mprovements in Operating the Shuttle Box and Picking Motions of Power Looms for Weaving Textile Fabrics
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 22nd June, 1896-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
mprovements in Operating the Shuttle Box and Picking Motions of
Power Looms for Weaving Textile Fabrics.
I, BENJAMIN SMITH of Clansdowan, Kilmalcolm, Renfrewshire, Manufacturer,
o hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to and comprises improvements in the class of power
ooms for weaving textile fabrics having moveable shuttle boxes (either at both or
only at one side of the lay) which are arranged to be operated so as to bring each
of the several shuttles in a line with the race of the lay ready for picking or
throwing the shuttle through the shed of the warp in such order as will produce
the design or pattern desired. It has hitherto been the custom, especially in the
class of looms known as pick and pick which class are best suited for working
reversible and double cloth fabrics or single cloth with single picks or threads of
weft in the pattern, to effect, the operation of the motion or gear for chauging
the shuttle boxes when a change of color in the pattern of the fabric being woven is
required, to employ a chain-peg-lags or cards, in which (confining myself in the
following description to the chain although it is well known that the others are
extensively used) one link is required for each and every pick or thread of the
weft of the pattern, and as some patterns have as many as say 1000 such picks or
threads it has required a chain having a like number of links for operating the
shuttle box motion and this (except where the patterns are very small) entailing
great expense not only in the first cost of the chain but in the time occupied by the
It is also well known that
operator in adjusting, fixing and arranging the same.
the said chain motion is impracticable or unsuitable on account of the length of the
chain, cost, time in manipulating and motive power necessary to operate it when
weaving either double or single cloth when the patterns are large.
My invention is designed or intended to dispense with the shuttle box chain-peg-
lags or cards altogether, and by means of a perforated pattern barrel carried in
a frame and placed in a suitable position on or near the loom and the employment
of suitable levers connected to the shuttle box motion, said levers being operated
by the wefting pegs inserted in the perforations of the barrel to so control the
shuttle boxes that they can be changed as desired. In power looms whose structure
does not admit of the application of said method I shall by means of the pattern
barrel connecting to and operating a clutch mechanism on the loom and working in
combination with the shuttle box motion so control the shuttle box chain as to
require only one link in the case of single cloth fabrics, and two links in the case
of double cloth fabrics for each change in the colour of the pattern instead of one
link for each pick or thread as heretofore.
In the case of the chain being dispensed with, the pattern barrel which I use for
the purposes of my invention is a metal cylinder, pivoted upon a centre shaft
double its own length having a feather groove cut in its length into which a
feather in barrel is fitted, and having on its surface perforations or holes arranged
spirally into which are inserted metal pegs formed with projections on their
surfaces at different points to suit the position of the particular lever desired to
be operated on. Thus in the case of levers being used, if it were desired to
operate the two outside ones the wefting peg would have a projection on the top
surface at each end, and if it were desired to operate the centre lever the projection
ould be upon the centre of the peg.

page_text: These pegs are inserted in the barrel in such numbers and in such order as
will effect the changes in the shuttle boxes required by the arrangement of the
pattern being woven.
The barrel is operated by a pair of clutches which derive their motion from the
dobbie cylinder shaft or other suitable part to which they are connected by means
of an upright or angled shaft and geared by means of bevel wheels or other
suitable gearing. The clutches are fitted loosely upon a shaft placed across the
frame of the barrel and having keyed on to it clutch blocks through which the
clutch pins pass. They are continually revolving and the projecting pin of
the clutch in gear falls into the notch of a star wheel fixed upon end of a shaft
placed above the barrel at right angles to the clutch shaft and having on other
end a pinion wheel which is geared into a pinion wheel carried on centre shaft
of barrel. As the star wheel moves round one notch it accordingly imparts an
intermittent motion to the barrel in the desired direction.
Meantime the clutch on the opposite side of the star wheel is out of gear having
the projection pin drawn within the surface of the clutch block but when it is
desired to reverse the motion of the barrel so that the levers shall traverse back
over the pegs this clutch is put in gear and the one in use put out of gear by
means of a tilting bar crank carrying a block with two projecting arms on the
frame of the barrel and which is held in position by means of a spring to which
the clutch levers are connected. Said crank is operated by suitable long pins
inserted in the barrel at the place where it is desired the change should take
place so that the projecting pin of the clutch falls into the notches of the star
wheel from opposite side and so reverses the motion of the barrel. On one end
of the barrel and raised above the surface is a spur wheel into which is geared a
pinion wheel having flanges on each side which fit into the sides of the raised
spur of the barrel said pinion which has a screwed centre is fitted on to a screw
shaft carried by the frame of the barrel and placed parallel with the pattern band
and as it is moved by the rotary motion of the barrel it travels along the screw
shaft and carries the barrel with it so that the barrel has rotary, reciprocatory
and lateral motion imparted to it.
There is placed across the barrel and pivoted on to a stud on its frame or other
suitable part, say from 3 to 7 levers lying close together, each having upon its
surface a projection which collides with the projection on the wefting pegs, as they
traverse their surface, while the barrel revolves, and by this means the particular
lever they come in contact with is raised and said lever being connected to the
shuttle box lever operates upon the shuttle box motion and effect the desired
change in the checking or colour of the pattern being woven.
The number of barrel levers is regulated by the number of shuttle boxes on the
lay; thus in a loom with 4 boxes on each side of the lay 5 levers are needed 1 to
operate the pick and 4 to operate the shuttle box motion. If however the lay
has 6 boxes on each side then 7 levers would be needed. For the purposes of my
invention I operate the picking motion from the pegs in the barrel in the same
way as the shuttle box motion so that any kind of fabric with single slots in the
pattern can be woven without the need of an independent picking chain which
would require to be a long one if the pattern were large.
Behind the star wheel which is operated by the clutches on the barrel, and on
same shaft is placed another star wheel having a corresponding number of V shaped
notches into which a lever is fulcrumed to the frame of the barrel at one end
while at the other is a spring for keeping it in position. Said lever has a
raised portion of V shape on bottom surface which falls into the star wheel after
every movement and locks it so that the clutch star wheel and pattern barrel are
kept in position until they are again operated upon by the clutches. This lever
can either be lifted out of the star wheel at the proper time by means of a kicker
operated from the crank shaft or the jacquard cylinder shaft or the clutch shaft.or
any other suitable place, or by rounding the shape of under surface projection of
lever it will slide out of the notch by the force of the clutches operating the
1.
2.

page_text: clutch star wheel. This star wheel locking arrangement requires to be applied to
the shuttle box chain shaft if the manner of operating the shuttle box mechanism
is by means of a short chain.
The
As there are some patterns commonly called "check" patterns which do not
admit as in the former arrangement of being reversed, there must be two sets of
barrel levers and two sets of wefting pegs so arranged as to operate the shuttle
boxes in the same order, therefor the one must be a duplicate of the other. When
the one set is in operation the other is out of gear. One means of carrying out
this arrangement is to place the first set of levers at the beginning of the barrel
and begin the wefting pegs at same time extending toward the centre.
duplicate set shall be placed in the centre of the barrel and the duplicate pegging
shall start from the other end of the barrel and extend toward the centre and by
this means the first set of levers by the rotary and lateral motion of the barrel
travels over first set of pegs toward the centre of barrel and operate the shuttle
box mechanism as the several levers are lifted by the projections on surface of
wefting pegs, meantime the duplicate set being out of gear are travelling toward
the end of the barrel without coming into contact with the pegs, but when the first
set of levers has reached the end of first set of pegs the duplicate set has reached
the beginning of the duplicate wefting pegs, the turning pin placed in barrel at end
of wefting pegs coming in contact with the reversing motion the rotation of the
barrel is reversed and at sume moment the first set of levers are raised out of gear
and the duplicate set brought down into contact with the duplicate wefting pegs,
which by the lateral and reciprocatory motion of the barrel causes these levers to
travel over them toward the centre and thereby operate them in same order as
first set.
Meantime first set being out of gear is kept so until the movement of the
barrel places the first set of pegs under them at the beginning of pattern barrel.
The means I adopt to effect the lifting of the barrel levers in and out of gear is
as follows: I fulcrum each set near their end on a pin the ends of which move in a
slot in a suitable vertical frame or its equivalent and each end of the pin is held in
its place by means of springs. Under the projecting end of the lever behind the
frame 1 place a crank extending the length of the barrel. Each end to be in a
common centre while the one half is set at right angles with the other. Said lever
is connected to the tilting bar crank of the barrel so that when the arms of the
block carried on the tilting-bar crank motion comes in contact with the reversing
pins in barrel the half of crank which is lying horizontally (and the levers it
operates are in gear) is tilted up and consequently that set of levers is thrown out
of gear,
while the half which was standing vertically and holding the duplicate set
out of gear is now in a horizontal position and consequently the levers resting upon
it are brought down to rest upon the pegs and be operated by them as the barrel
is moved.
The first set of levers is directly connected with the shuttle box motion but as
the duplicate set is situated off the line of these levers they need to be connected
by means of rods, crank or chain or other equivalent to operate them.
But it may
be found in practice that the proper means to operate these duplicate levers is to
have the surface of the wefting pegs indented instead of projecting so that the
levers shall be deflected at their end instead of raised and so that by means of
beam cranks between and connected to the barrel levers and the shuttle box levers
the latter are raised and thus operate the shuttle box mechanism.
By this method a great saving is effected in time and expense as the cost of the
pegs is very much less than the cost of the chain and the tear and wear of the pegs
is practically nil and the time taken by the operator in pegging the barrel is
trifling to the time taken to build and manipulate the chain. All kinds of textile
fabrics whether single or double cloth can be woven in same loom.
When the construction of the loom does not admit of the application of the above
arrangement as described, and it is necessary to use a shuttle box chain or its
equivalent, I adopt the following alternative mode of dispensing with the long
chain needed for long patterns and use only a short one to control the shuttle

page_text: boxes consisting of one or two links for each change in the colour of the pattern.
I use the pattern barrel which for this purpose is keyed on to a centre shaft about
its own length and placed in a suitable frame. The barrel has a rotary and
reciprocatory movement imparted to it by means of the clutch mechanism as
already described. It has no lateral movement, and instead of several levers I use
(if the pattern admits of being reversed) only one.
There is carried on the frame of barrel a screw shaft running parallel with the
barrel having on one end a pinion wheel in gear with pinion on barrel. The screw
shaft carries the internally threaded boss of a double armed lever one arm of which
depends and is curved parallel or thereabouts with the radius of the periphery of
the barrel and passes between the projecting arms of a bifurcated block which
slides upon a tilting bar crank and is carried along by the lower arm of barrel
lever as it moves along the screw shaft. The opposite arm of the boss extends
horizontally over the barrel and has upon its under surface a projection, while its
free end passes through a slot in a horizontal plate arranged to slide vertically upon
upright standards, said sliding plate being connected by means of rods and levers to a
clutch mechanism carried on the loom substantially the same as clutches on pattern
barrel. When the projection on bottom surface comes into contact with the
wefting pegs it is raised at the end which is fitted into the slide, and by means of
crank and rod connections puts one of the clutches into gear so that the clutch pin
falls into the notch of a star wheel carried on the end of the shuttle box chain
wheel shaft and turns the shuttle box chain wheel so as to bring a link of shuttle
box chain into operation and thereby operate the shuttle box mechanism. When
the lever moves off the wefting pegs, the clutch is drawn out of gear and so the
shuttle box chain remains stationary until the next change in the pattern. If the
fabric being woven is single cloth without single picks in pattern, in that case
the barrel is pegged one for every change in the pattern the holes between are left
empty and only one clutch on the loom is needed. For reversible and double cloth
the barrel is pegged every alternate hole while the same colours are working and
the clutch pins thereby alternately fall into the notches at opposite side of the star
wheel and impart an oscillatory motion to the shuttle box chain so that the same
two links are alternately in use. When a change of colour is desired the barrel is
pegged 3 holes consecutively or 3 holes left empty and in this way two new links
of the chain are brought into operation. If single cloth with single picks in
pattern is desired the pegging is alternate as in reversible but if a change is
desired 4 holes are pegged consecutively or 4 left empty. According to this
arrangement it is necessary for weaving of some fabrics to work the picking chain
independent of the shuttle box chain such as single cloth without single pick in
pattern, but if there are single picks then the picking and shuttle box chain must
be combined. It becomes a matter for the operator to consider whether it is more
economical to work them separate or combined and he can best determine that
according to the nature of the fabric he desires to produce.
When the lever has traversed to the end of the pegging and it is necessary to
reverse the rotation of the barrel so that the lever may travel backwards over the
pegs, it is necessary to place one or more longer pegs in such a position in the holes
in the barrel that this or these would collide at the right moment with the curled
projection of the block carried on tilting-bar crank and deflect or raise it. This
tilting bar crank being connected by means of rods and levers to the clutches
operating the barrel the clutch in gear is put out and the one out put in gear so
that clutch pin as it revolves falling into the notch at opposite side of star wheel
reverses the rotation of the barrel and the screw shaft as already described. The
wefting pegs used in this arrangement are much smaller in size and have not
projections or indents upon their surface.
In the case of "check "patterns it is necessary to use 2 levers the one a duplicate
of the other and placed across the barrel the one at the beginning and the other
about the centre. The boss of each lever is fitted on to the screw shaft by which
means they traverse over the wefting pegs and a duplicate set of pegs is placed

page_text: in the same order. The levers having their free end which moves in and operates.
the horizontal slotted plate are so constructed that the one can be drawn out of the
One means.
slotted plate and the other put in at the moment it is desired to do so.
of arranging this is to fit upon the end of each lever a sliding plate or its equivalent
which shall be connected to the tilting-bar crank or its equivalent. When the first
lever has traversed the set of pegs which operates it, its sliding end which was
in gear with the slotted plate is drawn out and the sliding end of the duplicate
lever is put in gear with the slotted plate at the moment the rotation of the barrel
is reversed according to the manner already described. The duplicate lever is
therefor moved over the duplicate set of pegs which operates it and the slotted
plate and its connections continually keep the clutches on the loom in operation.
By this method a great saving is effected as only one or two links of the shuttle
box chain is needed to operate each change in the colour of the pattern. That is
to say if the fabric is a single cloth with say 800 threads in the complete pattern
and only say 50 changes in the colour of the pattern, a chain of 30 links and
30 pegs in the barrel is all that would be needed to operate it instead of say
800 links according to the method at present in use. If a double cloth fabric with
a like number of picks and changes, a chain of only 60 links would be needed.
Dated the 20th day of September 1895
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
Improvements in Operating the Shuttle Box and Picking Motions of
Power Looms for Weaving Textile Fabrics.
I, BENJAMIN SMITH, of Clanedowan, Kilmalcolm, Renfrewshire, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My invention has reference to and comprises improvements in that class of power
looms for weaving textile fabrics having movable shuttle boxes, either at both or
only at one side of the lay, which are arranged to be operated so as to bring each
of the several shuttles in a line with the race of the lay ready for picking or
throwing the shuttle through the shed of the warp in such a manner as will
produce the design or pattern desired. It has hitherto been the custom especially
in the class of looms known as pick and pick looms, which class are best suited for
working reversible and double cloth fabrics, or single cloth with single picks or
threads of weft in the pattern to effect the operation of the motion or gear for
changing the shuttle boxes when a change of colour in the pattern of the fabric
being woven is required, to employ a chain, lags, or cards, in which (confining
myself in the following description to the chain method, although it is well known
that the others, to which my improvements are also applicable are extensively
used) one link is required for each and every pick or thread of the weft of the
pattern. As some patterns have as many as a thousand such picks or threads it
has required a chain having a like number of links for operating the shuttle box
and this (except where the pattern are very small) entailing great expense not
only in the first cost of the chain but in the time occupied by the operator in
It is also well known that the said
adjusting and fixing and arranging the same.
chain motion is impracticable or unsuitable on account of the length of the chain,
cost, time in manipulating, and motive power necessary to operate it when weaving
either double or single cloth when the patterns are large.
My invention is intended to dispense, when possible, with the shuttle box chain,
lags, or cards, altogether, and by means of a perforated pattern barrel placed in

page_text: a suitable position on or near the loom, and the employment of suitable levers
connected to the shuttle box mechanism said levers being operated by the wefting
pegs inserted in the perforations of the barrel, to so control the shuttle boxes that
they can be changed as desired. In power looms whose structure does not admit
of the application of said method I shall by means of the pattern barrel connected
to and operating a clutch mechanism on the loom and working in combination with
the shuttle box, motion, so control the shuttle box chain as to require only one
link, in the case of single cloth fabrics, and two links in the case of double cloth
fabrics, for each change in the colour of the pattern instead of one link for each
pick or thread as heretofore.
The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 of which is a
front view of the improved apparatus designed to be applied to a loom having
movable shuttle boxes and which admits of the shuttle box chain being dispensed
with, Fig. 2, is an end view, Fig. 3, a plan, and Figs. 4, 5 and 6 details of the same,
while Fig. 7 is a front view and Fig. 8 a plan of the apparatus when used in
combination with a shuttle box chain.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, when the chain is dispensed with the metal pattern
barrel A which I use for the purposes of my invention has a series of holes a in
the form of a spiral round its circumference, said barrel being fixed on a shaft C
double its own length, by means of a key in its boss entering a longitudinal slot in
the shaft C which permits of the barrel being traversed laterally said shaft being
mounted on suitable bearings on a frame B said frame being placed in a suitable
position on or near the frame of the loom. The pattern barrel A has a spur
wheel A¹ on one end of it which gears with a flange spur wheel A having an
internally screw threaded boss A3 which is mounted on a screwed shaft A. A
series of levers C₁, one more than the number of shuttle boxes on the lay, are
provided, one lever of such series being required to actuate the pick, each of said
fevers having a projection c on its under side. These levers C are pivoted on a
shaft C and have their forward ends resting upon the circumference of the barrel A
while the rear ends are connected to the ordinary mechanism (not shown) for
operating the shuttle boxes. For the purposes of my invention I operate the
picking motion from the pegs in the barrel A in the same way as the shuttle box
motion, so that any kind of fabric with single shots in the pattern can be woven
without the need of an independent picking chain, which would require to be a long
one if the pattern were large.
The barrel A has an intermittent, rotary, and reciprocatory motion imparted to
it by means of clutches D, D7, fitted on a revolving shaft D carried in bearings B'
said shaft D receiving its motion from the top cylinder of the Jacquard mechanism
(not shown) by means of bevels D2, D3, on the shaft D. On this shaft D are
keyed two discs D, D, and the two clutches D', D', are loosely carried on the
shaft D said clutches having pins d, d', fixed in their faces, which pins d, d', engage
with and are free to slide through holes in the discs D4, D5, and project beyond
the faces thereof. When either of these pins d, d', are pushed through the holes
in the discs D, D³, they come into gear with notches or teeth e in a star wheel E
fixed on a shaft F carried at right angles to the clutch shaft D, the pins d, d',
thereby turning the star wheel a part of a revolution.
On the shaft F is fixed a spur pinion F1 which gears, through an intermediate
spur wheel F2 carried on a stud F, with a spur wheel F³ fixed on the shaft C in
such a manner that for every revolution of the crank shaft of the loom the pin of
one or other of the clutches engages with one of the notches or teeth e in the star
wheel E and moves the barrel A round the distance between two holes. Behind
the star wheel E on the shaft F is fixed a steadying wheel F' having the same
number of notches as there are teeth e in the star wheel E. A lever G provided
with a
projection g on its under side which rests in the notches f of the steadying
wheel is pivoted at g' on the frame B and at each revolution of the clutch
shaft D the projection g on the lever is forced out of the notch f and falls into the
next one where it is held by the action of a spiral spring in order to bring

page_text: he star wheel E to rest in a definite position so that the pin of either of the
lutches D, D', which is then in a position to gear with the notches or teeth e of'
he star wheel E will do so positively and will thereby turn it a part of a revolution.
This lever G can either be lifted out of the notch in the steadying wheel F' at the
proper moment by means of a kicker operated from the crank shaft or the Jacquard
cylinder shaft or the clutch shaft or any other suitable place or by rounding the
shape of the under surface of the projection g on the lever G it will slide out of the
notch as already described by the force of the clutches operating the star wheel.
It is necessary that the steadying wheel arrangement be applied to the shuttle box
chain shaft if the manner of operating the shuttle box mechanism is by means of a
short chain.
When it is desired to reverse the motion of the pattern barrel A, pine a¹, shewu
at Fig. 5, are inserted in the holes a at suitable points, which pins come into
contact with one of two projecting arms H of a tilting crank H', which with the
aid of a spiral spring / reverses the position of the tilting crank H¹ and raises or
lowers a bell crank H, the lower arm of which is attached by means of a
connecting rod H' to the tilting crank H¹, the spiral spring being adapted to
hold the tilting crank in this position until it is again reversed by the action of the
pins in the barrel A. The top arm of the bell crank H' is connected to a rod H"
to which the clutch levers H, H, are attached in order that they may be moved
synchronously, so that the clutch pin which at one time projected beyond the
surface of one of the discs is withdrawn as the other is pushed forward into the
other disc, the latter clutch pin entering a notch e diametrically opposite that from
which the previously mentioned pin was withdrawn thereby reversing the motion
of the barrel A.
The holes a in the barrel A receive the wefting pegs I shown at Fig. 6, these
being of various shapes, each having a raised portion on their surface at a
particular point so as to engage the lever intended to be operated and others
having no projections. When any of the raised portions of these pegs I comes
into contact with the projections e on any of the levers C¹ as these pins move with
the barrel under the levers C¹, the selected lever is raised and as the end of said
lever is connected to the ordinary shuttle box mechanism, the said mechanism is
operated and the desired shuttle box brought into position to effect the necessary
A number of the
change in the checking or colour of the pattern being woven.
wefting pegs I having like projections, corresponding to the number of threads of
the same colour which it is desired to weave at one time in the pattern, are
inserted in the barrel A consecutively so that the selected lever is kept in the
same position till a change in the pattern is desired. When a change of colour is
desired a series of wefting pegs I having projectious at a different place on their
surfaces, according to the pattern desired, are inserted in the barrel A and these
raise a different lever 'C' while the one last in operation falls back to its position
on the surface of the wefting pegs and this action takes place until the repeat of
the pattern is woven.
By the action of the engaged clutch upon the star wheel E the barrel A is
rotated by means of the gearing F1, F2, F³, and as the spur wheel A' on the
barrel A is geared with the spur wheel A* and revolves said wheel A³ upon its
screwed shaft A. the latter wheel is traversed axially, and because of its flanged
sides carries with it the barrel A. and brings each of the wefting pegs successively
under the levers C. The lever for operating the picking is controlled from the
wefting pegs, a special raised portion being provided for this purpose.
"
If the pattern is of such design as to admit of its being turned back in the centre
then the barrel requires only to be pegged for one half of the repeat, but as there
or chasing patterns which do not turn
are some pattern commonly called "check
back in the centre it is necessary to employ another set of levers J of same
5 construction as levers C¹ and to peg the barrel A with a duplicate set of pegs.
One means
When the one set of levers is in operation the other set is out of gear.
of carrying cut this arrangement is to place the first set of levers at the beginning

page_text: of the barrel and start the wefting pegs at the same place and extending towards
the centre. The duplicate set of levers J must then be placed in the centre of the
barrel A and the duplicate pegging must start from the other end of the barrel and
-extend towards the centre. By this means the first set of levers by the rotary and
lateral motion of the barrel travels over the first set of pegs towards the centre of
the barrel and operates the shuttle box mechanism as the several levers are
lifted by the projections on the surfaces of the wefting pegs, meantime the
duplicate set being out of gear are travelled towards the end of the barrel without
coming into contact with the pegs, but when the first set of levers has reached the
end of the first set of pegs the duplicate set of levers has reached the beginning of
the duplicate wefting pegs. the turning pin placed in the barrel at the end of the
wefting pegs coming into contact with the reversing mechanism, the rotation of
the barrel A is reversed and at the same moment the first set of levers are raised
-out of gear and the duplicate set brought down into contact with the duplicate
wefting pegs. The lateral and reciprocatory motion of the barrel causes the
levers J to travel over them towards the centre and thereby operate them in the
same order as the first set. In the meantime the first set are kept out of gear
until the movement of the barrel A places the first set of pegs at the beginning of
the pattern barrel under them.
The means I adopt to effect the lifting of the barrel levers into and out of gear
I have illustrated under one modification at Fig. 4 and is as follows:-
Referring to Fig. 4. I fulcrum each set of levers C¹, J, near their ends on
pins the ends of which move in slotted bearings J in a suitable vertical
frame or its equivalent and each end of the pin j is held in its place by
springs. Under the projecting ends of the levers C₁ and J behind the frame J
I place a crank K extending the length of the barrel A each end of the crank
being in a common centre while the one half of the crank is set at right angles to
the other. This crank K is connected by a rod K' to the tilting bar crank H' of
the barrel A so that when either of the arms H fixed on the tilting bar crank H¹
comes into contact with either of the reversing pins a¹ (Fig. 5) in the barrel A,
that half of the crank K which was lying horizontal is raised by means of the
connecting rod K' and the pivot pin of these levers is raised against the action of
its spring and consequently these levers are thrown out of gear while that
portion of the crank K which was standing vertical is brought to a horizontal
position and the levers resting upon it into gear with the pegs on the periphery of
the barrel.
.
The first set of levers is directly connected with the shuttle box mechanism but
as the duplicate set is situated off the line of these levers said set require to be
connected by means of rods, cranks, chains or other equivalent to operate them,
but as it may be found in practice that the proper means to operate these duplicate
levers is to form the surface of the wefting pegs with indentations at the same
point as the projections on the first set of pegs so that these levers shall be
depressed instead of being raised. In this case beam levers are introduced between
the barrel levers and the shuttle box levers and connected to each so that as the
action of the duplicate set of barrel levers is the reverse of the first set, the ultimate
action on the shuttle box levers will be the same.
By this method a great saving is effected in time and expense as the cost of the
pegs is very much less than the cost of the chain, and the wear and tear of the peg
is practically nil, besides the time taken by the operator in pegging the
barrel A is trifling compared to the time taken to construct and manipulate the
-chain.
All kinds of textile fabrics whether single or double cloth can be woven in the
same loom.
:
i
When the construction of the loom does not admit of the application of the above
arrangement and it is necessary to use a shuttle box chain or its equivalent I
adopt the following alternative method for dispensing with the long chain required
or long patterns and use only a short one to control the shuttle boxes. This

page_text: chain consists of one or two links for each change in the colour of the pattern.
This method, which is an improvement on Letters Patent No. 24,690 of 1894
granted to me, is illustrated by Figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings. For
this purpose I employ the pattern barrel A which is keyed on a centre shaft C
about its own length and placed in a suitable frame in combination with a shuttle
box chain consisting of one or two links for each change in the colour of the
pattern. The barrel A has a rotary and reciprocatory movement imparted to it
by means of the clutch mechanism already described but has no lateral movement
and instead of a series of levers I employ (if the pattern admits of being reversed)
only one lever.
On the frame B of the barrel A a screw shaft L is carried parallel with the
barrel A having on one end a pinion wheel M¹ in gear with the pinion A' on the
barrel A. The screw shaft L carries the internally screw-threaded boss of a
double armed lever L', one arm of which depends and is curved parallel or there-
abouts with the line of the periphery of the barrel A and passes between the
projecting arms of a bifurcated block L' which slides upon a tilting bar crank H'
and is carried along by the lower arm of the barrel L' as it travels along the
screw shaft L. The opposite arm of the lever L' extends horizontally over the
barrel A and has a projection on its under side upon which the wefting pegs act
while its free end passes through a horizontal slot n in a plate N arranged to slide
vertically upon upright standards N₁ said sliding plate N being connected by means
of rods and levers to the clutch mechanism which may consist of a single clutch
or of two clutches carried on the loom and is substantially the same as the clutch
mechanism already described and shown on the frame of the pattern barrel A,
Figs. 1, 2, and 3. When the projection on the under surface of the lever L¹ comes
into contact with the wefting pegs it is raised at the end which is fitted into the
slide and, by means of pivoted levers and rod connections, puts one of the clutches
into gear so that the clutch pin enters a notch in the star wheel and actuates it as
already described. This star wheel is carried on the end of the shuttle box chain
wheel shaft and turns the shuttle box chain wheel so as to bring a link of the
shuttle box chain into operation and thereby actuate the shuttle box mechanism.
When the lever moves off the wefting peg the clutch is drawn out of gear and so
the shuttle box chain remains stationary (when a single clutch is used) until the
next change in the pattern. If the fabric being woven is a single cloth without
single picks in the pattern the barrel is pegged one for every change in the
pattern, the holes between are left empty and only one clutch on the loom is
required.
For reversible and double cloth the barrel A is pegged every alternate hole
while the same colours are working, and the clutch pins thereby alternately fall
into the notches at opposite sides of the star wheel E and impart an oscillatory
motion to the shuttle box chain so that the same two links are alternately in use.
When a chain of colour is desired the barrel A is pegged three holes consecutively
or three holes left empty and in this way two new links of the chain are brought
into operation. If single cloth with single picks in the pattern is desired the
pegging is alternate as in reversible cloth, but if a change is desired four holes are
pegged consecutively or four left empty. According to this arrangement it is
necessary for the weaving of some fabrics to work the picking chain independent of
the shuttle box chain, such as a single cloth fabric without single picks in the
pattern, but if there are single picks in the pattern the picking and shuttle box
chain may be combined. It thus becomes a matter for the operator to consider
whether it is more economical to work these separately or combined and he can
best determine that according to the nature of the fabric he desires to produce.
When the lever L' has been traversed to the end of the pegging and it is
necessary to reverse the rotation of the barrel A so that the lever may travel
backwards over the pegs, this is done in the manner described in the previously
mentioned specification, by placing one or more longer pegs in such a position
B

page_text: in the holes a' of the barrel A. that this or these, would collide at the right
moment with the curled projection on the bifurcated block carried on the tilting
bar crank H and depress or raise it. This tilting bar crank H' being connected
by means of rods and levers to the clutch rod, that clutch which at this time
is in gear is put out and the other clutch put into gear so that the clutch pin
as it revolves enters the notch at the opposite side of the star wheel to that from
which the previous pin was withdrawn and reverses the rotation of the barrel A
and the screw shaft L as already described. The wefting pegs used in this
arrangement are much smaller in size and have no projections or indentations upon
their surfaces.
In the case of "cheek" patterns it is necessary to use two levers the one being a
duplicate of the other both levers being placed across the barrel, the one at the
beginning and the other about the centre as shown at Fig. 8. The boss of each
lever L, O, is fitted on the screw threaded shaft L by which means they travel
over the wefting pegs and a duplicate set of pegs is placed in the order
described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. The levers L', O, shown at
Fig. 8 are somewhat different from the lever L' shown at Fig. 7, being so
constructed that the one is withdrawn from the slotted plate and the other put into
the slot when it is desired to do so. One mode of carrying this out is to fit upon
the end of each lever a sliding plate L, O', or its equivalent, these plates being
connected together by a lever L pivoted centrally and connected to and operated
from the tilting bar crank or its equivalent. When the first lever has traversed
the set of pegs which operates it, its sliding end which was in gear with the
slotted plate is drawn out and the sliding end of the duplicate lever is put into
gear with the slotted plate at the moment the rotation of the barrel is reversed
according to the manner already described. The duplicate lever is now moved
over the duplicate set of pegs which operates it and the slotted plate and its
connections continually keep the clutches on the loom in operation.
By this method a great saving is effected as only one or two links of the shuttle
box chain is required to operate each change in the colour of the pattern. That
is to say if the fabric is a single cloth with say 800 threads in the complete
pattern and only say 30 changes in the colour of the pattern, a change of 30 links
and 30 pegs in the barrel A is all that is required to operate it instead of 800 links
according to the method at present in use, but if the fabric is to be a double cloth
fabric with a like number of picks and changes a chain of only 60 links would be
required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. The combination of apparatus constituting the improved shuttle box operating
and picking mechanism hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
2. Apparatus for operating the shuttle box mechanism and picking motion of
looms consisting of a pattern barrel having both a rotatory and an endwise move-
ment, a series of pivoted levers arranged over the barrels and under which the
wefting pegs on the barrel are successively brought and a tilting crank operated
by special pegs on the barrel and adapted to actuate clutch mechanism whereby
the movements of the barrel are reversed substantially as described.
3. In combination with apparatus of the kind set forth in the preceding claim
the arrangement of duplicate sets of levers adapted to be brought into gear
alternately by the action upon the ends of the levers, of a crank actuated from the
tilting crank substantially as described with reference to Fig. 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
4. In apparatus for operating the shuttle box mechanism and picking motion of
looms in which a shuttle box chain is combined with a pattern barrel the arrange-

page_text: ment of duplicate levers adapted to be alternately put into engagement with a
sliding frame to operate clutch mechanism and therefrom the shuttle box chain
substantially as described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying
drawings.