CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS EMPLOYED FOR WEAVING
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Denis Davy, William Bentley, and Joseph Davy,
all of Bradford, in the County of York, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS EMPLOYED FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 30th September 1858, and dated the 6th April 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Denis Davy, William
Bentley, and Joseph Davy, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 6th April 1858.
We, DENIS DAVY, WILLIAM BENTLEY, and JOSEPH DAVY, all of Bradford, in
the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS EMPLOYED FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates more particularly to looms working with rotary
shuttle boxes, and consists of four principal features of novelty; 1st, a sliding
tappet acting upon a bent pin fixed in an horizontal lever, in which said lever
two straight pins of different lengths are fixed, said pins being operated upon
by a jacquard cylinder and cards of the ordinary kind. In connection with
the above lever it is proposed to employ two or more cams of different sizes
for raising or lowering said lever at the proper time, so as to operate upon the
shuttle box for bringing one or other of the shuttles into a line with the shuttle
race of the loom ready to be acted upon by the picker. The object sought to

page_text: be attained by making the before mentioned cams of different sizes is to
enable the shuttle box to work more steady than heretofore, or in other words,
to cause the box to be as long in moving from one shuttle to the next and
adjoining one, as from one shuttle to the third or fourth, according to the
number of shuttles employed.
The second feature of novelty in this Invention consists in an improved con-
struction of stud wheel, that is to say, instead of fixing the pins or studs in
the face of such said wheel, as commonly practised, it is proposed to make
and arrange such said pins so that the points thereof are kept flush with the
face of the wheel, and only two of them are forced outwards at one time by
means of inclined planes fixed to a casting situated behind them. These
projecting pins are taken hold of by the hooked end of levers acted upon by
the above mentioned horizontal lever, to which they are connected for turning
the shuttle box round. The object sought to be attained by thus constructing
the stud wheel, is to enable the aforesaid hooked levers to pull in a direct line
with the pins, with which they are brought into contact. for turning the shuttle
box partly round.
The third feature of novelty in this Invention consists in being enabled to
connect together at will two circular shuttle boxes, one at each end of the lathe
or slay of a loom, so as to work them together as a "pick-and-pick" loom, or
to work only one shuttle box at one end, as a plain or common loom. For
this purpose it is proposed to fix one shuttle box upon a long rod passed
through the solid part of the lathe or slay board, and having a clutch formed
thereon, which can be moved forward so as to lock into the shuttle box at the
opposite end of the lathe or slay. By these means, when the loom is required
to be worked as a plain or common loom, the face of the shuttle box is left
free or clear for the passage of the weft from the several shuttles contained in
said box. It is proposed to work the said boxes when used as a "pick-and-
pick" loom by means of cams made with sliding noses, as patented by Joseph
Davy and William Bentley on the 30th day of October 1857, No. 2760:
The 4th feature of novelty consists in attaching a spring to the axis on which
the before mentioned horizontal lever is mounted, the use of such said spring
being to enable the axis to move or give way when the shuttle box meets with
any obstruction to its turning round, and thus breakage of the mechanism is
prevented.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Denis Davy, William Bentley, and Joseph Davy, in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th October 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, DENIS
DAVY, WILLIAM BENTLEY, and JOSEPH DAVY, all of Bradford, in the County of
York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Denis Davy, William Bentley, and Joseph Davy, Her special licence that we,
the said Denis Davy, William Bentley, and Joseph Davy, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Denis Davy,
William Bentley, and Joseph Davy, 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 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 "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS EMPLOYED FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Denis Davy, William Bentley, and Joseph Davy, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their
hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should par-
ticularly 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 Denis Davy, William Bentley, and
Joseph Davy, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention applies more particularly to looms working with rotatory
shuttle boxes, and consists of four principal features of novelty. First, a
sliding tappet acting upon a bent pin fixed in an horizontal lever, in which
said lever two straight pins of different lengths are fixed, said pins being
operated upon by a jacquard cylinder and cards of the ordinary kind. In
connection with the above lever, it is proposed to employ two or more cams
of different sizes for raising or lowering said lever at the proper time, so as to

page_text: operate upon the shuttle box for bringing one or other of the shuttles into a
line with the shuttle race of the loom ready to be acted upon by the picker: The
object sought to be attained by making the before mentioned cams of different
sizes is to enable the shuttle box to work more steady than heretofore, or in
other words, to cause the box to be as long in moving from one shuttle to the
next and adjoining one as from one shuttle to the third or fourth, according to
the number of shuttles employed.
The second feature of novelty in this Invention consists in an improved
construction of stud wheel, that is to say, instead of fixing the pins or studs in
the face of said wheel as commonly practised, it is proposed to make and
arrange such said pins so that the points thereof are kept flush with the face
of the wheel, and only two of them are forced outwards at one time by
inclined planes fixed to a casting behind them; these projecting pins are taken
hold of by the hooked end of levers acted upon by the above mentioned hori-
zontal lever to which they are connected for turning the shuttle box round.
The object sought to be attained by thus constructing the stud wheel is to
enable the aforesaid hooked levers to pull in a direct line with the pin, with
which it is brought into contact for turning the shuttle box partly round.
The third feature of novelty in this Invention consists in being enabled to
connect together at will two circular shuttle boxes, one at each end of the
lathe or slay of a loom, so as to work them together as a pick-and-pick loom,
or to work only one shuttle box at one end as a plain or common loom; for
this purpose it is proposed to fix one shuttle box upon a long rod passed
through the solid part of the lathe or slay board, and having a clutch thereon,
which can be moved forward, so as to lock into the shuttle box at the opposite
end of the lathe or slay. By these means, when the loom is required to be
worked as a plain or common loom, the face of the shuttle box is left free or
clear for the passage of the weft from the several shuttles contained in said
box. It is proposed to work the said boxes when used as a pick-and-pick
loom by means of cams made with sliding noses, as Patented by Joseph Davy
and William Bentley on the 30th day of October 1857, No. 2760.
The fourth feature of novelty consists in attaching a spring to the axis on
which the before-mentioned horizontal lever is mounted, the use of such said
spring being to enable the axis to move or give way when the shuttle box
meets with any obstruction to its turning on its axis, and thus breakage of the
mechanism is prevented.
In order to explain our said Invention as completely as possible, we now
proceed to describe the best means we are acquainted with for carrying the

page_text: same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheets of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference
marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
⚫ DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
At Sheet 1 Figure 1 represents an end elevation of a loom, shewing the
adaptation of our improvements thereto in connection with a rotatory shuttle
box, as before referred to under the first head of our said improvements;
Figure 2 is a top plan view of some of the mechanism exhibited at Figure 1 ;
Figure 3 is a longitudinal and vertical section taken through the line A, B,
at Figure 2; Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, exhibit detached parts herein-after
particularly described and referred to; Figure 10 represents a front elevation of
the lathe or slay board of a loom fitted with a rotatory shuttle box at each end
thereof, represented partly in section, so as to expose to view the mechanism
which we propose to employ for working the loom either as a pick-and-pick
loom or as an ordinary loom, as before referred to under the third head of
our said improvements.
At Sheet 2 Figure 11 is an elevation of the back of the stud wheel referred
to under the second head of our said improvements; Figure 12 is an edge
view of the aforesaid stud wheel, exhibited in connection with a notched plate
fixed on the axis of a rotatory shuttle box, and the mode of constructing the
same for effecting the advancing and locking of said box at the proper
periods of time; Figure 13 is a top plan view, and Figure 14 is an end
elevation of the mechanism as referred to under the first head of our said
improvements; Figure 15 is a side elevation of another mechanical arrange-
ment designed to be used in lieu of the mechanism represented at Figures 12
and 13, as being more simple in its construction; Figures 16, 17, 18, exhibit
detached parts, berein-after particularly described and referred to. The several
diagrams at Sheet 2 are represented drawn to an enlarged scale to render
them more intelligible; Figure 19 exhibits a mechanical arrangement,
designed for allowing the axis of the before mentioned horizontal levers
marked M, M', to give way when the shuttle box meets with any obstruction
to its turning round, as before referred to under the fourth head of our said
improvements. At each of the foregoing Figures of each Sheet of Drawings
we employ similar letters of reference to denote corresponding parts, in so far
as such parts appear or can be seen at each of such said Figures and Sheets.
of Drawings respectively,
We now proceed to describe the general arrangement of the mechanism

page_text: 16, 17, 18, of Sheet 2, referred to under the first head of our said improve-
ments as follows:-A, A, is the ordinary end framing of a loom; B the tappet
shaft; C, casting fixed to the lathe or slay; D axis of shuttle box; E, G, H,
are castings fixed to the end framing A, and employed for carrying the
following mechanism:-
The casting E carries two bent levers I, I, of the construction hereafter
described, one of said levers is exhibited at Figure 16 of Sheet 2; the opposite
ends of the levers I, I, work in a grating a fixed to the casting G; this last-
mentioned carries by brackets 6 the axis c, on which are fixed a star wheel K
and jacquard cylinder L (see Figures 2, 3, 6). The casting H carries the
axis d, on which are placed loosely the horizontal levers M, M¹; the con-
struction of these said levers will be better understood by referring to Figures
13 and 14 of Sheet 2, where it will be seen that there are other levers or
arms M³, M³, M*, M, formed upon the bosses of the levers M, M', same
being employed in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter mentioned.
The arms M, M, as also the horizontal lever M, are formed on the
boss Z, and move therewith on the axis d, and the arms M³, M5, and the
horizontal lever M¹ are formed on the boss Z', and move therewith on the
axis ; in other words, the bosses Z and Z¹ with their respective levers
and arms, move independently of each other. N, O, P, are cams, seen
better at Figures 13, 14, of Sheet 2; the cam N is fixed on the tappet
shaft B, and the cams 0 and P, which are capable of sliding on the
shaft B, lock into the horns of clutch pieces e, e, also fixed on the shaft B, and
adjusted thereon by screws at *; there are holes made in the pieces e, e,
and cams O, P, into which helical springs fare placed loosely, see Figures 18,
14, of Sheet 2; the use of such said springs being to force the cams O, P,
close against the cam N, when the cams O, P, are not required to operate
upon the ends of the levers M³, M³, M*, M³, and also for removing said cams
after they have operated thereon, as herein-after fully explained. The con-
struction of the levers I, I, is as follows:-At Figure 16 of Sheet 2, g is a
roller formed with a step (or it may be two separate rollers 1, 2, of different
diameters), said roller revolving on a pin fixed to the part 3 of the lever I;
4 is a swell fixed to or formed on the lever I for the cam N to act upon
for raising and lowering said levers; 5, 6, are pins fixed into the levers I, I ;
one of these pins is made longer than the other, as at Figure 6 of Sheet 1, for
the purpose hereinafter stated.
We next proceed to describe the construction of the stud wheel exhibited at
Figures 11 and 12 of Sheet 2, as referred to under the second head of our
said improvements, as follows:-Q is a disc of metal, in which are formed as

page_text: many holes (at equal distances asunder) as there are spaces for shuttles in the
shuttle box (the Drawing represents the stud wheel adapted for a six shuttle
box); each of the aforesaid holes is fitted with a pin or stud h, capable of
sliding therein, and the head of each of such said studs is pressed against by a
spring i fixed to the back of the disc Q, by which the several studs are pulled
back, so as to leave the points thereof flush with the face of the said disc. In
order, however, to enable the stud wheel or disc Q to be moved partly round,
either from left to right, or vice versâ, it is necessary that two of such several
studs be forced outwards for the hooked end of one or other of the rods k, k,
shown at Figure 1 of Sheet 1, to take hold of and thus to pull the disc Q partly
round, and for the purpose of pushing out two of such said studs at one time we
fix a double incline plane R, see Figure 20, Sheet 2, behind the disc Q and above
the centre thereof, so that as the said disc is moved partly round, the heads of
the studs being brought into contact with one or other of such said inclined
surfaces, has the effect of pushing two studs outwards, and holds them in that
position ready to be taken hold of by one or other of the hooked rods k,
according to the direction in which the rotary shuttle box is required to be
moved, and we connect the aforesaid stud wheel Q with the axis of the rotary
shuttle box for turning and locking said box in the following manner, and by
the following means, that is to say, we fix a notched wheel S on the axis D,
and we form a series of inclined planes or segments of a screw in pairs upon
one side of the disc Q, likewise a series of projections m at equal distances
asunder, as exhibited at Figures 11 and 12 of Sheet 2. The inclined planes R
are formed on the casting which carries the axis of the wheel Q, said casting
being bolted to the casting C. By this arrangement. as the stud wheel Qis
moved partly round, each pair of segments 1, l, takes successively into two of
the notches X in the wheel s, and thus move such wheel and the rotatory
shuttle box one-sixth of an entire revolution; or if the stud wheel be moved
through twice as much space, then the wheel S and shuttle box will be moved
one-third of a revolution. By this improved mode of constructing the stud
wheel, namely, by causing the lowermost studs always to be kept flush with
the face of the wheel or disc containing them, we enable the hooked rods k, k,
to pull in a direct line with the studs h.
We now proceed to describe the means by which we cause the cams O
and P to operate upon one or other of the arms M³, M³, M*, M, for
turning the shuttle box partly round, that is to say, we form a double inclined
plane o on the boss of the cams O and P, as at Figures 13, 14, 17, 18, of
Sheet 2. These cams are continually rotating with the tappet shaft B when
the loom is working, but said cams only operate upon the arms M², &c., when

page_text: the inclined part o of one or other of the cams O or P comes into contact with
the roller g.
The cam N is for lifting the pins 5, 6, from the ordinary per-
forated metal cards on the jacquard cylinder L, to allow such cylinder to be
moved round by the noggin plate T and star wheel K, shewn at Figure 2 of
Sheet 1, so that according to the disposition of the holes in the cards and the
pattern to be woven in like manner, the pins 5, 6, will either one or both of
them enter the holes in said cards, and thus bring the larger or smaller
diameter of the roller g into position for forcing one of the cams O, P, out-
wards, so as to push one or other of the arms M², &c. forward, and thus
turn the rotatory shuttle box partly round, that is to say, if the long pin 6
rests on the plain part of the card, as exhibited at Figure 6 of Sheet 1,
then the lever I will be held up, and the cam P will have no effect on the
arms M or Ms; but suppose the long pin 6 to enter a hole in the card,
and the short pin 5 to rest on the plain part of the card, then the lever I
will descend sufficiently far to bring the smaller diameter of the roller g in
a line with the incline o on the cam P, and as said cam rotates it will
be pushed outwards, and coming into contact with the arm M* will impart
motion to the lever M, and move the shuttle box two boxes in one direction;
but suppose also both of the pins 5 and 6 to enter holes in the cards, then
the larger diameter of the roller will operate upon the incline o, and cause
the cam P to operate upon the arm Ms, thereby imparting motion to the
lever M, and moving the shuttle box two boxes in an opposite direction. The
cam O operates in a precisely similar manner to the cam P, but being smaller
only moves the shuttle box one box in either direction.
And we would here observe, that we consider it an important feature in our
said improvements that we are enabled by the foregoing arrangements to move
the shuttle box backward or forward from one box to the second or third, by
either of the cams O or P. The arms M², M³, M, M³, each time after being
pushed forward by the cams O and P, must be brought back into their original
position. This may be effected by springs or weights suitably connected
thereto for that purpose, but not exhibited by the Drawings.
We now proceed to describe the mechanical arrangement exhibited at
Figure 15, of Sheet 2, observing that the principal difference between this
arrangement and that before described consists in dispensing with the levers
I, I, and pins 5, 6, shewn at Figures 18 and 14, and in employing swells a on
the cards instead of perforations therein; these swells operate upon bell crank
levers U, U, attached to a casting X fixed to the end framing of the loom,
one of the arms U¹ of each of which is formed forked as at T', and such said
forked part embraces the boss of the cams O and P, and thus causes them to

page_text: be brought opposite to one or other of the arms M², M³, M, M, and operated
thereon as before stated. It will be obvious that those swells in the cards
that are destined to move the shuttle box two boxes in either direction, will
require to be twice as high as those swells which move only one box. In
adapting this arrangement to looms working with an ordinary jacquard engine;
the levers U, U, may be connected thereto by cords at r, and the jacquard
cylinder L, and its cards, may then be dispensed with; thus rendering this
arrangement for working rotatory shuttle boxes exceedingly simple and
effective.
.
We now proceed to describe the mechanical arrangements exhibited at
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, of Sheet 1, as referred to under the third head of our said
improvements, as follows:-At Figure 10, V is the lathe or slay board made
in two parts, as at Figures 7 and 8, bolted together; p is a wrought iron rod
passing through a hole formed in the slay board; one end of this rod has an
ordinary rotatory shuttle box Y fixed thereon, and the other end of the rod p
has a clutch g fitted thereon, capable of sliding on said rod by means of a
feather therein; Y' is another rotatory shuttle box fixed on its axis D in the
usual way; the metal end Y3 of this box has a clutch box formed at its centre
to correspond with the clutch q, as at Figure 9; s is a forked bell crank lever
for throwing the clutch 7 into and out of gear with the part Ys of the box Y¹;
and 7 is a pin for holding the lever s steady in either position. By this
arrangement the loom may be worked either as a pick-and-pick loom
by connecting the shuttle boxes together, or as a common loom by dis-
connecting such said boxes; and when used as a pick-and-pick loom, we
propose to employ the arrangements described and represented by Drawings
in the Specification of a Patent, No. 2760, granted to Joseph Davy and
William Bentley, and dated as of the 30th day of October 1857, under the
title of "Certain Improvements in Looms for Weaving." At Figure 10 there
is also exhibited an improved method of adjusting the pressure of the ordinary
hammer t for locking the shuttle box; u is the spindle of the hammer working
in guide holes formed in the castings C and w; the upper part w³ of the
casting w is fitted with a screw y, through which the spindle u passes freely;
is a helical spring resting on the hollow screw y, and acted upon by a pin 8,
passed through the spindle of the hammer in the usual way. By this arrange-
ment the power of the spring may be readily increased or diminished as
required.
We now proceed to describe the arrangement exhibited at Figure 19 of
Sheet 2, for allowing the axis d, exhibited at Sheet 1, to give way when the

page_text: shuttle box meets with any obstruction to its turning on its axis as follows:-
The casting H has slots 1, 2, formed therein; that marked 1 allows the axis
d to move along it, and those marked 2, serve as guides for the piece 3 to
slide in; 4, 4, are endless pieces of elastic material, or they may be metal
springs; these pieces are respectively passed over the fixed pins 5 and the
projecting ends of the pieces 3; care should be taken that the power of the
springs 4 is sufficient to keep the axis d in the position exhibited unler
ordinary circumstances, so as to ensure the proper movement of the shuttle
box, but capable of yielding when said shuttle box meets with any obstruction
to its turning upon its axis, as before stated; 6 are levers employed for taking the
pressure off all of the springs 4 at the same time, otherwise the axis d would
be liable to wedge or bind when forced back from either end. These levers
should be so constructed and adjusted to the casting H as to allow the axis d
and parts thereon to pass freely over them.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of our said
Invention of "Certain Improvements in Looms Employed for Weaving,"
together with the best means we are acquainted with for carrying the same
into practical effect, we would remark, in conclusion, that we are aware that a
sliding tappet has been previously employed in connection with a jacquard
apparatus, for operating both the sliding and rotatory shuttle boxes of looms,
but as only one such tappet was employed, it was not possible to raise or lower
more than one shuttle box at a time. We do not, therefore, claim as our
Invention a sliding tappet for operating shuttle boxes, but what we do claim
as our Invention under the first head of our said improvements is the
combining of two or more sliding tappets of different dimensions on one shaft,
whereby we are enabled to skip one shuttle box when required, and by these
means to weave several combinations or arrangements of colors which could
not have been produced by the mechanism as heretofore constructed; and we
further claim operating with the aforesaid tappets for imparting motion to the
shuttle box, substantially in the manner above described and represented by
the annexed Drawings at Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, at Sheet 1, and at the several
Figures of Sheet 2.
Under the second head of our said improvements we claim the general
construction of the stud wheel exhibited at Figures 11 and 12, of Sheet 2 of
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and especially we claim the sliding studs h
for the purposes above stated.
Under the third, head of our said improvements we claim the rod p, at
Figure 10 of Sheet 1, in combination with the clutch q and lever s, substan-

page_text: tially as set forth and described, for the purpose of connecting together at will
two circulate shuttle boxes, whereby we are enabled to work the loom either
as a pick-and-pick loom or as a common loom, as above stated.
Under the fourth head of our said improvements we claim the mechanical
arrangement exhibited at Figure 19 of Sheet 2 of the Drawings hereunto
annexed, substantially as set forth and described, for the purpose of enabling
the axis & and parts thereon to give way when the shuttle box meets with
any obstruction to its turning on its axis, as above stated.
In witness whereof, we, the said Denis Davy, William Bentley, and
Joseph Davy, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifth day
of October in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-eight.
Witness,
LOCKWOOD STEPHENSON,
Bradford.
DENIS DAVY.
(L.S.)
WILLIAM BENTLEY. (L.S.)
JOSEPH DAVY.
(L.S.)