IMPROVEMENTS IN JACQUARDS, AND IN READING MACHINES CONNECTED THEREWITH, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THERRIN" PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Walker, of Lenton, in the County of
Nottingham, Lace Manufacturer, and William Tilson, of the same
Place; Draughtsman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
JACQUARDS, AND IN READING MACHINES CONNECTED THEREWITH, AND IN THE
MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THERRIN"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin. Walker and-
. William Tilson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
...their Petition,.on.the 6th-February-1869.
Way BENUAMEEN WAEKER; of Lenton, in 'the County of Nottingham, Lace
Manufacturer, and WILLIAM TIESON, of the same Place, Draughtsman,
to hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ACQUARDS AND IN READING MACHINES CONNECTED THEREWITH, AND IN THE MEANS:
B APPARATUS.1EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:
Our Invention consists of a means or apparatus to work machines,
hether twist lace, warp lace, or other machine or loom using the
acquard, without the employment of jacquard cards.
We employ a reading machine capable of making its own fabric,"

page_text: which fabric forms a substitute for the cards. We work paper from a
circular or otherwise shaped cylinder, moveable or otherwise, such paper
being independent of the fabric made in the reading machine. The
jacquard wires we employ are lifted independently of the motion of the
cylinder, and the fabric and the paper while at work are kept in sufficient
tension by rollers or by other equivalent mechanical contrivance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin. Walker and William Tilson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 6th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, BENJAMIN
WALKER, of Lenton, in the County of Nottingham, Lace Manufacturer,
and WILLIAM TILSON, of the same Place, Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Benjamin Walker and William Tilson, Her
special licence that we, the said Benjamin Walker and William Tilson,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Benjamin Walker and William Tilson, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN JACQUARDS, AND IN READING MACHINES
CONNECTED THEREWITH, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Benjamin Walker
and William Tilson, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our, or their, or one of 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Benjamin Walker and William
Tilson, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being
had to the accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
Our Invention consists of means or apparatus to work machines, whether
twist lace, warp lace, or other machines, or looms using the jacquard,
without the employment of jacquard cards: ;
To carry out our Invention we employ a. reading machine capable of
making its own fabric, which fabric forms a-substitute for the cards. We
work paper from a circular or other shaped cylinder, moveable or other-
wise, such paper being independent of the fabric made in the reading
machine. The jacquard wires. which we employ are lifted independently
of the motion of the cylinder, and the fabric and the paper while at work
are kept in sufficient tension by rollers or by other equivalent mechanical
contrivance.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, we now proceed
more particularly to describe the manner of performing the same with
reference to the accompanying Drawings.
IDESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents a front view of the reading machine hereafter
referred to; Figure 2 is a view of the right-hand end of the same
machine; Figure 8 is a full-sized view of a carriage and the bobbin it
carries with the back comb and part of the bar to which it is secured,
also a front point lead and the work bar; Figure 4 exhibits the pattern
draught traversing apparatus at the left end of the machine, but viewed
from the back of the machine, and drawn one quarter the full size;
Figure 5 is a full-sized view taken from the right; at the back of the
machine exhibiting the back cam shaft with the apparatus and cams
which cause gathering holes and bands of the fabric and the pattern
surface of the fabric to be formed; Figure. 6 represents the two cams
which press upon the front and back points; Figure 7 exhibits. the point
ban knocking out : cams; Figure 8 shews: the cams which move the
carriages backwards and forwards; Figure 9. shews the cam which
operates the intchet wheel. for winding up the fabrio; Figures 10, 11,
and 12 represent the three wheels which operate the guide bars; Figure
1-3 shews one of the jacks, seen in side view, which operates upon the
threads carried by the. guide moved by the wheel, Figure 11; Figures 14
and 15 exhibit a plan and side view of one of the three shortened. jacks

page_text: WHICH make the gathering notes in the centre and at each side of the
fabric.
Figure 16 is a sectional view of one modification of our improved
jacquard which we use when we apply the pattern surface, hereafter
described, to bobbin net or twist lace machines, or to warp lace machines,
or looped fabric machines, or to looms or other machines which heretofore
have required cards to produce a pattern. The pattern surface is supplied
to and received from the pattern cylinders by two rollers, one above and
the other below the centre of the cylinder. This arrangement we use for
patterns which begin and finish without a repeat. Figure 16 represents
one of the arr ingements we employ when making an endless or repeating
pattern; the distance between the centres of the smaller rollers (these
rollers being adjustable horizontally and vertically) will depend upon the
length of the pattern. Figure 17 represents a full sized view of the upper
part of our improved jacquard and a portion of the rim of the pattern sur-
face cylinder; Figure 18 shews in plan the bent or cranked portion of one
of the horizontal wires ; Figure 19 represents as much of the pattern
surface fabric as constitutes an equivalent to three cards, each having
504 holes.
We first describe the reading machine we employ, which is shewn in
front and in end views at Figures 1 and 2, which consists of the following
several parts, that is to say, of a carriage A in which is a bobbin A¹,
Figure 3, carrying a thread which twists round the warp threads G¹ and
G³ from the warp thread guide bars G, or the warp threads may be
twisted round the bobbin threads. These warp threads are supplied from
a warp roller G³, from which they pass at the front of a sley G5 up to
and through a sley G4 to and through the guide bars G to the face bar E.
The central warp threads proceed from a series of spools which are placed
on wires in a board fixed at the back of the machine, seen at Figure 2,
and are passed through the sleys G5 and G4 to and through the central
guide bar G to the face bar. These guide bars G are each adjustable at
the right end by means of nuts and set screws G, which set screws are
carried by short brackets to which the right end of the guide bars are
hooked. The brackets are paseed through and held by the upper ends
of three rocking levers which are operated upon at their lower ends by
the wheels 10, 11, 12, on the shaft 1. The guide bars are held at the left
end by a spring to each bar; these springs are held in a bracket Gº. The
carriages A are moved from front to back and back to front of the machine

page_text: by means of two locker bars, one at the front and the other at the back of
the machine, which are secured at the upper ends of levers D attached to
spindle bars D*, each of which has an arm D' which carries a truck
operated upon by the cams, shewn at Figure 8, the carriages during
such movements sliding on the back and front combs B, which combs
are cast in leads secured to the comb bars B¹, each of which is attached to
a bracket at each end provided with nuts and set screws at their outer
ends for the purpose of adjustment. Above the carriages are the back
and front points, which are cast in leads C secured to the point bars C
which are carried by a lever C¹ at each end; each of these levers Ct is
attached to back and front spindle bars held by brackets C³ at each end of
the machine. At the top of each spindle bar is secured a lever connected
to a link C*, which lever is connected at its lower end to a lever C5 which
carries a truck operated upon by one of the cams, Figure 7, which
cams cause the points to advance and recede alternately. Attached 'to
each point bar at one end is a short bracket connected to the upper end
of a link O which is attached at its lower end to a lever carrying a truck
operated upon by one of the cams, Figure 6, which produces a lower-
ing and rising motion of the points, which movements occur at each
movement of the carriage, and when the carriages are at their extreme
front or back motion the guide bars G move the warp threads and spole
threads to the right or left, such movements of the guide bars G being
effected as follows:-The bars carrying the warp threads G are operated
by the wheels, Figures 10 and 12, and the bar carrying the spool
threads are operated by the wheel, Figure 11. These spole threads are
each passed through a hole in a link to another hole, of which link a
string is tied having its other end attached to a weight, which weight
is furnished with another string, which strings are attached to a shaft
across the back of the machine, by the winding up of which the weights
are adjusted. These wheels are secured on a shaft 1 at the right end of
the machine. This shaft is provided with a toothed bevel wheel which is
driven by a smaller bevel wheel on a short shaft having a toothed wheel
on its outer end, which wheel is driven by a pinion wheel on a driving
shaft having a loose and fast pulley on its outer end for a driving belt.
The inner end of this driving shaft has a pinion wheel on it which gears
into a toothed wheel on the right end of a cam shaft 2 which carries the
cams, Figures 6, 7, and 8. The cam shaft 1 besides carrying the
wheels 10, 11, 12, also carries a cam, Figure 9, which operates a truck
and lever attached to the lower end of a clawker F, which clawker racks

page_text: a wheel at one end of a short spindle at the right end of the machine.
This spindle is provided at its other end with a worm screw which gears
into a toothed wheel on one end of the spindle of a roller F, which roller
is covered with card, the card drawing up the fabric as fast as it is made
and delivers it to a roller F2, upon which roller it is wound by means of a
friction strap which passes round a small pulley at one end of the roller Fª,
and passes also round another pulley on the axle of the card roller F.
The shaft 1 besides the bevel wheel above mentioned has a smaller bevel
wheel on the end nearest the back of the machine, which wheel drives a
larger bevel wheel which is secured on the right end of the shaft 4 at the
back of the machine. This shaft has a small bevel wheel on its left
end which gears into a similar wheel on the back end of a cam
shaft 3. At the left end of the machine and below the shaft 3 'is a
shaft 5 which carries two cams and a ratchet wheel, both of them referred
to hereafter.
'
:
In the annexed Drawings the teeth of the bevel wheels are not shewn,
they being of the usual construction, and on the ratchet wheel last
mentioned the teeth are shewn by dotted lines on part of the circum-
ference only. The above-mentioned shafts move in' the following
proportions: To every movement of the carriages the pulley shaft
revolves once; to every four motions of the carriages the shaft 1 revolves
once; to every two motions of the carriages the front shaft 2 revolves
once; to every sixteen motions of the carriages the back shaft 4
revolves once, and the left end shaft 3 revolves once; and to every 240
movements of the carriages the shaft 5 revolves once. At the right
end of the machine on the shaft 4 at the back thereof is a disc -Ḥ,
which carries two studs which rack the ratchet wheel H¹ (in Figure 5)
secured to the boss of a cam H³, both of which turn on an axle secured
to the framing. This cam operates a lever which is attached to the
lower end of a link, which link is attached at its upper end to a lever
on the end of the axle of a roller H³ which carries strings; each of
these strings is tied to one of the jacks H*, so that when H³ is turned
partly upwards the jacks are lifted clear of the jack locker bar K, hence
the said jack locker bar will not bring them forward and insert their
points amongst the threads carried by the guide bars G. Such being the
case a band is made quite across the fabric, such band, forming the top
and bottom edge of a fabric to be substituted for a card. The jacks H4
and locker bar K₁ are seen their full size at Figure 13.
The jacks

page_text: slide in two sleys K2 and K³. On each of the two uprights which
support the fabric roller F is secured a double T-ended arm, to
which are attached sleys Fs, through which strings are passed having
their back ends secured to the jacks H4, and their front ends passed in
front and secured on the under side of a sley 4 to be acted upon by the
operator when reading a pattern. The draught L of the pattern to be read
is held by the bars L, which are clamped together by thumbscrews or
their equivalent. These bars are attached by arms to a sliding bar L
moving in the groove of a bar, which bar is supported at its centre 'by
brackets attached to the framing of the machine, and at each end by a
bar secured to the floor; these bars having brackets attached to them,
each of which carry a pulley, and over the pulley at the left of the
machine a steel bar or band is passed, one end of which bar or band is
attached to the slide L³, and the other end to a grooved disc L³, on the
axle of which is a ratchet wheel L, which with the apparatus belonging
to it is shewn one-third the full size at Figure 4. The disc wheel is
operated on in the following manner:-Once in every sixteen motions of
the carriages the ratchet wheel L is racked one tooth forward by the
driver L moving on an axle near the upper end of a double-cranked
bracket IP, which works on a pin at its lower end secured to the framing.
The upper end of this bracket carries a truck operated upon by a cam L⁹
on the shaft 3, which causes the driver to advance, being pulled back
by a spring at the lower end of the bracket. The lower end of the
driver L carries a truck operated by the cam L7, which raises the driver
clear of the ratchet wheel, at which time the disc is pulled back by the
weight at the right end of the machine, which weight is attached to a
pulley round which a cord is passed, having one of its ends secured to the
bracket and the other end after passing over a pulley to the slide L. The
lever Lo forms a dead stop for the adjustable stops L¹. This lever is
operated by the cam L10, which causes it to be lifted clear above the
stops. The cams L' and L" are secured upon the shaft 5, which also
carries a ratchet wheel which is racked by three studs in a plate L" on
the shaft 3. There are three of the jacks H4 made shorter than the others
to be clear of the action of the jack locker K'; the back ends of these
jacks are recessed on each side and fit in a slot in the upper ends
of three levers K, seen in plan and side view at Figures 14 and 15, the
levers being operated upon by the cam secured to the boss of a toothed
wheel K driven by a wheel Kº on the shaft 4. The cam K³ is cut to form
the gathering holes at the centre and on each side of the fabric. The

page_text: two outside levers K* are capable of adjustment by slots in the axle bar
to suit any width of fabric. On the front of the plate L¹¹ on the shaft 3
is a slotted lever furnished with a spring which is strong enough to hold
the nose of the lever out as it passes the truck on the upright link
attached to a bar which throws the strap on to the outer or loose pulley,
which stops the machine. But when the machine is required to continue
its movements, the reader, by pressing the knob at the right of the
machine towards the left the slotted lever will spring inwards, and not
affect the driving belt.
Having described the several parts of our reading machine, and the
moveinents appertaining to them, we will describe the method we adopt
in reading to produce a pattern fabric equivalent to a pattern card con-
taining twelve rows of forty-two holes each. We propose to read the
top row of the card, supposing we were reading to punch a card first,
and the white cheques on the pattern draught are intended to represent
a stopped up hole on the pattern fabric; we select the strings which cor
respond to the white cheques with a needle or wire, and pass it below
the sley F4, which movement lifts the selected jacks H4 clear of the jack
locker bar K¹, and the machine is started to work and forms the first
row of holes selected, there being sixteen motions to each hole of the
pattern fabric. During such movements of the machine time is afforded
for the reader to select the succeeding row, and should the reader. not
have made such selection the machine will stop itself by the operation of
the slotted lever before described. At each selection the machine moves
the pattern draught to the left a certain distance, until the whole of the
pattern draught is read, such distance being determined by the position
of the adjustable stops L¹³, the range varying in proportion to the width
of the fabric to be read; thus one row of the pattern draught being read
the levers L and L are both raised and the disc L³ returns to the dead
stop, as shewn at the lower part of Figure 4, by the weight at the right
of the machine operating previous to reading the next row on the
pattern draught. The required length of pattern fabric being made it
is cut off and placed upon a cylinder more particularly described here-
after.
Our improved jacquard above mentioned consists of standards A, see
Figures 16 to 18, carrying horizontal wires B which are bent upon
themselves at their outer end; such bent part takes into a hole in a
box F, and are prevented from leaving such box by having wires passed

page_text: between the bent part. The wires B are each pressed upon by a spring
in each hole in the box, the springs being kept in place by other wires.
This box is shown partly in section in Figure 13, and is firmly secured
to the standards. The inner bent end of the wires are turned at a right
angle to their length, such turned part resting upon lifting bars E, which
bars are connected by a link to one end of a rocking lever operated by
the machine to which the jacquard is attached so as to move the bars E
to and fro horizontally. The wires B are cranked at a part of their
length to receive a wire C; the other end of the wires B are flattened
and formed fish-tailed; such flattened part passes through a slotted
sley G, being kept separate by horizontal wires. The wires C have a
vertical movement given them by the lifting bars D which are moved
vertically by a lever operated by the machine to which the jacquard is
attached. The fish-tail ends of the wires B when they pass through a
hole in the pattern fabric will hold the wires C in the position shewn
ready to be lifted by the bars D, but when the wires B. press on a solid
portion of the pattern fabric the wires C are held clear of the lifting
bars D. During the time the cylinder revolves the wires B are held
clear of the pattern fabric surface by the bars E. The fabric.cylinder
has grooves turned in its circumference the depth shewn to admit the
fish-tail of the wires B. The whole circumference of the cylinder is
divided into widths, each representing the length of a portion of the
pattern fabric equal to the card it represents. The gathering holes
across the width of the pattern fabric pass on to rows of pegs H, and the
gathering holes down the length of the fabric pass on to rows of pegs I,
the cylinder moving on its own axis, the length of fabric representing a
card at each selection, such movements enabling us to keep the pattern
fabrio at one tension.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, we declare that we claim,-
First. A reading machine having its parts arranged, combined, and
constructed substantially as herein-before described so as to make its
own fabric, such fabric to be used in the place of cards, substantially as
described.
Second. A jacquard having its parts arranged, combined, and con-
structed substantially as described.
Third. The mode of and arrangement of parts for lifting the wires
independently of the action of the cylinder, substantially as described,

page_text: Fourth. The employment of the fish-tailed wires B, substantially as
shewn and described.
Fifth. The employment of a paper pattern in lieu of the pattern fabric,
as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Benjamin Walker and William
Tilson, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourth day of
August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-nine.
Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Office,
Nottingham.
BENJAMIN WALKER. (L.S.)
WILLIAM TILSON.
(L.S.)