IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKERS AND PICKER CHECKS EMPLOYED IN WEAVING
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Heald, of Sabden Whalley, in the County of
Lancaster, Cotton Manufacturer, and Arthur Heald, of the same Place,
Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKERS AND PICKER
CHECKS EMPLOYED IN WEAVING."
Sealed the 28th July 1857, and dated the 10th February 1857..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Heald and Arthur
Heald at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 10th February 1857.'
We, HENRY HEALD, of Sabden Whalley, in the County of Lancaster,
Cotton Manufacturer, and ARTHUR HEALD, of the same Place, Manager, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKERS
AND PICKER CHECKS EMPLOYED IN WEAVING," to be as follows:-
Our improvements in pickers consist in constructing them in metal in the
particular manner shewn in the Drawings annexed, where Figure 1 is a front
view; Figure 2, a side view of one of our improved metal pickers. a is a
hole for the spindle to work in; b, rod or.bar to which picking band is attached.
In some cases we form the bar 6 flat at top, and secure the picker band to it.

page_text: In
by placing the end of the band thereon;; then over it a flat piece of metal.
corresponding with the flat top. of the bar, and we unite the whole by screws,
rivets, clamps, or other like means.. c; chamber for holding a stuffing, which
should be slightly elastic, and against which the shuttle is to strike. In order
to prevent the stuffing from being shot out of the chamber, we give it the
shape shown in one or other of the sectional views Figures 3 and 4.
filling the chamber, we cause each layer of material to adhere to that next to
it by glue or other suitable cement, whereby a compact mass is formed in the
chamber; any other equivalent form of chamber would do which would have
the effect of preventing the stuffing from being shot out by the working of
the picker. d, picker foot, which we bore out, as shewn at e, in order to lighten
the picker. We prefer to form the face of the stuffing of the chamber of
hard wood, buffalo hide, leather, horn, hardened indian-rubber, or vulcanite
backed by vulcanized rubber, in order to obtain a certain amount of elasticity.
It will be seen that from the manner in which our pickers are constructed
that when worn at one side they admit of being turned.
Our improvements in picker checks consist in constructing them in metal,
and in arresting, the picker at the end of each stroke or throw gradually and
in such manner that the check shall not act as a spring, and that it shall
not. cause the picker to fly from it. Our check consists of á horizontal rod
with an arm depending from each end thereof; these arms are formed with
eyes, through which the spindle on which the picker travels is inserted, and a
spring pressing upon the top of the fcheck rodiis regulated so, as to allow the
check to yield and gradually arrest the picker on one of the arms being struck
by it. Or instead of a spring, or in addition to the spring, we employ at each
end of the check rod a buffer, or compound arrester, of two or more parts, so
arranged that these parts may close upon or within each other, inta manner
somewhat similar to the arrangement of iantelescope, though any other arrange-
ment will do by which the resistance of each part of the buffer is brought to
bear accumulatively upon the picker after being struck by it at the end of each
stroke; this accumulative or increasing resistance to the picker brings it, and
the shuttle which is pressing, upon it, gradually to a stop, and thus prevents
huttle

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Heald and Arthur Heald in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th August 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
HEALD, of: Sabden Whalley, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Manufacturer,
and ARTITUR HEALD, of the same Place, Manager; send greeting.
WHEREAS, Her. most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Henry Heald and Arthur Heald, Her. special licence that we, the
said Henry Heald and Arthur Heald, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Henry Heald and Arthur Heald,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should: at any time. agree with,'
and .no. others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the terin
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 PICKERS AND
PICKER CHECKS EMPLOYED IN WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said Henry Heald and Arthur Heald, or one of us, our executors
or administrators, by, an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of
our or their hands and seals, 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 we, the said Henry Heald; and Arthur Heald,
do hereby declare the. nature of our said Invention; and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described. and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings.here
unto annexed, that is to say:
. Our improvements.in pickers consist in constructing them in smetal in the
manner herein-after described and shewn in the Drawings annexed: The
main feature of our Invention consists in the particular construction of the
picker chamber, a narrowing, or collar, or other contrivance for diminishing;
the internal diameter of the picker being produced at or about the centie
thereof, for the purpose of retaining the packing after being fitted therein

page_text: Figure 1 is a front view, Figure 2 a side view, of one of our improved
metal pickers. a is a hole for the spindle to work in; b, a rod or bar to which
the picking band is attached; c, a chamber running through the picker for
holding a stuffing, which should be slightly elastic, and against which the
shuttle is to strike. In order to prevent the stuffing from being shot out of
the chamber of the picker (which chamber may be worked on both sides) we
give it the shape shewn in the sectional views, Figure 3, in which f is the collar;
but we do not limit ourselves thereto, as any form of narrowing which shall
have the effect of retaining the packing in its place will answer our purpose
equally well. When it is desired to work the picker on one side only, we
place the collar.or projection in the packing chamber at one extremity instead
of in the middle of the chamber, as shewn in Figures 4 and 5. Figure 6 is a
perspective view of the picker. In filling the chamber, if discs of rubber,
leather, buffalo hide, or other suitable inmaterial be used, we cause each layer.
of material to adhere to that next to it by glue or other suitable cement,.
whereby a compact mass is formed in the chamber. dis the picker foot, which
in some cases we bore out, as shewn at e, when it is required to lighten the
picker, but it may be formed solid. We prefer to pack the chamber with
vulcanized india-rubber, in the manner. described in the Specification of an
Invention for which Letters Patent were granted to Henry Heald, one of the
parties hereto, the Eighteenth day of April, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-seven, and filed of even date herewith.
Our improvements in picker checks consist in constructing them in metal,
and in arresting the picker at the end of each stroke or throw gradually. and
in such manner that the check shall not act as a spring, and that it shall not
cause the picker to fly from it. Our check consists of a horizontal rod with
an arm depending from each end thereof; these arms are formed with eyes,
through which the spindle on which the picker travels is inserted, and a spring
pressing upon the top of the check rod is regulated so as to allow the check.to
yield and gradually arrest the picker on one of the arms being struck by it.
Or instead of a spring, or in addition to the spring, we employ at each end of
the check rod a buffer, or compound arrester, of two or more parts, so arranged
that these parts may close upon or within each other, in a manner somewhat
similar to the arrangement of a telescope, though any other arrangement will
do by which the resistance of each part of the buffer is brought to bear accu-
mulatively upon the picker after being struck by.it at the end of each stroke;
this accumulative or increasing resistance to the picker brings it; and the shuttle
which is pressing upon it, gradually to a stop, and thus prevents any recoil of
either picker or shuttle..

page_text: And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,―
First, the constructing of metal pickers in the manner herein-before described
so far as regards the form of the chamber, and furnishing it with a ring, collar,
or other contrivance for diminishing the internal diameter thereof in such
manner as to retain the packing therein, and to prevent it from being readily
shot or ejected therefrom..
Second, the constructing of picker checks in the manner herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Henry Heald and Arthur Heald,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Third day of August,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
HENRY HEALD.
(L.S.)
ARTHUR HEALD. (L.S.)