A New or Improved Construction of Dobby Machine or Shedding Mechanism for Power Looms.
Year: 1887

page_text: A New or Improved Construction of Dobby Machine or Shedding
Mechanism for Power Looms.
We, ROBERT LIVINGSTON, Director of, and on behalf of the Company trading as
James Normand & Sons, Limited, Manufacturers, of Dysart, Fifeshire, and JOHN
SKINNER, Factory Manager, of Pathhead, Kirkcaldy in said shire, do hereby declare
the nature of said Invention to be as follows:-
-
This Invention comprises a new or improved construction, or arrangement and com-
bination of the parts, of a dobby machine or mechanism, for actuating the shedding
heddles of power looms, with a set of needles and a pattern card barrel and half of a
set of pattern cards on each side of the machine, for effecting the shedding of any pro-
portion of the whole of the heddle levers at each alternate pick; which improved dobby
machine or mechanism, will enable the looms fitted with them to be driven at a much
higher speed than heretofore, and will give a more even and graduated shed of the
heddles and warp, also by a new or improved simple lever arrangement shift the
needle frame so as to work two patterns at alternate times where this is required,
as for working squares, in the web having a pattern in the centre and another in the
borders.
The nature and novelty of this Invention or mechanism consist all as follows:-
Namely, of a portable or selfcontained dobby erected on strong framing at one side of
the loom over the longitudinal line of the heddles which they have to work, and
also in mechanism connecting this machine to the heddles which it actuates, and to a
rotating shaft of the loom, so as to be actuated all as will hereinafter be described.
This dobby machine consists of two side frames strongly secured together by
transverse stays at such a width apart as to be able to mount the whole sets of
vertical heddle lifting hook wires and their shifting horizontal needles in guides
between these cheeks opposite the working card barrels, and also carry the end
journal bearings of all the actuating transverse shafts of the dobby. There are two
sets of vertical hooks placed at some little distance apart in the centre of the dobby
with their raising hooks projecting outwards in line on opposite sides, over their
needles, through the eyes on the inner ends of which they are guided, the needles

page_text: being ranged horizontally through their frame with springs in a usual manner, the
ends projecting out to be actuated by their pattern cards passed over a square or
polygonal barrel mounted on vertical arms projecting up from a rocking shaft
carried in journal bearing brackets, projecting out from the lower part of the side
frames on opposite sides. The lower ends of each pair of these vertical lifting
hook wires are bent inwards and upwards into a long U-shape parallel to the wire
itself with a space between, which take over guide and lifting pins in the horizontal
arm to be actuated by them; and the upper part of these bent ends are also hooked
to rest on a V-shaped transverse angled carrying bar or stay in the centre, which
maintain the whole row of these lifting hook wires in their lowest normal position,
when no shed is formed. Two long longitudinal lifting levers are mounted over the
hooks of these wires on fulcrum studs in a long bracket projecting out from the
upper part of the frame towards the front of the loom, having their outer free ends
guided in vertical slots in a bracket projecting up from and secured to the other side
of the frame. The free ends of the levers are kneed out laterally beyond the frame,
so as to be actuated by pendent links and connecting rods and studs in the opposite
arms of an actuating rocking beam lever, secured on the outer end of a rocking shaft
carried in journal bearings in the centre of the two side frames passing through
between the two sets of lifting hook wires. The outer actuating end of this beam
lever is made longer, and jointed to the upper end of a long actuating connecting
rod, the lower end of which is jointed to a crank pin (or other equivalent), on the
outer end of the lower second motion shaft of the loom, so as to reciprocate this beam
lever up and down at each revolution, that is so as to raise one or other of the brander
lifting levers, which are bevelled at the part opposite the hooks of the lifting wires,
and which take on to and lift the hooks to form the shed of the warp just before each
pick takes place from either side of the loom. Each pair of hook wires as stated,
actuates the horizontal arm of a bellerank, the lower vertical arm of which is
connected by two wires or cords passed over guide pulleys to the opposite sides of
the heddle which it actuates. These bell-crank levers are all mounted loose on a
transverse spindle carried on the outer end of brackets secured, over the loom to the
lower side frames of the dobby, which is carried on brackets projecting up from the
upper strong longitudinal beam of the loom carried on standards projecting up from
the main side frames of the loom the sets of guide rollers being carried on strong
spindle studs over the heddles in the said upper longitudinal frame of the loom. All
the hook wires not pressed back by their needles and pattern cards and barrel are
lifted at each time on either side by their respective brander levers above,
reciprocated as stated by the beam lever, and each hook wire lifts its respective
bell-crank lever and treadle to form the shed in accordance with the pattern card
brought into action. The angular position of the central carrying bar of the needles,
and that of the upper angular action of the upper brander levers, has the effect of
lifting and lowering their bell-crank gradually greater towards the back of the loom,
and so also respectively raising their corresponding heddles, which thus gives a more
even or regular graduated shed to the heddles and warp.
The inner end of the rocking shaft of the beam lever has a short two armed or
angled bell-crank lever mounted on it, cach connected to the upper ends of two
pendent links or connecting rods jointed at their lower ends to the free adjacent ends
of horizontal levers secured on the rocking shafts of the reciprocating pattern card
barrels, so as to actuate these just after each shed has been formed on the opposite
sides, ready for the next shedding action of the lifting brander levers. The outward
movement of these rocking levers of the pattern barrel which they carry, actuates
this by a usual form of hook fulcrumed over its turning wheel at one end on a stud
carried on the upper end and inner side of the machine, so as to bring a fresh pattern
card forward at each action. These pattern cards are attached together in a long
endless chain by cords at their opposite ends, and guided by rollers to and from the
pattern barrel, and so as to hang in double loops by cross studs or wires on guiding
frames much in an ordinary manner. When two sets of transverse pattern holes are
formed in the cards in different lines or planes, one for weaving a pattern in the body

page_text: or centre of towel or cloth and the other the border pattern as before stated, then the
frame of lateral shifting needles (which puts the hook wires out or into action for
being raised) is so mounted in stop guides in the side frames of the dobby as to be
tilted or rocked on a central spindle, or other equivalent, by the action of a
simple hand lover with retaining spring and catch, so as to bring the projecting
ends of the needles in a line or plane with the top row of the pattern holes
on the card on one barrel, and the bottom row on the other side and barrel
respectively; The pattern being so arranged on the cards that the top row of holes
passing over one barrel, and the bottom row passing over the other, makes one
pattern.
When desired however, the pattern might be so arranged on the cards and
barrels on
the opposite sides that the two upper rows of holes form one
pattern, and the two lower rows form the other pattern, in which case the
frame of needles would be raised and lowered to these two horizontal positions
by the lever, instead of being tilted or angled as before described.
T: 01
1007

page_text: Mechanism for Power Looms.
We, ROBERT LIVINGSTON, Director of, and on behalf of the Company trading as
James Normand and Sons, Limited, Manufacturers, of Dysart, Fifeshire, and JOHN
SKINNER, Factory Manager, of Pathhead, Kirkcaldy, in said shire, do hereby declare
the nature of our Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement in writing,
reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say:
This Invention comprises a new or improved construction, or arrangement and
combination of the parts, of a dobby machine or mechanism, for actuating the shedding
heddles of power looms, with a set of needles and a pattern card barrel, and half of a
set of pattern cards on each side of the machine, for effecting the shedding of any
proportion of the whole of the heddle levers at each alternate pick; which improved
dobby machine or mechanism, will enable the looms fitted with them to be driven at
a much higher speed than heretofore, and will give a more even and graduated shed
of the heddles and warp, also by a new or improved simple lever arrangement shift
the needle frame so as to work two patterns at alternate times where this is required,
as for working squares, in the web having a pattern in the centre and another in the
borders.
And in order that our said invention, and the manner of performing or carrying the
same into effect or practice may be properly understood, we have hereunto appended
an explanatory Sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.-Figures 1 and 2 are
respectively sectional end and side elevations taken on the lines 1--1 and 2--2 on
Figure 3, which is a corresponding plan taken near the line 3--3 on Figure 2; all of
one modification of our new or improved construction of Dobby machine or mechanism
for actuating the shedding heddles of power looms; and constructed in accordance
with the improvements of our invention.
Referring to these Drawings.-The nature and novelty and mode of carrying this
invention or mechanism into practice consist all as follows:-Namely, of a portable or
self contained dobby erected on brackets and strong framing at one side of the loom
over the longitudinal line of the heddles E³, which they have to work, and also in
mechanism connecting this machine to the heddles, which it actuates, and to a rotating
shaft of the loom, so as to be actuated all as will hereinafter be described. This dobby
machine consists of two main side frames A A¹ strongly secured together by transverse
stays A3 A", at such a width apart as to be able to mount the whole two sets of vertical
heddle lifting hook wires a and a near the centre between the frames and their corre-
sponding sets of shifting needles b, b, ranged horizontally in guides ", between these
cheeks on an oscillating frame be carried on fulcrum studs 63 in the centre of the
frames A A¹ having their acting ends projecting out opposite the working pattern card
barrels B, B'. These main frames A A¹ also carry the end journal bearings of all the
actuating transverse shafts G*, D¹ hereinafter referred to of the dobby. There are two
sets of the vertical hook wires a, a¹ placed at some little distance apart in the centre
of the dobby with raising hooks a² on their top ends projecting outwards in line on

page_text: opposite sides over their needles b' respectively through the eyes, on the inner ends
of which needles they are guided, the needles being ranged horizontally through
the guides in their oscillating frame and pressed outwards by their vertically
ranged springs d d carried on transverse bars d², mounted over the outer ends of the
frame so that their ends may project out in a usual manner to be actuated by their
pattern cards C passed over the square or polygonal barrels B, B₁ mounted on the
vertical arms D D projecting up from the rocking shaft D' carried in journal bearing
brackets D, projecting out from the lower part of the side frames A A', on opposite
sides. The lower ends of each pair of these vertical lifting hook wires a a¹ are bent
inwards and upwards into a long U-shape parallel to the wire itself as seen particularly
in Figure 1, with a space between, which takes over guide and lifting pins e e¹ in a
horizontal arm or lever E for each pair of wires a a', so as to be actuated by either of
these lifting wires a or a², whichever are raised for the time being; the whole set
of levers are mounted to oscillate on a transverse spindle E' carried in brackets E"
secured to the lower part of the frames A A'. The upper short bent ends of the lifting
wires a and a' are also formed with hooks a³ to rest on sharp or V-edged transverse
carrying bars A³ mounted in the angled transverse stay A³ in the centre between the
main frames A A', and which maintains the whole two rows of these lifting hook.
wires a and a¹ in their lowest normal position, when no shed is formed. Two long
longitudinal lifting levers F, F', are mounted over the top lifting hooks a of these
wires a and a¹ respectively fulcrumed on studs F" carried on a long strong bracket F³
secured to and projecting out from the upper part of the side frame A towards the
front of the looni, having their outer free ends guided in vertical slots in a strong
bracket, projecting up from and secured to the other side frame A'. Each lever F
and F has an upper brander or knife edge at F, preferably serrated to take on to
the hooks a² of the wires a or a left in vertical line by the pattern mechanism to be
lifted as will hereinafter be described. And each lifting brander F2 of the levers F, F1,
has a horizontal plate 2 mounted a little above it for pressing down the wires a and a
by their hooks a² should they chance to stick or not fall by their own weight and that
of their levers E. The free ends of these levers F and F are kneed out laterally at F
beyond the side frame A and bracket fº¹ so as to be actuated by pendant links G and
connecting rods G and studs G in the opposite arms of the main actuating rocking
beam lever G³, secured on the outer end of the rocking shaft G', carried in journal
bearings in the centre of the two side frames A A', passing through between the two
sets of lifting hook wires a a¹. The outer actuating end of this beam lever G³ is made
longer, and jointed by the link El to the upper end of a long actuating connecting
rod H, all as seen in the back end elevation Figure 4, the lower end of which is jointed
to a crank pin (or other equivalent) on the outer end of the lower second motion shaft
of the loom, so as to reciprocate this beam lever G³ up and down at each revolution,
that is so as to raise one or other of the brander lifting levers For F, which are
bevelled or made knife edged ai F at the part opposite the hooks a² of the lifting
wires a and a¹, so as to take on to and lift them to form the shed of the warp just
before each pick takes place from either side of the loom. Each pair of hook
wires a or a as before stated by the pins e e, actuates the horizontal arm lever E.
By one arrangement when the dobby has to be mounted close over the loom
two cords e²e are taken direct from the free end of the lever E and passed ⚫
under a guide pulley e direct over the guide pulleys ef and carried down and
attached to opposite sides of each heddle leaf E³. But in some cases when the
Dobby can be mounted high and to the one side of the loom a vertical arm E²
may be formed on cach horizontal lever E and this lever E E' acting as a bell
crank lever, have the two cords e² attached to the lower free end of the vertical
arms E as dotted in Figure 1, and carried down over the pulleys et and attached to
opposite sides of the leaves E³ as just described. These sets of guide pulleys
rollers e, are carried on strong spindle studs over the heddles E³, in the strong
upper longitudinal frame of the loom carrying the brackets on which the Dobby is
In this way it will be seen that each heddle leaf E3 of the set may be
lifted by its corresponding pins e or e', and wires a and a¹ of the whole set of these
mounted.
ог

page_text: wires actuated by their needles b or according as their respective pattern card
barrels B or B, are brought into action, and the cards designed with or without
perforations opposite their respective needles or . All the hook wires a a not
pressed back by their needles b, and pattern cards C C₁ and barrel B B, are
lifted at each time on either side by their respective brander levers F, F, above,
reciprocated as stated by the beam lever G³, and each hook' wire a or u¹ lifts its
respective lever E or bell crank lever E, E, and heddle E³, to form the shed in
accordance with the pattern card brought into action for the time being. The
angular position of the central carrying bar A3 A3, of the hook wires a and a', and
that of the upper angular action of the upper brander, levers F F', has the effect of
lifting and lowering respectively their levers E or bell cranks E, E, gradually greater
towards the back of the loom, and so also respectively raising their corresponding
heddles E³, which thus gives a more even or regular graduated shed to the heddles E³,
and warp with less strain on them.
on
The inner or front end of the rocking shaft G of the beam lever G³ has a short
two armed or angled bell-crank lever I mounted on it, each arm being connected to
the upper ends of two pendant links or connecting rods I jointed at their lower
ends to the free adjacent ends of horizontal levers I² 12 secured on the rocking
shafts D, D', of the reciprocating lever frame D. and pattern card barrels B B', so
as to actuate these barrels, the one outwards, and the other inwards just after each
shed has been formed on or by one or other of the opposite sides of the mechanism,
ready for the next shedding action of the lifting brander levers For F" taking
to the hooks a² of one or other of the sets of wires a or a¹, as the case may be. The
outward movement of these rocking levers D of the pattern barrel Bor B', which
they carry, actuates this by a usual form of hook e fulcrumed and retained over its
turning wheel or boss B² at one end, on a stud c¹ carried on the upper end and inner
side frame A of the machine, so as to bring a fresh pattern card Cor C₁ forward at
each action, the barrel B, B¹, being held in position as turned by the vertical sliding
bar and spring mounted in the frame 1 at the opposite end of the barrel. These
pattern cards (, C', are attached together in a long endless chain by cords at their
opposite ends, and guided over the barrel by the usual pointed pins and rollers e³
to and from the pattern barrels B or B', and so as to hang in double loops e¹ by cross
studs or wires on guiding frames e much in an ordinary manner as seen particularly
in Figures 4 and 5. When two sets of transverse pattern holes C or C³ are formed
in the cards C or C¹ in different lines or planes, one for weaving two patterns in the
same web of towel or cloth, and the other the cross border pattern as before stated,
then the frame 2 of the lateral shifting needles and 6 (which puts the hook wires a
and a', out or into action for being raised) is so mounted and retained by the link
and lever d³d, held in stop guide catches d³ on the side frame A of the dobby as to
be tilted or rocked on the central studs or spindles 63 or other equivalent, by the
action of the lever within the retaining catches d³, so as to bring and hold the
projecting ends of the needles and ¹ up or down in a line or plane with the top
row of the pattern holes on the card on one barrel, and the bottom row on the other
side and barrel respectively. The pattern is thus so arranged on the cards C or C¹
that the top row of holes passing over one barrel B or B and the bottom row (³
passing over the other as shown in Figure 5, makes one pattern as say the body
pattern and side borders; and vice versa the bottom row (3 on the one barrel and
the top row C² on the other makes the other pattern as say the cross borders.
When desired however, the pattern might be so arranged on the cards C or C¹ and
barrels B or B', on the opposite sides that the two upper rows of holes C² form one
pattern, and the two lower rows C³ form the other pattern, in which case the
frame 62, 6, of needles band 6' would be raised and lowered parallelly to these two
horizontal positions by a lever or other equivalent instead of being tilted or angled as
before described.
The rocking frame D D, of each pattern barrel B and B¹, has mounted on it by
a stud J, the two armed hand pull lever J, J, with the pull wire or cord J³ on its
outer long actuating arm J', and which has fulcrumed on its inner short arm J2, a

page_text: back acting vertical spring pawl lever j, j', with pushing hook pawl, and forked
stem at its upper end, for turning its pattern card barrel B or B backwards to any
desired extent, one card C or C¹at a time each pull of the wire J and lever ¹ by
hand, the spring attached to the lower end of the pawl lever j, j, pulling back
this, and its acting lever J, J, to its normal back position after each action ready
for the next pull of the wire J and lever J.
The simplicity of the mechanical levers and links from one rocking shaft G', for
actuating the lifting brander lovers F and F¹, and oscillating the rocking frames D,
of the pattern barrels B B, enable this dobby and the looms to which it is attached
to be driven at a higher speed than with Dobbies as heretofore constructed. And
the instantaneous power of shifting or oscillating the frame 1, 2, of pattern
needles to the different patterns on the pattern cards CC without stopping the
loom is also a great saving of time in the working of power looms fitted with these
new or improved Dobbies.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. The construction or general arrangement and combination of the parts of a
Dobby machine or mechanism for shedding the heddles of power looms, all sub-
stantially as herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
Second. The construction, or general arrangement and combination of the parts
of a Dobby or shedding mechanisin for power looms, consisting in having two sets
or rows of central vertical hook wires a and a' for shedding one set of leaves of
heddles E3, and having a set of needles and for controlling the shedding of each
set of hook wires a and a', by separate rocking card barrels B and B and sets of
pattern cards C and C, all actuated through levers and links from one central rocking
shaft G, and a connecting rod H from the second motion shaft of the loom, sub-
stantially as herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
Third. In a Dobby machine or shedding mechanism for power looms, the baving
of a lever E, for each leaf of heddles E³, raised to give the shedding action by the
arrangement of pins e or e¹, and the bent lower ends of two lifting double hook
wires a and a controlled by separate shifting needles and different pattern
mechanism on each side, all substantially as herein described, in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. In a Dobby machine or shedding mechanism for power looms, the
arranging of one set of controlling pattern needles and for each set of lifting
wires a and a respectively, in one guide or carrying frame oscillated or
moved so that each set may be actuated by two different sets of pattern holes (
and C3 in their actuating cards CC, and barrels B B¹, all substantially as herein
described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. In a Dobby machine or shedding mechanism for power looms, the mounting
of the guide or carrying frames of the pattern needles bb, so as to oscillate
or shift the needles opposite different rows of pattern holes in the pattern cards, all
substantially as herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.