IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Crossley, of the Firm of John Crossley
and Company, of Heywood, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Crossley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th July 1870.
I, JOHN CROSSLEY, of the Firm of John Crossley and Company, of
Heywood, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN Looms
FOR WEAVING," to be as follows :-
Cotton after being carded and combed still contains many little im-
purities known as "moats" and "little carders," these are incorporated
with the yarn, and when the latter is woven many moats and little
carders appear on the surface of the cloth or piece. The moats are
:

page_text: especially objectionable, as they are usually black or of color strongly
contrasting with the cotton.
"
The object of this Invention is to remove these, which I effect as
follows I employ two "strickles" or straight bars of wood set near
and parallel to each other, the surface of each being covered or faced with
sand or emery, they are secured and supported at each end by an arm
resting on an incline attached to the breast beam or other convenient
part of the loom. The strickle arms are by a rod and finger attached
to the slay swords, the "to-and-fro or oscillatory motion of which
imparts a corresponding motion (though in a less degree) to the strickles.
The cloth or cotton piece passes between the strickles on its way to the
cloth beam, one strickle "rubbing" and removing the moats and little
carders from each side or face of the piece. The moats and loose fibre
from the strickles are received by a case or box placed thereunder for
the purpose. The action of the strickles also removes the indentations
made in the cloth by the emery on the emery roller.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Crossley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th January 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CROSSLEY, (of the Firm of John Crossley and Company,) of Heywood,
in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Crossley, Her special licence
that I, the said John Crossley, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Crossley, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
lands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN Loooms

page_text: FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Crossley, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly 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 Crossley, 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:-
:-
"
Cotton after being carded or combed still contains many little im-
purities known as
" moats and "little carders," these are incorporated
with the yarn, and when the latter is woven many moats and little
carders appear on the surface of the cloth or piece. The moats are
especially objectionable, as they are usually black or of color strongly
contrasting with the cotton.
The object of this Invention is to remove these, which I effect as
follows: I employ two "strickles" or straight bars of wood set near
and parallel to each other, the surface of each being covered or faced
with sand or emery; they are secured and supported at each end by an
arm resting on an incline attached to the breast beam or other con-
venient part of the loom. The strickle arms are by a rod and finger
attached to the slay swords the "to-and-fro" or oscilatory motion of
which imparts (though in a less degree) a corresponding motion to the
strickles. The cloth or cotton piece passes between the strickles on its
way to the cloth beam, one strickle rubbing and removing the moats and
little carders from each side or face of the piece. The moats and loose
fibres from the strickles are received by a case or box placed thereunder
for the purpose. The action of the strickles also removes the inden-
tations formed on the cloth by the emery on the emery roller.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention, I will now
proceed to describe the same in detail, and in order that the same may be
clearly understood I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings illus-
trative thereof, and have marked the same with figures and letters of
reference, the same letter referring to the same part in the various views
or Figures.

page_text: Figure 1 is a side view of a loom frame and slay swords with my
improvements attached; Figure 2 is an clevation of back of loom;
Figure 3, an enlarged or detail view; and at Figure 4 is shewn portion
of strickles and slide.
A, A', are the strickles placed near and parallel to each other and
attached at each end by the arms B, B; C, C, are inclines attached to
the breast beam D; E, E, are rods connecting the strickles by means of
the fingers F, F, with the slay swords G, G, the "to-and-fro" oscilatory
motion of which is thus communicated to the strickles which slide or
move to and fro on the inclines C, C, the cloth as shewn by *as woven
passes over the breast beam under the emery roller H, over the guide
rod K, over the strickle A, under the strickle A' (so as to rub and
cleanse both surfaces of the cloth), around the guide rod L, to the cloth
roller M; N is a trough in which the moats and little carders are
received on falling from the strickles.
The apparatus above fully described is simple of construction and
application, and effectually accomplishes, the object for which it is
designed, the rubbing action of the strickles also removes the inden-
tations made by the emery roller on the cloth.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature and particulars
of the said Invention, together with the manner in which the same is to
be performed or carried into practical effect, I would have it distinctly
understood that I claim as my Invention, the construction and application
of apparatus (actuated by the loom) as and for the purpose herein
fully described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Crossley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of January, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
EDWARD TATTERSALL,
Cotton Spinner,
Heywood.
JOHN CROSSLEY. (L.S.)