IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING RIBBONS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph William Lewis, of Coventry, in the County
of Warwick, Ribbon Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING RIBBONS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph William Lewis at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd March 1860.
I, JOSEPH WILLIAM LEWIS, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Ribbon
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING RIBBONS," to be as follows, that is
to say:-
The object of my improvements is the saving of labor in the production of
what are known in the trade as double-labored ribbons, that is, ribbons of two
or more colors. I employ two or more shuttles, and for each shuttle an
opening in the warp, through which the shoot is thrown. This would produce
narrow ribbons of different colors, and to obtain the "bind" between these
colors, I employ at the back of the usual frame of leashes (which are tied or
arranged in varying heights, so as to obtain more than one opening in the
warp) a shaft or shafts carrying a separate group of leashes. These take in
alternate throws into the lower and upper leashes of the ordinary group, thus
binding two shoots of colors together.
In the production of figured fabrics I employ the jacquard machine, in
conjunction with my improvements in the loom.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph William Lewis in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th August 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
WILLIAM LEWIS, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Ribbon Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph William Lewis, Her special license that I, the said Joseph William
Lewis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Joseph William Lewis, 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 RIBBONS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Joseph William Lewis, 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 Joseph William Lewis, 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 following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The object of my improvements in looms for weaving ribbons is the saving
of labor in the production of what are known in the trade as double-labored
ribbons, that is, ribbons of two or more colours. I employ two or more
shuttles, and for each shuttle an opening in the warp, through which the shoot
is thrown. This would produce narrow ribbons of different colors, and to
obtain the bind between these colors I employ at the back of the usual frame
of leashes, which are tied or arranged in varying heights, so as to obtain more
than one opening in the warp, a shaft or shafts carrying a separate group of
leashes. These take in alternate throws into the lower and upper leashes of
the ordinary group, thus binding two shoots of colors together.

page_text: In the production of figured fabrics I employ the jacquard machine, in con-
junction with my improvements in looms. By these improvements I am also
enabled to produce a greater number of pieces of ribbon within the same
space or opening, thus effecting an economy of space in the setting up of
635
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a general section of the loom. Figure 2 shews a portion of
the batten and the shuttles, and openings used in producing broché figured
goods. Figure 3 represents the mode of forming the openings for the pro-
duction of two or more separate pieces in one opening. Figure 4, 5, & 6 are
views of the apparatus I employ in the production of brocade patterns, with
two solid colours.
I will now proceed to describe the first part of my Invention, in which my
improvements relate to the production of that class of goods in which two or
more fabrics differently woven, or fabrics similarly woven, but of different
colours, are combined in one piece, by which improvements I am also enabled
to produce a greater number of pieces of ribbons within the same space or
opening at the same time and at the same cost for labour.
In making ribbons of the double-laboured class, or of two or more plain or
solid colours combined, I proceed by raising a corresponding number of
openings in the warp, in lieu of employing the cross-sheds as at present prac-
tised, and by this arrangement I avoid subjecting the silk to the strain to which
it is liable by the old process. Referring to (Figure 1) of the accompanying
Drawings, it will be seen that the wires (a, a,) from the breast rib (a) are
placed above and below the width of ribbon, extending to the silk or other
material, and thus securing a fixed position for the produce. The strain is
thus borne by the wire, instead of being thrown upon the junction of the
ribbon. An additional shaft (f) furnished with extra groups of leashes is
employed to obtain the "bind" between the two solid colours.
If more
than two solid colours are being united, an additional shaft, with its own
group of leashes, must be employed for each colour; for every extra opening,
an extra shaft and groups of leashes, and this is applicable to plain goods, or to
figured or brocaded goods. The "bind " is effected by the alternate action of
the leash upon the shaft (f), falling to the bottom of the lower shed coloured
red, and taking up from that shed and then rising to the top of the blue or
upper shed in alternate motion, thus binding together two shoots of colours
with each opening, that is, for each colour a separate shuttle is used. Two are
shewn in the Drawing; they are marked (2 & 3), and they pass simultaneously

page_text: each through its own opening, thus saving half the number of shoots. Two
descriptions of fabric, such, for instance, as solid grogram and figured ground
or gauze fabric and lutestring, may be combined without any reduction of
speed in the loom.
By the improvements above described I can also make ribbons consisting of
two solid colours, with brocade, and without any extra movement of the
shuttles. To do this I place two shafts and groups of leashes behind those
marked (f), Fig. 1, and by means of the apparatus seen in Figures 4, 5, and 6,
which may be fixed above the tumblers, or the jacquard machine, or below
either of those parts, and above the shafts and leashes, if preferred, I am able
to drop into the lower opening or shed, as represented in (Fig. 6). Thus the
silk from the lower shuttle (3, Figure 1,) is woven into the surface of the upper
part of the fabric shewn by the blue line. (Figure 5) shews the corresponding
action for the upper opening or shed, producing the plain ground shewn blue
in (Figure 1), and by employing the common ley-barrel any form of brocade
passing across the upper shed may be produced.
The next part of my Invention consists in the production of an additional
number of pieces of goods in the same space or opening, and this I effect by
the mode in which I tie the leashes or harness. I employ extra eyes or
openings in the leashes, as shewn in (Figure 3), repeating the ribbon as many
times as may be required, but, of course, employing as many tiers of shuttles
and as many rolls for the warps as there may be separate rows of pieces; but
the result is, that without using any additional shafts to the harness, or extra
cards to the figure loom, several pieces can be made in each space at the same
cost of labor and time..
All the improvements above described may be used to looms for either plain
or figured weaving, and without any alteration of the jacquard machine.
The next part of my Invention refers to the employment of one or more
additional tiers of shuttles in producing broché figured fabrics, and for this
purpose I use an extra shuttle, as seen at (a, Figure 2), to each ribbon, to
produce the figure from a distinct action or movement. This extra shuttle is.
to be fixed in a vertical position at the back of the ground shuttle (6), and the
action is the same as that at present in use in ribbon looms. The advantages
are, that the operator is able, with a repeat or duplicate of the shuttles shewn,
to make double the number of pieces in the same loom with the same number
of cards or harness, for by placing the broché shuttle in an upright position, it
obviates the necessity of lowering or raising the batten for the purpose of
allowing the shuttle to pass the opening. There is, consequently, a consider-
able saving of time at a very trifling cost for each single tier of shuttles.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that, without
confining myself to the precise details herein described, that which I claim and
desire to have secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,
Firstly, the improvements described in looms for weaving ribbons, by which
I am enabled to make double-laboured ribbons, or ribbons of varying fabrics
or colors, with no extra labour or loss of time.
Secondly, I claim the improvements described in looms for weaving ribbons,
by which I am enabled to make ribbons of two or more solid colours with
brocade,, without any extra movement of the shuttles.
Thirdly, I claim the improvements described in looms for weaving ribbons,
by which I am enabled to make an additional number of pieces in the same
space or opening, without extra labour.
Fourthly, I claim the improvements described in looms for weaving ribbons,
by which I am enabled to make double the number of pieces of broché figured
goods in the same loom, and with no extra card or harness.
And, generally, I claim the several improvements in looms for weaving
ribbons, substantially as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph William Lewis, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
JOSEPH WILLIAM LEWIS. (L.B.)