IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Illel Picciotto, of 8, Crosby Square,
in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WEAVING." A communication from Chevalier Gaetano Bonelli,:
of Turin.
Sealed the 9th November 1858, and dated the 12th August 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Illel
Picciotto at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 12th August 1 3.
I, DANIEL ILLEL PICCIOTTO, of 8, Crosby Square, in the City of
London; do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WEAVING" to be as follows:-
Heretofore the patterns in weaving have been obtained by per-
forated cards, by tappets, and by other instruments. Now this Inven-
tion consists in dispensing with the use of such instruments, and.
employing electricity to operate on the warp threads. For which.
purpose a series of electro-magnets are employed, the armature. or
keeper of each of which is fixed to a suitable wire or hook, by which
Sj

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Daniel Illel Picciotto in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 10th February 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
DANIEL ILLEL PICCIOTTO, of 8; Crosby Square, in the City of London,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did. for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Daniel Illel Picciotto, Her special
licence that I, the said Daniel Illel Picciotto, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Daniel Illel Picciotto,
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 "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN WEAVING," (a communication from Chevalier Gaetano
Bonelli, of Turin,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I; the said
Daniel Illel Picciotto, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
scal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Tnvention, 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 Daniel Illel Picciotto, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is fo be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof (that is fo say):
Heretofore the patterns in weaving have been obtained by perforated

page_text: cards, by tappets, and by other instruments. Now this Invention con- S
sists in dispensing with the use of such instruments, and employing
electricity to operate on the warp threads. For which purpose a series
of electro-magnets are employed, the armature or keeper of each of
which is fixed to a suitable wire or hook, by which means when the
armature or keeper is attached to its magnet the particular thread or
threads in connection will be acted upon. And in order that my said
Invention may be most fully understood and readily carried into effect,
I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed, with the
figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1, shows the most simple form of my arrangement as applied
to one warp thread, and which is repeated for cach warp thread which
requires separate government. A, is a wire hook, to which one thread
of the harness is attached; this wire has at its upper end a piece of soft
iron a, of larger diameter than the wire. C, is a table, which is pierced
with holes to receive the hook A, and the series of similar hooks which
act on other warp threads, but which holes are not made sufficiently
large to allow the passage of the pieces of soft iron a. Over the
hook A, is an electro-magnet B, consisting of a core of soft iron, sur-
rounded with insulated copper wire. The table C, is arranged in such
a manner that between each throw of the shuttle it ascends and brings
the pieces of soft iron a, in contact with the electro-magnets B, and
then recedes to its original position; at the same time, by suitable ap-
paratus which I will presently describe, an electric current is caused to
circulate through the coil of each electro-magnet, corresponding to a
warp
thread which it is desired to bring to the face of the fabric; by
this means when the table C, recedes from the magnets the required
warp threads are sustained so as to form a "shed" through which the
shuttle is thrown, the electric current then ceases to pass around the
magnets, and the wires A, with the corresponding warp threads, fall to
their original position. It is by a repetition of this process, and by
acting on different electro-magnets, that the pattern is produced.
Figure 2, shows one form of the apparatus which may be employed to
regulate the passage of the electric current round the magnets. D, is
a cylinder of metal, in contact with which are the metal springs q,

page_text: which communicate each with one of the poles of a voltaic battery,
which is conveniently constructed of a single piece of zinc and a single
piece of coke excited by a solution of common salt. The springs p, above
the cylinder communicate each with one end of the coil of wire encir-
cling one of the electro-magnets B, the other end of such coil being in
connection with the other pole of the battery, one pole of which is in
contact with the spring q. 9, is a band of paper, pierced with holes,
which passes over the drum D, under the springs p, and between the
rollers. Each time that the table C, (Figure 1,) riscs, it acts on the
rod K, which moves forward one step the ratchet wheel f, and the
rollers, thus the paper is drawn forward, which, according to its per-
forations, allows certain of the springs p, to come in contact with the
cylinder D, and thus complete the current round such of the electro-
magnets as it is desired to bring into action.
;
Figures 3, 4, and 5, show three forms of electro-magnet; either of
which will be found very suitable. The parts colored blue are of soft iron.
In Figure 3, the keeper a, enters within the coil; in Figure 4, the coil
is clothed exteriorly with soft, iron, by which means more power is
obtained in Figure 5, this clothing is carried further, and in this case
the keeper should be mounted on a spring y, to obtain that amount of
self-adjustment which is obtained by the rising of the soft iron core in
Figures 3, and 4. It will be well, more particularly in the use of mag-
nets, Figures 4, and 5, to paste a piece of thin paper on to the upper
surface of the keeper to prevent it from adhering to the magnet after
the current of electricity has ceased to pass. Figure 6; shows in eleva-
tion the manner in which I arrange the magnets to get them perpen-
dicularly over the warp threads on which they are to act. B, B, and
B², being three tiers of magnets one above the other.. Figure 7, shows
the manner of arrangement in plan, the lowest tier of magnets B,
being represented by black lines; the next tier B', by red lines, and
the highest B, by blue lines. It will be seen that the wires A, have
three different degrees of length according to the tier in which the
corresponding electro-magnet is placed. I would state, that where the
magnets are used to act on one thread only I prefer to make them
about one inch in external diameter; but where many threads have to be

page_text: acted on by one magnet the size of the magnet should be increased.
I would also state that I prefer, in place of wire for coiling around.
the soft iron core, to use bands of copper of about 5 of an inch thick,.
and of an inch broad, insulated by a varnish of gutta percha.
I will now proceed to describe the modes which I employ by
preference to communicate the electricity at the required time to.
the various electro-magnets. I have already described one mode
(see Figure 2), but this, although it may be occasionally useful,,
is principally given by way of illustration. When the pattern is
produced without the aid of different colors of yarn, that is to say, by
"flushing," I proceed as follows:-I take a metal cylinder or roller D,
Figure 8, and design on it in varnish the pattern- which I wish to pro-
duce on the fabric, but leaving without pattern one end of the roller
where springs in connection with one of the poles of each of the
batteries are brought in contact with the rollers; and I would remark.
that I prefer to use several batterics, which when all in action are
sufficiently: powerful to sustain all the threads which can at any one
time require to be raised; and I regulate the number of batteries in
operation according to the number of threads to be raised by placing
more or less varnish on the portion of roller on which the battery poles
bear. Other springs in connection with the ends of the magnet
coils bear on the part of the roller where the pattern has been designed,
and in a line parallel to its axis. To this roller motion is given by the
tooth m, on the rod H, taking into the teeth of the ratchet wheel i. The
rod H, receiving motion from the lever G, which turns on the centre h,
when the nut j, on the bar F, which is in connection with the rising
table C, Figure 1, comes in contact with its further end; the quantity
of motion given being regulated by the position of the nut j, which can
be set so as to take one, two, or more teeth of the ratchet wheel i. It
will be seen that at every position of the roller the threads correspond-
ing to those springs which are in metallic contact with the roller will
be brought to the surface of the fabric. Figure 9, shows another
method of giving motion to the pattern cylinder by means of a jointed
lever which presses on the internal circumference of the cylinder when
moved in one direction, but is slackened by the bending of the jointed

page_text: lever when moving in the other. Figure 10, shows the jointed lever on a
larger scale. Figure 11, shows a simple arrangement by means of
which movement can be given to the roller in either direction at
pleasure. L, is a wheel (with small straight teeth), which is carried on
the same axis as the pattern roller; on this axis works also the lever M,
which carries the shorter lever N, turning on the centre h; at the end
of this lever are attached two arms o, o¹, turning on centres. These
arms terminate in curved teeth 1, ¹, which are kept in the teeth by.
springs P, P. The other end of the lever N, can be held in any
position on the lever M, by a pin passing through holes in the
two levers. At the opposite extremity of the large lever M, is
attached a rod F¹, in which is a slit j', against which an instru-
ment in connection with the table C, acts. If the pin connecting
the two levers N, and M, is in the upper holes, the tooth, gives,
motion to the roller when the lever moves in one direction, and rises
úp the teeth on the return of the lever. If the pin is placed in the
lower hole s, the roller is moved in the opposite direction. This
árrangement gives facilities for working the loom backwards to repair
a fault in the work. Figure 12, shows the arrangement which I prefer
to employ when the pattern is large. In place of designing it on a
metal cylinder, it is designed on an endless band of thin metal g', which
is held extended by and receives motion from two rollers D, D'. This
Figure also shows a very convenient method of bringing the coil term-
nials in contact with the pattern surface. On the horizontal table A, is
fixed a vertical piece R, brought to an edge at the top, which edge is
best formed in hard wood; on this elge are balancel the curved metal
blades t, which are kept in contact with the pattern surface by the
weights t, and are connected to the coils by the wires e. Figure 18,
shows another manner in which the coil termnials may be made to
communicate with the pattern surface U, on the coil termnials on each
of which one end of one of the blades t, rests, the other end resting
on the pattern surface. These blades are kept in position by a comb of
wood or other suitable material. If from any circumstance it is found not
to be convenient to have a pattern surface sufficiently wide to accom-
modate all the coil terpinials in one line they may be arranged in two,

page_text: tlirec, or more lines, but in this case the pattern must be arranged s
accordingly, and to facilitate this it will be found convenient to rule
on the pattern surface parallel lines as shown in Figure 14.
P
When the pattern is formed by the passage of different shuttles,
carrying different colored yarns, the pattern surface must be arranged
to raise the proper portion of the warp for the passage of each shuttle,
and to facilitate the laying on of the varnish at the proper places the
surface should be divided into small squares, as-shown in Figure 15,
but in cases where the pattern is produced by color I prefer to employ
the arrangement shown in Figures 16, to 21, inclusive, and which I
will now proceed to describe. Figure 16, is a species of comb formed
of blades s, distant the one from the other about the of an inch;
there is also provided a large number of small pieces of wood or metal
rectangular in section, and similar to printing type, except that these
pieces are of different lengths, according to the number of colors
employed; they are of such a thickness as to fit exact by the comb
(Figure 16), but their breadth will vary from about to of an inch.
These pieces are distributed in a case somewhat similar to that used
by printers, and shown at Figure 17. All the pieces of one length
are distributed in the divisions marked with an a, whilst those of the
next gradation in length are placed in the divisions marked with a b
and so on; the pieces of the same length being sorted into the
different divisions marked with the saine letter, according as their
breadth is, &c. of an inch.
To compose the pattern these pieces are placed in one of the open-
ings of the comb, Figure 16; for one red point, for example, a
piece a', is taken; for one green point, a piece c¹; if there are several
consecutive points of the same color, for example, five yellow points.
a piece d³, is taken; and in this manner the line is filled up. If the
ends of the pieces are made of the same color as that which they are to
produce in the fabric, the workman will be able to see that the arrange-
ment of the pieces is correct.
+
The heads of the pieces are made a little larger than the bodies, so
that they shall not fall through the bars of the comb, but remain sus-
pended When the pattern is completed the comb is covered with a

page_text: piece of board to prevent the pieces from falling out when the comb is
turned, over. When this is done the pieces in one row appear, shown
at Figure 18, where W, are the ends of the pieces; S, is the frame of
the comb and T, is the board on which it is placed. Figure. 19,
shows an instrument, by means of which the colors are arranged each
in a separate line. This instrument is formed of vertical pieces of
metal, which are mounted to slide freely in the frame U. Each
piece has a tooth a', which prevents it from falling out of the frame.
The pieces are entirely covered with varnish, except a small, placé Z',
and they are connected at their upper ends to the coil termnials.
While the teeth, rest on the piece U, the uncovered parts of the
picces Z, will be in a line with one another; but if the instrument is
placed on the irregular surface W, (Figure 18,) the spaces Z', in the
pieces Z, become ranged in lines according to the colors which they
represent. If now a blade in connection with the battery pole is
placed in succession on the lines ',, &c., U, communicates elec-
tricity only to those pieces with which it comes in, metallic contact,
and it therefore actuates the corresponding electro-magnets. The
operation of weaving is as follows:-The instrument, Figure 19, is
placed on the first line of the pattern in the comb; then the blade in
contact with the battery pole is placed on the line Z, and the table C,
(Figure 1,) is raised and lowered, and a shuttle carrying a red thread is
thrown across. The blade is then placed on the line 2, and the action
is repeated; a shuttle carrying a black thread being this time caused to
pass, and so on in succession for the rest of the colors; then the
instrument must be placed on the second line of pattern and the blade
again brought in contact with the lines 1, 2, 3, &c., in succession
Figure 21, shows a manner of working the blade which is in connec
tion with the battery pole; V, is a bar of wood which carries the blade
W, which is kept in contact with the pieces z, by springs y'; a X,
in turning, raises the bar,V, and then allows it to fall suddenly, A
ratchet wheel suitably arranged at each motion of the loom causes the
cam to advance sufficiently to cause the blade W, to pass over the
distance between the lines,, &c. Figure 22, shows the electro-
magnets arranged in a frame, so that they may be moved to the
cam

page_text: keepers, in place of bringing the keepers to the electro-magnets; this
arrangement will be easily understood without any detailed description.
Figure 23, shows an arrangement in which the electro-magnets are
moved horizontally to the keepers. The frame carrying the magnets is
mounted on wheels which run on suitable rails or guides. Figure 24,
shows an arrangement in which the ordinary form of jacquard appa-
ratus is in a great measure preserved. A, A, are the horizontal wires
carrying soft metal discs a', acted on by magnets B, B', B², &c., and
also discs & against which the springs y, act; such springs being for
the purpose of bringing back the wires when the action of the magnets
cease. a, are the eyes through which the hooks in connection with
the warp threads pass.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the exact details described; but what I claim is, the
employment of electro-magnets to select the thread for producing
the pattern in place of using perforated cards, tappets, and other
instruments, as heretofore.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Illel Picciotto, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
four
5
Witness,
JNO. ALCOCK.
D. I. PICCIOTTO. (L.S.)