IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Knowles, of Gomersal, in the County of York,
Machine Maker, John Whyte, of the same Place, Mechanic, and Henry
Harrison, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 30th September 1879, and dated the 6th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Knowles, John
Whyte, and Henry Harrison at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 6th June 1879.
EDWIN KNOWLES, of Gomersal, in the County of York, Machine Maker, JOHN
WHYTE, of the same Place, Mechanic, and HENRY HARRISON," of Blackburn, in the
County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
This Invention relates principally to further improvements upon machinery for
which prior Letters Patent were granted to Quintin Whyte and the said John
Whyte, dated the 29th of October 1868, No. 3310, ando ur present improvements
consist, firstly, in the employment of apparatus for preventing accidents, and
stopping the loom in the event of anything occurring to interfere with the rising or
falling of the shuttle boxes. To one of the levers which carry the duplex pressers
or elevators (whichever may be used), we attach a three armed lever, one end of
which carries the bowl or pulley resting on the operating cam, and the other end
thereof is recessed to receive a bowl or pulley, which is mounted on a lever hinged
on the presser lever, which bowl is forced into the recess by a spiral spring
sufficiently strong to bind the presser lever and the cam lever together, so that any
motion communicated by the cam will operate both levers, provided there is
nothing to interfere with the proper action of all the parts. In case of obstruction
however the spiral spring gives way, and the cam lever and presser lever become
disengaged, the former only being operated by the cam, in which case a pin or
finger on the top arm of the said cam lever comes in contact with, and operates a
lever connected with the knocking off lever, and stops the loom.
The spiral spring then forces the bowl back into the recess, the parts being so
formed as to be self adjusting.
The levers and rods connected with the stop motion are so arranged that the
weaver can stop or start the loom from the back as well as the front thereof.

page_text: Secondly. Our improvements consist in the employment of inclined plates fixed
to the shuttle box frame, for the purpose of placing the shuttles to their proper
position within the boxes, instead of the bowls or guide rollers heretofore used for
the purpose.
Thirdly. In an arrangement of levers for the purpose of operating the healds
positively. This arrangement is composed of a set of levers hinged underneath the
loom, which are connected at one end by bands to the bottom of the healds, and by
means of connecting rods the other ends are connected to a series of short hinged
levers operated upon by the ordinary jack-levers. Each jack-lever is provided
with a projection or knife-edge, which enters a slot formed in the end of the short
lever with which it is in contact, thus dispensing with a rivetted joint. The lower
set of levers are provided with balance weights at the end furthest from the
healds.
Fourthly. Our improvements consist in causing the low shaft or picking shaft to
run at the same speed as the crank shaft, by which means we are enabled to use
picking tappets having only one neb or projection, and also one cam instead of two
for operating the shuttle box levers.
Fifthly. Our improvements consist in the employment of a safety spring in
connection with the clutch lever for throwing the picking tappet in or out of
position for picking, so that should the picking neb get behind the tappit and s
prevent its return, the spring will give way and prevent breakage of any part.
To prevent the picking neb from obstructing the motion of the tappit, we
construct the regular portion of the tappits with a broad rim, against which the
neb can bear as the tappit revolves.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edwin Knowles, John Whyte, and Henry Harrison in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 6th December 1879.
EDWIN KNOWLES, of Gomersal, in the County of York, Machine Maker, JOHN
WHYTE, of the said Place, Mechanic, and HENRY HARRISON, of Blackburn, in the
County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
This Invention relates, principally, to further improvements upon machinery_for
which prior Letters Patent were granted to Quintin Whyte and the said John
Whyte, dated the 29th of October 1868, No. 3310, and our present improvements
consist,―
Firstly. In the employment of apparatus for preventing accidents and stopping
the loom in the event of anything occuring to interfere with the rising or falling
of the shuttle boxes. In the looms constructed in accordance with the Speci-
fication above referred to the shuttle boxes are operated by means of duplex
depressers or elevators worked by a cam on the low shaft of the loom.
In order that our Invention may be more readily understood, we have hereto
annexed two Sheets of Drawings, of which Fig. 1 and the details connected there-
with illustrate this first part of our Invention. Fig 1 represents end view of a
loom, A. being the shuttle boxes carried by rod B attached to the lever C, which is
hinged on a fulcrum a; D are two levers hinged at c, and overlapping each other
above the low shaft d, on the end of which is a cam E for lifting the ends of the
said levers.
From the levers D hang two elevators F, which have notches or steps at their
lower ends, which are caused to engage with projections e on the lever C, according
to the indications of the jacquard apparatus, and so produce the required variations
or changes in the shuttle boxes. To one of the levers D we attach a three armed
lever G by mounting the same on a stud or fulcrum f. One end of the lever G
carries a bowl or pulley H, which bears on the cam E, and the other end is recessed
to receive a pulley h, which is carried by a lever J hinged at j, to the lever D, and
this pulley is forced into the recess of the lever G by a spiral spring K sufficiently
strong enough to bind the lever D and G firmly together. The cam E, instead of
acting upon the lever D as heretofore, acts upon the lever G, but the two levers
being connected as above described act together under ordinary circumstances, as
though they formed but one lever. In case of obstruction however the spiral
spring K gives way and lever G turns on its fulcrum f, and no longer operates the
lever D. At the same time a pin or finger k comes in contact with and operates
the lever L connected by rod i with the knocking off lever, and stops the loom.
When the obstructions has been removed the spiral spring K forces the pulley h
back into the recess of the lever G, the end of the latter being curved so as to
facilitate the self adjustment of the parts; M is a lever connected with the stop
motion, so that the weaver can stop or start the loom from the back as well as the
front thereof.
Secondly. Our improvements consist in the employment of inclined plates fixed
to the shuttle box frame, for the purpose of placing the shuttles in their proper
position within the boxes, instead of the bowls or guide rollers heretofore used for
the purpose.
In Fig. 2, we have illustrated portion of shuttle box frame A, and shuttle
boxes B; C are thin metal plates attached to the frame in an inclined position, so
that if the shuttles D should project too much from the boxes the points thereof in
rising or falling will come into contact with the plates, and the shuttles will
thereby be placed in their proper positions.
Thirdly. Our Invention consists in an arrangement of levers for the purpose of
operating the healds positively, this part of our Invention being illustrated in Fig.

page_text: 3 and 4. The arrangement is composed of a set of levers A hinged underneath the
loom upon a fulcrum B, and connected by bands c to the lower heald shafts D. By
means of connecting rods E, the other ends of the levers are connected to a series
of short hinged levers F operated upon by the ordinary jack levers G. Each of
these jack levers is provided with a projection or knife edge g, which enters a slot 5
formed in the end of the short lever with which it is in contact, fitting tightly
therein like a wedge, and thus dispensing with a rivetted joint. The levers A
are provided with balance weights H, which may be adjustable at any distance
from the fulcrum. In Fig. 4, the lower set of levers is connected with the jack
levers by means of cords J passing round pullies K fixed upon a short shaft carried 1
in brackets fixed to the framework.
For operating the jacquard apparatus, we employ an eccentric A. mounted on the
crank shaft, as shewn in Fig. 5. The yoke a of the eccentric is attached to the
lever b which is hinged at c, to the other end of which is fixed a rod d connected
with the jaquard machine. The eccentric is so timed that there shall be a slight 1
"dwell" at the opening of the shed, so as to allow more time than usual for the
shuttle to pass through it.
Fourthly. Our improvements consist in causing the low or picking shaft of the loom
to run at the same speed as the crank shaft, which is effected by the spurr wheels
R and S (see Fig, 1) being of the same diameter, by which means we are enabled
to use picking tappits, having only one neb or projection, and also one cam instead
of two for operating the shuttle box levers.
Fifthly. Our improvements consist in the employment of a safety spring in
connection with the clutch lever for throwing the picking tappit in or out of
position for picking, so that should the picking neb get behind the tappit and
prevent its return, the spring will give way and prevent breakage of any part.
This part of our Invention is illustrated in Fig. 6; a is the picking tappit,
and b the clutch which gears with the forked lever c connected at the bottom with
rod d, which operates the tappit or causes the same to slide upon the shaft e. The
fulcrum of the lever e is at f, and is fixed to a casting g, which is held rigidly
against a rail by means of the spiral springs j, which are attached to the casting
by means of the fork k, and are attached at the other end to the rail h by bolt and
lock nuts . So long as nothing interferes with the motion of the clutch the spiral
springs retain the fulcrum fin its position, but should any obstruction take place
the lever e presses against the top end of the casting g with unusual force, whereby
the springs are caused to give way, and the position of the fulcrum is altered so ES
to admit of the full extent of motion of the rod d.
To prevent the picking neb from obstructing the motion of the tappit, we
construct the regular portion of the tappits with a broad rim, against which the
neb can bear as the tappit revolves.
In witness whereof, we, the said Edwin Knowles and John Whyte, for and
on behalf of ourselves and the said Henry Harrison, have hereunto set our
hands and seals, this Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
Witness.
JAS. GLEDHILL.
EDWIN KNOWLES. (L.S.)
(L.S.)
JOHN WHYTE.