Improvements in and connected with Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Looms for Weaving.
I, WILLIAM RODGER, of 3 Abbotsford Road, Galashiels, in the County of
Selkirk, North Britain, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said invention relates to loom mechanism generally of the kind, and having
objects similar to what is described in my Patent Specification No. 8859 of 1894,
and it comprises further improvements in or modifications of the details of such
mechanism, and more especially has to do with the mode of laying, from outside
rolls or the like at the sides of the loom, of a loop or doubled portion of weft at
each pick in each shed, the loop end being cut to release it from the shuttle,
and each weft forming a partial selvedge at the side from which it enters the
shed.
By my present invention the rocking spindle carried by the lathe rail is made
more conveniently applicable in some cases by being made in two parts which are
in the same line and are similarly moved, but are separated by a length about
equal to the width occupied by the warps. The spindles are held in brackets
made with dovetails fitting in and adjustable along a dovetail groove formed in
the lathe rail. In some cases there may be another spindle extending about the
full length of the race and parallel to the two end spindles, this long spindle being
in two or four parts moved independently of each other; or when in four parts
each part may be connected to the next part but one so as to move with it.
With these arrangements of spindles each part can with advantage be rocked to
a greater extent than in my former arrangements. All or any of the spindles may
derive their movements from the beat-up of the lathe by means of devices such
as are described in my earlier specification, or any parts of the long spindle may
receive reversed rocking movements from the end spindles by means of pinions
gearing the spindles to each other.
I now make the shuttle act on triggers, levers, or projections having to do with
the wefts, by its ends instead of by cam protuberances on its top surface.
For the purpose of laying a loop or doubled weft length in each shed, I employ
a shuttle or wefting instrument having its ends shaped for being picked and
preferably armed with conical metal striking points. The inuer side of the shuttle
is mainly of wood but may have a strip of metal inserted to balance the shuttle
and counteract the weight of the outer side and the strain of pulling the weft.
I also, preferably recess the bottom of the shuttle to diminish friction leaving
projecting parts to act as runners. In a groove in the outer side of the shuttle
there is fixed by bent ends a rod having sliding freely on it a small block having
a button-like stud; and at or near the entrance of each shuttle box a stop is fixed
to be encountered by the stud, which when the shuttle homes causes the stud to
slide to the then inner end of the shuttle.
On the shuttle being picked its stud engages with the weft thread then held in
a suitable position by a weft guide, and carries the weft in loop form through the
shed. The weft guide is a bent lever centered on a depending bracket adjustably
secured in the groove of the lathe rail; and is moved into and out of position by
the rocking spindle at that end. To insure the weft being without snarls and in
proper position for being engaged by the shuttle stud, a lever or finger carried by

page_text: the lathe bears down the slack at the proper time by the action of a cord attached
to the breast beam and tightening when the lathe moves back, the finger being
weighted so as to turn up when the cord slackens on the lathe beating up. This
bearing down of the weft between the fell of the cloth and the weft guide
is arranged to take place at each side only when the pick is about to take
place from that side.
On the shuttle emerging from the shed through which it has drawn the loop of
weft, its then leading end acts on a trigger or lever centered on the rocking
spindle at that side, and the trigger by a cord or equivalent acts on a combined
scissor-like cutting and gripping device in a manner to make the jaws thereof
descend and take hold of the two sides of the loop of weft close to the then inner
or following end of the shuttle. The scissor piece made somewhat like ordinary
scissors but with a pair of added links forming a lazy-tongs arrangement, has at
the two middle joints elongated pins which extend through vertical guide slots in
a depending bracket secured in the dovetail groove of the lathe rail; and the
cord from the trigger is guided and attached to a. suitable part of the lazy-tongs
parts in a manner to depress and close the jaws when it is pulled. The scissor
piece may be held up by a spring catch arranged to be released by the first part
of the pull of the trigger cord. The cutting parts may be shaped to cut only the
upper side of the loop, the cut releasing the loop from the shuttle stud. The
gripping jaws of the scissor piece are roughened and made with projections and
indentations or slots, to insure their taking hold of the weft ends without fail.
After each action the scissor piece is raised by a fork acting beneath the two
ends of one of the joint pins, this fork being upon a vertically moving bar at
the breast beam, and being raised on the lathe beating up, by a small lever
or cam moved by a piece carried by the lathe and then in position to so act.
As a loop is being picked the part of the weft between the shuttle stud and the
thread guide is slacker than the other part between the. stud and the fell, it is
necessary to compensate for this in a manner to equalise the tension of the two
sides of the loop before the beat-up takes place. For this purpose the weft is
passed through two stationary guide eyes between which there is a guide eye in a
lever which at the proper time is moved to draw out a loop between the two
stationary guide eyes so as to temporarily take up the slack of the weft. The
lever, which is mounted on a bracket secured in the dovetail groove of the lathe
rail, is acted on by a projection on an overhanging bracket fixed to the traversing
bar at the breast beam, the projection acting on and passing over a short upwardly
projecting arm on the lever, as the lathe beats up. When the lathe moves back
the traversing bar has moved the bracket so that its projection is then to one side
of the lever and does not then act on it. When this slack reducing lever acts
the weft is prevented from being drawn off the roll by a weighted gripper,
which is subsequently opened by the lever on returning to its normal position.
In order that the cut ends of the weft projecting from the selvedge may not
interfere with the proper action of the loom temples, I modify the barrel or the
ring or star temple in a manner to allow the cut ends to pass freely. In the case
of the barrel temple I cause it to be held by its inner instead of its outer end, a
space being kept round the outer end to allow the weft ends to pass; and in the
case of the ring temple I form a slot in the holding bracket or case so as to allow
the weft ends to pass.
To prevent projecting weft ends from being carried into a shed when the shuttle
from which they have just been detached is next picked, I provide a pair of tongs
upon a bracket adjustably fixed on the breast beam, a short arm on the movable
jaw of the tongs being counected by a cord or equivalent to the lathe batten. On
the beat-up these tongs project in just at the inner side of the scissor piece and
are made to take bold of the weft ends held by the jaws of the scissor piece by the
forward action of a piece on the lathe batten against the short arm of the movable
jaw, the cord afterwards opening the tougs again. These tongs may be made with
two pairs of blades on the same centre or axis, and between the two upper blades

page_text: there may be a sharp knife made to descend aud cut the weft ends whilst firmly
held by the tongs.
For weaving with a succession of wefts of different colors or otherwise different,
very simple additional devices are required with my improved loom mechanism.
At each side of the loom there are as many guide eyes as there are different wefts
at the lower ends of as many small vertical rods which are movable vertically in a
small slide block movable horizontally at right angles to the lathe rail in guides in
a bracket secured in the dovetail groove of the lathe rail. The guide rods are held
up by springs, the one to be used for any pick being depressed by the lever
herein before described as a weft guide and bent lever, the leg with the guide eye
at its lower end (for a simple kind of weft) being absent. The slide block is moved
by any suitable pattern mechanism so as to place the guide rod to be used for each
pick in position to be acted on by the bent lever at the proper time. In order to
deal with several different wefts the mechanism hereinbefore described for taking
up slack is made with guide eyes for the several wefts._
Instead of the weft guide or guides for one or more kinds of weft being near the
warps they may, at each side of the loom, be placed to the outer side of the
scissor piece, the parts connected with them being suitably placed to correspond.
Some of the improvements comprised in my present invention may be used
instead of or in combination with devices described in my earlier specification.
Dated this Twelfth day of February 1896.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
proveme
Looms
eaving.
I, WILLIAM RODGER, of 3, Abbotsford Road, Galashiels, in the County of
Selkirk, North Britain, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention relates to loom mechanism generally of the kind, and having
objects similar to what is described in my Patent Specification No. 8859 of 1894;
and it comprises further improvements in or modifications of the details of such
mechanism and more especially has to do with the mode of laying, from outsid
rolls or the like at the sides of the loom, of a loop or doubled portion of weft &!
each pick in each shed, the loop end being cut to release it from the shuttle, and
each weft forming a partial selvedge at the side from which it enters the shed.
In describing my present improvements I shall refer to two accompanying sheet.
of explanatory drawings representing portions of looms of the kind to which my
invention applies, the figures being severally described when referred to. In the
drawings the same reference letters and numerals are used to mark the same or
like parts wherever they are repeated.
By my present invention the rocking spindle, A, Figure, 1, Sheet, 1, which is a
front elevation showing the left-hand end of the lathe and other parts, Figures, 2,
and 3, being corresponding vertical cross sections; carried by the lathe rail, B, is
made more conveniently applicable in some cases by being made in two parts of
which one is shown, and which are in the same line but separated by a length
about equal to the width occupied by the warps. Each spindle, A, is held in
brackets, A 1, made with dovetails fitting in and adjustable along a dovetail groove
formed in the lathe rail, B. ·
In some cases, as shown in Figures, 4, and 5, a front elevation and a vertical
cross section, there may be another spindle, A 2, extending about the full length
of the race, B 1, and parallel to the two end spindles, A, this long spindle, A. 2,

page_text: being in two or four parts moved independently of each other; or when in four
parts, as shown in Figure, 4, each part may be connected by a wire, A 3, to the
next part but one so as to move with it. With these arrangements of spindles
each part can with advantage be rocked to a greater extent than in my former
arrangements. All or any of the spindles may derive their movements from the
beat-up of the lathe by means of devices such as are described in my earlier
Specification, or any parts of the long rocking spindle, A 2, may receive reversed
rocking movements from the end spindles, A; by means of pinions, A 4, (Figures, 4, 5)
gearing the spindles to each other.
Figures, 6, 7, and 8, are a plan, side elevation, and end elevation of any improved
shuttle or wefting instrument, which I make to act on triggers, levers, or pro-
jections having to do with the wefts, by its ends instead of by cam protuberances on
its top surface.
For the purpose of laying a loop or doubled weft length in each shed I employ
a shuttle, C, (Figures, 6, 7, 8) having its ends armed with metal striking
points, C1, for receiving the picking impact. The inner side of the shuttle, C, is
inainly of wood, but may have a strip of metal inserted to balance the shuttle and
counteract the weight of the outer side and the strain of pulling the weft. I also,
preferably, recess the bottom of the shuttle as shown in Figure, 8, to diminish
friction, leaving projecting parts to act as runners. In a groove, C2, in the
outer side of the shuttle there is fixed at its ends a rod, C 3, having sliding freely
on it a small block having a button-like stud, C4; and at or near the entrance of
each shuttle box, D, (Figure, 1) a stop, D 1, is fixed, to be encountered by the
stud, C 4, which when the shuttle homes causes the stud to slide to the then inner
end of the shuttle.
On the shuttle being picked its stud, C4, engages with the weft thread, E,
(Figure, 1) then held in a suitable position by a weft guide, E 1, and carries the
weft in loop form through the shed. As arranged for a single kind of weft, the
weft guide, E 1, is best seen in Figures, 11, 12, on Sheet, 2, these figures being
a part plan and a part front elevation. The guide, E1, is a bent lever,
centered on a depending bracket, F, adjustably secured in the groove of the lathe
rail, B, and is moved into and out of position by the rocking spindle, A, at that
end. To insure the weft, E, being without suarls and in proper position for being
engaged by the shuttle stud, C4, a lever or finger, G, carried by the lathe bears
down the slack at the proper time, by the action of a cord, G 1, attached to the
breast beam, H, and tightening when the lathe moves back, the finger, G, being
weighted so as to turn up when the cord slackens on the lathe beating up. This
bearing down of the weft between the fell of the cloth and the weft guide, E1,
is arranged to take place at each side only when the pick is about to take place
from that side.
On the shuttle emerging from the shed through which it has drawn the loop of
weft, its then leading end acts as shown in Figure, 17, on a trigger or lever, H 1,
centered on the rocking spindle, A, at that side, and the trigger by a cord, H 2, or
equivalent acts on a combined scissor-like cutting and gripping device in a manner
to make the jaws thereof descend and take hold of the two sides of the loop of
weft close to the then inner or following end of the shuttle. The scissor piece, J,
which is shown Figures, 11, 12, and 16, and as enlarged in Figure, 19, is made
somewhat like ordinary scissors but with a pair of added links, J1, forming a
lazy-tongs arrangement, and has at the two middle joints elongated pins, J 2, J 3,
which extend through vertical guide slots in a depending bracket, J4, secured in
the dovetail groove of the lathe rail, B; and the cord, H 2, from the trigger, H1,
is guided by a pulley and attached to a part of the lazy-tongs arrangement in a
manner to depress and close the jaws, J 5, when it is pulled. The scissor piece, J,
is held up by a spring catch, J 6, (Figure, 12) which the cord, H 2, releases the end of
the cord being fixed to a small bellcrank, J 7, which moves the catch, whilst a knot on
the cord acts on a lug on one of the upper scissor links, J 1, through a hole in which
lug the cord passes. The cutting parts, J 5, may be shaped to cut only the upper

page_text: sile of the weft loop, the cut releasing the loop from the shuttle stud. The
gripping jaws, J 5, of the scissor piece are roughened and made with projections
and indentations or slots to insure their taking hold of the weft ends without fail.
The scissor piece is prevented from rebounding when moved down, and the jaws
from opening by a pair of springs, J 8, Figure, 19, between which the joint pin, J 3,
descends passing projections on the springs at the end of its downward movement.
After each action the scissor piece, J, is raised by a fork, K, (Figures 11, 16)
acting beneath the two ends of one J 2, of the joint pins, this fork being upon a
vertically moving bar, K 1, at the breast beam, H, and being raised on the lathe
beating up, by a small lever or cam, K 2, moved by a piece, K 3, carried by the
lathe and then in position to act.
As a loop is being picked the part of the weft between the shuttle stud, C4, and
the weft guide, E I, is slacker than the other part between the stud and the fell,
it is necessary to compensate for this in a manner to equalise the tension of the two
sides of the loop before the beat-up takes place. For this purpose the weft, E, is
passed through two stationary guide eyes, E 2, E3, between which there is a
guide eye in a lever, E 4, which at the proper time is moved to draw out a loop
between the two stationary guide eyes, so as to temporarily take up the slack of
the weft. The lever, E 4, which is mounted on a bracket, E 5, secured in the
dovetail groove of the lathe rail, B, is acted on by a projection on an overhanging
bracket, E 6, fixed to the traversing bar, E 7, at the breast beam, the projection
acting on and passing over a short upwardly extending arm on the lever, E 4, as
the lathe beats up. When the lathe moves back, if the traversing bar, E 7, has
not moved the bracket, E 6, to one side, the lever, E 4, escapes by lifting the
extremity of the projection which is jointed in a manner to yield only when so
lifted. When the slack reducing lever, E6, acts the weft is prevented from being
drawn off the roll by a weighted gripper, E 8, which is subsequently opened by the
lever on returning to its normal position.
In order that the cut ends of the weft projecting from the selvedge may not
interfere with the proper action of the loom temples I modify the barrel or the
ring or star temple in a manner to allow the cut ends to pass freely. In the case
of the barrel temple, the cover, L, of which is seen in the plan view Figure, 11,
I cause it to be held by its inner instead of its outer end, a space being kept round
the outer end to allow the weft ends to pass. The cover, L, is held by a two-armed
bracket, and the spindle of the temple barrel, is fixed by its inner end to the
bracket, L 1, holding it. In the case of the ring temple, which is shown in pian in
Figure, 14, and in side elevation or edge view in Figure, 15, I form a slot in the
holding bracket or case, L 2, so as to allow the weft ends to pass.
On
To prevent projecting weft ends from being carried into a shed when the shuttle
from which they have just been detached is next picked, I provide a pair of tongs
shown in Figure, 16, on a bracket, M, adjustably fixed on the breast beam, H.
The tongs consist of a stationary arm, M 1, and a movable arm, M2, the latter
having a bellcrank arm, M 3, which is connected by a cord to the lathe batten.
the beat up these tongs project in just at the inner side of the scissor piece, J, and
are made to take hold of the weft ends held by the jaws of the scissor piece by the
forward action of a piece, M 4, on the lathe batten against the short arm, M 3, of
the movable jaw, M2, the cord afterwards opening the tongs again. These tongs
may be made with two pairs of blades, and between the two upper blades there
may be a sharp knife made to descend and cut the weft ends whilst firmly held by
the tongs.
For wearing with a succession of wefts of different colors or otherwise different,
very simple additional devices are required with my improved loom mechanism,
instead of the ordinary lifting or rotating shuttle boxes. At each side of the loom
there are as many guide eyes as there are different wefts, at the lower ends of as
many small rods, N, (Figures, 9, and 10, a plan and a side elevation) which are
movable vertically in a small slide block, N 1, movable horizontally at right angles
to the lathe rail in guides in a part, N 2, formed at the lower end of an overhanging

page_text: bracket, N 3, secured in the dovetail groove of the lathe rail. The guide rods, N,
have heads at their upper ends and are held up by springs, the one to be used for
any pick being depressed by the lever, E 1, herein before described as a weft guide
and bent lever, the leg with the guide eye at its lower end (for a single kind of
weft) being modified as shown in Figure, 1, to act on one of the guide rods, N.
The side block, N 1, is moved by any suitable pattern mechanism so as to place the
guide rod to be used for each pick in position to be acted on by the bent lever, E 1,
at the proper time. In order to deal with several different wefts the mechanism
herein before described for taking up slack is made with guide eyes for the
several wefts.
Instead of the weft guide or guides for one or more kinds of weft being near the
warps they may, at each side of the loom, be placed to the outer side of the scissor
piece, J, the parts connected with them being suitably placed to correspond.
Some of the improvements comprised in my present invention may be used
instead of or in combination with devices described in my earlier specification.
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:
In loom mechanism of the kind to which my invention relates.
1. The improved or modified arrangements of rocking spindles substantially as
and for the purposes herein before described.
2. The improved construction of shuttle or wefting instrument and the
combination therewith of parts operating so that the shuttle pulls through the shed
a loop of weft, and by its leading end and before homing acts on a trigger or lever
to move other parts substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The arrangement of the weft guiding levers and triggers on the rocking
spindle or spindles, actuated by means of a traversing bar on the breast beam, so
that alternately at each side the guide lever is in position for engaging the weft
thread with the shuttle stud when the trigger is at the other side in position
for being acted on by the shuttle and vice versa, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
4. The placing of a stop at or near the entrance of each shuttle box to be
encountered by the shuttle stud and cause its movement to the then inner end of
the shuttle as hereinbefore described.
5. The arrangement of the finger, (G) for hearing down the weft to insure
its engagement with the shuttle stud, as hereinbefore described.
6. The improved combination of parts described as the scissor piece (J) with
parts acting on it substantially as hereinbefore described.
7. The arrangement and combination hereinbefore described for taking up the
slack of the weft, and equalising the tension of the two sides of the loop.
8. The arrangement of the tongs or weft-end grippers (M 1, M 2) as hereinbefore
described.
9. The supporting of the barrel temple at its inner end to allow free passage to
the weft ends as hereinbefore described.
10. The employing of a ring or star temple the case of which is slotted to allow
free passage to the weft ends as hereinbefore described.
11. The improved arrangements for weaving with a succession of wefts of
different colors or otherwise different, comprising a series of rods for guiding the
several wefts, and movable by pattern mechanism substantially as herein before
described.
Dated this Eleventh day of November 1896.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.