CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Hall, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster,
Machine Maker, and James Chambers, of the same Place, Foreman,
for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 29th November 1864, and dated the 11th June 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Hall and James
Chambers at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 11th June 1864.
We, ROBERT HALL, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker
and JAMES CHAMBERS, of the same Place, Foreman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates, first, to the shedding motion, and, secondly, to the
drop-box motion for bringing the shuttles in any required succession in a line
with the shuttle race.
In performing our Invention we employ a jacquard apparatus for selecting
the healds that are to be raised and lowered by jacks above and below to
form the shed. The jacquard cylinder is provided with four or other con-
venient number of rows of holes, and it is raised and lowered to bring either
row in line with the ends of the jacquard needles by means of a tappet chain
acting on suitable levers. The jacquard cylinder is driven by a star wheel
and stud on a moveable disc, and the grifes for actuating the jacquard hooks
are worked by cams, which are made with a dwell corresponding to that
Price 8d 1

page_text: produced in an ordinary calico loom. The hooks are connected to the top
and bottom jacks in the ordinary manner.
The drop box, containing six or other convenient number of compartments,
is raised and lowered by a chain of tappets acting on an elbow lever, to one
arm of which is connected a chain passing around a pulley. To this pulley is
fixed a spur wheel gearing in a rack connected to the drop box; the position
of the drop box is varied according to the height of the tappet acting on the
elbow lever above referred to.
Both the above motions are governed or brought into action when required
by another jacquard apparatus, consisting of a perforated chain passing over a
cylinder and a feeler, which is traversed to and fro lengthwise of the cylinder
by an endless screw, moved by a star wheel, after every two picks, to bring
the feeler over a fresh hole of the cylinder. When the feeler drops into a
hole of the card a chain of tappets is brought into action, which is connected
by levers to the axis of the swing frame of the shedding-motion jacquard
cylinder and to a sliding bush, to which is fixed a stud acting on the star
wheel of the chain barrel of the drop-box motion. When the feeler has
arrived at one end of the cylinder a pin projecting from a chain of links
acting on a fixed incline slides a star wheel on the shaft of the cylinder into
position for being turned partly round by a stud projecting from a disc or
drum fixed to the shaft, by which the feeler is raised and lowered; to the said
disc or drum is fixed another stud for actuating a star wheel fixed to the
barrel of the chain of links above referred to.
Another part of our Invention consists in a second improved apparatus for
working the healds composed of a chain of tappets working round a barrel or
cylinder, and acting upon suitable elbow levers for raising and lowering the
shed. This barrel or cylinder is placed in a line with the crank or tappet
shaft, and is driven by gearing from the end of the crank. The fulcra of the
above elbow levers are placed one above and the other below the centre of the
cylinder at convenient distances; the ends of the levers, which meet a little
above the centre of the cylinder, are provided with bowls, which are actuated
by the tappet chain, thus raising or lowering and required shed.
Another part of our Invention relates to a positive taking-up motion with
one plain beam constructed in the following manner:-A ratchet wheel
provided with a cam on each side, increasing in diameter from the centre, and
extending ths round the circle; two straight arms with a slot in, slided on
the ratchet wheel pin, each provided with a pulley working against the face of
the aforesaid cams, and each giving a backward and forward motion during a
revolution of the ratchet wheel. These two arms or levers impart motion to

page_text: two other levers fixed on a stud on each side of another ratchet wheel, and by
means of suitable gearing give motion to the cloth beam. The two straight
arms first named are gradually raised from the centre of the two levers, to
which they impart motion by means of a connecting rod or other suitable
apparatus, consequently imparting a movement corresponding to the diameter
of the cloth roller.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Hall and James Chambers in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th December 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
HALL, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, and JAMES
CHAMBERS, of the same Place, Foreman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Robert Hall and James Chambers, Her special license that we, the
said Robert Hall and James Chambers, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Robert Hall and James
Chambers, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS
FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Robert
Hall and James Chambers, our executors or administrators, byan instrument
in writing under our, or their, or one of our or their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Robert Hall and James Chambers,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement (that is to say):-

page_text: Our Invention relates, first, to the shedding motion, secondly to the drop-box
motion, and thirdly, to the taking-up motion of looms, and it consists in various
improved combinations and arrangements of mechanism for performing these
operations, and for governing the order of succession in which the shedding
and the drop-box motions are to be brought into operation.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, we will proceed to describe the three accompanying Sheets
of Drawing, reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
On Sheet. 1, Fig. 1 is an end view, and Fig. 2 a front view of a loom to
which parts of our Invention are applied. On Sheet 2, Fig. 3 is another
end view, Fig. 4 is a back view, and Fig. 5 a plan of part of the same
loom.
a, is the crank shaft; a1, the connecting arms; b, the lay or batten; b¹, the
drop box; 62, the lay swords; c, the healds; c', the top jacks; c2, the bottom
jacks; d, the breast beam; e, the taking up roller; and e¹ the tappet shaft;
these parts are made in the usual manner.
In performing the first part of our Invention relating to the shedding
motion, we employ a jacquard apparatus, as shewn in Figs. I and 2. This
jacquard apparatus is secured to the floor or to the loom side, and it consists
of the jacquard cylinder f, which is provided with four or other convenient
number of rows of holes; the cards passing around the cylinder have a cor-
responding number of rows of holes, and by raising or lowering the cylinder, in
the manner herein-after described, either row of holes is brought in line with
the ends of the needles g, by this means the scope of the pattern is considerably
increased and the length of the chain of cards reduced. In the needles are
slots or recesses for the two sets of hooks g¹ to pass through; these hooks are
connected to the top and bottom jacks c¹ and c as usual, and the selected
hooks are depressed by the grife g2 or raised by the grife g³. Both the grifes
are worked up and down by the cams on the plate acting on the links h¹
connected to the levers h², from which depend the side links/³, as clearly shewn
in the Drawing. The cams on the plate h are made with dwells corresponding
to those produced in the ordinary calico loom. The jacquard cylinder is
moved to and fro to bring the card against and remove it from the needles g
by the cam i, in the face of which is a groove for working the lever 2, and
this lever is connected to the spring frame f¹ of the jacquard cylinder fby the
bracket. The jacquard cylinder/ is turned one-fourth round at every to-and-
fro motion by the star wheel f2 and by the disc j, in which is a stud taking
into the slots of the star wheel f2. The discj is loose on the upright shaft,
but connected to it by key and groove to allow the disc to move lengthwise on
h

page_text: the shaft. Near the lower end of the shaft j' is fixed a mitre pinion driven by
a similar pinion fixed to the cam i (or to the same shaft as the said cam)
which is driven by the mitre pinion gearing in the pinion cast to the face of
the cam; the pinion k is fixed to the shaft k', which receives its motion from
the tappet shaft e¹ by means of the wheel e³ and pinion 2, shewn by dotted
circles in Fig. 1. The vertical position of the jacquard cylinder fis governed
while the loom is at work so as to bring each row of holes alternately in line
with the needles g by means of the chain of tappets l, see Figs. 3 and 4.
In the present instance I have shewn four rows of holes in the cylinder f,
consequently there must be a corresponding number of links of different
heights in the chain; these links act in any required succession on the bowl
of the lever ', which is connected by the link to the elbow lever ; in the.
vertical arm of this elbow lever is a slot through which passes the end of
the horizontal lever 1, see Fig. 5, the other end of this lever is connected
by the rod to the lever le, see Figs. 1 and 2, and the lever 16 is fixed to
the vibrating frame 17, through which passes the fulcrum of the swing frame fl
in which the jacquard cylinder is supported, consequently as the tappets of the
chain raise or lower the lever la corresponding action is imparted to the
jacquard cylinder f, and as the disc j is supported by a bearing projecting
froin the swing frame f¹ it is moved up or down on the shaft j', and remains
in the proper relative position to the star wheel f. The drop box b¹ containing
in this instance six compartments (but the number may be varied) is raised
and lowered so as to bring each compartiment when required in line with the
shuttle race by the chain of tappets m acting as usual on the lever m¹; this
lever is connected by the link m² to the lever m³, and by the link m' to the
lever mo, which imparts the up-and-down motion to the drop box b' by the
rods and cross head me. The chain of tappets m is driven in the ordinary
manner by the pinion a* on the crank shaft a, gearing in the wheel n, acting
in combination with the stud plate n', which gives motion when required to
the star wheel n² fixed on the same shaft as the drum of the tappet chain m.
Both the shedding and the drop-box motions are governed or brought into
action when required by the following improved combination of mechanism.
The wheel a gears into the pinion o fixed to the shaft o¹, to the outer end of
which is fixed the disc o; from this disc projects a stud for giving motion to
the star wheel p loose on the shaft, but connected to it by the clutch box pt;
to the shaft p' is fixed a drum for the chain of perforated links p³, the stud
in the disc o also gives motion to the star wheel q fixed to the shaft q', which
is square between the bearings in which it revolves, and supports the chain of
links q. These links are made by preference with a projecting flange in which

page_text: a recess is cut; these recesses are placed on the successive links one in advance
of the other, so as to form a spiral line around the chain. Above the chains pa
and q are a set of twenty-five or other convenient number of feelers 1", shown
detached in Fig. 6 full size; these feelers are hinged to a centre shaft r, and
they are guided in slots in the cross rail 2, which is supported by side arms
fixed to the shaft r¹; the shaft r¹ also serves as fulcrum for the frame or
bridle, an arm projecting from which comes between the bearing in which
the shaft p¹ rotates and the star wheel p4, which is made to slide on the shaft p
by a recess in the rim on the pinion o acting on the lever p³; this lever is
pressed from the loom side by the spring p. The number of links in the
chain qmust correspond to the number of feelers 1, and from one of the
links projects a stud 3; this stud, when the link to which it is attached
comes over the square barrel on the shaft q', acts upon the lever qt, and
the end of the lever being in contact with the star wheel p causes this
star wheel to move laterally on its axle, thus bringing the star wheel in
line with the stud in the disc o². By this arrangement the chain 3 is
moved one link for each entire rotation of the chain q. When the star
wheel p has moved one tooth and the stud q³ has got beyond the lever ',
the spring 95 pushes the star wheel p back into the position shewn in Fig. 4,
and beyond reach of the stud in the disc o². From the face of the
pinion o projects a rim with a stud for giving motion to the star wheel p4,
see Fig. 4, loose on the shaft p'; to this star wheel is connected the barrel
of the double tappet chain ; one portion of this chain has four different
heights of links acting, as before described, on the lever for governing
the level of the jacquard cylinder f, and the other portion has two heights
of links for acting on the lever s, which is connected by the link s to
the horizontal arm of the elbow lever s2, in the vertical arm of which is a stud
for the bowls. When the lovers is resting on a narrow link of the chain l,
as shewn in Fig. 3, the bowl is out of contact with the cam on the sliding
piece n', and the wheel n can go round without actuating the star wheel 2
and chain of tappets M.; but when the levers is raised by a high link 7, the
bowl is brought in line with the cam of the sliding piece n', and one of the
studs in the piece n³ then gives motion to the star wheel, by this means the
tappet chainm is moved, and a fresh link is brought under the bowl of the lever
m² to elevate or depress the drop box 6. To the shaft o' is fixed an eccentric o³,
which acts on the lever fixed to the shaft ; this eccentric in revol.ing
causes the rail 2 by which the feelers rare guided to move up and down; when
this rail is down it is out of the way of the feelers r to allow them to drop
into the holes of the pattern chain p³. If the link brought forward has no

page_text: holes the feelers all remain up, and the arm of the frame or briller is held
above the end of the boss of the star wheel p4, consequently this star wheel is
at liberty to be slidden along the shaft p' by the spring p until it is beyond
the reach of the stud in the rim of the pinion o, and in this case no motion is
imparted to the tappet chain ; but if there is a hole in the top link of the
chain p3,then the corresponding feeler r drops,and the outer end of the feeler
acting on the frame 14 lowers the arm projecting from it to fill up thé space,
leaving the bearing and the boss of the star wheel p4, which then remains in
position for being turned partly round by the stud in the rim of the pinion o,
and by thus giving motion to the double tappet chain / brings the drop box
into action and alters the level of the jacquard cylinder f; or either of the
above operations may be performed by the motion given to the star wheel p4.
By means of the improved machinery above described the various motions
of the loom can be regulated, and the requisite changes produced without
stopping, and patterns of the greatest intricacy and extent can be woven.
Fig. 7 represents a modification of our improved jacquard apparatus. In
the arrangement before described the jacquard cylinderfis made to alter its
level to bring each row of holes in the pattern card in line with the needles;
but in the arrangement shewn in Fig. 7 the level of the needles is varied,
while the jacquard cylinder remains on the same level. To the end of the
lever 17, see Fig 2, is cast or fixed a toothed segment gearing into the pinion
v fixed to the shaft v', to which are fixed two pinions v² gearing into racks
projecting from the frame w; in the bottom rail of this frame are fixed the
springs w',in which the needles gare rivetted, consequently as the lever l' is
moved by the chain the level of the needles is varied to bring them alter-
nately in line with the various rows of holes in the jacquared cards. The
backs of the springs w act upon the tumbler catches y, which are hinged to
the hooks g' connected to the top and botton jacks. g² and g³ are the two
grifes required for making a shed when the healds are connected to the jacks
as shewn in Fig. 2, but the upper grife only is required when the lower part
of the shed is made by drawing down springs. The selected needles press
forward the upper end of the tumbler catches y, and the others remain in the
positions shewn in the Drawing, consequently as the grifes approach each
other part of the healds are raised, and the others are drawn down. After
each shed has been made, the hooks and jacks are brought level by the backs
of the grifes acting on the projections on the hooks. The upper grife is acted
upon by a spring to allow the grife to yield if the catchy is pressed against it
by the needle, thus preventing injury to the cards.
On Sheet 3, Figs. 8 and are two views of an improved apparatus for

page_text: working the healds, consisting of a chain of tappets t working round a barrel
or cylinder t¹ and acting upon the elbow levers t2 for raising and loweringthe
shed. The barrel or cylinder is placed about in line with the crank shaft a,
and it is driven by the pinion a3 on the end of the crank shaft, gearing in the
carrier a4, which gears into the wheel t3. The fulcra of the elbow levers t
are placed one above and the other below the centre of the cylinder A at con-
venient distances apart, and the vertical ends of the levers are provided with
bowls, which are actuated by the tappet chain t. The elbow levers are con-
nected by the linke t4, and the horizontal arms of the upper elbow levers are
prolonged and connected by cords to the top and bottom jacks. The healds
are suspended to the top jacks inthe ordinary manner. The links of thetappet
chain are so constructed that by turning them round on the rod forming the
joint pin, the elevator may be made to act on either the upper or lower elbow
levers, and consequently by placing the links in the required positions the
jacks are raised or lowered in any desired succession according to the shed.
Fig. 10 represents a modification of this part of our Invention. In this
arrangement the top link of the chain tin passing over the drum t' is made to
act on the elbow levers t2, thus preventing the vibration of the chain.
is
Our improved positive taking-up motion is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and
it consists of the following improved combination of machinery :-To one of
t'he lay swords 62 is jointed a catch 63 for driving the ratchet wheel x; this
ratchet wheel rotates on a stud, and to its boss are fixed the tappet plates x;
e ich tappet plate has three clevators and three depressors, the heights of the
levators varying in proportion to the length of the teeth in the ratchet wheel
the tappet plates x act on the swing frames a³, a,both of which are sus-
onded to the fulcrum stud 4, and to the frames 2 and x3 are jointed the
levers x, and the catches e4, for taking into the teeth of the ratchet wheel 68,
connected by the ordinary wheels and pinions to the cloth roller e. To the
ordinary pressing bar e, resting on the cloth wound on the cloth roller e,
suspended a rod eo, to the lower end of which is secured the wedge e',sliding
up and down on a fixed bracket. As the cloth accumulates on the cloth
roller the wedge e', is raised and reduces the back stroke of the swing frames
and of the catches 4 by means of two studs projecting from the levers 26
coming against the wedge e', consequently the forward motion of the catches
imparts less motion to the ratchet wheel e³, thus reducing the rotary motion
of the cloth roller in proportion to the diameter of the cloth wound
upon it. This part of our Invention may be modified in the following
manner A ratchet wheel similar to x is provided with a cam on each side,
increasing in diameter from the centre, and extending about three-fourths

page_text: round the circle; two straight arms with a slot in, slided on the ratchet wheel
pin, each provided with a pulley working against the face of the aforesaid
cams, and each giving a backward and forward motion during a revolution of
the ratchet wheel. These two arms or levers impart motion to two other
levers fixed on a stud on each side of another ratchet wheel similar to e³, and
by means of suitable gearing give motion to the cloth beam. The two
straight arms first named are gradually raised from the centre of the two
levers, to which they impart motion by means of a rod connected to the press
roller e, or other suitable apparatus, thus imparting a movement corre-
sponding to the diameter of the cloth roller.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same, we declare that we claim,-
First, the improved combination of parts forming a jacquard apparatus
for elevating and depressing the healds for producing the shed.
Secondly, the tappet or tappet chain, and other improved combination of
machinery for altering the level of the jacquard cylinder without stopping the
loom.
Thirdly, the improved combination of machinery for elevating and depressing
the drop box.
Fourthly, the improved combination of machinery for reducing the length
of the pattern chain, and governing the order of succession in which the
shedding and drop-box motions are brought into operation.
Fifthly, the improved jacquard apparatus shown in Fig. 7.
Sixthly, the improved shedding motion, consisting of a chain of tappets or
other equivalents acting on elbow levers, as shewn and described.
And, lastly,the improved positive taking-up motions, as shewn andasdescribed
in reference to Figs. 3 and 4 of Sheet 2, and particularly transmitting the
motion to the cloth beam by two separate cams or tappets, and diminishing
the motion of the swing frame by a wedge.
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Hall and James Chambers,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eighth day of December,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
ROBERT HALL.
(L.S.)
JAMES CHAMBERS, (L.s.)