CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING OR MANUFACTURING LACE OR OTHER NETTED FABRICS
Year: 1842

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
Catford, of Chard, in the County of Somerset, Mechanic, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Eighth day of March, in the fifth year of Her reign,"
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Catford, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said William Catford, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns,
and such others as I, the said William Catford, my exccutors, administrators,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING OR MANUFACTURING LACE OR OTHER NETTED
FABRICS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me, the
said William Catford, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, par-
ticularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what
nianner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in
Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and
by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said'
William Catford, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,

page_text: and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, referenco being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
These improvements in machinery or apparatus for making or manufacturing
lace or other netted fabrics consist, in the first place, in certain peculiar adap-
tations of the principles of the jacquard, for the purpose of working longitudi-
nally the guide bars of lace machinery, by means of which a great variety of
figures are wrought in the fabric of the lace; secondly, in adapting similar
contrivances, in connection with certain levers and cams, for the purpose of
working both longitudinally and transversely extra bars, carrying series of bent
pins or hooks, called stump points, by means of which the situations of the
warp threads are shifted during the ordinary operations of the machine, for the
purpose of producing different patterns or figures in the fabric; thirdly, in the
peculiar adaptation of the jacquard principle to lace machinery, for moving
transversely the situations of the guides carrying the warp threads, their longi-
tudinal or shogging movements being effected either by cam wheels, as usual,
or by the adaptation of the jacquard contrivance first alluded to.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents an end elevation of a single
tier circular bolt or comb machine for making bobbin net, with the newly con-
structed apparatus adapted thereto.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation, representing the new apparatus as it would
appear attached to the left-hand end of the machine, the ordinary working
machanism by which the lace is made not being represented, as that constitutes
no part of the present improvements, except in the elongation of the main
rotary shaft A and the ends of the guide bars B.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section, taken longitudinally through the improved appa-
ratus in the saine direction as Fig. 2, C, C, C, being the end upright standard
or frame of the original machine to which the new parts are attached, similar
letters of reference indicating the same parts in all these Figures. Upon the
main rotary shaft A (carrying the working cams of the ordinary machine)
there are nflixed two cam wheels a and b, which are intended as they revolve
to raise and depress alternately the rectangular frames c and d, sliding verti-
cally in grooves in the bracket standards, D, D, D. At the upper end of each of
these frames c and d is mounted upon pivots a square bar, box, or barrel eandf
(commonly called in the trade a jaquard cylinder). Over each of these boxes
or barrels (which are occasionally turned upon their axes one quarter round)
is placed an endless band g and h, formed by thin strips or plates of metal con-
nected together by hinge joints and guided by rollers i, i, i. These plates aro

page_text: severally perforated with a range of holes, and into these holes are inserted, by
screwing or otherwise, pegs or studs of various heights, which pegs or studs are
intended, when the barrels are raised, to act against the under parts of the hori-
zontal arms of right-angled levers k, k, hanging upon an axle fixed in the
brackets D. The other ends or extremities of the vertical arms of these levers
k, k, are connected to the ends of the horizontal guide bars B of the ordinary
lace-making machine. The rotation of the main shaft A causes the cam wheels
a and b reciprocally to raise the frame c and d (which fall again by their own
gravity), and in raising them to bring the barrels e and falternately with the
uppermost plates and pegs of the jacquard series against the under parts of
the levers k, k. By these means the horizontal arms of certain of the right-
angled levers k, k, are raised, which consequently draws back their vertical
arms, and thereby shog longitudinally certain of the guide bars B connected to
those levers, and in so doing gives such movements to the wharp threads as are
required for working patterns in the lace fabric. The pegs in the jacquard
plates are made of different heights, in order to raise the arms of the
several levers k, k, to different altitudes, and thence to shog or slide the
several guide bars different distances, according to the pattern of lace
required to be produced, which is well understood. But as the guide bars B
require to be severally shogged or slidden more or less after every movement
of the bobbin carriages, it is necessary at such periods to change the plates
of the jacquards or endless bands, for the purpose of bringing another plate
with its range or pegs or studs to operate against the levers k. This is done
by the following means:-Upon the main shaft A a cam m is affixed, which
acts against a rectangular frame n, n, sliding up and down vertically in the
bracket standards D, D. To this frame is attached an upright arm p, having
a toothed rack at its upper end taking into a wheel q, turning loosely upon
a stud fixed in the side of the bracket standard. The sliding vertical move-
ments of the frames c and d, produced by the means before described, cause.
a pinion r, affixed to the end of each of the barrels or f, to be brought into
gear with the wheel 9 on the descent of each frame and its barrel. When
the barrel e is raised, and its jacquard plate and studs 9 are acting against
the levers k, the other barrel f is depressed, its pinion 7 being then in gear
with the wheel q. At this time the cam m causes the frame and rack p to rise,
and thereby to give a partial rotary movement to the wheel which hence turns
the pinion 7, and gives to the barrel f one quarter of a rotation, carrying over
the uppermost plate of the endless band h, and bringing the next plate of that
series in succession with its studs into the same situation as the preceding
plate, ready to act against the levers k, when the barrel f rises. On the
9

page_text: rising of the barrelf by the sliding up of its frame d, as before described, the
barrel a descends, and its pinion r now falls into the teeth of the wheel 9, and
tho rack p baing then brought down by the descent of the frame n, drives the
wheel ground in the opposito direction, and thereby turns over the barrel e
shifting the jacquard plate of the series 9, that had last acted upon the levers,
and 'which consequently brings another plate of the series, with its studs, into
the same situation. At the opposite end of each barrel to that at which tho
pinion i is affixed there is a disc or wheel t, having four notches eut in its
edge, for the purpose of allowing the nib or claw of a catch lover u to drop in
and hold, the barrel steadily whilst the studs are acting upwards against the
levers k, for shogging the bars, as described. The levers act in a guide comb v
and there are a series of adjustable stops w set into a horizontal bar extending
transversely across the apparatus, for the purpose of arresting the descent of
any of the levers k at the lowest points required for placing such of the guide
bars Bin quiescent states as are not required at that period to be acted upon
by the jacquard.
The second feature of these improvements, which is the adaptation of the
foregoing contrivance to a lace machine, in connexion with lovers and cams,
for the purpose of making both longitudinally and transversely certain bars
carrying series of bent pins or hooks, called stump points, is shown in the next
following Figures of the Drawing, in which Fig. 4 represents, in clovation, a
portion of the front of tho machine, with the particular improvements about
to be described. mounted therein; and Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the same,
taken transversely through the interior of the machine, the same letters
referring to the same parts in both these Figures. A, is the main rotary
shaft which drives all the working parts of the machine; B, 13, are the
ordinary longitudinal guide bars; C, C, C, the framework and standards of
tho machino. The levers k, k, aro, as described in the preceding Figures,
applied with their appendages at the ond of the framework (as partially shown
in Fig. 4) for shogging the guide bars by means of the jacquard, but thero
are additional levers y, y, introduced, which are also worked by the jacquard,
and intended in this machino to oporato upon other longitudinal bars a, a,
carrying pius or stump points. These bars a, a, (of which there may be
several placed at the front and back of the machine contiguous to the guide
bars) hang upon axles turning and sliding in bearings, as seen in Fig. 4; each
bar carries a series of pius or stump points b, b, bent or hooked at their upper
ends, for the purpose of taking hold of the warp threads. The ends of these
points b, b, aro projected inwards between the warp threads by the agency of
right-angled levers y, y, acted upon by cam wheels, e, fixed upon the maių.

page_text: shaft A. The object in introducing these stump points between the warp
threads is, that when so introduced, a shogging or longitudinal movement
given to the bars a, a, by means of the jacquard, will cause the points to draw
certain of the warp thread sideways out of their perpendicular positions, and
thereby effect such deviations in the course or directions of the threads as shall
produce patterns or ornaments in the lace fabric. On the periphery of cach
of the cam wheels, 2, there is a concentric groove, and two ribs or elevations
cut as cams, which acting against the under parts of the ends of the lever y, y,
raise them to different heights, and retain them in those positions for certain
spaces of time, for the purpose of projecting forward and holding the stump
points b, b, between the warp threads.. The concentric grooves aro for keeping
the levers and stump points out of operation. The lovers y, y, vibrate upon
short studs or horizontal axles a, a, a, fixed by brackets to the framework, as
shown in Fig. 4, and those levers not only vibrate but are also capable of
sliding laterally upon those axles, for the purpose of being brought upon either
of the clevations, or upon the groove formed in the peripheries of the cam
wheel =,=. The levers y are severally drawn (toward the left in Fig. 4) by
a chain c, attached to the lower end of the arm of one of the long levers d,
which levers vibrate upon the same fulcrum or axle l as the levers k, and aro
in like manner operated upon by the jacquard. By these means the levers y are
occasionally drawn, that is, slidden laterally upon their axles, so as to be severally
brought on to either of the elevations or the groove of its cam z, for the purposo
of being suitably acted upon, as shewn in the several positions y', y³, y', in Fig. 4;
and when the tension of the chain c is relaxed, and lover y is brought toward
the right hand, as y', in Fig. 4, by an upright lateral spring e, which is always
acting in opposition to the draft of the lever d. It will now be perceived, that
by occasionally sliding each of these lovers y from one elevation to the other
upon its cam z, the effects of the operations of the jacquard in shogging tho
stump bars will be greatly varied, and consequently a much more extended
range of pattern to be wrought in the fabric will be under command. It
remains only further to say, with reference to the in and out transverse move-
ments of the stump points in this machine, that guage screws are inserted into
the upper ends of the several levers y, acting upwards against the under parts
of small tail levers 9, affixed to the respective stump bars a, by means of which
the rising of the upper end of the lever y causes the tail lever g and its bar a
to vibrate upon its axis, and thereby to move the points 6 inward between the
the warp threads when required, and that a helical spring h, attached to the
outer end of cach of the small tail levers g, brings the lever down again and
places the stumps bout of operation. The peculiar adaptation of the jacquard

page_text: principle to lace machinery for moving transversely the situations of the guides
carrying the warp threads, is shewn in the Drawings at Figures 6 and 7.
Fig. 6 is an elevation of the back part of a lace-making machine, in which the
double barrels (called cylinders) and double bands or jacquard series are
adapted to work the levers for moving in and out the guides which carry the
working warp threads; and Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation, taken transversely
through the same machine. An auxiliary longitudinal shaft is placed parallel
to the main shaft, and driven therefrom by a pair of spur wheels y. Upon this
shaft are fixed the cam wheels a, a, and w, w, which, as they revolve alter-
nately, raise the sliding crutches u, v, and u, u, that carry at their upper ends
the jacquard barrels or cylinders 6 and f. Over these barrels are respectively
passed an endless band or series of perforated jacquard cards or jointed plates,
which on rising strike up against the lower ends of certain vertical pins t, of
two different lengths, mounted and sliding vertically in guide plates 8, 8, 8.
These pins, which have flat heads at their tops, act against the under parts of
the tails of bent levers 7, r. To the upper end of each of these bent levers a
guide q is affixed, and these levers move on fulcrum points at p, p, attached to
the longitudinal inclined bars m, m. The guides q, q, on each side are situate
between a double row of stump points n, o, and n, o, fixed in longitudinal bars
which are capable of being shogged. The crutch carrying the barrel c, is
acted upon by the rotary cans a, a, and the crutch u carrying the barrel by the
cams w, w, henco, as the shaft revolves, the crutches and barrels will be reci-
procally raised by the cams, and the card or plate of the jacquard series, which
lies on the upper surface of the rising barrel, will strike against the lower ends
of certain of tho pins t, and cause them to lift certain of the levers r, by which
means the guides q so acted upon will be thrown out of their quiescent posi-
tions. The endless series of cards or plates 9 and h are pierced with holes in
the same way as ordinary jacquard card are pierced, and those parts of the cards
or plates which have blanks opposite to the ends of the pins & lift those pins
when the barrel rises, and thereby-raiso the levers 7; but the pius & being of two
different lengths, the long ongs will raise the levers r more than the shorter
pins, consequently the longer pins will move such of the guides and their thread
as they are made to act upon into the right-hand series of stumps o, o, but the
shorter pins will place the guides which they act upon in the midway between
the series of stumps n and o, and those parts of the cards that are perforated
will allow the ends of the pins t on the rising of the barrel to drop through,
and hence not be brought to act against the levers, when the guides 9 will
remain quiescent in the left-hand series of stumps n. By the movements thus
given to the guides, in conjunction with shogging motions of the stumps, either
i

page_text: to the right or left, or in both directions, at the same time (which may be
effected by ordinary cam wheels or by a jacquard), it will be perceived that
an unlimited variety of movements of the warp threads can be produced, and
consequently an infinite change of patterns can by the use of this apparatus
be wrought in the lace. A frame 1, 1, 1, sliding horizontally in guides in the
framework of the machine, has a rack k affixed at its upper part, which rack,
with the frame 1, is moved to and fro by the rotary action of a cam i (formed
something like an escalop shell), fixed to the shaft z, and shewn by dots in
Fig. 7. The pinions at the ends of the barrels e and f, when the crutches v
and respectively descend, take into this rack k, and by the reciprocating
actions of the rack are driven round and made to give a quarter of a rotation
to each barrel, and by that means bring into operation the successive cards or
plates of the endless jacquard series. The barrels when rising are prevented
from turning out of their positions by catch levers h falling into one of the
notches of the disc g, affixed to the end of each barrel.
In conclusion, having described the modes by which I have found it con-
venient to carry my improvements into effect for accomplishing the several
objects above pointed out, I desire it to be understood that the particular
features of novelty which I claim under the above in part recited Letters Patent
are,-
First, the peculiar construction of endless series of plates of metal, or other
suitable materials, connected together by joints, to each of which plates are
affixed a series of studs or risers of different elevations; these elevated studs,
when suitably arranged, being designed to act on the principle of the jacquard
against levers immediately connected to the bars of a lace-making machine,
for the purpose of shifting the positions of such bars either longitudinally or
transversely.
Secondly, I claim the adaptation of double jacquard barrels or cylinders in a
lace machine to perform alternately similar operations in the machine, which
barrels are reciprocally advanced for the purpose of bringing successive plates
or cards of the jacquard bands or series into operation either at the end or
other suitable parts of the machine.
Thirdly, I claim giving alternating actions to such double barrels by means
of reciprocating racks, wheels, and pinions, or other mechanism capable of
producing reciprocating movements.
Fourthly, I claim the means of giving sliding lateral movements through
the agency of the jacquard series directly to the levers connected to the several
longitudinal bars, and also to the levers y, y, for the purpose of sliding those

page_text: levers on to different radii of the cam wheels, by which the stump points are
moved in and out of the warp thread transversely.
Fifthly, I claim vibrating the guides to and fro transversely between the
series of stump points by incans of the jacquard apparatus acting upon vertical
pins or rods, which raise independent guide levers.
And, lastly, I claim the arrangements of the several parts of the improve-
ments in connection with lace machinery, as represented in the Drawings.
:: In witness whereof, I, tho said William Catford, havo hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-two.