Improvements in and relating to Warp-tension Regulating Device for Looms.
Year: 1890

page_text: Compitie opecification Left, on May, Topted for uly, rocu
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Warp-tension Regulating Device for
Looms.
1, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN FORD, residing at Portland, in the County of Cumberland
and State of Maine, one of the United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The invention relates to improvements in the tension mechanisin of looms, the
object being to keep the warp at a proper and steady tension, so that it will not be
drawn unevenly from the roller upon which it is wrapped, nor slacken at any point
between the said roller and the harness.
It is well known that the lay of a loom, when driving home a woof-thread left by
the shuttle in the shed of the warp, tends to produce slackness in the warp. This
slackness it is the intention of my invention to take up, and produce instead uniform
tension at all times in the warp.
The invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts herein-
after described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the
appended claims.
Referring to the Drawings:-
Figure 1, represents a vertical section parallel to the side a tension mechanism
such as described;
Figure 2, represents a side view of a modification in which the actuating-weight is
outside of the warp ;
Figure 3, represents an edge view of Figure 2;
Figure 4, represents a section, parallel with the side, of a modified form, in which
the weights are deflected by fixed plates;
Figure 5, represents a side view of another modification, in which the warp may be
tightened without changing the position of the weights;
Figure 6, is a view of a modification having a hinged deflecting-plate;
Figure 7, represents one form of the invention in side view and shows the pawl
which rides on the warp and the pawl which prevents the weighted wheel from falling
too far.
Referring to the drawings by letter, as shown in Figure 1, A, designates a wheel
mounted on the shaft a, and having the warp, B, passed around or wound upon it.
The sides of the wheel, A, are closed in, as shown in Figure 2, and standing inward
from its periphery are the similar non-radial partitions, C, as shown in Figure 1,
which incline inward from said periphery and in the direction in which the warp
moves when the loom is in operation. The said partitions are preferably, equidistant
and form with the sides of the wheel, A, the compartments or buckets, c, c.
periphery of the wheel, A, is closed and preferably has flanges on its edges to prevent
the warp from slipping from it.
The
D, is a deflector or a cylindrical drum mounted on the shaft, a, within the wheel, A,
with its surface, d, sufficiently close to the inner edges of the partitions, C, and, E, is a
proper weighting material, such as sand or shot, introduced into the wheel, A, and

page_text: buckets, e, through a suitable opening, a', as shown in Figure 2, in the side of the
said wheel, which can he properly closed by, a cover, a². It is obvious that as the
wheel is turned by the advance of the warp the buckets, c, will rise on the side opposite
that upon which the lay is situated and will carry up the weighting material with
them. When the said material has risen to a certain height, the inclination of the
partitions permits it to fall out of the corresponding buckets, c, upon the drum, D,
which directs it, or from which it rebounds into the buckets below and is again carried
up. Thus the corresponding side of the wheel, A, is constantly weighted, and con-
sequently will pull back upon the warp and keep the latter under constant tension, the
amount of which can be regulated by increasing or diminishing the amount of
weighting material. Thus the tension can be increased or diminished as found
necessary.
F, designates a drum mounted on a shaft, f, and around which the warp
is passed
from the wheel, A, to prevent jar, because this drum, being placed between the loom
and the wheel, A, will prevent any irregular pulling on the warp.
In the above tension mechanism the warp is outside the weight in the wheel, A.
To place the weight outside of the warp and thus increase the leverage, and con-
sequently the power, the warp is removed from the rim or periphery of the wheel, A,
and placed on that of a wheel or drum, G, mounted on the shaft, a, adjoining the
wheel, A, as seen in Figures 2 and 3, the diameter of the wheel, G, being less than
that of the wheel, A.
In the modification shown in Figure 4, the drum, D, is replaced by a segment, D¹,
having on the outer surface thereof the plates, H, arranged in the arc of a circle
concentric with the wheel, A, said segment being supported upon the shaft, a, the
said shaft not rotating. Some of these plates may be hinged at their inner edges, as
shown in Figure 6, so that the inner edges of the partitions, C, will strike them and
turn their outer edges upward, forming with said partitions pockets to lift some of the
weighting material and prevent the fall thereof too soon. When the partitions pass,
they will release the plates, and the latter will fall, causing the weighting material
supported by them to discharge into the buckets below. In Figure 6, the hinged
plate is held in the desired position by stop and spring, h, h, respectively. The
stop, h', Figure 6, prevents the hinged plate, H, from being turned up too far, and the
spring, h, will return the said plate to its normal position after being depressed by
the material. In practice one hinged plate, H, is sufficient, though two of such plates
may be used, if desired.
Figure 5, shows a modification in which a wheel I, of larger diameter than the
weighted wheel, A, carries the warp. The wheel, I, has on its side a pivoted pawl, J,
which engages the teeth, K, around the rim of the wheel, A. By this means the
wheel, I, can be directly turned and the slack of the warp taken up without disturbing
or changing the positions of the weights.
In Figure 7, is shown a circular ratchet, k, on one side of the wheel, over which
the warp passes, and a similar ratchet, L, but facing in the opposite direction, on the
opposite side of the weighted wheel. The ratchet, k, is engaged by a pawl, k', which
is pivoted upon the frame of the machine and the point of which rides on the warp,
so that when the warp slackens the pawl drops into engagement with the ratchet, k,
and thereby the wheel, A, is prevented from turning, so that the warp cannot feed
too fast from the said wheel. The ratchet, L, is engaged by a pawl, l, and thereby
the weighted wheel is prevented from falling too far when the warp is slackened.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First. In a loom, the combination, with a large wheel provided with buckets around
its periphery on the inside, having their inner ends only open, of a deflector standing
within said wheel, and the weighting material within the wheel and buckets and
guided by the deflector, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Second. In a loom, the combination, with the large wheel having buckets arranged

page_text: around its periphery on the inside, which buckets have their inner ends only open and
incline upward on the side farthest from the lay, of the drum mounted inside the wheel
concentrically within the buckets, and the weighting material, substantially as and for
the purposes specified.
Third. In a loom, the combination, with the wheel, A, having the inclined buckets, c,
the drum within said wheel, and the weighting material in the buckets, of the drum
receiving the warp from the wheel, A, between the latter and the loom, substantially
as and for the purposes specified.
Fourth. In combination with the wheel having the series of interior peripheral
buckets adapted to hold the weighting material and provided with the ratchet, k, on
one side and ratchet, L, on the other, but facing in the opposite direction, and the
pawls, k', and, l, whereby the motion of the wheel is controlled, substantially as set
forth.
Fifth. The combination of a wheel provided interiorly at or near its periphery with
a series of buckets opening inwardly, as described, and adapted for the reception of
weighting material, with a deflector arranged within the circle described by the
buckets, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 15th day of May 1890.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.