases employ, in connection with the screw or other shaft for
operating the warp beam, a drag to assist its proper action. I, however, lay
no claim, to such application of drag, except as used in combination with my
improvements.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Fostor Connor in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th August 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FOSTER
CONNOR, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, Linen Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS, Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Foster Connor, Her special licence that I, the said Foster Connor,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Foster
Connor, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS
FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Fostor
Connor, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals; should particularly describe and

page_text: 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 Foster Connor, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement thereof, that is to say :-
My improvements relate to means for obtaining a more elastic tension upon
the yarns, especially when employing let-off motions to the
warp beam,
governed in their movement by apparatus in connection with a rocking or
vibrating bar, over which the yarn passes from the warp roller to be woven.
In order more freely to admit of the extension or separation of the warp yarns.
for the formation of sheds in weaving, and then to take up the slack, such
yarns have been caused to pass over a bar or rod hung upon axes or centres of
motion (forming a rocking bar), so formed and placed that such bar or rod
has acted as a lever, and by means of a weighted arm or arms applied thereto,
it has been caused to give the necessary tension to the yarns.
It has also been proposed and Patents have been had for applying, in con-
nection with a weighted lever for acting upon such arrangement of vibrating
bar to give tension to the yarns, means for governing the letting-off of yarn
from the warp beam, but the weighted lever, as applied in combination with.
such vibrating or rocking bar and means for governing the letting-off of the
warp, has been found too rigid in its operation with some descriptions of yarns ;.
also, by the weight so applied constantly acting, vibration and consequent
increased wear to the various parts are produced with considerable waste of
power in the weaving of heavy goods in looms so arranged.
And my improvements consist in substituting for the weight heretofore
applied a spring or springs (capable of being regulated) to act upon the
vibrating or rocking bar or lever, in order that the tension given by it to the
yarns in the working of the healds may be of a more elastic and equable
character when such bar is acting in combination with motions to govern, by
the position for the time being of the rocking bar, the let-off from the warp
beam, by which I obtain a combined tension and delivery to the warp yarns of
an elastic character; adapted especially to the weaving of the finer classes of
goods. I apply a stop or stops to control the distance of movement of the
rocking bar and regulating means to vary the amount of let-off when
required, and I also in some cases employ, in connection with the screw or
other shaft for operating the warp beam, a drag to assist its operation. 1;

page_text: ings annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a side view of parts of a (loom with my. improvements
applied; Figure 2 shews the parts constituting the leading feature of my
improvements separately; and in a different position from those shown -by
Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 show parts separately, and to a larger scale;
a, a, is the main framing of the looin;,b; the warp-beam or roller, the 'yarn
from, which passes thence over. the rocking or vibrating bar or roller c; which
is supported from arms d; one at each side of the loom, so as to 'vibrate or
rock upon a centre of motion d', to which these arms d are affixed; the axis
d turns in bearings as shown, and there are other arms d² from this axis d
(one at each side of the loom), one of which by a suitable connecting rod e,
is the means of regulating the let-off by the letting-off apparatus employed.
It will, however, be understood that with such letting-off apparatus it is usual
to employ weights, to produce the necessary tension by the bar con the yarns,
and in lieu thereof, in carrying out my improvements, I employ at each side of
the loom to act on each arm d², two springs or two sets of springs f, g, capable
of acting to resist the strain produced upon the lever arms d², by the pressure
of the yarns upon the rocking or vibrating. bar. c. These springs I prefer to
form of blocks of vulcanized or prepared india-rubber with plates of metal 2', ',
between them, but coiled steel or other springs may be employed in place of
the india-rubber. The arms d² are provided with adjusting screws d, the ends
of which are capable of pressing upon metal blocks i, j, resting upon the
blocks of india-rubber, and there are other set screws,j', ', passing upwards
into the frames containing the blocks of india-rubber to theiplates supporting
them, so as to regulate the amount of elasticity or pressure to be imparted
thereby. And it will be seen by reference to Figure 2, that when in the
working of the loom the shed is closed by the crossing of the waris, each
arm d², will rest upon and be affected only by the springs of, consequently, 'at
that time there is comparatively but a slight strain exerted upon the yarns,
only that which is necessary to take up the slack thereto produced by the
closing or crossing of the shed. But when the shed is again opened and the
strain upon the jarns, and thence upon the vibrating bar, is increased, the lever
arms d will by the greater force exerted be brought into position indicated:by

page_text: g.
Figure 1, and so as to act upon the springs 9. The springs f, g, when fully
compressed also act as stops to control the movement of the bar c.
By the arrangement of let-off motion which- I have shown, and which I
have found well to answer in connection with my improvements, the arm k
from the lower end of one of the swords of the batten is connected by the
link to the lever m, one end of which turns upon a centre of motion at m',
carried by the framing, whilst its other end is connected to the slotted link n,
in the slot of which moves the stud o, projecting from the lever arm o', which
turns freely upon the axis p, and at its outer end carries the click or driver o³,
for taking into the teeth of and driving the ratchet wheel q, affixed to that
axis p, upon which is also affixed the screw wheels, for taking into the worm
wheel affixed upon the axis of the warp roller b. To the arm o¹ is also affixed
one end of the shaft o, which at the other end is affixed to the arm o*, which
turns freely on the axis p, and at its outer end is supported upon the finger e¹
on the rod e, by which the position for the time of the click o², in relation to the
teeth of the ratchet wheel q, is adjusted for the let-off required, as is well
understood by persons acquainted with such description of let-off motion.
Upon the axis p is fixed a pully r, to receive a weighted or other tightened
cord, or a spring pressing against its periphery to act as a brake producing
friction upon that axis to prevent its too free action.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the best means
I am acquainted with for carrying the same into effect, I would have it under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the precise arrangement of parts showr,
or to the particular character of letting-off motion described, as such may be
varied without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention; but
what I claim is, the application of the springs f, g, to a vibrating or rocking
bar c, for the purpose explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Foster Connor, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
Patent Agent,
78, Chancery Lane, London.
FOSTER CONNOR. (L.S.)