Improvements in Selvedge Weaving Apparatus for Looms.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug. 1891
Complete Specification Left, 29th May, 1892-Accepted, 2nd July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Selvedge Weaving Apparatus for Looms.
We WILLIAM SIMPSON of 61 Choir Street, Lower Broughton, Salford, in
the County of Lancaster, Weaving Manager, and ROBERT ERNEST LOWRY of
18 Kennedy Street Manchester in the County of Lancaster, Cloth Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our said invention relates to improvements in the apparatus used for weaving
selvedges when two or more pieces are woven eide by side, described in the Patent
Specification of William Simpson No. 8056, A.D. 1890, hereinafter referred to as
Simpson's Specification.
In the apparatus described in Simpson's Specification a rocking shaft, deriving
motion by means of a rack and pinion from an oscillating lever, is used for imparting
the requisite motions to the different parts of the apparatus.
According to our present invention the said rocking shaft is dispensed with, and
all the motions for actuating the various parts are derived from a sliding bar
hereinafter called the main slide connected by a link directly to the oscillating
lever. The grippers for seizing and carrying the ends of the weft into the shed
are mounted on pivots or studs in a crosshead on the main slide. The grippers
are rotated by cranks connected to accessory slides which derive motion from the
main slide bar.
The grippers are constructed in the form of pincers or pliers held closed by a
spring. One half of cach gripper is in the form of a bell-crank lever and when
brought back into position for receiving the weft a stop acts on the gripper in
such a manner as to overcome the closing action of the spring and to cause the
gripper to gape.
The cutting or scissors-like device consists of two parts having independent
horizontal motions so arranged that when the weft is required to be severed the
upper half of the cutting device passes along the lower half and cuts the weft
lying between.
In the apparatus described in Simpson's Specification the gripping devices carry
the cut ends of weft into the shed and slipping off the cut ends leave it in
the shed.
It is however found that with some kinds of weft the grippers draw off loose
fibres and thus lengthen the cut ends so that the grippers do not get clear of the
weft but on their return they bring back the cut ends out of the shed. To prevent
this withdrawal of the cut ends we provide appliances of the nature of rakes which
are caused to enter the shed in such a manner as to retain the cut ends of weft in the
shed as the grippers retire, these retaining devices are operated by levers connected
to accessory slides actuated from the main slide.
Means are provided for adjusting and regulating the traverse of the main slide
and of the accessory slides to suit looms of different kinds.
We prefer to mount the whole apparatus on an upright spring bar secured at the
lower end to a cross rail at the front of the loom.
In order to overcome certain difficulties in "taking up". incident to cloth having
selvedges woven with this apparatus, we provide temples having taper rollers, and
to still further equalise the "take up" of the cloth and of the thick selvedge,
we increase the diameter of the "taking up" roller at the parts where the Belvedges
pass, as for example by applying additional layers of perforated steel strip.
Dated this 28th day of August 1891.
EDWARD TURNER WHITELOW,
70, Deansgate, Manchester, Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Selvedge Weaving Apparatus for Looms.
We WILLIAM SIMPSON of 64 Edward Street, Lower Broughton, Salford, in
the County of Lancaster, Weaving Manager, and ROBERT ERNEST LOWRY of
18. Kennedy Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Cloth Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
Our said invention relates to improvements in the apparatus used for weaving
selvedges when two or more pieces are woven side by side described in the Patent
Specification of William Simpson No. 8056 A.D. 1890, hereinafter referred to.as
Simpson's Specification.
In the apparatus described in Simpson's Specification a cam shaft, deriving motion
by means of a rack and pinion from an oscillating lever is used for imparting the
requisite motions to the different parts of the apparatus.
According to our said invention the said cam shaft is dispensed with and all the
motions for actunting the various parts are derived from horizontally sliding parts
connected by links to the oscillating lever.
The gearing wheels aud racks for rotating the grippers are dispensed with
and cranks and liuks are used in their stead. The grippers themselves are
formed as a pair of bell crank levers pivoted on to each other. The cutting
derice consists of a scissors or shear like appliance having a top blade moving
horizontally along a lower blade in order to sover the woft lying between.
Devices are used to prevent the grippers from bringing out the cut ends as
they retire from the shed. Temples of a novel construction are used for over-
coming certain difficulties incidental to the "take up" of the cloth as it is
woven.
In order that the improvements which constitute our invention may be more
fully understood we will describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings, premising that the grippers, of which there are two, viz. one on each
side, the cutting device, and the claws hereinafter referred to, have exactly the
same functions as described in Simpson's Specification.
Fig. 1. is a side elevation of the apparatus with some of the accessory parts
removed, in order to show the construction and mode of operation of the principal
elements.
The grippers a are pivoted in a crossheade at the end of the main slide rod e¹
which slides backwards and forwards in bearings e esecured to the bed plate g of
the machine. A link e made in two parts connected by a bolt passing through
an adjusting slot is pivoted at one end to the main slide rod e and at the other end
to a bracket e adjustable in a slot in the oscillating lever D hereinafter referred to
as the main lever.
On the main slide rod e¹ is fixed a collar e between which and a sliding blook f
is a spiral spring e' in compression so that it continually tends to push the sliding
block against the fixed bearing e which limits the forward traverse of the sliding
block.
The top knife & which slides along the bottom knife &¹ is mounted on a rod b'
secured to the sliding block f so as to move therewith.
.
To the pivots a³ of the grippers are secured cranks a' the crank pins a* of
which take into holes in linke a pivoted at a on the sliding block f.
Fig. I. shows the parts of the apparatus in the relative positions they occupy
when the reed is retreating and pulling the main lever D. in the direction shown by
the arrow D¹. For convenicuce of description, motion in this direction is hereinafter
referred to as forwards and motion in the contrary direction that is from the reed is.
referred to as backwards.

page_text: A weft thread is supposed to have just been cut and to be held by the
grippers. As the main lever D now advances the main slide rod e and with
it the cross head e and the grippers a advance towards the reed when, owing to
the slide fand with it the pivots a being returned by the bearings the cranks a
will be caused to turn by the pull of the links a thus causing the jawa of tho
grippers to diverge right and left into the shed as they advance and to leave the
cut ends therein.
When the main rod D has reached the end of its forward stroke it is carried
backwards by the movement of the slay towards the cloth.
During the forward stroke of the main lever the shuttle has crossed the loom
and left a fresh weft thread across the shed which is seized by the claws d and
brought backwards towards the grippers at the backward stroke of the main lever.
As the latter continues its backward stroke the grippers leave the shed and again
assume tho position shown in Fig I.
Attached to the crosshead e are guide rods on either side which pass freely
through the sliding block f. On the guide rods are projections e³ which at a
certain point in the backward movement of the crosshead bear against the sliding
block and carry it backwards simultaneously with the crosshead-e so that during
this part of the backward movement the pivots a and a retain the same relative
position towards each other and consequently the grippers are not rotated.
The top knife being attached by the rod b (Fig. 11) to the sliding block / will
retreat therewith and at the end of the backward stroke will occupy the position
shown in Fig. II with a space between the part 63 of the bottom knife (which is
fixed) and the front or cutting edge of the top knife.
When the gripper has nearly reached the end of the backward stroke the top
member (pivoted to the bottom member) comes against a fixed block a' which
causes the grippers to open just before the end of the backward stroke and to
occupy the position shown in Fig. II.
Meanwhile the claws d have been further retreating into the position shown in
Fig. 11 and have pulled the weft over the projecting part 6 of the bottom knife so
that it now lies between the parts 63 and 6 of the knives. If now the forward
motion of the main lever begins the first result is that the top gripper leaves the
block a' and being pulled by the spring as attached to the other gripper closes on
and securely holds the weft. The top knife next advances, severs the weft and
the grippers carry it forward into the shed as before and the cycle of operations
recommences.
The claws are actuated in such a manner as to receive a reciprocating motion
to and from the knife to enable them to bring up the weft to the grippers and
they have also a rising and falling motion to enable them to rise and seize
the weft.
The reciprocating motion is derived directly from the main lever in the following
manner.
The claws d are hinged at d¹ to the dog leg bolt d' which can slide freely
lengthwise in a groove in the bed 9. A sliding piece a³ is pivoted to the bolt d'
at and at d to a slotted link working on an adjustable stud d' secured in the
long slot of the main lever D. The slot d is provided so that the claws may dwell
for a short time in their extreme backward or forward positions while the main
lever D is moving. A guide rod sliding in bearings in the sliding block f and in
the fixed bracket is attached by a pin or screw, to the sliding piece d³. A
strut pivoted to the guide rod and the foot of the sliding bracket d acts as
a stay.
To ensure the backward dwell of the claws during the first part of the forward
motion of the main lever D a bent spring d³ is fixed at one end to a block on the
bed 9. A bowl or friction roller d pivoted in the sliding piece rides onto an
depresses the spring d¹ and thus hinders the forward motion of the sliding piece ‹³
until the stud d' reaches the end of the slot d in the slotted link d":
The up and down motion of the claws.d to enable them to seize the weft is

page_text: obtained in the following manner. The claws are hinged at d' and pass through
the lower arm of a bell crank lever oscillating on a fixed pivot . The upper
arm is pulled backwards by a spiral spring so that the normal position is for the
claws to be raised.
A lever is pivoted on the main slide rod e¹ and the upper arm is pulled forward
by a spiral spring against the stop lº. Both ends of the lever are provided
with bowls or friction rollers.
As the main slide rod ei advances the bowl at the lower end of the lever pushes
the arm and depresses the claws. In connection with the working of the claws
another slide a parallel to aud secured to the slide rod m and operated by a link m²
from the main lever D is made use of.
Mounted on the slide rod n (shown in plan in Fig. III is a bracket n' in which
is pivoted the latch lever n' (Fig. 1). As the slide rod a advances the bottom
angular point of the latch lever rides over the top bowl of the lever l but on its
backward motion the vertical face n of the latch lever depresses the lever 14 and
enables its bottom bowl to ride over the arm which then flies backwards and the
claws rise. The rise of the claws takes place during their forward dwell. The
plan Fig. III shows the disposition of some of the principal parts with most of
the details shown in Fig. I omitted. In this plan d d are the claws, b is the top
knife, a a are the grippers, e is the crosshend a² and as are the cranks and links for
rotating the grippers as described with reference to Fig. I, is the sliding block on
which the links a are pivoted, is the main slide rod, m is a slide rod for working
the side motions to be hereinafter described n is the slide rod connected with and
moving simultaneously with the rod m and carrying the latch lever ³ (of Fig. 1) in
the bracket n', is the slide rod for actuating the bolt for obtaining the
reciprocating motion of the claws d. D is the main lever.
Another part of our invention relates to devices which we term side motions for
preventing the grippers from withdrawing the cut ends of weft as they retire
from the shed. One side motion is fixed at each side of the apparatus but for
convenience of description and illustration only one of them is shown in plan. in
Fig. III, and in elevation (as seen from the grippers) in Fig. V. Before describing
the mechanism for actuating the side motion we will describe its function and mode
of operation.
Referring to plan Fig. 111 in which the warp and weft threads are indicated by
horizontal and vertical lines respectively at X, o is a bolt sliding at right angles to
the warp (as indicated by the double headed arrow o') in a trough o secured to an
Oscillating block o³. The end of the bolt nearest to the grippers is ✓ shaped
hollowed out (as shown to an enlarged scale in Fig. IV) to-receive part of a needle
having a split head of (of the kind commonly known as calyx eyed needles). The
head of the needle is pushed so far into the bolt that the inclines of the split in the
head of the ucedle coincide with those of the V slit in the end of the bolt so that
the weft may be more certainly guided to the slit in the needle head.
Besides a transverse notion the bolt o has an up and down motion imparted to it
and also a sliding motion towards and from the reed. When the bolt o is shot back
it lies wholly in the trough o and above the whole of the upper warp threads.
in the position indicated by the small dotted circle o' in Fig. I. When this bolt
comes into action the trough o containing it is depressed to the centre line of the
shed, as a consequence all those warp threads between and 3 of Fig. I will be
pushed down into the shed into the position shown at z in Fig. 1, the bolt o then
shoots along the trough towards the grippers and occupies the position shown at o
in Figs. I and III that is to say between those upper and lower warp threads
which are destined for the selvedge.
The oscillating block o³ then recedes and brings the bolt o close against the weft
thread last beaten up. Each gripper now advances and turns into the shed and in
its passage causes the weft thread it is carrying to pass through the split head and
into the eye of the needle. The cut end of weft is now held by both the gripper
and the needle eye. When the gripper has reached the end of its path the bolt o

page_text: shoots back into the trough o% and effectively prevents the gripper taking the cut
end out of the shed.
The mechanism for effecting the above described motions of the bolt aro às.
follows is a lever pivoted at o' in the oscillating block o' and working in an
approximately vertical plane.
A projection of at the foot of the lever o is secured by a pin to the bolt o and a
spiral spring of connecting the lower arm of the lever to the oscillating block o'
continually tends to pull the bolt o into its shot position as shown in Fig. III.
A bell crank lever o pivoted in the oscillating block o' bears with its arm ol
against the upper end of the lever o and hence as the arm o" comes inwards by the
turning of a bell crank lever o⁰ on its pivot the bolt is slid outwards into the
trough o..
The side motion mechanism is all driven by the main lover D. A link m'
(Fig. 1) is pivoted at one end to a stud in the long slot of the main lever D.
The other end of the link m' is pivoted to a sliding piece m³ secured on a guide
rod m.
Sliding on the bed g is a cross bearer m³ to which are attached slide rods m* (one
on each side).
The slide rods m* slide through holes in the bearings and e". On each of the
elide rods m is a spiral spring m³ in compression between the sliding block f
(Fig. 1) and the cross bearer m so that the normal position of the cross bearer and
the slide rods m is backwards. Sliding in a recess in the lower half of the part m
is a bolt m shown separately in Fig. I. To this bolt is connected a lever m'
pivoted on the sliding piece m² and carrying at its other end a friction roller or
bowl m³.
In a plate or fixed bearing m² (Fig. 111) erected at the side of the bed g is pivoted
a friction roller or howl m which depresses the friction bowl me as the latter comes
under the former.
By means of a spiral spring m" the bolt m is continually pulled downwards.
During the forward stroke of the sliding piece m' the square foot of the bolt m
will push the cross bearer m³ forward and with it the slide rods m. When however
a certain point has been reached the bowl mª comes under the bowl m10 and is
depressed thereby.
When this occurs the bolt m is lifted clear of the cross bearer m³ which, with
the slide rods m' is then shot back a certain distance by the compressed spring m³.
During the backward stroke of the part m the rounded foot of the bolt in rides
over the cross bearer m' and as the part m² continues its backward path the hooked
end m of the part m' pulls the cross bearer dead against the bearing e". The
oscillating block o' of which the trough of forms an integral part is pivoted at 16
in a crosshead o¹s fixed at the fore end of the rod m' and partaking of its recipro-
cating moveinent. (It is of course to be understood that each of the rods m
carries such a crosshead and that the whole of the side mechanism for operating
the bolt o is duplicated at the other side of the apparatus.) A spring o" secured
to the arm on the crosshead o" continually tends to raise the rear part of the
oscillating block o³ and hence to depress the bolt o. A bowl or friction roller o" is
pivoted in the tail end of the oscillating block o³ and takes under the cam block o⁹0,
In Figs. IH & V the block o is shown in its extreme forward position with the
bolt shot. As it retreats owing to the backward stroke of the slide rod m' the bowl o¹
first rides along the horizontal part of the cam block and the bolt o remains down.
When however the bowl o¹ reaches the curved nose of the cam block the tail
of the block o is depressed and the trough of and with it the bolt o are lifted over
the edge of the temple cap (Fig. V) and out of the way of the advancing
reed.
"
Secured on the end of the rod m is a cross bar in to the end of which is pivoted
a latch lever having at the fore part of the lower end a rounded nose which
during the forward stroke of the rod m rides over the arm of of the bell crank

page_text: lever ol but on the backward stroke of the rod m the flat part m" (Fig. V) of the
foot of the latch lever comes in contact with the front face of the arm and by
partly rotating the bell crank lever 10 the arm " acts on the lever o* and shoots
the bolt o back into the trough, by this movement the weft (which as bereinbefore
stated now lies in the eye of the needle in the bolt) is effectively retained in the
shed while the gripper retires.
This backward shooting of the bolt is timed to take effect just as the roller o¹
reaches the end of the horizontal part of the cam block o. That is to say just
before the bolt o rises over the temple cap.
When the bolt is in this position the point of the spring click o" takes into a
notch in the bell crank lever ol and prevents the bolt from shooting forwards until
the click is released. The release of the click is effected by the arm o" coming
into contact with a fixed pin o" during the advance of the block o' just before it
has attained its extreme forward position.
.
In our Provisional Specification we referred to appliances of the nature of rakes
to be used in connection with the bolts of the side motion for preventing the with.
drawal of the cut ends but in our experiments we have found that the split eyed
needles herein before described are more suitable than rakes for this purpose and
they are less liable to catch the warp threads as they enter and leave the shed.
In weaving cloth with the hereinbefore described apparatus there are certain
difficulties incidental to the "taking up" of the cloth owing to the selvedges being
thicker than the body of the cloth. To overcome such difficulties we employ
temples of the construction shown in Figures VI and VII.
Their position with regard to the bed of the machine is indicated by dotted lines
in Fig. V, ss being the temple rollers and the cap or cover of the temples.
The temple rollers which lie on each side of the knife b are shown in plan
in Figure VI. ss are taper rollers rotating freely in the case.
The rollers are provided with spikes or teeth or are fluted in the usual manner
as is well understood. Lying between the rollers as is a central roller s¹ having
its bearings in the temple cap. The roller is only provided with teeth or
flutings for a short length just where the selvedge passes. The remainder is turned
plain. The inner bearing of the roller is set somewhat lower than the outer
bearing in such a manner that the centre line of the roller s' makes an angle of
about 10 degrees with the plane in which lie the centre lines of the rollers s.
By the use of such a combination of temple rollers the take-up of the selvedge
and the rest of the cloth is equalised. To further assist the even taking up of the
cloth and to prevent shrinkage as the weaving proceeds we provide a spring
clamp on the underside of the temple as shown in Fig. VII.
The front end of the said clamp bears against the lip of the temple cover and
securely holds the cloth lying between. A pin t' is carried in a bracket t' pivoted
at to the main carrying spring A in such a manner that when the slay advances
it strikes a button in the lower arm of the bracket t'. The effect of the blow of
the alay thercon is to momentarily pull down the clampt and release the grip of the
clamp on the cloth which can then be drawn through by the usual take up motion.
We find this spring clamp in combination with the hereinbefore described temples
to act better in practice than the application of additional layers of perforated
steel strip to the taking up roller.
The entire apparatus is secured by bolts B B to an upright spring bar A which
is attached at its lower end to a cross rail on the loom. By means of slots in the
spring bar A where it is secured to the cross rail the height of the apparatus may
be adjusted to the height of the cloth. To regulate the distance of the apparatus
from the reed a bolt C is provided passing freely through a slot in the spring bar A
and secured by the lock nuts C to the breast beam.
Our object in mounting the apparatus on a vertical spring bar is that the whole
may yield backwards without injury in the event of the shuttle being accidentelly
trapped in the shed between the apparatus and the reed.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. In an apparatus for selvedge weaving of the kind described the use combina-
tion and arrangement of the sliding pieces fixed bearings links and levers for
deriving the whole of the operative motions directly from the oscillating lever D
without the intervention of cams substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.
2. In an apparatus for selvedge weaving the construction of and the means for
actuating the grippers as hereinbefore described and shown.
3. The cutting device constructed and actuated as hereinbefore described and
shown.
4.. The side motions for preventing the withdrawal of the cut ends of weft from
the sheds as the grippers retire therefrom substantially as herein before described
and-shown.
5. In temples used for taking up the selvedges of cloth the use of taper rollers in
combination with a roller having teeth or equivalent means for holding the cloth
formed only at the part where it acts on the selvedge.
6. The method of mounting a selvedge weaving apparatus on an upright spring
bar substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and shown.
Dated this 27th day of May 1892.
EDWARD TURNER WHITELOW,
70, Deansgate, Manchester, Agent for the Applicants.
EDWARD TURNER WHITELOW,
70, Deansgate, Manchester, Agent for the Applicants.