CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LOOMS FOR WEAVING, OR PRODUCING A NEW OR IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF FABRICS; AND ALSO IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF MACHINERY TO PRODUCE OTHER DESCRIPTIONS OF WOVEN GOODS OR FABRICS
Year: 1840

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
MYERSCOUGH, of Little Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Manager, and
WILLIAM SYKES, of Manchester, in the same County, Machine Maker, send.
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Fifth day of February, in the third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Thomas Myerscough and William Sykes, Her especial licence, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that we, the said Thomas Myerscough and
William Sykes, our executors, administrators, and assigns, and such others
as we, the said Thomas Myerscough and William Sykes, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England and Wales
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LOOMS FOR WEAVING, OR PRODUCING A NEW
OR IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF FABRICS; AND ALSO IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF
MACHINERY TO PRODUCE OTHER DESCRIPTIONS OF WOVEN GOODS OR FABRICS;"
in which Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that we, the said Thomas
Myerscough and William Sykes, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in
part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Thomas Myerscough and William Sykes, do hereby declare that the nature
of our said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
is particularly described and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereto
annexed, and the following description thereof, that is to say:―
Our Improvements in the Construction and Arrangement of Machinery in
Looms for Weaving, have two distinct objects in view. The first is to
produce a new or improved description of goods or fabrics, possessing in
its manufacture and appearance a combination of two well-known kinds
of woven goods or fabrics, commonly called or known as "counterpanes" and
"quiltings." Counterpanes are of two descriptions, "imperial" and "knopped."
The "imperial counterpane," being that description of goods, whereon the
pattern is formed by means of the "coarse" weft, being floated" over the
plane or ground by means of the Jacquard machine or otherwise. The
knopped counterpanes," being that description of goods whereon the pattern
is formed by means of the "coarse" weft being pulled or projected up in
knops or loops by hand or otherwise, and also worked in connection with the
Jacquard machine. The "quiltings," being that kind of fabric in which there
also two distinct sorts of weft for forming the figure, the ground being composed
of stitching by means of the peculiar shedding of the warps, and worked by the
Jacquard machine or otherwise. And it is a combination of either of the
"
above descriptions of counterpanes with the "quilting" ground, which con-
stitutes the first object in view, and which improvements we obtain by
improved constructions and arrangements of several of the working parts, or
mechanial agents employed in looms to effect certain operations. And also by
the introduction, application, and use of certain novel or improved construc-
tions of mechanism or mechanical agents, not heretofore employed or used for
this purpose. And further, by the combined action of these said improved
parts or workings with the ordinary or common parts of the loom. And
the second object of our improvements is, to produce other descriptions
of goods or fabrics by the said improved arrangements or constructions of
machinery; and this we effect by the application and use of some one or more
of the said novel or improved construction or arrangement of parts of
mechanism or mechanical agents, which may be used in or applied to looms
generally, to effect certain motions, operations, or workings. All of which said

page_text: several improvements will be better understood by referring to the accom-
panying Drawings and following description thereof, the said Drawings being
made from an actual working loom, driven by steam power.
And previous to entering into the description of our improvements, we
would remark, that we are aware looms have before been made or constructed
to weave knopped counterpanes, in which the knops or loops have been raised
up from the surface of the fabric by mechanism or mechanical agents; and
also that Patents have been obtained for particular or peculiar constructions and
arrangement of machinery or mechanism or mechanical agents for raising the
loops or knops from the weft, to form the pattern, figure, or designs on counter-
panes. We here allude more particularly to the Patent granted to Peter
Lomax, as we have shewn in our Drawings his Invention applied to our im-
proved loom, the said Patent being dated on the Nineteenth day of June, One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine, the Specification of which is inrolled
in the Office of the Rolls Chapel, of the High Court of Chancery. And
in order that our improvements may be fully explained and more perfectly
understood, we have attached to these Presents two Sheets of Drawings,
representing several views of our improved arrangement and construction of
weaving machinery, and as particularly constructed and appplicable to
weaving, or producing by power, that description or kind of fabric having the
plane or ground work formed as a "quilting," and the figure, device, or
pattern produced thereon by "knops" or loops formed by throwing up the
loose or soft weft. In which Drawings, the complete Figures are delineated
upon a scale of one inch to the foot, and some of the detached parts made
upon a large scale to shew them more distinctly. We would remark,
prior to entering into further details, that although we have shewn in the
Drawings and hereafter described our improved weaving machinery or
mechanical agents used in looms, as arranged and constructed for the
production of a peculiar fabric, that the same has principally been done for
the sake of illustration only, as it will be perfectly evident to the practical
weaver, that almost any description of fabric may be woven after making
the suitable alterations in the essential parts of the mechanism, and retaining,
using, or applying certain of our novel or improved mechanical agents, which
we consider to consist of the following several novel or improved constructions
or arrangements of machanism or machanical agents for effecting the different
operations or workings of the operative parts of a loom.
First, the novel, improved, or peculiar construction or arrangement of
mechanism, consisting of a series of endless chains of tappets composed of
links which can be changed so as to produce projections or tappets on either

page_text: side for acting on the treadles in connection with the healds or harness, and
changing or shedding the warps; and also for the lifting and depressing the
shuttle boxes in order to bring one or the other of the shuttles containing
either the counterpane or the quilting weft into operation with the warps;
and further, for governing the number of "picks" of each shuttle, that is
(regulating the number of times either of the shuttles shall pass along the
race in succession, and weave either "counterpane fabric" or "quilting fabric,"
as the case may be, whichever shuttle is in operation, the one standing
still or resting while the other is in work, and thereby regulate how much or
what length of either quilting or counterpane fabric shall be woven as the
pattern requires; and also for throwing the catch or clutch machine into or out
of gear in order to stop the weaving machinery of the loom, while the coun-
terpane or knopping mechanism is required to be action in order to raise the
loops or knops in the counterpane weft, and then set the loom again in motion
so as to weave on or bind the said loops or knops into the fabric. And further,
these endless chains are made to act upon the levers which move the Jacquard
machine or apparatus in order to raise it at the required periods. It will
therefore be seen that this improved mechanical agent or series of endless
chains of tappets is capable of actuating or setting in motion various working
parts of the loom, and producing different operations, one set or part of the
series being used and adopted for one movement or operation, and another
part or set for effecting another movement or operation, each part of the series
having its own peculiar duty to perform; which novel or improved mechanism
or mechanical agent admits of great extent or variety of change in itself, and
consequently in the pattern, figure, or device to be woven into the fabric in the
course of its manufacture, and without the necessity of throwing away or
rendering useless any of its component links, tappets, or parts; the ordinary
tappet plates or wheels commonly used in looms for this purpose being dis-
pensed with, and which said improved apparatus or mechanical agent may or
may not be employed in connection or conjunction with the ordinary Jacquard
mechanism or apparatus as thought desirable.
Secondly, the new or improved arrangement and construction of mechanism
for effecting the beating up of the slay or reed, whereby an interrupted motion is
given to it; that is, resting at one half of the revolution of the crank and vibrating
at the other, the rest being for the purpose of allowing sufficient time for the
shuttle to travel so great a distance as the extraordinary width of the looms
require.
Thirdly, the novel or improved arrangement or construction of mechanism
for producing or giving the "picking motion, or the throwing the shuttle along

page_text: the race, which in looms for weaving counterpanes has a much greater extent
of width than ordinary.
Fourthly, the novel or improved construction or arrangement of mechanism
for stopping the loom and preventing the slay or reed from beating up the
shoot, when the shuttle from any cause has not completed its race or entered
the shuttle box in a proper manner.
Fifthly, in a novel and improved construction of shuttle for the purpose of
stopping the loom, by which the shuttle is prevented from entering the shuttle
box when the weft fails. And,
Sixthly, the novel or improved arrangement and construction of mechanism
for effecting the catch or clutch motion for stopping the weaving parts of the
loom, while the looping up or knotting apparatus or mechanism is brought
into operation in order to raise the loops or knops in the counterpane weft.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
In Sheet 1, Fig. I represents a front view of our improved power loom,
with our several improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2, an end view; Fig. 3,
a vertical section through the middle of the same. The general working parts
of the loom are much the same as in ordinary power looms. A, A, represents
the sides and cross framings of the loom supporting the warp roller B, B,
the guide or tention roller C, C, the driving or crank shaft D, D, the
vibrating lathe or slay E, E, with its reed F, F, the breast beam G, G, and
the cloth or work roller or beam H, H. The ordinary Jacquard machine, with
its cards, needles, and hooked wires, is applied above at I, I, for the purpose
of working the figure. The picking sticks K, K, for throwing the shuttles,
are here shewn worked in our improved manner, and which is equally appli-
cable in all other looms where a great width of cloth has to be woven. The
dividing or shedding of the shafts or healds L, L, for forming the quilting or
other grounds is also effected by our improved or novel construction of me-
chanism or mechanical agent, and which is also equally applicable to other
figuring or fancy looms. The series of "dents" or "hooks" M, M, for
throwing up the knops or loops at proper intervals for forming the pattern, are
represented as applied to our improved loom, and are the same, and are to
effect a similar object, as described in the above-mentioned Specifications of
Peter Lomax, in which they are fully detailed. The operation of the loom, in
order to weave or produce one of our new or improved description of fabrics,
is as follows: The driving strap a being passed around the fast pulley b,
keyed upon the crank shaft D, causes that shaft to revolve, carrying with it
the crank c and tappet plate d; the crank gives motion to the lathe E in order
to beat up the cloth as usual; and the tappe plate d effects the shedding of

page_text: the warps to form the ground or quilting, by means of the roller e working in
the groove of the tappet plate d, and thus actuates the bent lever f, working
upon its fulcrum g. To the upper end of this lever f is attached the con-
necting rod h, which, as the tappet plate revolves, vibrates the bell-crank
lever i upon its fulcrum j, and by means of the connecting links k and 1, and
cause the upper and under shedding carriages m and n to slide backwards
and forwards in the mortices in the small carriage frame o, o, simultaneously
with the above-described motion; rotary action is also given to the tappet
drums or pulleys p, carrying the improved endless eccentric tappet chain q, 9, 9,
by means of the catch lever p*, which is attached to the lower sliding
carriage n, taking hold of a stud or tooth upon the side of the pulley p, and
thus drawing the chain forward one link, and effecting a new arrangement of
the levers r, r; which motion is to elevate certain of the heald levers r, r, in
order that they may be acted upon by the upper shedding carriage m, by that
carriage sliding or taking into a notch or bearing formed in the lever r (seen
more clearly in the enlarged view of this motion in Sheet 2, Figs. 2 and 3,
and thus drawing up those healds or shafts L, which are required to be lifted
to form the sheds by means of the top jack levers s, s, s, s, and their cords,
while the lower shedding carriage n, acting in a similar manner upon certain
others of the heald levers 7, r, pulls down the remainder of the healds, or
those which are to form the sinking threads, in forming the shed by means of
the similar bottom jack levers t, t, t, t. The peculiar construction of this
endless chain of excentric tappets will be readily understood by reference to
the enlarged Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5, in Sheet 2. It will be seen at Fig. 4,
which are side and edge views of one of our improved tappets, and at Fig. 5,
which are side and edge views of three links put together, that the excentric
tappets are so constructed that by passing a pin through the eyes at a any
number of these tappets made be into an endless chain, and as many may
be placed side by side upon the said spindle or pin as the number of healds or
shafts in the loom may require, that is one tappet to each heald in breadth.
It will also be seen that each tappet is pierced with two holes b and c, and
when it is desirable to make any one tappet what is termed by the weaver
either a "riser or a "faller," it is only requisite to cause that tappet to
project or recede, as required in the formation of the chain, by simply placing
the connecting pin either in the hole 6 or c, as the case may be, as is shewn in
the complete chain at q, q, q, in Sheet 2, Fig. 2; and it will also be evident
that the disposition of the tappets to form either "risers" or "fallers" may be
readily varied at pleasure, and consequently the difference in the pattern
effected, and to almost any extent, by removing the spindle bolt from one hole
in the tappet to the other. Now supposing the shuttle to be in the top shuttle.

page_text: box u of the lathe, & to contain the fine or binding weft, and the vibrating
lathe to be at the point of returning from the cloth, the levers v attached to
the swords of the lathe will strike against one of the stops w, alternately on each
side as the pick is required, and thus by means of the bell-crank lever x, x,
will cause the picking sticks K, K, to impel the shuttle across the loom back-
wards and forwards as often as the particular style of the cloth requires. Now
in order to raise the lower shuttle box y, containing the coarse or thick weft
for forming knops or loops, a similar excentric tappet chain q', q', mounted in
the same framing, also acts upon the lever z, and places it in the line of action
of the top sliding carriage m, and thus by means of the wire 1 depresses the
hooked lever 2, which is attached to the sword of the lathe, and releases it
from the pin 3, and places, it over the pin 4, which is thus pulled forwards by
the vibration of the lathe, and actuates the lever 5 upon its fulcrum (by
means of the bowl at its lower end running on the excentric plate), and pulls
the chain 6, 6, upwards, attached to the shuttle boxes. Now in order to effect
a certain number of picks prior to another shift of the shuttle boxes, the
tappet chain q' acts upon the lever 7, and by means of the wire 8 depresses
the lever 9 and throws the stud upon it out of geer with the toothed wheel 10,
which retains the stop w by means of the rod 11 in its position, to be struck
by the picking lever v, and thus causes the picker to throw the shuttle from
that side until the next change of the chain q¹ raises the lever g, and throws its
stud again into gear with the wheel 10, and thereby causes the loom to pick
from the opposite side. The peculiar differental vibration or beating up of
the lathe is effected by means of the crank shaft D with its crank c. The
crank c is attached to a sliding block 12, which runs to and fro in parallel
slides 13, 13. In the block 12 is fixed a stud 14 which moves in the groove
of the curved arm 15, 15, keyed upon the shaft 16. Upon this shaft 16 are
also keyed the cranks 17, 17, one at each end, and connected by studs and
connecting links 18, 18, to the lathe E. Thus it will be seen that as the sliding
block 12 moves in the straight slides 13, it draws the lathe backwards, which
remains stationary for half a revolution of the crank, caused by the stud 14
running up to the top of the curved groove 15, which now lies parallel to the
slides and leaves the shed free for the passage of the shuttle. The shuttles
having made the required number of picks, the tappet chain q¹ also raises thé
lever 19, which, by means of the rod 20, having at its lower extremity the
stud 21 taking into the catch wheel 22, see plan, Fig. 1, Sheet 2), draws it
forward one tooth. (This rod 20 is employed in quilting looms only to raise
the Jacquard machinery.) The catch wheel 22 is keyed upon the shaft 23,
which also carries the two catches 24 and 25, and as the catch wheel 22 is

page_text: drawn forward a tooth, the positions of the two catches are alternately reversed
and caused to stand opposite the notched peripheries of the cam wheels 26
and 27, or to be lifted above them. Now it will be seen that the
catch 24 is dropped on the cam 26, and that the cams 26 and 27 are
loose on the crank shaft D, and also that a catch box 28 is placed
between them, keyed fast upon the driving shaft D; then, as the cam 26
is held by the catch and thrown out of gear with the driving shaft D,
it slips round loosely upon it, whilst the cam 27 is, by means of the
catch box, made fast with the crank shaft, and thus connects the driving
power with the weaving mechanism whilst the counterpane or knotting
process is at rest. Upon reversing the position of the catches 24 and 25, by
the next action of the chain q¹ upon the lever 19, the catch 27 will throw the
weaving machinery out of gear with the driving power, and the cam 26 into
connection with the catch box 28, and thus with the driving power. Upon
the boss of the cam 26 is keyed a box pulley 29, having a cross strap passed
round it to the pulley 30, which, being now caused to revolve with its shaft
and pinion 31, drives the spur wheel 32, keyed upon the cam shaft 33, upon
which the cam 34 is also keyed, which, as it revolves, raises the lever 35, the
connecting link 36, and toothed quadrant 37. This quadrant takes into
similar teeth formed upon the cam 27, and turns the cam one quarter of a
revolution backwards, taking with it the lathe which has then brought the
weft in a straight line over the lifting hooks or dents, and retaining it until
the knotting process is completed, which is effected when the cam shaft 33 has
made an entire revolution. The motion for throwing up the loops or knops
now come into operation. Also upon the cam shaft 33 are keyed the two
cams 38, 38, one at each end, which will now raise the lever 39, connected by
vertical uprights to the rail 40. This rail 40 extends across the loom, and
carries the entire series of dents or hooks for throwing up the knops completely
through the warps, until the upper catch formed upon them rests against the
rail 40*. At the same time the Jacquard machine, which is connected by its
stringing 41 to the dent levers 42, is being raised, in order to fasten up those
hooks or dents which are required to form the pattern, by means of the cam 43
and levers 44, 44. Upon the end of the shaft 31 is also keyed a small mitre
wheel 45, driving the mitre wheels, and strap pulley 46, over which is extended
an endless strap 47, carrying a small inclined plane, which, as it travels along,
knocks the hooks or dents separately and successively from the rail 40*,
allowing the Jacquard to pull them higher up, and carrying the weft with
them in knops or loops, when the bottom catch, upon the dents, will strike the
rail 40*, and regulate the height of their rise, and consequently the length of

page_text: the loom or knop, those dents or hooks which are now employed to work the
pattern having fallen back out of the warps.
But an improved mode of drawing up these dents and hooks is shewn
in Fig. 2 at Fig. 6; in which a represents the dent or hook; b, b, a low
spring to be used instead of the dent levers 42; and c is the Jacquard
string attached to it; thus when the Jacquard is lifted, the spring forms
a bow, and, on being released from the bar 40%, instantly projects the dent
or hook upwards. The warp is all held firm and secure whilst the knops
are being raised from the weft by means of the rod 48, as it rises with the
lever 39, depressing the faller 49, which lowers a faller wire or bar from
side to side upon the warp, and prevents them from being displaced. Now,
when the shaft 33, with its cams, has made an entire revolution, it will be seen
that the knops or loops are completed, and, the levers falling to the lowest
point of the several cams, the knotting mechanism is thrown out of
gear and
the weaving mechanism into gear by means of the lever 35 having a link 50,
carrying a pin or stud 51 opposite the stud 21 in the catch wheel 22, which
pulls the wheel round one tooth, and reverses the positions of the catches 26
and 26, and so on alternately. Now, in order to stop the loom either when
the weft or warp threads break, or from any other cause the weft is not put
in, we employ the following means:-Whenever the shuttle finishes its race,
or comes home direct into the shuttle box (which it is prevented from doing
by a provision in the shuttle when the weft thread fails), it forces outwards the
lever 52 at the back of the shuttle box. This lever is furnished with a hook
at its end, for the purpose of holding the crank lever 53 fast, and, depressing
the stop 54, allows the lathe to pass the stop; but in the event of the shuttle
not entering or partially entering the shuttle box, then as the lever 52 is not
pressed outwards, the crank lever 53 is left loose, and cannot depress the stop
rod. The stop is struck by the lathe, which stop, being attached to the
ordinary spring strap lever, thus throws the strap from off the driving pulley,
and at the same time the lathe is held fast by the stop rod, and prevented from
vibrating.
It now only remains necessary to state that in weaving our other novel
description or combination of fabric before alluded to, that is the "imperial
counterpane" and "quilting," the whole of the peculiar mechanism which is
herein employed for the knopping or looping process is to be dispensed with,
and the coarse weft "floated" over the warps to form the figures on the
surface. We would here remark, that our improved description of com-
binations of goods or fabrics may also be produced by the handloom, by
employing four shafts or healds to form the "quilting" ground, also by a

page_text: 3
"tabby" or groundwork card, placed between the cards forming the pattern,
making one shed of the warps,, as aforesaid; two shafts or healds only.
being employed to make the other shed of the warp to work the ground or
"quilting," and the figure to be worked by the Jacquard machine, if of the
"imperial" description, and by the hand of the weaver as usual, if of the
knopped description.
Our improved construction of the shuttle to be used in looms for weaving
is shewn in Sheet 2; Fig. 7 being a plan view, and Fig. 8 a side view,
seen partly in section. a, a, is the shuttle; b, the bobbin; c, the weft thread,
passing over the small rollers d, d, and under the small roller e, hung in the
forked lever f. Now, it will be seen that, when the weft fails, the top roller d
will fall down, and, striking an inclined plane upon the projecting piece g, will
force that piece outwards through the side of the shuttle, and thus prevent the
shuttle from entering the shuttle box.
Having now fully described the nature of our Invention, and the manner
.of carrying the same into practical effect and working, we would remark that
our said several improved constructions and arrangements of mechanism or
mechanical agents may be varied to suit different looms, or the description or
kinds of goods or fabrics they are intended to manufacture, without departing
from our Invention or improvements, as will be well understood by every
practical weaver or machine maker; also that they may be adapted to looms,
separately or combined, as thought desirable, or used in conjunction with other
novel or ordinary mechanism. And therefore we wish it to be understood that
what we claim as our Invention or improvement, and secured to us by the
before in part recited Letters Patent, is the above named and described novel
or improved arrangements or constructions of mechanism, which we term
mechanical agents, consisting of,-
Firstly, the series or sets of endless chains of tappets or links, constructed
and arranged as above set forth and described, for shedding the warps, and
effecting the other operations or movements above named and described. .
Secondly, the improved mechanism for effecting the movement, and beating
up of the slay or reed.
Thirdly, the improved mechanism for giving the required movement to the
"pickers."
Fourthly, the improved means or mechanism for stopping the loom when
the shuttle has not entered its box in a proper manner.
Fifthly, the improved construction of shuttle, for preventing the shuttle
from entering the shuttle box when the weft fails. And,
Sixthly, the improved arrangement and construction of mechanism or parts

page_text: for effecting the catch or clutch motion, for stopping the weaving mechanism
or parts of the loom while the loops or knops are being formed, and again
releasing the parts or setting the loom in motion after the loops are raised.
And further, we claim all these improved arrangements and constructions of
mechanism or mechanical agents, separately or combined, in their application
and use for weaving or producing the above-named and described novel or
improved fabric or cloth, possessing in its appearance and manufacture the
combination of imperial counterpanes and quiltings, or knotted counterpanes
and quiltings, and also the production of the same thereby, or by looms worked
by manual labor.
And, lastly, we claim these improved arrangements and constructions of
mechanism or mechanical agents, separately or combined, in their application
and use to other looms to which they are or may be applicable.
All of which Inventions or improvements are set forth and described in this
our Specification, and are, to the best of our knowledge and belief, new and
never before used or produced in looms for weaving.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Myerscough and William Sykes,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourth day of August, One
thousand eight hundred and forty.
REMEMBERED, that on the same Fourt day of August, in
the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Thomas Myerscough and William
Sykes came before our Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged
the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute in that case made and provided.