Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan. 1887
Complete Left, 30th Sept, 1887
Complete Accepted, 1st Nov., 1887
1, EDWARD BROOK, of Rashcliffe Iron Works, Huddersfield, in the County of
York, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in shedding motions or dobbies for
operating the healds or heddles in looms for weaving, the especial objects of the
improvements being to simplify the construction of the apparatus, and to increase
the positiveness of its action, enabling it to be worked at greater speed.
The Invention comprises certain improvements in the construction and arrangement
of the catches, and of the draw knifes with which they work, and of the needles,
and the combination therewith of certain mechanism for lifting and depressing the
needles; and the operation of such parts conjunctively in the improved manner
herein described.
In accordance with the present improvements, the said catches are each formed
with a long recess at its underside adjacent to the end which is attached to the
swing beam, and the ends of the recess are caused to embrace the draw knife on
its opposite edges, the draw knife being made of a width nearly equal to the length
of the said recess, and by such means when the catch is not lifted off the draw knife
by the operation of the needle mechanism, it is caused to remain in connection with
the draw knife and to partake of the reciprocating or backward and forward
movements given to the latter by means of the rocking levers and their actuating
parts, and each catch is thus caused to act for both the lifting and lowering of the
healds or heddles, in place of two being required as hitherto, one for lifting and
another for lowering. Adjacent to the forward end of each of the improved catches
there is formed a slot of a length slightly greater than the traverse of the draw
knife the forward end of the catch being left solid, and through the slot a needle
is passed having projections formed upon it which in certain positions of the catch
come in contact with the said solid end thereof and then lift the catch upwards
clear of the draw knife, putting the extreme end or nose of the catch behind any
convenient fixed stopping bar, in which position it is held by the needle until the
1 Price 8d 1

page_text: front edge of the draw knife has moved forwards slightly beyond and under the
front depending end or edge of the said recess in the catch, when the needle recedes
as the catch can now only fall onto the back of the draw knife, which prevents it from
falling clear of the said stopping bar, and the catch is retained in this position in
contact with the stopping bar until the draw knife in moving back comes under the
recess in the catch, when the catch is caused to drop from the stopping bar onto the
draw knife by reason of the latter striking the rear end or edge of the recess in
the catch at a point thereof below the centre of its attachment to the swing beam,
thus causing the outer end of the catch to be positively dragged down until it rests
upon the draw knife, and to this feature of the Invention I attach considerable
importance.
The needles are preferably constructed of flat strips of iron with the projections
hereinbefore referred to formed upon them at the appropriate parts, their lower ends
are slotted and I cause them to be operated by combining therewith mechanism
embracing a series of fingers, which extend into such slots in the needles from small
bell-crank levers to which they are connected, and the outer ends of which levers are
acted upon by the pegs or bowls of the pattern cylinder. As a peg of the latter
comes under the outer end of one of these bell-crank levers, the movement of the
latter causes the connected finger to project beyond the looped end of the relative
needle, and to engage with a lifting har having a vertical oscillating motion, and by
such means the said needles and catches are caused to be lifted.
To prevent the needles from remaining up through friction or other causes, and to
ensure a prompt descent of the same, the said lifting bar or such equivalent means as
may be used in lieu thereof is caused to press the needles down if they remain up by
friction after having been lifted.
Dated this 17th day of January 1887
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Loom Dobbies.
I, EDWARD BROOK, of Rashcliffe Iron Works, Huddersfield, in the County of York,
Manager, 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 statement
This Invention relates to improvements in shedding motions or dobbies for
operating the healds or heddles in looms for weaving in which there are employed
two drawbars, top and bottom catches engaging therewith, and ecting swing
beams, the especial objects of the improvements being to simplify the construction
of the apparatus, and to increase the positiveness of its action, enab..ng it to be
worked at greater speed.
The Invention comprises certain improvements in the construction and arrangement
of the catches and of the draw knives with which they work; and of the needles, and
the combination therewith of certain mechanism for lifting and depressing the
needles and the operation of such parts conjunctively in the improved manner
hereinafter described.
The accompanying drawings represent a shedding motion or dobby for operating
the healds or heddles in looms for weaving, constructed, arranged and operating in
accordance with the present improvements.
Fig. 1. represents a side elevation. Fig. 2. represents a front elevation. Fig. 3.
represents a sectional elevation, and Figs. 45 and 6, represent enlarged views of the
catches, needles, and lifting bar respectively, all hereinafter more particularly
referred to.
In accordance with the present improvements, the said top and bottom catches, 5,
are each formed with a long recess, 6, at its underside adjacent to its back end which
is attached at, 7, to the swing beam, 8, and the ends of the recess are caused to
embrace the drawbar or drawknife, 9, with which it engages on its opposite edges,
the recess being made of a width slightly in excess of the breadth of the draw-bar to
allow freedom of action in falling on and when being lifted off, and by such means
when the catch is not lifted off the draw-knife by the operation of the needle
mechanism, it is caused to remain in connection with the draw-knife and to partake
of the reciprocating or backward and forward movements given to the latter, which
are effected by means of rocking levers, 10, to which they are connected by links
or rods, 11, the levers, 10, being mounted on a shaft, 12, to which a rocking inotion
is imparted by a main lever, 13, which receives its movements from any convenient
part of the loom, the rocking motion being timed to make one oscillation for each
revolution of the loom crank. As aforesaid, the back ends of the top and bottom
catches, 5, are attached to the opposite ends of swing beams, S, which are centred to
long jacks, 14, which swing on their upper ends on a shaft or centre, 15, and are

page_text: provided at their lower or free ends with notches or projections, 16, to which are
attached the cords or streamers which lift and lower the heddles.
By such means according to which each catch embraces its draw-knife on both of
its edges, each catch is caused to act for both the lifting and lowering of the healds
or heddles in place of two being required as hitherto, one for lifting and another
for lowering.
The forward part of each catch, 5, is formed with a slot 17, of a length slightly
greater than the traverse of the draw-knife, the forward end, 18, of the catch being
left solid, and through the slot of each catch is passed a needle, 19, one of which is
shown in position in Fig. 3 and is separately illustrated on an enlarged scale in
Figs. 5, the series thereof being guided in a vertical position by top and bottom
guides or grids, 20, fixed to the frame-work of the dobby. Each of such needles is
formed with thrce projections, 21, 22, the former one, 21, of which is of utility in
preventing the needle from falling below a certain position, and the latter two, 22, of
which in the most backward position of the catches are each caused to come in
contact with the underside of the solid end, 18, of its respective catch and then lifts
the catch upwards clear of the draw-knife putting the extreme end or nose 18, of the
catch behind any convenient fixed stopping bar, 23, in which position it is held by
the needle, vide the dotted position-thereof, until the front edge of the draw knife
has moved forwards slightly beyond and under the front depending end or edge of
the said recess, 6, in the catch, vide the bottom draw bar and bottom dotted catch
in Fig. 3, when the needle receeds as the catch can now only fall onto the back of
the drawknife which prevents it from falling clear of the said stopping bar, and the
catch is retained in this position in contact with the stopping bar until the draw-knife
in moving back again comes under the recess, 6, in the catch, when the catch is
caused to drop from the stopping bar onto the draw-knife by reason of the latter
striking the rear end or edge, 24, of the recess in the catch at a point thereof below
the centre of its attachment, 7, to the swing beam, 8, thus causing the outer end of the
catch to be positively dragged down until it rests upon the draw-knife; and to this
feature of the Invention I attach considerable importance.
cause to fall
The needles, 19, are preferably constructed of flat strips of iron with the pro-
jections, 21. 22. herein-before referred to formed upon them at the appropriate parts,
their lower ends are slotted at, 25, and I cause them to be operated by combining
therewith mechanism embracing a series of selectors, 26, projecting from a series of
bell-crank levers, 27, mounted loosely on a shaft, 28, and the outer projecting parts
of which levers are made sufficiently heavy or may be weighted or acted upon by
any conveniently disposed spring or springs so as to cause the levers to have a normál
tendency to keep in operative contact with the pattern chain, 29, carried by the
pattern-cylinder, 30, each lever being caused to rise, or falling or
according as the peg, 31, or equivalent part of the pattern chain is presented under
or withdrawn from under it. Each of the said selectors, 26, extends into the slot, 25,
in one of the needles, 19, and as a peg, 31, of the chain, 29, comes under the outer
end of one of the levers. 27, the movement imparted to the latter causes the connected
selector, 26, to project through and beyond the looped end, 25, of the relative needle,
and to engage with a lifting lever, 32, to which a vertical oscillating motion is
imparted by means of the connecting rod, 33, which is operated by a cain fixed on
any convenient revolving part of the loom, the can being so formed as to cause the
lifting bar to remain stationary for a short period at the bottom of its movement to
allow of the withdrawal and projection of the selectors from off and onto the said
lifting bar and also at the top of its movement to allow the draw-bars, 9, to slide
sufficiently under the catches, 5, before the needles descend so as to keep the outer
ends of the catches behind the stopping bars, 23, as shown by the dotted lines; and
by means of such lifting lever and selectors the needles are caused to be lifted; and
the catches are caused to be lifted clear of the draw knifes and to be placed behind
the stopping bars by means of the projections, 22, on the needles.
To prevent the needles from remaining up through friction or other cause and to
ensure a prompt descent of the same, I prefer to form the lifting bar with a cross-

page_text: bar, 34. which in its downward movement depresses the selectors and so causes the
needles to be pressed down if they should tend to remain up, but such lifting bar may
be formed without such cross bar.
On the pegs, 31, being removed from under the levers, 27, the latter fall or are
caused to fall by such means as aforesaid, and in so doing they withdraw their
connected selectors from off the lifting bar.
It will be evident that by reversing the position of the levers, 27, the selectors may
be caused to engage with the needles and lifting bar by the said excess of weight or
like means automatically operating the levers, and may be withdrawn by movements
of the levers imparted thereto by the said pegs, 31.
It will be understood that the pegs or bowls of the pattern chain, and the pattern
cylinder are or may be arranged; supported and actuated in any usual manner.
35, represents the frame of the dobby, and, 36, represents any convenient fixed
parts or stopping bars which arrest or govern the rearward movements of the
swinging bars.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of iny said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The hereinbefore described improvements in or applicable to shedding motions
or loom dobbies of the nature hereinbefore referred to, such improvements con-
sisting in :-
1. The application and use of catches, (5,) so forined as to be positively dragged
down into engagement with their relative draw knifes when operated by the back
edges thereof, substantially as herein before described.
2. The construction or formation of the catches, 5, substantially in the improved
manner herein before described.
3. The construction or formation of the needles, 19, substantially in the improved
manner herein before described.
4. The application and use in combination of catches, 5, and needles, 19, arranged
and operating substantially as herein before described.
5. The application and use in combination of the selectors, 26, and lifting lever, 32,
arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described.
6. The application and use of the lifting lever, 32, whether formed with or without
the depressing bar, 34.
Dated this 19th day of August 1887.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.