Improvements in Shuttle Guards of Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Shuttle Guards of Looms for Weaving.
I, NORMAN BLEZARD, of Guy Foundry, Padiham, in the County of Lancaster*
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention has for its object, the production of an effective and durable shuttle
guard at as low a cost, and with as few parts, as is compatible with the obtention of a
really good and serviceable appliance..
My improved shuttle guard consists of the usual rod extending from one end to the
other of the slay cap, which is designed preferably to be put into and out of position
by the weaver as required, but it may be arranged to be worked automatically, if
desired. The essential feature of the invention consists in so arranging, adapting,
forming or bending the wire rod or guard that the same shall move in side brackets
secured to the slay cap in such a manner as to spring with a lateral or side motion
into a groove or recess at the side of the brackets, when it is in position to act as a
guard, but it may be readily removed by the weaver out of the way, or depressed by
hand, and in such case it will fall flat against the bottom side of the slay cap, thus
giving ample room for the weaver to take up ends without obstruction. The springing
of the rod in position is effected by the peculiar construction of the guard or rod
itself, without the employment of any springs or other elastic attachments to bring
and hold it in the required position.
The object of my invention is accomplished by the following details :-I cast the
side brackets with a flat faced projection at right angles to its base. In the flat side
of this projection is formed a horizontal groove leading into a hole formed or bored at
the side of the bracket near the slay cap. The base of the bracket is secured to the
slay cap by screws.
In order to obtain the requisite spring or elasticity, the guard or rod is extended
beyond the brackets U shaped at each end, and is then bent somewhat shaped at
right angles to the U bend. The extreme end of the ☐ bend is pushed into the hole
near the side groove in the two brackets. One bracket may be fixed when the end
of the rod or guard is introduced, but the other must be sufficiently loose, that the
other end of the rod may be inserted, and the bracket pushed forward, and firmly
secured to the slay cap, so that the guard or rod by its novel formation will be self-
acting as regards springing into position in the side groove when raised to serve as a
shuttle guard without the use of springs. The other portion of the L bend to that
working in the hole in the bracket comes into the groove, the bent U shaped extension
giving the necessary spring.
To remedy the defect that may be caused by the guard or rod working glad after
much use in the side grooves of the brackets, 1 form one of the said brackets with
lateral slots for fixing, so that the bracket may be pushed forward.
It is now prevented from shifting (after the screws in the slots have been
tightened) by a screw introduced into a semicircular counter-sinking at the end of
the bracket. A star plate or Maltese cross capable of being turned on a central stud

page_text: or screw and having arms formed with recesses in them of varying depths may now
be brought with one of the recesses against the screw at the end of the bracket, so as
to firmly hold the latter in position, and prevent any displacement.
1907
I, NORMAN BLEZARD of Guy Foundry Padiham, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinist, 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 :-
This invention has for its object the production of an effective and durable shuttle
guard at as low a cost, and with as few parts, as is compatible with the obtention of a
really good and serviceable appliance.
My improved shuttle guard consists of the usual rod extending from one end to
the other of the sley cap, which is designed preferably to be put into and out of
position by the weaver as required, but it may be arranged to be worked automatically,
if desired. The essential feature of the invention consists in so adapting, forming or
bending the wire rod or guard that the same shall move in side brackets secured to
the sley cap in such a manner as to spring with a lateral or side motion into a groove
or recess at the side of the brackets, when it is in position to act as a guard, but it
may be readily removed by the weaver out of the way, or depressed by hand, and in
such case it will fall flat against the bottom side of the sley cap, thus giving ample
room for the weaver to take up ends without obstruction. The springing of the rod
in position is effected by the peculiar construction of the guard or rod itself, without
the employment of any springs or other elastic attachments to bring and hold it in
the required position.
The object of my invention is accomplished by the following details:-I cast the
side bracket with a flat faced projection at right angles to its base. In the flat side
of this projection is formed a horizontal groove leading into a hole formned or bored at
the side of the bracket near the sley cap. The base of the bracket is secured to the
sley cap by screws.
In order to obtain the requisite spring or elasticity, the guard or rod is extended
beyond the brackets U shaped at each end, and is then bent somewhat L shaped at
right angles to the U bend. The extreme end of the L bend is pushed into the hole
near the side groove in the two brackets. One bracket may be fixed when the end of
the rod or guard is introduced, but the other must be sufficiently loose, that the other
end of the rod may be inserted, and the bracket pushed forward and firmly secured to
the sley cap so that the guard or rod by its novel formation will be self acting as
regards springing into position in the side groove when raised to serve as a shuttle
guard without the use of springs. The other portion of the L bend to that working
in the hole in the bracket comes into the groove, the bent U shaped extension giving
the necessary spring.
To remedy the defect that may be caused by the guard or rod working glad after
much use in the side groove of the brackets, I form one of the said brackets with
lateral slots for fixing, so that the bracket may be pushed forward.
It is now prevented from shifting (after the screws in the slots have been
tightened) by a screw introduced into a semicircular countersinking at the end of
the bracket.

page_text: A star plate or Maltese cross capable of being turned on a central stud or screw,
and having arms formed with recesses in them of varying depths may now be brought
with one of the recesses against the screw at the end of the bracket, so as to firmly
hold the latter in position, and prevent any displacement.
In order that my invention may be fully understood, I have hereunto attached the
accompanying drawing with reference figures marked thereon.
A is the rod or guard which is so bent, shaped, and adapted that the same may
when it is desired to act as a guard be moved by the weaver so as to spring with a
lateral movement into a groove formed at the side of brackets B and C, which hold
the guard; but when the weaver requires to take up ends or broken warp threads, the
shuttle guard may be pushed out of the lateral groove, when it will fall underneath the
sley cap out of the way.
The drawing represents my improved shuttle guard in position to prevent the
shuttle flying out. To give the necessary spring to the guard it is formed with a
U bend D; and the L portion E is assumed to have sprung in a side groove in the
flat faced semicircular projection F of the brackets B and C, by which it is held. The
rod is further bent to enter holes G of the brackets. The side groove is slightly
shewn at H on the bracket C. The brackets may be secured to the sley cap J by
screws or otherwise. When put out of the way, nearly the entire U shaped portion
of the guard falls under the sley cap, or it may be also arranged to be turned in the
opposite direction, in which case the guard stands high up against the face of the
sley cap leaving the course entirely clear to take up ends. To give additionl spring
to the guard, the wire may be coiled once round at the U bend.
By constant wear and tear, the guard or rod A may have a tendency to become
glad and work too freely in the said grooves. To remedy this possible defect we
employ a kind of star plate or Maltese cross K having arms or recesses formed in
them. The bracket C is formed with a semicircular recess on one side, and a similar
or corresponding recess on the Maltese cross is brought opposite it, and the screw L
tightened down, whereby the bracket is held firm. The Maltese cross swivels on the
screw or stud M, and its recesses vary in depth, so that the bracket may be adjusted
in the slots O, and pushed forward, the recesses being countersunk to allow the
screw L to be screwed further up.
In this way, the bracket C may be adjusted to ensure the guard A being sprung in
position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The improved construction of shuttle guard consisting of a wire rod or guard A
bent as shewn, so as to be capable of springing laterally into side grooves in
brackets B and C, substantially as described and illustrated in the drawing.
2. In combination with the above form of shuttle guard, the means employed for
adjusting and holding bracket C in case the guard should work slack, substantially as
described and illustrated.
This ath day of Auril 1907