IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO LOOMS FOR WEAVING.
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Vickerman, Jonadab Whitehead, and Joe Moorhouse,.
all of Lockwood, near Huddersfield, in the County of York, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO LOOMS FOR WEAVING.".
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Vickerman, Jonadab.
Whitehead, and Joe Moorhouse at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 22nd March 1879.
JOHN VICKERMAN, JONADAB WHITEHEAD, and JOE MOORHOUSE, all of Lockwood,
near Huddersfield, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO.
LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
This Invention relates to apparatus to be employed in looms for weaving for
the purpose of effecting the gradual lowering of the shuttle boxes, and our improve-
ments consist in the employment of a revolving ratchet wheel, on the boss of which
is mounted a casting or lever having one or more branches which carry a catch or
pawl, and is connected by rod to the end of shuttle-box lever.
As soon as the boxes begin to descend, the connecting rod is lifted and the catch
is thrown into the teeth of the wheel, thus retarding the fall of the boxes, which
can only descend at the full speed allowed by the rotation of the ratchet wheel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Vickerman, Jonadab Whitehead, and Joe Moorhouse in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd September 1879.
"
JOHN VICKERMAN, JONADAB WHITEHEAD, and JOE MOORHOUSE, all of Lockwood,
Dear Huddersfield, in the County of York. IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO
LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
This Invention relates to apparatus to be employed in looms for weaving, for the
purpose of effecting the gradual lowering of the shuttle boxes, and our improve-
ments consist in the employment of a revolving ratchet wheel or segment of wheel,
on the boss of which is mounted a casting or lever having one or more branches
which carry a catch or pawl, and is connected by rod to the end of the shuttle box
lever. As soon as the boxes begin to descend, the connecting rod is lifted and the
catch is thrown into the teeth of the wheel, thus retarding the fall of the boxes,
which can only descend at the speed allowed by the rotation of the ratchet
wheel or segment.
Such being the nature and object of our Invention, we will now proceed to more
fully describe the same, being aided by the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,, wherein
Fig. 1 is an end elevation of so much of a loom as is necessary to shew the appli-
cation of our improvements; A is the crank shaft; B are the shuttle boxes; and
C, the shuttle box-lever arranged as usual. Upon a shaft D placed in any con-
venient part of the loom we fix a ratchet wheel E working within a pair of three
armed levers F connected at one end by rod G to the shuttle box lever. The
shaft D has a continuous rotary motion given to it by strap and pulley H from
the crank shaft A. It will be seen that when the lever I is removed from under-
neath the stops J, the weight of the shuttle boxes draws one end of the shuttle box
lever down, and consequently the rod G is raised, and the catch K, the point of
which is in the teeth of the ratchet wheel, and which is fixed by a pin between two of
the lever arms, prevents the rod G from rising too quickly, the rate of motion being.
determined by the surface speed of the ratchet wheel; the boxes are therefore
lowered with a corresponding regular motion. Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged views of
the ratchet wheel and catch, the flat spring L pressing the catch always into the
teeth of the ratchet wheel when the rod G is being raised. The motion of the
ratchet wheel may be given either by wheels or pulleys, and its speed can be regu-
lated by varying the size of the pulley or wheels, the arrangements being such that.
the boxes are lowered gradually without noise or shock.
Having now described the nature and particulars of our Invention, we would
have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact details shewn on
the Drawings, as certain variations may be made, as for instance, the ratchet wheel
may be mounted on the crank shaft or placed in some other part of the loom, but
but what we believe to be new and therefore claim as our Invention is, the use and
employment of the ratchet wheel and catch, and apparatus in connection therewith
for retarding the fall of the shuttle boxes, substantially as herein shewn and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jonadab Whitehead, for and on behalf of
myself and the said John Vickerman and Joe Moorhouse, have hercunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
JONADAB WHITEHEAD. (L.S.)