IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Holden, of Blackburn, in the County of
Lancaster, Innkeeper, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS
FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 26th April 1867, and dated the 31st October 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Holden at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 31st
October 1866.
I, RICHARD HOLDEN, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Inn-
keeper, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:→
My improvements consist in supporting the "back beam" on springs, the
said springs being supported on brackets fixed to the side frames (or other
convenient part) of the loom. I thus obtain an elastic back beam which
relieves the warp from unequal strain during its passage from the warp
beam.
I prefer to construct the back beam of iron (other metal or wood may be
employed), each end being provided with a bolt hole and bolt, by means of

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Holden in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th April 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
HOLDEN, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Innkeeper, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Holden, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Holden, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Richard Holden, 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 LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Richard Holden, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Holden, 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 :-
" on
My Invention consists in supporting the "back beam or bearer
springs, the said springs being supported on brackets fixed to the side frames
(or other convenient part) of the loom. I thus obtain an elastic back beam
or bearer which relieves the warp from unequal strain during its
the warp beam to the healds.
passage
from

page_text: I prefer to construct the back beam or bearer of iron (other metal or wood
may be employed), each end being provided with a bolt hole and bolt, by
means of which the, said.beam or bearer is secured to a bow or spiral spring
supported as above described.
.
Such being the nature and object of this my said Invention I will now
proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be
or may be performed or carried into practical effect; and in order that the
same may be distinctly understood I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of
Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with letters of
reference, the same letter referring to the same part in the different views or
Figures, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view shewing side frame of loom
with my improvements attached; Fig. 2 is a view of the back of loom;
and Fig. 8 is a plan view of Fig. 2.
At A is shewn side frame of loom, the back beam or bearer B is supported
on the bow springs C, which said springs are supported on the brackets D,
and attached thereto by means of bolts and nuts d; the back beam or bearer
is secured to the bow springs C by means of the bolts and nuts c. The
warp e in its passage from the warp beam E to the heads F is received on
the back beam or bearer B, which bearer resting on springs C, as above
described, relieves the warp from unequal and unnecessary strain, because
such bearer yields to the pressure of the yarn caused by the action of the
healds and warp beam, thus becoming an "elastic" back bearer instead of
the rigid and inflexible bearer heretofore employed. One end of the ordinary
" weight rope
"G may be attached to the elongated end of the spring C, and
thence over the pulley H, and around the neck of the warp beam E, and
secured to the end frame of the loom, as shewn in the Drawings; this further
tends by means of the spring C to equalise the strain on the warp, and the
weight rope may be so employed with or without the ordinary warp beam,
weights, and levers; the end of the rope G is provided with an iron rod 9, the
end of which is chased or screwed, and a "wing nut" placed thereon, thus
providing a means of adjusting the tension of the rope G.
Looms constructed with back beams or bearers as above described are
especially adapted for the weaving of fine cloths and fabrics.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature and particulars of
this my said Invention for "Improvements in Looms for Weaving," together.
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim, "the use
of springs constructed and applied to the back bearer of looms in the

page_text: manner and for the purposes herein-before set forth and shewn in the
Drawings."
In witness whereof, I, the said: Richard Holden, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of April; in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
JOSEPH BRIERLEY, C.E.,
Blackburn.
RICHARD HOLDEN. (L.S.)