CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING RIBBONS AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HODGSON GRATRIX, of Nuneaton, Warwickshire, Ribbon Weaver, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Tenth day of October, in the ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Hodgson Gratrix, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said William Hodgson Gratrix, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, and such others as I, the said William Hodgson Gratrix,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING RIBBONS AND OTHER FABRICS;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said
William Hodgson Gratrix, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same
to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more
fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Hodgson Gratrix, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of "Certain Improvements in Looms for Weaving Ribbons
and other Fabrics consists in the adaptation and employment of certain novel
apparatus or mechanism, by applying which to looms I am enabled to weave
certain descriptions of ribbons and such like fabrics with greater facility, and
consequently at reduced expence. The peculiar description of ribbons or
fabrics to the manufacture of which my Invention or improvements are more
particularly applicable, are those in which two or more shoots of different
colours are employed, such as in figured goods or tartans, in which the figure
is of a different colour or colours to the ground. In weaving tartans a number
of shoots of one colour is made, and then a greater or less number of a second
colour, and also of a third colour is made if required; the number of colours
and number of shoots of each color of course varies according to the pattern
to be produced. In weaving figured goods, such as a white figure on a blue
ground, two shoots of the colours required must be employed and thrown
alternately, so as by means of the Jacquard apparatus to produced the required
pattern. As far as I am aware goods of the above description have never
been woven except by hand, owing to the necessity of continually and so
frequently changing the shoot, which has also prevented more than one piece
from being made in the same loom at one time. The object of my Invention
therefore is, by the employment of a peculiar arrangement or construction of
mechanism to change the shoot with such facility as to admit of any conve-
nient number of pieces being made in one loom simultaneously, with the same
facility as plain sarcenet ribbons are now made, the number of pieces of course
varying with the width of the loom. This object is effected by mounting the
shuttles in the loom in such a manner as will admit of their being moved
vertically or up and down, so as to bring them opposite the shed, as well as
laterally to throw the shoot.
.
In the accompanying Drawings I have shewn two ways of mounting and
moving the shuttles according to the particular description of goods which it
is intended to produce. If alternate shoots of different colours, such as blue
and white, are required for the purpose of weaving a figured fabric of a white
figure upon a blue ground, then I mount the shuttles in two horizontal rows
que above the other in a moveable batten, which may be moved up and down

page_text: so as to bring first one and then the other row of shuttles into action and
opposite the shed. This alternate up and down movement of the shuttles, or
rather of the batten in which they are mounted, is effected mechanically
without requiring any assistance on the part of the workman or attendant, who
will therefore only be required to see that the shuttles are kept supplied with
weft, as in weaving plain sarcenet ribbons. In order to weave tartans or checks
I mount and move the shuttles up and down in a different manner. Instead
of moving the whole batten, as in the former instance, I mount the shuttles on
a moveable "plank" which forms the front part of the batten, and is con-
nected to it in such a manner as to admit of the "planks" and its shuttles
being moved up and down, while the other part of the batten remains
stationary. In order to avoid complexity I have shewn the plank and shuttles
the accompanying Drawing as being actuated or raised up and down by hand,
that is supposing a dozen shoots of one colour have been thrown, then, by
means of a lever or levers and cords or chains connected therewith, the
"plank" and shuttles are raised or lowered, as the case may be, in order to
bring another row of shuttles opposite the shed, so as to throw any number of
shoots of a different colour from the first, and when these are thrown then the
plank and shuttles are again moved either up or down. By this means any
number of different colours may be introduced in any order, as any conve-
nient number of rows of shuttles may be employed, but I have in the Drawing
shewn two rows only, as that will be quite sufficient to explain the Invention.
As in tartans or checks the same colour follows several times, the change,
when the proper number of shoots has been thrown by one set of shuttles, can
very well and without difficulty be effected by hand by means of the mechanism
shewn; I intend, therefore, to work the "plank" by hand in the manner shewn
in the Drawing, but I intend also to actuate this arrangement by power if
required or thought more desirable, so that the attendant will then only have
to supply the shuttles with weft of a proper colour, as in weaving plain
sarcenet ribbons.
Fig. 1 in the accompanying Drawings represents a front elevation of one of
my improved looms for weaving several pieces of figured ribbon at one time,
part of the machinery being removed or broken off in order to shew more
clearly the construction and operation of those parts behind which constitute
or are connected with my improvements. As there are only two sets of shut-
tles of course there will only be two colours, one colour say blue, to form the
ground of the ribbon, and the other to form the figure.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1. a, a, is the framework of the loom,
which may be made of wood or iron, as may be thought most desirable. b, b,

page_text: is the main shaft, on one end of which the fast and loose pullies c, c, are
mounted as usual for driving the loom. This shaft b, b, extends from side to
side of the loom, and is furnished with three spur wheels d, d, d, which gear
into and drive three other wheels e, e, e, mounted on studs e, e, affixed to the
framing. One of the arms of each of the wheels e, e, e, carries a stud or
pin f, to which one end of the connecting rods 9, 9, 9, see Fig. 2, is jointed,
and the opposite end of these rods g, g, g, is jointed to the back part of the
batten h, h, in the same manner as is usual in all power looms. The batten h, h,
is supported by the iron swing rods or swords i, i, the lower ends of which pass
freely through lugs or ears j, j, screwed or otherwise fastened on to the back of
the batten (as seen in Fig. 2) in such a manner as to admit of the batten
being moved up and down on the swords, between the stops placed thereon for
the purpose of limiting the vertical movement of the batten, which is also
suspended from vertical iron rods, chains, or ropes k, k, the upper extre-
mities of which are jointed to bell-crank levers 7, l, above. The opposite end
of these levers 1, 1, are connected by means of horizontal rods to other bell-
crank levers m, m, and the inner ends of these latter are jointed to a shackle
piece placed in the middle between them; a rod n descends from this shackle
piece, and is jointed at its lower end to a straight lever o, which has its fulcrum
in the framework of the loom, as seen best in Fig. 2, and is connected by
means of a rod p to a second lever q below, which also has its fulcrum in the
framework of the loom, and which is actuated by means of the following
parts-On the main shaft b, b, is mounted a pinion (see Fig. 2), which
gears into and drives a wheels on the end of the shaft t (Figures 1 and 2),
and shewn also detached at Fig. 3. The shaft t is furnished throughout a
portion of its length with a feather, and carries a cylinder u* (the use of which
will be hereafter explained), and also a second and smaller cylinder u, which is
connected to the other cylinder u* by a connecting rod u³, so that both
cylinders may be slidden laterally, and put in or out of gear with certain of
the working parts simultaneously. A cam wheel v, seen detached at Fig. 4, is
affixed to one end of the cylinder u, and when moved laterally so as to be brought
over the lever q, as shewn by dots in Fig. 1, and caused to rotate, the lever q
will be depressed and draw down with it the connecting rod p and lever o, and
through the medium of the rod n the bell-crank levers m, m, and 1, l, and the
vertical rods, chains, or cords k, k, the batten will be raised up bodily upon the
swing rods or swords i, i. This vertical movement of the batten is facilitated by
the weighted levers w, w, above, one end of which is connected to the outer end
of the bell-crank levers 7, 1, and the opposite end carries a weight which acts as
a counterbalance to the weight of the batten. It will of course be understood

page_text: that when the smaller diameter of the cam wheel v comes in contact with the
lever q, the latter is allowed to rise again, and the batten will, by its own weight,
fall into its original position. The shuttles are thrown across in much the
same manner as is usual in looms for weaving ordinary figured ribbons of one
colour by power; but as the construction and arrangement of some of the
parts is slightly varied in the Drawings to suit my improvements, I will briefly
describe the arrangement shewn. The cylinder u* on the shaft t is furnished,
as seen in Figures 1 and 3, with a series of tappets consisting of two double
tappets w, w, and four single ones x, x, x, x¹; these tappets, by the rotation of the
shaft t, and cylinder u*, are brought into contact with and work the levers or
treadles 1, 1, and 2, 2*, to the outer ends of which are attached bands 3, 3,
which pass over pullies 4, 4, on the axles of the wheels 5 and 5* ; cords or bands 7
and 7 are connected at their ends to sliding rods 8 and 8*, placed one behind
the other, as seen best in the detached view Fig. 5, which represents a cross
section of the batten on an enlarged scale, taken through the batten slay and
shuttles. These cords 7 and 7* are also passed round or partly round the
wheels 5 and 5*, and are secured at some point to the periphery, so that as
the wheels are moved on their axles the cords are pulled first one way and then
the other. The sliding rods 8 and 8* are supported by and move on small
pullies 10, 10, and are also furnished with studs or stops 11, 11, one of which
stops is placed on the front side and the other on the back side of the sliding
rods 8 and 8*, as seen in Figures 1 and 6, which last represents an enlarged
view of the back of the batten, a part being removed the better to shew the
interior. As the sliding rods 8 and 8* are moved backwards and forwards by
means of the cords 7 and 7*, and wheels 5, 5*, the studs or. stops 11 (one
of which is placed in front and the other at the back of the rods) as before
mentioned, are brought alternately into contact with and force back the hooks
12 or 12*, which are attached to the rods 18 and 18*, which latter are fur-
nished with upright pins or points 6, 6, that take into holes made in the
shuttles, and by that means carry with them the said shuttles, one of which is
shewn detached and upon an enlarged scale at Fig. 7. By referring to Fig. 6 it
will be seen that the rods 13 are supported upon small pullies 14, 14, and that
at certain parts a portion of the under side of the rods 13 is cut away, as at q,
in a curve, so as to fit the periphery of the small rollers, for the purpose
hereafter explained. There are two pairs of these rods 13, as seen best in
Fig. 5, one pair to work the lower row of shuttles, and the other pair (which
are placed behind the first pair) to work the upper row of shuttles, and each
pair has its separate rod 8 or 8*, and cords 7 or 7*, and wheel 5 or 5*, which
are independent of those similar or corresponding parts which work the second
pair of rods 13, belonging to the other row of shuttles. Of course the

page_text: pins 6* of the second or back pair of rods 13 are made much longer than
those of the first or front pair, and are bent over at top so that their upper
ends may be inserted into the holes made in the ends of the shuttles
for that purpose.
Now when the rods 18 are in their original or primitive
position the small rollers on which the rods 13 run fit into the recesses q
on the under sides of the said rods, as seen at y in Fig. 6, and then the pins 6
of the rods 13 are withdrawn from the holes made in the ends of the shuttles;
but when one of the studs 11 of the sliding rods 8 and 8*, see Figs. 1 and 6,
comes in contact with one of the hooks 12 of the rods 13, this hook and rod is
forced back, and the recess q is forced away from the roller, as seen in the
Figure, and by thus bringing the straight part of the rods 13 over, the pulley
will consequently raise up the rod 13, and cause one of the pins 6 to enter the
hole of the shuttle, which is then carried forward with the rod until another
recess comes over one of the rollers, when the rod 13 will fall down and
liberate the pin 6 from the shuttle. I would here observe, that each row of
shuttles has two or a pair of sliding rods 13, 13*, one behind the other, as
before mentioned, and each rod is furnished with pins or studs to enter the
holes in the shuttles, as seen best in the enlarged cross section Fig. 5, in which
one rod of each pair is shewn up and the other down; the object of thus
employing two rods is for one rod to carry the shuttle forward a little way
across or through the shed, and then leave the pin of the other rod, which
lays hold of the shuttle in the meantime to complete the shoot, as will
be best understood by every intelligent person practically acquainted with the
operation of this description of looms, and, as each set of shuttles has a separate
set of levers and apparatus to actuate them, one set may be actuated without
interfering with the other, as will sometimes be required when weaving a plain
part of the ribbon. It will be recollected that the cylinders u and u* are
mounted on the shaft t in such a manner as to admit of their being slidden
along it.
By this arrangement, therefore, in conjunction with the double set
of tappets on the cylinder u", I am enabled either to weave shoot and shoot,
or alternate shoots of different colours, as will be requisite when weaving a
figure of a different colour from the ground, or by simply throwing the cam
wheel v out of gear with the lower lever q, and at the same time bringing into
gear the two double tappets of the cylinder u, instead of the four single ones.
I get a continuation of shoots of the same colour as will be required, when
there is a small space between the end of one figure and the commencement of
the following one, as before mentioned. This part of the apparatus is shewn
in the Drawing in the position it would assume when a plain portion of the
ground is being woven (that is to say), the cam wheel v is removed from above
the lever q, and consequently the batten is not raised; but when the figure is

page_text: to be woven the cylinders u and u* must be moved to the left, which may be
easily done by means of a forked lever situated in the groove 16 of the short
cylinder u. When the cam wheel v is brought into gear with the lever q, as
shewn by dots in the Drawing, the double tappets w on the cylinder u* are
moved away from the levers 1 and 1*, and the other or single tappets brought
over them. It should be observed, that the diameters of the driving pinion r;
and the toothed wheel s, are in such a proportion to each other as to allow
the main shaft to revolve four times while the shaft t is revolving once, by
which means the batten is made to beat up after every shoot, or four times
during one rotation of the four tappets. In order to weave the figure the
action of the loom will be as follows:-The proper shed being formed by the
ordinary Jacquard apparatus, the first or upper set of shuttles which contain
the ground colour, say blue for example, is first thrown across by the first
single tappet depressing the first lever 1, thereby pulling round the wheel 5;
and, through the medium of the cord 7 and sliding rod 8, causing the pins or
studs 6 of the rods 13 to enter the holes of the shuttles and pull them over
through the shed. One shoot of the top row of shuttles to form the ground
having been thrown, the batten will beat up the shoot, and while this is taking
place, and the Jacquard apparatus is forming a second shed, the larger diameter
of the cam wheel will depress the lever q, and by that means raise up the
batten bodily, so as to bring the second or lower row of shuttles level with
the shed; the third tappet a will then depress the third lever 1*, and, by
pulling round the wheel 5*, will move forward the second sliding rod 8*, which
belongs to the lower row of shuttles, and through the medium of a second pair
of sliding rods 13*, and their pins 6*, the lower set of shuttles will be thrown
through the shed, and the second shoot thereby produced. While this shoot
is being beaten up by the slay, and the shed again changed, the batten is
allowed to descend by the smaller diameter of the cam wheel v allowing the
lever q to rise into its original position; the top row of shuttles will then be
again lowered to opposite the shed, and the second tappet x on the cylinder u*
will depress its lever, and pull the wheel 5 round in the opposite direction, and
by this means throw the blue shuttle back again into its original position; the
beat up and change of shed again takes place, and while this is going on the
second half of the large diameter of the cam wheel will again depress the
lever 9, and by that means raise the batten a second time, when the second or
lower row of shuttles, which I will call the figure shuttles, are thrown back again
into their original position, and when the shoot has been beaten up the loom
will have performed a perfect series of evolutions which, by being repeated
in regular succession, produces the fabric.
;

page_text: Figures 8 and 9 represent a modification of the above-described loom,
intended more particularly for the purpose of weaving checks or tartans.
In these Figures the several parts are much simplified, as the changing
of the shuttles is effected by the attendant instead of mechanically (as
in the former instance), but if preferred this operation may be performed
mechanically by a suitably arranged apparatus, such as a lever or levers and
cams (as in the former instance), which must be connected with the Jacquard
apparatus, so that when a proper number of shoots of one colour has been
thrown the cam may depress the lever, and thereby raise the plank, so as to
bring a second set of shuttles into operation. The most convenient manner of
effecting this object will readily suggest itself to the mind of any intelligent
mechanic conversant with this description of loom; but as I do not intend
to claim it as constituting any part of my Invention I have not thought it
necessary to enter into any detailed description thereof; and as the only
novelty in these Figures consists in the peculiar manner of changing the
shuttles or moving them up and down) I have not thought it necessary to shew
any views of a loom complete with this improved arrangement adapted thereto,
as, after carefully examining the description hereafter given, any intelligent
mechanic acquainted with this description of machinery will, with the assistance
of the foregoing description of Figures 1 and 2, be enabled to apply the
modification shewn in Figs. 8 and 9.
Fig. 8 represents a front view of the batten detached from the loom,
and Fig. 9 is a cross section of the same, similar to Fig. 5, and upon an
enlarged scale. In this instance the shuttles are mounted upon a moveable
plank z (see Fig. 9), which forms the front part of the batten. To the top
and bottom of the batten vertical guides 16, 16, consisting of metal rods or
pins are attached. These guides pass through eyes 18, 18, affixed to the top
and bottom of the framing of the batten, and admit of the plank with the
shuttles being slidden up and down on the face of the batten. By thus
moving the plank up and down exactly the same result is produced as in the
former instance where the batten is moved bodily up and down; and this
operation is effected by means of the cords or chains 19, 19, 19, 19 (seen in
the front view Fig. 8), which are connected at one end to the upper side or
edge of the plank and at the opposite end to a lever 20, which turns on a
pin (as its fulcrum), situated in a small standard 21, mounted on and firmly
secured to the upper side of the batten. A spring piece 22, with a catch
thereon, is also affixed to the small standard 21, and by the catch on the
spring piece 22 coming into contact with the lower end of the lever 20, when
the plank is raised (as in the Figure) the latter is kept in its elevated

page_text: position (as shewn) until the lower end of the lever 20 is liberated, when the
plank will, by its own weight, immediately resume its original position. The
shuttles are moved across the shed by means of pins or studs 6, 6, attached
to sliding rods in much the same way as that already described in reference to
the foregoing Figures. I shall not therefore enter into a very detailed descrip-
tion thereof, except to point out those parts which differ from the plan already
described. In the present instance only two single rods, with their pins, are
employed instead of two pairs, as in Fig. 5. The points also of the pins are
placed horizontally instead of vertically, and are inserted into notches or
recesses made in the back of the shuttles, as seen in the enlarged view of a
shuttle shewn at Fig. 10, instead of being inserted into holes, as is usually the
case. The sliding rods 13 are supported by and run upon small rollers 14, 14,
as in Figures 1, 5, and 6; and these sliding rods have also curved recesses
made on the lower edges, which drop on to the rollers, and thereby release
the pin or stud of the sliding rod from the notch of the shuttle when required,
as the front sliding rod 13* is represented in Fig. 9.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-Supposing the batten and
shuttle plank to be at rest and ready to commence operations, the shuttle plank
would occupy the position shewn by dots in Fig. 9, under which circumstances
the top row of shuttles would be in the position now occupied by the bottom
row in the Figure, and consequently would be opposite the open shed, the
points of the pins 6, 6, being also inserted into the notches made in the back
of the shutters; and if it is required to have a dozen shoots of the colour con-
tained in the top shuttles, these shuttles are thrown across, forwards and back-
wards, a corresponding number of times; and when the required number of
shoots of the first color is completed, and it becomes necessary to commence
with the other color, the lower row of shuttles is raised into the position just
occupied by the upper row by the attendant simply pulling back the lever 20
into the position shewn in Fig. 8; this, by raising the plank, as before stated,
lifts the top row of shuttles away from the points of the pins 6, and brings the
bottom row of shuttles into the place formerly occupied by the top row, where
they are maintained as long as may be required by the catch of the spring
piece 22 preventing the lever 20 from moving back, and when the required
number of shoots have been made the plank may be allowed to resume its
original position, which it will by its own weight when the attendant depresses
the spring piece 22, and allows the lever to fall back into the position shewn
by dots in Fig. 8. If it should be thought more desirable the plank may be
raised by means of a treadle or foot lever (instead of by hand) by merely
altering the form or position of the lever 20, and connecting it by means of a

page_text: rod, chain, or cord to a treadle or foot lever below, all the other parts remaining
precisely the same as shewn in the Figures. I would here observe, that, when
required, I make use of three or even more rows of shuttles, according to the
pattern; but, as the modes of applying three or more sets is merely an exten-
sion of the principle already explained, I have not thought it necessary to enter
into any further description in relation thereto, as no intelligent mechanic
acquainted with this description of machinery will, with the assistance of the
foregoing description, be at any loss to adapt any convenient number of sets of
shuttles, nor yet to raise and lower the shuttle plank by mechanical means
instead of by hand.
.
Having now described my Invention, and the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that in order to make the nature of
my improvements, and the means of applying the same, more clearly understood,
I have found it necessary to shew and describe various parts of looms which
have been known and in use before the date of my above-mentioned Letters
Patent. I do not, however, intend to claim such parts as constituting any
portion of my improvements; and although I have described the best means
with with which I am acquainted of carrying out my Invention, I wish it to
be distinctly understood that I do not by any means intend to confine myself
rigidly to the precise arrangement and construction of parts herein set forth
and described, nor to the method or methods shewn by actuating them, as they
may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention. But that
which I consider to be new, and therefore wish to claim as the Invention secured
to me under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, arranging and
inounting the shuttles in sets or rows in such a manner that they may, either
in conjunction with or without the batten, be moved up and down vertically in
order to bring such sets or rows of shuttles successively opposite the shed for
the purpose of being thrown across to form the shoot.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hodgson Gratrix, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Seventh day of April, in
the year above mentioned, the aforesaid William Hodgson Gratrix came
before our Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specifi-
cation aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the Ninth day of April in the year above written.