CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKERS' FOR POWER LOOMS, AND ALSO IN THE TOOLS OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
TATTERSALL CUNLIFFE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Hide
Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present, most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Fourteenth day of May, in the tenth year of Her reign, and in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
Tattersall Cunliffe, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege, and
authority, that I, the said John Tattersall Cunliffe, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, and such others as I, the said John Tattersall Cun-
liffe, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England and Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Inven-
tion of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKERS' FOR POWER LOOMS, AND ALSO IN
THE TOOLS OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said John Tattersall Cunliffe,
shall cause a particular description of the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be enrolled in Her Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, 1, the said
John Tattersall Cunliffe, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-

page_text: tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly
described and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereto annexed, and the
following explanation thereof (that is to say)
--
My improvements in "pickers" for power looms have for their object the
combination of increased durability, facility of working, and simplicity of
manufacture. The instruments called "pickers" are well known to weavers,
and are principally employed in power looms for the purpose of impelling the
shuttle from one end of the batten or slay to the other, in order to effect its flight
between the sheds of the warp whilst putting in the weft threads. One of
these "pickers" are used on each side of the power loom, and slide upon guide
wires or spindles attached to the slay or batten end, and are usually worked or
driven by vibrating arms or levers called "picking sticks" or rods to the upper
ends of which the pickers are connected by strong cords or leather bands called
"picking bands." These small instruments are commonly made of strong
buffalo or other hide, almost universally of one form and construction (well
known to practical weavers), and are liable to considerable wear and tear from
their incessant action upon the iron-shod points of the shuttle; and to decrease
such objections, and thereby effect some economy in power loom weaving, my
improvements in "pickers are designed. The principal feature of novelty of
this Invention consists in so forming or constructing "pickers," that the striking
part or front of the "picker"shall oppose a good front to the points of the
shuttle, such front being supported by a buttress or back piece produced by
employing the bide edgewise. By reference to the Sheet of Drawings attached
to these Presents, my Invention will be clearly understood, as my improved.
"pickers" are there exhibited at full size, and in several modifications of form,
but all retaining similar principles of construction, similar letters of reference
being placed upon corresponding parts in all the Figures. The "pickers" are
to be made of buffalo or other hide, as heretofore, or may be of any other
suitable substance, as some varieties of leather, gutta percha, &c.
.
Figure 1 is a side and front view of one of my improved "pickers," and is
constructed as follows:-The back part a, a, is made of one or more folds of
hide put together and rivetted, or nailed, or screwed, by means of wire staples or
other convenient fastening, the hole or passage 6 for the spindle or guide wire
being left, or formed by the folding of the hide, and the hole c for the "picking"
band being cut out of the back, under the barrel, and of any convenient shape,
the foot (which runs in the race of the batten or slay) being formed by the ends,
as shewn at a', upon the edges of the hide forming the back, I put one or more
flat vertical pieces of hide d to form the front or striking part of the "picker,"
carrying it up to the top of the spindle barrel b, and boring or cutting a hole

page_text: through it in a line with the said barrel. This front piece d is also furnished
with two side ears e, e, formed by foldin gthe hide at right angles; these ears
e, e, are in one piece with the front d, and are for the purpose of firmly attaching
the front or striking part of the "picker" to the back or buttress of the
"picker" by means of rivets f, f, or any other suitable fastenings. I would
here remark, that similar striking pieces may also be placed upon the opposite
side of the "picker" if desirable, which would enable it to be used either right
or left handed, or having the one front opposed to the shuttle after the other
had been worn out.
"
Figure 2 is a side and front view of a somewhat similar construction of
picker" to Figure 1, with this exception, the back part a, a, is made of one
thick piece of hide only, the hole b, for the passage of the spindle or guide wire
being formed or made through the edge of the hide, and the hole c for the
picking band is made above the spindle barrel b.
.
Figure 8 is a side and front view of a "picker" of similar construction to
Figure 2, excepting that the hole c for the "picking" band is made below the
spindle barrel b.
Figure 4 is a side and front view of a "picker" of similar construction to
Figure 2, excepting that the hole c for the "picking" band is made in a
seperate piece of hideg, attached to the side of the back part, which is requisite
for some description of looms.
Figure 5 is a side and front view of a picker of similar construction to.
Figure 1, with the exception of turning the leg or foot a³ so as to work in or
slide in a side groove or race, in those looms which require what are commonly
called "Yorkshire pickers."
Figure 6 is a side and front view of a "picker," of somewhat different con-
struction. To make this, I take a piece or pieces of hide to form the body a,
and foot a¹, of the "picker," and upon or around this I fold one or more folds
of hide to form the front or striking part d, and top, placing the inner piece of
hide within about an inch of the top of the outside folds, and fastening or
securing altogether by wires, rivets, or otherwise; the upper part of the
"picker" being then open, the hole 6 for the passage of the spindle or guide
wire is made through the upper part of the front and back, and the hole c for
the "picking" band is made at the side of the upper part
My improvements in the tools or apparatus for manufacturing the above-
described "pickers," consist in the application and construction of a simple press
or squeezing apparatus for folding the pieces of hide and compressing the
pickers" into the form required.
65

page_text: Figure 7 represents a longitudinal section, taken vertically through about the
middle of the machine.
And Figure 8 is a plan or horizontal view of the same as seen from above,
being drawn upon a scale of about one-fourth the real size. The box, bed, or
frame of the press is shown at a, a; b, b, is a plate enclosed in this frame in which
the loose "pickers" are placed; c, c, is a working lever; and d, d, the top plate
or vertical presser, which being brought down, the picker is compressed by
means of the lever e. There is a cam f, which is actuated by the lever g, and
h is a horizontal slide forced in the direction of the arrow by means of the
cam f and lever g, and return when the pressure is removed by means of a
spiral spring i; this slide compresses the "picker" laterally or endwise. It
will be observed that the plate bis formed to suit the shape of the "picker."
A spindle or guide wire is passed through the eye of the "picker," and being
placed in a recess k, in the slide h, will hold the "picker" firm until pressed
into the required form by means of the cam and levers aforesaid.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Tattersall Cunliffe, have hereunto
set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and forty-seven.
Extraordinary in Chancery.
JOHN TATTERSALL (L.s.) -CUNLIFFE.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Twelfth day of November,
in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid John Tattersall Cuncliffe came
before our Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specifica-
tion aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form above written..
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of
the Statute in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the Thirteenth day of November, in the year above written.