IMPROVEMENTS CON- NECTED WITH THE LET-OFF MOTION OF LOOMS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, EDWARD HOLLINGWORTH, of Dobcross, near Huddersfield, Yorkshire, Machine
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS CON-
NECTED WITH THE LET-OFF MOTION OF LOOMS," to be as follows:-
This invention relates firstly to a new arrangement of brake, and parts connected
therewith, for regulating and controlling the warp beam.
For the purpose of
carrying out my invention I connect a ratchet wheel on one or both ends of the
warp beam, in such manner that the wheel and beam rotate together. On the
shaft of the warp beam I place (loosely) a brake pulley, the flange of which covers
the teeth of the ratchet wheel. This brake pulley carries catches or pawls, which
take into the teeth of the ratchet wheel, in such manner that the brake pulley is
carried around with the beam, when the warp is being unwound, but the beam can
be rotated backward without taking the brake pulley with it, when required to
tighten the warp as hereinafter explained. A steel strap is passed around the
periphery of the brake pulley, one end of which is connected by adjustable nuts to
a fixed bracket, whilst the other end is connected to and partially wound round a
pin. This pin is keyed or otherwise fastened to one end of a horizontal lever, the
other end of the said lever carrying adjustable weights, the weight of which twists
or turns the spindle connected to the steel spring, thereby binding the steel strap
on the periphery of the brake pulley, so as to put the necessary drag on the warp
beam, for the purpose of letting off the warp. When the weaver requires to
slacken the warp, she removes the catches from the ratchet wheel, when the
tension of the said warp will cause the beam to rotate as much as is required, the
brake pulley meanwhile remaining stationary, and when she requires to take up
the warp, she can freely rotate the beam with her hand.
This construction and arrangement of brake enables the warp to be easily
tightened and slackened without in any way removing the weights or interfering
with the brake.
Instead of employing a flat steel spring and applying it to the brake pulley in
the manner above described, I may employ a metal ring or friction clamp, turned
out to fit the outer circumference of the brake, the said ring or clamp being
afterward severed, so as to bind tightly around the pulley by means hereinafter
described. At that part of the ring, where it is severed are two lugs, one on each
side of the severed parts, and these are held together by a link and an adjusting
set screw. A pin having a flat side or cam is passed transversely through this link,
and against this pin or cam is a small friction roller, so arranged, that when the
flat side of the pin is opposite the friction roller, the link is not closing the split

page_text: ring to bind it round the brake pulley, but when the round side of the pin is
forced against the friction roller, the link draws the split ring tightly around the
brake pulley, and holds the warp beam back. The pin is caused to oscilate or
twist, for the purpose of presenting first the flat side, and then the round side to
the friction roller, by means of a short arm connected by a rod to the back swing
lever, employed for carrying the ordinary vibrating rod, over which the warp
passes on its way to the healds. As is well understood the vibrating rod oscilates
in one direction for the purpose of giving more warp when the shed opens and
oscilates in the contrary direction when the warp closes, which oscilatory motion
is transmitted to the brake through the intervention of the flat sided pin or cam.
By these means the warp beam is automatically released when the shed is
opened, and the brake applied again when the shed is closed.
The second part of my invention relates to the means to be employed in
preventing the warp beam flanges from opening out by the pressure of the warp,
after they have once been set and adjusted. To do this I make use of tie rods
which run the whole length of the beam. On these tie rods I place loose collars
or studs, which are brought up to the flanges, and secured by set screws, thereby
absolutely preventing the flanges from getting further apart as is now the case, by
the pressure of the warp when it is being wound upon the beam.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, EDWARD HOLLINGWORTH of Dobcross, near Huddersfield Yorkshire, Machine
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS CON-
NECTED WITH THE LET-OFF MOTION OF LOOMS" and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates firstly, to a new arrangement of brake and parts connected
therewith for regulating and controlling the warp beam, which apparatus may be
applied at one or both ends of the loom..
In order that this invention may be better understood I herein give reference to
the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein Figure 1 is elevation of a portion of
the back part of a loom, Figure 2 is end view, and Figure 3 plan of same. A is
the loom framing, B the warp beat fixed upon and carried by the shaft C
and D is a ratchet wheel attached to the said beam in such manner that the
wheel and beam rotate together..

page_text: E is a brake pulley placed loosely upon the shaft C, the flange of which pulley
projects over and covers the teeth of the ratchet wheel D, and on the underside of
the said flange are bosses for receiving pins or studs carrying catches or pawls F
which are forced into the teeth of the ratchet wheel by small spiral or other form
of springs a so that as the warp beam rotates in the direction of the arrow (see
Fig. 2) to let off the warp the flanged brake pulley will be carried around with it,
but the said beam can be rotated in the opposite direction without taking the
brake pulley with it as hereinafter explained.
G is a flat steel strap bearing against the outside rim of the brake-pulley, one
end of which strap is connected by adjustable nuts H to the bracket I whilst the
other end of said strap is connected to and partially wound around a pin or stud b
which is keyed or otherwise fastened to one end of the horizontal lever J, the
other end of the said lever carrying adjustable weights K, the weight of which
twists or partially oscillates the stud b whereby the steel strap is bound and kept
closely in contact with the periphery of the brake, thereby putting the necessary
drag on the beam. If the warp is too tight and the weaver requires to slacken it,
he or she presses the finger c of the catch F and removes it from the teeth of the
wheel D, when the tension or tightness of the warp will cause the beam to rotate
back as much as is required, whereby the warp will be slackened, the brake pulley
meanwhile remaining stationary, if however the warp is too slack it can easily be
taken up by the weaver who can freely rotate the beam backward with his or her
hand, as the brake has no effect upon the beam in its backward motion.
This construction and arrangement of brake enables the warp to be easily
tightened and slackened without in any way removing the weights or interfering
with the brake.
Instead of employing the flat steel spring G and applying it to the brake pulley
in the manner described above; I may use a modified form of brake which is
operated and controlled by the vibratory rod as the shed is opened and closed.
This apparatus is illustrated in Fig. 4 sheet 2. As is well understood the ordinary
vibrating rod at the back of the loom oscillates in one direction for the purpose of
giving off more warp when the shed opens and oscillates in the opposite direction
when the shed closes, now my Invention is intended to apply and release the brake
to suit the tension of the warp at such times, for this purpose I employ a metal
ring or friction clamp L which is turned out truo to fit the outer circumference of
the brake pulley E, the said ring or clamp being afterwards cut or severed at & so
as to be placed onto and tightly fit the said pulley.
At the part & where the friction clamp is cut are two lugs e and f and these are
kept together by the link M, and an adjusting screw and nut N, the said link
striding the lug f, and being secured thereto by the stud or pin g.
This stud is fastened to the short arm O which is connected by vertical rod P to
the ordinary back-swing lever R employed for carrying the vibrating rod.
On a close examination of the drawings it will be observed that the stud g is
formed with a flat side for the purpose of acting like a cam against the small
friction roller h secured to the link M, therefore when the shed is opening and
more warp is required the motion of the vibratory rod is such as to make the rear
end of the back-swing lever R to ascend, in doing which the rod P causes the short
arm O to oscillate the cammed stud g in such manner as to present the flat face
thereof against the friction roller consequently relieving the pressure of the
friction clamp L on the brake pulley whereby the warp beam is eased and more
warp "payed" out, but when the shed is closed the vibratory rod operates the
parts in the opposite direction, and the round part of stud is forced against the
friction roller, consequently the lugs e and ƒ are drawn nearer together and
the friction clamp is thereby bound more tightly against the brake-pulley and
the warp beam held back accordingley. By these means the warp beam is
automatically released when the shed is opened, and the brake applied again when
the shed is closed, which apparatus may be employed alone, or in conjunction with
that described in the first part of this Specification.

page_text: The second part of my Invention which is shewn in Fig 1, 2, and 3 relates to
certain means to be employed for preventing the warp beam flanges from getting
further apart, or from opening out by the pressure of the warp after they have
once been set and adjusted. To do this I make use of the tie rods S which extend
the whole length of the beam. Upon these tie rods I place loose collars or studs T
which can be slided as required backward and forward upon the said rods, the
grooves in the beam being made wide enough to allow of it. After the flanges U
are placed upon the beam the collars T are pushed upon the rods until they abut
against the boss ; of the said flanges when the said collars are then made secure by
set screws k. By which means any outward movement of the flanges by the
pressure of the warp is rendered impossible.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
Firstly. The employment of a ratchet wheel fixed upon the warp beam which
when operated in one direction imparts rotary motion to the brake-pulley whilst
such ratchet wheel is free to rotate without the brake pulley when operated in the
opposite direction for purposes set forth.
Secondly. The employment of a brake pulley carrying catches on the underside
of the flange as shewn in Fig. 2.
Thirdly. In combination with ratchet wheel D, and brake pulley E, the
employment of the oscillatory stud 6 for applying the strap to the brake-pulley.
Fourthly. In a warp letting-off motion the employment of apparatus which
whilst the warp beam is free to rotate in one direction, is retarded by the brake
when rotated in the opposite direction, in manner substantially as herein shewn
and described.
Fifthly. In connection with the split brake clamp L, the employment of the
adjustable link M for binding the said clamp around the brake pulley as shewn
on Sheet 2.
Sixthly. The employment of the flat sided stud or cam g for operating the link
substantially as shewn and described.
Seventhly. In a warp letting off motion the employment of a brake substantially
as herein shewn, which is operated by the oscillatory motion of the vibrating rod.
Eighthly. The employment of means substantially as shewn in Figs 1, 2, and 3,
and herein described for preventing the warp flanges opening out by the pressure
of the warp.