IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING LACE
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING LACE."-A com-
munication from abroad by Alfred Masson, of St. Pierre les Calais, in
the Empire of France.
Sealed the 1st December 1865, and dated the 9th September, 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th September 1865.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING LACE," to
be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to produce by mechanical means ornamental
lace of the same character as that now made by hand labour.
.Ornamental lace has hitherto been made in machinery by means of warp
threads in combination with. a second series of threads wound on bobbins,
which are mounted in carriages which are moved to and fro between the
warp threads, so that by causing these bobbins to traverse round the warp
threads a pattern may be formed thereon. It is well known, however, that by
this combination and mode of working the parts it is impossible to produce
an imitation of much of the work that can be produced by hand. It is the

page_text: object of the present Invention to do this, to which end all the threads are
wound on bobbins, which are mounted in carriages of a peculiar kind. These
bobbin carriages work to and fro in combs which are fixed in leads (etain) in
the ordinary manner. The movements of the carriages are effected by means
of reciprocating bars, which are made to catch hold of the carriage by entering
notches in their under sides, for which purpose the bars are each provided
with spring catches. The sides of the notches made in the carriages are cut
at an angle of about 45° to the bottom edge of the carriage, so that if the
carriages are held back the spring catches of the bars will yield, and be with-
drawn from the notches without moving the carriages. The carriages are held
back by tumbling levers, which are mounted on centre pins, and are kept up
against the under side of the carriages by springs. The ends of these levers
are provided with projecting catches, which take into rectangular notches
made on the under side of the carriages. When these projecting catches are
in the notches they will effectually prevent the carriages from being moved
by the, bars when they advance, but if the tumbling levers be pulled down so
as to release the carriages therefrom, the latter may be drawn back in the
combs by the reciprocating bars.
It will now be understood that if the cords or strings of a jacquard apparatus
be attached to the tumbling levers, the particular levers to be withdrawn for
the release of the bobbin carriages required to form the pattern may be
selected in the manner well known in jacquard weaving, and such released
carriages may be moved to and fro in their combs, and manoeuvred in the
manner required to form the pattern. The combs, in which the carriages
work, are divided into five, seven, or more sets, according to the kind of work
intended to be produced on the machine. These combs are mounted on or
attached to separate bars, some of which are capable of being moved laterally
in either direction the distance of the thickness of one carriage; others are
'fixed.
It will now be understood that if the carriages selected by the jacquard
apparatus be drawn or moved by the reciprocating bar into the combs, they
may either be nioved laterally in one or the other direction, or they may be
'left stationary. A practical lace maker will therefore at once see that by this
arrangement he-may-make any knot or tie he pleases, and also any variety of
pattern on the fabric. In combination with these-principal working parts
'there are also two bars provided with a series of points, on which the work is
formed and lifted or moved forward as the operations proceed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th March 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
F
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and, at all
tinies 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 MACHINERY FOR MAKING LACE," being a
communication.
from Alfred Masson, of St. Pierre les Calais, in the Empire of France, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton,.
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
:-
The object of this Invention is to produce by mechanical means ornamental
lace of the same character as that now made by hand labour.
Ornamental lace of the ordinary kind has hitherto been made in machinery
by means of warp threads in combination with a second series of threads
wound on bobbins, which are mounted in traversing carriages. These bobbins
and carriages are moved to and fro between the warp threads in guides or
combs of a peculiar construction, so that by causing these bobbins to traverse

page_text: round the warp threads a pattern may be formed thereon. It is well known,
however, that by the ordinary combination and mode of working bobbins and
carriages to and fro in combs or guides, it is impossible to produce an imita-
tion of much of the work that can be produced by hand. It is the object of
the present Invention to do this, to so construct and arrange these parts of a
lace machine that the same tie as can now only be, made by hand may be
produced by mechanical means.
The construction and arrangement of parts whereby this object is effected
will be understood on referring to the accompanying Drawing and the following
description thereof :-
Fig. 1 is a partial front elevation, Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section,
Fig. 3 an end view of a machine constructed on the improved plan, and
shewing the principal working parts; Fig. 4 is an elevation of some of the
bobbin and carriages or thread carriers with their combs, catch bars, and
other accessories hereafter more particularly described, drawn full size; Fig. 5
is a plan view of the same; Fig. 6 is an edge view; and Figures 7 and-8
are views of some of the parts detached.
The threads, whereby the work and also the pattern thereon is produced,
are wound on the flat bobbins a, a, a, Fig. 8, which are placed in a case a¹,
Figures 4 and 7, and mounted in carriages 6 of a peculiar kind, shewn
detached, drawn full size, at Figures 4 and 6. The bobbin case is made on
one side with 'a V groove to fit on a V projection inside the carriage frame.
The opposite side of the case is bevilled off, and it is held in its place by a
spring catch a. The bobbin carriages 6 work to and fro in combs c, Figures 4,
6, and 8, which are fixed in leads in the ordinary manner, and are attached
to bars d, d du, Fig. 2, and also Fig. 9, which is a sectional plan view of
these working parts. The movements of the carriages 6 are effected' by means
of reciprocating catch bars é, Figures 2 and 4, which are made to catch hold
of the carriage 'b, by entering notches 1, 1, in their under sides, for which
purpose the bars e are each provided with a spring catch e', as shewn in the
enlarged detached view, Fig. 4. The sides of the notches 1, 1, made in the
carriages are cut at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the bottom edge
of the carriage, so that if the carriages are held back by any means the spring
catches.e of the bars e will yield and be withdrawn from the notches 1, 1,
without moving the carriages. The carriages are held back by tumbling
levers f, Figures 2 and 4, which work-on centre pins f, and are kept up
against the under side of the carriages 6 by springs fThe ends of these
levers fare provided with projecting catches f³, which take into rectangular
notches 2,2, made on the under side of the carriages b. When these projecting
b

page_text: catches fare in the notches 2, 2, they will effectually prevent the carriages b
from being moved by the bars e when the latter advance, but if the tumbling
levers f be pulled down, so as to release the carriages 6 therefrom, the latter
may be drawn back in the combs c by the reciprocating bars e.
It will now be understood that if the cords or strings of a jacquard apparatus
be attached, as at 3, Fig. 2, to the tumbling levers f, the particular levers to be'
withdrawn for the release of the bobbin carriages b, required to form the
pattern, may be selected in the manner well known in jacquard weaving, and
such released carriages may be moved to and fro in their combs c, and
manoeuvred by the catch bars e in the manner required to form the pattern.
The jacquard apparatus is of the ordinary kind used in lace machinery, and'
therefore needs no detailed description. It will, therefore, only be necessary'
to mention that it will be most convenient to place it beneath the carriages
or working parts of the machine, and connect with it the strings shewn by red
lines. The combs c, in which the carriages b work, are divided into five or more
sets, according to the kind of work intended to be produced on the machine.
Seven sets of combs are shewn in the Drawing, four being fixed, and three move-
able. These combs c, c, are mounted on or attached to separate bars' d, d¹, d","
three of which d, d', d", are capable of being moved laterally in either direc-
tion the distance of the thickness of one carriage, while the others d, d, d, d,
are fixed. Any number of these comb bars may be employed, provided the
fixed and moveable ones be placed alternately as shewn. In the Drawing the
comb bars d are fixed, but the bars 'd' move or are shogged laterally in one
direction, while the other bars are shogged laterally in the opposite
direction.
It will now be understood that if the carriages b selected by the jacquard'
apparatus be drawn or moved by the reciprocating catch bars e into the
combs c, they may either be moved laterally in one or the other direction, or they'
may be left stationary, as the pattern may require. A practical lace maker
will therefore at once see that by means of this arrangement of parts he may
make any knot or tie he pleases, and also any variety of pattern on the fabric.
The catch bars e, e, which work the carriages b, are fixed in leads, which'
are screwed or otherwise secured to the longitudinal bars 'm, m, Fig. 2, on
each side of the machine. The bars m, m, are connected to the lower ends
of the curved vibrating levers n, n, whose centre of motion is at o.
These
levers are actuated by the pendent rods p, p, which are jointed at their upper
ends to the bars n, n, and at their lower ends to vibrating levers q, q. These
latter rock in bearings q', and are connected at their opposite ends by means of
a rod r to a crank or excentric on the main driving shaft s of the machine:

page_text: By tracing the motions of the rods and levers, just described, from the rota-
tion of the main shaft, it will be seen that a curvilinear and a vibrating or in-
and-out motion will be simultaneously imparted to the longitudinal bars m, m,
and the catch bars e, which are connected thereto, and consequently the
bobbin carriages or thread carriers 6 may be moved to and fro into and out
of the combs c, as may be required to form the pattern.
In combination with the principal working parts above mentioned, there
are also two rocking bars 9, 9, called point bars, as they are provided with a
series of points h, h, on which the work is formed and lifted, or moved forward
as the lace-making operation proceeds. The pin or point bars 9 are mounted
on arms of the levers t, which rock on-the centres 5, 5, on block's mounted
on or firmly secured to the sliding rods i, i, which move or slide-to-and-fro_in
bearings or sockets i, i, attached to the side standards. Levers t, t, Fig. 2,
are provided with bowls that their upper ends, and are attached to the same
blocks 5 as the arms of the point bars g. In fact the levers t form continua-
tions of the point bars g, consequently by causing the levers t to vibrate on
their centres of motion, the point bars will be also vibrated or made to move
to and fro. The bowls t¹ of the levers t bear against the edges of the cams u
on the cam shaft l, and are therefore actuated thereby as the cam shaft rotates.
A compound rocking motion, that is to say, an advancing or receding, as well
as a vibrating or rocking motion is given to the point bars g by the additional
action of the levers j,j, whose centre of motion is at 4, 4, below, as seen at
Fig. 3. These levers j, j, are provided at their upper ends with bowls or
rollers j', ', which bear against the edge of cams k, k, on the shaft 1. As
the upper ends of the levers j, j, are moved in and out, the sliding blocks. i and
centres 5, 5, of the bars g, which work in slots cut in the levers j, j, are
moved to and fro, and as at the same time the point bars g are made to vibrate
on their centres 5, 5, the pins or points will have a double motion, that is, an
advancing and also a lifting motion given to them. In order to insure the
forked at their upper
proper to-and-fro motion of the levers j, j, they are
ends; and each branch of the fork carries a bowle, which works against the
edge of the cams, which are therefore enclosed within the fork. It has been
stated that four of the combs bars d, d, are fixed, while of the others, the two
marked-d, d, are shogged in one direction, and the other or central one du
is shogged in the opposite direction. These motions are effected by means of
the vibrating cam plate v, which is cast on and forms part of the vibrating
lever w. The centre of motion of this lever is at 6.
It is forked at its upper
end, as shewn in the detached view, Fig. 10, and
is actuated by a double
tappet wheel w on the cam shaft 1. As this tappet rotates with its shaft it

page_text: causes the lever w to move first in one direction, and then in the opposite
direction, and by so doing the cam plate v is made to vibrate against and act
on the projecting pins d³, ds, of the moveable comb bars d¹, d", and the
elevated and depressed parts of the cam plate as it vibrates will shog these
comb bars in the required direction, the comb bars being kept up in contact
with the cam plate v by means of the springs x.
The machine is actuated by means of a winch handle g, or by a band passing
over a pulley mounted on the main shaft s, on which is keyed a pinion s¹,
which through the intervention of two intermediate toothed wheels =,=, drive
the large toothed wheel on the cam shaft 7.
Having now described the Invention, which has been communicated to me
as aforesaid, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the
arrangement and construction of parts for or mode of producing ornamental
lace fabrics as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Ninth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)
"