IMPROVEMENTS UPON MACHINES OR MACHINERY THEN IN USE FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING THAT KIND OF LACE COMMONLY KNOWN OR DISTINGUISHED BY THE NAME OR NAMES OF BOBBIN NET OR BUCKINGHAMSHIRE LACE NET
Year: 1824

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
LINGFORD, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Lace
Machine Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present Majesty King George the Fourth, in and by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twentieth day of March, in the fifth year of His reign, did,
for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Lingford, my exors, admors, and assigns, His special licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said John Lingford, my exors,
adiñors, and assigns, and every of them, or such others as I, the said John
Lingford, my exors, adññors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all His said
" CERTAIN
Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS UPON MACHINES OR MACHINERY THEN IN USE FOR THE PURPOSE OF
MAKING THAT KIND OF LACE COMMONLY KNOWN OR DISTINGUISHED BY THE NAME OR
NAMES OF BOBBIN NET OR BUCKINGHAMSHIRE LACE NET;" in which Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said John Lingford,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, and to cause the same to be enrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, as in and by the

page_text: same Letters Patent, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Lingford, do hereby describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be made and performed, by the
following description thereof, reference being made to the Drawings hereunto
annexed (that is to say):-
My improvements on machines now in use for the manufacture of bobbin
net lace consist of certain modes of actuating the said machines (heretofore
worked by the hands and feet) by means of a rotatory power, as of the steam
engine, water wheel, and so forth. These improvements apply to three
different constructions of lace machines commonly called or known by the
several names of Hervy's or circular comb machines, the circular bolt machines,
and the straight bolt machines, all of which are upon the double tier
principle, which several constructions of machines for the manufacture of
bobbin net lace are well known in the lace trade, and therefore need not be
particularly described by me, excepting so far as may be necessary for the
perfect understanding of my improvements adapted thereto, as I do not claim
the operative parts of the several machines, but apply my improvements as
additions to those several kinds of machines heretofore actuated by the hands
and feet of the workman.
3 In the Drawings hereunto annexed Figure 1 shews a front view of a
machine upon the circular bolt principle; Figure 2 is an end view of the
same; and Figure 3, a section taken across the machine near the middle, the
respective letters referring to the same parts in these three Figures. It will be
seen that I have divested the machine in these Drawings of the handles and
levers by which it is usually actuated, and have shewn it adapted to be worked
by power alone, but I wish it to be understood that I do not mean that these
machines shall be put in motion exclusively by rotatory power, but that under
peculiar circumstances the improved parts, that is the rotatory movements,
may be thrown out of gear in a few minutes, and then, supposing the handles
and levers to have been previously adapted to it, the machine may be worked
by hand in the ordinary way. To actuate this machine a band from the
rotatory drum of a steam engine or other first mover is to be brought over the
conical rigger A, which, by a contrivance for throwing it in and out of gear
(to be explained hereafter), turns the lateral shaft at the end of the machine,
and that by means of a centripetal pinion, and cog wheel causes the main
shaft of the machine to revolve. B is this centripetal pinion, of a peculiar
construction, which centripetal pinion works into the periphery of a toothed

page_text: wheel C fixed to the main shaft D, D, D. Upon this main shaft there is a
central tappet wheel E, intended to work the locker bars, and also two can
wheels F and G which actuate the pusher bars, as will be further explained.
At the end of the main shaft there is a toothed wheel H, which as the shaft
revolves acts as a spur wheel to turn another toothed wheel I above. Upon
the axle of this last-mentioned wheel, and affixed to it, is a peculiarly formed
wheel K carrying a series of inclined plaines, the edges of which take into a
toothed wheel L, and operate upon the same principle as an endless screw.
By means of this wheel K, with the inclined plaines, the toothed wheel Land
its horizantal shaft M are made to revolve, and by the several cam wheels and
revolving inclined plaines affixed to this shaft M the lateral sliding or shogging
movements of the several bars are effected, as will be further explained.
I now proceed to describe the movements of the machine under conside-
ration. Rotatory motion being given to the main shaft D, as aforesaid, the
tappet wheel E is made to revolve in the direction of the arrow, Figure 3,
when by the tappets or projecting parts of its periphery striking against the
friction wheel at the end of the lever N, see Figure 3, that lever is made to
oscillate upon its fulcrum pivots J, and being attached at top by a sliding
joint to the lever of the locker bar a, causes the locker bar to make a stroke
every time that one of the tappets strikes the end of the lever, and the locker
bar a being connected to the locker bar 6 by means of two small projecting
pieces called lappers (not shewn, but which are well known), the action of the
bar a moves the other bar b, and by that means the locking, as it is called, is
effected; that is, the leaves of the locking bars pressing against the tails of the
carriages c, c, causes them to slide in the curved grooves between the circular
bults d, d. As, however, these locking bars are limited in their action, two
other bars e, e, called pusher bars, are employed to push the carriages to
and from the extremities of their range in the circular grooves. These
pusher bars are fixed in quadrants f, f, at the ends of the machine, and the
quadrants carrying the bars are made to oscillate upon their centres above by
means of rods g attached by joints to the arms h, the latter of which are
affixed to the shaft i at the back of the machine. The shaft i is made.to
vibrate by means of two bent levers O and P attached thereto, their extre-
mities being raised or depressed by running against the periphery of the two
cam wheels F and G as they revolve. Thus I have explained the manner in
which I actuate the locker bars and the pusher bars.
I now proceed to describe the contrivance for shogging or sliding the
several bars endways. At the end of the main shaft, as aforesaid, a toothed
or spur. wheel II is attached, which actuates another toothed wheel I above

page_text: it; and upon the shaft of this last wheel is the inclined plain wheel K, which,
by taking into the toothed wheel L, gives a rotatory motion to the lateral
shaft M. Upon this shaft are the two cam wheels j, j, commonly called
Dawson's wheels, which as they revolve shog or slide the two guide bars r, r,
sideways. is also a wheel of the same description for shogging the front
bolt bar s, s.
Q, Q, are two revolving inclined planes alternately acting
against friction rollers at the end of small levers R, R, which levers are
attached to the cams 1, 1, supporting the back and front point bars m, m. By
these means, as the shaft M revolves, the inclined plaines Q, Q, force out the
point bars alternately at those parts of the operation when the taking up of
the twist is to be effected; and as it is necessary that the points should be
drawn from the net in a perfectly level position, that is effected by the friction
roller at the shorter end of the lever S pressing upon an arm T which stands
out at the back of the point bar. This lever S is held in the level position
by a small friction roller at the end of its longer arm running upon the
circular part of the cam U, see Figure 1; but when this friction roller
descends into the lowest part of the cam U, which it does as the cam comes
round, the shorter end of the lever S rises and permits the points to dip by
their own gravity out of the level for the purpose of taking up the twist. At
this period the revolving inclined plain Q leaves the lever R, and the point
bar is immediately pressed forward through the threads by the force of the
bent spring V, when a catch W holds it fast. The friction roller at the
longer end of the lever S now coming upon the circular part of the cam U,
presses the shorter end of that lever down upon the arm T as before, and
raises the points up to the level position. The rolling up of the net upon the
work beam as it forms in the machine is effected by a wheel X upon the
shaft M, having semicircular notches in its periphery, over which, as it
revolves, a friction roller at the end of a lever Y rises and falls, and in going
up causes a pusher t attached to the lever Y to drive the ratchet wheel o one
tooth. Upon the axle or shaft of this ratchet wheel there is an endless screw
p which takes into a toothed wheel q upon the axle of the work beam; and
thus, as the shaft M revolves, the net is, by a very slow motion, rolled round
the beam.
The means by which I stop the machine when going, or put it in action
from a quiescent state, is shewn in the detached Figure 4, which is a hori-
zantal section of the conical rigger A before mentioned. This rigger runs
loosely upon the shaft a, but may be locked to it by the friction cone b. The
cone slides along the shaft, but is made to revolve with it by means of plivets
or ribs which stand up on the shaft and enter grooves in the hollow of the

page_text: cone. To the back of the cone a grooved pully c is affixed, and the cone is
forced up into the rigger by means of a spring d which acts at the back of the
pully. Thus the cone is forced into the hollow of the rigger, which it fits
accurately, and the adhesion of the two surfaces produce sufficient friction to
lock the cone into the rigger and carry the shaft round with it. It will now
be seen that the locking of the cone and shaft to the revolving rigger A causes
the centripetal pinion B affixed to the end of the shaft to revolve with it; and
this centripetal pinion, taking into the teeth or indentations of the cog wheel
C, gives rotatory motion to the main shaft D, D, D, and that to the other
parts of the machine, as already described. A rod u, u, (seen also in the
front view, Figure 1,) has attached to its extremity an inclined plain e, which
by the lateral sliding of the rod u is brought against the side of the grooved
pully c; and when the action of the machine is to be stopped the workman
slides the rod u to the left, when the inclined plain e, pressing against the
side of the grooved pully, forces the cone back away from the rigger, and
thereby takes off the friction which caused it to revolve. The rigger now
slides freely round upon the shaft, while the shaft itself and the other parts of the
machine remain stationary. The pressure of the cone against the inside of the
rigger is intended to be such as will just produce friction enough to overcome.
the resistance of the machinery to be actuated. For this purpose the spring
d must be carefully tempered and adjusted, when, should any of the carriages
get into an improper situation, the increased resistance thereby caused will
overcome the friction of the cone and stop the machinery immediately. A
fly wheel may be attached to the shaft, as at f, or it may be attached to the
rigger, the object of which is to overcome the dead points of the several cams,
and cause the whole to move smoothly. The centripetal pinion B may be
formed by any number of curves working parallel to each other, and these
curves may be segments of any radius, according to the required speed, the
toothed wheel into which the segments take being cut with oblique teeth at
such distances apart as the segments are when measured in a direction
radiating from the centre. The centripetal pinion B, shewn in Figure 1, has
four curves which take into a wheel with twenty teeth. The speed of the
pinion therefore in this instance will be five to one of the toothed wheel, and
the power by which the main shaft is turned will be in that proportion.
I have herein described my improvements as adapted to a machine upon
the circular bolt construction; but the movements of a Hervy's or a circular
comb machine being upon the same principle, may be worked by similar
contrivances to those exhibited in the Figures; that is, a tappet wheel

page_text: attached to a revolving shaft, may be employed for moving the levers which
actuate the locking bars, and also cams for moving the pusher bars, which are
similar operations to those described in the circular bolt machine, and have
the same effect. The end movements, that is, the shifting or shogging of the
several bars, may be effected in the circular comb machine exactly as described
in the circular bolt machine, and in which I should employ the revolving
inclined plaines bearing against the levers for the purpose of bringing out the
point bars; also the revolving cams for pressing up the points, and likewise
the wheel with semicircular recesses which moves a lever that causes the
work to be progressively wound round the beam, all which contrivances are
so fully shown in the Drawings and description that a representation of a
circular comb machine with these parts adapted to it is, I consider, altogether
unnecessary.
The straight bolt machine varies considerably in its movements from the
foregoing, though similar in its ulterior effect. I have, therefore, thought it
desirable to shew the manner in which I attach my improvements to that
machine, so as to actuate it by a rotatory movement instead of working by
the hands and feet of the operator as usual.
Figure 5 is an end view of a straight bolt machine; Figure 6, a section of
the same. a is a horizantal shaft extending along the machine, and which is
made to revolve by means of the conical rigger actuating a centripetal pinion,
the curved projections of which take into a toothed wheel upon the end of the
shaft a, in the manner before explained and exhibited in Figures 1 and 4.
Rotatory motion being thus given to the main shaft a, the projections on the
tappet wheel b strike the lever c of the locker bars d, d, six times in every
revolution, the work wheels being cut suitable for twelve motions to complete
the mesh; and the cam wheels-e and f, as they revolve, alternately push the
levers g and h, which, being attached to the shaft i, cause that shaft, by means
of the lever k, to give the traversing motion to the body of the machine. At
the reverse end of the shaft a to that where the rigger acts another centripetal
pinion is attached, which, by taking into a wheel m with eight teeth upon
a vertical shaft n, causes that shaft to make one revolution while the main
shaft revolves twice. At. the upper end of this vertical shaft n a snail o is
fixed, which as it revolves alternately strikes one of the levers p, p, attached
to the point bars q, q, and by these means the points are drawn out of the
meshes ready for taking up. The machine exhibited in the Figures 5 and 6
was constructed to move by the agency of the hands and feet, and is in no
respect altered, excepting in the introduction of the improved parts fyr

page_text: working it by rotatory power, and it may, like the former machines, be
changed at pleasure, and actuated by either means. The vertical shaft and
its appendages may be adapted to some descriptions of circular comb machines
and circular bolt machines; (that is to say,) those which have the work-
wheels in front. Under such circumstances, therefore, I should adapt this
shaft and its snail for moving the point bars or such other snail or eccentric
wheel as the peculiar modifications of the machine may require. The
tappet wheels and cams are shewn in the Drawings of such forms as are
adapted to the machinery which they have to move; but as slight variations
in the dimentions and positions of the parts of the different hand machines
now in use would cause the tappets and cams to be altered, it would be
impossible to, describe any invariable rule by which they should be formed,
and in adapting them to old machines I can only attach a plain wheel to the
revolving shaft, and mark the points of action to which the periphery of the
cams or tappets should be cut.
In the several Drawings attached hereto I have necessarily shewn many
parts which are not new, and are consequently not intended to be claimed by
me. I, therefore, consider it necessary to state in the first place that my
claim of Invention consists in the adaptation of the rotatory contrivances
above described to hand machines of the three principles called the circular
bolt machine, Hervy's or the circular comb machine, and the straight bolt
machine.
Secondly, I claim the adaptation of the conicle rigger and its appendages,
the centripetal pinion, and the wheel with inclined teeth which it takes
into, the inclined plain wheel for obtaining a right-angle gear, the revolving
inclined plaines upon the lateral shaft for driving out the point bars, and
the revolving snail wheel upon the vertical shaft for the like purpose, when
such several contrivances are applied to other descriptions of lace machines
actuated by a rotatory power. And,
Thirdly, I claim the application of the levers worked by cam wheels for
pressing up the point bars in taking up the twist, which last are applicable to
various constructions of lace-making machines, whether actuated by hand or
rotatory power.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Lingford, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-four
JOHN (L.S.) LINGFORD.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eighteenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord 1824, the aforesaid John Lingford came before our
said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-four.