IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOSK REED LOOMS
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th July, 1887
Complete Left, 18th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 18th May, 1888
JOHN MASON, 63 Hopwood Street, Preston, Weaving Manager, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOSK REED LOOMS, to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for weaving heavy
textilo fabrics in loose reed looms. This object is attained by keeping the reed firmly
fixed in its proper position during the beat up of the slay, and so long as the shuttle
continues to do its work in a proper manner, but if the shuttle should fail to enter
the shuttle box at the right time, the reed then becomes loose, and thus prevents
what is known as a "smash
or breaking of the yarn. The apparatus by which
this is accomplished is as follows.
The stop rod is placed in front of the slay, that is the side nearest to the cloth.
Attached to the stop rod are two or more bent arms which pass under the slay and
turn up at the back, to such a height that the ends of the arms are on a level with
the lower edge of the reed, the ends of the arms are connected by a bar which runs
the whole length of the reed and parallel to it. When the loom is at work this bar
presses against the lower edge of the reed, and holds it firmly in its position.
The pressure upon the reed is obtained by fixing to each end of the stop rod a bent
lever, this lever is made of such a form as to pass under the slay and turn up at the
back of the shuttle box, the end of the lever being a little higher than the swell, the
end is also provided with a projection, under which the swell passes when the shuttle
is in the shuttle box. The swell being forced back by the pressure of the shuttle
the end passes under the projection on the lever and thus supports the lever, and
along with it the arms and the bar which press against the reed, this pressure
remains upon the reed so long as the shuttle remains in either of the two shuttlo
boxes.
During that portion of the beat up of the slay when the shuttle is not in either of
the two shuttle boxes, the pressure upon the reed is maintained by a bowl attached to

page_text: the above mentioned bent lever, and working on a curved bracket, the curve being
struck from the centre of the swing rail, and the bracket fixed to the frame work of
the loom. The curved portion of the bracket upon which the bowl works is made of
such a length that the bowl is free to fall at the instant the shuttle enters the shuttle
box, if not supported by the swell.
In case the shuttle does not enter the shuttle box at the instant the bowl leaves the
curved bracket the swell not being forced out, there is therefore no support for the
lever and arms, which, necessarily fall out of the way, and the pressure upon the reed
being removed the reed becomes loose.

page_text: JOHN MASON, 63 Hopwood Street Preston, Weaving Manager, 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 method and apparatus for weaving heavy
textile fabrics in loose reed looms. This object is attained by keeping the reed firmly
fixed in its proper position during the beat up of the slay, and so long as the shuttle
continues to do its work in a proper manner. But if the shuttle should fail to enter
the shuttle box at the right time, the reed then becomes loose, and thus prevents
what is known as a "Smash or breaking of the yarn.
"
The apparatus by which this is accomplished is as follows. The stop rod is placed
in front of the slay, that is the side nearest to the cloth. Attached to the stop rod
are two or more bent arms which pass under the slay and turn up at the back to such
a height that the ends of the arms are on a level with the lower edge of the reed, the
ends of the arms are connected by a bar which runs the whole length of the reed
and parallel to it. When the loom is at work this bar presses against the lower edge
of the reed, and holds it firmly in its position.
The pressure upon the reed is obtained by fixing to each end of the stop rod a
bent lever, this lever is made of such a form as to pass under the slay, and projecting
a few inches beyond at the back, to the end of this lever is attached a bowl, there is
also bolted to it a vertical piece close behind the slay and standing rather higher than
the top of the back board, to this vertical piece there is screwed a stud which carries
a catch, one end of the catch extending over the top of the back board and coming in
contact with a projection fixed to the back board, the other end of the catch comes
down behind the end of the swell, and is kept in contact with the swell by means of
a spring.
There is also a curved bracket bolted to the framework of the loom in such a position,
as to be under the bowl during a portion of the swing of the slay, the curve of this
When the loom is at work,
bracket being struck from the centre of the swing rail.
the shuttle is continually passing from one shuttle box to the other, and during the
time the shuttle is in either of the two boxes the swell is forced out by the pressure
of the shuttle, the swell pressing against the lower end of the catch keeps the other
end hooked on the projection on the back board, and retains the lever, together with
the arms in their normal position, the bar at the same time holding the reed firmly in
its place. During that portion of the beat up of the slay when the shuttle is not in
either of the two shuttle boxes the pressure upon the reed is maintained by the bowl
resting on the curved bracket. The curved portion of the bracket upon which the
bowl works is made of such a length that the bowl is free to fall at the instant the
shuttle should enter the shuttle box if the swell is not pressing the lower end of
the catch. In case the shuttle does not enter the shuttle box at the right instant, the
bowl leaves the curved bracket, falling to a lower position owing to the catch being

page_text: liberated from the projection. When the bowl falls to the lower position, the arms
and bar fall along with it and the pressure upon the reed is removed, the reed therefore
becomes loose.
In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I give reference to the
accompanying drawings. Fig. 1. is an end view, shewing a section through the
slay, the stop rod, the reed, and the slay cap, together with a view of one of the bent
arms, and bar in section. A being the stop rod B the bent arm, C the bar, S the
slay, R the reed and C the slay cap. The full lines shew the position of the reed,
the arms, and the stop rod when the reed is held firmly, the dotted lines shew their
position when the arms and the bar are removed from the reed.
Fig. 2 is an end view of the slay, the section being taken through the shuttle box.
In this view A is the stop rod, L the lever, D the bowl, K the curved bracket Ma
portion of the loom frame, E the catch, F the swell, H the shuttle box, N the back
board, S the slay. In this view the slay is in the position of beating the weft up, the
shuttle is supposed to be in the box and the swell F forced out against the lower end
of the catch E, the other end having hold of the projection on the back board N.
The dotted lines shew the position of the lever, bowl, stop rod and catch when the
shuttle has failed to enter the box and the swell not forced out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is,
First, A stop rod placed in the position herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Second, All arms, levers and catches attached to the above mentioned stop rod as
herein shewn and described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.