IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OPERATING THE SHUTTLES OF LOOMS FOR WEAVING NARROW FABRICS
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry English and John Farndon
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on
the 9th July 1867.
We, HENRY ENGLISH and JOHN FARNDON, both of the Town and County
of Leicester, Machinists, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OPERATING THE SHUTTLES OF LOOMS FOR
WEAVING NARROW FABRICS," to be as follows:-
The parts taking immediate effect on the shuttles in the operation of driving
are comprised entirely within the limits of the length of the race, and consist
of levers mounted on axes having spur or other gearing taking into a rack
bar below by which the motion is communicated. These levers each consist
of two arms of equal length and diametrically opposite on the axis; the
extremity of the arms each terminate in curved branches spreading in opposite
directions, and described of a radius about equal to half the radius of the
lever arm. The curved branches are in the plane of the motion given to the
levers, and are each provided with a cam groove, which grooves meet in an
apex towards the centre of motion; on the back of the shuttle two pegs
project which take into these cam grooves, the motion of which causes the
shuttle to traverse. During the traverse in one direction the peg in its direct
motion in the shuttle race at same time proceeds in the cam groove of one
arm of lever (two branches) entering at the extremity of one and proceeding
by the curve towards the conjunction (the apex before mentioned) with the
other, thence passing up that branch from which it escapes. Any form of peg
that will traverse the groove may do, but we prefer one of a double-ended
wedge form so as to readily enter the cam grooves, and also to direct its
L

page_text: course at their conjunction. Each of the double levers perform about a
revolution on its axis, and then reverses for the traverse of the shuttle in both
directions, and each operate two shuttles, that is to say, it receives a shuttle
on the one side while it is delivering one on the other; the hold of the shuttle
on the one side is always taken before it is let go on the other.
Another part of our Invention relates to means of driving the shuttles by
the oscillating motion of the batten, which as usual is suspended from above;
below the batten we place a stationary cam groove somewhat of a U form,
but instead of being round at the bend is V-shaped at that point; it is formed
on the side of a fixed metal plate curved to suit the curve described by the
batten, from which depends a pin or stud in communication with the rack bar
herein-before mentioned. The motion of the pin in the groove is along the
straight limb on one side and thence round the Vend and along the other
straight limb; the subsequent oscillation causes the pin to retrace the course
described. In order to effect and control this traverse the inside fence of the
V part of the cam is furnished with two movable pieces, one forming an
extended point thereto which is operated on by a spring, and the other oscil-
lating immediately behind and forming a part of the inside of the cam, and
occupying a space extending from the inside line of the cam on the one side
to the outside on the other. The pin in passing up the one limb to the apex
of the V encounters the extended point piece which is inclined across the cam
groove; this point it thrusts back, but it returns immediately to its position when
the traversing pin completes its course; in the return movement the pin is
compelled to proceed by the other limb of the V, in which it encounters the
oscillating back piece before mentioned, which it thrusts on one side, causing
it to occupy a like position in the opposite limb, at the same time throwing
over the point piece by the medium of its spring holder in readiness for the
return stroke. The two movable pieces are both mounted on the same centre,
and the back piece, which is of a quadrant form, is held by a spring stronger
than that of the point piece. The lateral movement from one limb of the
cam to the other of the traversing pin (which may be provided with a truck
'roller) may be communicated at once to the rack bar if sufficient, or if not
transmitted through levers or other means to give the motion required, as will
be readily understood.