AN IMPROVED PROTECTOR FOR THE NEEDLES AND CARDS USED IN JACQUARD MACHINES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Collinson Ridings, senior, of Middleton, in
the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROTECTOR
FOR THE NEEDLES AND CARDS USED IN JACQUARD MACHINES."
Sealed the 11th August 1865, and dated the 15th February 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Collinson Ridings
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th February 1865.
I, WILLIAM COLLINSON RIDINGS, senior, of Middleton, in the County of
Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED PROTECTOR FOR THE NEEDLES AND CARDS USED IN JACQUARD MACHINES,"
to be as follows:-
I attach springs to each end of the frame and needle board of the jacquard
machine, and place the needle board so as to cover the points of the needles,
and thereby prevent them from touching the cylinder or cards until the
cylinder clasps the needle board and moves the springs and presses the hooks
from the griff. As the cylinder moves outwards, the needle board returns and
covers the points of the needles so that the cards are prevented from touching
them whilst the cylinder is moving backwards or forwards, and as the points
of the needles are inside the needle board they are prevented from being bent
by the action of the cylinder, and the cards are at the same time protected

page_text: from being torn or perforated. I also insert a spring into each end of the
frame for moving the needle board outwards, and secure the needle board by
two flat-headed screws or pegs, and in the cylinder there are perforations for
receiving the heads of the screws when the needle board is being moved
inwards.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Collinson Ridings in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th August 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
COLLINSON RIDINGS, senior, of Middleton, in the County of Lancaster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Collinson Ridings, senior, Her special license that I, the said
William Collinson Ridings, senior, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Collinson Ridings, senior, 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, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED PROTECTION FOR THE NEEDLES AND CARDS
USED IN JACQUARD MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Collinson Ridings, senior, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Collinson Ridings, senior, do
bereby 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) :-
I attach springs to each end of the frame and needle board of the jacquard
machine, and place the needle board so as to cover the points of the needles,

page_text: and thereby prevent them from touching the cylinder or cards until the
cylinder clasps the needle board and moves the springs and presses the hooks
from the griff. As the cylinder moves outwards the needle board returns and
covers the points of the needles so that the cards are prevented from touching
them whilst the cylinder is moving backwards or forwards, and as the points
of the needles are inside the needle board they are prevented from being bent
by the action of the cylinder and the cards are at the same time protected
from being torn or perforated.
These improvements will be clearly understood by referring to the figures
and letters on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an
elevation, and Fig. 2 a cross section of part of a jacquard machine, provided
with my improved protector for the needles and cards, and Fig. 3 is a front
view of the protector only. The frame a, griff b, hooks c, needles d, and
cylinder e are of the ordinary construction, but I either employ a moveable
needle board, which supports and guides the ends of the needles, and also
protects them, instead of the usual stationary needle board or a stationary
support or guide for the needles, and a moveable needle board in addition to
it. The latter arrangement is shewn in the Figures in which it will be seen
that the ends of the needles d pass through the stationary guide f, and into
holes in the moveable needle board g, to each end of which is attached a rod h,
placed in holes in brackets i, fixed to each end of the frame a. Each rod is
encircled with a spiral spring j, having one end abutting against one of the
brackets and the other end against a pin k fixed in the rod, so that when the
cylinder exerts no pressure on the needle board the springs force it outwards
to cover the points of the needles, and thereby protect them from injury, and at
the same time prevent them from tearing or perforating the cards. When the
cylinder and cards move inwards the inside card comes in contact with the
needle board, and as the movement progresses the force of the springs are
overcome and the needle board moved back for enabling the needles to enter
the holes in the card, or be acted upon by the blanks for pressing the hooks
from the griff according to the pattern, and as the points of the needles are
always covered until the needle board is pressed in by the cylinder, no injury.
can accrue to the needles or cards when the cylinder is moving outwards or
inwards. When desired the needle board may be placed on flat-headed pins
or pegs fixed to the front of the frame, and the needle board moved outwards
by springs encircling the pins, each spring having one end against the inside
of the needle board, and the other end against the frame at the bottom of a
recess around the pin, there being perforations in the cylinder for receiving
the heads of the pins when the needle board is being moved inwards, and

page_text: although I have only described the action of coiled springs it is evident that
flat springs may be employed for the same purpose. It will be seen that the
needle board moves at right angles with the needles, and therefore if the holes
in it are bushed to fit the needles the stationary guide f, Figs. 1 and 2 may be
dispensed with, and thereby cause the needle board to be both a guide and a
protector.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood
that I claim in jacquard machines the system of making the needle board
moveable for the purpose of protecting the needles and cards, as all such
improvements are herein described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Collinson Ridings, senior, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named William Collinson
Ridings, in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
WILLIAM C. RIDINGS. (L.S.)