IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER LOOMS
Year: 1878

page_text: (f
LETTERS PATENT to William Longbottom, of Barnsley, in the County of York,
for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER LOOMS."
Sealed the 18th March 1870 and dated the 10th
1030
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Longbottom at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th September 1878.
WILLIAM LONGBOTTOM, of Barnsley, in the County of York.
IN POWER LOOMS."
"IMPROVEMENTS
My Invention firstly consists in a novel arrangement of that part of the power
loom employed for working the "shafts" for the purpose of producing the figure or
pattern on the material, and is as follows:-
This Invention relates to that part of the loom that is known as the "lag shaft
apparatus." I construct the apparatus so that the "lag rollers or cylinders" are
mounted on movable frames, and by an arrangement of levers one lag roller con-
taining the pattern lags can be separately or independently thrown out of gear and
another brought into action, thus dispensing with the necessity of changing the
cards for the purpose of producing variety of pattern or figure. In order to retain
an uniform tension of the "lag sheet" whilst changing the cylinders I provide fixed
bearings for the rollers on the herein-before mentioned movable frames.
My Invention further consists in the means for winding or taking up the material
as it is woven.
For this purpose I mount the "second" roller on which the material or cloth is
wound in bearings, instead of suspending it on levers and balancing it by means
of weights, as heretofore.
In this arrangement I drive the "second" roller from the "first" by means
of a spur wheel and friction box, the friction of which box may be varied
for the purpose of regulating the tension of the woven material as it is being
Wound on to the bottom roller. By this arrangement of tension light and
on to the rollers at a proper tension, and
heavy materials may be wound

page_text: particularly in the case of heavy goods slipping of the cloth on the rollers is
prevented. I produce also a positive take-up motion, and stronger cloths or
materials may be produced than on looms now in use; and, further, a great
many of the parts hitherto employed for this purpose are dispensed with; also a
greater quantity of woven material may by the above arrangement of tension be
wound on to the roller at one time, this being particularly advantageous for heavy
goods.
'
A further improvement relates to the working of the lifters, and is as follows:-
I give motion to the lifters by means of suitable levers, such lifters having the effect
of opening or closing the warp shed by means of a double catch, which is operated
by the lag pegs; such pegs act on a flat spring in connection with the bottom end
of the "needles," and the needles are connected in their centres to the catches,
which are so arranged that the flat springs draw them forward on to the first lifter
at the point where there is no peg in the lagging, but where there is a peg it presses
the flat spring, carrying the double catch on to the second lifter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Longbottom in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
March 1879.
WILLIAM LONGBOTTOM, of Barnsley, in the County of York.
IN POWER LOOMS."
"
"IMPROVEMENTS
My Invention firstly consists in a novel arrangement of that part of the power
shafts
loom employed for working the " for the purpose ofproducing the figure or
pattern on the material, and is as follows:-
are
This Invention relates to that part of the loom that is known as the "lag shaft
apparatus." I construct the apparatus so that the "lag roller or cylinders
mounted on moveable frames, and by an arrangement of levers one lag roller con-
taining the pattern lags can be separately or independently thrown out of gear and
another brought into action, thus dispensing with the necessity of changing the
cards for the purpose of producing variety of pattern or figure. In order to retain
an uniform tension of the "lag sheet" whilst changing the cylinders I provide fixed
bearings for the rollers on the herein-before mentioned moveable frames.
My Invention further consists in the means for winding or taking up the material
as it is woven.
For this purpose I mount the "second" roller on which the material or cloth is
wound in bearings, instead of suspending it on levers and balancing it by means of
weights, as heretofore. In this arrangement I drive the "second
roller from the
"first" by means of a spur wheel and friction box, the friction of which box may
bo varied for the purpose of regulating the tension of the woven material as it is
being wound on to the bottom roller. By this arrangement of tension light and
heavy materials may be wound on to the rollers at a proper tension, and particularly
in the case of heavy goods slipping of the cloth on the rollers is prevented.

page_text: I produce also a take-up motion, and stronger cloths or materials may be produced
than on looms now in use; and, further, a great many of the parts hitherto employed
for this purpose are dispensed with; also a greater quantity of woven material may
by the above arrangement of tension be wound on to the roller at one time, this
being particularly advantageous for heavy goods.
A further improvement relates to the working of the lifters, and is as follows:-
I give motion to the lifters by means of suitable levers, such lifters having the
effect of opening or closing the warp shed by means of a double catch, which is
operated by the lag pegs; such pegs act on a flat spring in connection with the
bottom end of the "needles," and the needles are connected in their centres to the
catches, which are so arranged that the flat springs draw them forward on to the first
lifter at the point where there is no peg in the lagging, but where there is a peg it
presses the flat spring, carrying the double catch on to the second lifter.
And in order that my Invention may be more completely understood reference is
given to the accompanying Sheets of Drawings and to the letters and marks
thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is an end elevation of loom; Fig. 2, a front elevation; Fig. 3, a back
elevation; Fig. 4, a plan looking at the top; Fig. 5, a side elevation of lifters as
they appear when open; Fig. 6, a plan of the same looking at the top; Fig. 7, a
side elevation, shewing lifters as they appear when closed; Fig. 8 is an end eleva-
tion shewing "take-up" motion; Fig. 9, a transverse section of part of loom;
Fig. 10, a part front elevation shewing other details which will be described here-
after.
a is a double-ended lever, which is employed for transmitting movement to the
lifters b; c is a lever in connection with a double-ended lever a, which is employed
for transmitting motion to the machine; d is a bracket for supporting the shaft e,
on which the lever a is mounted; b represents lifters, which open and close the
warp shed by means of the double catches g, shewn at Fig. 2, these catches g being
operated upon by the pegs h on the wooden lags i and flat springs J.
Fig. 3 shews the application of two cylinders / and k¹, with the arrangement for
changing from the lags of one cylinder to those of the other; this is accomplished
by the operator lifting the lever with its recess m clear of the projecting stud n
on the lever o, and with the other hand pushing the lever o to the other end of the
slot p; and in order to retain it in that position I provide another recess q, which
drops on to the stud n on the lever o, which recess retains the lever o until the lags
require to be again changed.
Levers provided with small pulleys & are held by spiral spring t on lag roller
end, holding or retaining the Ing rollers in their proper position, as shewn at Fig. 2.
The lag rollers having been placed in position for working, the lever c receiving.
motion from shaft through ordinary face plate on end of crank shaft v of ordinary
construction, motion being transmitted thereto by means of a short connecting rod w,
which communicates its motion through lever and connecting rod y, the upper
end of which is coupled to lever c. By the movement of the lever c the required
motion is given to the double-ended lever a, which by actuating the lifters 6 and
through them to the jacks, thus opening the sheds. The lever c, receiving motion
from the face plate, as described, moves the double-ended lever a, and gives motion
to the lifters b, carrying one up and one down alternately. By this means the
double catches g, which are in contact with the jacks 1, are actuated, and the shed
is made to lift up and down by applying to the lag pegs of ordinary construction;
these pegs h act upon the flat springs j, which are connected to the needles at the
bottom. These needles are connected to the double catches g at their centres.
flat springs j draw the double catches g forward on to the first lifter when there is
no peg in the wooden lag i, but when there is a peg in the lag it presses the flat
spring, carrying thereby the double catch g on to the second lifter. The closing
motion is effected by means of two cross bars 3, one being at the top side and one
The

page_text: on the under side of the jacks, both connected by wrought-iron side rods 4 and to the
lifters by means of the four studs 5, as shewn at Figs. 1 and G.
w, w, w, w, are wooden rollers for carrying the pattern lags i; 6, 6, are brackets
for supporting the moveable frame which carries the lag motion.
Another feature of my Invention is the "taking-up," whereby stronger cloths or
materials may be produced than on looms now in use; and, further, a great many
of the parts hitherto employed for this purpose are dispensed with; also a greater
quantity of woven material may by the following arrangement of tension be
wound on to the roller at one time, this being particularly advantageous for heavy
goods.
7 and 8 are friction plates, shewn at Figs. 8 and 10, which are made fast on to
the roller shaft 9. On the same shaft 9 is mounted the spur wheel 10, which is
arranged so as to receive the friction plates 7 and 8 at both sides thereof. By this
arrangement of friction plates 7 and 8 the spur wheel 10 can be either caused to
travel with the shaft 9, or allowed to slip as the cloth roller increases in size. Were
it not for this slipping the speed of the winding up would increase in proportion to
the increasing size of the cloth roller 11. The spur wheels 10 and 12 are made to
suit the proportionate sizes of the rollers 11 and 13. The friction of the plates 7
and 8 on the spur wheel 10 is increased or reduced by means of the nut 14, which
may be actuated by hand or other mechanical means, this operation being performed
by the attendant, thereby reducing or increasing the tension of the cloth.
Undescribed parts are of ordinary construction.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and described by the aid
of Drawings how the same may be carried into practice, I would have it understood
that I do not limit myself to the exact details or configuration of the parts I have
described and illustrated on the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings, as the same
may be varied or inodified without departing from the nature of my said Invention,
but what I do claim and desire to be secured to me by Letters Patent is,-
First. The arrangement, construction, and application of apparatus, whereby one
lag roller containing the pattern lags can be separately or independently thrown
out of gear and another brought into action, substantially as and for purposes herein
set forth.
Second. The arrangement, construction, and application of compensating friction
apparatus, substantially as and for purposes herein set forth.
Third. The arrangement and method employed for giving motion to the lifters,
substantially as and for purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Longbottom, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
W. LONGBOTTOM. (L.S.)