Improvements in "Shedding" Mechanism of Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1897-Accepted, 11th Sept., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in "Shedding" Mechanism of Looms for Weaving.
I, EDWARD HOLLINGWORTHI, of the Firm of Hutchinson, Hollingworth and
Company, Limited, of Dobcross, in the County of York, Machine Makers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention (which invention has been communi-
cated to me by George Hutchins, of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, United
States of America, Machine Maker) and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to shedding mechanism for looms, and more particularly
to a two weave attachment, adapted to be combined with the dobby, used for
operating the heddle frames or harnesses in looms in the ordinary and well known.
way.
The object of my invention is to provide an automatic two weave attachment,
of simple construction and operation, and which is combined with the indicator
levers of the dobby mechanism, to automatically move one-half of said levers out
of engagement with their pattern surfaces, so that they will become inoperative,
and at the same time allow the other indicator levers to engage their pattern
surfaces, and become operative.
In connection with my two weave attachment, I use two sets of indicator levers,
and each indicator lever is connected by a vertical lifting wire with an upper and
lower hook catch, and a single lifting wire serves for two levers, so that if a lever
of one set is inoperative to act on the hook catches, the lever of the other set is
operative. I also use double index pattern bars, or bars with two sets of pins or
pattern surfaces thereon, one set for one set of indicator levers, and the other set
for the other set of indicator levers.
My improvements consist in certain novel features of construction of my two
weave attachment, and the manner of combining the same with a dobby mechanism,
as hereinafter fully described.
My improvements are intended to be used on looms for weaving any class of
goods requiring two weaves, such as dress goods, blankets, and the like, in which
there are two different weaves.
Referring to the drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the dobby frame, looking in the direction
of arrow a, Fig. 2, shewing two indicator levers, a lower hook catch, and the
lower end of a lifting wire, also the end of a pattern cylinder, and a two index
pattern bar, and my double weave attachment combined therewith.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shewn in Fig. 1 and also of the pattern surface
which operates the indicator lever 29.
Fig. 3 is a section, taken at a point indicated by line b, b, Fig. 2, looking in
the direction of arrow a, same figure; the lifting wire and hook catch shewn in
Figs. 1 and 2 are not shewn in this figure.
Fig. 4 shews a section of the pattern cylinder, two indicator levers, a jack lever,
an upper and lower hook catch, and a lifting wire, and in section the upper and
lower sliding lifting bar, and also the stop bars, and

page_text: .
Fig. 5 is a side view of the lifting wire, looking in the direction of arrow c,
Fig. 4.
The pattern cylinder 2 is fast on a shaft 3 having bearings in the frames, and
is of usual construction and operation. In the. longitudinal grooves or recesses
therein are placed the pattern chain bars, only one of which 4 is shewn in the
drawings.
Projecting from the pattern bar 4 are two sets of pins 5 and 6, arranged in two
alternate rows, see plan Fig. 2. Extending over the pattern cylinder 2 are two
sets of indicator levers 7 and 8; one set is acted on by the pins 5, and the other
set by the pins 6, in the pattern chain bars 4. The indicator levers are loosely
mounted on a shaft 9, secured in the frames, and at their outer ends, when in
lowered position, rest on the bar 10, which has vertical pins 11 extending up
therefrom, between the levers 7 and 8, to guide and hold them in position.
Each one of the set of levers 7 is adapted to be engaged and raised by its own
set of pins 5, when said levers are in their lowered position, while each one of the
set of levers 8 is adapted to be engaged and raised by its set of pins 6, when said
levers are in their lower position, and this takes place at each partial revolution
or movement of the pattern chain, in the ordinary way.
The inner ends 8' of the indicator lever 8 extend beyond their supporting shaft 9,
and in a substantially horizontal plane, while the inner end 71 of the levers 7
extend upwardly above the ends 81 of the levers 8, as shewn in the drawings.
The inner ends of said levers 7 and 8 extend through slots in the grate 9¹.
Arranged over the two sets of levers 7 and 8 in the usual way, are an upper and
lower set of hook catches 12 and 13, which hook over and are operated by the
upper and lower reciprocating knives or slide bars 14, in the usual way, see Fig. 4.
There is an upper catch 12, and a lower catch 13 for each pair of levers 7 and 8,
and each one of the pair of levers is connected with the upper catch 12 and lower
catch 13, by a lifting wire 15, which is made of the shape shewn in Figs. 4 and 5.
The lower double end 15¹ rests on the top of the inner end of the lever 81, while the
side projecting 1511 rests on the top of the inner end of the lever 7, see Figs. 2
and 4. The side projecting end 15" also extends under and is adapted to lift the
lower catch 13.
The upper end of the lifting wire 15 extends under and engages the upper
catch 12, to lift the same when desired.
It will thus be seen that either lever 7 and 8 of the two sets of levers, when it
is engaged by its pattern pins, will permit both the lower and upper catches 12
and 13 to drop simultaneously.
The catches 12 and 13 are pivoted at their inner ends on the baulk or con-
nector 16, centrally pivoted on the harness lever, not shewn, connected with the
harness frame, and adapted to engage at its upper end the stop bar 17, and at
its lower end the stop bar 18, as usual.
I will now describe my two weave attachment, adapted to be combined with
the parts of the dobby mechanism above described.
Extending under the outer ends of the two sets of levers 7 and 8, outside of the
pattern cylinder 2, and having projecting ends or journals supported in bearings
in the side frames, is a rocking plate or bar 19, the outer edge 191 of which, is
adapted to engage downward projections 20 near the outer end of the levers 7, so
that when the plate 19 is rocked in one direction, to raise its outer edge 19¹, all
the levers 7 will be raised at their outer ends, and held up, as shewn in Fig. 3 so
that the pins 5 on the pattern bars 4 can pass under the levers 7 without acting
upon them.
When the plate 19 is rocked in the opposite direction to raise the inner edge 19",
the said edge will engage with downward projections 21 on the levers 8, and raise
said levers, see dotted lines Fig. 3, and hold them out of engagement with the
pins 6 on the pattern bar 4, as above described, in connection with the levers 7.
At the same time the set of levers 7 are allowed to drop down on to their respective
pins 5 on the pattern bar 4, as the pattern cylinder 2 revolves.

page_text: It will thus be seen that as the plate 19 is rocked in one direction, one set of
indicator levers as 7 is raised, and becomes inoperative, and the other set, as 8 is
lowered, and becomes operative. As the two patterns to be woven are on the.
same pattern chain bar 4, and there are two indicator levers for each upper and
lower hook catch, either indicator lever may be made to govern the operation of
the hook catches, through the lifting wire 15, as desired, by rocking the plate 9
in one direction or the other, and in this way I change from one weave to the
other.
1.
The lifting wires 15 are made in such a manner that the dropping of the inner
ends of either set of levers 7 and 8 effected by lifting the outer ends thereof by
the plate 19, does not effect the engagement of said lifting wires 15 with the other
set of levers, or their operation by said levers..
To communicate a rocking motion to the plate 19 at the desired time; when
changing the weave. I attach a crank arm 22 (on the end or journal 23, pro-
jecting from one end of the plate 19), to a connecting rod 24, the other end of
said rod 24 being attached to an angle lever 25, pivoted on a stud 26 at the upper
end of the bracket or arm 27. The other arm of said angle lever 25 is connected
through link 28 with the inner end of an indicator lever 29, which is rigidly
attached at its inner end to the link 28, to cause the angle lever 25 to have a
rocking motion, and through connecting rod 24, communicate a rocking motion
to the plate 19.
The indicator lever 29 extends over a pattern surface see Fig. 2 on the pattern
cylinder 31, of ordinary construction and operation, and the said indicator lever
is pivotally supported at its outer end on the rod 32. As the pattern cylinder 31
revolves, and a roll or bowl (33 comes under the lever 29, said lever is raised;
and through intermediate connections the plate 19 is operated.
The operation of my two weave attachment, from the above description in
connection with the drawings, will be readily understood by those skilled in
the art.
The pattern surface which controls the movement of the indicator lever 29 is
so arranged, that at the proper time, when it is desired to change the weave, the
lever 29 will be raised by a roll 33 coming under it. The plate 19 will then
through intermediate connections, be automatically rocked and raised at its
inner edge to raise one set of levers, as 8, at their outer ends, see dotted lines
Fig. 4, and hold them out of engagement with the pins on the pattern bars.
At the same time, the other set of levers, as 7, will be dropped at their outer
ends on to the pins on the pattern bars, and through said levers, and connections
to the harnesses, the desired shed will be made.
When a blank comes under the lever 29, it drops, and a reverse motion will
be communicated to the plate 19, to raise the outer edge thereof, and raise the
outer ends of the other set of levers, as 7, and at the same time lower the outer
ends of the levers 8, to change the weave, and allow the levers 8 to operate to
make the required shed for the other weave, and this operation is repeated as
desired.
It will be understod that the details of construction of my two weave attach-
ment, and the manner of combining the same with the dobby, or other shedding
mechanism, may be varied if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said In-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
Firstly. In a dobby mechanism for looms, the combination with the pattern
surface or pins of two sets of indicator levers extending over said pattern surface,
and of an upper and lower set of catches and also a lifting wire connecting each
one of a pair of indicator levers with the hook catches, and of means for auto-
matically moving one set of indicator levers out of engagement with their pattern
surfaces, and the other set into engagement, substantially as set forth.

page_text: Secondly. In a dobby mechanism for looms, the combination with the pattern
surface or pins, two sets of indicator levers extending over said pattern surface,
and an upper and lower set of catches, and a lifting wire connecting, each one of
a pair of indicator levers with the catches, of means for automatically moving
one set of indicator levers out of engagement with their pattern surfaces, said
means consisting of a rocking plate extending below the outer ends of the indicator
levers, and adapted to render one set of indicator levers inoperative, when moved
in one direction, and the other set of indicator levers inoperative when moved in
the opposite direction, and intermediate connections from said plate to an indicator
lever, acted on by a pattern surface, substantially as set forth.
Thirdly. In a dobby mechanism of looms, the peculiar construction of the
vertical lifting wire 15 for lifting two sets of catches 12 and 13 as herein described.
Dated this 30th day of June 1897.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Patent Agents.