IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Bullough, of Accrington, in the County
of Lancaster, for the Iuvention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Bullough at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th July 1868.
I, JOHN BULLOUGH, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
In the Specification of my Patent dated the Sixth day of September
1866, No. 2292, I describe a shuttle holder having a projecting piece
or tail which is caused to swivel and drop a shuttle on the slay that is
to supply a new shuttle with fresh weft by means of an incline moving
under the said tail piece, the rod on which the incline itself is fixed
being caused to slide by the backward motion of the picking stick which
it is explained in the said Specification takes place as one of the motions
for bringing about a change of shuttles. I also describe a moveable
shuttle guard as being lifted from the front side of the shuttle to allow
[P-1

page_text: of the shuttle being forced outwards into a suitable receptacle by the
picking stick springing forward to resume its ordinary working position.
To lift this shuttle guard I make use of a rod running along the under
side of the breast beam, which rod was turned part of a revolution, when
the sector hammer caught the weft fork through the absence of weft
and pulled the weft fork lever outwards against a finger fastened to this
rod. On the other end of the rod or the delivery side of the loom au
inclined finger was fastened, which when the rod was caused to turn
part round was raised into position for coming in contact with a finger
connected to the shuttle guard in such a manner as to force the latter
upwards to allow of the shuttle being forced outwards.
In my present plan I dispense with the sliding bar with the incline
to work the shuttle holder, and also with the necessity of the picking
stick moving out of its proper working line into a recess for the sake
of sliding this bar, and also for the purpose of forcing the shuttle
outwards. I dispense with the tail piece on the shuttle holder and cast
on two small ears below the centres and connect them by a small pin.
To this pin I attach one end of a band, the other end of which I attach
to a stud fastened on the horizontal weft lever. This band is allowed
sufficient length to reach to the back centre when the horizontal lever
is not forced backwards by the sector hammer, but when the weft breaks
and the horizontal lever is forced outwards by the sector hammer the
band becomes tight before the slay has got to the back centre, and
therefore the shuttle holder is caused to swivel or turn on its centres,
thereby dropping a fresh shuttle into the box. The shuttle holder is
held in this position by a spring pin springing into a recess which
presents itself in this position of the holder. As the slay advances the
lower part of the shuttle holder comes in contact with a finger projecting
from the breast beam or framework of the loom and causes it to resume
its former ordinary working position. At the supply side of the loom I
have a double lever pivotted to the front of the slay in a vertical position,
the lower arm of which terminates in the form of two steps or ledges.
I bolt an inclined bracket to the loom side just below the stop rod
tongue. The outside of this tongue is formed with a side projection
opposite the steps or ledges on the double lever already mentioned. On
the other side the tongue is formed with ears, carrying between them a
bowl on a stud, which bowl is in a line with the inclined part of the
bracket. There is further an inclined projection or broad finger fixed to

page_text: the framework of the loom above the frog and opposite the front edge of
the stop rod tongue. There is also a finger at the opposite or delivery
end of the stop rod pointing towards the back of the loom, and this
finger has a stud formed on its side, to which one end of a link is
attached, the other end being attached to the inner end of a short lever
fastened to the boss of the top swell and at right angles to the boss, the
lever being fastened to that part of the boss which is at the back of the
backboard. The boss passes through a socket to about the breadth of
a shuttle in front of the backboard, and from the boss branches towards
the end of the shuttle box a long deep flange which is bent inwards on
its top edge at right angles to form a surface for the front top edge of
the shuttle to act upon. When a shuttle enters the box at the supply
side during the ordinary working of the loom it comes in contact with
the front swell and the swell forces the top arm of the double lever
outwards and the lower arm inwards, bringing the lower of the two
ledges or steps spoken of under the side projection on the stop rod tongue
which has been raised sufficiently high to enable it to get under by the
bowl carried by the ears on the stop rod tongue running up the inclined
bracket. The tongue riding on this bottom ledge is carried forward
with the slay above the frog, but below the inclined finger placed above
the frog and opposite the front edge of the tongue. If the shuttle is
late the ledge is not forced under the side projection of the stop rod
tongue, which having nothing to support it against the downward pull
of the stop rod spring, when the bowl gets sufficiently far froin the back
centre as to lose the support of the inclined bracket is pulled against
the frog and stops the loom. When the shuttle enters the box at the
other side it glides under and lifts the top swell, causing it to turn on its
centre to bring a small finger going through this centre in position
for resisting the upward movement of the finger on that end of the stop
rod, thus arresting the downward movement of the tongue at the other
end of the stop rod and causing it to clear the frog. When the shuttle
is late the swell is not lifted by it in time t place the finger, which
works on its centre, in position for resisting the upward movement of
the finger on the end of the stop rod, and therefore the stop rod tongue
is left free to be pulled down on the frog by the stop rod spring. The
flanged part of the top swell serves to prevent the shuttle being pre-
cipitated forwards off the slay when the elay changes its direction
suddenly from forwards to backwards. If however this flange is raised
above the shuttle, so as to leave it free on its front side, it will be thrown

page_text: off by the forward impetus it has acquired, when the slay suddenly
changes its direction from front to back. I now proceed to explain
how the breaking of the weft causes this flange to be so raised and
allows the shuttle to be ejected. The band I have already explained
pulls the lower part of the shuttle holder outwards, when through the
breakage of weft the horizontal weft fork lever is drawn outwards. The
shuttle holder brings the front swell to which it is connected outwards
also, and the swell in turn forces the top arm of the double vertical lever
outwards, causing the lower arm to move so far inwards that the second
or upper ledge formed on it passes under the side ear of the stop rod
tongue, which has been raised sufficiently high for the purpose by the
bowl attached to it ascending the inclined bracket before named, As
the slay advances the stop rod tongue is carried resting on this top ledge
till it comes on the lower part of the inclined projection placed above
the frog. The slay continuing to advance the tongue is forced upwards,
causing the stop rod itself to go through more motion than it does in
the ordinary working of the loom. The effect of this is to depress the
lever on the end of the stop rod proportionately, thus causing the link
before mentioned to pull down the lever on the boss of the top swell, and
so raise the latter till its flange clears the empty shuttle, which therefore
is precipitated off the slay into a receiving box. The arm of the lever
which is attached to the boss and is acted upon by the link is continued
past the other or outer side of the boss and is cranked downwards from
a little past the boss to near the end where it is cranked up to the
original level.
A common flat loom spring fixed towards the end of
the back board is made to press on this arm of the lever near the
boss, the end of the arm being clear of the spring. When the shuttle
is entering the box it meets with slight resistance till it gets out of the
yarn, because the spring has not much power, acting so near the loom,
of resisting the power of the shuttle to raise the swell, but the height
of the shuttle has forced the swell upwards by the time it is getting clear
of the yarn, brings the end of this lever on a part of the spring nearer to
the broad and fixed end of the spring, thus putting more drag or check
on the shuttle, and enabling the ordinary leather check strap to be
dispensed with.
For the other side of the loom I check the shuttle on
a similar principle, the mechanical arrangement being slightly varied
to adapt it to a front swell. I rivet a spring in continuation of the swell,
the end of which spring is an eighth of an inch or so from touching the
lower part of the shuttle holder. The shuttle therefore on first entering

page_text: the box meets with very little resistance, but that resistance is increased
when the spring begins to bind against the shuttle holder, but the parts
should be so adjusted that the swell will not be forced outwards so far
as to bring the spring against the shuttle holder till the shuttle has got
clear or nearly clear of the yarn.
My next improvement consists in a simple and efficient plan for
holding the picker back at the supply side of the loom, so that it cannot
interfere with the dropping of the shuttles into the box. I have a light
finger on a pivot or centre fixed to the slay plate and towards the
outer end of the shuttle box. The lever is knuckle-jointed, and is placed
between the inside of the shuttle dropper and the space occupied by the
stroke or traverse of the picker. One end of the lever is connected to
the shuttle dropper, and is taken along with the shuttle holder when
the latter is pulled outwards. The other end is therefore forced inwards
and stands across the course of the picker, which generally has not got
back after making its stroke when the lever takes this position. But the
knuckle joint yields to the backward rebound of the picker, and the
moment the picker has passed a spring closes the joint and prevents
the picker from coming forward again. When the shuttle holder is
replaced in its ordinary working position the lever assumes its former
position, that is, parallel to the side of the picker, but clear of it.
My next improvement consists in certain appliances and arrangements
to enable warp threads to be taken up or pieced without stopping the
loom. To the sides of the loom behind the healds I fix two uprights or
standards, one on each of the loom sides. To each standard I fix an
arm horizontally, or nearly so, which points from back to front of the
loom. These arms are grooved and a slide fitted in each. A rod, roller,
or clip connects the two slides, and to this connection I attach as many
wires, threads, or loose hairs as there are dents in the reed. I pass these
wires, threads, or hairs through the healds, but above the rings or loops,
and then through the reed, then over a conducting roller on the breast
beam, and finally fasten the other ends of the threads or wires to a clip
roller or rod, which remains suspended by the threads and thus keeps
them tight. The lower part of the heald is made of elastic thread, and
when a warp thread is broken the weaver finds the empty loop in the
usual way,
but without stopping the loom, and spreading out his fingers
a little in order to open the yarn he sees side by side of the empty loop,
and above it the thread, wire, or hair, which goes through the same dent

page_text: in the reed as the warp thread, which should go through the empty loop.
To this thread, wire, or hair, he attaches one end of his thrumb, and
immediately pushes the slide before described forwards until the roller
at the back, to which the threads, wires, or hairs are attached, comes
close up to the healds; the roller in front, to which the other ends
of these wires, threads, or hairs are attached, descends and so keeps
them tight and in order. There is a stoop fixed to the grooved part of
the slide which only allows the weaver to slide the threads the requisite
distance forwards, that is, until the point of junction of the wire,
thread, or hair, and the "thrumb," has got through the reed and over
the edge of the cloth about an inch, thus we have got the "thrumb "
through the right dent in the reed. The weaver then hooks the
empty loop with his reed hook, and draws it out to a convenient
position at the back of the healds, passes his reed hook through the
loop, and draws the other end of the thrumb through it, the elastic
yielding and enabling him to hold the loop still unaffected by the
treading of the healds. He now lets the loop go and the thrumb
immediately begins to weave in or to "make," and he proceeds to place
the "thrumb" in its proper place in the reed, and to tie it to the broken
thread on the warp. To enable the weaver to see his warp threads and
to facilitate his finding the broken "ends," the empty loop in the healds
and the corresponding wire, thread, or hair, I get the roller, rod, or clip
to which these wires, threads, or hairs are attached behind the healds
as high as possible compatible with their not touching the top of the
reed or the heald staves. I prefer, in order to get this rod, clip, or roller,
as high as desirable to have the reed made a little deeper than usual,
and for the same object I make the healds deeper, and I place a rod in
the space that is left between the healds and reed when the latter is at
the back centre across these wires, threads, or hairs, to keep them low
enough to clear the top of the reed and to clear the heald staves. If it
be deemed objectionable for the wires, threads, or hairs to go across the
cloth over the conducting roller above the breast beam, and then down
to the rod, clip, or roller, hanging just clear of the cloth roller, a rod may
be put just in a line with the edge of the cloth, the threads would pass
under this rod, then turn upwards and pass over a conducting roller
supported in bearings fixed to the top rail, and terminate by being
fastened to the weight, roller, clip, or rod. By this means the cloth is
visible from its edge to the breast beam, as in ordinary looms. I may
add that I make the bull horns or standards to which my cross slide is

page_text: fixed taller than usual to give the weaver better head room and greater
facility for reaching and leaning over the loom from front to back or
vice versa. If necessary I apply springs or balance weights to enable
weavers to draw the slide backwards more easily after having pushed it
forward in the operation of piecing an "end."
Another mode of piecing the warp threads without stopping the loom
is the following:-I fix a rod or clip or comb across the loom in some
convenient place behind the healds, say, behind the opening rods and
under the yarn within a few inches of the floor. To this rod, clip, or
comb I fasten as many lengths of elastic thread as there are ends in the
warp, and the lengths are eight to twelve inches each. To the free end
of each of these elastics I fasten a strong thread of cotton, silk, catgut,
or horsehair, and these threads I pass through the loops of the heald
and through the dents of the reed, and fasten them in front to a roller.
This roller runs along the slay cap and moves to and fro with the slay.
It rests on two projecting arms, which are covered with leather, to give
friction to the roller, and cause it to turn as it moves to and fro to take
up the slack given by the strong threads as the slay moves back, and to
let it out as the slay moves forwards; or these arms may be in the form
of two racks, and a pinion put on each end of the roller to ensure the
roller turning as required. It will be seen from this description that
there is a strong thread of cotton, silk, catgut, or hair to each of the
warp threads, and that it passes through the same loop in the heald and
through the same dent in the reed. When therefore there is a broken
thread in the warp all that it is necessary for the weaver to do is to piece
a "thrumb to the strong thread which pairs with the broken one, and
take hold of this strong thread in front, or take hold of a number if the
one wanted is difficult to select, and draw them forward till the "thrumb"
is seen to come attached to its thread to the front. The weaver breaks
the thrumb off, presses it to the surface of the cloth, and it begins to
weave in, or to "make," and then the weaver lets the strong thread go
out of his grasp, and the elastic threads to which they are attached draw
them back ready for a similar operation.
Another mode of accomplishing the same object is the following:—I
make a dovetail groove along the front of the slay cap narrowest at the
outside or front. I have a reed hook with a bow spring rising from the
top light frame in which the reed hook is fixed. When the weaver sees
the dent with only one warp thread iu, or when he sees there is a thread

page_text: out by looking at the edge of the cloth, he takes the reed hook through
which he has already passed a thread between his forefinger and thumb
the remaining fingers he passes over the slay cap to steady his hand, and
thus his hand and reed hook held by him travel to and fro with the slay,
and are relatively at rest to it. He then begins to press the point of the
reed hook in the dents of the reed as near the vacant dent as he can
judge, keeping his eye ou the edge of the cloth whilst he is thus denting
or trying for the right space, he perceives when he has pricked the right
one that the space in the cloth gets larger, and this tells him he is in the
right dent of the reed. He then forces the reed hook further through
the reed, pressing with his forefinger the spring above mentioned into
the narrow mouth of the groove along the front of the slay cap. He
may then remove his hand from the reed hook, which continues to ride
to and fro with the slay. The thread is thus riding as it were held by
the beak of the reed hook which is through the reed. One end of the
thread the weaver throws over a brush which is on the slay cap, and
which gives the requisite amount of friction to hold it. The other end
is passed over a rod going across the breast beam. The weaver now goes
to the back of the loom, hooks a loop of the heald, made elastic to enable
this to be done, and passes his reed hook through it. Seeing the thread
in the beak of the reed hook flying to and fro with the reed, he holds his
reed hook in position for hooking it, which when done he draws through
the loop to the back, and pieces to the broken warp thread. The weaver
may use a magnifying lens, carried either in the hand that is disengaged
during the operation of denting, or carried on a rod running along the
edge of the cloth, to assist his eye in discovering the vacant dent or the
narrow space in the cloth. The blade part of this reed hook should be
formed with a slight swell near the point, the better to shew the space
in the cloth by opening the space in the dent wider. The blade should
also be made deep to admit of a long slot being formed from the point
to the root of it. In this slot, and springing from the root, a narrow
spring should play, and this spring should be kept lineable with the
edges of the blade by a small clip. This clip is slided to within a quarter
of an inch of the end of the reed hook blade when the operation of
denting is going to begin, and when in this position the spring and
blade forin one narrow deep plate. As soon as the weaver has pricked
the right dent, and pressed the end of the blade through the reed, the clip
is moved backwards, the effect, being to allow the small spring to spring
out of the slot sideways, and as one portion of the thread goes through

page_text: the side spring a length of thread is formed between the eye of the
spring and the eye of the blade, which is easily hooked from the back
of the healds.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Bullough in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE FRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BULLOUGH, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Bullough, Her special license
that I, the said John Bullough, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Bullough, 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 Jolin Bullough, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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 ad immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Bullough, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
This Invention consists, first, in certain improvements upon an
Invention entitled improvements in looms for weaving, for which Letters
Patent were granted to me, dated September 6, 1866, No. 2292.
B

page_text: And, secondly, in the application to looms in general of improved
appliances and arrangements for enabling broken warp threads to be
taken up or pieced without stopping the loom.
My former Invention consists in various improved contrivances and
arrangements of mechanism for enabling a shuttle in which the weft
is broken or absent to be changed for another shuttle having weft
without stopping the loom, and so on continuously as long as the loom
is at work, or until any given number of shuttles is exhausted.
In the Specification in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent it is stated that "to one end of the slay or batten I fix in an
upright position a case or frame open at the top and bottom, and place
in it a
number of shuttles full of weft one upon another, but so held as
to allow space for a shuttle to pass to and fro beneath them on the race
of the slay, and the ends of the weft in the shuttles are attached to a
stud covered with plush, cloth, or other suitable material, and fixed to
the reed cap or shuttle case. The shuttles in the casc are supported on
the lower ledge of a holder pivotted to brackets fixed to the front of the
slay, there being on the holder a lever which with the holder is pressed
inwards so as to keep the holder to its holding position by a spring fixed
to the front of the slay, and the lever communicates with the swell by
means of a bracket. For shifting the lever swell and holder when a
fresh shuttle is required to drop on the slay there is an incline on a
sliding bar, the other end of which is in contact with one arm of a
two-armed lever jointed to the back of the slay and the shuttle holder
is made to swivel and drop a fresh shuttle on the slay, that is, to supply
a new shuttle with fresh weft by means of the incline moving under the
lever fixed to the holder, the sliding bar to which the incline is fixed
being caused to slide by the backward motion of the picking stick at
the other end of the slay, which, is explained in the said Specification,
takes place as one of the motions for bringing about a change of shuttles.
I also described a moveable shuttle guard as being lifted from the front
side of the shuttle to allow of the shuttle being forced outwards into a
receptacle by the picking stick springing inwards to resume its ordinary
working position. To lift this shuttle guard I make use of a rod
running along the under side of the breast beam, which rod was turned
part of a revolution, when the sector hammer caught the hook of the
weft fork through the breakage or absence of weft and pulled the weft
fork lever outwards against a finger fastened to this rod. On the other

page_text: end of the rod or delivery side of the loom an inclined finger was
fastened, which when the rod was caused to turn part round was raised
into position for coming in contact with a finger connected to the
shuttle guard in such a manner as to force the latter upwards to allow
of the shuttle being forced outwards. To bind the picker at the supply
side of the loom and hold it in its position near the end of the slay and
giving room for the shuttle to drop at the change I employed a two-
armed lever having one arm connected by a band to the ordinary
horizontal weft lever, and when the changing of the shuttles was about
to take place the band pulled one arm and caused the other arm to press
against the picker.
In my present Invention I cause the shuttle holder to swivel by
means of simple and efficient contrivances, and dispense with the lever
on the shuttle holder and the sliding bar and incline for acting upon
it, and also with the necessity of the picking stick moving out of its
proper working line for shifting the sliding bar, and afterwards forcing
the shuttle outwards into a receptacle when it resumes its ordinary
working position, and also instead of the moveable shuttle guard and
check for holding back the picker. I employ other arrangements for
the same purpose, and I may here remark that the lever on the shuttle
holder I have called in my Provisional Specificatiou a projecting piece
or tail.
The manner in which my present Invention is to be performed will
be clearly understood by the following particular description thereof,
reference being had to the Figures and letters on the accompanying three
Sheets of Drawings, in which Figure 1 is an end elevation; Figure 2,
a front elevation; Figure 3, another end elevation; and Figure 4, a plan
of part of a loom having a shuttle case or frame and some of my im-
provements attached; Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15
are detached views of various parts; Figure 16 is an end elevation;
Figures 17 and 18, back elevations; and Figures 19 and 20, plans of
part of a loom having modified arrangements of certain parts of my
Invention.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 are drawn to a scale of two
inches to the foot; Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11. aud 12, half size; Figure 10,
full size; and Figures 13, 14. and 15, one-quarter size.
a, b, represent the side frames of the loom; c, the breast beam; d, the
crank shaft; e, the fast and loose pulleys; f. the tappet shift; /, the

page_text: rocking shaft; h, the sword arms; i, the slay or batten; j, the yarn
beam; k, the treddles; 7, the healds; m, the warp; n, the reed; o, the
reed cap; p, p, p, the picking sticks; q, r, the pickers; and s, the
stop rod. The weft fork and hook t, the sector hammer u, the horizontal
weft lever v, and the tappet wou the tappet shaft are the parts which
constitute the ordinary weft stopping motion in looms, and this motion
I employ for calling into action the mechanism which enables the
shuttles with spent or broken weft to be changed for fresh shuttles with
weft without stopping the loom. The pickers q, r, may be worked by
any convenient arrangement of under bead or over head picking sticks,
but I prefer to employ the ordinary under head picking sticks p con-
nected by straps x to cams y on the picking shafts z, having near their
tops catches, which during the backward movements of the slay turn
the picking shafts and give motion to the picking sticks and pickers by
coming in contact with catches on rods which are alternately raised by
the levers a¹ and opposite tappets b¹ on the tappet shaft f, the rods, one
of which is marked c¹, Figure 1, falling by their own gravity when the
levers are free of the tappets. I form the shuttle case or frame by
fixing at one end of the slay i, Figures 1 and 2, a tall black board d', and
fix near its end perpendicular guides &¹ for forming a case or frame to
receive a number of shuttles f¹, supplied with weft in such a manner
that they have only a little play endways and sideways. The shuttles
are dropped into the guides e¹ and descend one upon another until the
bottom shuttle rests on the ledge g¹, Figures 5, 6, and 7, standing above
the slay, and it is from this ledge that the shuttles are dropped one by
one on to the slay when there is breakage or absence of weft, the shuttle
with the spent or broken weft being ejected into a receiving box h¹;
Figures 3 and 4, at the other end of the slay. The ends of the weft in
the shuttles in the case are attached to the stud k¹ covered with plush.
cloth, or other material. The ledge g₁ forms part of a metal plate l',
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, having pivots working in bearing m¹ screwed
to the slay plate n', and the pivotted plate with its ledge is termed the
shuttle holder. When this ledge remains inwards, as shewn in Figure 5,
it supports the pile of shuttles f¹, below which the working shuttle o is
free to be driven to and fro across the race of the slay. When the ledge
is pulled outwards to the position seen in Figure 6 the top of the plate
is moved inwards, and these parts are so adjusted that before the ledge
entirely leaves the bottom shuttle of the pile the top of the plate passes
under the second shuttle of the pile, and thus only one shuttle drops on

page_text: the slay when the ledge is pulled entirely back.
The shuttle holder
with its ledge clear of the shuttles and the top of the plate supporting
the shuttles in the case is retained in this position by vee-ended pins p¹
being forced springs into one of two recesses ¹, s¹, at each end of
the plate, the recesses s¹ being brought opposite the spring pins, when
the plate is brought into the position described. When the shuttle has
dropped on the slay reverse movement is given to the shuttle holder by
the forward motion of the slay bringing the milled head screw ¹ in
contact with a finger y¹ projecting from the breast beam, thus moving
the top of the plate outwards away from the edge of that which was the
second shuttle, but is now the bottom one, to allow the descent of all the
shuttles; and at the same time the ledge passes inwards and supports the
bottom shuttle and also all the others above it, as seen in Figure 5, the
recesses being brought opposite the spring pius p', when the plate is
brought into the position described.
I now describe my improved mode of causing the shuttle holder to
swivel in one direction to allow a shuttle to drop on the slay and in
the reverse direction for returning it to its original position. To the
shuttle holder below the centre I fix or cast two ears t¹ carrying a
pin to which is attached one end of a band u¹, Figures 4 and 7, the
other end of which is connected to a pin in the bracked, Figure 4,
fixed to the horizontal weft lever v. The band is allowed sufficient
length to reach to the back centre, when the horizontal lever is not
forced outwards by the sector hammer u, but when the weft is spent
or broken and the horizontal lever forced outwards by the sector
hammer, the band becomes tight before the slay has arrived at the
back centre, and causes the shuttle holder to overcome the spring
pins p¹, and swivel or turn outwards on its centres to allow a fresh
shuttle to be dropped ou to the slay into the working shuttle box w',
the shuttle holder being held for an instant in this position by the
ends of the spring pins entering the recesses. At the lower part of
the plate of the shuttle holder is adjusted and fixed the screw head ri,
and to the breast beam or to a part of the framework is adjusted and
fixed the finger y¹, which as the slay advances to the beat-up acts on
the screw head and causes the ledge of the holder to move inwards,
and the top of the plate to move outwards for enabling the shuttles to
descend and be supported on the ledge ready for the next change, and
the ends of the spring pins p¹ spring into the recesses corresponding

page_text: with the position of the holder. The weft fork and parts connected
with it are placed at the same side of the loom as the shuttle holder,
and at the shuttle box w¹ on the slay below the holder I employ a front
swell guard a², Figures 2, 4, 8, and 9 to which is fastened a flat spring b²,
the purpose and action of which will be herein-after described. In order
to make room for the receiving box hi which receives the ejected shuttles,
the side frame at that end is cranked inwards, and the ordinary taking-up
wheels are removed for the opposite or supply side of the loom, and for
enabling the shuttles to be ejected with facility there is a board inclined
at an angle downwards from the edge of the slay plate as at c³, Figures 3
and 4. The front of the box is hinged to open outwards and provided
with a closing spring, so that if a shuttle should be caught between the
advancing slay and the front of the box no damage will be done. To
prevent the picker q at the supply side from rising as it has a tendency
to do, especially when the bottom ledge of the shuttle holder is pulled
outwards, and to prevent its deviating from a straight line I make at
the back of the picker a semi-dovetail ledge, and form at the bottom of
the back board d¹, Figure 1, a groove of a similar shape to receive
this ledge. To hold back the picker 9 at the supply side of the loom
so that it cannot interfere with the dropping of the shuttles from the
shuttle holder into the shuttle box I employ the following contrivance :-
Between the inside of the shuttle holder and the space occupied by
the stroke or traverse of the picker I place a two-armed lever e², f,
Figures 4, 8, 9, and 10 on a pivot fixed to the slay plate n¹, and the
arm which is towards the outer end of the shuttle box is knuckle
jointed; the arm is turned up and placed behind the screw head l
fixed to the shuttle holder, so that when the holder is pulled outwards
for effecting a change of shuttle the arm is moved outwards, and
the arm inwards to cause its end to stand across the course of the
picker, which generally has not got back after making its stroke when
the lever takes this position. The knuckle joint yields to the backward
rebound of the picker, and the moment the picker has passed the end
of the arm fa spring 92 closes the joint to place the said end of the
arm before the picker, and prevent it from coming forward to be in
the way of the dropping shuttle. When the shuttle holder is replaced
in its ordinary working position the two-armed lever is moved by the
screw head and assumes its previous position, that is, parallel to the
side of the picker, but clear of it as seen in Figures 4 and 9. At the
supply side of the loom I have double lever h, j, Fig. 1, jointed

page_text: to the front of the slay in a vertical position, the top arm h² of which
lever is in contact with a bracket 2, Figures 2, 4, 8, and 9 cast to
the front swell guard a², and the lower arm terminates in the form
of two steps or ledges, and the lever is maintained in its quiescent position
by a flat spring 12. To the side frame a I bolt an inclined bracket n² just
below the stop rod tongue o2, and form on one side of the tongue a side
projection p2 opposite the steps or ledges, and at the other side fix ears
carrying between them a bowl q2 on a stud, which bowl is in line with
the inclined part of the bracket n²; to the side frame a opposite the front
edge of the stop rod tongue o³, and above the frog 2, I fix a curved finger
or projection s2, and at the opposite end of the stop rod s at the delivery
side of the loom, I fix a finger t2 pointing towards the back part of the
loom, which finger has at one side a stud to which one end of a link u2 is
attached, the other end being linked to the inner end of a short lever v2,
Figures 2, 4, 11, and 12, fastened at right angles to a boss we at the back
of the back board. The boss is fixed by a set screw to a spindle which
works in a socket x2 fixed to the back board, and has at its front end an
arm used as a top swell guard. The spindle projects through the socket
to about the breadth of a shuttle, and from it branches towards the end
of the shuttle box the aforesaid arm formed as a long deep flange y³,
which at the part of its top edge is bent inwards at right angles to
form a surface to act as a swell for the front top edge of the shuttle to
act upon, and the spindle is held in the socket by a collar and set screw,
When a shuttle enters the shuttle box w', Figures 5 and 6, at the supply
side during the ordinary working of the loom, it comes in contact with
the front swell a2 which forces the top arm h2, Figs. 1 and 2 of the
double lever outwards and the lower arm 2 inwards, bringing the lower
of the two leges or steps at the bottom of the lower arm under the
side projection on the stop rod tongue 02, which has been raised
sufficiently high by the bowl q2 running up the inclined bracket n².
The tongue riding on this bottom ledge is carried forward with the
slay above the frog. 72, but below the curved finger s2 placed above the
frog and no stoppage of the loom takes place. If the shuttle is late
the ledge is not forced under the side projection p², and the tongue
has nothing to support it against the downward pull of the stop rod
spring 63, when the bowl q2 gets sufficiently far from the back centre
as to lose the support of the inclined bracket n2, and therefore the
tongue is pulled against the frog and causes the stoppage of the loom.
When the shuttle enters the shuttle box at the other side of the

page_text: loom it glides under the top swell 22, and causes the boss w³ to turn
to bring a small finger d³ which passes through and is fixed to the
boss in position for resisting the upward movement of the finger {2
on that end of the stop rod, thus arresting the downward movement of
the tongue at the other end of the stop rod for enabling it to clear
When the shuttle is
the frog and prevent the stoppage of the loom.
late the top swell 23 is not lifted by it in time to place the finger d³ in
position for resisting the upward movement of the finger t, and therefore
the stop rod tongue is left free to be pulled down by the stop rod
spring 63, so that it can come in contact with the frog and cause the
stoppage of the loom. The flanged part y2 of the top swell acts as a
guard and prevents the shuttle from being precipitated forwards off the
slay, when the slay changes its direction suddenly from forwards to
backwards, but if this flange is raised so as to leave the shuttle free on
its front side the shuttle will be thrown off by the forward impetus it
has acquired in going from the back to the front.
I now proceed to explain how the absence or breakage of the weft
causes this flange y³ to be so raised for allowing the shuttle to be ejected.
The band u', Figures 4 and 7, pulls the lower part of the shuttle holder
outwards in order to supply a fresh shuttle, when through the absence
or breakage of weft the horizontal weft lever vis forced outwards. The
shuttle holder acts on the bracket k² cast to the front swell guard a², and
forces it outwards, the bracket in turn moving the top arm h2 of the
double vertical lever so far outwards, and the lower arm so far inwards
as to enable the second or upper ledge formed in it to pass under the side
projection p² of the stop rod tongue o³, which has been raised sufficiently
high for the purpose of the bowl gå attached to it ascending the inclined
bracket n². As the slay advances the stop rod tongue is carried resting
on this top ledge until it comes on the lower part of the curved pro-
jection placed above the frog 12, and as the slay continues to advance
the tongue is forced upwards causing the stop rod itself to have more
motion than it has in the ordinary working of the loom, the effect of
which is to depress the finger t* on the other end of the stop rod to such
an extent as to cause the link u2 to pull down the short lever on the
boss w³, and raise the top swell guard until its flange 2 clears the empty
shuttle, which is therefore precipitated off the slay into the receiving
box h¹. The arm of the short lever v2, Figures 2, 4, 11, and 12, which is
attached to the boss is continued past the other side of the boss to

page_text: form an arm f³ which is cranked downwards from a little past the boss to
near the end, where it is cranked up to the original level. A common
flat loom spring g³, Figs. 2, 4, 11, and 12, fixed towards the end of the
back board is made to press on this arm 3 of the lever near the boss, the
end of the arm being clear of the spring, as seen in Figure 11. When
the shuttle is entering the box c³ it meets with slight resistance from
the top swell until it gets out of the yarn, because the spring g³ acting so
near the boss has not much power to cause the swell to resist the power
of the shuttle to raise it, but the height the shuttle has forced the swell
upwards by the time it is getting clear of the yarn brings the end of the
arm f³ nearer to the broad and fixed end of the spring, as seen in
Figure 12, thus putting more drag or check on the shuttle, and enabling
the ordinary leather check strap to be dispensed with. For the other
side of the loom I check the shuttle on a similar principle, the mecha-
nical arrangements being slightly varied to adapt it to the front swell.
I rivet the spring 62, Figures 2, 8, and 9, to the front swell guard a³,
the end of which spring is an eighth of an inch or so from touching
the turned-up end of the arm e², held by the screw head a¹, fixed to the
shuttle holder. The shuttle therefore on first entering the box meets
with very little resistance, but that resistance is increased when the
spring begins to bind against the arm e², and give the necessary check
to the shuttle, but the parts should be so adjusted that the swell will not
be forced outwards so far as to bring the spring against the arm until
the shuttle has got clear or nearly clear of the yarn. When the shuttle
with spent or broken weft has been ejected from the slay the picker on
that side will make a blank pick, because there will be no shuttle to
throw across, and unless there is a substitute to act on the weft fork in
the absence of the usual weft the hook of the weft fork will be caught
by the sector hammer, and the changing motion be repeated unneces-
sarily, and to prevent this from taking place I employ what may be
called substitute or artificial weft. To the front of the slay I joint a
two-armed lever k³, 13, Figures 2, 13, and 14, the arm 13 being a little
above the stop rod tongue o2, and the other arm ³ near the front end m
of a cross-shaped slide n³, o³, there being a part p³ of the slide, which
projects a short distance from the back of the slay. The slay is grooved
beneath the slay plate n' in the form of a cross to receive the slide, the
groove being made sufficiently wide to allow the slide to be moved to
and fro in line with the slay. When a change of shuttles is about to
take place the stop rod tongue is carried by the upper ledge of the lower

page_text: arm 2 of the two-armed lever h², ja, Figure 1, and landed on the curved
projections. The stop rod tongue on ascending the curved projection
acts on the bottom of the arm 13, thereby causing the arm to press
against the end m³ of the cross slide and move it in the groove of the
slay until one end of the part o³ of the cross slide is laid across the weft
grate q, and acts on the fork as weft at the time the blank pick is given,
and the cross slide is moved back in proper time by the motion of the
pick immediately succeeding the blank pick in the following manner :-
To the top of the picking shaft z on that side of the loom I fix a short
fingers, Figures 1, 4, and 14, and place on a stud in the bracket to a
double lever u³, v³. The finger s³ partakes of the motion of the picking
shaft, and acts on the double lever forcing the arm u³ backwards, and the
arm forwards against the protruding end 23 of the slide, thereby
causing the slide to move back in its groove to the position it was in
before the stop rod tongue by ascending the inclined projection acted
upon it. As it is impossible to stop the loom the moment the weft
breaks or becomes spent it is necessary to avoid a thin place or crack in
the cloth to let back as much of the cloth as has wound on the cloth
beam from the time of the weft breaking to the time the loom is stopped.
I place below the ordinary ratchet wheel a¹, Figure 15 of the taking-up
motion a stud 6, on which swivels a double lever, having one arm c
terminating in a segment d' of a ratchet wheel, the other arm being
weighted, so that the ratchet end is raised in contact with the teeth of
the ratchet wheel. When the weft motion is brought into action
through the breakage or absence of weft the horizontal weft lever acting
on the vertical finger with which it is in contact, causes the holding
catch g' and the taking-up catch to be lifted, and the tension of the
warp immediately sets in reverse motion the taking-up wheels, the
ratchet wheel a' forming one of these, being geared into the segmental
ratchet wheel de forces the double lever of which it forms a part to
describe part of a revolution on its stud, which motion is only arrested
by the opposite or preponderating arm e* of the lever being brought
in contact with a stud 4 fixed to the loom side, which stud is sufficiently
strong to overcome the tension of the yarn, and check the reverse motion
of the wheels. The stud 4 or letting back stop is adjustable, and
may be so placed as to let back any given number of picks. When
desired I use check straps for checking the shuttle instead of acting on
the swells as before described.
บ
This arrangement is shewn in the back views and plan of part of a

page_text: loom, Figures 17, 18, and 19, in which a, b, represent the frame sides;
i, the back of the slay; d, the back of the shuttle case; p7, ps, the
picking sticks; q, r, the pickers; and j, k, the buffer leathers for the
picking sticks to strike against. At the ends of the bottom of the slay
there are plates 14, m4, guided in staples, and having at their outer ends
projections 4, 04, each at the back of its corresponding picking stick.
To the plate mt, Figures 18 and 19, at the ejection end of the slay, is
attached the strap p4, guided in staples and connected at its other end
to a band q which is passed over the pulley 4 and connected to the
buffer leather 14, and when the picking stick p7 at the supply side has
delivered its pick and strikes the buffer the leather yields and pulls
inwards the band 94, strap p4, plate m4, projection 04, picking stick p³,
and picker r, thus affording a check to the shuttle when it is driven from
the opposite end of the slay. To the projection n on the plate 14 at the
supply side of the loom is attached a strap 84, Figures 17 and 19, con-
nected to one end of a rod t4 having a projecting nib u4, and the other
end of the rod is connected to the strap 4 attached to the band w4,
which is passed over the pulley 4 and connected to the buffer leather 4,
and when the picking stick p8 strikes the buffer the picking stick p
and picker q are brought inwards and a check is given to the shuttle,
and so on at each side as long as there is no change of shuttles.
When after a change of shuttles the picking stick ps at the ejection
side delivers a blank pick the end strap s', unless prevented, would be
pulled inwards the same as for giving a check to the shuttle, the effect
of which would be that the fresh shuttle would be impelled a short
distance on the slay and be prevented from being driven across when
the picker makes its proper pick, and therefore it is incumbent that
the picker should be held back immediately after a change. To effect
this object I joint to the back of the slay a two-armed lever a5, 65, the
arm 6 being heavier than the other, and having at the bottom an
inclined notch c³, in contact with a projection on the back end p³
of the cross slide n³, 03, Figures 13 and 14. used for making substitute
or artificial weft, and the other arm a can be in line with or above
the projecting rib u, on the rod t. When the end of the part 03
is away from the weft grate q³ the arm a³ is above the rib u', and
the end strap 84 can move freely for checking the shuttle, but when
after a change of shuttles the stop rod tongue on ascending the curved
projections, Figure 1, causes motion to be given to this cross slide as
before described, the end p³ with its projection moves towards the weft

page_text: grate, thereby raising the arm 65 and depressing the arm a³ until its end
is in line with the nib, as shown by the dotted lines; and when
the picking stick ps at the time of making its blank pick strikes
the buffer the arm a holds back the rod t and end strap 8,
and prevents any action on the picker 9. When the stop rod
tongue is free of the curved projection 82, Figure 1, and the substitute
weft removed from the weft grate the arms a, b, resume their original
positions, and at each end of the slay a check will be given to the shuttle
until another change of shuttles takes place.
I now describe the second part of my Invention which consists in the
application to looms in general of certain appliances and arrangements
to enable warp threads to be taken up or pieced without stopping the.
loom. To the side frames a, b, Figures 1, 2, and 3, behind the healds
I fix two standards j, to which are fixed grooved arms pointing
horizontally or nearly so from the back to the front of the loom, and
in the grooves of the arms are fitted slides connected by a tie bar m³,
so that both are moved at the same time. To the slides are jointed
hinges n³, connected together by a rod or bar 05, which, when placed
at the back of the arms, maintain the slides in their backward position.
To the slides I fix a rod, clip, or roller p5, to which 1 attach as many
strong guide threads q5 as there are spaces in the reed n.
I first pass
these threads through the healds above the loops or eyes, then through
the spaces of the reed, and afterwards fasten them to a roller 5,
Figure 3, working in bearings fixed to the breast beam, the said
roller having at one end a pulley on which is coiled a cord to with
a weight suspended to it for keeping the threads tight, and one
half the healds is made of the ordinary material, worsted or cotton,
and the lower half is made of elastic thread. When a warp thread is
broken the weaver finds the empty loop in the heald in the usual
manner but without stopping the loom, and spreading out his fingers
in order to open the yarn he sees side by side and above the empty
loop the guide thread which passes through the same space in the reed
as the warp thread which before went through the empty loop. To
this thread he attaches one end of a "thrumb," and immediately pushes
forwards the slides until the rod p5 at the back of the slides to which
the threads are attached comes nearly close to the healds, and at the
same time the roller in front to which the other ends of the threads
are attached turns in its bearings by means of the cord and weight,

page_text: "
aud coils the threads on it, and keeps them tight and in order. Near
the front of the arms 5 there are indents into which the rod or
bar 05 falls when the slides 15 are pushed forwards and stops them,
which arrangement enables the weaver to slide the threads the requisite
distance forward, that is, until the point of junction of the thread
and the thrumb has got through the reed and about an inch
over the edge of the cloth. Having passed the "thrumb" through
the right space of the reed the weaver hooks the empty loop
with his reed hook and draws it out to a convenient position at
the back of the healds, he then passes his reed hook through the
loop and draws the other end of the "thrumb" through it, the
elastic thread yielding for enabling him to hold the loop unaffected
by the treading of the treddles. He now lets g the loop, and the
"thrumb" immediately begins to weave in or "to make," and he
proceeds to place the "thrumb" in its proper place in the lease rods
and to tie it to the broken thread of the warp, and after the "thrumb "
is woven in a few picks or more he breaks it off from the guide
thread and brings backs the slides to their original backward position
the front roller 5 turning and the weight u³ rising at the same time.
To enable the weaver to see his warp threads and to facilitate his
finding the broken "ends," the empty loop in the healds, and the
corresponding guide thread, I get the rod, slip, or roller p³ as high
as possible compatible with their not touching the top of the reed
or the heald staves. I prefer in order to get this rod, clip, or roller
as high as desirable, to have the reed made a little deeper than
usual, and for the same object I make the healds deeper, and in the
space that is left between the healds and reed when the latter is at
the back centre 1 fix a rod y5, Figure 3, across the guide threads
to keep them low enough to clear the top of the reed and the heald
staves. To the top of the standards I fix the cross bar aª which
carries the roller shaft 6 and rollers co, connected by straps de to the
top staves of the healds, and the tops of the standards and cross bar are
of such height as to give the weaver plenty of head room for enabling
him to reach and lean over the loom from front to back, or vice versa.
If necessary I apply springs or balance weights to enable the weaver
to draw the slides easily backwards after having pushed them forward
in the operation of piecing an end

page_text: grooved arms 5, Figures 1, 2, and 3, and the siides 15 carrying the rod or
clip to which the strong threads q5 are attached. To the side frames a,
b,
Figures 16 and 17, I fix behind the healds two standards fe, each having
a vertical slot g", and each carrying near the top a small pulley ho. In
bearings i fixed to the side frames I place a roller ko, and in bearings 10,
fixed to the breast beam or other convenient part I place another
roller m, Figures 16 and 20, and these rollers carry strong guide
threads no, having their ends coiled round them, the said threads having
been previously passed through the healds above the loops or eyes and
through the spaces between the dents of the reed. Near the ends of the
roller are fastened cords 06, which are coiled a few turus round the
rolier, then passed over the pulleys he, and fastened to a rod po, resting
at the bottom of the slots the standards f, and a cord 26 is attached
to one end of the roller mo, coiled a few turns round it, and then passed
round a pulley 70, and fastened to a balance weight. For moving the
guide threads from back to front, and vice versa, it is only necessary to
raise and lower the rod po, for when it is raised the balance weight so and
cord turns the roller mo, which winds on as much of the threads as is
uncoiled from the roller k, which roller at the same time winds on more
of the cords o, and when the rod
in reverse directions, the roller
which it before gave off, and the
wound on. When a warp thread is
are similar to those before described with the strong guide threads q³,
shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3, with the exceptions that when he has
attached a "thrumb " to the proper guide thread he raises the rod pⓇ until
the point of junction of the thread and the "thrumb" has got through
the reed and to about an inch over the edge of the cloth, and when the
"thrumb " is broken off from its guide thread he lowers the rod and
brings back the threads to their original positions.
is lowered both rollers ko, m³, turn
winding on the length of threads
roller giving off what it before
broken the operations of the weaver
Another mode of piecing the warp threads without stopping the
loom is the following:-I fix a rod, or clip, or comb, across the loom in
some convenient place behind the healds, say behind the opening rods
and under the yarn within a few inches of the floor. To this rod, clip, or
comb, I fasten as many lengths of elastic thread as there are "ends
the warp, and the lengths are eight to twelve inches each. To the free end
of each of these elastics I fasten a strong thread of cotton, silk, catgut, or
horsehair, and these threads I pass through the loops of the heald and
in

page_text: through the spaces of the reed, and fasten them in front to a roller.
This roller runs along the slay cap and moves to and fro with the slay.
It rests on two projecting arms, which are covered with leather to give
friction to the roller and cause it to turn as it moves to and fro to give
up the slack given by the strong threads as the slay moves back, and to
let it out as the slay moves forwards; or these arms may be in the form
of two racks and a pinion put on each end of the roller to ensure the
roller turning as required. It will be seen from this description that
there is a strong thread of cotton, silk, catgut, or hair to each of the
warp threads, and that it passes through the same loop in the heald and
through the same space in the reed. When therefore there is a broken
thread in the warp all that is necessary for the weaver to do is to piece
a "thumb" to the strong thread which pairs with this broken one, and
take hold of this strong thread in front, or take hold of a number, if
the one wanted is difficult to select, and draw them forward till the
thrumb is seen to come attached to its thread to the front.
weaver breaks the "thrumb" off, presses it to the surface of the cloth,
and it begins to weave in or to "make." He lets the strong threads go
out of his grasp, and the elastic threads to which they are attached draw
them back ready for a similar operation.
The
Another mode of accomplishing the same object is the following:-
I make a dovetail groove along the front of the slay cap narrowest at
the outside or front. I have a reed hook with a bow spring rising from
the top light frame in which the reed hook is fixed. When the weaver
sees the space with only one warp thread in, or when he sees there is a
thread out by looking at the edge of the cloth, he takes the reed hook
through which he has already passed a thread between his forefinger and
thumb, the remaining fingers he passes over the slay cap to steady his
hand, and thus his hand and reed hook held by him travel to and fro
with the slay, and are relatively at rest to it.
He then begins to press
the point of the reed hook in the spaces of the reed as near the vacant
space as he can judge, keeping his eye on the edge of the cloth, whilst
he is thus denting or trying for the right space he perceives when he has
pricked the right one that the space in the cloth gets larger, and this
tells him he is in the right space of the reed. He then forces the reed
hook further through the reed, pressing with his forefinger the spring
above mentioned into the narrow mouth of the groove along the front of
the slay cap. He may then remove his hand from the reed hook, which
continues to ride to and fro with the slay. The thread is thus riding as

page_text: it were held by the beak of the reed hook which is through the reed.
One end of the thread the weaver throws over a brush which is on the
slay cap, and which gives the requisite amount of friction to hold it.
The other end is passed over a rod going across the breast beam. The
weaver now goes to the back of the loom, hooks a loop of the heald,
made elastic to enable this to be done, and passes his read hook through
it, seeing the thread in the beak of the reed hook flying to and fro with
the reed he holds his reed hook in position for hooking it, which when
done he draws through the loop to the back and pieces to the broken
warp thread. The weaver may use a magnifying lens, carried either iu
the hand that is disengaged during the operation of denting, or carried
on a rod running along the edge of the cloth, to assist his eye in
discovering the vacant space in the reed or the narrow space in the
cloth. The blade part of this reed hook should be formed with a slight
swell near the point, the better to show the space in the cloth by opening
the space in the space wider. The blade should also be made deep to
admit of a long slot being formed from the point to the root of it.
this slot, and springing from the root, a narrow spring should play, and
this spring should be kept lineable with the edge of the blade by a small
clip. This clip is slided to within one quarter of an inch of the end of
the reed hook blade when the operation of denting is going to begin.
When in this position the spring and blade form one narrow deep plate.
As soon as the weaver has pricked the right space and pressed the end of
the blade through the reed the clip is moved backwards, the effect being
to allow the small spring to spring out of the slot sideways, and as one
portion of the thread goes through this side spring a length of thread so
formed between the eye of the spring and the eye of the blade, which is
easily hooked from the back of the healds.
In
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it
to be understood that I claim,―
First. The band u¹ connected to the shuttle holder and horizontal weft
lever, and also the finger y¹ for actuating the holder in the directions
required.
Secondly. The improved mechanism for holding back the picker at the
supply side of the loom when a change of shuttles takes places.
and 4, with its two
Thirdly. The double lever h³, 12, Figures 1,
ledges and the curved or inclined finger s³, for the purposes required.

page_text: Fourthly. The top swell guard y², z³, and parts connected with it for
giving when the guard is down a check to the shuttle, and when raised
allowing the shuttle to escape off the slay into a receiving box.
Fifthly. The guide threads, and the forming one part of the heald of
an elastic substance for enabling the loop to be held unaffected by the
tredding of the treddles.
And, sixthly. The various improved arrangements and appliances for
enabling broken warp threads to be taken up or pieced without stopping
the loom, as all such improvements are herein described and illustrated
in the accompanying three Sheets of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Bullough, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
JOHN BULLOUGH. (L.S.)