IMPROVEMENTS IN CLIPS OR HOLDERS FOR MACHINES FOR STRETCHING OR FINISHING WOVEN FABRICS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Picken Smith, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CLIPS OR HOLDERS FOR MACHINES FOR STRETCHING OR FINISHING WOVEN
FABRICS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Picken Smith at the
Ottice of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th October 1882.
DAVID PICKEN SMITH, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLIPS OR HOLDERS FOR MACHINES FOR STRETCHING
OR FINISHING WOVEN FABRICS."
This Invention relates principally to stretching or finishing machines of the kind
in which the woven fabric operated on is carried through by endless chains fitted
with spring clips for holding the fabric by its selvedges; but the Invention is also
applicable to machines in which the fabric has no progressive motion whilst being
stretched or finished the clips or holders being fixed to long bars or rails.
In the improved clip or holder as made for endless chains the lower jaw is fixed
or formed upon a double bracket or pair of arms projecting laterally from the
body of the link, and the upper jaw is jointed to the lower parts of the double
bracket by arms projecting down inside of the lower jaw. The upper jaw is formed
with a lug which projects upwards from its middle and serves for opening the clip,
by hand or by the action of fixed inclines in contact with which the motion of
the chain brings it at the proper times. The upper jaw is closed by the action of
a spring or combination of springs and an important feature of the Invention
consists in the mode of constructing and applying the spring or springs. Heretofore
the various kinds of clips have been defective and have given considerable trouble
because of the springs getting out of order and speedily losing their proper action.
By the present Invention the springs are formed of ordinary round steel wire of
suitable temper, and two or more lengths of such wire are bended each into a
single loop and are combined with their ends side by side and forming a flat series
like a divided blade. The set of springs is fixed by being entered through a slot
in the body of the link and by securing the looped ends to the body by one or
more rivets or screws, and the other ends project and bear against a tongue formed
for the purpose on the upper movable jaw, the said tongue being made with a
shallow groove the sides of which prevent the wires of the springs from getting
displaced.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said David Picken Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th April 1883.
DAVID PICKEN SMITH, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLIPS OR HOLDERS FOR MACHINES FOR STRETCHING
OR FINISHING WOVEN FABRICS"
My said Invention relates principally to stretching or finishing machines of the
kind in which the woven fabric operated on is carried through by endless chains
fitted with spring clips for holding the fabric by its selvedges; but my Invention
is also applicable to machines in which the fabric has no progressive motion
whilst being stretched or finished, the clips or holders being fixed to long bars or
rails.
The principal feature of my Invention consists in the mode of constructing the
spring or springs used for closing the upper jaw of the clip. Heretofore the various
kinds of clips have been defective and have given considerable trouble because of
the springs getting out of order and speedily losing their proper action. And in
order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same may be
properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to be
hereinafter referred to and representing my improved clip as arranged for endless-
chain finishing machines.
Figure, 1, on the accompanying sheet of drawings is a plan of an endless-chain
link formed and fitted with my improved clip details, and figure, 2, is an inverted
plan. Figure, 3, is a transverse vertical section and figure, 4, is a front elevation.
In these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
The link, 5, is of a common box-like shape formed with a single joint lug or
tongue, 6, at one end and with a pair of joint lugs, 7, at the other end. The lower
jaw, 8, of the holder is formed upon a double bracket or pair of arms, 9, projecting
laterally from the body, 5, of the link, and the upper jaw, 10, is jointed to the
lower part of the double bracket, 9, by arms, 11, projecting down inside of the
lower jaw, 8. The upper jaw, 10, is formed with a lug, 12, which projects upwards
from its middle and serves for opening the clip, by hand or by the action of
fixed inclines in contact with which the motion of the chain brings it at the proper
times. The upper jaw, 10, which is shown closed in figures, 1, 2, and 3, and open
in figure, 4, is closed by the action of a spring, or combination of springs, 13,
formed of ordinary round steel wire of suitable temper. Two or more lengths of
the wire are bended each into a single loop, and are combined with their ends side
by side and forming a flat series like a divided blade. The set of springs, 13, is
fixed by being entered through a slot in the body, 5, of the link, and by securing
the looped ends to the body, 5, by a rivet, 14, or it might be by one or more rivets
or screws, the said looped ends being bent at an angle to the other parts of the
wires. The acting ends of the spring wires, 13, being against a tongue, 15, formed
for the purpose on the upper movable jaw, 10, the said tongue projecting down-
wards and being made with a shallow groove the sides of which prevent the
wires, 13, of the spring from getting displaced.
A brass face strip is fixed upon the lower jaw, 8, and the upper jaw is made by
preference of brass and inclined grooves are formed on its gripping edge or face
to counteract the tendency of the drag of the fabric to open the clip.
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

page_text: details herein described or delineated but that what I believe to be novel and
original and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
1. The combination of parts forming the improved clip or holder substantially as
hereinbefore described.
2. The improved mode of constructing and applying springs to clips or holders
of machines for stretching or finishing woven fabrics substantially as hereinbefore
described.
In Witness whereof, I, the said David Picken Smith have hereunto set my
hand and seal this sixth day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty-three.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
DAVID P SMITH (L.B.)