Improvements in Healds of Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1895-Accepted, 17th Aug., 1895
Improvements in Healds of Looms for Weaving.
I, CARL RUCKER, of 46, Karlstrasse, Elberfeld, in the Empire of Germany,
Foreman, 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 relates to looms, and consists essentially in substituting shafts for
the mailed healds and the weights in the harness.
In weaving, and particularly in weaving figures and fancy designs, a loom is
employed fitted with harness, called a Jacquard loom. In the harness there are
provided crossed healds with eyes or mails for the purpose of guiding the warp.
threads. The healds are weighted by means of weights affixed thereto. In looms
as at present constructed the weight is attached to the lower end of the heald, the
said lower end having no other point of attachment. The consequence is that
the working of the loom causes the said weights and the harness to oscillate in
such a manner that the strains and friction on the warp threads and healds,
produced thereby, are very liable to injure and break the healds. In consequence
of this oscillation of the harness, the healds become entangled with the weights,
and great difficulty is experienced in replacing everything in proper order. The
warp threads, especially in the case of fine fabrics, catch and remain suspended on
the projecting mails, and thus get broken, or else they are carried up and form a
defective place in the woven goods. Even in ordinary use and in the normal
working of the loom, the healds wear out quickly; this causes the weights to fall,
and the warp threads to hang down. All these drawbacks not only cause loss of
material, but also sometimes defects in the weaving. When the fall of the weights
and the breakage of the warp threads is perceived on the starting of the machine,
a remedy may still be provided, but the labour of tying the healds together again
and attaching the weights requires an immense amount of time.
In the case
of fine fabrics, sometimes more than 10,000 healds are comprised in one set of
harness.
Now the present invention has for its object to obviate all these drawbacks by
substituting shafts for the mailed healds and the weights in the harness. These
shafts may be constructed of suitable wire, preferably of a non-oxidisable metal or
of other suitable material, and of a weight and length suited to the nature of the
goods being woven. Usually the length of the heald is about 42 centimetres.
These shafts are perforated at their upper part to allow of the passage there-
through of the cord of the harness and formed lower down, generally 14 to
17 centimetres, with another hole for the passage of the warp threads. The shafts
are straight, smooth and without any projecting eyes. The shaft is of a weight
sufficient to draw down the warp thread that has been raised for the passage of
the shuttle with the weft.
The technical advantages of these improvements are the following:-The shaft
is attached directly to the cord of the harness. It is no longer necessary to tie
the healds and the weights of the harness together, this saves time and labour.
Since the shaft is straight, smooth and without a projecting eye, no friction can
be produced, and there is no longer any fear of the warp threads remaining hung
up or getting broken. The shaft is a complete substitute for the healds and the
weights, and therefore fulfils their two-fold purpose. In consequence hereof,
as also by reason of the more simple arrangement of the mechanism, the frequent

page_text: renewals of the harness are no longer necessary except for the production of
special kinds of fabrics.
In consequence of the absence of joins or joints and the strength of the shaft,
the oscillation of the harness and also the other drawbacks that formed the daily
experience of the weaver, are obviated.
By using shafts constructed according to this invention a smooth, regular,
uniform and correct work exempt from faults is obtained. The shafts may be
employed with equal advantage for weaving silk as for weaving wool, cotton, flax,
and other materials.
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
Shafts, made of metal or of suitable material, for use in looms and particularly
in looms for weaving figures and fancy designs, these said shafts having two
transverse perforations or openings, namely, one in the upper part of the shaft for
the passage of the cord of the harness, and the other about 14 to 17 centimetres
lower down for the passage of the warp, all projecting parts being avoided, whilst
the weight of the shafts is sufficient to return the warp into the proper position,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 12th dow of July 1895
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.