CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Maynes, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING,"
Sealed the 17th January 1865, and dated the 19th July 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Maynesat the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th July
1864.
1, JOHN MAYNES, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
First, my improvements relate to a novel and peculiar arrangement of self-
supplying apparatus, whereby I am enabled constantly to supply the shuttle
box with new cops when the old ones are spent, or when the weft becomes
disunited, without stopping the loom, effecting a great saving of time, and a
more continuous action of the loom, the following being a description of this
portion of my Invention.
The ordinary holder of the weft fork is fixed to a lever working on a
fulcrum suitably situated on the breast beam when at rest; this beam is
caused by weights or other equivalent to lay near the slay, and is supplied
with a catch or pawl, one end of which projects, allowing the hammer of the
[Price 8d.1

page_text: weft fork when the weft becomes disunited to strike and force the said catch
back, so causing the weft holder and its lever to be drawn back from the slay,
thereby drawing back a rack lever upon which the afore-mentioned pawl
catch rests. The distance this lever is forced back with each break in the
supply weft is only one-third of the distance that is required to stop the loom;
resting upon this rack is a catch which retains it in the position obtained, but
should the second or third backward action of the weft hammer strike a pro-
jection on the pawl (the weft being then complete) instead of the pawl, the
rack becomes released, and assumes its first position. Upon the end of this
rack lever is suspended a weighted pendulum, which is in connection with one
end of a catch lever, raising and keeping such lever out of contact with a
ratchet wheel fixed to a shaft on the slay of the loom so long as the weft is
united or continuous, but should the weft break, the afore-mentioned pendulum
lever releases the catch, and allows it to act upon a ratchet secured upon the
slay shaft, so causing it to give the said shaft with each beat up of the slay
one-fifth of a revolution so long as the catch is disconnected from the pen-
dulum, the intermittent action of this shaft on the slay being for the purpose
herein-after mentioned. Upon the opposite end of the slay shaft are secured
two cams which act upon two vertical rods in connection with a series of
shuttle boxes in the following manner:-The bottom shuttle box receiving the
working shuttle is, in the event of the weft breaking, lowered by the cam and
vertical lever through the medium of the afore-mentioned apparatus, bringing
a second box in position to receive the empty shuttle; another fifth turn of
the cams then raises the box with the empty shuttle, and places another box
supplied with a complete cop in the line of throw ready to be acted upon by
the picker; immediately this takes place, and the shuttle has left the box, the
second cam brings the original bottom box into position to receive the fresh
shuttle, and so continues in that position until acted upon in the afore-
mentioned manner by breaking of the weft or stoppage of supply from the
cop being spent. The division or compartment containing the spent shuttle
is by another action of the cam raised above the slay, so that a second picker
which is actuated by an endless travelling cord or chain which receives
motion from a cam and ratchet wheel which is caused to revolve by coming
in contact with a pawl working the slay shaft, the said picker forces the
empty shuttle from such division of the shuttle box into a receptacle fixed
upon the slay ready to receive it. This receptacle is held between two
uprights fixed to the slay and hung from the framing, so that as the slay is
beat up the receptacle or shuttle holder is elevated between the uprights, and
so delivers the empty shuttle and receives a shuttle supplied with a complete

page_text: or examined cop, which is immediately placed in position and delivered back
to the afore-mentioned receptacle or box ready to be placed in position when
acted upon by the afore-mentioned mechanism. If the shuttle is not attended
to when raised by the cam in connection with the receptacle holding the
empty shuttle, a finger or lever in connection with the ratchet pawl working
the cam keeps such pawl out of contact with the ratchet until the shuttle is
attended to. This is effected by means of a second lever fixed upon the
fulcrum of the first lever or finger in connection with the pawl; this second
lever at such times is interposed or placed between a lever in connection with
the spring handle of the loom, causing the first third action of the rack lever
to force back such lever in connection with a spring handle, and so at once
applies the brakes and stops the loom in the ordinary manner, but when the
weft is attended to, the third action of the rack lever stops the loom, as
described. The taking-up motion is effected and acted upon immediately the
first third action of the afore-mentioned rack lever is forced back, such back-
ward action bringing the said lever in contact with a finger upon the catch
rod of the loom; this catch becomes thereby immediately lifted from the
teeth of the ratchet, so that as the loom proceeds, and the weft is continued
or placed in the proper shed, causing no crack in the cloth. A second supple-
mentary ratchet on the ratchet shaft, having side and periphery teeth, is acted
upon by a spring catch, which is raised and lowered in position for action by
the catch upon the catch rod of the loom, so that when acted upon by the
first third movement of the catch rod, the said spring catch is placed in
contact with the side teeth of the supplementary ratchet wheel, and so caused
to act until the third motion of the catch rod which is acted upon by the
afore-mentioned rack lever brings a recess or groove (formed in a rim on the
face of the supplementary ratchet wheel) immediately under a finger fixed to
the ordinary catch; this finger, when raised by the first action of the catch on
to the said rim containing the notches or recesses, allows such finger to drop,
thereby allowing the catch upon the catch rod to rest upon the ordinary
ratchet wheel. By this action the afore-mentioned spring catch working the
supplementary ratchet wheel is thrown out of action, bringing the ordinary
taking-up motion into operation.
Secondly, my improvements consist in the novel employment and use of
grooved cams working in lieu of the crank on the ordinary crank shaft; the
groove of this can actuates a bowl or stud fixed to the slay, causing it to beat
up twice with each revolution of such grooved cam. By this arrangement all
motions running half the speed and derived from the ordinary crank shaft
are dispensed with. I also employ tast and loose pulleys; the straps of the

page_text: loom actuating such pulleys are moved by a guide fork connected with the
rack lever and slay shaft, diminishing the speed of the loom during the change
of the first third backward movement of the rack lever if required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Maynes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
January 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MAYNES, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Maynes, Her especial license, that I, the said John Maynes,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Maynes, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Maynes,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Maynes, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
First, my improvements relate to a novel and peculiar arrangement of self-
supplying apparatus, whereby I am enabled constantly to supply the shuttle
box with new cops when the old ones are spent, or when the weft becomes
disunited without stopping the loom, thereby effecting a great saving of time,
and a more continuous action of the loom, the following being a description
of this portion of the Invention.

page_text: The ordinary holder of the weft fork is fixed to a lever working on a
fulcrum suitably situated on the breast beam. When at rest this lever is
caused by weights or other equivalent to lay near the slay, and is supplied
with a catch or pawl, one end of which projects, allowing the hammer of the
weft fork when the weft becomes disunited to strike and force the said catch
back, so causing the weft holder and its lever to be drawn back from the
slay, thereby drawing back a rack lever upon which the afore-mentioned pawl
catch rests. The distance this lever is forced back with each break in the
supply of weft is only one-third of the distance that is required to change the
weft or stop the loom. Resting upon this rack is a catch which retains it in
the position obtained, but should the second or third backward action of the
weft hammer strike a projection on the pawl instead of the pawl, the rack
becomes released and assumes its first position. Upon the end of this rack
lever is suspended a weighted pendulum, which is in connection with one end
of a catch lever, raising and keeping such lever out of contact with a ratchet
wheel fixed to a shaft on the slay of the loom, so long as the weft is united or
continuous; but should the weft break, the afore-mentioned pendulumn lever
releases the catch, and allows it to act upon a a ratchet secured upon the slay
shaft, so causing it to give the said shaft with each beat up of the slay one-
fifth of a revolution so long as the catch is disconnected from the pendulum;
the intermittent action of this shaft on the slay being for the purpose herein-
before mentioned. Upon the opposite end of the slay shaft are secured two
cams which act upon two vertical rods in connection with a series of shuttle
boxes in the following manner:-The bottom shuttle box receiving the
working shuttle is in the event of the weft breaking lowered by the cam and
vertical lever through the medium of the afore-mentioned apparatus, bringing
a second box in position to receive the empty shuttle, another fifth turn of the
cams then raises the box with the empty shuttle, and places another box
supplied with a complete cop in the line of throw ready to be acted upon by
the picker; immediately this takes place, and the shuttle has left the box, the
second cam brings the original bottom box into position to receive the fresh
shuttle, and so continues in that position until acted upon in the afore-
mentioned manner, by breaking of the weft or stoppage of supply from the
cop being spent, the division or compartment containing the spent shuttle is
by another action of the cam raised above the slay, so that a second picker,
which is actuated by an endless travelling cord or chain, receiving motion
from a cam and ratchet wheel, & which is caused to revolve by coming in contact
with a pawl working the slay shaft, the said picker forces the empty shuttle

page_text: from such division of the shuttle box into a receptacle fixed upon the slay
ready to receive it; this receptacle is held between two uprights fixed to the
slay, and hung from the framing, so that as the slay is beat up, this receptacle
or shuttle holder is elevated between the uprights, and so delivers the empty
shuttle and receives a shuttle supplied with a complete or examined cop,
which is immediately placed in position and delivered back to the afore-
mentioned receptacle or box ready to be placed in position when acted upon
by the afore-mentioned mechanism. If the shuttle is not attended to when
raised by the cam in connection with the receptacle holding the empty shuttle,
a finger or lever in connection with the ratchet pawl working the cam keeps
such pawl out of contact with the ratchet until the shuttle is attended to;
this is effected by means of a second lever fixed upon the fulcrum of the first
lever or finger in connection with the pawl, this second lever at such times is
interposed or placed between a lever in connection with a spring handle of the
loom, causing the first third action of the rack lever to force back such
lever in connection with the spring handle, and so at once applies the breaks;
and stops the loom in the ordinary manner; but when the weft is attended to,
the third action of the rack lever stops the loom as described. The taking
up motion is effected and acted upon immediately the first third action of the
afore-mentioned rack lever is forced back, such backward action bringing the
said lever in contact with a finger upon the catch rod of the loom, this catch
becomes thereby immediately lifted from the teeth of the ratchet, so that as
the loom proceeds and the weft is continued or placed in the proper shed, no
crack in the cloth ensues. A second supplementary ratchet on the ratchet
shaft, having side and periphery teeth, is acted upon by a spring catch, which
is raised and lowered into position for action by the catch upon the catch rod
of the loom, so that when acted on by the first third movement of the catch
rod, the said spring catch is placed in contact with the side teeth of a supple-
mentary ratchet wheel, and so caused to act until the third motion of a catch
rod, which is acted upon by the afore-mentioned rack lever, brings a recess
or groove (formed in a rim on the face of the supplementary ratchet wheel),
immediately under a finger fixed to the ordinary catch; this finger when
raised by the first action of the catch on to the said rim containing the notches
or recesses, allows such finger to drop, thereby allowing the catch upon the
catch rod to rest upon the ordinary ratchet wheel; by this action the afore-
mentioned spring catch working the supplementary ratchet wheel is thrown
out of action, bringing the ordinary taking up motion into operation.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in

page_text: detail, I have hereunto attached two Sheets of Drawings made upon a scale
of about two inches to the foot, similar letters of reference being marked upon
corresponding parts in all the Figures.
In Sheet 1, Fig. 1 represents the side view of a loom having a portion of
the framing removed, in order that the arrangement of apparatus on that side
which is connected with the weft fork can be more readily illustrated; Fig. 2
is a detached plan view shewing more particularly the position of the weft fork
catches and catch lever; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the loom, shewing
the arrangement of cams for actuating the shuttle boxes, and also the cam
and endless bands actuating the pickers in connection with the top shuttle box
and receptacle for replenishing the boxes with new cops,and also for discharging
the spent or broken cops from the same; this view also shews the position of
the shuttle boxes when the weft is continuous or unbroken; Figs. 4 and 5
illustrate the configuration and formation of the cams for actuating the
shuttle boxes; and Figs. 6 and 7 exhibit the formation of the grooved cams
and levers in connection with the endless band, working the supply and
discharge pickers; Fig. 8 illustrates the direction in which the endless cord
travels when raising the shuttle receptacle; Fig. 9 is a view of the ratchet in
connection with the levers for giving motion to the cams, Figs. 6 and 7. In
Sheet 2, Fig. 1 is a section of the shuttle boxes, shewing their connection
with the vertical rods actuated by the cams on the slay shaft; Figs. 2, 3, 4
and 5 illustrate the different positions the shuttle boxes are caused to take
during the operation of changing the weft; Fig. 6 is a side view of the guard
plate for shuttle boxes, shewing the position of guide picker rods and bowls
for endless band; Fig. 7 is a side view of the loom shewing the arrangement
of apparatus in connection with the taking up motion; Fig. 8 is a similar
view with the supplementary front ratchet wheel detached; and Fig. 9 is a
full size view of the supplementary ratchet shewing its internal arrangement;
Fig. 10 is a plan view of the supplementary and ordinary taking up ratchet ;
Fig. 11 is a plan view of the shuttle boxes shewing the arrangement of swell
and springs actuating same; and Fig 12 is a back view of the same.
The ordinary holder of.the weft fork b is fixed to a lever a moving on a
fulcrum c, which is situated on the breast beam, or may be attached to any
convenient place on the loom frame; when at rest this lever a is caused by a
weight a¹ to lay near the "slay," and is supplied with a catch or pawl d,
having a projection d¹; when the weft becomes disunited the hammer c¹ of
the weft fork strikes back the said weft fork holder, the lever a and catch d
thereby drawing back a rack lever e, upon which the said catch & rests; the
distance this rack lever e is forced back at every break in the supply of weft

page_text: being only a portion of the distance that is required to change the shuttles or
stop of the loom. Upon the said rack lever e rests a catch f, which retains
such lever in the position obtained, but should the weft during any backward
action of the weft hammer c', lever a, and catch d become again united, the
said hammer strikes the projection d¹ on the pawl d instead of striking the
weft fork holder, which immediately releases the rack e; this is effected when
the projection is forced back by the catch to which it is attached, and being
raise on its fulcrum, elevating or raising at the same time the catch f, thereby
releasing the rack lever, which assumes its first position. From the fulcrum
of this rack lever e a finger g projects, from which a weighted pendulum / is
suspended, which is in contact with a lever pawl and lever catch h, both
attached to one fulcrum; one end of the lever catch rests in one of two
recesses formed in the disc i fixed upon the slay shaft, and keeps such disc
and shaft from revolving until the finger g attached to the rack lifts the
pendulum, carrying with it the lever h out of one of the recesses in the
disc, and with the same rise of the pendulum & the leyer is released,
and forced or raised into contact with the ratchet m on the slay shaft n.
The several actions of the aforesaid mechanism are brought into use when
the weft becomes disunited in the following order :-The catch lever /
acts upon the ratchet m with the back action of the slay, the pawl 2 acting
with the forward action of the slay, the pawl / acting upon the ratchet with
the second of the five divisions, this is effected by the disc o¹, upon which such
pawl rests, having a recess formed in it, into which the pawl drops; when
this. motion takes place the disc o¹ raises it out of contact during all other
actions of the said ratchet, the third action of the slay shaft allowing the catch
lever to drop into the second recess formed in the periphery of the disc i,
and thereby allows the pendulum k to fall, forcing the pawl 7 out of contact
with the ratchet m. Upon the opposite end of the slay shaft are secured two
cams o and p placed one on either side of the slay sword; these cams as the
ratchet m is caused to revolve, act upon the vertical rods q and r, sliding in
bearings attached to the slay sword, and are in contact with a series of shuttle
boxes 1, 2, and 3, which become acted upon when the weft is spent or
disunited; the changes of which takes place in the following manner :--The
bottom shuttle box 1 for receiving the working shuttle is, in the event of the
weft breaking, lowered by the first action of the cams to the position seen
in Fig. 2, Sheet 2; boxes 2 and 3 are also lowered at the same time, as
seen in the same Figure, placing box 3 on the line of throw to receive the
empty shuttle; the second action places the boxes as seen in Fig. 3, Sheet 2,
box 2 being now in the line of throw ready to supply the fresh shuttle; the
11

page_text: third action gives to the boxes a rise, as seen in Fig. 4, box I being placed
in its original working position, and box 3 elevated on a line with a receptacle
situated on the top of the "reed rail," in order to deliver the empty shuttle
into the aforesaid receptacle. The fourth action of the cam raises the box 2
level with the receptacle to receive a fresh shuttle; the fifth action drops the
boxes 2 and 3 to the position seen in Fig. 2, Sheet 1, and so continues until a
fresh supply of weft is required. The operation of delivery and supply from
boxes 2 and 3 may be thus described, reference being had to Fig. 3, Sheet 1.
A is an endless travelling cord or chain, shewn in blue, which receives motion
from the cam B on the slay shaft through the bell-crank lever C; one end of
this lever is supplied with a bowl sliding in the groove of the cam B, which
gives motion.to the opposite end of the lever C, to which is attached the
endless cord or chain A passing round the small pulley D, which revolves
on the axis of a large pulley E suspended from the slay. Around this
large pulley E an endless cord or chain F is passed, which travels round
small bowls attached to the "slay" and "reed rail," and to this endless cord
or chain two pickers y and s are secured, which are caused by the cams B to
move to and fro equal to the length of the distance between the shuttle boxes
and the receptacle G. When the shuttle has been received by the receptacle
the cam H actuates in like manner similar cords marked X. The third
action of the slay shaft causes a recess on the periphery of the disc M to
actuate a double bell-crank lever i¹, having its fulcrum on the slay sword, so
as to allow the catch L to fall on to the ratchet attached to the cams B and
H, which immediately causes such ratchet to revolve, forcing (through the
medium of the cam B) the shuttle into the receptacle G, which becomes
raised by the cam H up to the fulcrum of the slotted rods I, in which position
it remains until attended to by the operative; when the old shuttle has been
taken out and a new one replaced in the receptacle, the operative presses the
spring handle K, and thereby releases a catch lever L, bringing such catch
into contact with a ratchet secured to the cams B and H, the said ratchet and
cams revolving loose on the slay shaft; a projection on this ratchet forces the
said catch upwards at the forward action of the slay, thereby allowing the
finger g' on the spring handle K to get under the said catch until operated
upon by the weaver, so as to allow the catch L to fall again on to the ratchet
attached to the cams B and H, which immediately revolve again, the action
of which lowers or drops the receptacle containing the new or examined
shuttle into the position on the top of the "reed rail," at which time the
picker y attached to the endless cord travelling back expels the shuttle from
B

page_text: the receptacle into the shuttle box 2; the fifth action of the cams actuating
the shuttle boxes, as described, now come into operation, and lowers the
boxes 2 and 3 into the position seen in Fig. 3, Sheet 1. The ratchets m and
m are acted upon by the pawls and in the following order :-The catch
with the backward action of the slay acts upon the fast and loose ratchet m,
and m', the forward action causes the pawl 1 to act upon the fast ratchet m
the next forward action causes the pawl to act upon both again; the next
backward action is caused by the operative touching the spring handle, which
raises the lever, and thereby raises the pendulum k, bringing the catch
into operation and giving the ratchets one-fifth of a revolution; the next
backward action by the interposition of a higher tooth on the ratchet m¹ only
takes the loose ratchet m¹, the next or fifth action taking both ratchets, and
so completes the revolution; during this fifth action a projecting stud on the
slay shaft elevates the pawl L out of contact with the ratchet on the cams B
and H. The taking-up motion is effected and acted upon during the time
any backward action of the afore-mentioned rack lever e takes place; the
finger a² actuating the catch rod of the loom is acted upon by the rack lever
which immediately raises the lever o³, one end of which is provided with a
stud or projection p¹, which acts upon the retaining catch q¹ of the taking-up
ratchet r, allowing as the change of shuttles takes place a second or supple-
mentary ratchet to come into action, causing the progress of "taking up" to
stand, thereby preventing any cracks or unsightly places in the cloth. The
supplementary ratchet seen in Sheet 2, Fig. 10, revolving on the ratchet shaft
is supplied with side and periphery teeth, which are acted upon by the spring
catch s attached to the lever t, having its fulcrum on the end of the radial
arm u, this spring catch actuates the supplementary taking-up motion, and is
raised or lowered into position for action by the lever o³, so that when the first
action caused by the breaking of the weft takes place, the spring catch is
raised and placed in contact with the teeth of the supplementary ratchet until
the action of changing the shuttle is complete, at which time the finger v
(which during the change of shuttles held the ordinary catches out of contact
with the ordinary taking-up ratchet by resting on the periphery of the notched
ring w) falls into one of the recesses, bringing at the same time the ordinary
taking-up motion into operation.
I would here remark that since the filing of the Provisional Specification
for my said Invention, I have ascertained that the second part of my Invention
as therein described is not so novel or original, nor of such utility as I then
considered it to be, and I therefore hereby disclaim that portion of the
Invention.

page_text: Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I claim,-
First, the removal of the shuttle containing the broken or spent cop, and
supplying a shuttle having a perfect cop in place thereof without stopping
the loom.
Secondly, I claim the interposition of levers and pawls between the weft
hammer and the ordinary weft holder lever, for the purpose of actuating the
apparatus for changing the shuttles.
Thirdly, I claim the use of a receptacle on the "hand rail" for the
reception of the removed shuttle and the lifting of the said receptacle into a
position for the weaver to attend to the cop..
And, lastly, I claim the mechanism for stopping the taking-up motion
during the changing of the weft, as herein-before described, set forth, and
fully illustrated in the Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Maynes, have hereuuto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
JOHN MAYNES. (L.s.)