CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN Looms
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Brown, of Coventry, in the County of War-
wick, Ribbon Designer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
Looms."
Sealed the 14th May 1858, and dated the 22nd January 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Brown at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd January 1858.
I, JAMES BROWN, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Ribbon
Designer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS," to be as follows, that is to say --
This Invention consists in an improved form of shuttle, which form I prefer
to be as shewn in the annexed Drawing, and by the employment of which I
am enabled to convey one, two, three, and even more shuttles through the
fabric at the same time, thus throwing several shoots of various colours if
required simultaneously, in addition to which I gain considerable advantage in
the "batten," as this form of shuttle enables me to make a much wider
fabric with a shorter shuttle, and also to make a greater number of pieces at
one time, and even within the same space. Thus, I can make with the same
loom, without alteration, fabrics of varying widths. I also propose to make
these shuttles of papier maché, which will give me less weight to carry than
boxwood, and I shall of course require to modify the form of the receiver
which catches the shuttle after passing through the shed, and which merely
clutches it at one end instead of the shuttle sliding in grooves in the "batten,"
as heretofore. I also propose to affix a guide to the breastpiece of the loom,

page_text: through which guide the fabric shall pass perfectly flat, and by which it will
be prevented from twisting. In weaving what are known as terry or raised
fabrics, a wire is of course required to form the raised pattern; this wire is
caused to enter above the centre shed, forming the terry or pattern out of the
top shed, and the ground or back out of the bottom shed at one and the same
time, so that no shoot is lost.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th July 1858.
°
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
BROWN, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Ribbon Designer, send
greeting.
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WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Brown, Her special license that I, the said James Brown,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Brown, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOOMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
James Brown by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next, and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Brown, do hereby declare the,
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of improvements in certain parts of looms, but more
especially adapted to those looms which are used for ribbon and silk weaving.

page_text: These are, in the first place, in improved forms of shuttles, by which I am
enabled to convey one, two, three, or more shuttles through the fabric, thus
throwing several shoots of various colours simultaneously, and by which I also
gain considerable advantage in the batten, as these shuttles enable me to
make a much wider fabric with a shorter shuttle, and also to make a greater
number of pieces at one time and within the same space. Thus, I can make
with the same loom fabrics of varying widths. I of course require to modify
the form of the receiver, which catches the shuttle after passing through the
"shed," and which I make of such form as to clutch the shuttle at one end
instead of sliding the shuttle in grooves in the batten as at present practised.
In the next place my improvements consist in affixing a peculiar guide to
the breastpiece of the loom, through which guide the fabric will pass perfectly
flat, and thus be prevented from twisting.
In weaving what are known as "terry" or raised fabrics, a wire is caused
to enter above the centre shed forming the "terry" or pattern out of the top
shed, and the ground or back out of the bottom shed simultaneously, so that

page_text: in the openings (L, L). By the reverse movement the shuttles are returned
from (K to 1) repassing, through the shed. The shuttles are retained in their
respective receivers by the wires (m, m,) and are liberated by the action of
cams or inclined planes (n, n,) on the under laths (E and F), which laths are
connected to and move simultaneously with the upper laths (B, C,) and thus
a reciprocating motion is given to all the shuttles through the several sheds.
(M) is an improved form of guide, attached to the breastpiece of the loom,
through which guide the fabric passes perfectly flat and without twisting, (N)
being a catch or stop provided for the purpose of preventing the laths
(B and C) from moving until operated upon by the inclined planes (n, n);
(0, 0,) are wire stops on the main frame, against which stops the projecting
pieces (p, p,) one on each side of the laths (B, C,) are caused to stop, thus
regulating the length of stroke for the shuttles. As I have already stated, in
the manufacture of terry or raised fabrics, a wire is required to form the
pattern; this wire enters above the centre shed, forming the pattern out of the
top shed, and the ground or back out of the bottom shed at one and the same
time, so that no shoot is lost.
:
Figures 2 and 3 shew to an enlarged scale my improved forms of shuttle,
and although I have only represented in Figure 1 one tier of shuttles, three or
more tiers can be as readily adapted in my improved batten by repeating for
each additional tier of shuttles, laths, and carriers, wheels, pullies, and racks,
as shewn in the Drawing for the single tier. These wheels and racks may be
varied in their relative positions, and the laths and shuttles and parts belonging
to them may be driven from the upper or lower side, or from either end or
both ends of the batten, as may be found most convenient.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to these precise details, but that that which I claim is the several
improvements described in the parts of looms and in the shuttles employed
therewith, as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Brown, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
JAMES BROWN. (L.S.)