Improved Means for Preventing or Diminishing Breakages and Wear of Warp-threads in Looms.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 23rd July, 1890-Accepted, 13th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Preventing or Diminishing Breakages and
Wear of Warp-threads in Looms.
"
We, SAM CROSLAND, of Birch Road, Berry Brow, near Huddersfield, in the
County of York, Overlooker, and TOM BROOK, of Stables Street, Huddersfield,
aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in looms and is designed to minimise or
prevent the breakages of the warp threads, by the slay or slay board, where knots
occur, so frequent in looms as heretofore constructed. Our invention is also designed
to prevent rubbing of the underside of the warp by the running or slay board, and,
moreover, to secure other advantages hereinafter set forth.
In looms as heretofore constructed the running or slay board comes in contact
with, and rubs against, the lower side of the warp threads during a portion of its
traverse, and thereby abrades the warp, and is itself, especially when not protected by
a metal plate, scored or grooved by the continual rubbing. It is also well known that
a knotted warp thread has very great difficulty in passing over the running board and
through the slay without being broken owing to the very severe knocks the knot
receives during the backward movement of the said running board. This difficulty is
experienced in all looms, but is most apparent in looms working with open sheds.
Now, although a knot will seldom pass through the slay without causing a breakage
when the warp threads are allowed to rest on the running board as above indicated
yet the same knot will readily pass through the slay if the thread is not resting on the
running board, so that it has been attempted to prevent breakages due to this cause
by so adjusting the height of the healds as to maintain the warp threads when in their
lowest position just clear of the running board. Owing, however, to the changes of
atmospheric conditions which are constantly taking place, and which affect the heald
strings, this method is very uncertain, and unsatisfactory, and practically fails of its
object. According to our invention we prevent the warp threads resting on the
running board by providing for them a fixed independent support. This stationary
support, constructed of metal or other suitable material, we place at any convenient
position between the running board and the healds, and we attach it to any suitable
part of the frame of the loom. The warp threads when in their lowest position rest
on this support and are thereby maintained just clear of the running board, in which
position the knots will pass easily through the slay without causing breakages. We
may make the stationary support adjustable for height, and by preference we make it
curved or bow shaped, that is to say somewhat higher in the middle than at the ends.
Its upper face may also be square or rounded or of any suitable shape as desired.
In a modification of our invention we provide a rounded, preferably metal, support
for the warp threads on the running board itself immediately behind the slay. This
arrangement we find very advantageous in preventing breakages and it also minimises
the abrading effect on the warp, but, it does not altogether prevent rubbing, and is
inferior to the arrangement herein before described.
The chief advantages of our invention are as follows:-Increased turn out of work
from the loom; saving of weavers time; saving of what is technically termed
mending" of the pieces; production of better work; and avoidance of waste.
Moreover, rubbing. of the warp is avoided, and this is specially advantageous in
warps of a fine or tender character.
Dated this 28th day of October 1980

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Preventing or Diminishing Breakages and
Wear of Warp-threads in Looms.
.
We, SAM CROSLAND, of Birch Road, Berry Brow; near Huddersfield, in the
County of York, Overlooker, and TOM BROOK, of Stables Street, Huddersfield
aforesaid, Engineer, 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 improvements in looms and is designed to minimise or
prevent breakages of the warp threads by the slay or slay board where knots occur,
and to prevent rubbing and consequent wear or fraying of the underside of the warp
threads by the said running or slay board.
It is well known that a warp thread on which there is a knot is very frequently
broken while the said knot is passing through the slay owing to the severe knocks it
receives by the said slay and running board during the backward and forward move-
ment thereof. Breakages from this cause are experienced in-all looms, but they are
more numerous in quick-running looms and cause much loss of weavers' time besides
entailing extra labour in subsequent mending of the woven pieces.
It has been attempted to prevent breakages arising from this cause by so adjusting
the height of the healds as to maintain the warp threads always clear of the running
board.
But this method is unsatisfactory and fails to accomplish the desired object
for many reasons amongst which may be mentioned the changes of atmospheric
conditions which affect the heald strings and the changes from light to heavy sheds
or vice resa when varying the pattern. Moreover when the healds are adjusted so
that the warp will clear the running board, it is impossible to maintain the warp
threads on an even surface for the shuttle to run over, and those threads that are
highest are dragged by the shuttle and pressed against the slay, and from this cause
there is increased risk of threads being broken where knots occur.
According to this invention the warp-threads are maintained clear of the running
board by means of a fixed independent support extending across the loom. The
said stationary support, constructed of metal or other suitable material, is placed at
any convenient position between the running board and the healds, and is attached to
any convenient part of the loom frame. The warp threads when down at the bottom,
rest on this support and are thereby maintained on an even surface over which the
shuttle can travel with the minimum of resistance, and, when the warp is thus
supported, the knots will pass freely through the slay and seldom cause breakage of
the threads. The said warp rest is made adjustable for height, and by preference it
is constructed slightly curved or bow-shaped, that is to say, somewhat higher in the
middle than at the ends. Its upper edge is also made square or rounded as desired.
In looms as heretofore constructed the running or slay board usually rubs against
the lower side of the warp threads during a portion of its beat, and thereby frays and
damages the warp and is itself scored or grooved by the continual rubbing action.
The grooving of the slay board is more severe when not protected by a metal plate,
but when it is protected by a plate grooving still occurs in a milder form. By
supporting the warp as above described, this rubbing action is avoided and the warp is
therefore maintained in perfect condition and grooving of the slay board is avoided.
The chief advantages arising from this invention are, (1) increased turn out of
work from the loom; (2) saving of what is technically termed "mending" of the
woven pieces; (3) production of better work and avoidance of waste; and
(4) avoidance of rubbing or fraying of the warp which is specially advantageous
when the threads are of a fine or tender character.
In the accompanying drawings we have shown how our said invention may be
conveniently carried into practice.

page_text: Fig. 1 shows in side elevation so much of a loom as is necessary to understand the
application of our said improvements, and
Figs. 2 and 3 show a front and side view respectively of a warp rest constructed
according to our invention.
Like letters of reference represent corres-parts in all the figures.
A is a stationary warp rest, constructed preferably of metal, extending across the
loom from side to side. In Fig. 2 the rest is shown broken in the middle for
convenience, but it will be understood that the bar is continuous throughout its length
and is sufficiently long to extend across the loom. The said rest is placed underneath
the warp a and occupies any convenient position between the running board b and the
healds c.
It is provided with two supporting rods B, one near each end, which are
constructed to slide in brackets C fixed to the loom sides D by bolts or otherwise.
The said rods B may be set to any desired height and then secured by means of
pinching screws C with which the brackets Care provided. The rest A may be
made straight from end to end but it is preferably constructed slightly bow shaped
being somewhat higher in the middie than at the ends, and its upper edge, on which
the warp rests, is preferably made rounded to avoid any cutting action on the threads.
For very wide looms, or where the vibration is excessive, we may provide three or
more supporting rods B and secure these in brackets, similar to those supplied for the
end rods, fixed to any convenient part of the loom. Moreover we may also provide a
stay for preventing lateral vibration of the rest A, but usually this stay will not be
required, and two supporting rods will be found to be sufficient under ordinary
circumstances.
In practice, the warp rest A is set at such a height as just to maintain the warp
clear of the running board b, and thus by a positive and sure device, the warp is
prevented from being frayed by the said running board, and it is at the same time
maintained on a perfectly even surface over which the shuttle will pass with the
minimum of resistance; and, moreover, and this is the greatest advantage of our
invention, any knots on the warp threads will readily pass through the slay when the
threads are thus supported and very seldom cause breakages. The heald strings are
so adjusted that every thread will descend to the rest A and thus ensure a perfectly
level warp.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
:-
First. A loom provided with a stationary warp rest, fixed in any convenient
position between the running board and the healds, for the purpose specified.
Second. The combination, with a loom, of a stationary bar or rod, adjustable for
height, for supporting the warp threads on an even surface, clear of the running
board as, and for the purposes, specified.
Third. The improved apparatus, constructed substantially as described with reference
to the accompanying drawings, for the purposes, specified.
Dated this 21st day of July 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.