Improvements connected with Apparatus for Operating the Shuttle Boxes of Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 15th July, 1893-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements connected with Apparatus for Operating the Shuttle
Boxes of Looms for Weaving.
I, ELIJAH KEIGHLEY, of Bankhouse Iron Works, Burnley, Lancashire, Loom
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
:-
This invention relates to improvements connected with apparatus for operating
shuttle boxes in looms for weaving cotton and other fabrics, wherein the said boxes
are raised or lowered or otherwise changed through the medium of darts or needles
operated by or from the pegging barrel or pattern chain and suitable levers and
racks, which latter are moved by the darts or needles in order of selection into gear
with pinions on two or more discs and are then raised so as to partially rotate the
discs by means of a crank arm on the tappet shaft of the loom. The discs are
provided with opposing studs and slots or openings and crank pins and arms and the
movement of one or more of said discs together or separately changes the position
of the crank pins and arms and cause the crank pins and arms to be raised or
lowered and thereby bring one or other of the boxes into the position desired. The
actuation of the racks by a crank from the tappet shaft as above stated is a dis-
advantage owing to the difference in speeds of said shaft and the crank shaft of the
loom, which does not permit of equal rapidity of change of boxes with the picking
of the weft and consequently causes the shuttles to fly out of the loom or to miss
their boxes by reason of the latter not being at a proper level at the time of
arrival of said shuttles. In order to avoid this I employ a tappet or cam mounted
on the bottom or tappet shaft of the loom which I can time to operate the boxes
as desired. I also employ a double armed or other suitable form of lever connected
at one end by rod to the racks and pivotted at the opposite end to the free end of a.
lever arm mounted on a stud projecting from the loom frame. A strong spring is
secured to the lever arm and to the loom frame or to the floor, which, in case the
shuttle boxes should be prevented from rising or falling or moving in their regular
order, will yield to the movement of the operating levers and thereby prevent
injury or breakage of the mechanism.
.
I also dispense with the crank pins and arms connected with the discs and in lieu
thereof I employ two or three eccentrics placed one outside the other or concentric
with each other the inner one being provided with a pin or stud on which one of
the discs is secured, the other or outer eccentrics being also connected with their
respective discs by studs or pins. The outer eccentric is embraced by a strap at
the end of the rod which oscillates the lever for operating the boxes, and the partial
rotation of one or more of the discs either separately or together by means of the
racks engaging the pinions on said discs will change the position of the eccentrics
corresponding thereto, to the extent required to present the desired box opposite
the shed.
Dated this 90th day of October 1892
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements connected with Apparatus for Operating the Shuttle
Boxes of Looms for Weaving.
I, ELIJAH KEIGHLEY, of Bankhouse Iron Works, Burnley, Lancashire, Loom
Maker, 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 improvements connected with apparatus for operating
shuttle boxes in looms for weaving cotton and other fabrics wherein the said boxes
are raised or lowered or otherwise changed through the medium of darts or needles
operated by or from the pegging barrel or pattern chain, and racks which are
moved by the darts or needles in the order of selection into gear with pinions on
two or more discs and are then raised and lowered so as to partially rotate the discs
by means of a crank arm mounted on the tappet shaft of the loom. The discs are
provided with opposing studs and slots or openings and connected therewith are
crank pins and arms whose positions are changed by the partial rotation of one or
more of said discs whereby they are raised or lowered and bring one or other of the
shuttle boxes into the desired position.
The actuation of the racks by a crank from the tappet shaft as above set forth is
a disadvantage, owing to the difference in speeds of said shaft and the crank shaft
of the loom which does not permit of equal rapidity of change of boxes with the
picking of the weft so that together with the constant movement of the racks by a
crank the boxes are not always at the proper level at the time of arrival of the
shuttles which consequently miss their boxes and fly out of the loom. In order to
avoid this, I employ a tappet or cam mounted on the bottom or tappet shaft of the
loom which I can time to operate the racks as desired. I also employ a double
armed or other suitable form of lever connected at one end by rod to the racks and
pivotted at the opposite end to the free end of a lever arm mounted on a stud
projecting from the loom frame. A strong spring is secured to the lever arin and
to the loom frame, or to the floor, which, in case the shuttle boxes fail to rise or
fall or are otherwise prevented from moving in their regular order, will yield to
the movement of the levers where joined together and thereby prevent injury or
breakage of the mechanism. I also dispense with the crank pins and arms
connected with the discs and in lieu thereof I employ two or three eccentrics placed
one around the other, the inner one being provided with a boss or hollow shaft on
which its respective disc is keyed or secured, the other or outer eccentrics being
provided with studs or pins entering slots formed in their respective discs. The
outer eccentric is embraced by a strap at the end of the rod which oscillates the
lever for operating the boxes, and the partial rotation of one or more of the discs
either separately or together by means of the racks engaging. the pinions on said
discs, will change the position of the eccentrics corresponding thereto to the extent
required to present the desired box opposite the "shed."
In order that my invention may be more fully understood reference is hereinafter
had to the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein
―
Fig. 1 is side elevation of so much of a loom as is necessary to shew the application
of my improvements.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan of the discs and apparatus for actuating the shuttle
boxes.
Fig. 3 is cross section taken on line 1. 2. of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is transverse section taken on line 3. 4. of Fig. 3; and
Fig. 5 is cross section similar to Fig. 3.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
Referring to the drawings a designates the loom frame, 6 is the tappet shaft,
c the tappet or can mounted thercon for oscillating the frame c¹ pivotted on the

page_text: stud and carrying at its upper end the pegging barrel cª around which the pattern
chain c passes.
d, d', dare the darts or needles adapted to slide in ways in the bracket e bolted
to the side frame a and to place (when selected by the pattern chain) the
racks f, ff, into gear with the pinions g, g', g², formed on or otherwise attached
to the discs h, h', ', supported in and by the aforesaid bracket e, and, when actuated
as afterwards set forth, to partially rotate said discs for the purpose of operating
the rising and falling shuttle boxes i.
The darts or needles d, d², d, opposite to which blanks are presented by the
pattern chain, are slided longitudinally by means of the advance of the pegging
barrel in their direction in the manner and for the purposes as fully set forth in the
Specifications of Letters Patents granted to James Cowburn and Christopher Peck
Nos. 620988, 3544", and 9636" upon the apparatus described in which said Specifica-
tions my improvements are based.
The first part of my invention referring to the actuation of the racks f, f¹, fis
shewn at Fig. 1 and consists of a lever jointed or pivotted at jl to a lever arm k
mounted on the stud k¹ secured to the frame a, or to a bracket bolted thereto. To
the free end of the lever j is attached a connecting link or lever jointed to the
lever m pivotted at m¹ and carrying the stud m' upon which the racks are mounted.
On the tappet shaft b I mount an internal cam or tappet such as n into which
projects and is capable of working therein a small bowl or pulley secured on a
stud attached to the lever j. The rotation of the said tappet moves the lever j
upon its pivot to the extents of motion denoted by dotted lines and causes the
lever m to be likewise oscillated through the medium of the connecting rod or
link 1, whereby the requisite rising and falling motion is given to the racks f. f,fƒ³,
for the purpose of rotating the discs h, or ', with which they have been
engaged.
The cam or tappet n gives a dwell to the parts connected therewith during a
portion of its revolution, such dwell taking place when the loom is picking so that
the shuttle boxes shall remain stationary until the shuttles have arrived home. By
this means I remove all liability of the shuttles missing their proper boxes by
reason of the latter not being directly opposite the shed at the time of arrival of
the shuttles, as frequently happens at present on account of the racks being
actuated from a crank on the shaft and therefore being constantly in motion.
The cam or tappet n can be timed to act sooner or later as may be required. In
the event of the shuttle boxes failing to rise or fall or otherwise move in their
regular order, the lever k will be caused to turn upon the stud k¹ and take up the
motion given by tappet n to the lever j and which it is prevented from imparting to
the racks through the cause named, whereby breakages or injury to the levers or
parts connected therewith are prevented. The spring o, attached at one end to the
lever arm k or joint j' and at the opposite end to the frame a, tends to maintain the
levers in their normal positions.
My invention also relates to the employment of means, to act in conjunction with
the discs h, l, h³, for raising and lowering the shuttle boxes, in lieu of the means
described in the Specifications of Patents before referred to, which, by reason of
their not permitting the discs to be mounted on one through shaft or stud, fail to
give rigidity thereto and allow them to be drawn out of the perpendicular or
canted, after being in use for a short time, whereby the boxes are unsteady and do
not always assume the proper levels.
This part of my invention is shewn clearly in Figs. 2 to 5.
The disc h', h, are mounted loosely upon a shaft p journalled at each end in
bearings p' bolted to the bracket e and the disc h is keyed or otherwise secured to
a hollow shaft or boss p³ placed on said shaft p and carrying or having formed
thereon a cam or eccentric r capable of rotation with the disc h. Around.or
embracing the eccentric and capable of rotating thereon is a second eccentric l
provided with a stud or projections which enters a slot or opening s' formed in the
disc and is adapted to be turned around by said disc. A third eccentric
T

page_text: surrounds or embraces the eccentric and is likewise provided with a stud s
entering a slots formed in the disc h³ so as to be rotated by said disc. A metal
strap t passes around the eccentric and is connected by rod t to the lever u
pivotted at u' to whose opposite end is jointed the rod attached to the boxes i.
The arrangement shewn is for actuating six boxes, but by removing the disc h
and keying the disc h' to the eccentric r or to the hollow shaft or boss på it can be
used for operating four boxes only. It will, however, be understood that it is
preferable to construct the apparatus in the first instance for four or other number
of boxes in the loom it is to be applied to. The discs are provided on their
peripheries with notches or recesses to for receiving the teeth or catches on the
ends of the bell crank levers x,,, mounted loosely on the stud or shaft y
supported in bearings in the frame or bracket e and employed, as hitherto, for
preventing independent movement of the discs after each partial rotation thereof.
When one or more of the darts or needles d, d, d, is or are moved longitudinally
in the direction of arrow A by a blank or blanks presented by the pattern chain
when the pegging barrel is oscillated in their direction, the rack or racks f,f,f,
corresponding thereto is or are placed into gear with the respective pinion or
pinions 9, 9, 9, on the discs h, h., and, at the same time, by an abutment * on
the said dart or darts engaging the lower arm or arms of the bell crank lever or
levers,,,,such lever or levers is or are oscillated and moved clear of the disc
or discs, which are thereupon free to be rotated by the vertical movement of the
rack or racks engaged with the pinion or pinions thereon to the extent of half a
revolution bringing the second notch or notches w under the teeth or catches on the
bell crank levers. The return of the pegging barrel in a direction opposite to that
indicated by arrow A releases those darts or needles which were last operated and,
by means of springs a acting against the lower ends of the bell crank levers said
needles are returned to their normal positions and the teeth on the bell crank levers
engaged with the notches w in the discs.
I will now describe the action of the eccentrics r, 11, ², used in conjunction with
the discs h, h¹, h for raising and lowering the shuttle boxes and comprising the
second part of my invention.
The smallest or inner eccentric r is adapted to raise or lower the shuttle boxes
to the extent of one box by being turned round so as to bring its longer radii
respectively below or above the shaft or axis p, and in like manner the eccentrics r', 70²,
will each respectively raise or lower the shuttle boxes to the extend of two boxes,
or, in all, giving five lifts, namely, from box 1 to box 6 or vice versa.
If the longer radii of each eccentric be above the shaft p, as indicated in full
line in Fig. 5, the boxes are drawn down to their lowest position, or a distance
equal to five boxes, and picking takes place from box 1; but if the positions be
now reversed so that the longer radii of the eccentrics are below the axis p, us
indicated in dotted lines in the same figure, the boxes will be raised to their highest
position and picking will take place from box 6.
Assuming that the boxes are at their highest position and it is desired that
picking shall next take place from box 4, the link of the pattern chain presented
for this purpose will have a blank opposite to the dart or needle d' and as the
pegging barrel is oscillated in the direction of arrow A, said needle will be slided
longitudinally in the same direction and place rack f¹ into gear with pinion g' on
disc. The subsequent vertical movement of rack turns the disc h¹ half a
revolution and, by means of studs on eccentric r¹ engaging the sides of the slot s¹
in the said disc, such eccentric is likewise turned round half a revolution and its
longer radii brought above the axis p, as shewn in Fig. 3, thus lifting the eccentric ³
bodily a corresponding distance and through the medium of rod t lever u and
connecting rod v lowering the boxes a distance equal to two boxes, or, from box 6
to box 4.
Should the eccentric r be next partially rotated by selection of the pattern chain
so as to bring its longer radii above the axis p, the boxes will be further lowered to
the extent of one box, or, from box 4 to box 3.

page_text: As a further illustration, I will assume that the boxes are at their lowest
position, as shewn in Fig. 1, and, picking having taken place from box 1, it is now
required to pick from box 4. The link of the pattern chain to be presented for
this purpose has blanks opposite the needles d, d, which are subsequently actuated
as above described and place racks f,, into gear respectively with pinions g, g,
on the discs 1, 2, the latter being then partially rotated and carrying with them the
eccentrics r,, into the position shewn in Fig. 2, that is, with their longer radii
below the axis p. This change of position of the eccentrics r, r³, is equal to three
boxes which are therefore raised so as to present box 4 for the next pick. If the
eccentrics, ³, are together partially rotated by their respective discs ', h³, the
boxes are raised or lowered a distance equal to four boxes; as, for instance, from
box to box 5, or from box 6 to box 2.
The slots s¹, s, in the discs h', h, are of sufficient length to allow for the lifting
or lowering of one eccentric by another as may be understood from the change of
position of eccentric shewn in dotted lines in Fig. 5 to that shewn in Fig. 3.
where in the latter case it has been raised by the partial rotation of the
eccentric r¹.
By employing eccentrics acting one within the other in the manner described,
for raising and lowering the shuttle boxes, I am enabled to mount the discs h, h¹, h²,
or other number used, on one and the same shaft, which gives rigid support to said
discs and prevents them being strained or drawn to one side, whereby vibration or
oscillation of the shuttle boxes such as results from the present means employed
for raising and lowering such boxes and the method of supporting the discs, is
avoided.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
Firstly. In a loom for weaving cotton and other fabrics, the combination, with
racks for actuating the mechanism for raising and lowering the shuttle boxes, of a
cam or tappet such as n, a lever such as j jointed to a lever arm k and a spring o,
all arranged and operating in the manner and for the purposes substantially as
herein shewn and described.
Secondly. In a loom for weaving cotton and other fabrics, the combination, with
mechanism for selecting and operating two or more discs such as h, h', h², of two or
more eccentrics arranged and capable of rotating one upon the other and connected
with said discs so as to be rotated or partially rotated thereby in the manner and
for the purposes substantially as herein shewn and described.
Thirdly. The combination of two or more discs such ash, h³, h, mounted upon
one shaft or axis p and eccentrics such as r, r¹, ³, also supported by said shaft and
embraced by a strap connected with the lever for raising and lowering the boxes,
all arranged and operating in the manner and for the purposes substantially as
herein shewn and described.
Dated this 14th day of July 1893.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.