IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS For WEAVING
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Barbour, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim,
Ireland (Machinist), for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS For
WEAVING." A communication from abroad by Andrew Coulter, of Kasan, in
the Empire of Russia.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Barbour at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th October 1881.
JAMES BARBOUR, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Ireland (Machinist).
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING." A communication from abroad by
Andrew Coulter, of Kasan, in the Empire of Russia.
The object of this Invention is to prevent the shuttles of looms while at work
from flying out of their course, and thereby retarding the weaving operation.
"
The Invention consists in fitting to the front of the "slay or batten a rock
shaft which extends across the loom, and is furnished with a series of prongs or
teeth which form a shuttle guard in front of the batten, and serve to retain the
shuttle in its course as it is propelled through the shed.
A tendency is given to this rock shaft to keep its prongs in a position to act as
a shuttle guard by means of a coiled spring surrounding the shaft, but when the
slay or batten is moved forward to "beat up" the shaft must be rocked to raise
the prongs clear of the work. This may be done by means of a cord secured at
one end to a fixed point, and attached at its other end to a lever arm keyed to the
shaft, the length of the cord being such that it will be brought to tension so soon
as the batten advances to "beat up."
When the cord is tightened the advance of the batten will cause the rocking of
the shaft and the withdrawal of the tines from the shed. So soon, however, as
the cord is slackened by the back motion of the batten the coiled spring will come
into action and depress the prongs into the shed.
It will be obvious that the rocking of the shaft may be effected by other means
than that just described, as, for example, by the use of cam shaped guides or their
equivalent.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Barbour in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th April
1882.
JAMES BARBOUR, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, Machinist.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING." A communication from abroad by
Andrew Coulter, of Kasan, in the Empire of Russia.
The object of this Invention is to prevent the shuttles of looms while at work
from flying out of their course, and thereby retarding the weaving operation.
"
The Invention consists in fitting to the front of the "slay or batten a rock
shaft which extends across the loom, and is furnished with a series of prongs or
fingers which form a shuttle guard in front of the batten, and serve to retain the
shuttle in its course as it is propelled through the shed.
A tendency is given to this rock shaft to keep its prongs in a position to act as
a shuttle guard by means of a coiled spring surrounding the shaft, but when the
Blay or batten is moved forward to "beat up the shaft must be rocked to raise
the prongs clear of the work.
"
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a front view of the batten or slay fitted
with a shuttle guard according to this Invention, and Fig. 2 is a cross section of
the same on an enlarged scale. In front of the batten, immediately above the
reed, a rock shaft A is mounted in bearings. Fitted to this rock shaft is a series
of bent fingers or prongs B, B, B, which are set equidistant from each other, and
are sufficiently numerous, regard being had to the length of the shuttle to form a
guard which shall retain the shuttle in its race. These fingers are made of thin
steel, so that they may penetrate the line of warp threads without deranging the
order of the threads. On one end of this rock shaft is keyed a lever arm C, to
which is attached a slack cord D made fast to a fixed point in the loom; E is a
spring coiled around the rock shaft, and made fast thereto at one end while its
other end is secured to the batten or slay. The tendency of this spring to uncoil
will give a forward axial motion to the rock shaft, and thereby bring down the
fingers B into the drawn position of Fig. 2, at which time they will cover in the
shuttle race, and effectually prevent the flying out of the shuttle: When however
the batten is advanced to beat up the work the cord D will be drawn to tension,
and the arm C will be thereby caused to rock the shaft A and lift the fingers into
the dotted position of Fig. 2. By this means the fingers which while forming a
guard for the shuttle projected into the shed, will be raised clear of the warp
threads and offer no obstruction to the beating up of the work. So soon however
as the batten or slay retires from the work the cord D will become slack, and
the recoil of the spring E will restore the fingers or prongs B to their normal
position.
It will be obvious that the rocking of the shaft to raise the fingers clear of the
warp threads may be effected by other means than that just described, thus, for
example, a cam shaped guide or its equivalent may be caused to act upon
an arm of the rock shaft as the slay advances, and rock the shaft in its
bearings.
Having now set forth the nature of this Invention of "Improvements in Looms
for Weaving," as communicated to me from my foreign correspondent, and explained

page_text: the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under
the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,―
The application to the battens or slays of looms of a shuttle guard constructed
and operating as and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Barbour, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Third day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
JAMES BARBOUR. (LS.)