IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Howard Blamires of Huddersfield 'in the
County of York, Woollen Spinner and Manufacturer for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Howard Blamires
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd November 1883.
THOMAS HOWARD BLAMIRES of Huddersfield in the County of York, Woollen
Spinner and Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
"
This Invention has reference to the "letting off" motion in either narrow or
broad looms and the object of my Invention is to unwind the warp from the warp
beam at a regular and uniform speed, and this I effect notwithstanding the varying
diameter of the warp beam.
The means or method I employ for carrying out my Invention consists in
allowing the warp beam to rest or bear against one or more rollers or drums, or
against an endless travelling apron or lattice sheet whereby the rotary motion of
such drums or sheet will deliver or unwind the warp from the said warp beam.
To increase the friction of the warp it may be passed around or partially around
the said roller or drum, whereby the necessary friction is obtained. If necessary to
increase the friction or tension of the warp, I employ one or two rods connected
together at each end by brackets and arranged in such manner that a rod is on
each side of the warp, so that on the brackets being twisted or swivelled the rods
are placed at such angles as to increase the tension of the warp as required.
The said rods may be stationary or they may be placed loosely in their bearings
and taken around by the action of the warp.
When using soft warp beams, I arrange that the full weight of the warp and
beam does not bear heavily upon the roller or drum and this I effect by not having
the centre of the warp beam immediately over the centre of the roller against
which it bears, but by placing the centre thereof to one side.
The ends of the warp beam are also arranged to bear upon inclined surfaces so
that the greatest portion of the weight of beam is removed off the warp and thrown
D31

page_text: onto the ends of the beam by which means the diameter of the warp is not
reduced by pressure whether standing or revolving.
Rotary motion is given to the rollers, drums, or sheet direct from what is
technically called the sand or friction roller, through the intervention of a shaft
and bevil or worm gearing; or the rotary motion of such drums may be obtained
from any other moving part of the loom which can be arranged so that the speed
thereof will deliver the warp at the same or nearly the same ratio at which the
cloth is taken up by the taking-up roller. By this means the taking up and
delivery of the warp are combined, the quantity of warp delivered being
determined by the quantity taken up, consequently the warp is delivered with
mechanical accuracy and without any unnecessary or unequal drag or tension, thus
the usual arrangement of weights, ropes, brakes, or other devices employed for
letting off the warp are dispensed with, whilst this improved arrangement gives
every facility for finding and repairing broken ends.
In order to adapt the roller or drum which carries the warp to the varying
widths of warp beams, they may be made to slide in and out lengthwise
telescopically.
When this Invention is applied to broad woollen looms where there is no sand
or taking up beam, I adopt in connection with the cloth beam a friction roller
actuating an arrangement of cones and sliding strap somewhat similar to that
described in previous Letters Patent granted to myself and others on the 4th of
January A.D. 1877 N° 47, for winding-on the cloth, which is however in
contradistinction to what I now employ-viz-letting off the warp.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Howard Blamires in the Patent Office on the 23rd May
1884.
THOMAS HOWARD BLAMIRES of Huddersfield in the County. of York Woollen
Spinner and Manufacturer "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
"
This Invention has reference to the "letting-off" motion in either narrow or
broad looms and the object thereof is to unwind the warp from the warp beam at
a regular and uniform speed and this I effect notwithstanding the varying diameter
of the warp beam.
The means or method I employ for carrying out my Invention consists in
allowing the warp beam to rest or bear against one or more rollers or drums, or
against an endless travelling apron or lattice sheet whereby the rotary motion of
such drums or sheet will deliver or unwind the warp from the said warp beam, by
which means the usual arrangement of weights ropes brakes or other devices
employed for letting-off the warp are dispensed with, whilst this improved
arrangement gives every facility for finding and repairing broken ends.
In order that the Invention may be better understood I herein give reference to
the accompanying sheet of Drawings wherein Fig 1 is a cross section of so much of
a loom as is necessary to illustrate my Improvements. A is the framing of the
loom B the crank shaft and C the warp beam which it will be seen is resting or
bearing upon the delivery roller D. This roller receives a continuous rotary motion
from the sand beam or friction roller U by means of the bevil wheels E one of
which is mounted on the shaft of the delivery roller and the other on the end of the
diagonal shaft F which is driven by means of the worm wheel G on the other end
thereof and the worm I on the shaft of the sand beam. The taking up or sand
beam receives its motion by means of the usual ratchet wheel and catch, operated
by the lathe sword or other convenient means. By this 'arrangement the taking
up and delivery of the warp are combined, the quantity of warp delivered being
determined by the quantity taken up consequently the delivery is regulated with
mechanical accuracy whatever variation may take place in the diameter of the
warp beam consequently from end to end of the warp, the cloth produced is of a
superior quality as regards evenness and regularity. When weaving a "soft-
beamed" warp I provide that the full weight of the warp beam does not bear
upon the roller D by arranging that the two centres shall not be in a vertical line
but that the shafts or studs on the ends of the warp beam shall bear or rest upon
the adjustable inclined bars M by which means a portion of the weight of the
beam is removed from the roller D and transferred to the inclined bars. The
bars M can be set at any angle by the screws a and the weight of the warp beam
divided so that the diameter of the body of the warp is not materially reduced by
excessive pressure whether the loom be standing or running.
In order to give a certain amount of tension to the warp for weaving purposes,
two or more friction rods or bars N are employed the ends of each of which are
supported by swivelling brackets O. The warp in passing from the beam to the
"shed" is in contact with these bars the position of which can be altered by
moving the brackets O upon their centres to any desired angle, by which means
the friction on the warp can be increased or diminished. When the bars N are not
required to act as friction bars, the thumbscrews bare slackened and the brackets O
placed in a vertical position so as to avoid any friction. If necessary to increase
the tension on the warp the position of the friction bars P may be lower, as shewn
in detail Fig 2 so that the warp comes off the beam as shown in the Drawing.

page_text: Fig 3 shews another method of altering the tension or friction of the warp, R being
a bar employed to bear more or less upon the warp according to the amount of
tension required.
When two warp beams are employed in one loom, I have them arranged
somewhat as shewn in section Fig 4, the warp resting upon seperate delivery
rollers D and D¹, in this case it is immaterial whether the roller D or D¹ is driven
from the sand or cloth taking up beam, but whichever it is motion is communicated
from one to the other by suitably arranged gearing,
In practice it is found that more of one warp is used than the other warp
according to the class of goods being woven, in which case the gear wheels are
changed to suit the varying speeds required.
In order to adapt the roller or drum which carries the warp to the varying
widths of warp beams, they may be made to slide in and out lengthwise
telescopically.
Having now shewn and described my Invention and the manner of carrying the
same into practice, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
exact details herein shewn and described, as the same may be varied without
departing from the essential features thereof, but what I consider new and therefore
claim is-
Firstly, The combination of the warp beam C and delivery roller or drum D
arranged in such manner that the warp beam is resting upon and in contact with
the "letting off" roller or drum for the purpose of unwinding and delivering the
warp with uniform regularity notwithstanding the varying diameter of the warp
beam substantially as set forth and shewn in the Drawings.
Secondly. The use and employinent of the adjustable inclined bars M for bearing or
supporting the ends or centres of the beam in manner and for purposes substantially.
as herein shewn and described.
Thirdly. The use and employment of two or more friction swivelling bars or rods N
when working in combination with the warp letting off motions such as is herein
arranged and described.
In witness whereof, I the said Thomas Howard Blamires have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Sixteenth day of May in the year of our Lord 1884.
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