IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER LOOMS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Sands, of Greenmount, in the County of Dublin,
Ireland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER LOOMS."
Sealed the 1st June 1880, and dated the 11th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Sands at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patonts on the 11th December 1879.
THOMAS SANDS, of Greenmount, in the County of Dublin, Ireland.
MENTS IN POWER LOOMS."
"IMPROVE-
My said Invention has reference to improvements in the construction, arrange-
ment, and working of the ordinary power loom weaving tappet, so that the same is
rendered capable of producing a greater variety of patterns, and consists of one
fixed part like the ordinary revolving tappet, and one or more moveable parts, or
the tappet may be formed of one solid part only.
To this tappet or any of its parts I impart a lateral motion, that is a sliding
motion parallel to the axes of rotation, either simultaneously or at different times,
or to the solid one only, so that all or any of the parts may be put in or out of
work at pleasure.
This motion is given by means of a connection between the tappet and revolving
eccentric groove, or by other suitable means.
The time of working the tappet in order to make any pattern required is
regulated by one or more revolving cylinders, which latter may be with or without
cards. These cylinders and cards are perforated to suit the pattern required, so
that a needle passing into one of the holes at the proper time allows a pin to
come in contact with a wheel, which thus turns the proper distance to make the
desired change in the tappet.
By this means the tappet goes on and off the treadles of the loom, and so works
or arrests the working at the proper time.
This also provides for the corresponding motion of the treadles in a similar
direction, so that by their motion of the treadles they can in part or entirely fulfil
the duty above described to the treadles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Sands in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th June 1880.
THOMAS SANDS, of Greenmount, in the County of Dublin, Ireland. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN POWER LOOMS."
My said Invention has reference to improvements in the construction, arrange-
ment, and working of the ordinary power loom weaving tappet, whereby the same
is rendered capable of producing a greater variety of patterns and a larger quantity
of cloth, and of superior quality than hitherto produced by existing machines, so far
as I am aware; and the said improvements consist in forming the said tappet of
one or more parts as hereinafter more fully described, and of imparting to said
tappet either in whole or in part lateral motion for the purpose of altering the
action of the cams on the treadles, and also in means for regulating the time at
which such alteration in the action of the cams is effected. The lateral motion is
produced by means of a connection between the tappet and a revolving eccentric
groove, or by other suitable means.
The time of working in order to make any pattern required is regulated by one
or more revolving cylinders, which latter may be with or without cards. The
cylinders and cards are perforated to suit the pattern required, so that a needle
passing into one of the holes at the proper time allows a pin to come in contact
with a wheel or cam, which latter turns the proper distance to make the desired
change in the working of the tappet.
By this means the tappet goes on and off the treadles of the loom and so works
the same at the proper time. My method of producing lateral motion may also be
applied to the treadles in a similar manner, so that by their motion they can in
part or entirely fulfil the duty above assigned to the tappet.
In order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and carried into
practice I will describe the accompanying Drawings.
Fig. 1 represents an elevation of my improved tappet arranged in portion of the
ordinary framework of a power loom.
Fig. 2 is a plan showing the arrangement whereby lateral motion is imparted to
the tappet or its parts.
Fig. 3 is an endview of same.
Fig. 4 shows in detail the tappet complete mounted on its spindle.
Fig. 5 is an end view of same in the direction indicated by the unbarbed
arrow.
Fig. 6 is a cross section on line x, x, Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the barbed
arrow.
Figs. 7 and 8 show the tappet in parts, the cams being indicated by numbers
1 to 6 respectively in all the views.
Figs. 9 and 10 are details showing elevation and side view of a revolving cam
and starplate combined.
Figs. 11 and 12 show elevation and side view of a combined disk and drum
carrying on the face of the latter a bowl or conical roller and on a projection of the
disk a crank-pin.
Figs. 13 and 14 represent elevation and side view of pattern wheel and drum.
Figs. 15 and 16 elevation and side view of cam with cavity on its bevel edge, all
for the purpose hereinafter more fully described.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views. A, A, represents a
portion of the ordinary framework of a loom sufficient to illustrate the working of
my Invention. B, B, shows the tappet formed of two parts or tubes working one
within the other, as illustrated in detail in Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive, showing how the
parts while rotating on a common spindle a, a, may be caused to separate laterally
when it is desired to vary the action of the cams on the treadles, where by one set

page_text: of cams may be thrown out of action and another set brought into action in order
to suit the requirements of various patterns or designs in weaving. These cams
inay be arranged as to number and position according to the requirements of the
cloth to be produced.
The first part, which is the part carrying the cams 4, 5, and 6, is keyed to the
spindle a, a, and acts as a slieve for the second part, which latter runs loose and is
carried round by being locked in the aforesaid first part. Rotary motion is
imparted to the tappet by ordinary spur gear, as shown to the right in Figs. 1 and 2,
and the lateral motion is regulated by the arrangement seen to the left in same
Figs., and also in the end view, Fig. 3, and may be more fully described and
illustrated, with the aid of detailed views, as follows:-On the main shaft C is
mounted the combined cylinder and disk D, which is free to move laterally on a
feather fixed to the shaft, and is provided on its face with a bowl or conical roller b,
a crank-pin c, and on its reverse side a clutch groove d (Figs. 11 and 12). In front
of this combined cylinder and disk is fixed to the bearing of the main shaft a
collar E having a cavity e formed on its bevel edge (Figs. 15 and 16), and on an
independent spindle suitably borne by brackets fixed to the framing is mounted
the combined cam and star plato F (Figs. 9 and 10).
The
By means of the zig zag groove formed on the periphery of this cam a recipro-
cating rectilinear motion is imparted to the clutch fork ff, which latter acting on
the clutch groove of the tappet causes the necessary lateral motion of same.
point of this clutch fork which gears in the zig-zag groove is provided with a
friction roller to facilitate its play in the groove. This clutch fork also actuates
the lever g, which lever is connected with the heddles of the loom. The time of
throwing the tappet cams out of or into action is regulated by means of the needle i,
the pattern wheel 1, and pattern drum p, acting thus:-On the main shaft is
mounted the worm v which impart rotation to the pattern wheel Z, upon which
latter the drum p rests, and is carried round by the pivot y (Figs. 13 and 14);
this drum is provided with horizontal slots on its periphery, and against its surface
the needle i impinges, so that when the drum in rotating presents a slot to the
point of the needle the latter is thrust forward by the force of the spring 8, while at
the same moment the combined cylinder and disk D is pressed to the right and
the small conical roller b noves into the cavity e of the collar E, while the crank
pin c gears with one of the radial slots of the star plate F causing the latter with
its combined cam to revolve by the length of one of the waves of the zig-zag
groove, and thereby to propel the clutch fork ff, in one direction. This notion
having been accomplished, the combined disk and cam D is again moved laterally
to the left by means of the conical roller & leaving the cavity e and riding on the
swelled bevelled edge of the collar E.
At the next revolution of the shaft the cam and star plate will be actuated again
in a like manner, when the clutch fork will be brought back to its first position,
that is assuming the needle i is capable of penetrating the periphery of the pattern
drum as above described; for it must be borne in mind that so long as the point of
the needle impinges against the surface of the drum no lateral motion whatever
will occur; it is therefore by altering the length or the number of horizontal slots
on the surface of the drum that the varieties in weaving are produced; for it is
obvious the more frequent the said slots or the greater the length of each the
oftener the needle will act; thus the lateral motion of the tappet is regulated by
this drum, which in my said Invention plays the important part assigned to the
employment of cards in other machines used for weaving. It will be obvious that
the tappet may be constructed of one solid part only, and provided with as many
cams as may be found convenient for the class of work produced, and that said
solid part may be operated laterally in the manner herein before described and
illustrated. The treadles on which the cams act are indicated at t, t, in Figs. 1, 2,
and 3. Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention and
the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein described for

page_text: imparting lateral motion to my improved tappet, or for regulating the action of
same, as these details may obviously be modified without departing from the
principle of the Invention; but what I consider novel and original, and therefore
clain as the Invention to be secured to me by the herein before in part recited
Letters Patent is-First. The employment of tappets constructed, arranged, and
operating in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein 'described and
set forth.
Secondly. The combination and arrangement of parts whereby lateral inotion is
imparted to the tappet or its parts, all in the manner and for the purpose
substantially as described and specified.
Thirdly. The combination of parts constituting the method of regulating the
time of throwing the cams of the tappet or its parts into and out of action,
constructed, arranged, and operating in the manner substantially as heroin described
and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Sands, have hereunto this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Third day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.