IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Webster, of Bradford, in the County of York,
Overlooker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 3rd January 1865, and dated the 9th July 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Webster at the
Office of tho Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the 9th
July 1864.
I, JOHN WEBSTER, of Bradford, in the County of York, Overlooker, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS
FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to means of forming the selvages or edges of fabrics
when weaving two or more pieces of fabrics side by side in the same loom ;
and the improvements consist in the application of instruments which are
actuated by the movement of the loom to cut the weft thread or threads
betwixt the two fabrics, and to draw or push the ends into the next shed, one
end into each piece respectively, consequently forming a loop of each thread
of weft around the edging threads of the warp, each of the ends being turned
into and secured in the fabric. To the breast beam or other convenient
part of the loom I attach a bracket projecting to and betwixt each of the
intended two or more pieces carrying a knife or a cutting instrument
adjustable to the cloth, or to that part of the warp where the weft is beat to,
also carrying a pair of hookers, which pass betwixt some of the warp threads,
after the new shed is opened, and take hold on the shoot of weft at each side of
up

page_text: the knife, which is thereby cut, and the hooks returning to the original
position draw or push the ends of the weft into the shed, and which is then
secured at the next shoot and beat up of the weft. I also apply ordinary
temples to the bracket in suitable position to take in the inner edges or
selvages to hold the fabrics on the stretch in the usual manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Webster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th January 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WEBSTER, of Bradford, in the County of York, Overlooker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Webster, Her special licence that I, the said John Webster, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Webster, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
ngree 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Webster, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Webster, 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 and accompanying Sheet of Drawings (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to means of forming the selvedges or edges of fabrics
when weaving two or more pieces of fabrics side by side in the same loom ;
and the improvements consist in the application of instruments which are
actuated by the movement of the loom to cut the weft thread or threads

page_text: betwixt the two fabrics, and to draw or push the ends into the next shed, one
end into each piece respectively, consequently forming a loop of each thread of
weft around the edging threads of the warp, each of the ends being turned
into and secured in the fabric. To the breast beam or other convenient
part of the loom I attach a bracket projecting to and betwixt each of the
intended two or more pieces carrying a knife or a cutting instrument ad-
justable to the cloth, or to that part of the warp where the weft is.beat up
to, also carrying a pair of hookers which pass betwixt some of the warp
threads after the new shed is opened, and take hold on the shoot of weft at
each side of the knife, which weft is thereby cut, and the hooks returning to
their original position draw or push the ends of the weft into the shed, which
are then secured at the next shoot of weft and beat up of the lathe or batten.
I also apply ordinary temples to the bracket in suitable position to take in
the inner edges or selvedges to hold the fabric on the stretch in the usual
manner.
In order that the manuer of performing or carrying this Invention into
practice may be clearly understood I herewith give reference to an accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings of a portion of an ordinary loom with my improve-
ments applied thereto.
•
:
Fig. 1 is a cross section of the loom, and Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, or
such parts thereof as are sufficient to shew the application of my Invention.
A is part of the end frame; B, the crank shaft; C, the lathe or batten; and
D, the breast beam, all of which parts are as in ordinary uso; E is the instru-
ment or apparatus constructed and applied according to my said Invention
and which is shewn full size at Figs. 3 and 4, in plan and end view, wherein
the several parts constituting the apparatus will be more clearly seen; E¹ is
the bracket part to be fixed at one end to the breast beam, and carrying 'a
knife G at the other end, which is set to the cloth, or where the lathe beats
up to; H are a pair of hookers which are fixed in pulleys I, attached to the
bracket by screws, on which they can turn; endless straps J pass around
these pulleys, and around other pulleys K, also attached by screws to the
bracket. These straps are attached to a slideable cross-head L, by means of
clips M, which are capable of being readily loosed and refixed, by means of
screws, so as to enable the hookers to be adjusted or set in proper positions ;
5 N is a bar resting on the surface of the woven fabric to keep it in correct
position to enable the weft to enter the notch g of the cutting instrument or
knife. The knife is shewn twice its full size at Figs. 5 and 6, and the
hookers are also shewn twice their full size at Figs. 7 and 8, shewing hooks h
at their ends; P are ordinary wheel temples attached to the bracket; R and

page_text: S shew respectively warp and weft threads, with the hookers passing under a
few of the warp threads which are lifted for that purpose by ordinary tappets
or jacquard apparatus. Motion is given to the hookers simultaneously by a
lever Thinged to the breast beam, one end of which enters a hole in the cross
head, and the other is jointed by a rod U to an arm or bracket W fixed to
the batten. It will now be seen that when the loom is in action and weft is
picked across the warp through the open shed as heretofore, the shoot of
weft will, at the beat up of the lathe, be carried up the inclined end of the
knife, and drop into the notch g (shewn more clearly in Fig. 5) which forms
the cutting part of the knife, the hookers being thrown back or opened by the
action of the lever on the crosshead, giving motion to the straps. On the
return of the lathe the hookers are driven under the warp threads, which are
lifted for that purpose, and passing over the shoot of weft enter cavities pro-
vided in the holder of the knife to receive them. On the return action or
opening of the hookers the thread enters the hooks, or the hooks catch on the
weft on each side of the knife; and pressing it against the edge it is thereby
cut, and the hookers draw the ends into the shed which has been opened to
receive them, when, on the change of shed, and on the next shoot of weft and
beat up of the lathe they are made secure in the edges of the fabrics forming
selvedges thereto.
. In witness whereof, I, the said John Webster, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of January One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-five.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named John Webster, in
the presence of
Wч. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax.
JOHN WEBSTER. (L.S.)