IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Brownlee of Glasgow in the County of Lanark
North Britain for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH
LOOMS FOR WEAVING
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Brownlee at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd May 1882.
JOHN BROWNLEE, of Glasgow, in the county of Lanark, North-Britain,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH LOOMS FOR WEAVING,"
This Invention which relates to looms for weaving has special reference to
improvements in the construction or arrangement and means of operating the weft
forks and weft-fork stop mechanism of looms of the kind used for weaving leno,
tapestry, tweed and other figured fabrics in which several changing shuttle boxes
are employed, and in which also, the shuttles may have to be thrown irregularly
from either side of the loom.
In such looms if a weft fork is fitted at each end of the shuttle
race, and arranged
to act in the ordinary way, the weft fork on either side would cause the loom to
be stopped by the absence of weft on that side, whether due to breakage or running
out of the thread, or owing to the shuttles being for the time at the opposite side
of the loom. To overcome this objection, the weft forks on each side of the loom
have been connected together by fixing them on a wire or rod passing across the
loom, but this arrangement has been found impracticable in weaving with light
weft owing to the threads breaking by the weight and friction of moving the forks
when so connected.
The object of the present Invention is, while causing the weft fork to act on
breakage of the weft, to prevent the action of the weft fork which should be idle
for any shot, that is the fork at the end of the shuttle race from which the shuttle
is thrown. For this purpose one of the weft forks is so fitted that when the weft
thread is felt by and raises that fork, the opposite fork, which alone acts directly
on the handle for stopping the loom, is caused to rise also.
In carrying out the Invention, there is fitted at one side of the loom a weft-
fork stopping mechanism which may be of the ordinary kind, but which is by

page_text: preference constructed to act in combination with the improvements described in
the Specification of Letters Patent granted to John Collins and the present
applicant, and dated 8th March 1879 No 918. The catch or hammer acting under
this fork is made to oscillate after every shot. At the other side of the loom the
weft fork is hung on a stationary bracket fixed to the breast beam, or any con-
venient part of the loom, and the outer end of this fork engages on a catch lever
or hammer fitted loose on a stud, or cross shaft below the breast beam. This catch
lever is caused to move with a quick jerk beneath the holding end of the weft
fork, at each throw of the shuttle, by means of a special lever actuated by a wiper
or cam on one of the rotating shafts of the loom, such as the second motion shaft.
This lever is connected to the catch lever or hammer by a spring or weight which
gives way when the weft fork holds the catch lever. To the catch lever or
hammer is connected a small lever or crank formed or fitted on a wire or shaft
resting in bearings on the inside of the breast beam and extending across the loom
to the other side, where a similar crank is formed or fitted on it, and which passes
up under the catch end of the weft fork on that side. When the special oscillating
catch lever or hammer is moved or. jerked outwards, and the holding end of the
weft fork on that side is raised by the weft, the cranked wire or shaft is rocked
on its centre, and the ordinary weft fork at the opposite side is raised by the crank,
so that it does not stop the loom. If the weft is absent and does not act on the
fork when a shuttle is delivered at that end, the weft fork holding end is not
raised, and the catch lever or hammer is held by the fork, and cannot move forward
to actuate the cranked wire or shaft. The weft fork at the opposite end is not
raised, and in consequence is caught by the catch lever or hammer of the stop
mechanism and stops the loom.
When a shuttle is thrown towards and delivered at the end of the loom where
the usual weft-fork motion is fitted, the weft acts on the fork at that end, and if
the weft fails or is broken, that fork acting on the stop mechanism throws the loom
out of action in the usual way.
The arrangement of levers or mechanism described as acted on by the special
catch or hammer to bring the ordinary fork out of action with the stopping
mechanism, may be modified to suit the class of looms to which it may be applied,
and the oscillating motion of the new catch lever or hammer may be obtained by
any convenient arrangement of levers acted on by wipers or cams on any of the
loom shafts.
When two or more shuttles are used in weaving, and the loose weft extending
from the fell of the cloth to an idle shuttle or shuttles in the shuttle box, might
act on the weft fork, means are provided for clearing the idle thread or threads
out of the way of the fork. For this purpose a bent or looped clearing rod or wire
is fitted in front of the lathe opposite the groove which is cut in the race for each
weft fork. The weft in the shuttle last thrown acts on the weft fork while the
lathe comes forward to the fell of the cloth, then when the lathe moves back, this
weft thread lies at an angle from the fell to the shuttle box. While in this position
the clearing rod or wire is made to rise over and depress the thread out of the
way of the weft fork, and when the shuttle is to be thrown the wire again rises
to free the weft thread. The clearing wire is fitted at the upper end of a lever
spear, to which a rising and falling motion is given either direct or through a
lever by means of a wiper on one of the loom shafts.

page_text: "
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Brownlee in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd November
1882.
JOHN BROWNLEE, of Glasgow, in the county of Lanark North Britain.
IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH LOOMS FOR WEAVING
My said Invention, which relates to looms for weaving, has special reference to
improvements in the construction or arrangement and means of operating the
weft forks and weft-fork stop mechanism of looms of the kind used for weaving
leno, tapestry, tweed, and other figured fabrics, in which several changing shuttle
boxes are employed, and in which also the shuttles may have to be thrown
irregularly from either side of the loom.
In such looms, if a weft fork is fitted at each end of the shuttle race, arranged
to act in the ordinary way, the weft fork on either side would cause the loom to
be stopped by the absence of weft on that side, whether due to breakage or
running out of the thread or owing to the shuttles being for a time at the opposite
side of the loom. To overcome this objection, the weft forks on each side of the
loom have been connected together by fixing them on a wire or rod passing across
the loom, but this arrangement has been found impracticable in weaving with
light weft owing to the threads breaking by the weight and friction of moving the
forks when so connected.
The object of the present Invention is, while causing the weft fork to act on
breakage of the weft, to prevent the action of the weft fork which should be
idle for any shot, that is the fork at the end of the shuttle race from which the
shuttle is thrown. For this purpose, one of the weft forks is so fitted that when
the weft thread is felt by and raises that fork, the opposite fork, which alone acts
directly on the handle for stopping the loom, is caused to rise also. The improve-
ments also comprise means for clearing the threads of the idle shuttles out of the
way of the weft forks.
My said Invention is illustrated by the accompanying Drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of a loom to which my present improve-
ments are applied. Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the loom taken
in front of the lathe, and Figure 3 is a plan of the same. In each case the
jacquard mechanism and harness and minor details of the loom are omitted.
In carrying out the Invention, there is fitted at one side of the loom frame A,
an arrangement of weft fork B and stopping mechanisın, which may be of any
ordinary kind, but which is by preference constructed to act in combination with
the improvements in stopping mechanism described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to John Collins and myself, and dated 8 March 1879, No 918.
The catch or hammer C acting under this fork B is made to oscillate after every
shot. At the other side of the loom A an auxiliary weft fork D is hung on a
stationary bracket 12 fixed to the breast beam A', or any convenient part of the
loom, and the outer end of this fork engages on a catch lever or hammer E fitted
loose on a stud or cross shaft F below the breast beam A¹. This catch lever or
haminer E is caused to oscillate or move with a quick jerk beneath the holding
end of the auxiliary weft fork D at each throw of the shuttle by means of a special
lever G with a bent end g, actuated by a wiper or cam, or as is shown by a disc H
provided with projecting wipers on one of the rotating shafts H' of the loom,
such as the second motion shaft. This lever G is jointed to the hammer E but is
also connected to it by a spring E¹, which yields when the weft fork D holds the
catch lever or hammer E. To the catch lever or hammer E of the auxiliary weft
fork D is connected by a slot in the hammer, or by other suitable means, a small
lever or crank, formed or fitted on a wire or shaft I resting in bearings 1' on the

page_text: inside of the breast beam A' and extending across the loom to the other side where
a similar crank i' is formed or fitted on it, and the end of which passes up under
the catch end of the ordinary weft fork B on that side. When the auxiliary
oscillating catch lever or hammer E is moved or jerked outwards by means of the
lever G and the holding end of the auxiliary weft fork D is raised by the weft
thread, the cranked wire or shaft I is rocked or oscillated on its centre bearings I.
and the ordinary weft fork B at the opposite side is raised by the crank so that
it does not act on the hammer C to stop the loom. If the weft is absent and does
not act on the auxiliary fork D when a shuttle is delivered at that end, the
holding end of the weft fork D is not raised, and the catch lever or hammer E is
held by the fork D and cannot move forward to actuate the cranked wire or shaft I.
The weft fork B at the opposite end not being acted on by the crank i¹ is not
raised, and in consequence its outer end is caught by the catch lever or hammer C
of the stop mechanism and stops the loom. An adjustable stop g is fitted on an
extension G¹ of the lever G to bear against the oscillating hammer and retain it
in position. The ordinary weft fork B is held by a bracket B¹ fitted to the cross
shaft F, on which is also hung the ordinary hammer C, which is oscillated by
means of a lever C¹ and a wiper C² on the rotating shaft H¹.
When a shuttle is thrown towards and delivered at the end of the loom where
the usual weft fork motion BC is fitted, the weft acts on the fork B at that end,
and if the weft fails or is broken the hammer C of the stop mechanism acting on
the fork B throws the loom out of action in the usual way.
The arrangement of the cranked lever I described as acted on by the special
catch or hammer E to bring the ordinary fork B out of action with the usual
hammer C of the stopping mechanism, may be modified to suit the class of looms
to which it may be applied, and the oscillating motion of the auxiliary catch lever
or hammer E may be obtained by any other convenient arrangement of levers
acted on by wipers or cams on any of the loom shafts.
When two or more shuttles are used in weaving, and the loose weft extending
from the fell of the cloth to an idle shuttle or shuttles in the shuttle boxes J
might act on the weft forks when it should not, means are provided for clearing
the idle threads out of the way of the forks. For this purpose a bent or looped
clearing rod or wire K of inverted U shape is fitted in front of the lathe L,
opposite the groove which is cut in the race L' for each weft fork B. D. The weft
in the shuttle last thrown acts on the weft fork B or D, when the lathe L comes
forward to the fell of the cloth. Then when the lathe L moves back this weft
thread lies at an angle from the fell to the shuttle box J. While the thread is
in this position the clearing rod or wire K (which has been raised whilst the lathe
was going back) is made to fall, and depress the thread out of the way of the weft
fork B or D, and when the shuttle is to be thrown the wire or rod K again rises
to free the weft thread. The clearing wire K is provided with horns or points k
which prevent the escape of the weft threads when the wire K is down. Each
clearing wire K is fitted at the upper end of a lever or spear M to which a rising
and falling motion in the requisite sequence is given by means of a lever N jointed
to it, and centered on a carrying bracket N¹ below the loom, and bent at its end n,
where it is acted on by a wiper or cam C2 on the rotating shaft H³, or by a wiper
on any other shaft of the loom. The cams or wipers C² may be arranged to strike
the sweep of the levers N and raise and depress each spear M and clearing wire K,
at each oscillation of the lathe, or to actuate the clearing wires alternately or
otherwise, according as the shuttles are thrown regularly or irregularly from each
side of the loom.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but what I believe to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent is,
First. The arrangement and combination with the ordinary weft fork and

page_text: stopping mechanism of looms for weaving, of an auxiliary weft fork and oscillating
hammer acting on the ordinary weft fork through a cranked rod or wire or similar
device, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth in reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
Second. The construction and arrangement in looms for weaving, of a weft-
clearing wire or rod provided with retaining points or horns and carried by a rising
and falling spear or lever operated direct or through a lever by cams or wipers on
one of the rotating shafts of the loom, substantially as set forth in reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Brownlee, have hereunto set my hand
and seal this First day of November, in the year of Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty-two.
Witness
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER
Patent Agent
Glasgow.
JOHN BROWNLEE. (L.S.)