Improvements in Dobbies of Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Dobbies of Looms for Weaving.
We, JAMES WARD and JOSEPH WARD, both of Ingham Street Iron Works,
Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Makers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the shedding mechanism of dobbies
of looms for weaving, the object being to greatly simplify the construction of
cross border dobbies by reducing the number of working parts, at the same time
to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of production.
According to this invention we employ two lattice or pattern barrels mounted
on rocking levers and acting on duplicate or compound tumbler or feeler levers
in the ordinary and well known manner. To inner end of one of such rocking levers
we attach a bracket carrying an anti-friction bowl received in and controlled by.
a curved slot or cam groove in the lower end of a lever mounted and free to
rock on a fulcrum stud fixed to the dobby. The upper end of the lever is
preferably made in the arc of a circle, and bearing on such arc is a curved spring
secured to the dobby frame. This spring is preferably covered on its under side
with leather and acts as a brake to the tappet lever and prevents undue vibration.
To pins or studs on the tappet lever are attached draw hooks acted on in turn
by lattices and pegs on a measuring and selecting barrel and also by a stud on
a bell-crank lever, the said stud also carrying a push catch for turning the
selecting barrel when required. To one of the ordinary lifting levers of the
dobby (the last for preference) is attached by adjustable brackets the bell-crank
lever carried on a bracket and stud fixed to the dobby side. A spiral or other
spring tends to keep the bell-crank and shedding. jack in their normal or in-
operative positions.
The action is as follows:--The lattice barrels carry chains of pegged lattices,
and the object is to control the number of revolutions (or parts of revolutions)
which lags on barrels make and after any given length has been woven off one
barrel to change to the other barrel, and vice versa. The last row of holes in each
set of lags is reserved for the insertion of the change pegs which cause a change
of barrels. As is well known, every time one of these change pegs comes under
its feeler or tumbler, the shedding jack which the peg governs is lifted, and its
motion imparted to the bell-crank and so to the stud or pin. If one of the
draw hooks is left in the path of the stud, the tappet lever will be moved or rocked
on its fulcrum stud and one barrel will be placed in its working position. When
the other draw hook is operated the other barrel is brought into action.
The curved slot or cam groove in the tappet lever acting on the anti-friction
bowl causes the bracket to rise or fall and thereby changes the pattern barrels,
and either barrel can be kept in its active position so long as similar lags are
kept under the draw hooks. It will be seen that every time a change peg on either
barrel comes under its feeler that the stud will be traversed under the ends of:
the draw hooks and a change of barrels (or no change) takes place according as

page_text: the lags are pegged. As the bell-crank or shedding lever falls, the bell-crank and
stud occupy their normal positions and in doing so a push catch attached to the
stud turns over the selecting barrel one lag and selects the draw hooks in readiness
to be acted on when the next change peg on either barrel comes up. The rock-
ing of the cam or tappet lever from side to side, either automatically or by hand,
will cause the anti-friction bowl to be raised and lowered alternately, and one or
other of the barrels moved to the active position. The motion of the rocking
lever and barrels is positive and no further locking or snecking is required.
Instead of the curved slot in the tappet lever, a solid curve or tappet may be
employed, and this solid tappet is cast to, or secured to the tappet lever (prefer-
ably, and to make the movement of the rocking lever positive) acts on two-anti-
friction bowls placed under and over such tappet.
--
When the change of barrel is required to be made non-automatically, viz.:-
by hand, the tappet lever is provided at its lower end and below the tappet or cam
groove with a handle, and automatic changing arrangement is of course dis-
pensed with. A handle placed below the tappet or cam groove in any case
facilitates changing of the barrels by hand, and for this reason it is preferable
to provide such handle.
The two draw hooks may be dispensed with, and instead, working from an
extra stud on the bell-crank, a lever with double hooks is used, the double hooks
acting on pins or studs on the tappet or cam lever, and the change pegs on the
barrels cause the bell-crank to be drawn out as before described, a spring being
used to effect the return movement. The lattices on the selecting barrel are not
pegged to act on the two draw hooks but are alternately pegged and blank to
act on the one double hook lever. One barrel can be kept in position so long as
pegged lattices are placed under the double hook lever, and the other barrel kept
in position so long as blank lattices are kept under the said double hook lever.
As the pegs on the barrels move away from under their feeler levers, the bell-
crank falls to its normal position and the pin or stud pushes over the selecting
barrel one lag and determines which hook shall engage with the pins on the tappet
lever. The two draw hooks may act on pins or studs on the tappet lever, such
hooks being connected to the bell-crank by stud or pin. Grates bolted to the side
of the dobby serve as guides for the hooks and also as guides for steel feeler
needles, such feeler needles being acted on by a couple of peg feelers which in turn
are acted on by pegged lags on selecting barrel. The selecting barrel is operated
from the bell-crank by a jointed pulling catch.
The construction and arrangement of cross border mechanism herein described
dispenses with a measuring motion worked off the loom, although if it is desired
it can be used.
The outside lattice barrel is for preference driven in the same direction as the
inner one, and to do this we propose fixing to the dobby, an extra driving lever
carrying the push catch for the outside barrel. By connecting the two driving
levers by means of a link, we are enabled to turn the outside barrel in the same
direction and at the same speed as the inner one.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1898.
Improvements in Dobbies of Looms for Weaving.
We, JAMES WARD and JOSEPH WARD, both of Ingham Street Iron Works, 5
Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Makers, do hereby declare the

page_text: .
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the folowing statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in the shedding mechanism of dobbies
of looms for weaving, the object being to greatly simplify the construction of
cross border dobbies by reducing the number of working parts, at the same time
to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of production.
Such being the nature and object of our said invention the following is a
complete description of same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, in
which:
--
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a dobby having our improvements applied thereto.
Fig. 1 is a detail of a modification of part of Fig. 1.
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are side elevations of dobbies with the improvements applied
thereto.
In the drawings only so much of a dobby is shewn as is necessary to illustrate
the invention, and the different parts or combinations are shewn by the different
figs., like figures of reference referring to similar parts throughout.
According to this invention and referring to Fig. 1 we employ two lattice
barrels 2, 3 mounted on rocking levers 4 (one at each side of the dobby) and
acting on duplicate or compound tumbler or feeler levers in the ordinary and well
known manner. To the inner end of one such rocking lever 4 we attach by means
of bracket 5 the anti-friction bowl 6 which is received in and controlled by a
curved slot or cam groove 1" in the lower end of a tappet lever 1 mounted and
free to rock on a fulcrum stud 16 fixed to the dobby. The upper end of the lever 1
is preferably made in the arc of a circle, and, bearing on such arc is a curved
spring 15 carried by bracket 21 fixed to the dobby side, and this spring 15 is
preferably covered on its under side with leather and acts as a brake to the tappet
lever 1 and prevents undue vibration. To pins or studs 17-18 on the lever 1
are attached draw hooks 7-8 acted upon by lattices and pegs on the measuring
and selecting barrel 12 and also by stud or pin 13 on a bell-crank lever 9. The
stud or pin 13 also carries a push catch 22 for turning over the barrel 12 when
required. To one of the ordinary lifting or shedding levers 11 of the dobby
(the last or outside one for preference) is attached by adjustable brackets
10-10"-10" the bell-crank lever 9 fulcrumed and free to rock on the stud 20
carried by bracket 19 on dobby side. /A spiral or other spring such as 14 tends
to keep the bell-crank 9 and shedding lever 11 in their normal or inoperative
positions..
The action is as follows:-The lattice barrels 2, 3 carry chains of pegged
lattices as shewn by the dotted lines, and the object is to control the number of
revolutions (or parts of revolutions) which such lags or lattices on barrels 2, 3
made, and after any given length has been woven off one barrel, to change to the
other barrel and vice versa, that is, to bring one or other of the barrels and its
lags and pegs into operation at the required and predetermined time. The last
or end row of holes in each set of lags is reserved for the insertion of the change
pegs which cause the required change of barrel. As is well known, every time
one of these change pegs comes under its feeler or tumbler, the shedding jack 11
which such change peg governs is lifted, and its motion imparted through 10
to the bell-crank 9 and so to the stud or pin 13. If one of the draw hooks 7, 8
is left in the path of the stud 13 the tappet lever 1 will be rocked on its fulcrum
stud 16 and one barrel will be placed in its working position. When the other
draw hook is operated the other barrel will be brought into its operative position.
The curved slot or cam groove 1 in the lower end of the tappet lever 1 acting
on the anti-friction bowl 6 causes the bracket to rise or fall thereby changing
the pattern barrels, and either barrel will be kept in position so long as similar
lags on the barrel 12 are under the draw hooks 7, 8. It will be seen that every
time a change peg on either barrel 2, 3 comes under its feeler, the stud 13 will
be traversed under the ends of the draw hooks 7, 8 and a change of barrels (or

page_text: no change) takes place according as the lags on the barrel 12 are pegged. To
get the hooks in the position shown, viz.-7 drawn out and the barrel 2 in the
working position, a lag on the barrel 12 pegged to drop 7 on the stud 13 and to
lift 8 clear would be needed, and so long as such lags are traversed under the
hooks 7-8 so long will the barrel 2 be kept in its raised or working position.
If a lag on 12 is pegged to lift the hook 7 and drop the hook 8 then the tappet
lever is rocked in the opposite direction and the barrel 3 is placed in its
working position, one barrel rising into action and the other falling out of action.
As the shedding lever 11 falls, which it does (when the change peg which causes
it to lift is removed from under its feeler or tumbler) motion is imparted through
10 to the bell-crank 9; and lever 11, and the bell crank 9 assume their inoperative
positions, and in so doing the stud 13 which carries push catch 22 causes the
barrel 12 to be turned one lag and the draw hook 7 or 8 is selected in readiness
to be acted upon by the stud 13 when the next change peg on either barrel.2
or 3 comes up. The rocking of the cam or tappet lever 1 either automatically
or by hand will cause the anti-friction bowl 6 to be raised and lowered alternately
and one or other of the barrels moved to its active position. The motion of
the rocking-lever and barrels is positive, and no further locking or snecking is
required.
instead of the curved slot 1" in the tappet lever 1 a solid curve or tappet may
be employed, and this solid tappet is cast or secured to the tappet lever 1, and
to make the movement of the rocking lever positive, two anti-friction bowls are
placed under and over such tappet 1 (see Fig. 1^).
When the change of barrels is required to be made non-automatically, viz.—
by hand, the tappet lever 1 is provided at its lower end and below the tappet or
cam groove with a handle and the automatic change arrangement is dispensed
with. A handle placed below the tappet or cam groove in any case facilitates
changing the position of the barrels by hand, and for this reason it is preferable to
provide such handle.
It will be seen that instead of putting the cam groove 1 on the tappet lever 1
that such cam groove or tappet may be placed on and attached to the rocking
lever 4, in which case the anti-friction bowl would be placed on the tappet
lever 1. The stud 13 carrying the push catch 22 is not necessarily the fulcrum
for the push catch 22 as such push catch could be placed in other equally suitable
position on the bell-crank 9.
Referring now to Fig. 2 the two draw hooks 7, 8 shewn in Fig. 1 may be dis-
pensed with and in lieu thereof we employ another stud 24 on the bell-crank 9
and a lever 23 with double hooks 23 and 23b acting on the pins 17, 18 on the
tappet lever 1. The change pegs on the barrels 2, 3 cause the shedding levers 11
and bell-crank 9, to be moved as before described, but in this case the double
hooked lever 23 acts on the pins 17, 18 of the tappet lever 1.
It will be seen that the movement of the bell-crank 9 as already described,
will cause the double hooked lever 23 to rock the tappet lever either in one
direction or the other according as the hook 23" engages with the pin or stud 17
and causes barrel 2 to rise, or the hook 23 engages with the pin 18 and causes
the cam groove 1" to move to its opposite side and bring the barrel 3 into working
position, all in a similar manner to the arrangement described in reference to
Fig. 1. The spiral spring 14 is used to assist the return movement of the bell-
crank 9 to its inoperative position.
The pegged lags on the barrel 12 do not in this case act on the two hooks 7-8
but on one lever 23 which (as will be seen from the drawing) is specially shaped
at 23 to provide a suitable peg surface. The lags on barrel 12 are in this
arrangement either pegged or blank according to which barrel 2, 3 is required to
be brought into action. So long as blank lags are kept under 23 at 23 so long
will the hook 23b engage with the pin 18 and keep the barrel 3 in the operative
position. In like manner pegged lags on the barrel 12 keep the hook 23

page_text: engaged with the pin 17 and keep the barrel 2 in the operative position. The
push catch 22 for turning the barrel 12 is shewn as being worked from the
stud 13 on the lever 9, and this push catch may be worked from the stud 24 or
from other suitable position on the lever 9. As the change pegs on barrels 2, 3-
move from under their feeler levers, the shedding lever 11 talls and through 10
the bell-crank lever 9 causes the barrel 12 to be pushed over one lag, and accord-
ing as this lag is pegged or blank so will either barrel 2, 3 be maintained in or
out of its operative position accordingly as the double hook lever is lifted by
pegged lags or allowed to fall by blank lags on 12.
Referring now to Fig. 3, the two draw hooks 7-8 act on pins or studs 17-18
on the tappet lever 1 and are operated by the bell-crank 9 and stud 24 as pre-
viously described. Hooks 7, 8 are in gear or out of gear with pins 17-18 as
required. The hook 7 draws the tappet lever 1 into the position shewn and causes
the barrel 2 to be placed in its raised or operative position, whilst the hook 8 if
allowed to engage with the pin 18 rocks the lever I on its stud 16 and the cam
groove causes the anti-friction bowl 6 and connection 5 to fall, thereby raising
the barrel 3 to its operative position.
The pegs on barrei 12 act on the hooks 7-8 by means of extra peg feelers 25
(two in number) fulcrumed at 25". At the end of the peg feelers 25 are steel
feeler needles, one short one 26 upon which the hook S rests, and one long one 27
upon which the hook 7 rests. Small grates 28-29 serve as guides for hooks 8
and 7, and also guide needles 26-27. The feeler levers 25 being weighted at the
end which rests on the barrel, always (when blank lags on the barrel 12 are under
such ends) keep the hooks 7-8 off the pins 17-18. Pegged lags on the barrel
12 lift the heavy ends and lower the ends upon which the feeler needles 26-27
rest, and according as the lags on the barrel 12 are pegged or blank so can either
hook 7 or 8 be dropped on to the pins or studs 17-18. In no case do both
hooks engage at once, one hook only being allowed to engage with its pin or stud.
The measuring and selecting barrel 12 is in this instance preferably worked
by a jointed pulling catch 22 fulcrumed on stud 24, and is operated from the
bell-crank as previously described. The shaft upon which the barrel 12 is
mounted, for preference extends across the dobby and is provided with a suitable
catch wheel for driving and a star wheel and spring for steadying as usual.
The outside barrel 3 (see Fig. 4) is preferably driven in the same direction as
is the inner one 2 and at the same speed, and to do this we employ an extra driving
lever 30 carried by bracket 31 and fulcrumed at 31". The lever 30 carries the
push catch 35 for outside barrel 3, whilst the dobby. lever 33 carries the push
catch 34 for the inside barrel 2, and these two driving levers 33 and 30 are
connected by links 32, and by this means we are enabled to drive both barrels
at the same speed and in the same direction. When the barrels fall out of action,
any of the well known means for holding off their respective push catches may
be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
(1). The general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts con-
stituting the improvements in cross border dobbies as and for the purpose herein
described and substantially as illustrated by Fig. 1 of the annexed drawings.
(2). The general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts con-
stituting the improvements in cross border dobbies as and for the purpose herein
described and substantially as illustrated by Fig. 2 of the annexed drawings.
(3). The general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts con-
stituting the improvements in cross border dobbies as and for the purpose herein
described and substantially as illustrated by Fig. 3 of the annexed drawings.
(4). In a cross border dobby the duplicate barrels 2, 3 push catch 34 link 32
rocking lever 30 bracket 31 and push catch 35 all in combination as and for the

page_text: purpose herein described and substantially as illustrated by Fig. 4 of the annexed
drawings.
1
(5). In a cross border dobby.the curved slot 1" on the tappet lever 1 or the
rocking lever in. combination with and for operating the lattice barrels 2, 3 as
herein described and substantially as illustrated by Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the annexed
drawings.