IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Stead and James Conlong, both of Radcliffe
Bridge, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention. of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 12th February 1878, and dated the 13th August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Stead and James
Conlong at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th August
1877.
WILLIAM STEAD and JAMES CONLONG, both of Radcliffe Bridge, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Our Invention relates to drop box looms, that is to say, to such looms as are
fitted with shuttle boxes capable of holding more than one shuttle, and arranged to
be moved up and down in order that any one of the shuttles may be brought into
action when required; and our Invention relates more particularly to the apparatus
employed to effect the required changes in the relative positions of the said
drop box.
For the indicated purpose we employ tappits or cams to raise the lever which
is connected with the drop box, and we give motion to the said cams by means of
rim wheels which actuate star wheels connected with the said cams; but we do not
claim these parts apart from the means for throwing the said rim wheels into and
out of action.
We arrange the said rim wheels to slide to and fro upon a stud or axis or upon
axes of motion.
When slid in one direction each wheel is caused to engage with one of the star
wheels, and when slid in the other direction the wheel is disengaged. Each rim
wheel is slid in one direction by a part which is controlled in its action by means
of a pattern chain, the return movement being effected by means of a spring.
A pattern chain controls the action of sliding parts which effect the sliding motion
of the said rim wheels. Each of the said sliding parts is formed or provided with
inclined faces which act upon the boss of the rim wheel or upon a suitable part of
the said wheel.

page_text: The said sliding part is provided with an antifriction bowl, which is operated
upon by the links of the pattern chain which push in the said sliding part.
The said sliding part may be pushed in to slide the rim wheel into gear, or be
pushed in against the pressure of a spring to permit the rim wheel to slide out of
gear, the parts being suitably arranged for either action.
The said sliding parts may be pushed in by means of pattern chains which are
caused to vibrate to and fro, but we do not prefer this arrangement.
We prefer to employ a chain formed of plates linked together, and mounted
upon or actuated by a polygonal barrel. Recesses are formed in the faces of the
said barrel, each recess being formed to receive a part of the antifriction bowl on
one of the aforesaid sliding parts. The plates of the said chain cover or leave
uncovered the said recesses, according as the rim wheels are to be slid into gear
or out of gear.
When a covered recess is presented to one of the bowls the sliding part is pushed
in, and we will suppose that the corresponding rim wheel is slid out of gear; but
when an uncovered recess is presented to the bowl the said bowl enters the recess
and the sliding part slides outwards and moves the said rim wheel into gear.
Pattern chains constructed and acting in manner herein indicated may also be
employed in connection with other arrangements for actuating the drop boxes, or
for controlling the action of parts of looms.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Stead and James Conlong in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 13th February 1878.
WILLIAM STEAD and JAMES CONLONG, both of Radcliffe Bridge, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Our Invention relates to drop box looms, that is to say, to such looms as are
fitted with shuttle boxes capable of holding more than one shuttle, and arranged to
be moved up and down in order that any one of the shuttles may be brought into
action when required; and our Invention relates more particularly to the apparatus
employed to effect the required changes in the relative positions of the said
drop box.
For the indicated purpose we employ tappets or cams to raise the lever which is
connected with the drop box, and we give motion to the said cams by means of
rim wheels or stud wheels which actuate star wheels connected with the said
cams; but we do not claim these parts apart from the means for throwing the said
rim wheels into and out of action.
We arrange the said rim wheels to slide to and fro upon a stud or axis, or upon
axes of motion.
When slid in one direction each wheel is caused to engage with one of the star
wheels, and when slid in the other direction the wheel is disengaged. Each rim
wheel is slid in one direction by a part which is controlled in its action by means of
a pattern chain, the return movement being effected by means of a spring or equivalent
part..
Bevil wheels may be substituted for the said star wheels, and be slid into or out

page_text: of gear with a driving wheel by the means corresponding to those employed to slide.
the said star wheels.
We may employ a special form of pattern chain and barrel to effect the movement
of the aforesaid sliding parts.
And in order that our said Invention may be readily described and fully under-.
stood, we have appended hereunto a Sheet of Drawings made to a scale of about
four inches to the foot, and marked with letters of reference, to which Drawings we
will now refer.
Fig. 1 represents a plan of our improved apparatus, and Fig. 2 a vertical section
on the line A in Fig. 1.
In the two Figs., or in Fig. 1, B represents the ordinary crank shaft; and C, a
portion of one of the sides of a loom.
As the said loom may be of any ordinary or suitable construction it has not.
been considered to be necessary to represent it to a greater extent in the
Drawings.
To a plate or frame D, which is fixed to or cast upon the loom side, are bolted
or secured three studs a, b, and c, upon which parts of the apparatus are
mounted.
In lieu of this arrangement shafts fitted to revolve in bearings in a suitable
framing may be employed if preferred.
Upon the stud a a tube is fitted to revolve, and upon this tube is fixed a spur
wheel d, which gears with a pinion e, which is fixed on the loom crank shaft, and
in the example is one-fourth of the size of the wheel d, so that the said wheel is
caused to make one revolution during four revolutions of the crank shaft.
Upon the same tube on the stud a two rim wheels E and F are fitted to slide,
and are caused to revolve with the said tube, and therefore with the wheel d by
means of feather keys which are fixed in the said tube, and which enter slots in
the eyes of the said rim wheels.
Upon the stud b are mounted two star wheels G and H, each being formed with
four slots, and with four sides curved to fit the peripheries of the rim wheels.
Each of the rim wheels is provided with two studs i, so that supposing one of
the star wheels to be kept in gear with one of the rim wheels the said star wheel
would be caused to make two rotatory movements, each to the extent of a quarter
turn during one revolution of the rim wheel, as will be readily understood, this
movement being well known.
The star wheel G is fixed upon a tube or hollow bush, or is formed with a long
boss upon which the star wheel H is fitted to revolve, and upon the said bush or
on the boss of the wheel G a cam I is fixed; a second cam J is fixed or. formed
upon the boss of the star wheel H.
It will be understood that either of the two cams may be separately rotated by
acting upon the star wheel with which it is connected, each movement of one of the
star wheels causing one of the said cams to make a quarter revolution.
The two cams act upon a bowl f, which is mounted upon a stud which is fixed
to a lever g. This lever is hinged by one end upon a stud h fixed to the frame D;
and is jointed by the other end to a rod j, which is connected with the shuttle drop
box of the loom. Supposing the parts to be in the position represented in Fig. 2,
the top shuttle would be in use. On the cam I making a movement the middle
shuttle would be brought into action, the bottom shuttle being lifted into action by.
a movement of the cam J. To return the top shuttle into action it would then
be necessary for both cams to rotate together.
Although we have thus described the action of these cams we do not claim them
apart from the means for throwing them into action.
A spiral spring K is mounted upon the tube between the two rim wheels G and
H, and tends to keep them apart in the positions indicated in Fig. 1, the studs i
then clearing the star wheels so that the rim wheels revolve without actuating the
said star wheels. The said rim wheels are slid into action by means of inclines
}

page_text: formed on sliding bars 7 and m. Each of the said bars is forked at one end, so as
to pass above and below the tube on the stud u, the end of the bar being thereby
sustained. The other end of each bar is formed or connected with a rod
n, which
is fitted to slide in a plate or frame o, and is provided with an antifriction bowl.
Upon the stud ca chain barrel K is fitted to revolve. To the said barrel is fixed
a star wheel p, which is acted upon by studs fixed to the wheel d, so that the
chain barrel is caused to make two rotatory movements during each complete
rotation of the wheel d.
Each of the eight sides or faces of the said chain barrel is formed with two
recesses into which the antifriction bowls on the rods n can enter, as seen in
Fig. 2.
When the said bowls are in any of the said recesses the bars and m are in the
positions indicated in Fig. 1, and do not act upon the rim wheels.
The pattern chain is formed of metal plates linked together, the said plates
being of different lengths, so that some plates cover the two recesses on a face of
the barrel; other plates cover one or the other of the said two recesses, and the
shortest plates leave both recesses uncovered.
When a covered recess is presented to one of the antifriction bowls, the corre-
sponding sliding bar is pushed forwards, and the incline thereon acts upon the boss
of the corresponding rim wheel and slides it into action.
The action of the apparatus may be described as follows:-The parts being in
the positions indicated in the Figs. it will be seen that on a movement of the chain
barrel K in the direction indicated, the bar will be pushed inwards in consequence
of the corresponding recess being covered. The incline in the said bar acting on
the boss of the rim wheel F will cause the said wheel to slide towards the wheel E.
By this movement the stud i will be caused to engage with the star wheel H,
which will make a quarter turn, the consequence being that the cam J will raise
the levers g to its top lift, whereby the bottom shuttle will be raised into action.
By the next movement of the chain barrel the bar m will be pushed inwards, the
rim wheel F being thereby slid into gear with the star wheel G, and both cams
will be rotated, the consequence being that the drop box will be lowered a step, so
as to bring the middle shuttle into action. A third movement of the chain barrel
would lower the lever g to its lowest position.
We do not confine ourselves to the special form of chain described.
Fig. 3 indicates a form of chain which may be employed, the said chain con-
sisting of links of different forms arranged to act upon the rods n in manner as
will be readily understood.
Another arrangement is indicated by Fig. 4. In this example a chain consisting
of perforated plates is employed, and a pricker r formed with a collar is arranged
to slide within a hollow rod 8 corresponding to the rod n in Figs. 1 and 2. A
spring within the rod s tends to draw the said pricker inwards. A collar is also
fixed or formed on the rods, and an incline is forced at regular intervals between
the two collars so as to separate them. If the pricker be opposite a hole in the
pattern chain it enters the said hole; but if the movement of the said pricker is
arrested by the absence of a hole the rod s is obliged to yield, and by sliding
forwards acts upon the bar corresponding to the bar lor m, as the case may be.
Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a further modification, Fig. 5 being an elevation and
Fig. 6 a plan. In this example the sliding bars and m are employed to slide two
mitre wheels t and u upon a shaft v. A third mitre wheel w receives a continuous
revolving motion by means of any suitable arrangement. The wheels t and u
slide upon a key fast to the shaft v, so that when either of the wheels rotates the
shaft is compelled to rotate with it. Upon the said shaft is fixed a heart wheel x or
a suitably formed cam which acts upon the lever which is connected with the
drop box. The wheel t or the wheel u is slid into gear with the wheel w by means
of the sliding bar or m, according as the wheel x has to be turned in one direction
or the other. The rods n are turned down at the ends, so as to form a shoulder,

page_text: and are acted upon by means of a vibrating pattern chain of perforated plates.
The mitre wheels are kept in gear for a shorter or longer time, according as the
part of the plate which pushes the rod n is perforated or not perforated.
"
A remaining modification is indicated by Fig. 7. In this example the sliding
rim wheel is employed to actuate a Diggles chain." The said rim wheel F
actuates the pattern chain barrel K by means of a star wheel, as in Figs. 1 and 2.
The said rim wheel is fitted to slide upon and rotate with a shaft y, and when
slid upon the said shaft by means of the incline bar 7 gears with a star wheel z,
which is fixed to the chain pinion of the Diggles chain L, which gives motion to
the drop box in the usual manner.
It must be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the proportions of the
parts and of the gearing, nor do we claim all the parts illustrated as novel; but
that we do claim,-
First. The combination of parts formed, arranged, and acting substantially as
and for the purpose set forth and indicated herein-before, and in and by the
accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. The sliding bars and m, acting substantially as and for the purposes
set forth and indicated.
Thirdly. The rim wheels slid into and out of gear with star wheels, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth and indicated.
And, lastly. The pattern chain and barrel, substantially as set forth, and indicated
with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Stead and James Conlong, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twelfth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Signed and sealed by the said
William Stead and James
Conlong in the presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
Agent to the Patentees,
3, Princess Street,
Manchester.
(L.S.)
WILLIAM STEAD.
JAMES CONLONG.. (L.S.)