IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Sibley, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County
of Lancaster, Machine Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 31st May 1859, and dated the 4th December 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Sibley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th December 1858.
I, THOMAS SIBLEY, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of Lancaster,
Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
My improvements apply to those looms in which tappets are employed for
working the treadles that operate the warp threads, and refer to such tappets
as are commonly known as "Woodcroft's patent segment tappets," more parti-
cularly single-acting tappets, the object of my Invention being to facilitate the
changing of such tappets when required.
Hitherto the tappets, or those parts acting upon the treadles have been
secured by bolts, generally one bolt to each set of tappets, so that in sets of
tappets of say, twenty "to the round," that number of bolts required to be un-
screwed and screwed in changing the tappets for a new pattern.
hitherto used not only keep the tappets in their places, but bind
plates holding the tappets.
The bolts as
together the

page_text: Now, my improvements consist in introducing bolts to bind the tappet
holding plates together, which bolts need not be unscrewed to change the
tappets for a new pattern; and in employing pins in place of the bolts (one for
each bolt) to keep the tappets in their places, the pins being kept in their
places by a plate (or its equivalent), centered on the tappet shaft, and secured
to it by a set screw, this plate having as many spaces in it as there are pins,
so that when the pins are to be removed, the plate only requires to be turned
on the shaft till the spaces come opposite the pins, when they may be freely
withdrawn.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the. Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Sibley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st June 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
SIBLEY, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Thomas Sibley, Her special license that I, the said Thomas
Sibley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Thomas Sibley, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Thomas Sibley, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 I, the said Thomas Sibley, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and the accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-

page_text: more
My improvements apply to those looms in which tappets are employed for
working the treadles that operate the warp threads, and refer to such tappets
as are commonly known as "Woodcroft's patent segment tappets,"
particularly single-acting tappets; the object of my Invention being to facilitate
the changing of such tappets when required. Hitherto the tappets or those
parts acting upon the treadles have been secured by bolts, generally one bolt
to each row of tappets, so that in sets of tappets say, of twenty to the round,
that number of bolts required to be unscrewed and screwed in changing the
tappets for a new pattern. The bolts as hitherto used not only keep the
tappets in their places, but bind together the plates holding the tappets.
Now, my improvements consist in introducing bolts to bind the tappet
holding plates together, which bolts need not be unscrewed to change the
tappets for a new pattern, and in employing pins in place of the bolts (one for
cach bolt) to keep the tappets in their places, the pins being kept in their
places by a plate (or its equivalent), centered on the tappet shaft, and secured
to it by a set screw, this plate baving as many spaces in it as there are pins,
so that when the pins are to be removed, the plate only requires to be turned
on the shaft till the spaces come opposite the pins, when they may be freely
withdrawn.
The annexed Drawing shews two methods of carrying my Invention into
effect. Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 an end elevation of a "tappet
cylinder," where the plate for keeping the pins in their places is centered on
the tappet shaft; and Fig. 3 is a side sectional elevation of a tappet cylinder,
in which the pins are kept in their places by a ring secured on the driving
wheel; and Fig. 4 is a front view of this ring detached. a is the tappet shaft;
b, the driving wheel keyed fast on the shaft; c, the plates which carry the
loose tappets d; e, the pins which prevent the tappets (d) from getting out of
the tappet plates; f, bolts by which the tappet plates (c) are secured together,
and to the wheel (b); g, the plate ring by which the pins (e) are prevented
from getting out of their places; in Figs. 1 and 2, this ring (g) is carried by
arms from a boss which is centered on the tappet shaft (a), and is secured by
a set screw (h). In Fig. 3 the ring (9) is made so as to take hold of the
flange formed on the wheel (b) being secured to the flange by a hook pro-
jection i on one side of the ring (g), and a hook bolt (h), on the other side of
the ring (9); Fig. 5 shews a side view of a pin (e detached. The rings g in
each modification have as many holes as there are pins or "tappets to the
round," the holes being of such size as will admit the passage of the heads of
the pins through them. When a "tappet cylinder" is at work, the ring g
is secured so that the spaces between the holes are opposite the heads of the

page_text: pins (e), thus preventing them from moving endways or getting out, and when
the tappets are to be changed, the ring is moved till the holes come opposite
the heads of the pins, when they may be withdrawn; thus it will be seen that
the tappets can be readily re-arranged without disturbing the tappet plates d,
and with great economy of time and labour.
I have now particularly described the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which it may be carried into effect, and claim as my Invention,-
Firstly, securing the tappet holding plates of "tappet cylinders" together by
bolts, so that they will not have to be disturbed when placing, removing, or re-
arranging the tappets, substantially as herein-before described.
Secondly, retaining the tappets in their places by loose pins, which are pre-
vented from moving endway, by arrangements substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Sibley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
THOMAS SIBLEY. (L.S.)