IMPROVEMENTS IN REEDS FOR LOOMS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Slack, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REEDS FOR LOOMS."
Sealed the 27th October 1853, and dated the 3rd August 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Slack at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd August 1853.
I, JOHN SLACK, of Manchester, in the County of Lancastor, Manager,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REEDS FOR LOOMS" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in so arranging the reed that spaces greater
than the distances between the dents are obtained through a portion of
the width of the reed. This I accomplish by using dents of two widths,
and arranging them alternately, so that when adapted to the loom the
elges thereof constitute two lines, the one projecting beyond the other,
either at the back only, or at front and back, or I make the dents of
equal widths, and place them in two lines, but partly projecting over
each other, by which a similar object is effected.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Slack in the Great Seal Patent Office, on
the 1st February 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN SLACK, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Manager,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seventeenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John-Slack,-Her especial_license that T, the
said John Slack, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Slack, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, usc, exercise, and vend; within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REEDS FOR LOOMS,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Slack,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particu-
larly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Slack, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say):
"
My Invention consists in so arranging the reed that spaces greater
than the distances between the dents are obtained through a portion
of the width of the reed. This I accomplish by using dents of
two different widths, and arranging them alternately, so that when

page_text: adapted to the loom the edges thereof constitute two lines, the one.
projecting beyond the other, either at the back only, or at front and
back, or Imake the dents of equal widths, and place them in two
lines, but partly projecting over each other, by which a similar object
is effected.
Having thus stated the main feature of the Invention as set forth
in my Provisional Specification, I will proceed to explain the same
more particularly by aid of illustrative diagrains. Fig. 1, represents.
on an exaggerated scale in horizontal section a portion of a reed con-
structed according to my Invention. It will be perceived that every
alternate dent a, is of greater width than those intervening, whereby
comparatively wide spaces are obtained at the back A, of the reed;
the front B, or that which is nearest to the weft thread, is nearly even,
but the dents a, at that side also project a slight distance (say half the
thickness of a dent) beyond the others. Fig. 2, represents another
arrangement by which my Invention may be carried out; in this
instance there are two narrow dents together, and consequently the
spaces at the back of the reed are much wider. Fig. 3, represents
another example, the reed being formed of dents of equal widths, but
arranged in two lines, by which the widened spaces are obtained at
back as well as at front. The dents thus arranged are fixed in the
ribs by any of the methods now in practice. I find by the use of reeds
constructed upon the above principle that thick places or knots in the
yarn are more readily admitted, consequently that fewer breakages take
place, and that the warp is subjected to less friction, and therefore
deprived of a smaller quantity of sizing material.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it
to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise arrange-
ments shewn by way of example, for it will be evident that other
arrangements of dents may be made, which will afford the requiredl
widened spaces; that which I claim as secured to me under the above
in part recited Letters Patent being the use of reeds so constructed
that the dents thereof are arranged in two horizontal lines, so as to

page_text: obtain widened spaces either at the back or front of the reed, or at
both.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jolin Slack, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand cight hundred and fifty-four.
JNO SLACK. (L.S.)