IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING CERTAIN THREADS OR YARNS, AND FOR WEAVING CERTAIN FABRICS
Year: 1836

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HAMER
STANSFELD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS, in consequence of a communication from Christian William
Schonherr, of Schneeberg, in the Kingdom of Saxony, I am in possession of an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING CERTAIN THREADS
OR YARNS, AND FOR WEAVING CERTAIN FABRICS;" and whereas His present
most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth, by His Letters Patent
under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster, the
Twenty-second day of June, in the sixth year of His reign, did, for Himself,
His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Hamer Stansfeld,
His especial licence that I, the said Hamer Stansfeld, my exors, admors, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Hamer Stansfeld, my exors, admors,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the terın of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England and Wales
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all His said Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, "the said Invention;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Hamer Stansfeld, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, and to cause the same to be enrolled in His said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately

page_text: after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Hamer Stansfeld, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention as regards
Improvements in Machinery for Preparing Certain Threads or Yarns" to
consist,―
"
First, in sizing and drying woollen, worsted, and cotton threads or yarns,
during that part of their preparation for weaving called warping on the
warping mill, and in their progress from the rack or bobbin frame to the
ordinary warping mill, by placing between the ordinary rack or bobbin frame
and the ordinary warping mill the apparatus herein-after described, which
has been specially adapted for that purpose, and contains about two hundred
threads;
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And secondly, in a rack rail on which lateral motion is given to the said
sizing apparatus and bobbin rack.
And as regards "Improvements in Machinery for Weaving Certain Fabrics,"
I do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention to consist,-
First, in causing the movement of the headles requisite to form the shed
to be performed by the action of cams and levers placed vertically, and at the
end of the loom acting upon horizontal bands and pulleys, and the counter
action of which levers is effected by means of springs, bands, and pulleys, in
manner herein-after described.
Secondly, in a new picker and new mode of arranging the picking straps,
and acting upon them by means of what I call a loop or bridle, and a check-
string fixed to a swinging lever, as also in a new mode of holding the shuttle
fast at the end of the stroke or pick.
Thirdly, in forcing home the weft by means of a cam acting upon and
producing a gradual pressure and dwelling action of the lay or slay instead
of the blow usually given.
Fourthly, in two new modes of regulating the giving off of the warp and
the taking up of the cloth, whereby a more simple mode of compensation for
the increasing circumference of the one and the diminishing circumference
of the other is obtained as heretofore.
Fifthly, in an improved driving pulley, which may be disengaged instantly
from the working shaft without touching the driving strap.
And lastly, in a new form of shuttle, whereby I am enabled to use a shed of
diminished size and action.
And in further compliance with the said proviso, I, the said Hamer
Stansfeld, do hereby describe the manner in which the said Invention is to
be performed by the following statement thereof, reference being had to

page_text: the Drawings annexed hereto, and to the figures and letters marked thereon
(that is to say) :-
-
The scales to which the annexed Drawings are made are marked thereon,
and similar letters and colors are used to denote similar parts in all cases
where the same machine is under description, whatever view of it the Figure
may represent, while the line of rotation or motion is denoted where necessary
by arrows, and distinctive colors are used to distinguish the various parts of
each principal movement.
And now, first of the said improvements in machinery for preparing cotton,
woollen, and worsted threads. Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ordinary
warping apparatus, consisting of the bobbin rack and warping mill, with tho
said improvements attached thereto. A, A, A, A, A, A, A, A, represent
different parts of the framing. B is an ordinary creel or bobbin rack.
C, C, C, C, C, C, the bobbins thereon. D is an ordinary reed for separating
the threads preparatory to their arriving at the stiffening rollers, in order that
each thread may pass separately under the said rollers. E is a trough or vat
containing the ordinary size for the particular kind of threads which may be
operating upon. F is a lamp, or may be any other suitable contrivance, for
keeping the size warm and fluid. G, H, are the two iron stiffening rollers,
the under one H being covered with cloth with its under side immersed in the
size. This under roller conveys the required quantity of size, while the upper
roller by its weight presses out any extra portion of size, from the threads as
they pass along in the direction of the arrows towards the reed I, which reed
turns on a pivot or handle at J, in the holder bar K, and thus enables the
workman to expand or contract the spread of the threads according as the
position of that reed is more or less oblique. r, r, are two rods placed in the
ordinary manner for separating the threads more effectually. L is an air fan
working in a trough or box, with a thick wooden cover full of holes in order
to equalize the distribution of the air, and shewn at Figure 14 in plan and
edgeways, but removed in this Figure in order that the position of the fan in
the trough or air box may be more clearly shewn. This trough or box
direct the air more
is formed as shewn by the lines M, N, in order to
effectually through the holes in the cover to the threads passing above it, and
which are to be dried thereby. It is evident that in damp weather, or where
from any other cause any difficulty in drying the sized threads occurs,
additional air fans may be introduced at any part of the line of thread between
the stiffening cylinders and the reed I, which distance may be extended to any
additional convenient length for that purpose. O is the ordinary warping
mill which receives the warp in regular parallel rings side by side on its

page_text: surface, and not spirally as is usual, the parallelism of the rings being obtained
by means of a rack and side motion of the stiffening apparatus and bobbin
rack herein-after described. P is another and a moveable reed, the use of
which is more particularly described in the next Figure. Q is the main
driving shaft of the whole apparatus. From a small pulley R a band passes
over the larger pulley S, on the shaft of which is the small pulley T, giving the
necessary slow motion by means of the band U to the warping mill O. On the
main shaft there is also another larger pulley V, which gives the necessary
speed to the fan L, by means of the band W, and thus completes the driving
action of the whole apparatus. Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1. X is the
handle of the main driving shaft; P, the moveable reed which is here shewn
placed at the same angle with the reed I, and should be made with a handle
exactly like it in all respects, except that the upper cane or frame should be
moveable, so that when removed, the reed, presenting a comb-like appearance,
may, when the proper quantity of warp to form one ring is on the mill, be
passed from beneath the warp upwards through the threads, and the top frame
replaced. When this is done, the warp may be cut between the two reeds and
knotted, the reed P being left as shewn at Y to be afterwards used in beaming
the warp with that portion of the warp which forms the ring, while the reed I
is ready for use in forming the next ring of warp on the mill, as shewn at Z,
and for which purpose the whole of the sizing apparatus and bobbin rack
should be moved sideways the distance that the wings are to be asunder, and
the band U pushed a corresponding distance along the warping mill. This
side movement of the apparatus is effected by two rack rails a, a, a, a, one
at each end of the apparatus, with fixed pinion gear on a rotary shaft
to correspond, all colored yellow in the Drawing. Figure 3 is a view in
elevation of the reed P, shewing its comb-like appearance when the top cane
or frame is removed. I usually make them of brass, and there is a small hook
at each end tooth of the comb e, e, which, by being pressed sideways a little, as
shewn at Figure 4, pass through mortices or slots t, t, Figure 5, cut in the
ends of the top frame, and then, springing out again sideways to their proper
position, hold on the top frame. The small handles of these reeds, when the
warp is to be transferred from the mill to the beam, are stuck into a cross
bar placed conveniently for the purpose, and then turned at any angle which
may be required, such angle determining the extent of spread of the wharp on
the beam.
And now, secondly, of the said improvements in machinery for weaving
certain fabrics. Figure 6 is a front elevation of a loom for weaving all such
goo. Is as are now usually woven by hand or power looms. The parts marked A

page_text: denote the ordinary framing of the loom. B is the ordinary warp beam. C,
the ordinary cloth beam. D, D, are the ordinary swords or arms for supporting
the lay, and moving on the ordinary fulcrums E, E, fixed on the floor for that
purpose. F, G, are a set of ordinary headles, such as are required for plain
weaving, it having been thought best to describe the said improvements as
applied to a loom of the simplest form, in order to be more easily understood
from description.
Ilaving thus pointed out the principal parts of the loom which have no
features of novelty in them, I will next proceed to describe the said improve-
ments; and first of that which relates to the action of the headles. H, I,
are two spiral springs, each fixed at a point in the centre. To the end
of these springs are attached cords or straps passing over eccentric pulleys,
and passing to the top shafts of the headles, the spring I thus supporting
one while the spring H supports the other, J, J, represent the bottom
shaft of one of the headles pulled down by means of the straps K, K,
which pass under the pulleys L, L, and are spliced together so as to form
one strap at M, whence it proceeds to the lever N, while similar straps
proceeds from the other headle to the lever O, for there are similar straps
of course attached to the lower shaft of both headles. The lever N is
here shewn out or in action, pulling the headle G down, in consequence of
which the spiral spring H is open or on the stretch, as here shewn, while the
other lever O, being in the other spiral spring I, is closed, and has by its
reaction drawn up the other headle F. The levers N, O, are acted upon by
the tappets P and Q, fixed upon the shaft R, which receives its motion in the
ordinary way by means of spur gear from the main driving shaft S. I have
colored the headles, and those parts which are immediately connected with the
action of them, blue, in order to direct the eye more distinctly to them.
And now, secondly, of the improvement which relates to the picking motion.
T and U are two straps, one leading from each picker, and attached one to each
of the vertical straps V, V, which I call the loop or bridle. This bridle is fixed
to the lay at the upper end, and to a checkstring W at the lower end. This
checkstring passes under the pulley X, fastened to the floor, and thence horizon-
tally to the end of the swinging lever Y; this lever is acted upon by the cam Z,
placed on the main driving shaft S, which cam works against a friction roller,
as here shown. And it will be seen by this arrangement that at every vibration
of the lever Y, the checkstring W draws the two side lines of the bridle V
into a right line, and thus pulls the piching straps T, U, with sufficient force
to drive the shuttle. The piching straps, bridle, pulley X, and cam Z, check-
string and swinging lever, are all colored pink to point out their relative
positions more distinctly; and the swinging lever is furnished with a convolute

page_text: spring at its upper end to assist its reaction, as shown at Figure 15, and colored
yellow. i, i, is a long wooden bar reaching all across the loom, which I call
the shuttle catcher bar. This bar is fixed to the lay by hinges, as shean at
J, in Figure 13, in full size. K is a spring to keep the bar up to its position
against the lay. L is a round button of leather fixed on to the top of the bar,
shewn also in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 18; and, in fact, to understand this part of
the machinery well, it will be better to have referenco to all these Figures
whle describing it, for similar red letters are used to denote similar parts in
them all. M is a rod, which I call the nipping rod, descending from the
shuttle catcher bar, which has one of these rods at each end.
The lower
extremity of this rod, when the lay is drawn quite back, is pressed strongly
outwards by coming in contact with the stud or nob N, which stud is fixed at a
given point on the frame, and thus causes the button L to nip the shuttle as it
arrives at either end of the race board at the moment that the swell or middle
of the shuttle has arrived at the button, while the moving away of the lay to
bring it up to the weft relieves the shuttle from the said nip or pressure ready
to be picked. O is a horizontal rod, which I call the stop rod. This rod is fixed
to and projects from the front of the shuttle catcher bar i; and as the swell
on the centre of the shuttle gets to the button L, it presses the top of the
shuttle catcher bar out from the lay, and thus causes the stop rod O to dip, as
shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 13. This dipping is just sufficient to
prevent the stop rod O from touching the end of the spring rod n; but if by
any accident the shuttle should not go home, then the stop rod O does not dip,
and therefore strikes against the spring rod n, and pushes it forward to throw
the driving pulley out of gear, as will be more particularly explained hereafter;
the relative positions of the stop rod O, the spring rod n, and the driving pulley,
are best shewn at Figure 8.
And now, thirdly, of the improvements which relate to the action of the lay.
a, a, are the two ends of the lay. The race board of this lay is made at an
angle sloping towards the back of the loon, and thus forming an acute angle
with the back boards b, b, which in ordinary looms would be called the back
of the shuttle box; but this slope of the race board renders the boards b, b,
sufficient for the purpose of holding the shuttle in its place without anything
more of a box, provided the action of the button L is properly arranged.
d, d, are bands fastened at one end to the lay firnily, and, passing over the
pulleys e, e, in the breast beam, proceed thence to the lever g, at the upper
part of which they are firmly attached. This lever y vibrates on the fulcrum h,
and is furnished with the friction roller i, against which the cam or tappet j
This cam is fixed on the main driving shaft S, and is so formed at the
part as to cause a short pause of the lay at that point where the greatest
acts.

page_text: pressure is given to the weft; the other parts of the cam being so shaped as to
bring the lay gradually up to that pause, and allow the spiral springs 7, 7, fixed
to the swords D, D, to bring the lay smartly back ready for the next forward
movement, while a long pause takes place to give full time for the shuttle to
pass. The whole of the parts connected with the lay movement are colored
green for better distinction. A is the driving pulley, its pitch line only
being shewn so as not to interfere with the representation of the inachinery
behind it.
And now fourthly, of the improvement which relates to the giving off of the
warp and the taking up of the cloth, for the description of which it will be
better to refer to Figure 7, which is a side elevation of Figure 6. A is the
driving pulley; B is the warp beam; and C, the cloth beam.
m is a carry-
ing roller, the axis of which turns in fixed bearings, while the axis of the warp
beam turns in bearings formed at the end of stout elastic spring supports, as
shewn at n. These spring supports have a fulcrum at p, and an adjusting
screw at q, by which the warp beam may be taken farther from or brought
nearer to the framing of the machine in order to tighten or relieve at pleasure
the metallic friction straps, one of which is seen at r, and which are fixed to
the framing at each side of the machine, and pass round the ends of the warp
beam. The brown line denotes the line of passage of the warp and cloth from
the warp beam to the cloth beam, the axis of which latter beam turns in
bearings on the ends of the balance levers at each side of the machine, one of
which is shewn at t, and receives its motion from the slipping strap u which
comes from the warp beam. a is one of the balance weights of the balance
levers, to increase at pleasure the tension of the band u. By this arrange-
ment, and the particular position and form of the spring support n, it will be
seen that, first, in proportion as the warp on the warp beam B diminishes in
circumference, the angle formed by the thread in its passage over the carrying
roller m from the warp beam varies in such manner with reference to the
spring support n as to cause the same to yield more readily as the power of
the thread to move it becomes weaker from the diminished diameter of the roll.
And secondly, that, the greater the weight a placed upon the balance lever t,
the greater will be the power of the slipping bands u to cause the cloth beam C
to take up, while the warp beam B will not be thereby affected in its
power of giving off. All the parts connected with these last-described move-
ments are colored purple. My second take-up motion is represented separately
at Figures 18 and 19, one being a side and the other a front view of the
apparatus. In this arrangement or mode the cloth beam C is entirely
disconnected from the warp beam B, and the axis rests in fixed supports. At
.

page_text: each end of the cloth beam is placed the ratchet D fast to the shaft, and b, b,
is a lever vibrating freely on the same shaft, and provided with a catch or dog
taking into the ratchet D. e, e, is a flat rod of wood passing the whole length
of the cloth beam, and supported through openings or mortices which pass
over the two levers b, b, and b, b, as best seen at the front view, Figure 19.
X, X, are two equal weights suspended from the rod e, e; supposing, therefore,
the cloth beam to be empty, and the rod e, e, put close in contact with it, the
cloth will be taken up with a given tension dependent on the weight of the
weights X, X, which keep turning the cloth beam by means of the catch and
ratchet; and as the filling of the beam with cloth forces the rod e, c, further
from the centre, the weights always remaining in the same relative position to
the cloth, it is always taken up at an equal tension. Now it is evident that
the taking-up motion would not be continuous unless some power were given
to the dog to take fresh hold from time to time of the ratchet wheel D, and
this is accomplished by means of a small stud or projection W from the sword
or vibrating arm of the lay, which depresses the end of the long arm of the
lever b, b, and gathers a tooth in the ratchet when the weight a has depressed
the short arin of the lever sufficiently to raise the long arm or opposite end
into the way of the stud W, which then forces it down again, and thus causes
the dog to rise and take fresh hold of the ratchet wheel.
convenient to place one of the ratchet wheels one half a
other, so that when one is gathering the other remains as a catch or hold to
prevent the beam returning when liberated from the vibration of the lever b, b,
in gathering the tooth. Y is the reed which in all my looms I fix firmly to
the lay, as shewn in this Figure. Figure 8 is a Plan of part of Fig. 6, and
shows the spring shuttle catcher bar, herein-before alluded to, which holds the
shuttle when at either end of the lay. A is the driving pulley.
It is also found
tooth before the
And now, fifthly, of the said improved driving pulley. In Fig. 6 the
position of the driving pulley is only shewn by pitch line, as a more detailed
view in that Figure would have prevented the tappets from being seen, but at
Figures 16 and 17 it is shown separately and of half size, Fig. 17 being a
front view, and Fig. 16 a side section of the pulley. The part colored green
in this Figure is the excentric or cam j, fitted on the main working shaft and
furnished with the pin or stud b. a, h, is a lever turning on the fulcrum r,
and f, d, is a lever turning on the fulcrum c. These two levers are pressed
upon by the horse-shoe spring S, which is connected to both. The lever a, h,
resists the motion of the spring by coming against the stud t, and the lever
f, d, by coming against the end of the lever a, h. Now, supposing the pulley
to be brought round till the notch at a holds on the stud b, then the pulley

page_text: drives or is fast; but if, from the shuttle not going home, the spring rod n is
forced forward so as to depress the tail end h of the lever a, h, as the pulley goes
round, it forces it from the stud b, and the pulley is thrown out of gear from
the working shaft immediately. Atf is a secondary catch on the end of the
lever f, d, which receives the catch a when lifted from the stud b, and thus
keeps it free when once it is so. When required to put the pulley in gear
again, the catch at must be freed from the lever a, h, by depressing the
bandle g. It will be observed that the lever f, d, is on one side of the driving
pulley, and the handle g on the other. Figure 16 is the side section of the
driving pulley A. and the cam j, showing the spring rod n, which is pushed
forward by the stop rod on the shuttle catcher bar, when the shuttle from any
accident does not go quite home, as herein-before described.
And now, lastly, of the improvement which relates to the form of shuttle
which is shown at Figures 9, 10, and 11; 9 being a back view of the
shuttle; 10, a plan or bird's-eye view of it, laid in the position for work; and
11, a transverse section of it through the middle. It will be observed that
this shuttle is much broader than the ordinary one now in use, and that the
side next the reed of the lay is a straight edge, except at the extreme ends,
where it draws off a little from the reed, and a cavity, z, is formed on the
under side of each end, to receive the picker, which is shewn in perspective
at Figure 12, and in its groove at the end of the lay, which is shewn in section
at Figure 13, as also in the plan at Figure 8. It will be observed, that by
striking in the recesses or cavities z, z, instead of at the point of the shuttle,
a square flat surface is presented to the end of the picker, which is made to
correspond in shape with that surface, and thus causes it to give a fairer blow,
while it is much more durable than those now in use.
Now whereas as regards the said improvements in machinery for preparing
certain threads and yarns, I hereby declare that the certain threads and
yarus thereby alluded to are cotton, woollen, and worsted threads and yarns,
and that I hereby claim as the said Invention in respect of the said
machinery,-
First, the introduction of the sizing apparatus herein-before described, with
the perforated top to its air chamber, and containing only a portion of the
warp (say, about two hundred threads) between the ordinary bobbin rack
and warping mill used in that branch of the preparing process commonly
called warping on the warping mill.
And, secondly, the mounting of the said sizing apparatus and bobbin rack
on rack nails, as shewn at a, a, Figure 2, by which combined improvements

page_text: I am enabled to place the warp on the mill, sized and dried, in parallel rings,
as aforesaid, in more perfect order than heretofore.
And further, as regards the said improvements in machinery for weaving
certain fabrics, I hereby declare that the certain fabrics thereby alluded to
are all such fabrics as are usually woven by hand and power looms; and
that I hereby claim as the said Invention in respect of such last-mentioned
machinery,-
First, the mode of actuating the headles by levers and horizontal bands
passing under pulleys and springs, as herein-before described, and colored
blue.
Secondly, the arrangement of the picking straps with the loop or bridle V, V,
and horizontal checkstring W, leading to the spring lever Y, and colored
pink, as also the shuttle catcher bar i, with its stop and spring rods.
Thirdly, the mode of actuating the lay by means of a cam or tappet, berein-
before described, together with the straps e, e, and their guide pullies, as also
the spiral springs L, L, attached to the swords for the purpose of drawing
back the lay, also herein-before described, and colored green.
Fourthly, the two arrangements of machinery herein-before described, by
which the giving out of the warp and taking up of the cloth is effected and
regulated, and colored purple.
Fifthly, the improved driving pulley herein-before described, and which,
when the loom is turned by hand, may be made to act as a fly wheel.
And, lastly, the form of shuttle, with the cavities,,, herein-before
described, and of the picker to be used therewith.
And such the said Invention being, to the best of my knowledge and belief,
entirely new, and never before used within that part of His said Majesty's
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, His said
Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, nor in any of His said
Majesty's Colonies or Plantations abroad, I do hereby declare this to be my
Specification of the same, and that I do verily believe this my said Specifi-
cation doth comply, in all respects, fully and without reservo or disguise,
with the proviso in the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent
contained; wherefore I do hereby claim to maintain exclusive right and
privilege to the said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ilamer Stansfield, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six.
HAMER (L.S.) STANSFELD.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-second day of De
cember, in the year of our Lord 1836, the aforesaid Hamer Stansfeld came
before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Spe-
cification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-second day of December in the year of our Lord.
Inrolled the Twenty-second day of December in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six.