IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TUPTED PILE FABRICS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents;
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TUPTED
PILE FABRICS."-A communication.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th October 1856.
J, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
TUFTED PILE FABRICS," to be as follows:-
The kind of fabric which the improved loom is designed to weave is com-
posed of tufts of yarn to form the figuring pile, and held by a linen warp and
weft to form a back resembling the back of tapestry Brussels carpeting, inter-
woven with the usual heddles and shuttle, as in. weaving tapestry Brussels
carpeting, such fabrics being generally known under the name of "Axminster
carpets." And although the Invention is applicable to the weaving-of such
tufted fabrics with a linen back similar to the back of tapestry Brussels car-
pets, yet the better to secure the figuring tufts or pile in the said fabrics, it is
preferred to make the back in a manner somewhat different.
The linen warp:is composed of. two parts, which are mounted on separate
yarn beams, and by preference, of different thicknesses of thread. These two

page_text: .
warps are mounted on separate beams, because it is desirable that the thicker
warp should be under greater tension than the other warp, for the purpose of
keeping it as straight as practicable in the woven fabric, whilst the other is
under a less tension that it may be bent around the figuring tufts and the weft
threads.
The straight warp is divided all the way across into two parts, one portion
being termed the tufting warps, because the figuring tufts are secured thereto,
and the other the body warps, because they are used to give body or strength
to the fabric; and the other warp, before referred to, termed the binding-in
warp, serves to secure or bind the figuring tufts to the tufting warps. The
tufting portion of the warp is passed in pairs through the heddles of one leaf
of harness, and the body portion through the headles of another leaf, and the
binding-in warp through a third leaf of harness, and then the several warps
are carried through the reed of the lay and thence to the cloth beam.
In passing the said warps through the reed care should be taken to have
one dent of the reed between the two threads composing each pair of the
tufting warp, and one thread of the binding-in warp with one thread of each
pair of tufting warps, that in weaving the fabric it may be brought properly
under the tufts. There is but one shuttle employed to carry a weft thread, as
in forming the back of tapestry Brussels carpets.
The pile of the fabric is formed of a succession of ranges of tufts of yarn
extending across the fabric and with the ends up, forming the surface of the
pile for any determined figure desired to be produced; there must therefore
be a certain and determined arrangement of the different colors of yarn from
which the tufts are to be formed to produce the variety and arrangement of
colors desired in each range, and this arrangement must be varied in the
several ranges required to form one entire figure of the pattern.
To carry
the yarn which forms the pile, spools about as long as the intended
breadth of fabric to be produced are employed, the number of spools com-
posing the series being equal to the number of ranges of tufts required to
complete one figure. These spools are mounted in succession on the links of
a pair of endless chains, which move in unison and with a positive motion to
shift the spools and bring each in succession to the required position for intro-
ducing one range of tufts. The yarns are wound on each spool according to
the determined arrangement of colors. Each tuft is to be composed of any
desired number of threads, say, three or four, more or less, at discretion. The
journals of each spool are mounted in a frame, which carries spring clips at
its opposite ends for taking into the links of the chains and holding on thereto.
Along the edge of the spool frame bar there are a series of troughs at right

page_text: angles to the axis of the spool, and one more in number than the number of
parcels of yarn wound on each spool, and equal also to the number of pairs of
tufting warps, and opposite to the spaces or divisions between the several
parcels of yarn on the spools. These troughs project beyond the bar of the
frame, so that the ends of the several parcels of yarn from the spool will pass
in the spaces between, and will be separated by the several troughs. Spool
No. 1 is to be brought in the beginning by the chains, immediately after the
pairs of tufting warps have been lifted up, into such a position that the ends of
the several parcels of yarn will hang down below the series of troughs; the
tufts are then severally grasped by a series of nippers, and drawn out and
carried around the pairs of tufting warps; but before this is done, the frame
with its spool is detached from the chains and carried down in front of the lay
just over the tufting warps, by means of a rock frame, which is fitted with
arbors that carry claws at one end for gripping the spools, the same being
operated by helical springs. The spool frame having been brought just over
the elevated tufting warps, the next operation is to draw the ends of the
several parcels of yarn down between and on the right side of the several
pairs of tufting warps, then under and up on the left side. This is done by a
series of pairs of nippers, equal in number to the number of pairs of tufting
warps, and operated by a lateral motion being given to them. While tho
nippers are open they are elevated by a swell on the nipper cam, to bring them
in the series of troughs, one jaw of each pair of nippers being in one trough
on one side of the parcel of yarn which it is to gripe, and the other jaw in
the trough on the other sides of the said parcels, so that the sides of the said
troughs on each side of each parcel will guide the nippers as they are brought
forward between the several parcels of yarn; the nippers then grip the yarn,
and moving down draw down the yarns between the pairs of tufting warps,
one parcel on the right-hand side of each pair of warps. The nippers next
move to the left under the tufting warps, and then rise to carry the ends
of the yarns up between and on the other side of the several pairs of warps.
After the nippers are elevated they are opened to let go their hold of the yarns.
The moment the nippers have carried the tufting yarns up on the left side
of the pairs of tufting warps, and while the nippers are being operated to
liberate the yarns, the two leaves of harness that operate the body portion of
the thick warp and the binding-in warp are lifted up to bring these two por-
tions of warp up to the level of the tufting warp. The effect of this is to bring
the binding-in warps from their location relatively to the pairs of tufting warps
directly under the tufts which have just been laid around the tufting warps, one.

page_text: such binding-in warp between the two threads of each pair of tufting warps,
and therefore under and about in the middle of that part of the tuft which lies
under each pair of tufting warps. This, it will be seen, will hold the under
part of the tufts for the time being, while at the same time the body warps
coming up from below between the several pairs of tufting warps will bind the
tufts at the side, and hold them sufficiently for the after operations. While
the tufts are so held, and immediately after the heddles have been lifted, a
series of shears is brought into position and operation to cut that portion of
the yarn which forms the range of tufts from the several parcels, preparatory
to the weaving-in operation and the repetition of the series of operations.
The shears are equal in number to the number of tufts in a range, and at
the same distance apart. As the shears are brought forward they are open;
that the blades of each pair may pass each side of the parcels of yarn, and
they are kept open by the tension of a spring. When the shears have reached
the required position the blades of the shears are closed upon the yarns.
As the apparatus for inserting and cutting off the tufts remains still during
the operations of weaving in, and the 'lay is not operated during the operation
of inserting and cutting off the tufts, the mechanism is so arranged that the
crank shaft which operates the lay is stopped while the figuring cam shaft is in
opération, and vice versa. This is effected by the use of sliding clutches for
coupling the several moving operating parts alternately with the main driving
shaft. So soon as the operations of the shears have been completed, the clutches
are shifted, which suspends. all the movements of a figuring or tufting appa-
ratus, and puts in action the crank shaft connected with the lay. This: position
of the clutches is maintained during two entire revolutions of the cranks, that
the lay may give two beats in succession, and then the clutches are shifted to
suspend the further action of the lay and re-start the figuring apparatus to
insert the range of tufts, and so on in succession. The first beat of the lay is
for beating up the range of tufts last inserted, to carry them up to the
required place next to the previous range in the fabric, and this first beat
takes place before the weft thread is put in:
It has already been described that in mounting tlie loom one dent of the
reed is placed between the two threads of each pair of tufting warps, and in
consequence of this the reed will act on the whole series of tufts and force
them up to their place in the fabric. But the upper part of the tufts, ex-
tending up above the warps require also to be forced up, and for this purpose
there is a thin metallic plate placed in front of the reed and supported by it.
The ends of this plate are fitted to slide up and down freely on rods in the

page_text: lay, so that the lower edge of the said plate will rest by gravity on the warps
and move freely up and down with them. As the lay moves forward to beat
up the tufts, the lower edge of this plate will move on the warp threads, and
its front face will strike against that part of the tufts extending above
the warps, while the dents of the reed will act on the lower part. In this way
the tufts are properly controlled until they are properly bound in place by tlie
weaving-in operation.
During the operations of inserting the tufts, the warp threads are liable to:
be moved laterally, which might produce defects in the fabric. To prevent
this there is a notched plate supported by pendulous rods, carried by the loom
frame. The notches in the lower edge of this plate correspond with the
position of the warp threads in the reed, and to receive them when they äre
elevated by the operations of the heddles. When therefore the tufting warps-
are elevated they will be held in the appropriate grooves in this plate, so that
they cannot be displaced laterally by the operations of inserting the tufts. As-
the lay moves forward to beat up the last range of tufts, the notched plate is
forced forward out of the way, and on the return motion of the lay the plate
will be carried back to its appropriate position by a spring provided for the,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 17th April 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I; ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors; give and grant unto me, the said.
Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special license that I; the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alfred Vincent Newton, my 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TUFTED PILE FABRICS," being a communication

page_text: from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The kind of fabric to which the present improvements refer is composed of
tufts of yarn to form the figuring pile, and held by a linen warp and weft to
form a back resembling the back of tapestry Brussels carpeting, interwoven:
with the usual heddles and shuttle, as in weaving tapestry Brussels carpeting,
such fabrics being generally known under the name of Axminster carpets..
And although the improved machinery designed to facilitate the manufacture
of tufted pile fabrics applies to the weaving of such tufted fabrics with a linen-
back similar to the back of tapestry Brussels carpets, yet the better to secure.
the figuring tufts or pile in the said fabrics, it is preferred to make the back
in a manner somewhat different. In describing therefore the manner of
mounting the improved loom and of forming the fabric, such description will
be given in connection with the kind of back preferred, not however with the
intention of limiting the application of the Invention to the weaving of such
fabrics with a back thus formed, as it will be obvious that the manner of
forming the back may be greatly varied.
In the accompanying Drawings making part of this Specification, Fig. 1 is
a front elevation of the loom for weaving tufted pile fabrics; Fig. 2 a right-
hand side, and Fig. 3 a left-hand side elevation of the same; Fig. 4, a cross
vertical section; Fig. 5 is a separate section, exhibiting the spool in its position
after being carried away from the chains by the claw arms; Fig. 6, a plan
view of the arrangement for carrying away the spools from the chains; Fig. 7
is a plan view of the arrangement for operating the cutters; Fig. 8 is a plan
view of the arrangements for operating the nippers; Fig. 9 represents the
cams on the figuring cam shaft; Fig. 10 represents the cam for operating
the clutch for disengaging the lay and setting in motion the figuring cam.
shaft, and vice versâ; and Fig. 11 represents the cams for operating the
heddles. The same letters indicate like parts in all the Figures.
The linen warp is composed of two parts a and b, each mounted on separate.

page_text: yarn beams c and d, and although the two warps may be of any size desired by
the manufacturer, it is preferred to make the warp a of thicker threads than
the warp b. These two warps are mounted on separate beams, because it is
desirable that the warp a, termed by the Inventor the straight warp, should be
under greater tension than the warp 6 for the purpose of keeping it as straight
as practicable in the woven fabric, whilst the other warp 6 is under a less
tension that it may be bent around the figuring tufts and the weft threads.
The tension on these two kinds of warps can be determined or regulated by
any of the known means not necessary to describe, as this forms no part of the
present Invention.
The straight warp a is divided all the way across into two parts in any
suitable proportion, although half and half is preferred. One portion the
Inventor terms the tufting warps, because the figuring tufts are secured
thereto, and the other the body warps, because they are used to give body or
strength to the fabric. The other warp b, before referred to, is termed the
binding-in warp, because it serves to secure or bind the figuring tufts to the
tufting warps. The warp a, as before stated, is divided into two parts, and
the part termed the tufting warps is arranged into pairs, each pair consisting
of two threads, and in each space between two pairs is put one, two, or more
threads of the portion which the Inventor terms the body warps, the number of
threads so interposed depending upon the relative proportion of threads in
each part. The tufting portion of the warp a is passed in pairs through the
heddles of one leaf of harness e, and the body portion through the heddles of
another leaf f; and the binding-in warp 6, through a third leaf of harness g,
and then the several warps are carried through the reed of the lay, and thence
to a cloth beam i, which should be provided with any suitable take-up motion.
In passing the said warps through the reed care should be taken to have one.
dent of the reed between the two threads composing each pair of the tufting
warp, and one thread of the binding-in warp 6 with one thread of each pair
of tufting warps a, that in weaving the fabric it may be brought under the
tufts in a manner to be hereafter described. There is but one shuttle
employed to carry a weft thread, as in forming the back of tapestry Brussels
carpets. In commencing the operation, the leaf of harness e is carried up
with the tufting portion of the warp a, while the body portion of the said
warp a, and the binding-in warp b, remain down. When all the warps
are in the condition last above described, the figuring tufts are introduced,
and before describing the manner of introducing them it is necessary to
describe the manner of preparing and mounting the yarns from which
the tufts are made. It will be seen from the foregoing that the pile of
b

page_text: The fabric is formed or a succession of ranges of tufts of yarn extending
across the fabric and with the ends up, forming the surface of the pile, and i
follows from this that for any determined figure desired to be produced, there
must be a certain and determined arrangement of the different colors of yarn
from which the tufts are to be formed to produce the variety and arrangement
of colors desired in each range, and this arrangement must be varied in the
several ranges required to form one entire figure of the pattern. To carry
the yarn which forms the pile, a series of long spools j, about as long as the
intended breadth of fabric to be produced, is employed, the number of spools
composing the series being equal to the number of ranges of tufts required to
complete one figure. These spools are mounted in succession on the links of
two chains, k, which pass around spur wheels 1, 1, on two parallel horizontal
shafts m, m, the said spurs entering the links of the chain with the view to
obtain uniformity of motion, so that when motion is imparted to one of the
shafts m, the two chains shall move in unison and with a positive motion to
shift the spools and to bring each in succession and at each operation to the
required position for introducing one range of tufts. This motion is imparted
by having a ratchet wheel n on the end of one of the shafts m, the teeth of
which ratchet wheel are acted upon at the required time by a catch o on an
arm p. that vibrates on the said shaft. The end of this arm is connected
by a rod q with one arm of a lever 2, the other arm of which is connected
with one of the crank rods s, which operates the lay of the loom by the
rotation of the main crank shaft t, so that the lever r is vibrated one for
each beat of the lay, which receives two beats for every complete range of
tufts, the armi v will be vibrated twice to move the chain the required distance
to carry away one spool, and bring the next to the required position. The yarns
are wound on each spool according to the determined arrangement of colors.
Each, tuft is to, be composed of any desired number of threads, say, three or
four, more or less, at discretion. If four be the number. determined on spool
Number 1, the yarns are to be wound in a series of parcels corresponding in
number to the number of pairs in the tufting warp a, and at about the same.
distance apart, four threads being wound together in each parcel, and the colors
of the several parcels on this spool to correspond with the order which the
colors are required to present in the first range of tufts which is determined by-
the pattern or design. On spool Number 2, the yarns are to be wound in like
manner, but shifting the order of the colors to correspond with the order of
colors which is to be presented in the second range of tufts, and so. on in
succession with all the spools until there are as many spools so wound and
mounted as there are to be ranges of tufts to complete one figure, as a

page_text: repetition of the series of operations will repeat the design or figure. The
manner of determining the order of the colors in each spool is similar to the
manner of determining the order of the colors to be brought to the surface
in the jacquard loom by what is known as the design pattern. The journals
of each spool are mounted in a frame u, consisting of a bar and two end
pieces (see Fig. 1 and 5), each of which said end pieces carries a spring v with
a projecting lip. When the frame with its spool is to be connected with the
chains k, k, the springs v, v, are contracted and put inside of the chains until the
lips pass inside of the inner edge of the links, and then by liberating the springs,
the frame with its spool will be held in place by the tension of the springs, and
the lips thereon hanging on the inner edge of the said chains. The spools,
however, may be connected with the chains in any other equivalent manner.
Only one spool, with its connections complete, being represented in the
Drawings, all being alike; the position of the others is represented by red
lines. Along the edge of the bar of the frame u there are a series of troughs
or grooves w, at right angles to the axis of the spool, and one more in number
than the number of parcels of yarn wound on each spool, and equal also to the
number of pairs of tufting warps, and opposite to the spaces or divisions
between the several parcels of yarn on the spools. These troughs project
beyond the thickness of the bar of the frame u, so that the ends of the several
parcels of yarn from the spool will pass in the spaces between, and will be
separated by the several troughs. There is to be one such frame with its
troughs for each spool, and as many spools as ranges of tufts in a complete
figure of the design. Spool Number 1 is to be brought in the beginning by
the chains in the position represented in the Drawing, and this is to take place
immediately after the leaf of harness e has lifted up the pairs of tufting
warps a. In this position the ends of the several parcels of yarn hanging
down below the series of troughs are severally to be grasped by a series of
nippers, and drawn out and carried around the pairs of tufting warps; but
before this is done, the frame with its spool is detached from the chains and
carried down in front of the lay to the position represented in Fig. 5, so as to
be just over the tufting-warps. This is done in the following manner :- Just
over the lay when in its back position there is an horizontal arbor y, mounted
and turning in brackets,, in the frame, and on this arbor is mounted a
frame a', connected with the brackets z; a, by helical springs 6, 6; surrounding
the arbor, so that under certain circumstances the arbor may turn inde-
pendently of the said frame. This said frame carries two short arbors c³, c'.
one at each end, and at right angles to the main arbor y, and each of the said
arbors c', c', carries a claw arm d¹ at one end, and two short arms c', f', at the

page_text: other end. The short arms e¹, e¹, of the two arbors c¹, c¹, are connected
together by a helical spring g, the tension of which tends to separate the two
claws of the arms d', d'. The frame a' is kept in the position represented in
Figures 2 and 4 of the Drawings, by the tension of the helical springs b', b',
with the claws of the arms d', d', opposite the springs, which connect the
spool frame u with the chains k, k. The arbor y has an arm at one end,
connected by a rod with one arm of a lever 1, the other arm of which
carries a wrist pin, which is made to bear, by the tension of a spring k or its
weight, on the periphery of a cam l, on what is termed the figuring cam
shaft m. This cam has a depression at the point 1, and from the point 1 to 2
it gradually recedes from the axis to elevate one arm of the lever j, to turn
the arbor y, and thereby cause two short arms n³, n, projecting from it to act
on the arms f, f, of the arbors c', c', to overcome the tension of the spring g';"
and force the claw arms d', d', against the springs v, v, on the spool frame to
compress and liberate them from the chains k, k, and then the continued
motion of the arbor y will turn the frame a', to carry the spool frame thus
held between the claw arms to the required position just over the tufting
warps. The cam 7, from the point 2 to 3, is concentric, to keep the spool
frame in that position until the operation of cutting off .the tufts has been
completed; and then the cam, from the point 3 to 1, the place of beginning,
suddenly runs towards the axis to carry the spool frame back to the chains
and withdraw the claw arms from the springs that they may again take hold.
of the chains k, k, that that spool may be carried away, and the next in
succession brought to the required position for the next range of tufts.
The spool frame having been brought to the position described, that is, just
over the elevated tufting warps, the next operation is to draw the ends of the
several parcels of yarn down between and on the right side of the several pairs
of tufting. warps, then under and upon the left side. This is done by a series
of pairs of nippers o¹, equal in number to the number of pairs of tufting warps.
Only one pair of nippers is represented, as all the others are to be like it, and
attached and operated by the same means. One jaw of all the pairs of nippers
is attached to one bar p', and the other jaws to a similar, bar q¹. The bar
is connected by arms r¹, r, at the ends with a plate s', and in like manner the
bar q is connected by arms t', ', with a like plate u¹. These two plates s¹, u',
are connected with the face of a rocker v¹, by screws passing through slots or
elongated holes in the plates.
The two said plates at one end are connected each with one of two short
arms of a T lever w³, that has its fulcrum v, so that by operating the long
arm of the said lever w¹ in one direction, the two plates with the bars pl

page_text: and q, and their nippers attached, will be moved in one direction to open the
series of nippers, and when this arm is liberated the reverse action is produced
by the tension of a spring a to close the nippers.
The rocker vis hung in the upper ends of the two arms y', y', of a rock
shaft ', having its bearings in the main frame. For the purpose of imparting
some of the motions to the nipper apparatus, the rocker v¹ is provided with an
arm a², connected by a joint link 6 with one arm of a rocking lever c³, tliat
turns on a fulcrum pin at d³, and the other arm of the said lever is provided
with a wrist pin e, which bears by the weight of the parts against the
periphery of a cam f on the figuring cam shaft m'. The form of this cam ƒ³
is represented in Fig. 4, where the arrow represents the direction of the
rotation: From the point 1 to 2 the said cam gradually increases in radius,
to elevate the series of nippers which are then closed, and carry them up
through that part of the warp which is depressed; from the point 2 to 3 it is
concentric for a short distance, to suspend the elevating motion, while the
whole series of nippers are moved for a short distance to the right, that each
nipper may be brought directly under the space on the right side of one of the
pairs of tufting warps. This lateral movement is given by a face cam g³ on
the side of the cam f, which said face cam acts on the side of an arm h³ on
the rocker v¹ that carries the nipper bars, this motion being given to the said
rocker against the tension of a spring al, which is attached to one of the
arms y', so that it shall bear against the end of one of the journals of the said
rocker, the two journals thereof having end play in their bearings for that
purpose. The tension of this spring keeps the arm h³ against the face cam g²,
and gives the movement in the opposite direction when the face cam passes off**
from the arm. As soon as the nippers have been moved to the right, that
part of the cam f³, from the point 3 to 4, elevates the nippers, to carry them
up through the tufting warps, and from the point 4 to 5 the said cam is
concentric for a short distance, to suspend the elevating motion. while the
nippers are being opened. To open the nippers the long arm of the T lever w¹
is connected by a link with a lever k³, which is acted upon by a tappet
the figuring cam shaft' m³, and this has the effect of sliding the two nipper
bars in opposite directions to the distance required to open the nippers."
While the nippers are thus kept open by the said tappet, the slight swell on
the cam f, from the point 5 to 6, elevates them to bring them in the series of
troughs w, one jaw of each pair of nippers being in one trough on one side
of the parcel of yarn which it is to gripe, and the other jaw in the trough
on the other sides of the said parcel, so that the sides of the said troughs
on each side of each parcel will guide the nippers as they are brought forward
on

page_text: between the several parcels of yarn, preparatory to nipping or griping them.
The cam having thus elevated the nippers from the point 6 to 7, it is con-
centric to suspend the lifting or depressing motion until they are brought
forward to the required position for nipping, which is effected by another cam
m² on the same shaft m', and on the periphery of which a wrist pin n² on one
of the arms y rests. This cam m³, from the point 1 to 2, recedes towards the
axis to permit the arms y¹, y', with the whole nipper apparatus to move
forward, and from the point 2 to 3 the said cam is concentric, to suspend this
motion for a time. The moment the nippers have been moved forward, the
depression from the point 7 to 8, on the cam f, depresses the nippers below
the edges of the series of troughs w, that they may be closed to nip the yarns,
which closing is effected in immediate succession by the tappet 13 before
described, which then passes off from the lever ³ to permit the T lever w¹ to
be carried back by the tension of its spring, which closes the series of nippers
on to the series of parcels of yarn, the cam f being concentric from 8 to 9
while this movement is taking place. The further depression of the cam f³,
from the point 9 to 10, depresses the nippers to draw down the yarns between
the pairs of tufting warps, one parcel on the right-hand side of each pair of
warps, and then the cam from the point 10 to 11 is again concentric, while
the face cam 9 passes off from the arm h³, that the whole series of nippers
may be moved to the left under the tufting warps by the tension of the spring
a¹ before described. This last motion shifts the several nippers from the right
to the left-hand side of their respective pairs of tufting warps, and then the
swell on the cam f³, from the point 11 to 12, elevates the nippers to carry
the ends of the yarns up between, and on the other side of the several pairs of
warps. After the nippers are elevated they are opened to let go their hold of
the yarns, which is effected by the action of a tappet o³, like the one 1,
before described, placed on the same shaft and in the same line of rotation,
and operating in the same manner as the one before described, the cam f
from 12 to 18 being concentric to suspend. the elevation of the nippers for.
this purpose; then the cam f, from the point 18 to 14, continues to lift the.
nippers to carry them up entirely clear of the tufts in the fabric, and from.
the point 14 to 15 it is again concentric, while that part of the cam m², from
the point 3 to 4, carries the nippers back to clear the yarns; the said cam
then runs in from the point 15 to 16 to depress the. nippers so low as to be
out of the way of the operation of the lay, and from the point 16 to 1, the
place of beginning, it is concentric, to keep the nipping apparatus at rest
during the other operations of the loom. The moment that the nippers
have carried the tufting yarns upon the left side of the pairs of tufting warps,

page_text: and while the said nippers are being operated to liberate the said yarns,
the two leaves of harness ƒ and g that operate the body portion of the warp a,
and the binding-in warp b, are lifted up to bring these two portions of
warp up to the level of the tufting warp. The effect of this is to bring the
binding-in warps from their location relatively to the pairs of tufting warps,"
directly under the tufts which have just been laid around the tufting
warps, one such binding-in warp between the two threads of each pair of
tufting warps, and therefore under and about in the middle of that part of
the tuft which lies under each pair of tufting warps. This, it will be seen,
will hold the under part of the tufts for the time being, while at the same
time the body warps coming up from below, between the several pairs of
tufting warps, will bind the tufts at the side, and hold them sufficiently for the
after operations. While the tufts are so held, and immediately after the
headles ƒ and g have been lifted, a series of shears is brought into position and
operation to cut that portion of the yarn which forms the range of tufts from
the several parcels preparatory to the weaving-in operation, and the repetition
of the series of operations.
The shears p² are equal in number to the number of tufts in a range (one
pair only is represented, as they are all alike and operated by the same
means), and at the same distance apart. Each pair of shears consists of two
blades, connected together by a pin in the manner of cloth shears; and the
handle of one blade is pivoted to one plate 92, and the handle of the other in
like manner to another plate, and the handle of the one blade which is
pivoted to the plate q³ is a little longer than the handle of the other. The
two plates are laid on to each other, the lower edge of the plate q projecting
beyond the edge of the plate r³. These two plates have each an elongated
hole or slot near each end, and they are secured to a stock plate s² by means
of screws passing through the slots, and tapped into the stock s³, so that the
two plates can slide longitudinally in opposite directions on the said stock s².
One of the securing screws is also the fulcrum pin of a T lever t, the short
arms of which are provided with pins, which work in notches in the edges of
the two plates, that is, the one arm in the notch of one plate, and the pin
of the other arm in the notch of the other plate, so that when the long arm
of the said lever t is vibrated the two bars are moved in opposite directions,
which will have the effect of opening and closing the several shears of the
series. The stock så is attached to the ends of two arms u², u³, of a rock
shaft mounted in the frame, and surrounded by a helical spring w? attached
at one end to the frame, and at the other to the said rock shaft, so that
its tension tends to keep the shears in the elevated position represented in

page_text: Fig. 4 of the Drawings. One of the arms u² is connected by a joint link a
with the upper end of a lever y³, provided with a wrist pin, which bears
against the periphery of a cam on the figuring cam shaft m', and this cam
is concentric from the point 1 to 2, that the tension of the spring w may
keep the shears in their elevated position; and from 2 to 3 the said cam
runs out to draw the shears down, so that the blades will be just under that
part of the troughs on the spool frame where the parcels of yarn are hanging
down; from the point 3 to 4 this cam is concentric, to keep the shears in
that position during the cutting operation, and from 4 to 1, the place of
beginning, the cam recedes, to permit the tension of the spring to carry back
the shears to their elevated position. The position of the operative part of
this cam is such relatively to the cam f (which operates the nippers), as
represented in the Drawings, and with the view to give the motions in the
order described. As the shears are brought down and forward they are open,
that the blades of each pair may pass each side of the parcels of yarn, and
they are kept open by the tension of a spring a³, which tends to keep the lever
t in the position represented in the Drawings, Fig. 7, the said spring being
attached to the stock s², and to a connecting rod b³, which connects the long
arm of the lever t with one arm of a lever c, the other arm of which is con-
nected by a link d³ with another lever e³, which carries a wrist pin acted
upon by another cam f³, on the figuring cam shaft m'. The form of this
cam is such that the moment the shears have reached the required position,
the lever is depressed to close the blades of the shears and clip the yarns,
and then the cam passes off to permit the shears to be opened again before
they are moved back out of the way of the lay. As the apparatus for inserting
and cutting off the tufts remains still during the operations of weaving in, and
the lay is not operated during the operation of inserting and cutting off the
tufts, the mechanism is so arranged that the crank shaft t which operates
the lay is stopped while the figuring cam shaft is in operation, and vice versa.
This is effected in the following manner:-The fast driving pulley ³ is
attached to and turns with a spur wheel is loosely on the crank shaft t, which
operates the lay, and is connected therewith by a sliding clutch . The spur
wheel imparts motion to another spur wheel 3 on the shaft m³, which
operates the picker motion, and on this shaft by the side of a wheel there
is a pinion that turns thereon freely, and which is provided with a sliding
clutch o, and motion is imparted from the pinion n³ to the figuring cam
shaft m by a train of cog wheels p³ and ³. The two clutches and are
operated by the opposite ends of a lever, so that the vibrations of this lever
shall clutch the one when it unclutches the other, and vice versâ, thus stopping

page_text: the figuring cam shaft when the lay crank shaft is started, and stopping the
crank shaft when the cam shaft is started. This lever is operated at the
required periods by a cam s that acts on a lever t, which is connected by
a rod u with the end of the lever r³. This cam is on the headle cam shaft v³,
to be presently described, and the form of the cam is represented in Fig. 10
to vibrato the clutch lever at the periods of time indicated and specified.
The manner in which the heddle cam shaft receives motion is clearly repre-
sented, and will be herein-after described. So soon as the operations of the
shears have been completed, as above described, the clutches are shifted in
the manner already described, which suspends all the movements of a figuring
or tufting apparatus, and puts in action the crank shaft t, which is connected
by two rods s, s, with the lay a³, and this position of the clutches is maintained
during two entire revolutions of the cranks that the lay may give two beats in
succession, and then the clutches are shifted to suspend the further action of
the lay and re-start the figuring apparatus to insert the range of tufts, and so
on in succession.
The first beat of the lay is for beating up the range of tufts last inserted, to
carry them up to the required place next to the previous range in the fabric,
and this first beat takes placo before the weft thread is put in. It has
already been described, that in mounting the loom one dent of the reed is
placed between the two threads of each pair of tufting warps, and in con-
sequence of this the reed will act on the whole series of tufts, and force them
up to their place in the fabric, because the dent which is between the two
threads of each pair of warps strikes on that part of the tufts which extends
under each pair of tufting warps. But although the dents of the reed will
act properly on that part of the tufts, the upper part of the tufts extending
up above the warps require also to be forced up, and for this purpose there is
a thin metallic plate y placed in front of the reed, and supported by it. The
ends of this plate are fitted to slide up and down freely on rods in the lay,
so that the lower edge of the said plate will rest by gravity on the warps, and
will move freely up and down with them. As the lay moves forward to beat
up the tufts, the lower edge of this plate y³ will move on the warp threads,
and its front face will strike against that part of the tufts extending above the
warps, while the dents of the reed will act on the lower part. In this way
the tufts are properly controlled until they are properly bound in place by the
weaving-in operation.
During the operations of inserting the tufts the warp threads are liable to
be moved laterally, which might produce defects in the fabric. To prevent
this, there is a plate a', the ends of which are secured for adjustment in

page_text: elongated holes in the lower ends of pendulous rods b*, *, hung one on each
side by fulcrum pins to the frame in front of the lay. The pendulous rods
are provided with a spring c, the tension of which tends to carry them back
with the plate towards the lay, and against a stop d', which gauges their
movement backward as the lay recedes, and they are moved forward by the
rail of the lay striking against them in the forward beat.
The lower edge of the said plate a is grooved to correspond with the
position of the warp threads in the reed, and to receive them when they are
elevated by the operations of the headles. From this it will be seen that
when the tufting warps are elevated they will be held in the appropriate
grooves in this plate, so that they cannot be displaced laterally by the
operations of inserting the tufts. As the lay moves forward to beat up the
last range of tufts, the plate a' is forced forward out of the way, and on
the return motion of the lay the plate will be carried back to its appropriate
position by the spring ..
After the lay has forced the range of tufts to their place, and is moving
back, the two leaves of harness e and fare depressed to bring down the whole
of the warp a, and the other leaf of harness g remains up to keep the binding-
in warps 6 in. their elevated position. In this condition the picking motion
takes place to throw the weft threads across, which is then driven home by
the second beat of the lay, and bound in place by the crossing of the warps
in the usual way. Although it is preferred to give but two beats of the lay
for each complete operation, it will be obvious that the number of beats may
be varied. It will be evident also that the warps which were up before the
weft thread should be brought down, and those which were down carried up
to bind in the weft thread. After the weaving-in motions have been com-
pleted, the lay motions are again stopped, and the tufting apparatus again
started; but before this proceeds, the tufting warps, if depressed in the opera-
tions of weaving-in, must be elevated and the other warps depressed before
the tufting operations takes place, and for the reasons already described.
The three leaves of harness are operated by three vertical levers f, g, h,
the leaf being connected by two cords above with the upper end of a
lever f, and by one cord with the lower end of the same lever, thé said cords
passing over and under suitable guide rollers for that purpose; the leaf fis
connected in like manner with the lever 9', and the leaf g with the lever h
The said levers are hung on a fulcrum pin in the middle of their length, and
the lower part of each is enlarged and cut out, as at is, to extend on both.
sides of the cams j, k, l, by which they are operated alternately in opposite
directions to elevate and depress the headles.

page_text: There is one set of cams for each lever, each set consisting of two parts
placed side by side on the shaft, the one part acting on a projection m* of.
the lever to move it in one direction, and the other part acting on the pro-.
jection m' on the other side to move the lever in the opposite direction. The
set of cams joperate the lever f*, the set k*, the lever g', and the third l*, the
lever h, and the form of each should be such as to give the motions described,.
the required form being represented in Fig. 11 of the Drawings. Motion is
imparted continuously to the headle cam shaft from the picker shaft m³ by
a bevel pinion p' on the latter and a bevel wheel q' on the former. The
picking motion for throwing the weft thread is to be given between the first
and second beats of the lay, and may be given in any suitable manner, not.
necessary to describe and represent as it makes no part of this Invention.
It will be obvious from the foregoing that many changes may be made in
the construction and arrangement of machinery above described, within the.
range of the Invention, by the substitution of mechanical equivalents. For
instance, instead of winding the several parcels of tufting yarns on a series of.
spools, with each spool made of sufficient length to receive.all the parcels of
yarn required for an entire range of tufts, a series of small spools may be.
mounted on an arbor and substituted for each long spool. Instead of making
each range; with one tuft for each pair of tufting warps, the figure of the pilo
may be so disposed as to apply tufts to only a portion of the pairs of warps in
each range, but the mode of application first above described is preferable, as
the pile can be made more perfect and compact. Instead of having the spool
frames made, so that they can be separately detached from the chains and
brought down in close proximity with the warps for the tufting operation and
then re-attached to the chains, the whole apparatus carrying the spool frame may
be made moveable, to bring each spool frame in succession down in close prox-
imity with the warps, and then lifted up to get the spool frames out of the way.
Or, instead of lowering each spool frame separately, or the whole series together,
the required result may be obtained by giving a greater range of motion to the
whole series of nippers to take hold of the tufting. yarns and.draw them.down
between the warps, and when cut off the ends of yarns hanging down. may be
bent or moved out of the way of the lay when beating up the tufts and the
weft; but it is preferred to use the mechanism first above described for de-
taching the spool frames from the chains to bring them to the required position.
Instead of making the nippers as above described, the two jaws of each pair
may be pivoted together and opened, like the shears above described; and the
shears, instead of being pivoted and operated as above described, may be con-

page_text: nected and operated like the nippers first above described. Or the nippers and
shears may be made and operated in any other suitable manner which will
admit of operating the series simultaneously to perform the operations
described. Instead of connecting the bar which beats up the upper part of
the tufts with the lay, it may be disconnected from the lay and operated sepa-
rately, provided it be made to act in unison with the lay. The cross-grooved
bar for holding the tufting warps may be differently operated by being attached
to a sliding or vibrating frame, and moved up and down, and back and forth;
moved down close to the reed to receive the tufting warps when elevated, and
then forward to be sufficiently near to the nippers when inserting the tufts, to
prevent the warps from being moved laterally, and then up to be out of the
way of the lay. But the mode of application above described is preferable
from its simplicity. And so with the heddle motion, any other equivalent
mechanism for giving the required motions to the heddles may be substituted.
In conclusion, I would remark that I have pointed out the different modes
of application contemplated by the Inventor, in order to show that the
principles or modes of operation which constitute the said Invention may be
applied in various ways by the substitution of equivalent means.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in the
Manufacture of Tufted Pile Fabrics," as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent
I claim,
First, mounting the yarns for forming the ranges of tufts in parcels on
a series of spools, or equivalents therefor, in the order required for producing
the design or pattern required, so that each spool, or the equivalent therefor,
may be brought in succession to the required position for each range of tufts,
substantially as described.
Second, the mode of operation, substantially as herein described, by which
the spool frame required at each operation is brought down in close proximity
with the tufting warps and then carried out of the way of the lay when per-
forming its operations, as described.
Third, the mode of operation by which the tufts of yarn are introduced and
applied to the tufting warps, substantially as herein described.
Fourth, the mode of operation by which the tufts are cut off from the
yarns after they have been introduced and applied to the warps, substantially
as described.
Fifth, the mode of operation by which the tufts are carried to the required

page_text: place in the fabric by the combined action of the reed and plate, or any equi-
valent therefor, as described.
Sixth, and in combination with the several modes of operations by which
the tufts are introduced, the employment of the heddle motion, substantially
as described, for binding and holding the said tufts by the warp threads..
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.B.)