IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE WEAVING OF FIGURED FABRICS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Morton, of Morton Place, Kilmarnock,
County of Ayr, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE WEAVING OF FIGURED FABRICS."
Sealed the 4th November 1859, and dated the 9th May 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Morton, at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th May 1859.
I, ALEXANDER MORTON; of Morton Place, Kilmarnock, County of Ayr, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS
OR, APPARATUS, EMPLOYED IN THE WEAVING OF FIGURED FABRICS," to be as
follows:-
The improvements relate to the jacquard apparatus, and adaptations of the
loom to act therewith, in the production of figured fabrics, such as figured
damask quilts, &c., when one shuttle is used, and also for fabrics, such as
harness work, such as plaid and shawls, when several shuttles are used in
rotation. The usual way of weaving such fabrics as figured damask quilts,
and harness plaids and shawls, &c., is as follows:-For figured damask, &c.,
the pattern is cut on the jacquard cards without the tweeling, and the
jacquard then lifts all the yarns for a figure, which is extended by putting
two or more threads in each mail of harness, or they may be in separate
mails, but each cord of jacquard lifts two or more threads accordingly.as it!

page_text: is extended. There is a set of heddles placed between the harness and slay,
the number being suitable to the required tweel; one of these heddles is
pressed down, so that it will press down its share of figure that has been
lifted by the jacquard, and another heddle is raised up, so that it will raise
up its share of ground or what is not lifted by the jacquard, and a weft shot
is driven; the two heddles resume their former places, and other heddles are
done the same way and a shot, and so on in the rotation required to form the
tweel; this is commonly called the pressure harness, and it is found there is
a very considerable strain on the threads that are thus pressed by the heddles
equal to the excess of the two sides of a triangle over the third side, and the
shed is consequently very limited. In carrying out my improvements, I use
no heddles, the strain is equal on all the yarns, and I can have a shed for
shuttle of any size. The lifting comb (or lifting board or brander) I divide
into as many sections or parts as is required to work the required tweel on
the fabric to be woven. It may be 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10, &c., &c. Each
division acts independently, and has its own separate action. I will illustrate
by supposing a four-leaved tweel is required; then I will have four combs,
which I will call a, b, c, d, in each division. The cords are so arranged that
each will lift one-fourth of all the yarns in the following order :-

page_text: contiguous threads of the web, thus extending the pattern, as required. It.
may be extended unequally by having, say, two eyes on one needle, and three.
or more on the next one at pleasure. There are some figured fabrics that
there is no tweel on the ground, the figure of which is produced by me in the
same way as for figured damask by the action of the combs, the ground of
which is produced by lifting the half of binding chain and half of harness.
chain alternately.
To work the harness work, such as harness plaids and shawls, &c., by my
improvements I use no heddles. The present usual way is to lift the pattern
by jacquard and tweel, and bind by pressure heddles. My machine for this
work is divided into as many divisions as is necessary for forming the tweel,
and also the figure is extended by the eyes on the needle of jacquard, in the
same way as for damask, If a four-leaved tweel is required, then four
divisions of combs; but the harness is made in the following way-In the
usual way of single mail harness at mail, and for about 9 inches above it, or
as long as to be a little above the under harness board; this is called the mid-
piece of harness. At top of mid-piece the harness is made treble, or three
legs tied to each mid-piece. The under harness board is made into four
separate divisions, or as many as is required for small shot, each moveable by
jacquard machine; or, instead of the four under moveable harness boards,
shafts put through the cleft of each harness would do in the stead of the
moveable divisions of under board. These shafts are acted on by the jacquard,
same as the divisions. One leg of harness of each of the No. 1, 2, 3 mails
is put up through hole No. 1 of top board, and tied to first cord of first eye of
needle of jacquard; then legs of No. 2, 3, 4 up second hole of top board, and
tied to cord of second eye of needle; then legs of No. 3, 4, 5 up third bole;
and tied to third cord; then 4, 5, 6 up fourth hole, and tied to fourth cord;
5, 6, 7 up fifth hole, and tied to first cord of second needle, and so on.
The machine is worked as follows:-First shot, comb a
shot is passed, and then comb a and another shot, till the whole series of
colours is gone over; then the jacquard lifts one of the divisions of under
harness or hole board, and the small shot is driven; this completes the series.
Then the colours or shots are repeated in the same order, but comb b is
lifted instead of a; then after this series comb c, and the same series; then
comb d, and ditto; then repeat comb a, &c., &c. Or by the power loom all
the combs lift together, but by the action of the cam at back of jacquard,
three of them are pushed out of their places (so that they will lift nothing)
in their respective rotation. The power loom working with the above will
have the required number of shuttle boxes at each side of loom, and the
lifts pattern, and a

page_text: requisite number of shots is driven all from the one side to the other, and
then back again in their respective rotation; or, when convenient, two shots
of one colour may be driven one from one side, then the same shuttle back,
and so on with every colour, and thus only requiring shifting boxes at one
side of lay or slay. The above machines may be worked to very great
advantage by the hand loom, by lifting the combs with treddles, and shifting
the boxes in the usual way. The weft protector for power looms is made to
correspond in its action to detect the weft of each shuttle, when several are
thrown in succession from the same side, and also when several are passed
back again.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Morton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th November 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MORTON, of Morton Place, Kilmarnock, County of Ayr, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alexander Morton, Her special license that I, the said Alexander
Morton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alexander Morton, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE WEAVING OF FIGURED FABRICS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Morton, 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 Alexander Morton, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-

page_text: ing statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to jacquard apparatus, and adaptations of the
loom to act therewith in the production of figured fabrics, such as figured
damask quilts and other fabrics when one shuttle is used; and also for fabrics
of the harness work class, such as plaids and shawls when several shuttles are
used in rotation. The usual way of weaving such fabrics as figured damask
quilts and harness plaids and shawls is as follows, and as here described for
figured damask :-The pattern is cut on the jacquard cards without the twilling,
and the jacquard then lifts all the yarns for a figure, which is extended by
putting two or more threads in each mail of the harness, or they may be in
separate mails, but each cord of the jacquard lifts two or more threads accor-
dingly as it is extended. There is a set of heddles placed between the harness
and the slay, the number being suitable to the required twill, and one of these
heddles is pressed down so that it will press down its share of the figure which
has been lifted by the jacquard, and another heddle is raised up so that it will
raise up its share of the ground or what is not lifted by the jacquard, and a
weft shot is then driven. The two heddles then resume their former places,
and other heddles are actuated in the same way and a shot is thrown in, and
so on in the rotation required to form the twill. This is commonly called the
pressure harness, and it is found that there is a very considerable strain on
the threads which are thus pressed by the heddles, equal to the excess of the
two sides of a triangle over the third side, and the shed is consequently very
limited. In carrying out my improvements I use no heddles, the strain is
equal on all the yarns, and I can have a shed for a shuttle of any size. The
lifting comb (or lifting board or brander) I divide into as many sections or
parts as may be required to work the required twill on the fabric to be woven;
thus it may be 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10, and so on.
Each division acts
independently, and has its own separate action; I shall illustrate my plan by
supposing that a four-leaved twill is required, in this case I shall have four
combs which I shall call a, b, c, d, in each division; the cords are so arranged
that each will lift one-fourth of all the yarns in the following order :-a, 1st,
5th, 9th, and 13th threads; b, 2nd, 6th, 10th, and 14th threads; c, 3rd, 7th,
11th, and 15th threads; d, 4th, 8th, 12th, and 16th threads, and so on.
The pattern is cut on the cards without any twilling on them, and placed
on the cylinder of the jacquard in the usual way. The four combs a, b, c, d,
are each of them moved by cams at the back of the jacquard,. and all the
combs are capable of being lifted together for the first shot; the comb a is
pushed as much out of its place by the cam as that it will not lift anything but

page_text: must miss everything, thus leaving down what is necessary for the twill of the
figure, comb c at the same time is pushed the contrary way, so that it will lift
the whole fourth of the web, thus lifting the twill for the ground, and a shot
is then passed; then by the action of the cams, the combs a and c come to
their former places, and the combs b and d are next acted on in the same way
and a shot is passed; then cand a are operated upon, and a shot is passed; and
then d and b, and then a shot is passed, thus completing the twill; and as many
shots can be put on the card as are required by not turning the cylinder of
the jacquard; and for the extension of the figure or pattern, instead of having
one eye on the needle of the jacquard, if I want to extend it two-fold, I use
two eyes on the needle; if I wish to extend it three-fold, I put three eyes on
the needle, and so on, each with their cord or lifter, and each needle will act
on or lift the two, three, four or five contiguous threads of the web, thus
extending the pattern as required. It may be extended unequally by having
say two eyes on one needle, and three or more on the next one at pleasure.
There are some figured fabrics wherein there is no twill on the ground, the
figure of these being produced by me in the same way as for figured damask
by the action of the combs, the ground of which is produced by lifting the half
of the binding chain, and half of the harness chain alternately.
.. For working harness work, such as harness plaids and shawls by my im-
provements, I use no heddles; the ordinary plan is to lift the pattern by the
jacquard and twill, and bind by the pressure heddles. My machine for this
work is divided into as many divisions as may be necessary for forming the
twill, and the figure is extended by the eyes on the needle of the jacquard in
the same way as for damasks. If a four-leaved twill is required, then four
divisions of the combs are used, but the barness is made in the usual way of
single mail harness at the mail, and for about nine inches above it or as long
as to be a little above the under harness board, and this is called the mid-
piece of harness, and at the top of the mid-piece, the harness is made treble
or with three legs tied to each mid-piece. The under harness board is made
into four separate divisions, or as many as may be required for small shot,
each being noveable by a jacquard machine; or instead of the four under
moveable harness boards, shafts are put through the cleft of each harness to
answer. for the moveable divisions of the under board. These shafts are
acted on by the jacquard in the same way as the divisions. One leg of the
harness of each of the No. 1, 2, 3, mails is put up through hole No. 1 of the
top board, and tied to the first cord of the first eye of the needle of the
jacquard; then the legs of No. 2, 3, 4, are put up through the second hole of
the top board, and tied to the cord of the second eye of the needle. Then

page_text: the legs of No. 3, 4, 5, are put up the third hole, and tied to the third cord
and then 4, 5, 6, up the fourth hole, and tied to the fourth cord, and 5, 6, 7,
up the fifth hole, and tied to the first cord of the second needle, and so on
throughout. The machine is worked as follows:-At the first shot the comb a
lifts the pattern and a shot is passed, and then the comb a, and another shot
until the whole series of colours are gone over. Then the jacquard lifts one
of the divisions of the under harness or hole board, and the small shot is
driven. This completes the series, and then the colours or shots are repeated
in the same order, but the comb b is lifted instead of a; then after this series
the comb c is actuated, and the same sequence goes on, and then the comb d,
and so on, repeating the comb a. Or by the power loom all the combs lift
together, but by the action of the cam at the back of the jacquard, three of
them are pushed out of their places (so that they will lift nothing) in their
respective rotation. The power loon working with this arrangement will
have the required number of shuttle boxes at each side of the loom, and the
requisite number of shots are driven all from one side to the other, and then
back again in their respective rotation, or when convenient two shots of one
colour may be driven, one from one side, and then the same shuttle back, and
so on with every colour, and thus only requiring shifting boxes at one side of
the lay or slay. These machines may be worked to very great advantage by
the hand loom by lifting the combs with treadles and shifting the boxes in
the usual way. The weft protector for power looms is made to correspond in
its action to detect the weft of each shuttle when several are thrown in
succession from the same side, and also when several are passed back again.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to refer in detail to the several explanatory Figures on the Sheets
of Drawings which I have hereunto appended, for the purpose of showing
certain modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously carried
out in practice.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1 of my Drawings, is a front Diagram view of my
jacquard and harness for weaving damasks, four needles deep extended four
fold, and a four-leaved twill. G is the frame of the jacquard; E, top board;
F, under board; A, B, C, D, combs or lifters; n, n¹, n¹¹, n, needle cords
with their knots n*, n*, n*, n* ; o, a¹, o", o, needles, with their four eyes
each; M, cam shaft at the back of the loom; H, cam for each comb, fixed
on the shaft M. Each cam has a projection as much as will push the comb
out of gear, so that it will miss everything. Also a hollow or segment cut off
as much as will allow the comb to take or draw every cord in it. The pro-
jections and hollows are similar in each cam and at equal distances apart, so

page_text: that each will come proportionately to act according to the shots required for
one revolution of the cam. In general, one revolution completes the twill,
and there is a great power in this cam when an unequal twill is required;
this cam instead of completing the twill at one revolution is made with more
projections and more hollows to suit the required inequalities of twill, and it
revolves proportionately to the required unequal twill. At "L," "L," "L," "L,”
springs on each comb, pressing them against the cam H; at J is an inter-
mediate guide, to regulate the combs when lifting; C is a comb connection
rod for shifting by the action of the cam H; R is a harness board on the usual
place, with its rows of holes corresponding with the rows of the jacquard;
at P are the mails of the harness. No. 1 mail is here the first thread; No. 2,
second thread; No. 3, third thread; No 4, fourth thread; and so on; so that
the comb A acts only on threads 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th, 17th; comb B acts only
on threads 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, 18th; comb C acts only on threads
3, 7, 11, 15, 19; comb D acts only on 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and so on.
For the first shot the comb A is pushed as much out of its place by the
projection on the cam, as will cause the comb A to miss everything, thus
leaving down what makes the twill of the figure... The comb C at the same
time is pressed into the hollow of the cam, so that the comb C will lift
every cord in it, thus lifting its part of the figure as well as the twill for
the ground. A shot is now passed, and then the combs A and C resume their
places, and the comb B is acted on in the same way as the comb A, and the
conib D same as C, and a shot is then given; then the combs C and A are
worked in the same way, and a shot is given; then D and B the same way,
and a shot; this completes the twill, and then A and C again commence.
Either a straight or broken twill is made according as the projections and
hollows are made in the cams. The cam is driven from the loom by suitable
gearing wheels for a four-leaved twill; the cam has one revolution for four
shots, thus completing the twill.
Figure 2 represents an arrangement for making fabrics figured with a twill
whilst the ground is plain, also when it is twilled. This fabric is composed of
two warps, one for the figure and one for the binding. The warp for the
figure is drawn only by the jacquard. The one for the binding is worked by
two heddles, not pressure heddles, one at the front and one at the back of the
harness; and there are two binding threads between each figure thread
regularly. When no binding chain is used there are no heddles used. The
needles of the jacquard are eight row deep, and the figure is extended irregu-
larly. On the first or top needle it is extended two-fold; second, two-fold;
third, three fold; fourth, three-fold; fifth, four-fold; sixth, four-fold; seventh,

page_text: three-fold; eighth, three-fold. For a six-leaved twill, therefore, there are six
combs, which are acted on by cams at the back in the same way as for
damask. The combs A, B, C, D, E, F, divide the yarns into six equal
divisions. The threads drawn by comb A are 1st, 7th, 13th, 19th; B are
2nd, 8th, 14th, 20th; C are 3rd, 9th, 15th, 21st; D 4th, 10th, 16th, 22nd ;
E are 5th, 11th, 17th, and 23rd; F are 6th, 12th, 18th, 24th. To work for
twilled figure and plain ground. Ist shot:-Comb A is moved out by its cam
so as to miss every cord in it; the other combs lift the figure according to
pattern; at the same time three of the moveable harness boards, No. 1, 3; 5;
and front heddle are lifted either by the jacquard or by cams on loom shaft
same way as for heddles, in the usual way of plain looms, and a shot is passed.
2nd shot:-Combs are lifted same as last, but the moveable divisions, No. 2,
4, 6, and back heddle, are actuated, and then a shot. 3rd shot: -Comb B
is pushed out to miss every cord, and comb A returns to its place, along with
this lift division No. 1, 3, 5, and front heddle, and a shot. 4th shot:-Combs
same as for last shot, but No. 2, 4, 6, and back heddle, and a shot. 5th
shot: Comb C out, and No. 1, 3, 5, and front heddle. 6th the same, No. 2,
4, 6, back heddle. 7 shot:-D out, No. 1, 3, 5, front heddle. 8th shot,
D out, No. 2, 4, 6, back. 9 shot:-E out, No. 1, 3, 5, front.. 10th
shot E out, 2, 4, 6, back. 11th shot F out, No. 1, 3, 5, front. 12th
shot F out, No. 2, 4, 6, back, and shift machine, thus giving 12 shots
to the card. The cylinder of jacquard is shifted same way as for damask.
Any number of shots can be put on the card by using an extra and interme-
diate shaft to work shifting cam of cylinder. When there is no binding chain
but twill on ground same as figure, it is done same as damask, but the ground
twill is lifted by the leaves or moveable harness board, instead of by the
combs; it is a variation of the method of doing the same work. The moveable
harness boards are made same way, with iron on sides, as those commonly
used in working two and three-ply carpeting. The same unequal extension is
equally applicable to the figured damask, as previously described.
Fig. 3 is a jacquard and harness movement for working harness plaids or
shawls.. The jacquard is eight row deep of needles; it has four combs a, b,
c, d, to form the twill; the cam m is arranged in the same way as for damask.
Each comb, with its connecting rod, guide, and springs, are the same as for
damask, except that there is no hollow required in the cam, the projection to
push out combs out of gearing, so that they will miss all cords in each comb
that are pushed out. Three harness boards, two of them E and F, the same
as are commonly used; the one G is divided into four parts, G, G¹, G", G",
and bound with iron on the sides of each in the usual way, same as. are used

page_text: for carpet weaving. The holes in these three boards G, F, E, are all alike
and similar, row for row, which are made to correspond to the rows of jacquard
cords. The mails as they are numbered shew how the threads of web are put
in them. G has threads 1, 5, 9, 13, 17; G¹ has threads 2, 6, 10, 14, 18;
G has threads 3, 7, 11, 15, 19; G has threads 4, 8, 12, 16, 20. This
kind of work requires a peculiar twill, namely, three threads lifted at all times
to make fine runs of colours, and to do this the harness is made as follows, in
the usual way From the mails upward till above the harness board F there
is a knot on each a little above G, G, G, G, about one inch above F; the
harness is treble or with three legs to each mid-piece as long as will reach
three or four inches above board E. At H, here it is made single, and from
this single up to the jacquard. The first mail or thread of web, the harness
of which is put through, boards G and F in corresponding holes, and in like
manner all the others are done.
I will now describe how they are put through board E.

page_text: combs a, c, d, are pushed out, and comb 6 works over the series, and ground
shot is driven by lifting G1, then by the cam again shifting, a, b, d, are out,
and c working; then a, b, c, out, and d working, when over this the twill is
complete, and commence again at comb a. The moveable harness boards may
be lifted by cams connected with loom at the required intervals. The jacquard
shot in the usual way for this plaid or shawl work.
shifts every
Figure 1, on Sheet 2, is a complete end view of a harness loom; and Figure 2
is a front view corresponding to Figure 1, showing how the jacquard is placed
on the loom, either for harness or damask. a is the lifting frame, on which
levers B, B, by the rod C,
There is a toothed ratch
the four combs rest; the frame is lifted by the
which is moved by stud D in hand wheel of loom.
fastened on the frame a, which turns a toothed wheel E. This wheel gives
motion to the jacquard cylinder from a stud on side of wheel E, and connecting
rod to bush F, which carries cylinder. f is an upright shaft with toothed
wheels, that turn jacquard cam m at back of machine, it is driven from loom
below, and is made so that the revolution of cam will correspond to the
required twill. Figure 3, Sheet 2, shews how the jacquard cylinder is shifted,
so that any number of shots can be woven on from one card. A is guide of
cylinder fastened to frame of the jacquard, in it moves the bush B which
carries the cylinder; the snecks C and D move on studs fastened on frame of
jacquard, in the upper sueck C there is a long slot, in which works a stud E,
which is fastened on end of connecting rod F, the other end of which is
jointed to the lever H, which lever moves on a fixed stud I. This lever is
acted on by the cam J, which is fast on cam shaft M outside of jacquard
frame. On the upper part of the guide A is a tapered slit K, in which the
stud E rests, and it is kept in that position by the weight W. When stud E
is in this position, it keeps the snecks in that position, that they do not turn
the cylinder, although the cylinder goes out and in every shot, and it will be
shifted only when the cam J, the projection of which will push stud E out of
slit K, and then the snecks will act in the usual way, so that as many shots
can thus be put on the card as is required, and as there are shots for revo-
lution of cam J.
I will now describe the movements necessary for plaid harness loom shown
in Figures 1 and 2, on Sheet 2, also in Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet 3.
There are eight shifting boxes at each side. 1, 1, are the boxes made in the
usual manner with tongues, for shuttle protector; 2 is the arm that works on
tongues, and it lifts the shuttle protector pall 3; 4, cam, that is divided into
eight sections, allowing that this is the number of shuttles working; the
shaft 5 on which these cams, one for the boxes on each side, revolves once

page_text: for eight shots, and is placed in the line of sword of "lay;" the steps for
raising each box are cut to correspond with the depth of each box re-
spectively, and they are cut so that each box will be lifted in its proper time;
these cams may be made to revolve once for sixteen shots, and thus the boxes
are worked up and down in the same proportion. 6 is a heel stand to hold
the intermediate lifting bar 7. on it there is a friction wheel 8 which rests on
cam 4, and at the same place a connection rod 9 to boxes, so that as the
wheel 8 is raised or lowered by cam, the boxes will be raised or lowered also;
the bar 7 is movable on a fulcrum at 10; 11 is the picking plate of loom
with its two picking points 12, 12', two picking points on each plate, and two
plates, one on each side of loom; 13 is the crank picker, which gives motion to
the shuttle driver by the connections 14, 15, 16; 13 slides on stud 17, which
is fastened to frame of loom. To give the eight from one side and then back
again, 11 is the picking plates. 13, 13, crank pickers, with their tails in
guide 18, which are fast on an iron bar 19; this bar 19 slides in slits in loom
frame. This bar is moved every eight shots by the lever 20 which moves on
stud 21 which is fixed in bracket 22 which is fixed to frame of loom;
the top of lever 20 is a slit, which holds a stud fixed to bar 19; at the
other end of lever 20 is a small wheel, which works in groove of wheel 23,
this wheel revolves once for every sixteen shots; the groove is made for half
its circumference straight, then it goes to the one side about the angle of 45°
for about 1 inches, then a groove, parallel with the former one, of the same
length, and then it is made to slide into the first groove again, so that when
the wheel is in one groove, the loom will be picking at one side only, and then
as the wheel 23 turns round, the bar 19 will be moved, so as to throw the
crank picker 13 out of gear for picking, and at same time bring in the
crank picker of other side in gear, so that it will now pick from other side.
The arrangement shown in Figure 2 on Sheet 1 is also applicable to fabrics
where there is no binding or small shot, such as zebras, and in working such
there is no need for the moveable harness boards, also for fabrics, such as
window curtains, &c., when the figure warp is not woven into the cloth, but
floated, and afterwards cut off. In this case the moveable harness boards are
also dispensed with. Figure 1 and 2 on Sheet 3 shows the front view of
box protector, in which the shuttle driver must come back to its proper place
before the boxes shift, if it does not do so the loom will stop; this is a very
important part, for if the driver was not back, but in the box, then the boxes
would be broken. 24 are two spindles at each side, on which the driver
slides, between the spindle at ends of lay there is a bell crank 25, and it moves
on a stud fixed to plate that holds spindles; the upper part of it is tapered, so

page_text: that the driver will slide on it when it returns; the top arm stands up, so that
the driver will press it down, when it comes back to its place. To other end
is attached a wire. or cord, which is carried along the lay and over pullies, and
is fastened on loose palls 26 and 27; these palls are down when drivers are
in boxes, and would stop the loom by striking the stop 28, same one as the
pall 29 strikes, which is the shuttle protector, as is well known. When the
driver comes back, the palls 26 and 27 are lifted, and the loom goes on. This
driver stopper is applied to both sides of the loom. I will now describe the
weft protector, also shewn in same Figures. There is a protector or fork 30
at each side of loom, and as both sides are alike, I will describe one side. 31
is breast beam; 32 a rod that turns on eyes which are fastened on inside of
breast beam; this rod goes from one side to the other; there are 3. arms'
placed on it, one on each side in connection with the weft fork 33, and one in
connection with handle of loom. No. 34, 35 are metal plates fixed to breast
beam, on which are placed the vibrating forks 30; these forks are made in the
usual way, with prongs, but instead of a small hook at the other end it is con-
nected by a. pliable connection, so as to lift the small bar 36, which moves on a
pin in the lever 33, it rises and falls in guides. When the weft is not broken,.
the bar 36 is lifted, and the point 37 which is fastened to the lay, passes
below it, but if the weft is. broken or absent, then it strikes 36 at the fell of
the cloth, and the lever 34 strikes off the loom. The different colours are
pushed out of way, so that the last weft shot is detected of each shuttle.'
30, 30, forks at each side of loom, threads 38 at each side of fork, two
(that is, one or more at each side of fork, this also presents the weft front
fanking or going into the shed with others) or to each colour or shuttle as
is found necessary. These threads or wires are moved as the boxes move, by.
the following means:-Suppose we begin at the top box, then it is only one
thread at other side, it is detected if absent, and the loom stopped; to detect
the second colour, it is necessary to take first thread out of the way, and for
this purpose, on shaft 5 which. raises boxes, is placed a cam 39 having eight
divisions; on each division there is a small treadle 40 which lifts the first
frame of the series 41 which holds cords 38 at each side of fork, thus lifting:
the thread of first shuttle out of the way of fork. These cams are so made,
that after the first shot, first treadle is lifted and lifts up a thread or more on
each side of fork, and it keeps it there until the whole colours are driven, then
after the second shot is driven, the first thread being out of the way, the
fork will tell on it, absent or present; then the second treadle is lifted and kept
up till the whole colours are gone over, and in like manner each colour is made
to act till all the colours are finished, when, by the cams, all these threads fall

page_text: down as the boxes descend, and then begin again with the boxes in their
respective order... The threads are placed higher than the breast beam, to
clear fork. There is a stopper at each side, acting at one side only at a time.
To the back of lay is attached a slight spring 42, this spring lies across where
fork passes through the reed and lies on it; it is, however, removed by the
following means, 43 and 44 are cams on a shaft, one at each side of loom, which
revolves 16 shot to the revolution, and through the bell crank 45 and cord 46
one cam will draw back the spring for eight shots in succession, and on other
side of loom the other cam will draw back its spring for the following
eight shots in a similar manner; this loom is applicable for fabrics such as
window curtains, &c., when two or more shuttles are used with the harness
same as for harness plaids, or with harness same as for damask, as herein-
before described; also the weft protector is applicable for one or more shuttles.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery, apparatus,
and means for weaving figured fabrics, as herein-before described.
Second, the systems or modes of weaving figured fabrics, as herein-before
described.
Third, the system or mode of shuttle driver or box protector for power loom
when more than one shuttle is used.
Fourth, the system or mode of weft stopper or weft detector when one or
more shuttles are used.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Morton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
ALEXANDER MORTON. (L.S.)