CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS D J MACHINERY USED FOR MAKING BOBBIN NET LACE, FOR THE PURPOSE (BY SUCH IM-. PROVEMENTS) OF MAKING CERTAIN KINDS OF ORNAMENTED NET OR LACE WITH SUCH. MACHINERY
Year: 1835

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, WILLIAM
SAMUEL HENSON, of Chard, in the County of Somerset, Machinest, send.
greeting.
WHEREAS I did, by petition, humbly represent unto His present most
Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth, that, after considerable appli-
cation and expense, I had invented "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS D
J
MACHINERY USED FOR MAKING BOBBIN NET LACE, FOR THE PURPOSE (BY SUCH IM-.
PROVEMENTS) OF MAKING CERTAIN KINDS OF ORNAMENTED NET OR LACE WITH SUCH.
MACHINERY;" and is said Majesty, being willing to give encouragement to all.
arts and inventions which may be for the public good, was graciously pleased,,
by His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing dato at Westminster, the First day of
October, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, in the sixth year of His
reign, for Himself, His heirs and successors, to give and grant unto me,
the said William Samuel Henson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, :
His especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I or they,
by myself or themselves, or by my or their deputies, servants, or agents, or,
such others as I or they should agree with, and no others, during the term of
fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercice, and vend my said Invention within that part of Ilis
said Majesty's Dominions called England, His Dominion of Wales, and Town,
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all His Majesty's Colonies and Planta-
tions, abroad, in such manner as to me, my executors, administrators, and

page_text: assigns, shall seem meet, and as that I or they shall enjoy the whole profit
and advantage arising by reason of the said Invention during the said term of
fourteen years, and for that end is said Majesty requires and strictly com-
mands all is subjects whatsoever that they shall not, neither directly nor
indirectly, make, use, or put in practice my said Invention, or any part
thereof, nor in anywise counterfeit, imitate, or resemble the same, nor make
any addition thereto or subtraction therefrom, whereby to pretend himself or
themselves to be the Inventor or Inventors thereof: And whereas the said
Letters Patent contain a proviso, obliging me, the said William Samuel
Henson, 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 inrolled 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 same (reference
being thereunto had) will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Samuel Henson, do hereby declare that my said Invention is
described and ascertained in imanner following, and by the aid of the eleven
Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
My said improvements in certain machinery used for making bobbin net
lace relates partly to that class of such machinery which is commonly known
to persons conversant with the manufacture of bobbin net by the term single-
tier machinery, because all the bobbins in carriages thereof are arranged in one.
row, and are all passed and repassed through between the warp threads
together, side by side, in a single row with one motion. The particular kind
of single-tier machinery which I have selected for explaining the application of
my improvements thereto is well known by the name of Lever's machinery;
and my improvements are also applicable to double-tier machinery, which is so
called because the bobbins in carriages thereof are arranged in two rows or
divisions one before the other, and one of those rows or divisions is passed
through by itself between the warp threads at one motion, and then the other
row or division is passed through afterwards by another like motion, so as to
obtain by double operation the same result as is obtained at one operation
in single-tier machinéry, and the particular kind of double-tier machinery
which I have selected for explaining the application of my improvements
thereto is well known by the namie of double-tier circular bolt or circular
comb machinery. And the kind of ornamented net or lace which is made
by my improvenients, when the same are applied to the aforesaid bobbin
net machinery, is lace. or net of that kind which is made by such machinery.

page_text: without what is termed diagonal traversing of any of its threads from sel-
vedge to selvedge, altho' the lace or net is composed of warp threads and
bobbin threads intertwisted and combined into a network by twists formed
by the union of bobbin threads and warp threads, in the same manner as is
usual in all other kinds of bobbin net lace with traversing threads, and the
said lace of net also contains crossings, which unite the aforesaid twists, so as
to produco meshes of net or lace, those uniting crossings being formed by
adjacent warp threads intersecting each other obliquely diagonally, but never-
theless without really traversing from selvedge or selvedge as in other kinds of
bobbin net; for although each of the said 'adjacent warp threads makes a short
step of mutual diagonal traversing in contrary obliquo directions at the several
places where those threads form crossings, in the same manner as is usually
done by the traversing threads' in ordinary bobbin net, nevertheless, instead of
continuing to proceed in such oblique directions from selvedge to selvedge, the
said adjacent warp threads do not proceed far in such obliquo direction, before
they begin to return again with an opposite direction of traversing obliquity
in order to 'form other adjacent and succeeding crossings; wherefore the said
warp threads proceed along the length of the piece of this kind of net or lace
by a zig-zag course, forming crosses with each other, and forming twists with
the bobbin threads, which latter proceed along the length of the net, in the
same manner as the longitudinal threads proceed in all other kinds of bobbin
net. This kind of net or lace without traversing threads, whereof a specimen
is delineated in Sheet IV., and of which there are many varieties answering to
the above description, is very commonly manufactured by the aforesaid
kinds of machinery for inaking bobbin net lace, and the mode of 'making
the same by such machinery being well known, and being no part of my
present Invention, it does not require a more particular explanation, excepting
as to the ornaments which are to be introduced into such lace or net by
operation of my said improvements, in order that tho said net, when made
by nid thereof by such machinery, may be ornamented net or lace. The
ornaments produced by some parts of my said improvenients are of the
nature of what is called clothwork interwoven in patches along the borders
of what are termed breadths of the aforesaid kind of lace or net without
traversing threads, such clothwork being for ornament thereof. The said orna-
mental patches of clothwork are formed by the introduction of additional
threads called cloth work weft threads, and which are introduced by this part
of my improvements during the making of the lace or net, so that they
pass alternately under and over, or between certain of those warp threads and
corresponding bobbin threads, which, if they were united as aforesaid by

page_text: twisting and crossing, would form the network. The texture of such cloth-
work is of the nature of wicker basket work, or of woven cloth, all those
warps and bobbin threads which enter as aforesaid into the formation of the
cloth work, assuming a longitudinal direction parallel to each other, whilst
they continue in the said clothwork, so that they constitute the warp threads
thereof, and the same are cross woven by the said additional weft threads,
the two kinds of threads being combined in the manner of the warp and weft
threads of cloth. The successive patches of such clothwork which are formed
by my improvements at intervals along the length of such net or lace are
joined together and retained at their intended distances apart by twists, formed
by the union of those particular warp threads corresponding and bobbin
threads, which, as aforesaid, constitute the warp of the clothwork, and which
threads proceed longitudinally throughout the piece of net or lace without any
traversing or forming any crossings; but in passing along the clothwork, as the
warp threads thereof, they keep close together in pairs, consisting of one
bobbin thread and one corresponding warp thread, and which threads, when
they are not in the clothwork, are, as before mentioned, twisted together in
those pairs, in order to form twists for filling up the intervals between the
succeeding patches of clothwork. All this is explained by the specimen
delineated in Sheet 1V. The said patches of clothwork are formed along the
edges of what are called breadths of the said kind of net or lace without
traversing threads, the meshes thereof being interwoven with the clothwork so
as to become united thereto for forming the transparent tissue or ground of
the clothwork patches, which latter are the ornament of the net or lace. And
note. The said narrow breadths are united together into one broad continuous
tissue during the progress of the fabrication of such ornamented net or lace
by means of temporary whipping threads introduced by the machinery, and
which are alternately withdrawn from such tissue in order to separate the
breadths from each other, after the usual manner of manufacturing breadths,
and each breadth so separated will be ornamented net or lace, with a bordering
or edging, consisting of patches of clothwork succeeding each other at
intervals along the length of such breadth at one edge thereof. And note.-
Clothwork ornamented net or lace of the above kind (or which presents a
similar appearance to the eye) having been manufactured by others, and
forming no part of my Invention, need not be further described.
And some parts of my improvements in single-tier Lever's machinery, or in
double-tier circular bolt or circular comb machinery, for making bobbin net
lace, consist in the application thereto of certain additional parts or apparatus
heroin-after described, for the purpose (by such improvements) of making the

page_text: aforesaid kind of clothwork ornamented net or lace with such machinery.
The said additional parts or apparatus, whereof the aforesaid applications
constitute parts of my improvements, consists of certain revolving thread
guides, with suitable accessary mechanism for supplying the aforesaid weft
threads of the intended clothworth in a suitable manner for causing the same
to be interwoven with or interlaid between those pairs of warp threads and
corresponding bobbin threads which, as aforesaid, are to form the warp of the
clothworth. Each of the said revolving thread guides is affixed to a revolving
hollow cylindrical tube, which is fitted over another smaller hollow cylindrical
tube, the latter being fixed upon a suitable guide bar in the lace machine, and
held up thereby in a vertical position, or nearly so, in order to serve as an
axis about which the first-mentioned revolving tube with its weft thread guide is
to revolve, and the said axis being hollow will admit a cluster of four or more
ordinary warp threads to be included so as to pass up through its hollow, being
those particular warp threads which (in concurrence with their corresponding
bobbin threads) are to form the cluster of warp threads for each patch of the
intended clothwork. One such revolving tube with a revolving weft thread
guide is provided at every place in the width of the machine where a patch
of clothwork is intended to be made in the width of the net by simultaneous
operation of the improvement. Whenever the bobbin carriages are to be passed
or repassed with their accustomed swinging motion through between the warp
threads, the said revolving tubes must remain motionless in such positions
that the several revolving weft thread guides (whereof each revolving tube has
one) will stand properly arranged in exact conformity with the places of some
of ordinary warp threads of the lace machine, so that the bobbin carriages in
passing and repassing between the warp threads with their accustomed vibra-
tion or swinging motion will find free passage by the sides of all the said weft
thread guides without interfering with the same, the said bobbin carriages
also finding free passage between those warp threads which pass up as
aforesaid in clusters through the hollow of the fixed tubes upon which the
moveable tubes are mounted, and each of which clusters of included warp
threads, as before mentioned, is to constitute the warp threads for each of the
patches of the clothwork. Each of the revolving guides for the weft threads
must stand in due continuation of the row of each cluster of those last-
mentioned included warp threads whenever the bobbin carriages are to be
passed or repassed between the warp threads, but that due continuation is
sometimes at the left hand of the cluster of included warp threads to which
each weft thread guide belongs, and at other times at the right hand of the
same. Those conditions being understood, the action of the revolving woft

page_text: thread guides, whereby they supply or int.rlay weft threads between the said
included warp threads and their corresponding bobbin threads, is as follows:--
When the bobbin carriages are all swung out to their furthest extent from the
warp threads, so as to be quite withdrawn therefrom and within their combs,
then if patches of clothwork are to be made, the several revolving tubes
must be all turned round about their respective fixed tubes, each one.exactly
half a revolution in that direction of revolving motion, which will causo
all their several weft thread guides to quit their places where they stood
in continuation of the rows or clusters of included warp threads when
the bobbin carriages were passing, and the said weft thread guides moving
out of that row with a semicircular sweep towards the extended bobbin
carriages, the conclusion of that semicircular sweep will carry the said
weft guides back again into new places in continuation of the same rows
or clusters; but in consequence of those. new places being on the contrary
sides of the several clusters of those included warp threads which pass up
through the hollows of cach of the respective tubes, each of the weft threads
which is guided by the said revolving guides with such semicircular motion
will become end across or athwart each cluster of the said included warp
threads, so as to intersect the same in a suitable manner for forming a shoot
or. transverse course of weft thread in part of. the- intended formation of
a patch of clothwork; and immediately after one such course of. cach weft
thread has by those means been laid across each cluster of included warp
threads, and so soon as the revolving-weft thread guides have taken their new
places aforesaid, they must remain motionless therein, and then the taking-up
points or pins are applied in order to take up the said course of each weft
thread which has been just laid, and immediately after that taking up the
bobbin carriages, resuming their accustomed swing, repass the carriages
through between the warp threads into the opposite combs until they are
drawn quite through therein so as to be clear of the warp threads, and then
the several revolving tubes are turned round again exactly another half turn
in the same direction of revolving motion as before with another semicircular
sweep towards the extended bobbin carriages, in order to lay the several weft
threads transversely across the same cluster of included warp threads, as
before, but intersecting them in a contrary direction and at the opposite side of
them; that is to say, supposing that all the bobbin carriages were swung for-
wards into the front combs when the first-mentioned semicircular sweep of
the several revolving weft thread guides was made, the effect of that motion
would be to lay one transverse course of each weft thread in a direction from
the right hand towards the left hand across the front side of each cluster of

page_text: corresponding included warp threads, which course being taken up by appro-
priato action of the back row of taking-up points, then on repassing the
bobbin carriages through backwards between the warp threads, the bobbin
threads proceeding from them will enclose the said transverse course of weft
thread (which has just been taken up) between those included warp threads in
front of each cluster of which each of the said courses of weft threads was
laid across, and then corresponding bobbin threads, whereby the course of weft
threads so interlaid across and enclosed become interwoven, in the manner of
portions of clothwork. The carriages being swung quite behind into the
back combs, then the above-mentioned second semicircular sweep of the weft
thread guides is made for carrying the several weft threads across behind the
several clusters of included warp threads; in a direction from the left hand
towards the right hand, in order to form the next succeeding transverse course
of each weft thread, and the said course so laid is then to be taken up by
appropriate action of the front row of taking-up points; after which the bobbin
carriages being swung forwards again to bring them through between the
warp threads into the front combs, the said transverse course of weft thread,
which has just been taken up will thereby become enclosed between those
included warp threads between each cluster of which each of the said courses
of weft thread was laid across and their corresponding bobbin threads; which
being done, the courses of weft threads so interlaid across and enclosed,
become interwoven in a suitable manner to form other succeeding portions of
clothwork. The operation then goes on by repeating what is above described,
viz, by turning each of the revolving tubes with its weft thread guide another
half turn, in the same direction of turning motion as before, which will lay
another transverse course of weft thread across from right to left in front of
each cluster of included warp threads, laying the same in the open space
between those threads and their corresponding bobbin threads, which course
so laid being taken up by the back points, and the carriages being put through
backwards between the warp threads into the back combs, their bobbin threads
will enclose and secure the said course of weft thread, so as to form an
additional portion of each patch of clothwork, and then the revolving tubes
with their weft thread guides arc. turned round again another half turn (still
in the same direction as before), which will lay another transverse course of
weft thread across from left to right behind each cluster of excluded warp
threads, laying the same in the open space between those threads and their
corresponding bobbin threads, and the said course so laid being taken up by
the front points, and the carriages being brought through forwards into the
front combs, their bobbin threads will enclose and secure the said course of

page_text: weft thread, so as to form another further portion of each patch of clothwork,
and so on, the operation of interweaving clothwork is continued until as
many successive courses of weft threads have been formed as is required for a
-row of patches of cloth work. And note. All the time that the. formation of
patches of clothwork is carrying on by action of this part of my improvement
in manner aforesaid, the ordinary formation of net without traversing threads
is going on, side by side, with the clothwork at the lateral intervals between
the patches thereof, for the aforesaid action of the revolving tubes with their
.weft thread guides does not at all interfere with the racking motions required
to be given to the ordinary guide bars for racking those warp threads which
are to be made into net, by intertwisting them with the bobbin threads, and
occasionally crossing the said warp threads over each other, neither is the
making of the net interfered with by that continual action of the points which
is requisite, as before described, for taking up each of the successive transverse
,courses of each weft thread immediately after the same has been laid across
the corresponding included warp threads; and for producing intervals between
the succeeding rows of patches of clothwork, the turning motion of the
revolving tubes; with their weft thread guides, is to be discontinued, leaving
them motionless in their places in the general row of warp threads, and
whilst they thus remain motionless the requisite intertwisting must take place
of the pairs of. included warp threads and their corresponding bobbin threads,
because it is those pairs which inclose and confine the successive courses of
weft threads between them in order to form the patches of clothwork, and
.the same pairs must afterwards form twists, in order to fill up the intervals
between the succeeding patches, so as to retain them at their intended distances
apart. For this purpose, the guide bar whereon the interior tubes are fixed
for supporting the revolving tubes of the weft guides is actuated with such
racking motions as are suitable for. racking the included. warp threads, which
pass up through the hollow of the said tubes in such manner as together-with
the passing and repassing of the bobbin carriages between the warp threads will
produce the required twists. And note.-The said included warp threads which
pass up through the hollow of the said interior tubes may be guided through
the eyes of guides which are fixed to the upper ends of the interior tubes, or
else the said threads or some of them may be threaded through the eyes of
guides, whereof the stems stand up within the hollow of the interior tubes,
.those stems being affixed. at their lower ends to another guide bar situated
.beneath the tubes, near to that guide bar whereon the interior tubes are fixed
and the said two guide bars being quite distinct from each other, part of the
included warp threads which pass, up through the interior bollow of the tubes

page_text: may have different racking motions given to them from the racking motions
which are at the same time given to such others of the same threads as may be
threaded through the eyes of guides which are affixed, as aforesaid, to the
upper ends of the interior..tubes, so that the said tubes serve as the stems for
those guides; but in any case the guides for all the several included warp
threads which are, conducted up through the hollow of each of the interior
tubes must be included within such space as that of the revolving. weft thread
guide which is affixed to and carried by the outermost revolving tube may have
liberty to pass quite round all the said included guides without interference there-
with, so as to permit the outermost tube to perform. its revolution as before
described, in order to lay the weft thread across and across all the said included
warp threads alternately backwards and forwards, and alternately in front and at
back of those threads, each revolving tube and guide moving through a senii-
circle at each time of moving, and then making a pause whilst the bobbin
carriages are passed or repassed between the warp threads, in order to inclose
and retain the last course of weft threads which has been laid across by the
recent semicircular motion of the revolving tubes and weft thread guides.
And note. Every such pause must be made when each revolving weft thread
guide is exactly in place in continuation of the row of its cluster of included
warp threads, viz., those which are conducted up through the hollow of the
interior tube belonging to each revolving weft thread guide. At one time of
pausing the weft thread guide will stand thus in continuation at the right-
hand end of the said row, but at the next succeeding time of pausing the same
guide will stand in continuation at. the left-hand end of the same row. In
order to afford a continual supply of the weft thread which is guided through
the eye of each of the said revolving. weft guides, a store of such thread may be
wound around a tubular bobbin, which is fitted loosely upon the outside of the
revolving tube, and a slight spring may be applied within the hollow of the
tubular bobbin, to cause just so much friction between it and the revolving
tube as is requisite for producing a proper tension of the weft thread, for at
every semicircular motion which performs the aforesaid laying of that thread
across its corresponding warp threads a suitable portion of the weft thread is
pulled off and unwound from. the tubular bobbin. The revolving guide for
weft thread is carried up to. a considerable height above the top of the
revolving tube to which it is affixed, in order that it may stand up between the
combs of the lace machine, so that the eye at the upper end of the revolving
guide, from which the weft thread issues, will be above the tops of the bobbin
carriages and when they are passed and repassed between the warp threads
they will pass by the several revolving.weft guides, which stand up, as aforo-

page_text: said, leaving the same quite at liberty in the intervals between the adjacent
carriages which are passing or repassing. The top of the revolving tube and
of its interior tube is below the combs of the machine, as to those and guides
for the included warp threads, which may, as before mentioned Le fixed to the
upper end of the interior tube. Such guides only stand up a little way above
the tops of the tubes, with their eye standing at the same height as the ordi-
nary guides for warp threads stand at, that is, below tho.combs, so as to be
beneath the carriages when the same are passed or repassed. The object of
carrying tho weft thread guides up above the carriages, as aforesaid, is, that the
points in the act of taking up may descend below the eyes of those guides, so
as to be certain that the points will reach and take up the course of weft thread
which has been laid across the included warp threads by the aforesaid semi-
-circular motion of the revolving weft thread guide; and as to the manner of
giving the requisite motions to such revolving thread guides for weft threads,
by accessary mechanism thereto, and combining and incorporating the same
with the parts of the ordinary machinery used for making bobbin net lace; the
complete machinery, including my improvements, is represented in the several
Drawings hereunto annexed, and the following explanations thereof, together
with the writing on those Drawings, will fully explain the manner of per-
forming my improvements.
. Description of a single-tier machine for making bobbin nct lace, called
Lever's machine, with one part of the improvements applied thereto, for the
purpose by such improvement of making clothwork ornamented net or lace
whereof the plain ground or unornamented part is without traversing threads.
The clothwork ornamented net or lace as made by the machinery being in
breadths, with edging or bordering ornaments of clothwork disposed in patches
along one edge of each breadth, seo Sheets I. to IV. of the Drawing hereunto
annexed. The same letters and numeral characters are used for reference to
the same parfs in all the different Drawings. All parts which operate in
concurrence for the performance of each distinct portion of the operation of
making the ornamented net or. lace are distinguished by the same tint of
coloring. The framing and fixed parts or supports for the moving parts of the
machinery are distinguished by a tinting of indian ink. The ordinary Lever's
machinery used for making plain bobbin net being commonly what is termed
ten, or eleven, or twelve point gage, has twenty, or twenty-two, or twenty-four
combs and bobbing carriages side by side in each inch of the width of the
machine. But for making clothwork, ornamented net of the kind herein-before
described by this part of my improvements, it is best to use a very much
coarser gage than is usual for plain net, which may be accomplished by

page_text: leaving out every other carriage and working with half the number of carriage,
or else new combs may be made suitable for what would be termed a five or
six point gage, that is, with ten or twelve cells or spaces per inch in their row,
for the reception of the bobbin carriages, the thickness of the carriages and
bobbins themselves remaining such as is usual for ten or twelve point gage
machinery, and the taking-up points also remaining as usual, so that there
will be just as many points per inch in their respective rows as the number of
carriages per inch in their row; for instance, ten points per inch and only
ten carriages per inch, and ten guides per inch for warp threads on the two-
guide bar, will be a suitable gage for machinery to work according to this part
of my improvements. The usual pushers or dividers for dividing the bobbin
carriages of Lever's machinery are to be removed with all their necessary
mechanism, because in making net as aforesaid without traversing threads the
bobbin carriages do not require to be divided, but they always continue in one
row or division, and the same carriages always work in the same spaces
between the combs. The catch bars and landing bars remain as usual, but
the usual catch bar wheels are changed for others having alternate rises and
falls. The comb bars and combs are set wider apart than usual in order to
leave sufficient space between them for the introduction of the revolving tubes
and their revolving weft thread guides, before described; for this purpose the
lower edges of the comb bars should be spread out much wider apart than
usual, although the upper edges, where the leads of the combs are fixed on the
bars, cannot be much farther asunder than usual, therefore the arms of the
main joints should be bended, so as to tilt the comb bars and spread their
lower edges wider apart than usual, and the upper edges, where the leads of
combs are to be fixed on, may be filed to a new bevil, and if new combs are
made, their leads may be adapted to hold the combs in their usual and proper
positions, notwithstanding the unusual inclination of the comb bars. The comb
bars will have no racking motions, but are to be made fast endways between
their stop screws at each end of each comb bar. The ordinary racking wheels
are to be removed and others substituted with their steps suitably formed for
making net without traversing threads, those racking wheels being adapted to
complete their revolution in the time that four rows of complete meshes of the
plain net without traversing threads are making. The specimen of that net,
delineated in Sheet IV., shews that every alternate row of meshes is contracted
to a smaller size than the intermediate rows which are larger meshes.
is owing to the larger meshes having more twists of bobbin and warp threads
in their sides than the smaller meshes have; and also, because the zig-zag
warp threads, which by their crossings form the tops and bottoms of the
This

page_text: meshes,, begin to return with an opposite obliquity of traversing direction
every time that they have received at one of those small meshes which bas
less twist in its sides, and have by their mutual crossings formed the top of
such a mesh, wherefore the tensions of both the crossing threads concur, in
consequence of their mutual return of direction, to close and contract the
lateral opening of the small mesh, the opening thereof in a longitudinal direc-
tion being contracted in consequence of the less extent of twist in the sides of
that small mesh. By tracing the course of the zig-zag warp threads in the
Drawing of the specimen, Sheet IV., each pair, consisting of any two adjacent
threads of that kind, will be found to set out on their return of oblique direc-
tion, and to diverge from each other immediately after having completed their
twists a, b, with certain bobbin threads which are not the corresponding bobbin
threads of those zig-zag threads, but those twists constitute the two sides of
one of the smaller meshes d. The first crossing which tho said pair of zig-zag
warp threads a, b, make with each other in so returning or diverging from each
other forms the lowermost side of the aforesaid small mesh d, completing tho
same, that crossing being also the upper side of a large mesh c, which is
about to be begun; then the same zig-zag warp threads a, b, after so crossing
continue to diverge and proceed to intertwist with their corresponding bobbin
threads f, g, in order to form the two upper inclining sides of the large mesh
e, before mentioned as newly begun, and having done so, the said two zig-zag
threads a, b, then make fresh crossings, not with each other, as before, but each
one crosses over its neighbouring zig-zag thread, in order by those crossings to
form the uppermost side of other small meshes k, k, which are about to be begun,
after which the same zig-zag threads a, b, form twists with other bobbin threads
adjacent to their own corresponding bobbin threads f, g, with which they
twisted the last time, the said twists forming the sides of the small meshes k, k,
last mentioned as newly begun, and having completed those twists, the said
zig-zag threads then begin to return again with contrary obliquity, so as to
approach each other, and in so doing they first form crosses with the same zig-zag
threads which they crossed last time, the crossings forming the lowermost sides of
the small meshes k, k, last mentioned, and completing the same; and then the
same zig-zag threads a, b, resume twisting with their corresponding bobbiu
threads f, g, to form the lower inclining sides of the large mesh e; after which
the said two zig-zag warp threads a, b, meet and cross each other again, their
crossing forming the lowermost side of the large mesh e, completing the same
and commencing another small mesh l; and after that crossing, the said zig-zag
warp threads a, b, continuing to diverge from each other form twists with two
neighbouring threads to their own corresponding threads f, g, those twists

page_text: being the upright sides of the small mesh 1, and answering in every respect to
those twists first mentioned as the sides of the small mesh d. The wholo
texture of a row of large and small meshes has now been traced, and the con-
tinuance of making further meshes is only a repetition of the above. In the
usual mode of making such net without traversing threads by bobbin net
machinery, the racking wheels are made to go once round, whilst a row of
large meshes and then a row of intervening small ones are completed, as has
been traced in the above description; but for making clothwork ornamented
net of that texture according to this part of my improvements, the racking
wheels should be divided into twenty-four racking steps, and the wheels should
go only once round in the time that twice as much as the above-mentioned.
length of plain net is completed, viz., a row of large meshes, then an inter-
vening row of small meshes, then another row of large meshes, and then another
intervening row of small meshes should be made for each complete turn of.
the racking wheels.. That length of plain net will include a row of complete
patches of the cloth work ornaments, with the intervening twists, which are to
fill up the interval between one row of such patches and the next such row,.
as is clearly represented in the specimen, Sheet IV., each patch of clothwork
consisting of six horizontal courses of weft thread, which are interlaid by cach of
the revolving weft thread guides, making three compleat revolutions, or six of
the successive semicircular motions, herein, before explained. But note.-The
said number of horizontal courses and turns of the revolving guides will be
varied according to the pattern of clothwork ornaments required to be made,
and if the pattern, together with the interval between the repetitions thereof,
extends over a greater length of net than above mentioned, then the racking
wheels must contain more than twenty-four racking steps, and must go once,
round in the time that as much net is made as will contain one row of com-
plete patches of clothwork with the intervening twists between the successive
rows of patches. The ordinary mode of suspending the point bars in Lever's
machines may be altered, in order that the points may be tilted down for.
penetrating amongst the threads in preparation for taking up. The manner
of effecting this action will be further explained. Lever's machinery suitably
adapted for making net or lace without traversing threads, and having this part-
of my said improvements applied thereto, may be worked by manual labour
for making cloth work ornamented net of the aforesaid kind, the workman
operating by his bands and feet with handles and treadles, after the usual
manner of working Lever's machinery; but I prefer to actuate all the parts of
the machinery, including that which relates to this part of my improvements, by.
what is termed rotary machinery, and by means whereof the requisite motions

page_text: of all the several parts is derived from the continuous rotative motion of
one axis or handle, which may be turned round by a man with a winch
handle, or it may be turned by millwork actuated by steam or water power.
The Lever's machine, represented in Sheets II. and III. of the Drawings, is
provided with such rotary machinery. But note.-I do not make claim
thereto as part of my Invention. The ordinary seat for the workman is
removed, and suitable bearing bars of iron are serowed to the wood frame to
sustain a horizontal axis A at the left-hand end of the machine, which axis is
turned continually round by means of what is termed a fast and looco pulley
applied upon the extreme end of the axis A, with an endless strap or belt
encompassing one or other of those pulleys to communicate motion thereto
from another like pulley fixed on a revolving axis at the ceiling of the room in
which the machine is placed, the latter axis being turned by millwork. The
endless strap being caused to act upon the fast pulley, which is fixed fast on
the axis A, will turn the same round, and thereby give motion to all the
machinery, but when the strap is turned aside to the loose pulley, the same
being fitted loose upon the axis A, will not communicate any motion thereto,
but will leave all the machinery motionless. This being the usual mode of actua-
ting lace machinery by power, requires no farther explanation; but if it is pre-
ferred to work the said rotary machinery by hand labour with a turning handle,
the same may be done by applying such a handle on a horizontal axis situated
nearly over the axis A, as is shown by dotted lines at B; that upper axis B,
having a spur cog wheel C of thirty-six teeth fixed upon one end of it, operates
by means of an intermediate spur wheel to turn the spur wheel. D of seventy-
two teeth, which is fixed upon the lower axis A. The turning handle on the
end of the dotted axis B may be a winch handle, reaching along into a con-
venient position in front of the machine, for the workman to turn it whilst he is
watching the operation of the machinery on the threads, all which is a common
mode of actuating rotary machinery by hand. Upon the axis A a revolving
camm E is fixed; it is surrounded by a ring or belt c, e, affixed to the camm E
by lateral arms, so as to leave a curved groove all round, between the camm E
and its belt e, e, for the reception of a small truck or roller, which is fitted on
a pin projecting laterally from the end of the horizontal arm of an elbow
lever F, F, which is mounted on a centre pin g fixed to the framing, and the
upright arm of the elbow lever F is connected at its upper end by a horizontal
link with the ordinary cross connecting link of Lever's machinery, called the
goose-neck link, and which link is connected by a joint at its frontmost end
with the front landing bar, and at its backmost end by another joint with the
lower end of the back or drawing tackle lever, the upper end of which

page_text: lever is connected by a back link with the back landing bar. The object
of that mode of connecting the back and front landing bars being to cause
them always to advance towards each other or recede from each other'
with equal and simultaneous motions in contrary directions. The centre
of motion of the aforesaid back lever is a strong horizontal axis, with such
levers affixed to it at each end, and they are connected, as above described,
with the front landing bar by a goose-neck link, and with the back landing
bar by a back link, in order to communicate equal motion to the landing bars
at each end of each one, all which is well known as the usual parts of Lever's'
machinery, and requires no farther description. The curve of the revolving
cam E is adapted to gather in the truck of the elbow lever F towards the
axis A, so as to close the landing bars towards each other in making one'
quarter of a revolution of the axis A; and then in anotlier succeeding quarter.
of a revolution thereof, the curve E removes the truck of the elbow levér F
away from the axes A, so as to extend the landing bar again from each other,
thus completing one half of a revolution; and then for the other half the curve
of the camm E is a semicircle, concentric with the axis A, wherefore it retains
the truck of the elbow lever F, and consequently the landing bars, in their
extended position, with the bobbin carriages quite withdrawn from the threads,
as is represented in Sheets I. and II.; consequently at every revolution of the
axis A. and its camm E the landing bars are closed together to give the bobbin
carriages their swing and insert thein between the warp threads to their
central position, where one of the catch-bars is let fall and the other is lifted
by instantaneous action of their respective catch bar wheels, then by action
of the camm E the landing bars are opened away from each other for con-
tinuing the swing of the bobbin carriages and drawing them out from between
the warp threads on the opposite side thereof to that side on which they wero
beforo situated, and after that is done the landing bars make a long pause with
all the carriages fully extended and quite withdrawn from between the warp
threads, the pause being made for the purpose of allowing the aforesaid opera-
tion of the revolving weft thread guides to be performed according to this part
of my improvements; henco every revolution of the camm E will pass the
bobbin carriages once through between the warp threads out of one row of
combs into the opposite row, and, owing to the action of the catch bar wheels,"
the bobbin carriages will be passed through between the warp threads from the
front combs into the back ones at one revolution of the camm E, and will be
repassed in an opposite direction from the back combs into the frout ones at
the next succeeding revolution; and the further action of the revolving camin E
is, a continual repetition of what has now Leen fully describel, producing a

page_text: +
continual and alternate passing and repassing of the bobbin carriages between
the warp, threads from front to back and from. back to front with a pause
between each such motion. And note. There is no interruption to this
succession of passing and repassing by dividing and traversing the carriages,
as is the case in Lever's machinery for making bobbin net with traversing 5
threads. This action of the camm E on the bobbin carriages being understood,
that of the point bars may now be explained. The spur wheel D of seventy
two teeth, which is fixed upon the axis A, turns another spur wheel G of ono
hundred and forty-four teeth, fixed upon the extreme end of a long horizontal.
axis H, which extends all the length of the machine from one end to the other,
and that axis has four revolving camms I, I, i, p, fixed upon it for actuating
the two point bars front and back. alternately, viz:-The camms I, I, act on
the front point bar to withdraw its pins from the meshes of the net, then the:
other camm i lowers or tilts the front points downwards, and when down the
camms I, I, allow the front points to penetrate amongst the threads, which
being done the camm i raises the front points up again in order to perform
their taking up action. The point bars, instead of being fixed fast to the lower
ends of their top joint links, as usual in Lever's machines, are connected thereto
by joints w, and short arms are affixed to each point bar at each end, thereof,
with joints at the ends of those arms to connect them with upright pendulous
links, which are suspended from fixed centre pins y, supported by brackets fixed:
to the end standards of the machine, and those links hanging freely along the
points to be withdrawn from the net and then to be reinserted amongst the
threads; but when the top joints by which the point bars are suspended with
the joints ware lowered down, the said pendulous links. retain the joints a of
the short arms from descending, and thereby cause the points to be tilted down
in descending in preparation for penetrating amongst the warp threads, and
also causes the points to be brought up to a level again when the top joints
are raised up for taking up. The withdrawing camms I, I, are both alike, and
one is fixed near each end of their long axis II; they operate against trucks at
the lower ends of two long upright levers K, K, which are poised by the middle.
of their lengths upon fixed centre pins sustained by the framing, and the upper
ends of those levers are connected by horizontal links with the front-point bar
at each end thereof. When the camms I, I, present depressions to: the trucks
of the levers K, K, then the front points are withdrawn from the net by action:
of suitable springs, and when elevations of the camms I, I, come round they
insert the points between the threads. The other camm i on the same hori-
zontal axis II is for raising and lowering the front point bar; this it does by its
circumference acting beneath a truck at the foremost end-of-a-lever L, which

page_text: is poised by its middle on a fixed centre pin, and from the hindmost end an
upright back link ascends to the hinder end of what is called the tail pole lever
of the front point bar. The lever L and its upright back link, being similar to
what is termed a treadle lever in modern Lever's machinery, requires no further
description. The depressions in the circumference of the camm i let the front
points tilt down, and the elevations thereof raise them up again. In like
manner, the back points are actuated by the same two camins I, I, for with-
drawing them, and by another camm p, on the long horizontal axis H, for
lowering and raising them. For thus withdrawing the back points the two
camms I, I, act against trucks at the foremost ends of horizontal sliding
bolts 8, which are suspended by pendulous links m, and the hindmost ends of
the bolts s are jointed to the lower ends of levers k, k, at the back of the
machine, which are precisely the same in respect to the back points as the
levers K, K, are to the front points. The camm p acts for lowering and
raising the back points by intervention of a treadle lever 1, and upright
back link and tail pole lever, exactly the same as the lever L for the front
points. The four camms I, I, i, and p, are suitably formed for actuating
each point bar once in each revolution of the axis H, that is, during one
half of that revolution the front point bar is actuated, and during the other
half of the same revolution the back point bar is actuated. Those actions of
the point bars always take place when the bobbin carriages are swung out
to their full extent and quite withdrawn from between the warp threads,
the taking-up being performed during the pause in the motion of the carriages,
which is occasioned by the concentric semicircle in the curvature of the
camm E, for immediately after the revolving weft thread guides, herein-before
described, have made their semicircular sweep for laying a course of weft
thread across the included warp threads which pass up through the hollow
tube and belong to the clothwork, the points proceed to take up the said
course; the back points operate for so taking up when the bobbin carriages
are pausing in the front combs, for immediately after the revolving weft thread
guides have, by a semicircular sweep towards the front, laid a course of each weft
thread across the included warp threads in front of them, that front course is
taken up by the back points; and the front points operate for taking up
when the bobbin carriages are passing in the back combs, for after a course
of each weft thread has been laid across behind the included warp threads,
t is by action of the front points that the said course is taken up. The
points.are guided laterally in the direction of the length of their respective
rows, so as to make their insertions properly amongst the threads which they
are intended to take up by means of fixed conducting plates, which are
D

page_text: sustained by the framing opposite to the left-hand end of each point bar, and
the bars are borne endways, in close contact with their conducting, plates, by
action of adequate springs. The surfaces. of the conducting plates are curved
suitably for guiding the points in making their insertions, and they are always
guided in the same manner at every successive taking up. All the racking
motions required for the machinery are derived from one large racking wheel
R, which operates by lateral steps projecting out from its flat surface in eight
concentric circles one within another, so that the large racking wheel R
answers the purpose of eight ordinary racking wheels. The large racking
wheel R is fixed on a horizontal axis X, which is supported in suitable
bearings at the right-hand end of the machine; it is turned round by a large
spur wheel S, of one hundred and eighty teeth, fixed on the extreme end of the
axis X, and turned by a pinion d, of fifteen teeth, fixed on the extreme end of
the long horizontal axis H; the racking wheel R is by that means turned
round once for twelve turns of the axis H, or twenty-four turns of the
revolving camm E, which actuates the landing bars and produces the swinging
motion of the bobbin carriages. The several circles of racking steps on the
flat surface of the large racking wheel R are all divided into twenty-four steps
or divisions, one of which divisions comes into action for every time that the
carriages are passed or repassed through between the warp threads, the
racking action being performed by the prominent steps on the flat surface of
the large racking wheel R, at the conclusion of the pause which is made by
the bobbin carriages, as before explained, and just before they resume their
swinging motions. The said steps on the eight concentric circles of the largo
racking wheel R operate upon the right-hand ends of eight horizontal sliding
bolts, which are mounted in suitable bearing sockets, and their left-hand ends
act by projecting stumps against gage screws at the lower ends of eight racking.
levers, which are mounted in a cluster P, P, on as many axis of motion,
supported in suitable bearings, and their upper ends are connected by hori-
zontal links, with the several guide bars and other bars or parts which require
racking motion to be communicated to them for the performance of their
respective duties in part of the operation of the machinery. The several guide
bars are shewn in the section, Sheet I.; five such bars are disposed one above
another at t, u, j, q, and v, beneath the front comb bar, and the guides are
affixed to them by long stems, which turn obliquely upwards inside the front
comb bar; t, v, are the two main guide bars for guiding those warp threads,
which, together with the bobbin threads, are to form the plain net or trans-
parent ground of the ornamented net or lace. The two main guide, bars t and v
have no guides fixed upon them, except opposite to those places in the width

page_text: of the machine where the plain net is to be made; and at all such places cach
bar has guides fixed upon it, in a row, at the rate of five guides per inch
making ten per inch in the two rows. There are vacancies left in each row of
main guides on the bars t and v, at every place in the width of the machine
where clothwork ornaments are to be introduced into the net by this part of
the improvements. The guides on the two main guide bars t, v, are for those
warp threads which, as before mentioned, are to proceed by zig-zag course
along the length of the net or lace, and which threads are to form the crossings
for uniting the twists that the bobbin threads make around the same warp
threads; and it is by so uniting the twists that the meshes of net are formed,
as before explained. Every alternate warp thread is threaded through the eye
of a guide on the bar t, and the intermediate threads are threaded through
the eyes of guides on the bar v. The warp threads which are thus guided by
guides on each distinct bar t and are supplied from distinct warp or thread
rollers n, o; each of those rollers being weighted suitably for giving as much
tension to the several warp threads as they are required to have in the net or
lace. The crossings of the said warp threads are produced by racking the two
guide bars t and v in contrary directions at the same time, so as to cause the
warp threads which belong to each guide bar to intersect and cross each other
in pairs, and at the instant that such crossing of pairs of warp threads is
effected, the points are inserted to gather and take up the crosses so made.
This is part of the ordinary process of making the aforesaid kind of net or lace
without traversing threads by Lever's machinery, and therefore requires no
further explanation. The guide bar q is for guiding the whipping or lacing
threads, by which the several breadths of net are laced together and united
into one tissue during the fabrication of the ornamented net or lace. There is
one such whipping thread required at every junction of the breadths; the
whipping threads are supplied from a distinct thread roller r.. The separation
which takes place in the tissue of net into distinct breaths results from the
omission of warp threads from the main guides on the bars t and v, where
vacancies are left in the rows thereof, as before mentioned, to make way for
the introduction of clothwork ornaments, because the crossings of the pairs of
warp threads which unite the twists to form the meshes, as before explained,
cannot take place where one of those warp threads is wanting, and hence the
lateral continuity of the tissue of net is interrupted. The whipping threads are
introduced at all such places, in order to preserve the continuity of the tissue
in a temporary manner until the net is finished, and then the whipping threads
are to be drawn out for separating the breadths from each other, and the
whipping threads must not be too firmly interwoven, or they would not draw

page_text: out easily. They are laced at intervals to the meshes of net at the left-hand
edges of the several breadths of net, and are likewise (at intervening intervals)
laced to the patches of clothwork ornaments which constitute the edging.or
bordering along the right-hand edges of the said breadth. Each of the
whipping threads proceeds by zig-zag steps from one such lacing, with one
edge to the next lacing with the other edge, as is sufficiently shewn in the
specimen delineated in Sheet IV., where it is also shewn that the whipping
threads obtain their hold of the clothwork, not by lacing around the weft
thread thereof, but by lacing around a bobbin thread which passes along the
extreme right-hand edge of the clothwork, being within the returning loops of
the weft threads of the clothwork; that bobbin thread is only of use to keep
the said returning loops extended to their full dimensions whilst the weaving is
going on, and it is ultimately withdrawn at the same time when the whipping
thread is withdrawn; and after those two threads are so withdrawn the return-
ing loops of the clothwork will open and spread out into what are called fan
edges, suitably for giving the intended ornamental appearance to the clothwork.
The guide bar is for guiding selvedge threads, which may be introduced into
the breadths along the plain part thereof, in order to give more strength and
appearance to the selvedge, if required, one pair of such. threads to each
selvedge, all which is as usual in making net without traversing threads, and
The
the said selvedge threads are supplied from a distinct roller of their own.
guide bar u is provided for guiding what are called gimp threads, which may
be introduced into the breadths of clothwork ornamented net, if desirable. The
course which such gimp threads may be made to assume in the tissue is repre-
sented in the Figure, Sheet IV. One such gimp thread may be inserted along
each breadth at the junction which the patches of clothwork make with the plain
net, and the. said gimp thread may be inserted in any way which will tend to
give an appearance of more complete union of the two sorts of work. The
gimp threads for the guides on the bar u are supplied from a distinct thread
roller. The five guide bars above mentioned perform, for the most part, the
same offices as those commonly used in Lever's machinery, for making plain
breadths of the aforesaid kind of net or lace without traversing threads, and
therefore require no farther explanation. The steps on the several concentric
circles of the racking wheel R are explained by separate Figures in Sheet IV. of
the Drawings, and by the writing thereon. There are two other guide bars
remaining to be described; they are for the support of the several guides
which, according to this part of the improvement, supply the warp threads and
the weft threads of the clothwork; those bars which are marked 1 and 6
Sheet I., are situated nearly in the centre of the space between the comb bars

page_text: in the place which the guide bar of Lever's machinery usually occupies. The
bar 1 is that to which the interior tubes 2, herein-before mentioned, are fixed,
and they stand up therefrom nearly in a vertical position, to serve as hollow
ones for the revolving tubes 3. Each of the interior tubes 2 is formed with a
foot at its lower end to apply to the edge of the bar 1, and it is fastened thereto
by a screw. One such interior tube 2 is affixed to the bar 1 at every place
along the length thereof where clothwork is intended to be made in the width
of the net, being.one tube to cach breadth of ornamented net or lace at the
right-hand edge thereof. Each interior tube 2 has one guide 4 fixed to it at
its upper end, and rising up rather higher than the top of the exterior
revolving tube 3, in a suitable manner for receiving a warp thread, which
passes up through the hollow of the tube 2, and is one of the included warp
threads of the clothwork, viz, that one which is the right-handmost of
those in the clothwork being the nearest to the outer edge of that cloth-
work, and the most remote from the plain part of the breadth of net or
lace to which the clothwork forms the edging. The other three warp threads
of the clothwork are also included warp threads, which pass up through
the hollow of the interior tube 2; they are threaded through the eyes of
a tripple guide 5, formed at the upper end of a slender stein which stands
up within the hollow of the interior tube 2, being fixed by a foot at the
lower end of it to the other guide bar 6. The guide bar 6 is applied to and
supported by the guide bar 1; but each bar 1 and 6 has its own independent
racking motions communicated to it from the racking wheel R. The guide 4,
which is affixed to the interior tube 2 and bar 1, together with the three guides
5, which are affixed by their common stem to the bar 6, constitute the guides
for the four included warp threads, which are so called because they pass up
through the hollow of the interior tube 2, and are included within that circle
which the revolving weft thread guide 7 describes, by turning in common with
its exterior revolving tube 3 round about the interior tube 2.
included warp threads, together with their corresponding bobbin threads, com-
pose the eight warp threads of the clothwork, which are clearly shewn in the
specimen, Sheet 4. The guide bar 6 has no racking motions given to it during
the interweaving of the clothwork weft thread, in order to form a patch of
clothwork, which interweaving is effected by the turning motion of the revolving
tube 3, with its revolving weft thread guide 7; but the guide bar 1, with tho
interior tube 2 and guide 4, is racked occasionally during that interweaving, in
order that the included warp thread which is threaded through the guide 4
may have some occasional slight twists formed around it by its corresponding
bobbin thread, those twists being included in the intervals between some of the
The said four

page_text: returning loops formed by succeeding horizontal' courses of weft threads. This is
clearly shewn in the specimen, Sheet IV., and is done in order to dispose those
particular courses of weft to separate and spread out from each other, and
assume rounding curvatures for the said returning loops of the cloth work weft
thread, so as to give the ornamental appearance of what is termed fan edging to
the patches of clothwork; and further, as the revolving weft thread guide 7-must
partake of those occasional racking motions which are given, as aforesaid, to
the guide bar 1, with its tube 2 and guide 4, the same may have the effect
occasionally of causing some one of the bobbin threads which belongs to the
plain net part of the breadth to form slight twists around some of those return-
ing loops of the successive courses of weft thread which are adjacent to that
plain net part of the breadth, and such occasional twists will contribute to
unite the clothwork ornaments to the plain net or lace. And after the weaving
of a row of patches of the clothwork ornaments is concluded, then twists are to
be formed by the included warp threads of the clothwork and their corresponding
bobbin threads, in order to occupy the interval between the successive patches of
cloth work, and retain the same in place at their regular and intended distances
asunder, as before described, and as is represented in the specimen, Sheet IV.
The said filling-up twists are obtained by giving appropriate racking motions
to the guide bars 1 and 6, for racking all the four included warp threads suitably
for causing their corresponding bobbin threads to form twists around them in
pairs; but occasionally the bar 1 is left motionless during the formation of
those twists, in order that no such twists may then be formed around that one
of the four included warp threads which is threaded through the guide 4 of the
tube 2 and bar 1. The consequence is, in the interval between the succeeding
patches of clothwork, a smaller number of twists will be formed by the outer-
most pair of cloth work warp threads (which are nearest to the extreme border
of the clothwork), than by the other pairs of warp threads which are further
from that border, which circumstance will dispose the outermost returning loops
of the clothwork weft threads to open or fan out into curves or fan edges, as
before stated, being an additional tendency to that result, in concurrence with
that before explained, as arising from slight twists of the same pairs of threads
being occasionally formed in the intervals between the courses of weft which
are to be spread apart and opened out in order to form fan edges. Note.-The
last-mentioned occasional twists of the outermost pair of clothwork warp
threads, between the returning courses of clothwork weft thread, is clearly
shewn in Sheet IV., as well as the deficiency of such twists by the same pair of
threads in the interval between the succeeding patches of clothwork. But
note also. That Drawing represents the ornamented net as it would be whilst

page_text: extended in tlie machine when the clothwork weft thread cannot open or fan
out, as it will do ultimately when left to itself, and the whipping threads and
outermost bobbin thread are drawn out of the clothwork ornaments, and the
same are left as the bordering or edging of the breadths of ornamented net or
lace. It now remains to explain the construction and action of the revolving
weft thread guide 7, see Sheet I. The external revolving tube 3, which is
fitted upon the internal tube 2, and turns round thereon in the manner of an
upright axis, has one weft thread guide 7 affixed to it at one part of the cir-
cumference, and standing up to a considerable height above the top of the tube
8, in order that the eye, at the upper end of the guide 7, through which the
clothwork weft thread is conducted, may stand up within reach of the taking-
up points when they penetrate amongst the threads, as is shewn in Sheet I:
When the revolving tube 3, and its revolving guide 7, is turned round, as before
described, the guide 7 will make a semicircular sweep or circuit around the
four included warp threads, as already described, and in performing that
circuit the guide 7 will not intercept or interfere with any other of the warp
threads, because each tube stands opposite to a vacancy in the general row of
warp threads. The tubular bobbin on which the cloth work weft thread is
wound is marked 8; it is fitted loose on the outside of the revolving tube 3,
The thread at
and has a slight spring withinside of it, to cause friction.
coming off from the bobbin 8 is conducted through an eye in a stump guide
9, fixed to the lower and thicker part of the revolving tube 3, and reaching
upwards therefrom so as to stand with its eye opposite to middle part of the
tubular bobbin 8, and from that eye the weft thread is conducted up within a
hollow in the long revolving guide 7, which is made of a thin plate of brass;
bended to form a gutter in the hollow, whereof the weft thread is contained;
and is thereby conducted up to the eye at the upper end of the guide 7. The
spring withinside of the tubular bobbin 8 causes the weft thread to have a
proper tension when it is pulled off and unwound therefrom in the laying
of the courses of weft thread, by the semicircular motion of the revolving
weft thread guide 7; and in order to communicate the requisite turning
motion to the revolving tube 3, and the revolving weft thread guide 7, which
is fixed to that tube, the lower end of each such revolving tube 8 has a
toothed pinion 10 formed upon it; with fourteen oblique tecth, which are engaged
by the correspondingly oblique teeth of a similar pinion 11, which is fixed on
a horizontal spindle 12, and owing to the mutual obliquity of the teeth of the
two pinions 11 and 10, and by the interlocking of those teeth one with the
other, an equality of turning motion will be communicated from the horizontal
spindle 12 to the perpendicular revolving tube 3. The horizontal spindle 12

page_text: extends all the length of the machine behind & above the guide. bar 1;.and.a
pinion like 11 is fixed upon the spindle 12, opposite to each of the revolving
tubes 3 which the machine contains, and like motion is communicated. by a
pinion 10 at the lower end of each such revolving. tube. It has been before
stated that there is one such revolving tube-3. for every breadth of ornamented
net or lace which is to be made at the same time in the machine, all those
tubes being disposed in a row along the guide bar 1, and the horizontal
spindle 12 is a common communication of motion along all the row for turning
all the several revolving tubes 3, with their respective clothwork weft thread
guides 7, by equal and simultaneous motions of exactly half a revolution at a time,
with a pause between the successive motions; the resting position of the revolving
tubes 3, during all those pauses being, as shewn in Sheet I., with the weft thread
guides 7 holding those threads exactly ranging in continuation with the row of four
included warp threads, which, as before mentioned, pass up through the hollow of
the interior tubes; at one time of so resting the weft thread guides 7 will stand
thus in continuation at the left hand of the four included warp threads, but at
the next succeeding time of resting at the right-hand end thereof. The hori
zontal spindle 12 is supported by pivots at each end of it, which are received
in bearing sockets affixed to each end of the guide bar 1; one of those sockets
is marked 17 in Sheet I.; the spindle 12, with its several pinions 11, therefore
partakes of the racking motions of the guide bar 1. The horizontal spindle.12
derives its turning motion from a spur wheel 14, with forty teeth, engaging
with those of a pinion 13, of twenty teeth, which is fixed on the extremity of
one of the end pivots of the spindle 12, where the same projects through
beyond the socket 17. The spur wheel 14, of forty teeth, is fixed on one end
cf a horizontal axis 15, which is supported on pivots at its two ends, those
pivots being received in bearing sockets, which are screwed fast to the fixed
framing of the machine; and the axis 15 is put in motion by a crank 16
upon it, with an upright connecting rod 18 jointed to the crank, and descending,
as shown in Sheet II., to the hindmost end of a lever 19, and jointed thereto.
The opposite end of the lever 19 is mounted on a centre pin 21, fixed to the
wood framing, and a truck is applied on a pin fixed to the intermediato part of
the lever 19, and that truck is situated beneath a revolving camm 20, which
is fixed on the long horizontal axis H, in such manner that when the prominent
parts of the camm 20 present themselves in succession to the truck of the lever
19, the same is pressed down, and, by the connecting rod 18, the crank 16, and
the axis 15, with its spur wheel 14, is turned round exactly one-fourth of a
revolution, which produces half a revolution of the pinion 13 and its axis 12, and
also half a revolution of each of the several revolving tubes 3, with their weft

page_text: thread guides 7. This motion is produced by the prominence of the camms 20
during the pause which takes place in the swinging motion of the landing bars
and of the bobbin carriages, in consequenco of the concentric semicircular
form of one-half of the circumference of the camm E, before described;
that pause being made when the landing bars are. fully extended; the semi-
circular motion of the several revolving tubes 3, which is produced, as above
explained, by the prominence of the camm 20, begins the moment after
the landing bars and carriages have swung out to their full extent and have
commenced their pause, and the said semicircular motion of the several
revolving tubes 3 must be concluded a little before the landing bars and car-
riages resume their swinging motion, and then the tubes must remain at rest
whilst the carriages are passing (or repassing) between the warp threads, and
during the time that the tubes are so standing motionless the prominence of
the camm 20, passing away from the truck of the lever 19, allows the con-
necting rod 18 to be pulled up by action of a suitable spring, which is applied
by the side of that rod, and thereby to raise up the crank 16 to its former
position, as shewn in Sheet I.; but in so rising up the crank 16 does not com-
municate any turning motion to its axis 15, because the crank is not fixed fast
thereon, but it is fitted on the axis 15 in such manner that it will slip freely
round thereon when the crank 16 is moved upwards, as last mentioned; but
when the crank 16 is moved downwards, as first mentioned, it becomes firmly
attached to its axis 15, so as to turn the same exactly one-fourth round, and
by means of the connecting wheel work 14, 18, 11, 10, that quarter turn causes
half a turn of each of the revolving tubes 3, as already explained. The man-
ner whereby the crank 16 becomes thus attached to its axis 15, when it is
moved downwards, but detached therefrom when the same crank is moved
upwards, is represented in Sheet I. The crank 16 is fitted loose upon its as
15, but a circular wheel or locking plate 22 is fixed fast on the axis 15 by the
side of the crank 16, which latter has a tooth projecting out laterally from it,
to enter into a suitable notch in the circumference of the locking plate 22, and
when so entered the crank becomes firmly attached to the axis 15, and will
turn the same round, if motion is given to the crank by its crank rod 18, as
before explained. The crank 16 can be slided endways along its axis 15 so
much as to withdraw its said tooth out of the notch in the circumference of
the locking plate 22, and then the crank will become quite loose on its axis
15, so as to be incapable of communicating any motion thereto. The crank 16
is slided endways along its axis, in order to unlock its tooth from or lock the
same to the locking plate 22, by action of one of the eight circles of racking
steps on the large racking wheel R. For this purpose the central boss of the

page_text: crank. 16, which is fitted loose upon the axis 15, is embraced by a collar 23,
which fits into a groove around the boss, whereby, at the same time that it
permits the crank to turn around without interference, the said collar will
command the sliding motion of the crank 16 endways.along its axis 15. The
collar 23 is part of a forked piece, having another collar 24 on the other prong
of the fork, and the latter fits loose upon the axis 15, at the opposite side of
the locking plato 22 to that side thereof on which the crank 16 is situated;
the two collars 28 and 24 are in one piece, and the shank 25, by which they
are united, being prolonged, is guided between the points of opposite gage
screws 26, 27, which are borne by the same fixed bearing bracket which
sustains the end pivot of the axis 15. By the gage screws 26, 27, the forked
piece, with compound collars 23, 24, 25, is restrained from turning round
about the axis 15, but is left at liberty to move endways, thereon for locking
the crank 16, or unlocking its tooth from the notch in the locking plate 22, as
above described. The requisite .endway motion for that purpose is communi-
cated by a link 29, which is jointed to the compound collar 23, and extends
horizontally to one of the clusters of racking levers at P, Sheets II. and III.,
wherefore, by action of suitable steps on one of the circles of the racking
wheel R, the crank 16 is moved so far endways along its axis 15 as will lock
its tooth to and unlock the same from the locking plate 22, at the proper
time and manner of producing the action of turning the revolving weft thread
guides 3 half a turn at a time, as already described. The locking plate 22
has four notches in its circumference at equal distances apart, and the tooth of
the crank 16 is locked successively into one of those notches after another;
for instance, if it is locked into one notch, as represented in Sheet I., when the
crank 16 is raised up, then when the crank is drawn down by its crank rod 18,
and has turned the locking plato 22, and its axis 15, just one quarter round.
The crank 16 is slided endways by action of its circle of steps on the racking
wheel R, away from the locking plate 22, so as to unlock the tooth of the
crank 16 from the notch in the locking plate 22; and there is another tooth
28, fixed by screws to the collar 24, in a suitable position for entering into the
said notch in the locking plate 22, by the same motion which withdraws.the
tooth of the crank therefrom, and as the tooth 28 begins to enter into the
notch in the locking plate 22, before the tooth of the crank 16 has entirely
quitted the same, the action above described is rendered certain, because the
locking plate 22 is held immoveable whilst the crank 16 continues to be
unlocked therefrom, and whilst it is moved upwards by its crank rod 18
exactly one quarter of a turn, when the tooth of the crank will come exactly
opposite to the next succeeding notch in the locking plate 22, and then by

page_text: action of the racking wheel R, transmitted by the rod 29, the crank 16 will
be slided endways along its axis 15, towards the locking plate 22, so as to
invest the tooth of the crank into the said notch, in order to connect the crank
16 to the locking plate 22; and the same sliding motion will withdraw the
tooth 28 from the preceding notch in the locking plate, in preparation for per-
mitting the same to be turned again by the next succeeding action of the
crank. The aforesaid action of the tooth 28, and the tooth of crank 16, aro
always unlocking as the other locks to the notches of the locking plate 22
ensures that the same will always be exactly in its intended position, for it will
be held immoveable whenever it is not locked to the crank 16, and com-
manded thereby. Note.-The crank 16 is always unlocked from the locking
plate 22 whilst the crank is moving upwards by its rod 18, and the locking
plate is held immoveable at all such times. By regulating the gage screws
26, 27, resting, the position of the revolving weft thread guides 7 can be ren-
dered exactly suitable for the passage of the bobbin carriages between them.
The aforesaid action of the crank 16, whereby it produces exact half turns of
the revolving weft thread guides 7, with pauses between those turns, is suitablo
for interlaying successive shoots of weft threads for the formation of the
patches of clothwork ornaments. But in the intervals between the formation
of successive patches of clothwork the crank 16 will continue unlocked from the
locking plate 22, the same being held immoveable by the tooth 28 all the time
until the making of a succeeding row of patches of clothwork is recommenced,
the crank 16 all that time making its regular motion alternately down and up
again by action of its camm 20, lever 19, and crank rod 18, but producing no
effect upon the axis 15 by such alternate motion. And note.-In order to
obtain those slight occasional twists, before mentioned, of that pair of cloth-
work warp threads which is outermost towards the edge of the clothwork, and
which twists are made for disposing the returning loops of the clothwork weft
threads to open or fan out into curves, as before stated, the operation of
interlaying weft thread by semicircular motions of the revolving weft thread
guide 7 must be suspended whilst such occasional slight twists are formed.
For instance, to produce the pattern of clothwork represented in the specimen,
Sheet IV., suppose, for a beginning, that the bobbin carriages are all in the
back combs; then the revolving weft thread guide 7 is turned round a semi-
circle, to lay a first course of weft thread across behind the four included warp
threads in a direction from left to right; this first course being taken up with
the front points, the carriages are brought through forwards between the warp
threads into the front combs; then the guide bar 1 is racked one space to the
right, in order to rack the internal tube 2, with its included guide 4, but the

page_text: other bar 6, and its triple guide 5, remains motionless; the carriages are then
put through. backwards, and the guide bar 1 return one space to the left to its
original position; by this means the included warp thread for the guide 4 will
have a half twist formed round it by. its corresponding bobbin thread. The
carriages are then brought through forwards, and then, whilst they remain in
the front combs, the revolving weft thread guide 7 is turned round another
semicircle, in order to lay a second course of its weft thread across in front. of
the four included warp threads, in a direction from right to left; which being
done, and the said second course being taken up by the back points, the
carriages are put through backwards, and when they get behind and pause in
the back combs, the revolving weft thread .guide 7 is turned half a turn more,
in order to lay a third course of its weft thread behind the four included warp
threads, from left to right, which course being taken up by the front points,
the carriages are brought through forwards into the front combs; then the
guide bar 1 is racked to the right, and the carriages are put through back-
wards, and the guide bar 1 is returned to the left, to its original position;
another intervening half twist is thus formed round the guide thread 4. The
carriages are then brought through forwards into the front, and the revolving
weft thread guide 7 is turned half a turn more, in order to lay a fourth course
of weft thread across the front of the four included warp threads, from right-to
left, which course is taken up by the back points, and the carriages are put
through backwards, and the revolving weft thread guide 7 is turned another
half turn, in order to lay a fifth course of weft thread across behind the four
included warp threads, from left to right; the carriages are brought through
forwards, and the guide bar 1 is racked to the right; the carriages are
put through backwards, and the guide bar 1 returns to the left, another
intervening half twist is thus formed. The carriages are brought through
forwards, and the revolving weft,thread guido 7 is turned another half turn,
in order to lay a sixth course across in front of the included warp threads,
from right to left. A patch of clothwork is now completed, and the
revolving weft thread guide 7 will remain motionless until another succeeding
patch of clothwork is commenced. The succession of the steps of the
cight circles of the racking wheels R are delineated in Sheet W, and
the above description, together with the writing thereon, will be sufficient
instruction to competent workmen conversant with bobbin net lace machinery,
and the making of net or lace without traversing threads, to apply this part of
my improvement to Lever's machinery. Each of the guide bars has a blade
spring applied at the left-hand end of it, with a constant tendency to urge tho
bar endways towards the left, and react against the steps of the racking wheels

page_text: R. It may be remarked, that in making this kind of net without traversing
threads, it is sometimes requisite, in order to make proper insertion with the
taking-up points, to rack the guide bar for a moment somewhat further than
they are intended to remain during the subsequent passing of the carriages
between the warp threads. The Drawings do not represent any of those
extra elevations of the steps of the racking wheels which may be necessary
for obtaining sufficient spaces for the insertion of the taking-up points, but
the same must be supplied by discretion of the workman who constructs the
machine, and who will find no difficulty with the machine before him in
All
deciding when such extra elevations should be given, and their extent.
this is as usual in adapting the bobbin net machinery to make plain net or
lace without traversing threads, and has no reference to the improvement or
the application thereof. The winding-up motion for turning the lace roller
round to wind up the ornamented net as fast as it is made may be the same
as is usual in Lever's machinery.
Description of a double-tier machine for making bobbin net lace, called a
circular bolt or circular comb rotary machine, with driving bars and single-
bladed lockers for moving the bobbin carriages in the bolts or combs, with one
part of the improvements applied thereto for the purpose, by such im-
provement, of making clothwork ornamented net or lace, whereof the plain
ground or unornamented part is without traversing threads; the clothwork
ornamented net or lace, as made by the machinery, being in breadths, with
edging or bordering ornaments of clothwork disposed in patches along one
edge of each breadth. See Sheets V. to VIII. of the Drawings hereunto
annexed. The ornamented net being of the same kind as that made by
the single-tier machine herein-before described, and whereof a specimen is
represented in Sheet IV., and the additional mechanism which is applied for
making the same being very similar, whether to double-tier or to single-tier
machinery, a brief description of this further application will be sufficient after
the information conveyed by the complete description herein-before contained.
The section, full-size, in Sheet V., shows how the circular combs are disposed
with a wider space than usual between the adjacent extremities of the opposite
rows of combs, in order to leave, room for the warp threads and for the re-
volving weft thread guides, without interfering one with the other. The
ornamented net or lace being, as before explained, usually required to be of a
coarse gage, such as would be called five or six point, an ordinary ten or twelve.
point double tier machine may be used, with every other carriage in each row
left out; or if a new machine is constructed expressly for the purpose, the
combs may be made only five or six per inch, the points being ten or twelve

page_text: per inch in each of their respective rows, as usual, and the bobbins and car
riages being of the usual thickness of those used in ten or twelve point
machines. The front comb bar is to be rendered immoveable by its stop screws
at the ends, in the same manner as the back comb bar usually is, and the comb
bar racking wheels are to be removed, because no traversing action of the
bobbin carriages is required, but each one will always continue to work back-
wards and forwards in the same geats or spaces between the combs. The
several guide bars and the revolving weft thread guides 7, with their included
guides for those warp threads which pass up through the hollow of the tubes,
together with the wheelwork for turning the said revolving guides 7 round
half a turn at a time, with a pause between the succeeding motions, is pre-
cisely the same as in the former application, and therefore requires no farther
explanation than the Drawings convey, and the same letters and numeral
characters of reference being used to denote the same parts as in the preceding
Sheets of the Drawings, the description herein-before given of those parts is
equally applicable to the present Sheets of Drawings. The end elevations in
Sheet VI., and the front elevation, Sheet VII., explain the arrangement of the
double-tier rotary machine, which, for the most part, remains as commonly
used for making bobbin net, with only such alterations therein as are suitable
for adapting the machinery for making the kind of net herein-before described
without traversing threads, which is frequently done in double-tier circular
bolt machinery, and being well known, requires no particular description.
The machine is actuated by a man standing in front of it, and turning the
double-winch handles on the two ends of the axis B, and by means of a spur
wheel C on that axis, and an intermediate spur wheel D, it turns a spur wheel
on the long horizontal axis H, which axis extends all the length of the
machine, and has the main driving camms E fixed on it near to the middle of
its length. Those camms, by means of driving levers, one fixed on the middle
of a long horizontal back axis, and two others fixed on at the ends thereof,
with connecting links from the latter lovers to the swing jacks W, W, at the
two ends of the pair of driving bars M, M, give the requisite swinging or
vibrating motion to those driving bars for passing or repassing the bobbin
carriages between the warp threads, in the usual manner of doublo-tier circular
bolts or circular comb machinery. In applying this part of my improvements
thereto, the usual main driving camm E should be changed for another of a
different shape, in order to obtain a larger pause than usual in the swinging
motion of the bobbin carriages after they have been swung out to the full
extent of their vibration, either way, from the warp threads, and when both
divisions of carriages are locked up in the same row of combs, whether front

page_text: or back combs, that pause being required for allowing time for the interlaying
of the clothwork weft threads across their included warp threads, to be per-
formed by a half turn of cach revolving clothwork weft thread guides 7, and
then securing the course of weft so laid across by the taking-up points, without
interference from the carriages, which must have remained motionless locked
up all the time in the combs; a suitable form for the main driving camm E to
produce that effect is drawn full-size in Sheet V. The usual working camms
Q, Q, which actuate the lockers F, F, must be also changed for others which
are suitably formed for giving such motions thereto as will correspond
with the motion given to the driving bars M, M, by the main driving
camm E being adapted to keep both divisions of the bobbin carriages
locked up together in the combs during all the time of the pause in their
swinging motion, which is occasioned by the form of the camm E. The
two locking camms Q, Q, are fixed one at each end of the long horizontal
axis H, and operate in the usual manner to press down locking levers
V, situated beneath the locking camms Q, Q, and by means of upright locking
links reaching upwards from these levers V to short cranks on the lockers
F, F, the same are caused to turn their blades upwards and outwards for
locking up the carriages within the combs; and when the prominences of the
locking camms pass away out of action, the lockers are turned down inwards
by the reaction of suitable springs applied by the side of the upright locking
links. One of the locking camms Q actuates the front locker F, and the
other actuates the back locker F. All this is as usual in double-tier rotary
machinery with circular bolts or combs. The taking-up motions for the point
bars are derived from four camms I, J, i, p, fixed on the left-hand end of the
long horizontal axis II, instead of being fixed on a distant axis, as usual in such
machinery, wherefore the said four camms I, J, i, p, for actuating the point
bars, will go round in the same manner as the main driving camms E, and
locking camms Q, Q, go round, that is, in the time whilst one complete
vibration of both divisions of bobbin carriages is performed, viz', whilst both
divisions are passed through between the warp threads, from one row of combs
into the opposite row, making half a vibration, and then after making their
pause, whilst they are locked up in those combs, both divisions are repassed
between the warp threads and returned into the same combs from which they
set out, which makes up a whole vibration; and then, after being locked up in
those combs during the time of the other pause, the revolution of the axis II
will be completed, together with that of the driving camm E, the two locking
cams Q, Q, and the four taking-up caims I, J, i, p, which are all fixed on
that axis. The two canms I and i cause the front points to perform their

page_text: taking-up action once during that revolution, viz, within that portion thereof
whilst the two divisions of carriages are locked up in the back row of combs,
and making their pause before mentioned; and the two other cams J; p,
cause the back-points to perform their taking-up action once during the sanie
revolution, vize, within that portion thereof whilst both divisions are locked up
in the front combs, and making their pause. The camms I and J, which are
for withdrawing the points out of the net, and reinserting them amongst the
threads, act by means of elbow levers K, k, and connecting links therefrom, to
the crank bar arms, in which the point bars are suspended. The elbow levers
K, k, are mounted on fixed centre pins supported by the framing, and they have
trucks at the ends of their horizontal arms to run upon the circumferences of
their respective camms I and J, and it is to the upper ends of their upright
arms that their aforesaid connecting links are jointed. The other two camms
i and p, which are for letting down and raising up the point bars, operate
thereon by levers, with trucks to run upon the circumferences of the camms,
and upright lifting links ascending therefrom to short stump lever arms,
which project inwards from each point bar, all which is just as usual in such
machinery, except in the circumstance of taking-up camm going round
three times quicker than usual, which is done, in working according to this
part of my improvements, in order to cause one or other of the points to
perform their taking-up action at every half vibration of the carriages, viz*,
at every time that both divisions of carriages are locked up together in
the front combs, the back points perform their taking up, and then, at every
time that they are locked up in the back combs, the front points perform
their taking-up. The requisite racking motions for. all the several guide bars
and other parts are derived from eight large racking wheels R, situated
at the right-hand end of the machine, and mounted on an upright axis X,
which is supported in suitable bearing brackets at the end of the machine
and is turned slowly round by means of a large bevil wheel S, with one hun-
dred and eighty teeth, which are actuated by a bevil pinion d, with fifteen
teeth, fixed on the extreme end of the long horizontal axis H, so that the large
racking wheels R make only one revolution for twelve revolutions of the
main driving and locking camms and taking up camms, comprizing the period
of twelve of the aforesaid complete vibrations of both divisions of carriages and
twenty-four times of taking-up, viz., twelve times with the back points and twelve
times with the front points. The circumference of each of the large racking
wheels R is divided into forty eight divisions for racking steps. The order of
all those steps of the several large racking wheels R is represented in Sheet
VIII., which, together with the writing thereon, will convey all the requisite

page_text: information for the application of this part of my improvements. The texture
and pattern of the ornamented net or lace which will be made by the machine
now describing, when worked with the set of racking wheels, Sheet VIII., will be
the same as the specimen drawn in Sheet IV., and which has been fully explained.
The eight racking levers which transmit the racking motions from the steps of
the racking wheels R to the ends of the several guide bar (and other parts)
which are to be racked thereby are placed one above the other in cluster at P,
and reacting blade springs are applied at the opposite ends of the several bars.
The turning motion for the revolving weft thread guides 7 is produced by a
revolving camm 20, fixed upon the long horizontal axis HI; it has two pro-
minent parts at opposite sides of its circumference, which, when they come in
succession into action, they press down the lever 19; and that action, by the
upright crank rod 18, pulls down the crank 16 on the axis 15, which being
at the time locked by its tooth to the locking plate 22, will turn the axis 15
one quarter round; and by its spur wheel 14, of forty teeth, turns the pinion 13,
of twenty teeth, on the spindle 12, half round, at the same time the several pinions
11 on that spindle, with fourteen oblique teeth each, communicate a like motion
to each of the several revolving tubes 3, and revolving clothwork weft thread
guides 7, by means of the pinion 10, with fourteen oblique teeth on the lower
end of each revolving tube 3; all which being precisely the same as already
described in the single-tier machinery does not require farther elucidation. By
the time that the prominence of the camm 20 passes away and allows the
lever 19 to be raised up by reaction of a suitable pulling-up spring, the crank
16 will have become unlocked from its locking plate 22, and that plate will
have become locked immovably fast, by action of the notched wheel 30,
which is the lowermost of the large racking wheels R, so that no motion will
be communicated to the axis 15 and to the revolving tubes 3 by the ascent of
the crank 16; but by the time that another succeeding prominence of the
camm 20 comes round into action on the lever 19, another step of the notched
wheel 30 will have caused the crank 16 to become locked again, with its tooth,
in another succeeding notch of the locking plate 22, in readiness for commu-
nicating another half turn to each of the revolving thread guides 7, when the
lever 19 is pressed and pulls the crank 16 down, turning it one quarter of a
turn, as before. But note.-It is not at every succeeding time of thus pulling
down the crank 16 that its motion is so transmitted to the revolving weft
thread guides 7, for there are intervals when the crank is kept unlocked in
moving downwards, in the same manner as it always is unlocked when it is
moving upwards, all which depends upon the pattern of the clothwork orna-
ments which are to be woven; and that has, been already explained respecting

page_text: the action of the single-tier machinery to produce the pattern represented in
Sheet IV., and the Drawings of the notched wheel 30, and the several racking
wheels R, in Sheet VIII., explains sufficiently how the same result is to be
attained by the double-tier machinery now describing. The prominence of the
camm 20 come into action to produce the aforesaid half turn of each of
the revolving tubes 3, and its revolving weft thread guides 7, during the pause
which the bobbin carriages make when they arrive at the extreme limit of their
vibration cach way, and after both divisions are locked up together in the same
row of combs, those pauses being occasioned by the form, which is purposely
given to the main driving camms E and locking camms Q, Q, in order to
obtain sufficient time for laying the clothwork weft threads across the included
warp threads by the action of the revolving guides 7, and tubes 3, when they
make a half turn, as already described.
And respecting the aforesaid kind of clothwork ornamented net or lace
which is made by my improvements herein-before described, although the
same resembles in general appearance certain kinds of clothwork ornaments
which have been made by others, with guide bars for introducing weft threads
to the clothwork, nevertheless the texture of the clothwork made by my
improvements is essentially different from the texture of that which is made
with guide bars, because when the weft thread is introduced by revolving
weft thread guides, according to my improvements, there is only one
such weft thread in each patch of clothwork, that single weft thread
proceeding by alternate zig-zag cources from left to right, and then back
again from right to left; whereas in clothwork whereof the weft thread is
introduced by guide bars, there must be two weft threads in each patch of
clothwork, one at the front side of the warp threads of the clothwork and the
other at the back side thereof; each of those weft threads proceeding by
alternate zig-zag courses from left to right and from right to left.
And other further parts of my said improvements in single-tier Lever's
machinery, or in double-tier circular bolt or circular comb machinery for
making bobbin net lace, consist in the application thereto of certain additional
apparatus herein-after described, for the purpose, by such improvements, of
making ornamented net or lace, whereof the plain net or tissue is of the same
kind herein-before explained as being without traversing of any threads from
selvedge to selvedge, the ornaments produced therein by action of these
parts of my improvements being of the nature of small opake spots, disposed
at suitable intervals apart over the transparent ground or tissue of the said
net or lace. The said spots are made by interweaving additional threads to
those warp and bobbin threads whereof the meshes of the plain net are made,

page_text: the said additional threads being supplied from revolving thread guides, with
revolving tubes and interior tubes of the same construction as those pre-
viously described for making clothwork ornaments, also having included warp
threads passing up through the hollow of the interior tube, and operating in a
similar manner for interweaving the said additional threads by alternate zig-
zag courses across and across and between certain of the warp threads and
bobbin threads belonging to the fabrications of the meshes of plain net, the
texture of each spot being very similar to that of a patch of clothwork already
described, but interwoven in a very small patch thereof, and in the midst of the
transparent tissue of plain net, so as to have meshes thereof above, below, and
at each side of each spot, instead of forming a mere bordering or edging to
breadths of the net. After having formed one spot by this kind of inter-
weaving of an additional thread, (which, for distinction, I shall call the spotting
thread, instead of weft thread, as was done in the forgoing description,) then
the same spotting thread passes along in the net to the part thereof where it is
to form another succeeding spot therein by a similar interweaving. A specimen
of the kind of ornamented net or lace which is to be made with spots by these
further parts of my said improvements is represented in Sheet XI. of the
Drawings, and by comparing the same with the Figure of the clothwork orna-
mented net or lace which has been fully described in Sheet IV., the texture of
the spots will be easily understood. Those warp threads which are conducted
up through the hollow of the interior tube 2, and which are distinguished in
the foregoing description by the term included warp threads, are in this kind
of ornamented net with spots used conjointly with their corresponding bobbin
threads as the warp for the woven texture of each spot, much in the same
manner as in the clothwork, the several warp and bobbin threads proceeding
parallel to each other in pairs in longitudinal courses through the extent of
the spot. The ordinary twisting which the said bobbin threads make around
their corresponding warp threads is discontinued whilst they are so passing in
pairs along through the texture of each woven spot, and forming the warp
threads of the weaving thereof, whilst the spotting thread forms the weft of
such weaving; but after each spot is finished, the said pairs of included warp
threads and corresponding bobbin threads which so formed the warp of the
spot then begin to intertwist together, and the included warp threads procec;
in due course to cross over each other, in a suitable manner for forming those
meshes of plain net or lace which are to occupy the interval between one spot
and the next succeeding spot, and which meshes are in continuation of the
general tissue of net or lace forming the plain transparent ground upon which
he spots are the ornaments. This circumstance of having meshes of net in the

page_text: intervals between the successive weavings, is the chief distinction between the:
making of spots now describing and the making of clothwork, herein-before
described, wherein the intervals between the successive patches of clothwork
were filled up by merely twisting the bobbin threads round their corresponding
included warp threads in pairs forming long unbroken twists without making
any crossings to unite short portions of twists laterally, so as to form meshes
Keeping this distinction in view, the foregoing description of the improvements
for making clothwork ornamented net or lace will greatly assist the present
description of the improvements for making spotted ornamented net or lace,
because the actual operation of forming a patch of clothwork or a spot is very
much the same.
Description of a double-tier machine for making bobbin net lace, called a
circular bolt or circular comb machine, with driving bars and single-bladed
lockers for moving the carriages, and having one part of the improvements
applied thereto, for the purpose, by such improvements, of making spotted orna-
mented net or lace whereof the plain ground or unornamented part is without
traversing threads, the spots being made by.interweaving additional threads to
those warp and bobbin threads whereof the plain net is formed, and such spots
being distributed at intervals apart over the transparent tissue or ground of
such lace or net. See Sheets IX and X. of the Drawings hereunto annexed..
The large section, Sheet IX., which answers to that in Slicet V., herein-before
described, shews that the revolving tube 3, with its revolving spotting thread
guide 7, together with the interior tube 2 and guide bar 1, whereon the same
are fixed, are all exactly the same as herein-before described for making clothi
work ornamented net or lace, and so are the pinions 10 and 11, the axis 12,
pinion 13, wheel 14, axis 15, crank 16, crank rod 18, lever 19, and cainm 20,
locking plate 22, collar 23, and other accessary parts for turning the several
revolving spotting thread guides 7 round half a turn at a time, and retaiùing
them motionless in the intervals of repose between succeeding half turns. The
included warp threads, which are conducted up through the hollow of each of
the interior tubes 2, are four in each tube, and they are threaded through
four guides 4, which are fixed on the upper end of the interior tube 2, and
which guides stand up so much above the said tube 2 as to have their eyes a
little above the top of the external revolving tube 8; therefore, tho said four
guides 4, for the included warp tbreads, are, in fact, supported by the guide bar
1, to which the interior tubes 2 are fixed, consequently the racking motions
given to the guide bar 1 will be communicated to all the four included warp
threads. And note. In the machine for making spotted net there is no
interior stem 5 for included guides standing up within the tube 2, as there was

page_text: in both the machines for making clothwork ornamented net; but all the four
included warp threads must rack together, and according as the bar 1 is
racked. The four included guides 4 are disposed around the circumference of
the interior tube 2, in such manner as to be, as it were, in two rows or tiers of
a double-tier machine, that is, two of the four included guides 4 stand in a
situation to range with the front tier or or row of guide threads, and the other
two included guides range with the back tier or row of threads. During the
formation of a row of spots the action of the revolving guide is nearly the same
as for weaving a patch of clothwork, viz., when both divisions of the bobbin
carriages are locked up together in the same combs, whether back or front,
the revolving thread guide is turned suddenly half a turn round, and thereby it
lays its spotting thread across all the four included warp, threads, which being
done, the points are applied to take up the course of spotting threads so laid,
and then the carriages resuming their motion, one division is passed between
the warp threads after the other, so that their bobbin threads will enclose and
secure the said transverse courso of spotting thread recently laid and taken up
as aforesaid. All this is so obviously the same action as that of the cloth-
weaving before described as to require no further explanation, particularly as
the details of the movements are all contained in the Drawings of the steps
around the several racking wheels, see Sheet IX.
:
What remains to be described as being peculiar to the operation of making
of spots by this part of the improvements is the mode whereby all the included
warp threads are caused to be racked with suitable racking motions for making
meshes of net to fill up the interval between the succeeding spots. For this
purpose it must be observed that the front and back guide bars 31, 89, in this
machine, are mounted upon pivots at their ends, so as to be capable, of tilting
about those pivots in the manner of axes of motion, and guides 33, 34, aro
affixed to the respective guide bars .81, 32, for guiding those warp threads
which belong to the formation, of the plain net, but at every place in the
width of the machine where a spot is intended to be formed, two guides in tho
front row 33 and two other guides in the back row 34 are omitted, because
the four warp threads which would occupy those four guides are included
within the hollow of the interior tube 2, and are threaded through its guido 4.
During the formation of the spots the two guide bars 31, 32, for the warp
threads of which the net to be made, are tilted about their pivots, as shown
in Sheet IX., in order to spread the eyes of the front guides 33 and back
guides 34 to a greater width apart from each other than is usual. This is
done for leaving a sufficient clear space between the front and back rows of

page_text: guide or warp threads for the revolving spotting thread guides 7 to turn
round between them without interference. In this situation the included warp
threads which are threaded through the guides are quite distinct from the
two rows of warp threads which are threaded through the front and back
guides 33, 34, so as to be susceptible of different racking motions, viz., the
included warp threads are by this bar racked suitably for the formation of
spots at the same time the front row 83 and back row 34 of main guides are
racked suitably for making the plain net. But note. Two of the main guido
threads which occupy spaces adjacent to those occupied by the four included
warps threads must not be racked in the same manner as the other main
guide threads are racked during the making of the spot, for which purpose
two wiro prongs 35, 36, are offered to the guide bar 1, and they reach upwards
and outwards around the main guide bars 31, 32, so as to word interfere there-
with, and their ends of the prongs 35, 36, stand in a position to come within
the range of the two rows of inain guide threads, whenever the guides 33
and 34 thereof are separated and spread against from from each other during
the making of the spots, as before explained, and as is represented in Sheet IX.;
but when the making of spots is over, and the guides 33 and 34 quit the
extremities of the prongs 35 and 36 altogether, and the same have no opera-
tion on any of the threads. The operation that the said prongs 35 and 36 really
do perform whilst spots are making, and when they are in the situation shewn
in Sheet IX., is to bend aside the threads which belong to the adjacent spaces
to those occupied by the four included warp threads, and by so bending the
said threads they are racked so to dispose them to operate properly for making
the spot, which they would not do if they were left to be racked in the same
motions as main guides 33, 34, are racked. The front prong 35 operates to
bend one main guide thread of the front row 33, that thread being at the right
hand of each spot which is making, and the back prong 36 operates in like
imanier to bend aside one other main guide thread of the back row, that
thread being 34 at the left hand of each spot which is making. When the
making of the spots is over, and the making of plain net in the interval
between the succeeding spots is to be performed, the included warp threads
must then be racked with exactly the same motions as the main warp
threads are racked with, that is to say, those two of the four included warp
threads which stand forwards in the position of a front tier must be racked
exactly the same as the main guide threads of the front row 33 are racked,
whilst the other two of those which stand back in the position of a back row
or tier must be racked exactly the same as the back row 34 are racked. To

page_text: accomplish this, each of the rows of main guides 33 and 34 has two forked
prongs fixed in its row exactly opposite to those two of the four included
warps threads which belong to a fronts or a back row, as aforesaid, and when
the main guides 33 and 34 are turned to close them towards each other, as
shewn by the dotted lines, the said forked prongs catch the included warp
threads so as to have complete controul of them for racking, and, therefore,
thoso included threads will be racked just the same as all the other main guide
threads which are threaded through the eyes of the main guides 33 and 34,
and, consequently, they will all concur in making a regular tissus of meshes
of net, until as many as such meshes have been made as are intended to
interveno between one row of spots and the next succeeding rows, and then
another row of stops must bo begun, for which purpose the two rows of main
guides 33 and 34 are turned away from each other into the position repre-
sented in Sheet IX., whereby the said forked prongs quit the included warp
threads which they have been racking during the making of the plain net, and
those threads are left to follow the racking motions of the guide bar 1, which
is suitably adapted for making spots, as aforesaid. Note.-Tho rows of main
guides 33 and 34 have two guides left out opposite every tube and place
where a spot is to be made; those two vacancies are filled up by the forked
prongs before mentioned, and, therefore, when those prongs take hold of the
included warp threads, as above explained, each row of guides 33 and 34
becomes an unbroken row of warp threads the whole width of the machine.
The turning or tilting of the main guide bars 31 and 32 about their parts, in
order to approach their guides 33 and 34 towards each other, according to
their dotted lines, Sheet IX., or to spread them apart from each other, as is
there drawn, is performed by a notched wheel 38, Sheet X., fixed on the
upright axis of the large racking wheels R; it operates by notches cut at its
under side, which operate upon the lever 39; and the opposite end or tail 40 of
the same lever is formed with two branches, from each of which an upright
link ascends to connect with the ends of two short tipping lever arms pro-
jecting each way outwards from the main guide bars 31 and 32, and thereby
the steps of the notched wheel 39, which come successively into action, cause
the guide bars 31 and 32 to tilt so as to approach their guides 33 and 34
towards each other, or the contrary. All the remaining parts of this machine
being the same in structure and operation as the machine already described,
and the Drawings, Sheets IX. and X., having the same letters and characters
of reference as the preceding Drawings, it is needless to repeat any further
description. The Drawings of the several racking wheels in Sheet IX.

page_text: explain the succession and order of the motions by which spotted ornamented
nct is to be made by this part of my improvements.
فلة
Description of a single-tier machine for making bobbin net lace, called
Lever's machine, with one part of the improvements applied thereto, for the
purpose, by such improvement, of making spotted ornamented net or lace,
whereof the plain ground or unornamented part is without traversing threads.-
The spots being made by interweaving additional threads to those warp and
bobbin threads whereof the plain net is formed, spots being distributed at in-
tervals over the transparent tissue of such net. See Sheet XI. of the Drawings
hereunto annexed, which is as full-sized section of the operative parts, by which
it will be seen that the mechanism is the same as the preceeding, with only
such differences as necessarily results from the machine to which it is applied,
being single-tier instead of double-tier. The two main guide bars 31, 32, are
capable of tilting or tipping upon their end pivots, in the same manner as in
Sheet IX., before explained, in order to approach the eyes of the main guides
33, 34, towards each other, when plain net is to be made in the intervals
between the spots, or to spread them apart away from each other when spots
are to be made, that tilting being performed by a notched wheel 38, as before
explained, the said wheel being a circle upon the large racking wheel R,
Sheet II., and the series of the notches upon it are represented in Sheet XI.
The row of main guides 33 and 34 have two guides left out in each row,
opposite to the two pairs of included warp threads which are threaded through
the guides 4 of the internal tube 2, and two forked prongs are applied to fill
up those vacancies, as before explained, respecting Sheet IX. When the two
rows of main guides 33 and 34 are tilted towards each other by action of the
notched wheel 38 into the position shewn by the dotted lines, Sheet XI., then
the said pairs of forked prongs will seize the said pair of included warp threads,
and after that the two rows of main guides will become complete and unbroken
rows of warp threads; and the racking motions given to the main guide
bars 31, 32, will be transmitted to the whole unbroken row of threads; and
those motions being suitable for making plain net, the net so made will be a
continuous tissue all the width of the machine, the same as would be made
if the machine contained no spotting apparatus; but when spots are to be
made the two main guide bars 31, S2, are tilted by action of their notched
wheel 38, so as to withdraw the guides 35, 36, from each other; then the said
forked prongs, quitting the pairs of included warp threads, leave the same to
the guidance of the guides 4 of the interior tube 2, which, in this machine, is
immoveable; the guide bar 1, upon which the row of tubes 2 is fixed, having

page_text: no racking motions. The revolving thread guide 7 is now left at liberty to
turn round half a turn at a time, in order to inlay or interweave spotting
thread across and around the four included warp threads and from a spot, as
before described. The two rows of main guides 83, 84, are all the while
racked with suitable racking motions for continuing to form plain net by the
sides of the spots which are in progress of formation, and those racking motions
affect all the warp threads in the machine, excepting the four included warp
threads belonging to each spot, all of which are now quite detached from the
main guides 33, 34, and also excepting some of those main guide threads
belonging to the spaces adjacent to those spaces in which the included warp
threads stand, which last-mentioned excepted threads are, by the receding
of the main guides 33, 34, brought into the way of the ends of fixed
prongs 35, 36, which are fixed to the insides of the comb bars, and which
prongs tend to prevent those particular main guide threads which come in
contact with them from being racked with all the same racking motions as
the main guide bars are racked with; that is a precaution to prevent those
particular main guide threads from interfering with the formation of the spot
as they would otherwise do, being situated at the lateral confines of the spot,
where the plain net joins up sideways to the end of the spot. This action is
the same as in the machine last described, Sheet IX. The several racking
wheels which are represented in Sheet XI. are all to be arranged on concentric
circles of the largo racking wheels R. Note.-The two machines herein-
before described for making spotted net are adapted to make the same in broad
pieces of net; but such spotted net may be made in breadths by the means
well known of making net without traversing threads in breadths, the commonly
used for that purpose will not in any way interfere with the improvement..
Having now described my said improvements, and the manner of performing
the same, I, the said William Samuel Henson, do hereby declare that the
new Invention, whereof the exclusivo use is granted to me by the aforesaid
Letters Patent, consists,-
Firstly, an improvement in single-tier Lever's machinery for making bobbin
net lace (the same being suitably modified in the manner usually practised, or
in any other proper manner for making net or lace without any traversing of
threads from selvedge to selvedge), by applying to such machinery the system
of parts herein-before described, as revolving weft thread guides with included
warp thread guides, around which the said revolving weft thread guides are
adapted to make a circuit, together with suitable accessary mechanism for
giving occasional motion to those parts, as herein-before described for the

page_text: purpose by such improvement of maling clothwork ornamented breadths of
net or lace, whereof the plain ground or transparent net or lace is without any
traversing of threads from selvedge to selvedge, and the ornaments consist of
patches of cloth work forming a bordering or edging to the breadths, as herein-
before described.
Secondly, an improvement in double-tier circular bolt or circular comb
machinery for making bobbin net lace, the same being suitably modifiel in the
manner usually practised, or in any other proper manner for making net or
Ince without any traversing of threads from selvedge to selvedge, by applying
to such machinery a like system of parts as aforesaid, with revolving weft
thread guides and included warp thread guides, and with suitable mechanism
for giving occasional motion thereto, for the purpose by such improvement of
making clothwork ornamented net or lace of the kind above stated and herein-
before explained.
Thirdly, an improvement in double-tier circular bolt or circular comb
machinery for making bobbin net lace, the same being suitably modified in the
manner usually practised (or in any other proper manner) for making net or
lace without any traversing of threads from selvedge to selvedge, by applying
to such machinery a like system of parts as aforesaid, and as herein-before
described, with revoving weft thred guides and included warp thread guides,
and with suitable mechanism as aforesaid for giving occasional motion thereto,
for the purpose by such improvements of making spotted ornamented net or
lace of the kind herein before explained.
Fourthly, an improvement in single-tier Lover's machinery for making
bobbin net lace, the same being modified and adapted as aforesaid for making
net or lace without any traversing of threads from selvedge to selvedge, by
applying to such machinery a like system of parts as aforesaid, with revolving
weft thread guides and included warp thread guides, and with suitable mecha-
nism as aforesaid for giving occasional motion thereto, for the purpose by such
improvements of making spotted ornamented net or lace of the kind last
mentioned and herein-before described.
And whereas revolving thread guides on the principle of those hercin-before
described, though differing in construction, have been proposed by others, viz.,
by Mr. John Heathcoat in One thousand eight hundred and eight, in part of a
machine for making plain bobbin net, and again by Mr. William Henson, my
father, in One thousand eight hundred and thirty-two, as a means of lacing or
whipping the edges of breadths together during their fabrication in machinery,
I, the said William Samuel Henson, do hereby declare that I make no claim

page_text: to the exclusive use of such revolving thread guides with included warp threads,
as herein-before, described, excepting when the same is applied to machinery
for making bobbin .net, for the purpose by such application of making orna.
mented net or lace of tho kinds herein-before described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Wiliam Samuel Henson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six.