An Improved Shedding Machine or "Dobble."
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 29th June, 1892-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Shedding Machine or "Dobble."
We, JOHN SKINNER, Factory Manager, Horse Market, Falkland, Fife, and
JOHN WALKER JACKSON, Manufacturer, Lomondvale, Falkland, Fife, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to an improved shedding machine or dobbie and is as
follows.―
The machine has two cylinders one at each side working independently of each
other and can work two distinct patterns alternately but giving the facility (not
possessed by the ordinary type) of altering either of the patterns and keeping the
other intact and undisturbed, also when the machine has finished working either
centre or border it stops the cards at the point required to start from in making
the next border saving time in the worker rolling back the cards to the starting
point should they not stop at such point as invariably happens on machines where
both patterns are cut on the same cards.
Knives. The knives (upper and under) are of the ordinary type.
Knife Connections.-The knives are connected by links and studs to a double
crank or lever, carried on a rocking shaft which oscillates of a revolution giving
the necessary sink or under knife and lift on upper knife in the operation of
shedding.
Action of Knives.-A. crank is fixed on the end of loom crank-shaft and connects
with a lever on the end of rocking shaft of machine, causing the same to oscillate
of a revolution for each revolution of crank-shaft of loom. The double crank
on said rocking shaft forming central connection of knives, and as the said crank is
actuated from the horizontal (the sheds being closed) to the perpendicular_the
upper knife rises and the under knife sinks, and thereby opens the sheds. This
crank is caused to pass slightly past the perpendicular and secures the amount
of dwell essential in producing good cloth and selvedges. It also eases the warp
yarn and allows the shuttle time to clear the yarn before the sheds commence
to close.
Cylinders. The cylinders are square of the ordinary type having only one row
of holes up the centres of each of the four sides.
Cylinder Connections.-Each of the cylinders have two arbors fixed in the centres
of their ends, and are carried on two upright supports fixed on their respective
rocking shafts in the usual way. Fixed on the ends of the same rocking shafts
are two levers at angles to upright supports and pointing inwards towards the
outside centre of the front gable of machine. These levers are connected by links
to upper knife, and as the knife rises or sinks the cylinders are actuated outwards
or inwards according as the rise or sink takes place.
Hooks.-These are of the ordinary type 16 in number and each hook connects
with its respective cross needle in the usual way. They can be increased or
reduced if desired.
Cross Needles and Connections.-There are 32 cross needles carried in two
frames one above the other. Each pair are connected by a small upright lever
in such a position as the one needle is exactly above its neighbour, and connected
to the hooks in the usual way so that either of the cylinders being in action the
pattern is transmitted to hooks, and appears in the cloth beneath.
Needle Frames. There are two rectangular frames, one above the other,
connected together by short links at each side of one end of frames, in such a

page_text: position as when the frames are raised or lowered for a shift, they rise or fall
parallel to one another. A hole is bored in the centre of each of these links through
which the ends of the rod pass for carrying the upright levers which connect the
cross needles.
Recovering Springs for Cross Needles.-These are made of wire coiled round
around rod fixed in the end of lower needle frame. They are 16 in number.
The end of each spring after leaving the rod is led upwards and passes through
an eye near the end of the upper cross needles. These springs not only recover
the needles but steady the frames and keep them in position on being raised or
lowered by cam.
37
"
Cam. This cam has a high and low side, and is fixed on a spindle passing
through the machine, so that when the worker requires to raise or lower the frames
he or she causes the spindle to move of a turn thereby shifting the cam from its
low to its high side or vice versa
which causes the frames to raise one set of
needles clear of its cylinder (out of action) and other set engaged or "vice versa."
Reversing Motion. The object of this motion is to work the border pattern with
a repeat. Thereby using only half a full set of cards. It is done in this way. The
cards commence at beginning of the pattern in the usual way, but when they reach
the centre card, a hole in the said card causes a needle to act, and reverse the
cylinder causing the cards to work backwards to the point from which they
started.
Dated this 28th day of September 1891.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Petitioners' Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Shedding Machine or "Dobble."
We, JOHN SKINNER, Factory Manager, Horse Market, and JOHN WALKER
JACKSON, Manufacturer, Lomond vale, both of Falkland, in the County of Fife,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention which relates to an improved shedding machine or "dobbie," has
for its objects to provide a machine which will work two patterns, such as body
and border, alternately at the same time giving the facility (not. possessed by the
machines at present in use) of altering either of the patterns and keeping the other
intact and undisturbed, the said machine also works the border on the repeat system
and so dispenses with about one half of the cards used at present, also when the
machine has finished working either the centre or border it stops the cards at
the exact point required to start from in making the next border, through the
medium of its reversing motion, thus saving time and dispensing with the necessity
of the worker rolling back the cards to the starting point should they not stop at
that point, as invariably happens on machines at present in use, and in which
both patterns are cut on the same cards.
But in order that our said invention may be more readily understood, and easily
carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the same with reference to the
accompanying explanatory sheet of drawings, throughout which the same reference
letters denote similar parts.
Figure 1, is a front elevation, Figures 2 and 3 side elevations (looking on
A, and B Figure 1 respectively) and Figure 4 a plan of a machine made in
accordance with our invention.
Figures 5 and 6, are front elevation and plan of the needle frames and their
connections.
Referring to the said drawings we employ two cast iron cheeks or standards,

page_text: which are suitably held in position to each other by means of tie rods and stays as
shown; the said parts thus forming the main framing which carries the working
parts of the machine. The said machine has an upper and under knife A, A' as
heretofore; the said knifes being of the ordinary type and connected by means of
links a and studs a', to a double crank or lever B, carried on a rocking shaft B¹
which is connected to the loom crank shaft by means of a lever or crank b (Figure 1)
and rod in such a manner as to give the said rocking shaft B' an oscillating motion
of a quarter of a revolution for each revolution of the crank shaft of the loom, so
as to give the necessary sink on under knife A' and lift on upper knife A. in the
operation of shedding. The double crank B forms the central connection of the
knives and as it is actuated from the horizontal, in which position the sheds are
closed, to the perpendicular, the sheds are opened and divided for the passage of
the shuttle in the loom; the said passage of the shuttle being effectually performed
by means of the said parts dwelling in the perpendicular position owing to the
crank B being caused to go slightly passed the perpendicular and dwell there for
a certain period, thus easing the warp yarn, and allowing the shuttle time to clear
the yarn before the sheds cominence to close, so as to produce good cloth and
selvedges.
The machine has card cylinders C, C', mounted at either side; the said cylinders
being of the ordinary square type, though preferably only having one row of holes c
along the centre of each of their four sides. The ends of said cylinders C, C¹, are
each provided with arbors c¹ which work in bearings provided in the top ends of
the two rocking frames C³, which are of the usual type and are mounted on their
respective rocking shafts c in the usual way.
Fixed on the ends of said shafts c² are two levers or arms c³, mounted at right
angles to said frames C and pointing inwards (as shown in Figure 1) and connected
to the upper knife A, by links e, so that on the knife A, rising or sinking the
cylinders are actuated outwards or inwards accordingly.
The said cylinders C, C₁, are provided at their front ends with the necessary
pivotted catches D D' and D' preferably arranged as shown, (more particularly in
Figures five and six) that is to say the cylinder C over which the centre cards
work is provided with one catch D, while the cylinder C¹, over which the border
cards work has two catches the one D³, of which acts as the reversing catch as
will be hereinafter explained.
In order to raise up the desired sheds as required by the pattern being woven
we provide a suitable number of hooks E, which are of the ordinary type, the
hooks E being caused to engage with the upper knife A. by means of a double
set of cross needles F, F', each pair of which are connected to each other and
also to the hooks E in such a manner, that no matter which of the cylinders is in
action the pattern will be transmitted to the cloth beneath through the medium of
the cards, needles and hooks. The said cross needles F, F1 are carried by two
needle frames G, G¹, mounted within the main framing of the machine, preferably
by means of the centres or pivots g, Figures 5 and 6, to the main framing. The
said frames G & G₁ are connected together by two short links g' in such a manner
as that, when the frames are raised or lowered for a shift, they rise or fall parallel
to each other. The links g¹ are each formed with a central hole or opening through
which the ends of a cross rod or shaft H passes; the said shaft H carrying a
number of double armed levers h, the ends of which engage with a top needle F¹
and lower needle F (Figures 5 and 6) in such a manner as to enable the said pair
of needles to work as one. Each pair of needles is provided with a recovering
spring J, preferably made of wire and having their lower ends coiled around a
rod J, which is secured to the end of the lower needle frame G; these springs not
only recover the needles but they also steady the two frames G, G', and keep them
in position whilst they are being raised or lowered for a shift, and also in position
after the shift has been made. The said raising or lowering of the frames G, G,
being effected by means of a suitably shaped cam K, mounted on a cross shaft k,
the front end of which is provided with any suitable operating device, such as a

page_text: handle or small lever which may have a cord attached as desired so as to enable
the worker to raise or lower the said frames by turning the shaft k, through a quarter
of a revolution, and so cause the one set of needles to be in gear when the other
set is out and "vice versa."
In order to work the border pattern with a repeat so as to save time and cards
we provide a reversing motion as shown more particularly in Figure 5 and 6. The
said reversing motion consisting of a pivotted arm or lever L mounted near the top
of the machine and connected at its front end to a suitably shaped reversing catch or
lever L', which is connected at its top end to the one end of a spiral or other
spring L the other end of which is secured to the main framing of the machine.
The lower end of the reversing catch L is also connected by means of the slot
link, and lever to the spindle or shaft k, of the raising and lowering cam K.
The said catch or lever L' has a projection l' formed on it which works a suitably
shaped ratchet or cam mounted on a cross shaft or spindle M carried by the main
framing. The front end of said shaft M has a double reversing cam N, mounted on
it in such a manner as to operate the catches D' and D², by means of their projecting
arms d, the points of which work on the tracks of said cam N, the said catches being
kept in their relative positions to each other by means of the spiral or other spring d².
In order to effect the automatic repent or reversing of said parts we pivot or other-
wise mount an upright trigger P to the branch arm p of the lever L: the said
trigger P having a tail piece which passes through an eye formed in a reversing
needle Qwhich is mounted in the top frame G' in such a manner as to be actuated
at the proper time by a single hole cut in one of the cards, that is to say, in the
centre card of the pattern; this reversing needle Q is also provided with a recovering
spring Q; and the various parts are kept in proper position by means of the end
of the spring R, which is mounted to the main framing, always bearing against the
ratchet or cam 1. The catches D and D' are also kept out of gear with their
respective cylinders when required by means of the two projecting arms S, one of
which is secured to each of the needle frames G G¹, as shown.
In order to keep the cards out of the way of the loom and at the same time in
proper position for working, we mount a roller guide frame T, (a part of which is
shown in Figure 1) to the cylinders' rocking frame in any suitable manner, so that
the rocking motion of frame always keeps the cards clear of the loom; the other
cylinder is also provided with ordinary card guide rods. We also provide means
on the border pattern cylinder C' for enabling the worker to quickly roll backwards
or forwards the cards as desired; this being done by means of two or more grooved
pulleys U and cord u Figure 1. The cards are retained or pressed against the
cylinders by means of two or more springs V, which are carried by the rocking
frames as shown in Figure 3.
The action of the machine is as follows:-Supposing the various parts to be in
the position shown in the drawings the loom would be weaving the centre or body
of the towel or other cloth. After the centre pattern has been completed the
worker gives the shaft ka quarter of a turn and so causes the needle frames and
needles to shift, that is to say, the needles F would be taken out of gear with the
cylinder C, and the needles put into gear with the cylinder C¹. The operation
of the shaft k also permits the spring L to lift up the lever L, catch lever L' and
their connections, and by so doing bring the top end of the trigger P into the path
of the upper knife A so as to enable it being acted upon at the proper time by the
descent of the upper knife A, that is to say, when the centre card of the border
pattern has been reached, the reversing needle Q remains steady owing to its end
entering into the hole provided in said card, and therefore the trigger_remains
upright until it is forced down by the upper knife, when the projection of the
lever I forces the ratchet or cam round a quarter of a revolution and so causes
the catch D' to rise out of gear, and the catch D³ to rise into gear with the
cylinder C¹ by means of the double cam N thus reversing the border cards. When
the border has been finished the operator again actuates the shaft k and makes a
fresh shift to the position shown in the drawings and so on.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1st. The arrangement and construction of a shedding machine or "dobbie" having
two card cylinders and actuating mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described, and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In a shedding machine or "dobbie" having two card cylinders, the com-
bination therewith of two needle frames, sets of needles, and rocking levers,
substantially as and for the purposes described, and shown in the drawings.
3rd. In a shedding machine or "dobbie" having two cylinders, needle frames
and needles, the means whereby the needle frames aud needles may be raised or
lowered, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described, and shown
in the drawings.
4th. The combination with a shedding machine or "dobbie" having two cylinders,
of a reversing motion or means whereby the border pattern cylinder is caused to
repeat or reverse, substantially as and for the purposes described and shown in the
drawings.
5th. In a shedding machine or "dobbie" the arrangement and combination of
the various parts whereby the reversal of the border cylinder is obtained substantially
as described and shown in the drawings.
6th. In a shedding machine or "dobbie" the means whereby a "dwell" is obtained,
substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
7th. In a shedding machine or "dobbie" the means whereby the rocking cylinder
frames, are actuated direct from the top knife substantially as described and shown
in the drawings.
8th. The combination with our improved shedding machine or "dobbie" of the
means whereby the cards may be rolled backwards or forwards, substantially as
described and shown in the drawings.
9th. The general arrangement, construction and combination of the various parts
constituting our improved shedding machine or "dobbie," all substantially as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated thin on adam að luna 1919
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicants' Agents.