IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Meyer, of the City of Manchester, Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 27th June 1854, and dated the 15th April 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Meyer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
April 1854.
I, HENRY MEYER, of the City of Manchester, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING"
to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in an improved picking motion. "The pieces
composing this picking motion are put in operation by a tappet or excentric on
the tappet shaft. This tappet or excentric acts on a lever or curve projecting
from a horizontal shaft, to which is also attached a lever connected to the
picking stick by a strap or other means. The picking stick may be hinged in
the usual manner to the cross shaft of the lay swords; but I prefer to hinge it
on a swivel block; fitting on a stud projecting from the loom side.
Secondly, my Invention consists in an improved mode of governing the
picking of the shuttles in looms working with a drop box at either or both ends
of the lay. The mechanism for effecting this is put in operation by a jacquard

page_text: engine, the cards of which are pierced in such wise that the shuttles can be
picked in any required succession.
The last part of my Invention is also applicable to looms in which several
shuttles are used, and consists in an improved mode of arranging and working
the weft stoppers, and in keeping the weft of those shuttles that are not in use
free from the weft of the shuttle that has last been thrown across the shed.
The mechanism for effecting this is also brought into operation by the jacquard
engine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Meyer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th October 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
MEYER, of the City of Manchester, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the.
said Henry Meyer, Her special license that I, the said Henry Meyer,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Meyer, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Meyer,
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 Henry Meyer, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
that is to say-

page_text: to the horizontal shafts g, beyond the reach of the tappet.c, in.the following
manner: The length of the connecting rod is such that when the right-
hand wiper h is over one of the tappets c¹; the left-hand wiper is out of the
way of the other tappet, and vice versa. The jacquard engine, which is shewn
Figure 2; is furnished with cards in the usual manner, which act on two sets
of hooks, two of which are connected to the ends of a strap, passing
round the boss of the lever j'; this lever has a stud fixed in it taking into a
slot in the right-hand vertical lever . When one of the hooks j is elevated,
it causes the strap j to turn the lever half round, and when the other hook J
is raised, the lever j is moved half round in the contrary direction; and as
the right-hand vertical lever i.is connected to the lever by the stud before
mentioned, it is evident that the motion given to the hooks j brings the picking
inotion at either side of the loom in operation when required. The picking
sticks are each supported on a double swivel block, as seen in Figures 2
and 3. The upper fulcrum.studs, on which the picking sticks swivel towards
the loom sides, are fixed. in the brackets.f, and the lower studs on which the
picking sticks move to and fro with the lay or; batten pass through the swivel
blocks, and through the shoes in which the picking sticks are fastened in the
usual manner, by supporting the picking sticks, as above described, instead of
connecting them to the cross shaft of the lay, as is now customary; the picking
motion is steadier than usual, and the lay or batten is not influenced by the
picking motion.
The machinery for stopping the loom when the weft fails consists of
the ordinary weft fork, marked k, in Figures 1 and 4 This fork is sup-
ported at the end of the lever 1, the fulcrum of which is at ; the slot is
for the knocking off lever, which is made to throw the driving strap from the
fast pulley b' to the loose pulley be in the usual manner. The weft fork k
has a hook ¹, and this hook is placed as in other looms, above the segment
headed lever m, which is fixed to a cross shaft m; to this shaft is also attached
the lever me, which is raised and lowered by the excentric fixed on the
shaft n'. The shaft n¹ is driven by the pinion.c, fixed on the tappet shaft c,
gearing into the wheel-n; which-is-loose-on-the-shaft-n-but-carries_the_shaft.
round by a pin projecting from the face of the wheel coming in contact with
a lever keyed to the shaft, as shewn in Figure 2. n³ is a grooved pulley fixed
to the shaft n¹; a weighted cord' passes over this pulley, the object of which
will be explained hereafter. As it is sometimes requisite to move the anti-
friction roller projecting from the lever m² beyond the reach of the excentricn,
the end of the lever mis furnished with a slot, in which enters a stud pro-

page_text: jecting from the lever o, seen best in Figure 2.
This-lever is provided with a
boss, around. which passes the strap ol, which is connected to the elbow
levers o² and o, the latter of which is connected to the jacquard engine! The
lever m² is connected to the shaft m' by means of the piece m³ this piece
has a stud m, which serves as fulcrum for the lever-m and a curved slot,
shewn in Figure 4, through which the other bolt connecting the. lever m² and
piece m³ passes. The Drawing, Figure 4, represents the lever m² in the position
for being, acted upon by the excentric n; but when, it is requisite to move
the lever into the position indicated, by dotted lines in Figure 4, one of the
jacquard hooks jis made to raise the horizontal arm of the elbow, lever o³,
see Figure 2. By this means, the strap o' is raised and turns the lever o
half round, the stud, of which takes into the slot of the lever m², as before
described; the anti-friction roller projecting from the lever m² is thus brought
beyond the reach of the excentric'n, consequently no motion, is imparted
to the segment-headed lever m. This contrivance only comes into operation
when all the shuttles are in the drop box furthest from the, weft fork, as
in this. case no weft acts on the fork, and without this provision the loom
would be stopped at the succeeding stroke of the lay. When the lever m²
is required in its original position, the jacquard again acts on the elbow
levers o and o
:
.. !
:
The improved arrangement of machinery for holding some of the weft
threads out of the way of the weft fork
consists of the following parts,
When a shuttle has arrived in
which are seen best in Figures 4 and 5.
the shuttle box, at the weft fork side of the loom, and its weft has acted
on the weft fork, this weft must be taken out of the way before the second
shuttle arrives at the same side; and the weft of this shuttle must be taken
out of the way before the third shuttles arrives, and so on, if more, than three
shuttles are employed:
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On referring to Figure 4, it will be seen that there are 2 bent wires, marked
p and p which are placed so as to reach on each side of the weft fork k; these
wires fit in-recesses in the lay bottom, as shewn in Figure 2, and each bent
wire is attached to the upper end of a rod p², the lower ends of which are
jointed to the elbow levers p³ and p', loose on the shaft p; these elbow levers
are actuated by the following mechanism, which is very similar to that for
working the drop box, described in the. Specification of former Letters' Patent
granted to me on the Tenth day of August; One, thousand eight hundred and
fifty. The box marked q, in Figure 4, imparts motion to the elbow lever p³
and bent,wire-p, and the other box imparts motion to the elbow lever.pt.

page_text: and bent wire p¹. Each box has two shafts q² and q³, seen best in Figures 7
and 8, which are furnished with square plates q, and with excentrics shewn by
dotted lines; these plates are acted upon by the catches q5, hinged to the levers
9, and they are held by the latches q'. In the front of each box is a slide 98,
which is provided with two hooks-q10, and the upper end of each slide is con-
nected to one of the levers p and p by the links p, as shewn in Figure 8.
Upon the shaft n are fixed the excentrics n, which move up and down the
levers n, the ends of which have hooks n", by which the hooks q are raised or
lowered when required; the levers q are in communication with the jacquard
engine by means of the hooks j, see Figure 2, which are connected to elbow
levers placed behind the one marked o³; these elbow levers are again in con-
nexion with those marked q¹¹ and q12, the cords from which are attached to the
levers .
By this arrangement, when it is requisite to raise the bent wire p,
in order to lift the weft from the first shuttle out of the way of the second.
shuttle, the jacquard hooks in communication with the elbow levers q¹¹ raise
the catches, thereby turning partly round the shafts q² and q³; the action of
the latter on the stop hook q³ (whose fulcrum is at q³) pushes that hook from
under the slide gs, the slide is then at liberty to descend; the hook 210, which
had before been pushed forward, so that it catches on the upper hook nº,
prevents the slide descending until the shaft n', in revolving, allows the lever
n, bearing on the cam nt, to descend, thereby lowering the slide q³; and as
this slide is connected to one end of the lever p³, it is evident that the other end
thereof is elevated, and with it the bent wire p, as shewn by the dotted lines in
Figure 5. The upper shaft g² must be moved at the same time as the lower
shaft q, in order that the excentric upon it may liberate the back of the other
hook q, so that the said hook may move out of the way of the ascending hook
n. The other bent wire p¹ is elevated in the same manner by the jacquard
acting on the elbow levers q¹². When it is requisite to lower the bent wires p
and p, the jacquard, by acting on one of the lower catches q', places the cor-
responding hook q¹ over the lower hook n"; consequently the excentric or cam
n, in elevating the lever no, raises the slide 9, thereby depressing the bent.wire
por p', with which it is in connexion. As soon as the slide has been raised,
the hook q is drawn by a spring into the position shewn in Figure 5, thereby
supporting the slide until it is again lowered, as before described. The requisite
motion is given to the drop boxes e² by means of the box 7, and parts acting in
combination therewith, as shewn best in Figures 2, 3, and 4. This box is
constructed on the same principle as those marked g and q', above described.
In the present instance the box is constructed to work a three-tier drop box,

page_text: but one with a greater or less number of compartments may be used instead.
The treadles, see Figure 3, are constantly moving up and down, being
actuated by the tappets, both of which are fixed on a tube
loose on the
tappet shaft c, but made to revolve at the same speed by the wheel 2, which is
fixed to the shaft n', gearing into the pinion c' fixed to the tube c³; the object
of this tube will be explained hereafter. To the ends of the treadles ¹ are
fixed the hooks 73. The box has three shafts s, each of which has a square
plate s¹ (only one of which is shewn in the Drawing), by which the shafts are
turned round. The levers s", which are in communication with the hooks j of
the jacquard, have catches s³ hinged to them, and these catches in rising come
against and cause the plates s¹ to perform the fourth of a revolution at each
move. In Figures 1, 2, and 3, the drop boxes are shewn up, that is to say,
the lowest compartments are on a level with the shuttle race. Each drop box is
connected by a rod to a lever ; both the levers are fixed on a cross shaft
; to this shaft is also fixed the lever 2, connected by the link to the slide s¹,
which is moved up or down by the treadles in the following. manner :-To
one or both of the levers is fixed a weight, as shewn in Figure 3. This
weight and the weight of the shuttle boxes must overcome the weight of the
slide st, which is thereby pushed upwards. Upon the shafts s are excentrics,
which act on the hooks s5, hinged.to the slide s', and when either of the shafts s
is turned partly round, the hook s is pushed forward by one of the said excentrics
until it comes under one of the hooks attached to the treadles. The drop
boxes being now up, as soon as it is necessary to bring the shuttle in the centre
compartment of the drop boxes in a line with the shuttle race, one of the
jacquard hooks j is raised, thereby elevating the middle lever s2, the catch s³ of
which in rising turns the shaft s round one-fourth of a revolution; by so doing
the excentric upon it pushes back the retaining hook s; the hook s of the
lowest shaft s having previously been moved under the hook, is in the proper
position for rising with the treadle, to which the said hook is attached. The
weight on the lever then causes the hook s to catch into the hook, and
the treadle in revolving elevates the slide s', and with it the lever, the effect
of which is to lower the levers, and with them the drop boxes e², thereby
bringing the centre compartment of the drop box in a line with the shuttle
race. The shuttle boxes remain in this position until another change in their
position is required, each change being governed by the jacquard engine, as
before mentioned. The jacquard engine is worked by the excentric t fixed to
the tube ; this excentric gives motion to the lever t', seen best in Figures
2, 3, and 4. The bar t is jointed below to the lever t' and above to the lever t³

page_text: of the jacquard. The taking-up motion, which is shewn in Figure 3; is worked
by the excentric u fixed. on the tube c³; this excentric gives motion to the
upright lever u', which is connected by the link u² to the slot lever ³, to which
is jointed the link us, which gives motion to the catch lever u, jointed to the
stud: of the ratchet wheel us; from whence the requisite motion is given to
the taking-up roller by a train of wheels and pinions in the ordinary manner.
I,will now proceed to describe, why the excentrics t and u and tappets are
fixed upon
the tube ³, instead of being fixed on the shaft c. When the loom
has been stopped by the parts in connexion with the weft fork, owing to the
absence of the weft, it is often requisite to reverse the direction of motion of
the loom in order to find. the lost weft. Now, as the, excentrics and tappet
above mentioned are on a loose tube, and as the shaft n' is taken round by the
pin: projecting from the face of the wheel n acting on the lever, fixed to the
shaft n', as before described, it is evident that the tappet shaft can- revolve in
the reverse direction without giving motion to the shaft n', which is maintained
in its position by the weighted cord passing over the friction pulley n³. When
the weaver has introduced a fresh end of weft, the parts of the loom that had
been turned back are again brought to their original position; the pin in the
wheel n² then.comes in contact with the lever, and the loom is again ready, to
be started: In Figures 5 and 6. I have shewn how my improved picking
motion may be applied to looms, in which the tappet c' is fixed on the crank
shaft; in this instance the wiper h on the' shaft 9 is turned upwards, and the
motion is communicated to the picking sticks f, as before mentioned; in
reference to Figures 1 and 2. When my improved picking motion is applied
to looms in which only one shuttle is employed, and the tappets c¹ are fixed
to the tappet shaft, the shaft g may be supported in two stationary bearings,
and the lever i may be dispensed with. When the picking motion is driven.
from the crank shaft of an ordinary loom, the levers i must be actuated so as to
bring the wipers alternately beyond the reach of the tappet c', by excentrics
on the tappet shaft.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my Invention, I wish it
to be understood that I make no claim to the machinery herein before described
for actuating the drop boxes, for taking up the cloth, and for reversing the
direction of motion in certain parts of the loom, while the others remain
stationary, these parts being only introduced to illustrate more fully the
nature of my present Invention; but what I do claim is,
First, the improved combinations of machinery, herein-before shewn and
described, for throwing or picking the shuttle across the shed...

page_text: Secondly, the improved mode of working the shuttles in any required suc-
cession, as shewn and described.
Thirdly, supporting the picking stick on a double fulcrum, as shewn and
described.
Fourthly, the improved combination of machinery for preventing the
stoppage of the loom when all the shuttles are in the shuttle box furthest from
the weft fork, as shewn and described.
And, lastly, the improved combination of machinery for removing the weft
threads out of the way of the weft fork, as shewn and described.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Meyer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-four.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named Henry Meyer in the presence of
H. B. BARLOW,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
HENRY MEYER. (L.S.)