IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Overend Evans, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
LOOMS FOR WEAVING.”
Sealed the 19th June 1877, and dated the 9th April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Overend Evans at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th April 1877.
JOHN OVEREND EVANS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
This Invention relates to the means or apparatus for operating the healds or
heddles in looms for weaving, and of certain improvements in or applicable to the
subject matter of Letters Patent granted to Richard Longden Hattersley, and John
Smith, bearing date 12th day of April, A.D. 1867, the principal objects of the said
improvments being to dispense with the springs or weights ordinarily employed,
and to effect a positive shed of the healds, both upwards and downwards, and at
the same time to bring into use the full compass of the machine, and to effect this
with the identical indicating apparatus (that is, peg lags or cards) as arranged to
work the machine with springs or weights in the ordinary way.
The machine described in the Specification of the Letters Patent above referred
to (if, say, for working 16 shafts) would require 32 vertical wires or needles, and 16
couples of horizontal hooks, attached by free joints to either ends of 16 levers or
swing bars moving in a vertical plane. There would be also "32 feelers " or weighted
levers (one to each needle), the needle resting with its lower end on one end of the
"feeler," the "feelers" being operated by pegs or other indicating apparatus, as is
well understood.
According to my Invention a machine of this size would be sufficient for working
16 shafts, giving a positive both up-and-down pull without springs or weights, and
with the self-same indicating apparatus.
My improvements consist, firstly, in utilizing the blanks in the lags or cards as
well as the pegs or holes, that is to say, in the lags the holes not pegged, and in the
Prinn fd1

page_text: cards the blank spaces between the holes which come in contact with the needles,
but are not perforated; so that with the same set of lags and pegs, and the same
"feelers" as are ordinarily used, when the machine is used with springs or weights,
I am enabled to operate a second set of hooks so as to make them reciprocate with
the first set. Thus when a peg in the lag would through the medium of the feeler
and needle throw into gear a hook of the first set, it would at the same time throw
out of gear the corresponding reciprocating hook of the second set; and conversely,
when the blank (or hole not pegged) in the lag would leave out of gear the recip-
rocating hook of the first set, it would place in gear the corresponding reciprocating
hook of the second set. The first set of hooks are connected, say, to the top shafts
of the healds, and the corresponding hooks of the second set are connected to the
corresponding bottom shaft of the same healds, and hence it will be evident that
each peg acts as a "riser," and each blank space as a 'depressor," and conse-
quently there is a positive "up and down" shed without the use of springs or
weights, and the machine will also work up to its full compass.
"
This Invention also prevents the possibility that existed under the former arrange-
ment of the healds being pulled asunder by any mistake in pegging the lags, that is
to say, where the "pull up" to form the top half of the shed has to be pegged, as
well as the "pull down" to form the bottom half, there remains the possibility that by
mistake the lags might be pegged, so as to give both a "pull up" and a "pull down"
on the same heddle, and so tear it asunder. By my improved arrangement this is
impossible, as the same peg which throws into gear the parts for pulling any heald
up at the same time throws out of gear the parts for pulling the same heald down;
and conversely, the same blank, which throws into gear the parts for pulling the
heald down at the same time throws out of gear the parts for pulling the same
heald up.
I may here remark that it will be evident that this arrangement may also be
applied with advantage to other "double lift" machines, working upon a similar
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Overend Evans in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
October 1877.
JOHN OVEREND EVANS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
This Invention relates to the means or apparatus for operating the healds or
heddles in looms for weaving, and to certain improvements in or applicable to the
subject matter of Letters Patent granted to Richard Longdon Hattersley and John
Smith, bearing date the Twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, the principal object of the said improve-
inents being to dispense with the springs or weights ordinarily employed, and to
effect a positive shed of the healds both upwards and downwards, and at the
same time to bring into use the full compass of the machines, and to effect this with
the identical indicating apparatus (that is peg lags or cards) as arranged to work
the machine with springs or weights in the ordinary way.
The machine described in the Specification above referred to (if, say, for working
sixteen shafts) would require 32 vertical wires or needles, and 16 couples of horizontal
hooks attached by free joints to either ends of 16 levers or swing bars moving in a
vertical plane. There would be also 32 "feclers or weighted levers (one to each
needle) the needle resting with its lower end on one end of the "feelers," the feelers
being operated by pegs or other indicating apparatus, as is well understood.
"
According to my Invention, a machine of this width would be sufficient for
working 16 shafts, giving a positive both up and down pull without springs or weights
and with the self-same indicating apparatus.

page_text: My improvement consists principally in the addition to the heald machine or
dobbie of a second set of hooks reciprocating with the first set, and actuated by the
self-samne indicating apparatus, whereby I ain enabled to utilize the blanks in the
lags or cards as well as the pegs or holes, that is to say, in the lags the holes not
pegged, and in the cards the blank spaces between the holes which come in contact
with needles or feelers, but are not perforated, so that with the same set of lags
and pegs (or cards) as are ordinarily used when the machine is worked with springs
or weights, I am enabled to give a positive up-and-down motion to the healds.
Thus, when a peg in the lag would, through the medium of the feeler and
needle, throw into gear a hook of the first set, it would at the same time throw
out of gear the corresponding reciprocating hook of the second set; and conversely
when the blank (or hole not pegged) in the lag would leave out of gear the hook of
the first set, it would at the same time place in gear the corresponding reciprocating
hook of the second set. The first set of hooks are connected, say, with the top shafts
of the healds, and the corresponding hooks of the second set are connected with the
corresponding bottom shafts of the same healds; lience it will be evident that each
peg acts as a "riser" and each blank space as a "depressor," and consequently there
is a positive "up and down" shed without the use of springs or weights, and the
machine will also work up to its full compass.
"
This Invention moreover prevents the possibility that existed under the former
arrangement, if the machine was worked "positively," of the healds being pulled
asunder by any mistake in pegging the lags, that is to say, where the "pull up
to form the top half of the shed had to be pegged, as well as the "pull down" to
form the bottom half, there remained the possibility that by mistake the lags might
be pegged to give both a "pull up" and a "pull down" on the same heddle, and so
tear it asunder. By my improved arrangement this is impossible, as the same peg
which throws into gear the parts for pulling any heald up at the same time throws
out of gear the parts for pulling the same heald down; and conversely, the same
blank which throws into gear the parts for pulling the heald down at the same
time throws out of gear the parts for pulling the same heald up.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried into practical effect; and in order that the same may be clearly
understood, I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof
and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with
those in the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawing is a side view of such a heald machine or
dobbie as is above referred to with my improvements superadded.
A is the top carrier of a loom on which the heald machine is shewn as supported
by pillars a, a, b, b, is the framing of the heald machine; c is the connecting rod
worked from an eccentric on the cam shaft of the loom.
The horizontal arm d, and the vertical arms e and ƒ are all made fast on the same
axis or shaft g. The connecting rod c being attached to the arm & gives it an up-
and-down oscillation, at the same time producing a lateral and reciprocating oscil-
lation of the arms e and f. The arm e is rigidly connected with the knife h working
in the upper slot of the framing. The arm fis similarly connected with the knife i
working in the lower slot. It will be seen that a to-and-fro reciprocating movement
is thus established between the knives h, i. A series of bell-crank levers k, k¹, the
same in number as the shafts or heddles to be worked (according to the compass
required in the machine) work on a fulcrum or axis l, one arm k is attached to the
middle of a swing bar n; to this swing bar are attached at either end slotted hooks o
and p. Each of these hooks is supported on the collar of a needle, the needle passing
freely through the slot of the hook. The lower end of each needle rests on one end
of a feeler or weighted lever. The other or heavy end of this feeler comes in contact
with and is actuated by the indicating apparatus here consisting of peg lags 8, entering
recesses cut in a revolving cylinder t, which is fitted with ratchet teeth, and turned;
every second pick of the loom by means of a pawl attached by a link f¹ to the arm f.

page_text: Each lag has in it a double row of holes, the holes of each row being the same in
number as the shafts or heddles to be worked. The holes of the second row are
"bosomed "with those of the first row, that is to say, set opposite the blank or
unpierced parts. The first row of holes actuates alternate feelers and needles for the
one pick of the loom, and similarly the second row operates the remainder for the other
pick. The usual plan of working this machine is that where a shaft or heddle is
required to be raised, a peg is placed in the corresponding hole in the lag. The peg
raises the heavy end of the feeler, depressing the other end, thus lowering the needle
and allowing the hook it supports to come into gear on the knife. Upon the next
forward movement of the knife, this hook is carried with it, and a pull is given
through the swing bar n to the arm k of the bell-crank lover k, k². The other end
of the lever is lifted, and with it the heald to which it is attached. Thus heddles
that are to be raised are pegged, and such as are to be sunk are not pegged, and
are pulled down by springs attached to them beneath. Where this machine has
been used to give a positive shed half of the bell-crank levers k, k¹, have been
used to raise, and the other half to depress the healds, and both the risers and
depressions have been pegged. On this plan the machine only works to half its
compass; that is to say, a machine for working 10 shafts with the use of springs
works only 8 when used " positively."
My improvement as illustrated in Fig. 1 consists in superadding the following
parts. A second series of bell-crank levers j, j¹, using for their fulcrum the shaft g;
one arm is connected by the rods v, levers w, and couplings, to the middle of a
second set of swing bars n'; to these swing bars are attached at either ends the
hooks o¹, p, passing through and supported by eyes in the needles Պ. and capable of
taking on to the knives h¹, ¹, bolted to the knives h, i. The ends of the levers j,j,
are connected by means of rods or cords and levers with the bottom shafts of the
heddles. It will be seen that the hooks o¹, p', have their points turned the reverse
way to the hooks 0, 2, and are so arranged as to reciprocate with these latter, so
that when a peg in the lag lowers into operation the hook o, it at the same time lowers
out of operation the hook o¹, and conversely, when a blank in the lag maintains
the hook o free of the knife, it at the same time places the hook o¹ into opera-
tion. Thus a positive up-and-down movement of the heddles is secured, and
this with the same lags and pegs, and same feelers as are employed when the
machine is used in conjunction with weights or springs in the ordinary way. The
machine will also work up to its full compass.
The method illustrated in Fig. 1 is specially adapted for converting machines
constructed on the old system, the new parts being sustained between brackets y, z,
bolted to the original framing b, b. Fig. 2 represents a method of constructing a
new machine upon my improved principle. Those portions occurring in the original
machine are lettered as in Fig. 1. The additional parts are a second series of bell-
crank levers j,j, working on the axis or fulcrum , one arm is attached to the
iniddle of a swing bar n¹; to this swing bar are attached at either end slotted
hooks o, p. Each of these hooks is supported on the collar of a needle q', the
needle passing freely through the slot of the hook. The lower end of each needle
rests on one end of a fecler or weighted lever 7. The other or heavy end of this
fceler is dovetailed or jointed with the heavy end of the feeler r, so as to be operated
by this latter. I employ a kind of double knives h, h¹, i, i¹, (see plan view of knives
Fig. 3).
It will be seen that the hooks o¹, p³, have their hooked points turned the reverse
way to those of the books o, p, and are so arranged as to reciprocate with these
latter. When a peg in the lag raises the heavy end of the feeler r and lowers into
operation one of the hooks of the set o, p, the feeler r, acting on feeler,
lowers the corresponding reciprocating hook of the set o¹, p¹, out of operation; and
conversely, when a blank in the lag leaves the hook of the set o, p, out of
operation it at the same time places the hook of the set o', pl, into operation.
As in previous case Fig. 1, the ends of the levers j, j¹, are connected by means

page_text: of rods or cords and levers with the bottom shafts of the heddles as is well undor-
stood, and a positive up and down shed is produced.
Having now described fully my said Invention together with the manner in which
the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I would havo
it understood that I claim as my Invention,-
The method herein-before described of making the machine (which as before
mentioned forms the subject matter of Letters Patent granted to Richard Longden
Hattersley and John Smith, bearing date April Twelfth, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-seven) work a positive up and down shed by the addition of a second
set of hooks reciprocating with the first set and actuated by the self-same indicating
apparatus.
And, Secondly. I claim this in respect of any other similarly constructed heald
machine or dobbie, that is to say, of which the working parts comprise hooks
attached to either end of swing bars for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Overend Evans, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord Ono
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
J. O. EVANS. (L.B.)