IMPROVEMENTS IN MANUFACTURE OF SINGLE AND DOUBLE BOX PICKERS FOR LOOMS."
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Allan Cooper, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MANUFACTURE OF SINGLE AND DOUBLE BOX PICKERS FOR LOOMS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Allan Cooper at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th May 1867.
I, ALLAN COOPER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SINGLE AND DOUBLE Box PICKERS FOR LOOMS," to be as
follows:-
In the ordinary method of manufacturing the said pickers the pieces of
raw buffalo pelt or hide, or other curried or prepared hide, pelt, or leather, are
wrapped or overlaid into the required shape, and fixed by pins or rivets in
such a manner that the edges of the pieces of pelt or hide are exposed during
the use of the picker, and that part called the foot suffers great injury in
consequence of the said exposure of the edges.
In making pickers according to my Invention I proceed as follows:-I take
a piece of pelt, hide, or leather of the size requisite for the formation of the
foot, the said piece being of the shape of the foot in the finished picker, but
somewhat longer. I take another piece of hide or leather of a size and shape
suitable to form the leg and cap of the picker. I wrap or fold upon the solid

page_text: foot that part of the last-described piece of leather which is to constitute the
leg of the picker, the said wrapping or folding forming the leg solid upon the
foot and at the same time forming the hollow cap. The edges of the leather
of which the leg and cap are made may be bevilled so as to make an over-
lapping joint, or the said edges may be left square and made to abut against
one another. Metallic pins or staples are passed through the edges of the
leg, and the part of the foot around which the leg is formed so as to connect
these parts together, and metallic pins or staples are also passed through the
edges of the leather where they join to form the cap for the purpose of securing
together the edges at that part. The upper part of the cap may be of
sufficient length to turn inwards towards the foot, and thereby make a smooth
or rounded edge. When the edge of the cap is turned inwards the cap is
stronger than when the edge is unturned; but pickers made according to my
Invention without the edge of the cap being turned inwards are sufficiently
strong for general purposes. Although one layer of leather is sufficient to
make the leg and cap, yet two layers of thin leather may be employed, in
which case the outer layer may be turned over the edge of the inner layer at
the edge of the cap. After the metallic pins. or staples, have been passed
through the edges of the leather pressure is applied for the purpose of
clinching the said pins or staples and perfecting the shape of the picker. The
requisite slot and holes are afterwards pierced in the picker.
By manufacturing pickers according to my Invention the exposed edges so
objectionable in pickers of the ordinary manufacture are avoided, and strength
and durability are secured.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed.
by the said Allan, Cooper in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM. THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALLAN
COOPER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, send.
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Allan Cooper, Her special licence that I, the said Allan Cooper, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Allan

page_text: Cooper, 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 THE
MANUFACTURE OF SINGLE AND DOUBLE BOX PICKERS FOR LOOMS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Allan Cooper, 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 Allan Cooper, 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 statenient thereof, that is to say :-
In the ordinary method of manufacturing the said pickers the pieces of raw
buffalo pelt or hide or other curried or prepared hide, pelt, or leather are
wrapped or overlaid into the required shape, and fixed by pins or rivets in such
a manner that the edges of the pieces of pelt or hide are exposed during the
use of the picker, and that part called the foot suffers great injury in
consequence of the said exposure of the edges.
In making pickers according to my Invention I proceed as follows:-I
take a piece of pelt, hide, or leather of the size requisite for the formation of
the foot, the said piece being of the shape of the foot in the finished picker,
but somewhat longer. I take another piece of hide or leather of a size and
shape suitable to form the leg and cap of the picker. I wrap or fold upon
the solid foot that part of the last-described piece of leather which is to con-
stitute the leg of the picker, the said wrapping or folding forming the leg solid
upon
the foot, and at the same time forming the hollow cap. The edges of
the leather of which the leg and cap are made may be bevilled so as to make
an overlapping joint, or the said edges may be left square and made to abut
against one another. Metallic pins or staples are passed through the edges of
the leg and the part of the foot around which the leg is formed so as to
connect these parts together, and metallic pins or staples are also passed
through the edges of the leather where they join to form the cap for the
purpose of securing together the edges at that part. The upper part of the
cap may be of sufficient length to turn inwards towards the foot, and thereby

page_text: make a smooth or rounded edge. When the edge of the cap is turned
inwards the cap is stronger than when the edge is unturned, but pickers made
according to my Invention without the edge of the cap being turned inwards
are sufficiently strong for general purposes. Although one layer of leather is
sufficient to make the leg and cap, yet two (or more) layers of thin leather
may be employed, in which case the outer layer may be turned over the edge
of the inner layer at the edge of the cap; after the metallic pins or staples
have been passed through the edges of the leather pressure is applied for the
purpose of clinching the said pins or staples and perfecting the shape of the
picker; the requisite slot and holes are afterwards pierced in the picker.
Having explained the nature of my said Invention I will proceed to
describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner in which
the same is to be performed.
I
In making a single box picker for looms, according to my Invention I take
a piece or blank of pelt, hide, or leather of the form represented in plan and
edge view in Figure 1 of the Drawings, the said blank being suitable to form
the leg and hollow cap of the picker; I cut out the said blank, Figure 1,
while the hide or leather is in a soft condition by means of cutting tools
worked in a press, the said tools and press being of the kind ordinarily
employed in cutting out pieces of leather or other non-metallic substances.
take the blank, Figure 1, while it is in a soft condition, and I turn over or
inwards the upper part marked a upon the lower part in the manner repre-
sented in plan and edge view in Figure 2, a rounded edge being formed at the
fold of the part a upon the part 6, as represented; this folding over or inwards
of the upper part of the blank may be effected by hand, but I find it more
convenient and expeditious to effect the said folding over by mechanical
means, and I have represented and will herein-after describe the machine
which I prefer to use for that purpose. I take another piece of pelt or hide,
or leather, and by means of cutting tools worked in a press I cut from it a
piece or blank of the form represented in front and side elevation in Figure 3,
the said piece, Figure 3, being of the shape of the foot in the finished picker,
but somewhat longer. I take the solid foot marked c, Figure 3, and place it
upon the middle of the unfolded part 6 of the folded blank in the position
represented in Figure 2, and I wrap or fold up the said parts a, b, so as to
form the leg and cap of the picker, the part 6 being folded upon the upper
part of the solid foot c and forming the leg of the picker, and the double part a²
forming the hollow cap of the picker.
b
Figure 4 represents in vertical section, side elevation, and plan respectively,
a roughly formed picker made in the manner last described by the wrapping

page_text: or folding up of the parts a, b, of the blank, Figure 2; in the said Figure 4
the foot is marked c; the leg formed from the part 6 is marked d, and the
hollow cap formed from the doubled part a² is marked e. By an examination
of Figure 4 it will be seen that the cape of the picker is much strengthened
by the doubled part as of the blank, Figure 2, and that its edge is rounded.
The edges of the leather to form the cap e and leg d are left square to abut
against one another in the subsequent operation, but the said edges may be
bevilled so as to make an overlapping joint. The wrapping or folding up of
the parts a, b, of the doubled blank, Figure 2, so as to form the cap and leg
of the picker may be effected by hand, but I prefer to use for that purpose the
machine berein-after particularly explained. The roughly formed picker,
Figure 4, having been thus made holes f, g, are pierced near the open edges
of the cap and leg, and holes are also pierced in the foot c and front side of
the leg opposite the holes g. A metallic pin or staple (k, Figure 5,) is next
passed through the holes f so as to connect or join together the edges of the
cape, and metallic pins or staples (1, Figure 5) are also passed through the
holes g in the leg and foot for the purpose of connecting or joining the edges
of the leg together and for securing the foot thereto. After the metallic pins
or staples have been passed through the edges of the cap, and through the
edges of the leg, and through the foot, the roughly formed picker, Figure 4; is
placed in the dies of a press, by the operation of which dies and press the said
pins or staples are clinched and the leather of the picker consolidated, and the
shape of the picker perfected, as illustrated in front elevation, side elevation,
and plan respectively in Figure 5 of the Drawings. The press and press
tools employed to effect the last-described operation resemble in all essential
respects the press and press tools employed in the manufacture of ordinary
pickers, I therefore do not consider a detailed description of the same necessary.
By a comparison of Figures 4 and 5 the manner in which the picker is shaped
and consolidated by the last-described operation will be readily understood.
The required holes h, h, and slot i are afterwards pierced in the picker when'
the picker is complete. Although I prefer' to make the 'cap of the picker' with'
a turned-in edge, as illustrated in the Drawing; whereby the said cap is mailo
very strong, yet the pickers may be made without the edge of the cap being
turned inwards; in this case a blank of less breadth 'than that represented in
Figure 1 is employed, the picker förmed' being sufficiently strong for general
purposes. Instead of 'employing a thick layer of leather to form the leg and³
cap, as described and illustrated in the Drawing, two (or more) thin layers of
leather may be employed, 'in which case the outer thin layer may be turned
over the edge of the inner layer at the edge of the cap.
:
'

page_text: The machine which I use for folding over or doubling the wide end of the
blank, Figure 1, for the purpose of strengthening the cap of the picker is
represented in plan in Figure 6, longitudinal section in Figure 7, and end
elevation in Figure 8 of the Drawings. The said machine consists essentially
of a plate a, by which the end of the blank is raised vertically, and upon which
the blank is doubled, and a turning down slide b, the said plate and slide
being worked by hand. The pressing plate a turns in a vertical plane on the
centre a³, and is worked by the long handle c, the weight of the said handle
tending to tilt or raise the said pressing plate from the bed d of the machine.
The free end of the pressing plate a is curved to the figure to be given to the
edge of the doubled blank, as seen in Figure 6. The turning-down slide b
works in dovetails on the bed d of the machine, and is capable of moving
backwards and forwards on the said bed. The said slide b is worked from
the screw box e situated on the screw f, pins or rods 9 carried by the bars h
g
fixed to the screw box e passing through and working in the slots i, i, in the
bed d of the machine and being connected with the said slide b in the manner
best seen in the end elevation, Figure 8. The screw f is turned by the hand
wheel f. k, k, (see Figure 6) are stops fixed on the bed of the machine,
against which the narrow end of the blank rests, and 2 is a plate fixed on the
bed of the machine by the screw m, against the curved inner edge of which
plate the blank is raised and doubled, as herein-after explained. The doubling
or folding of the wide end of the blank, Figure 1, by the action of the
machine, Figures 6, 7, and 8, is effected in the following manner :-The blank n
in a soft condition is placed upon the bed d of the machine in the position
indicated in dotted lines in Figures 6 and 7, the narrow end of the blank
bearing against the stops k, k, and the opposite end being free and supported
upon the inner edge of the fixed plate 1. By means of the handle c the
pressing plate a is turned on its centre and made to press upon the blank n.
By this means the end of the blank marked n³ is raised between the edges of
the pressing plate a and the fixed plate at right angles to the other part of
the blank, as represented in Figure 7. The pressure on the blank being
maintained by the pressing plate a the hand wheel f' is turned in the direction
proper to cause the screw box e to advance on the screw f; the slide bis
thereby carried against the end n³ of the blank n, and the said end of the
blank folded or-turned down upon the upper side of the pressing plate a, the
edge of the folded part n³ taking the figure of the edge of the said pressing
plate, against which it is folded. By withdrawing the slide 6 from off the
doubled blank by turning the hand wheel f' in the opposite direction to that
described and loosing the handle c of the pressing plate a the said pressing plate

page_text: is tilted by the descent of the handle end of the said plate, when the doubled
blank may be withdrawn from off the free and curved end of the said plate a.
In order to prevent the turning down slide 6 from injuring by its pressure
the blank operated upon I make the acting face of the said slide of a plate 6
capable of rising vertically when an undue pressure is put upon it; between
the said plate and body of the slide 6 are pieces of india-rubber b³ which
are compressed on the rising of the plate 6; the said moveable plate b³ is
connected to the slide 6 by the screws and nuts b*, and the position of the said
plate is determined by the set screws b³.
Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12 represent the machine which I prefer to use for
wrapping or folding up the blank, Figure 2, into the roughly formed picker,
Figure 4; Figure 9 representing a plan of the said machine in position to
commence the making of the picker; Figure 10 representing the same after
the principal folding or bending jaws or tools have operated upon the blank;
Figure 11 representing a front elevation of Figure 10, and Figure 12 repre-
senting a longitudinal section of the machine after the roughly formed picker
has been made. The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in
Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12.
a is the bed of the machine, on the part a' of which the blank is laid to be
fashioned into a picker; to the bed a two jaws or bending tools b, c, are
jointed at b, c, the said jaws or tools being so constructed, that their inner
sides as they are closed become parallel to one another, as represented in
Figures 10 and 11, and as they are opened become inclined to one another, as
represented in Figure 9; the said jaws or tools b, c, are moved by the
handles d, e; to the under side of each of the jaws b, c, a gripping finger.or
lever b, c, respectively is jointed at b, c, in the manner best seen in
Figure 12. The short arm of each finger or gripping lever b³, c³, is pressed
from the jointed jaw or tool by a spring; one of these springs is represented
in Figure 12, and is marked f; the said short arms of the fingers or gripping
levers may be pressed against the jaws when required by means of the
levers g, h, acting against the opposite arms of the said fingers or levers. The
jaws b, c, and fingers or gripping levers b³, c³, effect the wrapping or folding
up of the blank, but the pressing of the leg of the partially made picker upon
the foot is effected by a second pair of jaws or tools i, k, situated at the end of
the machine; the shape of the said end jaws or tools i, k, is best seen in
Figures 9 and 10, and the manner in which they are worked is seen in the
front elevation Figure 11; the said end jaws or tools i, k, are carried by the
levers l, m, turning on the common centre n on the frame of the machine;
the lower ends of the said levers are connected together by the links o, p,

page_text: jointed together at q, the joint q being capable of rising and falling in the
vertical slots in the frame of the machine. By means of the lever or handle t
and links the said end jaws or tools i, k, may be opened or closed at pleasure.
On the bed of the machine is a slide or ejector u worked by the lever w for
ejecting the picker from between the principal jaws b, c, as herein-after
explained, and on the free end of the said ejector is a thin plate v. The
action of,the machine is as follows:-The doubled blank in a soft condition
with its foot is laid upon the part as of the bed of the machine in the position
indicated in dotted lines in Figure 9, the doubled end of the blank being
placed under the thin plate v of the ejector u. By depressing the levers g, h,
the short arms of the gripping levers or fingers 6s, c³, are raised from the jaws
or tools b, c, by their springs f, and the sides of the blank at the doubled part
are placed between the said gripping levers or fingers and the jaws b, c; the
levers 9, h, having been raised into the position represented in Figure 12 the
short arms of the said fingers or gripping levers b, c, grip or hold the sides of
the blank between their ends and the jaws or tools b, c. The blank is thus
held at three points, that is, at the middle of one end by the thin plate v, and
at its sides by the fingers or gripping levers b³, ; by means of the handles d, e,
the jaws or tools b, c, are closed as represented in Figures 10 and 11, and the
blank is wrapped or folded up by the operation of the said jaws into a roughly
formed picker resembling that represented in Figure 4, excepting that its
sides are taper. The wrapped or folded up blank or partially formed picker
is represented in the machine in Figures 11 and 12, and is marked x, the foot
of the picker being marked a²; the closed jaws or tools b, c, are held firmly
in that position by means of a lever or handle y, the hook y of which bears
upon the said jaws in the manner best seen in Figure 10, the said jaws being
supported upon the upright or support z on the bed of the machine. While
the partially made picker is held by the jaws or tools b, c, the end jaws or
tools i, k, are closed upon the picker by depressing the lever or handle t; by
the operation of the said jaws or tools i, k, the leg of the partially made picker
is compressed at opposite sides upon the foot of the picker, and the picker
now assumes the shape represented in Figure 4. By again raising the lever
or handle t the end jaws or tools i, k, are restored to the position represented
in Figure 11. The picker is next released from the fingers or gripping
levers 63, 3, by depressing the levers g, h, when by the action of the slide or
ejector u the roughly formed picker is ejected from the machine. The prin-
cipal jaws or tools b, c, are finally opened into the position represented in
Figure 9, when by repeating the operations already described another picker
may be roughly formed by the machine.

page_text: Figure 13 represents in end elevation (partly in section) and Figure 14 in
side elevation a double box picker made according to my Invention, and
Figure 15 represents in front and side elevation the foot of the same sepa-
rately. The said double picker resembles in all essential respects and is made
in the manner described with reference to single pickers, excepting that the
bottom of its foot is enlarged by attaching a separate piece or pieces of leather
thereto, and the leather which forms the hollow cap and leg is made to com-
pletely cover the foot, as best seen in the sectional part of Figure 13, where
the foot is marked a. When the picker is complete a channel or slot b is
left between the enlarged end of the foot and the bottom of the cap. By
manufacturing pickers according to my Invention in the manner described
and represented, the exposed edges so objectionable in pickers of, the ordinary
manufacture are avoided, and strength and durability are secured.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein described, as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of my Invention; but I claim as my
Invention the improvements in the manufacture of single and double box
pickers for looins, herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say, making the said pickers of a solid foot made from a
piece of hide, pelt, or leather, or a solid foot with an enlarged end, and a
second piece of hide, pelt, or leather (or two or more thin layers of hide, pelt,
or leather) for forming the leg and cap, the said leg and cap being made, and
the leg, cap, and foot secured together substantially in the manner described
and illustrated, whereby the pickers are without the exposed edges which are
common to ordinary pickers, and are stronger and more durable than ordinary
pickers.
In witness whereof, I, the said Allan Cooper, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
ALLAN COOPER. (L.S.)