IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Holt, of Shelf, near Halifax, in the County of
York, Mechanic, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING."
Sealed the 11th February 1859, and dated the 14th August 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Holt the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th August 1858.
I, JOSEPH HOLT, of Shelf, near Halifax, in the County of York, Mechanic,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to mechanism or apparatus employed in working or
operating rotary shuttle boxes for producing the various changes of shuttles
required in fancy weaving, and consists in constructing, combining, and
arranging apparatus in such manner as to be capable of control or be governed
by a small jacquard machine affixed to the loom end or other convenient part
of the loom, and receiving motion therefrom. The boxes are turned or
changed by means of a tappet applied to the end of the tappet or treading
shaft, which is formed with three sizes of projections or different lifts capable
of sliding endwise on the shaft, and driven thereby. Each size of tappet is

page_text: adapted to the number of boxes required to turn at one change of shuttle.
The tappet opperats upon a lever, which is hinged at one end to the loom
frame, and at the other end are two rods or lifters" jointed and suspended
therefrom. To the lower end of each lifter is affixed a pointed stud or pro-
jecting pin, which is brought into contact with a circular plate or disc fixed on
a short shaft working in bearings attached to the loom end opposit the centre
of the fulcrum of the lath or "going part." This circular plate is formed with
a recess or circular groove on one side near the outer edge, into which the
points of the studs enter, and rest one on each opposite side or edge of the
plate. Holes are made at equal distances in the groove through the plate,
into which one or other of the studs is caused to enter (when a change is
required to be made), by means of levers and rods actuated by the jacquard
machine, which is worked by a tappet from the tappet shaft.
On the same
shaft upon which the circular plate is fixed is also a pulley with pegs or cogs
on its periphery, and on the spindle of the shuttle boxes is a similar pulley,
but less in diameter. An endless belt or chain in which are holes to suit the
pegs in the pullies, pass around the two pullies, so that when the lever (and
lifters) are raised, one of the studs or pins being forced by the tappet into one
of the holes in the circular plate, the boxes are turned. The lifters coming
down and acting one on each opposite edge at points horizontally through the
centre of the plate, it depends which of the lifters is moved or in action,
whether the box turnes backward or forward. Near to the bottom of the
lifters are joints, which are held tight or in position by springs, so that if the
shuttle should not get properly into the box, or if the picker should stop when
the boxes are turning, the joints at the bottom of the lifters will move or give
way, allowing the studs to come out of the holes, thus preventing the box from
being broken or the machinery from being injured. The sliding tappet and
the lifters are moved into their places by means of levers, which are operated
by the small jacquard machine. On the end of the sliding tapped is affixed a
oam, which when the tappet is moved operats upon a lever, which is pressed
up by a spiral spring forcing another lever with a vee-formed projection
thereon against a "star wheel" on the spindel of the boxes, thus releasing the
boxes from the pressure, so that they can be turned without interuption from
the lever, which squares or holds them in position. The circular plate which
turns the box also forms a break pulley, so that when the box is turning two
or three divisions, the break is applied to steady or stay the boxes. I also
place the tredding tappets at the pulley end of rotary shuttle box looms, so as
to give room for the machinery to work the shuttle boxes at the other or

page_text: fly wheel end of the loom. I also lift the catch of the small jacquard machine
by bands from the shedding jacquard operating upon a lever to prevent the
cylinder from turning, except when a change of shuttle is required to be made,
or the tapped which works the jacquard may be moved so as not to operate.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Holt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th February 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPHI
HOLT, of Shelf, near Halifax, in the County of York, Mechanic, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Joseph Holt, Her special licence that I, the said I, Joseph Holt,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Joseph Holt, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Joseph Holt, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Holt, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
My Invention relates to mechanism or apparatus employed in working or
operating rotary shuttle boxes for producing the various changes of shuttles
required in fancy weaving, and consists in constructing, combining, and
arranging apparatus in such manner as to be capable of control or be governed

page_text: by a small jacquard machine affixed to the loom end or other convenient part
of the loom, and receiving motion therefrom. The boxes are turned or
changed by means of a tappet applied to the end of the tappet or tredding
shaft, which is formed with three sizes of projections or different lifts, capable
of sliding endwise on the shaft, and driven thereby. Each size of tappet is
adapted to the number of boxes required to turn at one change of shuttle.
The tappet operates upon a lever, which is hinged at one end to the loom
frame, and at the other end are two rods or "lifters," jointed and suspended
therefrom. To the lower end of each lifter is affixed a pointed stud or
projecting pin, which is brought into contact with a circular plate or disc fixed
on a short shaft working in bearings attached to the loom end opposite the
centre of the fulcrum of the lathe or "going part." This circular plate is
formed with a recess or circular groove on one side near the outer edge, into
which the points of the studs enter and rest, one on each opposite side or edge
of the plate. Holes are made at equal distances in the groove through the
plate, into which one or other of the studs is caused to enter (when a change
is required to be made) by means of levers and rods actuated by the jacquard
machine, which is worked by a tappet from the tappet shaft. On the same
shaft upon which the circular plate is fixed is also a pulley with pegs or cogs
on its periphery, and on the spindle of the shuttle boxes is a similar pulley,
but less in diameter. An endless belt or chain, in which are holes to suit the
pegs in the pullies pass around the two pulleys, so that when the lever (and
lifters) are raised, one of the studs or pins being forced by the tappet into one
of the holes in the circular plate, the boxes are turned. The lifters coming
down and acting one on each opposite edge at points horizontally through the
centre of the plate, it depends which of the lifters is moved or in action
whether the box turns backward or forward. Near to the bottom of the
lifters are joints, which are held tight or in position by springs, so that if the
shuttle should not get properly into the box, or if the picker should stop in the
box when the boxes are turning, the joints at the bottom of the lifters will
move or give way, allowing the studs to come out of the holes, thus preventing
the box from being broken or the machinery from being injured. The sliding
tappet and the lifters are moved into their places by means of levers, which
are operated by the small jacquard machine. On the end of the sliding
tappet is affixed a cam, which, when the tappet is moved, operates upon a
lever which is pressed up by a spiral or other spring forcing another lever
with a vee-formed projection thereon against a "star wheel" on the spindle
of the boxes, thus releasing the boxes from the pressure, so that they can be

page_text: turned without interruption from the lever which squares or holds them in
position.
The circular plate which turns the box also forms a break pulley, so that
when the box is turning two or three divisions the break is applied to steady
or stay the boxes. 1 also place the tredding tappets at the pulley end of
rotary shuttle box looms, so as to give room for the machinery to work the
shuttle boxes at the other or fly wheel end of the loom. I also lift the catch
of the small jacquard machine by bands from the shedding jacquard, operating
upon a lever to prevent the cylinder from turning, except when a change of
shuttle is required to be made, or the tappet which works the jacquard may be
moved so as not to operate.
The manner in which my said Invention is to be performed will be clearly
understood by reference to the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings, similar
letters thereon referring to the same parts in the different views or Figures.
Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is an end elevation of an ordinary loom with my improve-
ments attached; and Fig. 2 is part of a front elevation of the same. The
ordinary framing and other usual parts being well understood, I need not
describe. A represents the small jacquard machine, which is capable of
rotating upon a spindle or stud affixed to the loom end, and which receives
motion by means of a pall or catch 6 hinged to the upright sliding and lifting
bar B; a friction pulley is attached thereto, which rests upon the tappet C
affixed on the tredding shaft. On the same shaft is a tappet D, which is
formed of three different sizes of lifts, and which is capable of sliding endwise
on the shaft, and is driven by means of a "feather" or fixed key on the said
shaft. E is a lever hinged to the loom end, and has a friction pulley e, which
the tappet D acts upon when brought into position for raising the lever E as
and when required; F and G are two rods or lifters jointed to the lever E
by universal joints, and have pointed studs ƒ and g affixed to their lower ends,
which enter into and rest in a groove or circular recess formed in the plate
wheel H, one on each opposite side of the centre. A number of holes are
made through the plate in the bottom of the groove, at equal distances apart,
into which one or other of the studs f, g, will enter when actuated by the
crank levers I or J, which levers are operated by the hooked rods K, L, when
brought into contact with the arm or cross rail 6 on the lifting bar B according
as each are indicated or actuated by the jacquard; M, N, O, are hooked rods,
which are moved into contact with the bar B by the jacquard, each rod being
attached to one arm of a bell crank lever P at three different distances from
its fulcrum, the other arm being forked, so as to take into a groove on the boss

page_text: of the tappet D, and so adjusted that when M is moved into contact with the
lifting bar B, the tappet D will be moved into position, so that the least or
smallest size lift will act on tho lever E, and if N be moved into contact with
the bar B, the second size of tappet D will be moved so as to act on the
lever E, and in like manner if O be actuated, then will the largest size of
tappet D be placed so as to operate upon the lever E, thus will the plate
wheel H be turned or moved one, two, or three holes right or left, according
to which of the lifters For G be actuated, and as to which size of tappet is in
operation, the same motion being communicated to the rotary shuttle boxes Q
by means of a chain or belt with holes R passing around a pegged pulley S,
affixed on the plate wheel shaft, and around another similar pulley T, affixed
on the spindle of the shuttle boxes, thus are the rotary shuttle boxes turned
one, two, or three in either direction, according as such motion is indicated by
the jacquard. The plate wheel I also forms a brake pulley by having a strap
passed around and connected to one arm of the lever U, the other being
connected by a rod to the lever E, so that at every lift or turn of the boxes the
brake will be applied to keep them steady in turning. V is a lever, hinged at
one end to the loom end, the other end being connected by a rod V₁ to a bell
crank lever V2, on one arm of which is affixed a vec-formed projection, which
fits into the spaces of the star wheel W, which is fixed on the shuttle box
spindle for squaring and holding the boxes in position, the lever V being
pressed or held up by a spring V³. A cam X is fixed on the boss of the
tappet D, which is moved thereby into contact with the lever V at cach turn
of the boxes, thus relieving them from the pressure of the spring Vs. The
arm of the lever V is made to extend so as to form a handle to relieve the
boxes by hand. The rods K, L, M, N, O, may be brought into contact with
the lifting bar B by the small levers k, l, m, n, o, operated by bands from the
shedding jacquard.
Figs. 3 and 4, Sheet 1, are cross section and side views of the small
jacquard. The cards or equivalents a are laggs of wood, and connected by
wire hinges, any convenient number of which laggs may be employed. Pegs
are inserted at suitable places, according to arrangement, for changing the
shuttles. The pegs project so that as the jacquard cylinder turns they will
net against the rods K, L, &c., moving them into contact with the lifting
bar B. The catch 6, which turns the cylinder of the small jacquard, may be
lifted out of contact therewith by bands from the shedding jacquard, thereby
preventing the cylinder from turning, so that only one plain card will be
required betwixt every change of shuttle; or the tappet C, which lifts the

page_text: bar B, may be made to slide on the shaft by means of a lever and bands from
the shedding jacquard, so as not to operate on the bar B.
Fig. 5 is a front view of the tappet D, with the cam X, the lever E, and
friction pulley e, also the rods M, N, O, shewing their connections with the bell
crank lever P. Fig. 6 shews the tappet C giving motion to the sliding or
lifting bar B for operating the rods; Figs. 7 and 8 are elevation and plan of
the levers k, l, m, n, o, for opperating the rods when such are indicated by the
shedding jacquard.
Fig. 1, Sheet 2, is a full-size view of the lever V, with the vee-formed
projection and the star wheel W; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the plate wheel H,
and Fig. 3 is a section of the same, shewing the groove or recess and the
holes h; Figs. 4 and 5 are side and edge views of the hooked rods
K, L, M, N, O; Figs. 6 and 7 are side and edge views of the lifters F and G,
in which is shewn a joint near the bottom, held in position by a spring, so that
if there should be any obstruction to the free turning of the rotary shuttle
boxes, these joints may give way, and so prevent breakage; Figs. 8 and 9 are
end and side views of the tappet D, with the cam X fixed thereon; Figs. 10
and 11 are side and end views of the levers I and J, one of which only
operates at the same time.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it distinctly understood that
I do not confine myself to the precise details as hercin set forth, but I
claim,―
Firstly, the working or turning rotary shuttle boxes by means of a compound
tappet, or tappet with different sizes of lifts, in combination with a cam for
casing the boxes when turning, as herein described and illustrated.
Secondly, the arrangement of apparatus for easing the boxes by hand, as
shewn.
Thirdly, the construction and use of lifters with spring joints for working
rotary shuttle boxes, as herein described.
Fourthly, the method of connecting and disconnecting the lifters with the
apparatus for turning rotary shuttle boxes by separate lifters, operated and
indicated by the jacquard machine.
Fifthly, the construction and use of the circular plate, as herein set forth.
Sixthly, the method of brakeing or retarding the rotary shuttle boxes when
turning, as herein described.
Seventhly, the method of working a jacquard cylinder by a reciprocating
bar and catch, which catch can be moved in and out of action by the shedding
jacquard, as herein described and illustrated.

page_text: Eighthly, the construction and combination and general arrangement of
parts or apparatus for operating rotary shuttle boxes of looms for weaving, as
herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings,
or any modification thereof.
In witness whereof. I. the said Joseph Holt, have hereunto set my
descr
or any modification thereof.
In witness whereof. L. the said Joseph Holt, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
In witness whereof. L. the said Joseph Holt, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
JOSEPH HOLT. (L.S.)
Signed, scaled, and delivered by the within-
named Joseph Holt, in the presence of
W. TASKER, Patent Agent,
Halifax.