IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKERS' USED IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Naylor, Twister, and William Crossley,
Manufacturer, both of Calder Vale, near Todmorden, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKERS' USED IN LOOMS
FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 8th May 1860, and dated the 19th November 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Naylor and
William Crossley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 19th November 1859.
We, HENRY NAYLOR, Twister, and WILLIAM CROSSLEY, Manufacturer, both
of Calder Vale, near Todmorden, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN 'PICKERS'
USED IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
Our improved "picker" is made of buffalo hide, the same as the common
picker, but it is different to the common picker both in shape and construction.
On the side view our improved picker is rectangular in form, and is con-
structed so that the flat sides of the strips of hide employed are in the line of
the spindle on which the picker slides, instead of being at right angles to it, as
in the common picker, consequently the edges of the folds of the hide are
presented towards the point of the shuttle, and are so arranged that the

page_text: picker strikes the point of the shuttle at the centre of the lower turn of the
folds. In this method of construction the flat sides of the hide also come
against the sides of the bottom guide for the picker in the shuttle box, instead
of the edges of the folds, as in the common picker.
Our improvements further consist in placing a metalic bush in the picker!
to work on the spindle
picker strikes the point of the shuttle at the centre of the lower turn of the
folds. In this method of construction the flat sides of the hide also come
against the sides of the bottom guide for the picker in the shuttle box, instead
of the edges of the folds, as in the common picker.
Our improvements further consist in placing a metalic bush in the picker!
to work on the spindle
Pickers made according to our Invention are more durable, while at the
same time they operate with greater certainty than those of the common
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Naylor and William Crossley in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 17th May 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
NAYLOR, Twister, and WILLIAM CROSSLEY, Manufacturer, both of Calder
Vale, near Todmorden, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Henry Naylor and William Crossley, Her special license that
we, the said Henry Naylor and William Crossley, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Henry Naylor and
William Crossley, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PICKERS USED IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Henry Naylor and William Crossley, or one of
us, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals (or under the
hand and seal of one of us,) should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Henry Naylor and William Crossley;
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is
to say):-
Our improvements relate to that class of pickers the upper ends of which
work on a spindle or rod, and the lower end in a slot in the bottom of
the shuttle box, both the spindle and slot forming guides for the picker.
Our improvements consist in the peculiar construction of pickers of the
class above referred to, and will be best explained by a description of the
Figures on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, representing (full size)
pickers made according to our Invention.
Fig. 1 is a side view, and Fig. 2 is an edge view, of a "picker" according
to one modification of our Invention. It is made of strips of buffalo hide
(same as the common picker), the strips being folded so that their edges will
strike against the point of the shuttle when the picker is working, the folds
being arranged so that the point of the shuttle will come as near as possible
against the point marked a. The hole for the spindle is marked b; the part
which slides in the slot at the bottom of the shuttle box c; the slot by which
the "picking band" is attached to the picker d, and the wire staples passing
from one side through the picker, being clenched on the other side to secure
the strips e. This picker may be used without, but works with less friction
on the spindle when metallic rings f are inserted, as shewn in dotted line.
These rings are inserted at the time the strips are folded, so as to be firmly
secured.
Fig. 3 is a side view, and Fig. 4 an edge view, of another picker made
according to our improvements. It is similar in construction to that shewn
by Fig. 1 and 2, except that the provision made for the attachment of the
"picking" band is different, one strip of hide being secured so as to leave a
space (d) between it and the upper part of the "
In this modification
"picker."
a method of applying a metallic bush is shewn, which is to extend from one
side of the picker to the other, this bush (f) being a tube with a flange at
each. end, which is encircled by the strips of hide when the "picker" is
constructed.
Fig. 5 is a side view, and Fig. 6 an end view, of another picker according
to our Invention, which is constructed in two distinct and separate parts.
The lower part is similar to the pickers shewn by Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, but
the upper part, which is formed of strips of hide having their edges in the

page_text: same direction as in the common picker, the upper and lower parts being
secured together by a screw bolt. 6 are the holes for the spindle; d, a slot
(same as in the common picker) for attaching the picking band. These
Figures (5 and 6) shew two metallic bushes (f), each forming part of a
plate (¹), having a hole through it, so as to be secured by the bolt (g).
With pickers constructed in the manner shewn by Figs. 5 and 6, when one
part is worn out a new part may be substituted, instead of having to replace
the entire "picker" as hitherto.
Fig. 7 is a front, and Fig. 8 an edge view of another picker, similar to that
shewn by Fig. 5 and 6, except that the sides are of increased strength, and
the holes (d) for the spindle are bushed in a different manner. In this case
the bushes (f) are formed by a tube having a flange at one end, and
when passed through the hole, as shewn, a washer (f¹) is placed on the
end of the tube, and it is expanded or rivetted over so as to be held
secure.
Fig. 9 is a side, and Fig. 10 an edge view, of another picker according to
our Invention. This is similar to the one shewn by Figs. 5 and 6, except
that for the upper part metal is substituted for strips of hide. The metal
may be brass, wrought iron, or malleable cast iron. The picking band is
attached to the part (d). Fig. 11 is a side view, partly in section, and
Fig. 12 an end view, of the upper part, detached, of the picker shewn by
Figs. 9 and 10, but modified so that the holes for the spindle (6) may
be bushed with bushes (f) as shewn, so that they may be renewed when
worn.
Fig. 13 is a side view, and Fig. 14 an edge view, of another picker
according to our Invention, which is somewhat similar to that shewn by
Figs. 3 and 4, as a metallic bush is used, but the two ends of the bush are
connected by a part d, to which the picking band is attached, and a part (f¹)
descends from the lower side of the bush to prevent it from turning.
We have now particularly described our improvements, and the manner of
carrying them into effect, and wish it to be understood,―
Firstly, that we claim as our Invention pickers, both with and without
bushes, constructed as herein-before described, and shewn in the Drawings by
Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4; also pickers constructed substantially as herein-before
described, and shewn in the Drawings by Figs. 13 and 14.
Secondly, we claim the construction of pickers in two separable parts
substantially as herein-before described, and shewn in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
and 10 of the Drawings.

page_text: We also claim forming the upper part of the picker of metal, and the lower
part of buffalo hide, substantially as herein-before described, and shewn by
Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12 of the Drawings, and also the manner of bushing,
substantially as herein-before described, and shewn in Figs. 7, 8, 11, and 12
of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Henry Naylor and William Crossley,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
HENRY NAYLOR.
(L.S.)
WILLIAM CROSSLEY. (L.s.)