CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING BOBBIN NET
Year: 1833

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CROFTS, late of Lenton, but now of Radford, both in the County of Notting-
ham, Mechanic, send greeting.
WHEREAS I did, by petition, humbly represent unto His most Excellent
Majesty King William the Fourth that I had invented "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING BOBBIN NET," His said Majesty was thereupon
graciously pleased to issue His Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of
Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster, the Fourth day of July last, in the
fourth year of His reign, by which Letters Patent His said Majesty, for Him-
self, His heirs and successors, did give and grant unto me, the said William
Crofts, my executors, administrators, and assigns, His especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I or they, by myself or themselves,
or by my or their deputy or deputies, servants or agents, or such others as I
or they should at any time agree with, (and no others,) from time to time and
at all times during the term of fourteen years from the date of the said
Letters Patent, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend
my said Invention within that part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland called England, the Dominion of Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all Ilis Majesty's Plantations and Colonies.
abroad; in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging me,
the said William Crofts; particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and to cause the same to be

page_text: inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
(reference being thereunto had,) will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Crofts, do hereby declare that my said Invention is fully described
and ascertained in manner following, and by the aid of the four Sheets of
Drawings hereunto annexed.
My present improvements in machinery for making bobbin net consists in
certain alterations (herein-after described) in the structure and mode of working
of what is commonly called Lever's machinery, and also what is commonly
called circular bolt or circular comb machinery for the purpose (by aid of
such alterations) of making certain lace net of a more simple texture than the
bobbin net which is commonly made by such machines when they are worked
in their usual manner, (that is to say,) the texture of bobbin net requires
what are called traversing or diagonal threads to traverse or proceed obliquely
across the width of the tissue of bobbin net, from one extreme selvedge
thereof to the other, if it is woven in one wide piece, or else, if it is woven in
narrow breadths, from selvedge to selvedge of each such breadth into which
the tissue is afterwards to be divided, one-half of those diagonal threads
traversing from the left hand selvedge towards the right-hand selvedge of the
piece or breadth, and the other half traversing with contrary obliquiety from
the right-hand selvedge towards the left-hand selvedge; wherefore the said
traversing threads intersect and cross each other obliquely, and their inter-
sections or crossings constitute the upper and lower sides of the hexagonal
meshes of the bobbin net, the inclined sides of those hexagonal meshes being
composed by the intertwisting of the said diagonal threads with the longitudinal
threads which proceed along the length of the piece (or of the breadth) of
bobbin net from end to end thereof. The said intertwisting of longitudinal
and diagonal threads, to form the inclined sides of the hexagonal meshes, occurs
at every place where the diagonal threads in their-course of traversing interest
or come across the longitudinal threads, and when, by continuance in their
progress of traversing, the said diagonal threads arrive at the selvedge threads
that is the extreme longitudinal threads of the wide piece (or of each narrow
breadth), where selvedges are intended to be made, those diagonal threads
begin to return across the piece or breadth (after intertwisting with the said
selvedge threads) in an opposite direction with contrary obliquity, and by the
said returning of the diagonal threads, when they arrive at the selvedges, the
same are fastened and rendered firm, so that they will not unravel. The above
mentioned machinery for making such bobbin act, when altered and worked as

page_text: herein-after described according to my said improvements, will make lace net
without the aforesaid diagonal traversing of any of the threads across the wide
piece (or across each narrow breadth) of net from selvedge to selvedge thereof;
but all the threads whereof the said net is composed will proceed along the
piece nearly in the same direction as the longitudinal threads proceed in
bobbin net, that is to say, all the threads in the said net will proceed lengthwise
of the piece or of the breadth of net, although in zig-zag lines, their deviations
from straight lines along the piece, in consequence of the zig-zag flexures, being
obliquely and in the direction of traversing, but they only extend thus obliquely
for very small distances before they return with contrary obliquity, so as to be in
zig-zag fashion, whereby, on the whole, they depart but little from longitudinal
straight lines. See a magnified representation of the meshes of such net in
Sheet I. of the Drawings hereunto annexed. Each thread proceeds so far in
the oblique direction as necessary for meeting and coming in contact with its
next adjacent thread, which has also proceeded obliquely in a contrary direction
for the purpose of meeting. The threads which have thus conveyed towards
each other and met, then twist together in pairs, the compound twists which
they form being in a longitudinal direction. The threads which have been so
twisted together then separate and return in traversing directions, each one
with a contrary obliquity to that first mentioned which brought them together
previous to twisting, consequently they deverge from each other, and each one
proceeds so far in diverging as is necessary for meeting and coming in contact
with its other adjacent thread (at the opposite side of it to that adjacent thread
wherewith it has just twisted), and which other adjacent thread has also pro-
ceeded obliquily in a contrary direction for the purpose of so conveying and
meeting. The two pairs of threads which have so converged and met next twist
together, the twists being in a longitudinal direction, and then the threads
which have been thus twisted together separate' and diverge from each other,
so as to return by like obliquities to those first mentioned, in order to reconvage
and meet again in the same original pairs as first mentioned, that the same
may be recombined by twisting together again as before mentioned, after
which the same series of diverging, meeting, and twisting in new pairs,
then reconverging, meeting, and twisting again in the original pairs is
repeated continually, and constitutes the lace net without traversing threads,
as is represented in the Figure, Sheet I. The hexagonal meshes of such
ace net will differ from those of bobbin net, in having their pointed angles
uppermost, or at top and at bottom of the hexagon, the four inclining sides
thereof (which meet in those pointed angles) being single threads, which are
disposed obliquily to the length of the net, the other two upright sides of each

page_text: hexagon being composed of two threads twisted together, the twists being.
disposed in the direction of the length of the net. Whereas in bobbin net the
top and bottom of each hexagonal mesh is composed of two diagonal threads,
crossing each other with a slight obliquity, and the four inclining sides of each
Lexagon are composed of two threads (a diagonal and a longitudinal) twisted
together. The said lace net, without travising threads, which will be made by
levers, machines, or circular bolt or circular comb machines, when they are
altered and worked in the manner herein-after described, according to my said
improvements, being woven of the texture above described in one piece or tissue
as wide as the machine is adapted to make, that piece may afterwards be
divided longitudially into breadths or narrow slips by slitting it along any part
of the width of the piece. But in order to give firmness to the selvedges of
the breadths into which the piece is to be divided, it will be advisable to
introduce stronger threads into the warp at every place where selvedges are
intended to be afterwards left, by slitting up the piece into breadths, and to
give a greater tension to those threads during the making of the net, in the
same manner as is sometimes done in making breadths of bobbin net. A
further part of my said improvements is by means of additions, herein-after
described, to Lever's machines, which are altered and worked so as to make lace
net without traversing threads, according to my said improvements, to leave
what are called bullet holes in such lace net during the working thereof, those
bullet holes being distributed over the net according to some sort of pattern, in
order to ornament the said lace net with a similar appearance to what is called
bullet holeing in bobbin net. Respecting the manner of carrying into effect
my said improvements upon the machinery commonly called Lever's machines,
the ordinary structure and operation of which machines is so well known to
competent lace machine makers and lace manufacturers as to require no
explanation beyond what is apparent in the Drawings hereunto annexed, with
the aid of the writing on these Drawings, hence I shall proceed at once to
set forth the alterations which are to be made. The parts of ordinary Lever's
machines, called pushers, which are used for dividing the carriages into two
divisions, when they are required to traverse together with the pusher bars, and
all their supports and appendages for moving the pushers or for regulating
their motions may be entirely removed from the landing bars and laid aside,
because no traversing of the carriages will be required. The comb bar wheel,
with its bolt and connections for racking the front comb bar, may also be
removed or disconnected, the gage screws of the front comb bar being set so
as to confine it from racking, and keep it stationary in due correspondence with
the back comb bar. If the levers machine has been used for making narrow

page_text: breadths of bobbin net, the turn-again combs and their bar may be removed, and
the vacant spaces which their removal will leave in the row of back combs must
be filled up by casting the back combs anew in one unbroken row, the same as is
usual in Lever's machines for making wide piece of bobbin net. If the machine
is only intended to make plain net, according to my improvements, without bullet
holes therein, the selvedge guides should be removed from their selvedge
guide bars, and the racking wheels for those selvedge guide bars removed from
the axis of the racking wheels. The ratchet wheel on the axes of the racking
wheels (which commonly has eight teeth in Lever's machines), must be changed
for a new ratchet wheel with only six teeth, as shewn by Figure A, Sheet I.;
also, the guide bar racking wheel must be removed from the axes of the
racking wheels, and a new one cut, with its steps in the form represented by
Figure B, Sheet I. The catch bar wheels for lifting and letting fall the catch
bars must also be removed, and other substituted, which are cut with their
notches as represented at D, Sheet I, suitably for producing a regular succes-
sion of alternate rising and falling of each catch bar. The points for taking up
the meshes must be recast in their leads, with twice as many points, side by
side, in any given width of lead as is usual in Lever's machines for making
bobbin net; that is, there must be the same number of points in each row,
back and front, as there are carriages in the row of combs, see Figure E,
Sheet I., wherefore, what is commonly called a ten-point Lever's machine must
have twenty points per inch when altered to work according to my improve-
ments. The usual pump handle lever, by which the back catch bar is lifted
and let fall when either of the points bars come down and go up again, must
be disconnected from both the point bars. The ratchet wheel a, Sheet II, at
the back of the machine, which is turned by the driver b, attached to the back
landing bar g, and which, by means of a notched wheel d, governs the half
way or dividing stop e, and which ratchet wheel usually has eight teeth, must
be removed, and another substituted which has only six teeth. The said half
way or middle stop e must be adjusted so that it will catch and detain the
back landing bar g. When the two landing bars are quite down or closed
together as far as their rapping screws will permit, instead of detaining them a
little separated at the position for the divided carriages to be caught by the
catch bars, as is usual in Lever's machines. The above-mentioned alterations
being made in the ordinary Lever's machine, in order to work the same according
to my said improvements, the warp threads and bobbin threads are to be put
in just as they would be for making a wide piece of bobbin net, and for
explaining the mode of working the altered machine according to my said
improvements, I will suppose the. machine to have been brought into regular

page_text: work, and having already some lace net without traversing threads upon its
lace roller; and I will begin the explanation at the period when the meshes
are to be taken up with the front points, which is done when the carriages, in
going through between the warp threads from front to back, have arrived at
their central position, and are detained there by means of the half-way stop e
at the back; which was let loose by its notched wheel d at the last preceding
time of extending the landing bars, and which stop e has now caught the
landing bars as soon as they were closed. In order to prevent them from sepa-
rating again until after the points have taken up the meshes, the back catch
bar has been just let down by its catch bar wheel into the back notches of the
carriages, and the front catch bar has been just lifted up out of the front
notches of the carriages by its catch bar wheel. The guide bar is standing.
racked as far to the right as it can go. And, note, it is capable of racking, by
its racking wheel, Figure B, two spaces from the present position towards the
left. The places marked No. 1 on all the several racking and ratchet wheels
delineated in Sheet I., are now in action, commencing with all the parts in tho.
above-mentioned state. The front points are brought down by depressing the
right treadle with the right foot, in the same manner as is usual in common
Lever's machines; and their caster back allows them to drop in between the
threads as soon as they get down near to the tops of the carriages,
then, by releasing the foot, the front points go up again, carrying up the
twists previously made, and giving them the form of meshes. In so going up
the extra driver or nudger h, belonging to the front points, gives a nudge to a
pin which projects out sideway from the ratchet wheel a, and by turning the
notched wheel d, causes the same to disengage the half-way stop e from the
back landing bar g, after which the landing bars are extended from each
other by raising the handles, and thereby the carriages are taken back into the
back combs quite clear behind the warp threads, and-the chopper or driver of
the racking wheels moves the ratchet to tooth No. 2, thereby racking the guide
bar two spaces to the left. The drivere of the back landing bar g also turns
the ratchet wheel a part of a tooth, but that produces no effect on the half-
way stop e at present. Then, by putting down the handles, and closing the
landing bars towards each other, the carriages are all brought forwards between
the recently-racked warp threads to their central position, and on arriving
there the front catch bar is let fall into the front notches of the carriages, and
the back catch bar is lifted out of their back notches by the usual action of
the two catch bar wheels,. after which, by raising the handles and extending
the landing bars; the carriages are brought forwards into the front combs quite
clear before the warp threads and the chopper turns the ratchet wheel to

page_text: tooth No. 3, racking the guide bar one space to the right. Note.-The
driver 6 also turns the ratchet wheel a one tooth, but without producing any
effect thereby at present. Then, by putting down the handles, the carriages
are put back again through between the recently-racked warp threads, and
when they get to the central position the back catch bar is let fall into the
back notches of the carriages, and the front catch bar is lifted out of the front
notches by their respective catch bar wheels, after which, by extending the
landing bars, the carriages are taken back into the back combs, clear behind
the warp threads, and the chopper turns the ratchet wheel to tooth No. 4,
racking the guide bar one space to the left; also, the driver 6 turning the
ratchet wheel a, its notched wheel d lets loose the half-way stop e, ready for
action next time. Then, by putting down the handles, the carriages are
brought forwards between the warp threads to their central position, where the
front catch bar is let fall into the front notches of the carriages, and the back
catch bar is lifted up out of their back notches. Note.-The half-way stop e
having caught the back landing bar 9 as soon as the two bars were closed
together, will lock them fast until the said stop is disengaged in the act of
taking up. The back points are brought down by the left foot pressing down
the left treadle. When they get down near to the tops of the carriages their
caster back allows them to penetrate between the threads, and then, by
releasing that treadle, they go up again, taking up the twists which were made
previous to the commencement of this description, and giving the form of
meshes to those twists. When the back points get nearly up, the extra driver
or nudger i, belonging to them, gives a nudge to another pin which projects
out sideways from the notched wheel d of the half-way stop e, and turns that
wheel so much as will raise the tail of the half-way stop e, and disengage its
foremost end from the back landing bar g, after which the handles are raised
to extend the landing bars, and bring all the carriages forwards clear before
the warp threads, and the chopper turns the ratchet wheel to tooth No. 5,
racking the guide bar two spaces to the right. The driver b also turns the
ratchet wheel a part of one tooth, but without producing any effect thereby at
present. Then, by putting down the handles and closing the bars, the
carriages are put back again between the threads, the back catch bar is let
fall, and the front one is raised, after which, by again extending the bars, the
carriages are all taken through into the back combs, and the chopper turns the
ratchet wheel to tooth No. 6, racking the guide bar one space to the left; also,
the driver 6 turns the ratchet wheel a one tooth; then, by closing the bars, the
carriages are brought forwards between the threads, the front catch bar is let
fall and the back one raised, after which, by extending the bars, the carriages

page_text: are brought through into the front combs, and the chopper turns the ratchet
wheel to tooth No. 1, racking the guide bar one space to the right; also, the
driver 6 of the back landing bar turning the ratchet wheel a of the half-way
stop e, lets loose that stop ready for action. Then, by closing the bars the
carriages are put back between the warp threads to their central position
where the back catch bar is let fall and the front one is raised, and also the
half-way stop e catching the back landing bar as soon as it gets down, locks
the bars fast until that stop shall be released in the act of taking up with the
front points. All the parts have now regained the state which they had at the
period chosen for the commencement of this description, and the operation of
weaving the lace net is a continual repetition of the movements already ex-
plained. The lace roller is turned round by the usual kind of" wheel work
during the working of the machine, so as to wind up the net as fast as it is mado
by the operation above described. Note:-The points will not take up all the
twists in this mode of working, but they will act in the manner of what is termed
hugging the twist in making bobbin net in Lever's machines; that is to say, the
twists which are made immediately before each time of taking up with the
points are not taken up until the next succeeding time of taking up, wherefore
the twists last made are always left, and tend to gather the threads into pairs,
so as to widen the spaces into which the points are to be united. The lace net,
without traversing threads, which will be made by this means, will be of the
texture herein-before described, and which is delineated in Sheet I. It will
be made more expeditiously than bobbin net, can be made in the same kind of
machinery; and in consequence of four out of six sides of each hexagonal mesh
being only single threads, the said net may be made of coarser thread than
that which must be used for making bobbin net, having the same apparent
size of meshes, because, in bobbin net; all the six sides of each hexagonal mesh
are composed of two threads, combined by twisting the two together, or by
crossing them one over the other. After the lace net so made is removed from
the lace roller of the machine, it is to be finished and dressed or got up in the
same manner as bobbin net, and with all the same care, to give it a like
appearance, videlicet, by first washing and bleaching, (and it may be singed
with flame of gas, if desired, in order to remove the superfluous fibres,) or it may
be dyed, and also ornamented patterns may be worked upon it by needlework
of thick thread, and finally it must be finished or got up by dressing with
starch for stiffening, the 'piece of net being extended in a getting up frame
whilst it continues wet with the liquid starch, so that all its meshes will be
stretched out to their intended size and form, and the net being kept so
extended in the getting up frame until it becomes quite dry, the stiffening will

page_text: enable the meshes to preserve their form, which may be made to present a
very similar appearance to those of bobbin net by taking due care to regulate
the tension of the threads in the weaving, and to extend the meshes properly in
the getting up frame. Note.-The extreme selvedge threads at the borders of
the piece of lace net should be strong threads, the same as is commonly done in
bobbin net, in order to fortify those borders, that they may be able to endure
the force of extending the piece in the getting up frame; and if the piece of lace
net is required to be afterwards divided or slit up into narrow breadths with
selvedges to them, thick threads should be introducod amongst the row of warp
threads at every place where those selvedges for the intended breadths will be
required, that is to say, at every place where the piece of net is intended to be
slit up, two such thick threads should be threaded through two adjacent
guides on the guide bar, so as to form part of the row of warp threads, and
they should be supplied from a small thread roller distinct from the warp
roller, in the same manner as is commonly done in making breadths of bobbin
net (except that the selvedge threads of breadths of bobbin net require to be
threaded through selvedge guides, on a selvedge guide bar capable of motion
distinct from the main guide bar, which is not requisite in my improvements).
The said small thread roller must be so weighted as to cause a greater tension
of the thick warp threads which are wound upon it than the tension of the
other warp threads, in order that the selvedge threads may preserve more
straightness along the piece of net than the other warp threads do, so as exhibit
even selvedges, as is represented in the large Figure, Sheet I. Also those
bobbin threads which are to twist with each pair of the said selvedge threads
should be worked slacker than the cther bobbin threads, by setting the springs
of their bobbins and carriages slacker than the springs of the other bobbins
and carriages, the said bobbin threads will therefore draw off more easily, and
be slacker in the net, so as to give way to and twine round the selvedge threads
without deflecting them materially from their straightness, wherefore the said
slack bobbin threads will form a sort of zig-zag lacing to unite the adjacent
selvedge threads together, so as to answer the purpose of what are called
whipping threads in bobbin net, which is woven in narrow breadths. And in
order to divide the piece of lace net into breadths, after the getting up and
finishing the said slack bobbin threads which unite the tight selvedge threads
together, must be cut by slitting the piece along between every two adjacent
selvedge threads. Respecting the mode of carrying my said improvements
into effect upon circular bolt or circular comb double tier machinery, the front
bolt bar or comb bar must be made fast by its gage screws, with its bolts or
combs in exact correspondence with those of the back bar. The racking wheel

page_text: for the said front bar being removed or disconnected, as before explaincil
respecting Lever's machinery, the taking up points must be recast with twice
as many points per inch as usual in both back and front rows, so that what is
termed a ten-point machine will have twenty points per inch, back points and
front points the same. The racking wheels for the two guide bars must be
changed for two new ones, which are cut with steps in the manner repre-
sented at the upper part of Sheet IV.; those racking wheels being turned
by a ratchet wheel of twelve teeth,, as there shewn, if it is a hand circular
bolt or,circular comb machine, but if it is what is called a rotary circular
bolt or circular comb machine, the racking wheels, although a larger must
be cut with like steps, as is represented at the lower part of Sheet IV., and
those racking wheels must be suitably connected with the wheel work of the
revolving driving cams or of the revolving crank, (by which the vibrating
motions of the carriages are produced,) so that the said racking wheels will
make one complete revolution during the time that both rows of bobbins and
carriages perform three complete vibrations, that is to say, both rows of the
carriages must pass out of the front bolts or combs into the back ones and
return again into the front ones three times successively, whilst the racking
wheels once round each row of bobbins and carriages completing six successive
passages between the warp threads (or in. the whole twelve passages made)
during that time. Note.-Those rotary circular bolt or circular comb machines
with double-bladed lockers, which are commonly called Morley's machines,
(after the name of. Mr. William Morley, who uses such machines for making
bobbin net in his manufactory at Derby,) have their racking wheels suitably
timed as above to make one complete revolution during six successive passages
of. both rows of the bobbins and carriages between the warp threads, and
so have those rotary circular comb machines for making bobbin net which are
called fluted roller or flute bar machines, and for which Messieurs Henson
and Jackson, of Worcester, obtained a Patent, dated the Eleventh day of
January, One thousand eight hundred and twenty-five.
To begin the explanation of the mode of working such circular bolt or
circular comb double tier machinery (whether hand or rotary) according to
my improvements, after the aforesaid alterations have been made in such
machinary for the purpose of making lace net without traversing threads.
Suppose the machine to have got into regular work, having already some lace
net without traversing threads on the lace roller; I will begin the explanation
at that period of the operation when both rows of carriages are in the back bolts
or combs, quite clear behind the warp threads, which threads have just been
rącked, leaving the front guide bar standing racked to the left as far as it can go.

page_text: Note. It is capable of being racked by its racking wheel two spaces from
the present position towards the right. The back guide bar is also standing to
the left. The front points having recently penetrated between the threads, are
now in the act of taking up the twists which were previously made. The
several racking wheels représented in Sheet IV. will now present those parts of
their circumferences which are numbered 1 to act upon their respective racking
bolts or racking levers. Setting out from this situation as a commencement,
the successive movements of the parts are as follows:-The two rows of
carriages begin their vibrating action by coming forwards, whereby the front
row of carriages is brought through between the two rows of warp threads,
and as soon as the said carriages get clear before those threads, the racking
wheels getting round to No. 2, rack the front row of guides with their warp
threads to the right, but leave the back row of guides as they were; then the
back row of carriages, following after the front ones, is brought through
between the warp threads, and when they get clear in front of those threads,
the racking wheels getting round to No. 8. rack the back guides to the
right, but leave the front guides as they were; after which the two rows
of carriages begin to return in their vibrating motion by going backwards,
whereby the back row of carriages is put through between the warp threads
until they get clear behind the same, and the racking wheels get round.
to No. 4, but, nevertheless, they leave both front and back guides, as they
were. Then the front row of carriages, following after the back ones, is put
through between the warp threads until they get clear behind the same, and
the racking wheels getting round to No. 5, rack the front guides to the left, but
leave the back guides as they were; after which the carriages begin to vibrate
forwards, whereby the back carriages are brought through forwards, and the
racking wheels getting round to No. 6, rack the front guides to the right and
the back guides to the left. Then the back carriages are brought through
forwards, and whilst they are passing the back points are inserted between the
twisted threads, in order to take up the twists and form them into meshes, and
the wheels getting to No. 7, rack the front guides still further to the right,
(which puts them as far as they can go that way), and the racking wheels also
rack the back guides to the right; after which the carriages begin to vibrate
backwards, whereby the back carriages are put through, and the racking
wheels getting round to No. 8, rack the front guides to the left, but leave the
back guides as they were. Then the front carriages are put through, and
the wheels getting round to No. 9; rack the back guides to the left, but leave
the front guides as they were; after which the carriages begin to vibrate
forwards, whereby the front carriages are brought through forwards, and the

page_text: racking wheels getting round to No. 10, rack the back guides to the right, but
leave the front guides as they were. Then the back carriages are brought through
forwards, and the racking wheels getting round to No. 11, rack the front guides
to the right, but leave the back guides as they were; after which the carriages
begin to vibrate backwards, whereby the back carriages are put through back-
wards, and the racking wheels getting round to No. 12, rack the front guides
to the left, but leave the back guides as they were. Then the front carriages
are put through backwards, and whilst they are passing the front points are
inserted between the twisted threads, in order to take up the twists and form
them into meshes, and the racking wheels getting round to No. 1, rack the
front guides to the left (which puts them as far that way as they can go), and
the wheels, also rack the back guides, to the left. All the parts have now regained
the same positions which they had at the period chosen for the commencement
of this explanation, and the operation of weaving the lace net is a continual
repetition of the movements already explained. Note. In this, as well as in
the Lever's machines herein-before described, the points hug the twist, that is,
they do not take up all the twists at every time of taking up, but they leave
those twists which were made by the movements immediately preceding their
time of action to be taken up by the other points at the next succeeding time
of taking up. For instance, the front points, which do not come into action
until the racking wheels get round to No. 12, merely take up the twists which
have been previously made when the racking wheels were going from No: 1 to
No. 6, leaving the twists which were made when the racking wheels were
going from No. 6 to 12, to be taken up by the back points when they
come into action, after the racking wheels have got round again to No. 6;
and in then taking up those back points will leave the twists which were made
when the racking wheels were going from No. 1 to 6 to be taken up by
the front points, when the racking wheels get round again to No. 12 the next
time. The lace net without traversing threads, which is made by circular
bolt or circular comb machines, when altered and worked according to my said
improvements, as last described, will be similar to that which will be made by
Lever's machines when altered and worked according to my said improvements,
as herein-before described, and therefore it is unnecessary to repeat the marks
herein-before contained respecting the making of such net so that it may be
afterwards cut into breadths, nor of the treatment which the said net must
undergo after it is taken from the machine, that is, by bleaching, getting up,
and finishing the net in such manner that it may be made to present the.
same appearance as bobbin net. The mode of bullet holing the said lace net
without traversing threads, whilst the same is making by Lever's machines,.

page_text: when altered and worked according to my improvements herein-before
described, is as follows:-If any warp thread is removed one space sideways
from its proper place in the row of warp threads, it will go out of the way of
that particular bobbin thread with which it would be otherwise twisted,
according to the foregoing explanation, and being kept out of the way all
the time that the other warp threads are intertwisted with their corresponding
bobbin threads, it will cause one twist of that particular pair of warp thread
and bobbin thread to be omitted, whereby a bullet hole will be left in the
net in consequence of two succeeding meshes of the net being joined into
one by the admission of the twist, as aforesaid. See a magnified representa-
tion of such a bullet hole in the Figure, Sheet I. The said warp thread, which
is removed sideways, as aforesaid, in order to make such a bullet hole;
is carried (by the removal) immediately behind its adjacent warp thread, and is
afterwards kept stationary, or is racked with racking motions different from
those of the main guide bar, all the time that the intertwisting of the other warp
and bobbin threads is going on, and until the next time of taking up, by which
means the said warp thread which has been removed will be caused to pass
around the bullet hole at one side thereof, in the manner of a border thereto.
And, note. As the omission of the twist will relieve those threads which are
immediately in the vicinity of the bullet hole from their usual tension, they will
draw the bullet hole to a more correct circuler form than that which is repre-
sented in the Drawing. In order so to remove the proper warp threads out.
of the way at the places where bullet holes are required to be made in the net,
those warp threads must be threaded through the eyes of extra guides, in a
similar manner to what are called the selvedge guides in the usual mode of
making breadths of bobbin net in Lever's machines. Those extra guides being
in like manner fixed upon extra guide bars, which are applied against the
main guide bar similarly to those called selve.lge guide bars in Lever's mechines,
and which bars are racked or shogged, as occasion may require, by means of
suitable racking wheels on the axis of the other racking wheels, that is to say,
whilst the plain part of the net is making, the said extra guides must be
shogged with precisely the same motions as those which are then given to the
main guide bar, in order that the warp threads which are threaded through
the extra guides may perform in every respect the same motions as if they
had been threaded through guides in the proper places on the main guide bar,
and has been racked thereby; but, nevertheless, when a row of bullet holes is
intended to be made, those warp threads which are opposite to the several
places where the said holes are to come (and which warp threads are threaded
through a row of extra guides fixed on the same extra guide bar), must be

page_text: racked differently from the rest of the warp threads, in order that they may
avoid being entwined by their own corresponding bobbin threads. One set of
extra guides, fixed at suitable intervals apart in a row upon the same extra
guide bar, will form a set of bullet holes at corresponding places in a transverse
row across the width of the piece of net, which transverse rows of bullet holes
can be repeated one after another, as often as may be required, by repetition of
the action of the same extra bar, but all the succeeding bullet holes which can
be so made, by means of the same extra guide bars, will fall exactly one after
another in longitudinal lines along the length of the piece of net, because every
succeeding transverse row must be an exact repetition of the preceding trans-
verse rows. Therefore, if the pattern according to which the bullet holes are
intended to be disposed on the net, requires the bullet holes which belong to
succeeding transverse rows to diviate from longitudinal lines, the machine must
be provided with other sets of extra guides fixed on other extra guide bars, each
such bar having its own racking wheels to give it suitable motions. In short,
whenever a succeeding row of bullet holes is required to differ from an exact
repetition of the preceding row, whether in the absolute number of the holes,
or in their distances, as under, or in their arrangement in their transverse row,
it will be necessary to use a different set of extra guides fixed on a distinct bar
of their own, with a distinct racking wheel to rack that bar. All the extra
bars which are so provided for bullet holing require to be racked with
exactly the same movements as the main guide bar is racked with, so long as
the plain net is making, and the extra bars only require to be racked differently
from the main guide bar when the time arrives for leaving bullet holes in
the net. The bullet holes so left will be produced by the action of one extra
guide bar at one time, and by the action of another extra guide bar at the next
time, and so on, according as the pattern for the bullet holing requires that the
holes should be left at different places across the width of the net at different
times, or in some cases two extra guide bars may come into action for bullet
holing at the same time. For instance, to arrange bullet holes in diamond
clustors of five holes each (those clusters being disposed, at considerable dis-
tances apart, in rows across the width of the net), two extra guide bars will be
sufficient, one of those extra guide bars will carry those guides which are to
produce the uppermost holes of the diamonds by operating at one time of
bullet holing, and then producing the central holes of the clusters at the next
time by a repetition of the same action, and then producing the lowermost
holes of the diamonds by another repetition. Hence, this extra guide bar will
become operative at every succeeding time of bullet holing, and will make one
hole for each diamond cluster at every time. The other extra guide bar

page_text: will carry those guides which are to produce the outside holes at each side
of the central hole of each diamond cluster, and that bar will only operate
once in three succeeding times of bullet holing, videlicet, at the aforesaid
repetition of the action of the first-mentioned bar, when that bar makes the
central holes of the clusters, at which time both the extra bars will require to
be racked with precisely the same racking motions, one as the other, in the act
of bullet holing, because they are then to co-operate and act as one in making
three holes side by side for each diamond cluster at the same time, and
although that could be done by one bar as well as by two, it is necessary to
have two bars, in order that the bar which produces the central hole of the
three may go on to repeat its action afterwards, without making a repetition of
the action of the other bar which produces the outside holes on each side of
the central hole until the proper time arrives for such a repetition. The
racking wheels for bullet holing must have a number of steps, and must only
go once round in the time whilst as much length of net is woven as will
include all the intended pattern of bullet holing, and commence a repetition of
that pattern, that is to say, in the above instance the racking wheels must
make one turn in working the machine, from the time that the uppermost
bullet holes of the diamond clusters are begun until all the clusters in that
row across the net are completed, together with as much of the plain net as is
to be introduced before the commencement of the uppermost bullet holes of a
like succeeding row of clusters. In working Lever's machines, according to my
improvements as herein-before set forth, six teeth of the ratchet wheel or six
steps of the guide bar racking wheel are brought successively into action for
every row of meshes of plain net which is made according to my improvements
aforesaid, wherefore the number of steps in the racking wheels for bullet
holing (or of teeth in their ratchet wheel) must be some multiple of six teeth
or steps, such as twenty-four, or thirty, or thirty-six, or forty-two, or forty-eight
teeth or steps, being in all cases six times the number of meshes along the
length of the net which is required to include the-intended pattern of bullet
holing, before that pattern begins again. The extra guide bars for bullet holing
are represented at m, n, o, p, in Sheets I., II., and III., and some of their extra
guidés are also represented, but those parts being precisely the same as the
selvedge guide bars and selvedge guides commonly used in Lever's machines
for making breadths of bobbin net thereby they require no further description;
their sliding bolts to connect them with their racking wheels are also similar to
those used in Lever's machines. The racking wheels r, s, t, u, v, and the
ratchet wheel R, are much the same as usual in Lever's machines, excepting
being much larger in size and number of steps and teeth; the main guide

page_text: bar racking wheel v must have the rising and falling steps around its cir-
cumference, arranged according to the same order of succession as the six
steps are arranged on the circumference of the guide bar racking wheel B,
Sheet I., that order of succession being repeated over and over again, as many
times as will go all round the circumference of the large wheel v, that is,
the number of such repetitions must be one-sixth of the number of teeth on
the large ratchet wheel R, wherefore the said large guide bar wheel v will
communicate to the row of guides precisely the same racking motions as have
been herein-before described to be proper for weaving the plain net, without
traversing threads by Lever's machines, when altered and worked according to
my improvements. The bullet hole guide bar wheels r, s, t, u, or so many of
them as the pattern requires to be used (which may be either one, two, three, or
four, as before explained), being connected by their sliding bolts with their corre-
sponding extra guide bars m, n, o, and p; their circumferences must be cut
with exactly the same steps as those around the corresponding parts of the cir-
cumference of the main guide bar wheel v, except at those parts of the circum-
ference of each bullet holing wheel which will come into action at the time
when bullet holes are required to be made, by the action of that wheel upon
its own extra guide bar; wherefore, at all times, when plain net is to be made
without leaving any bullet holes therein, the racking motions given to the
extra guide bars m, n, o, p, by their respective racking wheels r, s, t, u, will
be simultaneous with those given to the main guide bar g by its own racking
wheel v, just as if the extra guide bars were fastened to the main bar like one
bar. And whenever a transverse row of bullet holes is to be made across the
width of the net, different racking motions must be given to that extra guide
bar whose extra guides command those warp threads which occupy the
several places across the net, where the bullet holes are to stand in their said
transverse row. To explain these different racking motions I must refer back
to that part of the description herein-before given of the mode of working
Lever's machine (according to my improvements), which follow after the back
points have taken up the twists, that is, when the chopper turns the ratchet
wheel to tooth No. 5, racking the guide bar two spaces to the right, the bullet
holding racking wheel which is required to come then operation must begin
its operation at that moment by only racking its extra guide bar one space to
the right instead two spaces, whereby all the warp threads which are
threaded through the extra guides of that bar will become removed out of their
proper places in the row of warp threads, and carried behind their adjacent
left-hand neighbours; then, after passing the carriages backwarks between the
warp threads whilst their row is so interrupted, the next succeeding time for

page_text: racking (tooth No. 6 in the former description) arrives, and the main guide
bar is racked one space to the left, but the aforesaid extra guide bar must
then stand quite still without being racked any way; the effect of which
will be to reinstate all the aforesaid warp threads (which were removed at the
last time of racking) into their proper places in the row of warp threads, and
in that situation the carriages are brought through forwards between the
regular row of warp threads. At the next time of racking (tooth No. 1 in the
former description), the main guide bar is racked one space to the right; but
the said extra guide bar must stand still again, whereby those warp threads
which it commands will be again removed out of their proper places, and car
ried behind their left-hand neighbours, as before; then, after the front points
have taken up the twists, and the carriages have been put through backwards
between the warp threads in their interrupted state, and the wheels rack
again (to tooth No. 2 in the former description), the main guide bar is racked
two spaces to the left, but the said extra guide bar must be racked by its
racking wheel only one space to the left; the effect of which will be to
reinstate all the aforesaid warp threads (which were removed at the last
time of racking), into their proper places in the row of warp threads;
then after the carriages are brought through forwards between the regular
row of warp threads, the bullet holing operation will be concluded for
the present, because one twist of bobbin and warp threads having been
admitted at every place where a bullet hole is required to be formed, those
holes will become apparent in the net after the next time of taking up and
forming its meshes with the points, in consequence of the absence of the
twists which have been omitted, and the said holes will form the uppermost
rows of a row of the diamond clusters. The bullet holing operation of the
aforesaid extra guide bar being concluded as above-mentioned, the racking
motions which are afterwards to be given to that extra guide bar by its
racking wheel must be exactly simultaneous with those given to the main
guide bar g by its racking wheel v, in order that the said extra guide bar may
concur with the main guide bar in making plain net until the time when the
said extra guide bar is required to recommence its bullet holing operation. At
the next succeeding time for bullet holing another of the extra guide bars will
be required to perform that operation; in order to produce the two outside holes
of each diamond cluster, and it may operate in concert with the first-
mentioned extra box, which, by repeating its operation at the same time, will
make the central hole of each diamond cluster, unless the pattern does not
require a central hole to each of the clusters, and then the said first-mentioned
B

page_text: extra bar need not be brought into operation in concert with the other. And
lastly, at the next succeeding time for bullet holing the said first-mentioned
extra bar must resume its operation; in order to produce the lowermost holes
of the diamond clusters: In all cases the action of any of the extra guide bars
by which they form their bullet holes will be the same as above described
respecting that first-mentioned extra bar. After. one row of complete diamond
clusters of bullet holes has been finished in manner- aforesaid, the racking
wheels will have got quite round by the time that a succeeding row of clusters
is to be begun; and in case it is required that the clusters of the succeeding row
should not be disposed exactly beneath the clusters of the succeeding row, but
beneath the intervals or spaces between the preceding clusters, then two other
extra guide bars, with their racking wheels, must be brought into operation to
form such a succeeding row of clusters of bullet holes in their proper places in
the width of the net. Therefore, all the four extra guide bars represented at
m, n, o, p, will in that case be required to operate in turn by the direction of
their several racking wheels r, s, t, u, and tlíose wheels must in that case be of
a large size, so as to go round only once in making as much length of net as
will include the two succeeding rows of diamond clusters above mentioned.
Instead of diamond clusters, six bullet holes may be arranged in a hexagonal
cluster, having a central hole. This may be done by two guide bars and
suitable racking wheels, and the pattern according to which the bullet holes
are distributed over the net may be varied very greatly, at the discretion of the
mechanician or lace maker who undertakes to alter and work machines
according to my said improvements.
i
Having now described the mode of performing my said improvements in
machinery for making bobbin net, I, the said William Crofts; do hereby declare
that the new Invention, whereof the exclusive use is granted to me by the said
Letters Patent, consists in altering and working Lever's machinery and circular
bolt or circular comb machinery, whether hand machinery or rotary machinery,
in the manner herein-before described, for the purpose of making lace net
thereby, either in wide pieces or for breadths, and either plain or ornamented
by bullet holing, according to the mode herein-before described, which lace net
will be of a simpler texture than bobbin net, being without traversing threads,
and therefore can be made more expeditiously, and which lace net, after it has
been so made by the machinery, being properly treated by washing, bleaching, or
dying, singing with gas, if need by, or ornamented with needle work, if required;
and afterwards finished with starch for stiffening in getting up, in the usual
manner of treating, getting up, or finishing bobbin net (after the same comes

page_text: from the machinery); the said lace net will present nearly the same appearance
to the eye as bobbin net, and may be used as an inferior substitute for the
same.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Crofts, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of January, One thousand eight hundred
and thirty-four.