IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING FANCY FABRICS AND IN LOOMS FOR THE SAME"
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hamilton of Strathaven in the County of
"
Lanark North Britain for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING
FANCY FABRICS AND IN LOOMS FOR THE SAME"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hamilton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th April 1882.
JAMES HAMILTON, of Strathaven, in the County of Lanark, North-Britain,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING FANCY FABRICS, AND IN LOOMS FOR THE SAME,"
This Invention relates to improvements in weaving ornamental or fancy fabrics,
and in arrangements of parts of looms to be used for such weaving.
The new or
improved fancy fabrics are of a kind which may be termed "lace brocade," and can
be produced by the present improvements for use as tapestry curtains, bed mats or
coverings, tidies, or anti-maccassars and for like purposes.
In weaving the improved fancy fabrics according to one modification of the
present Invention the ground warp or body of the fabric is led from the usual
warp beam to the front of the loom and fell of the cloth through a reed with wide
splits, several warp threads being passed through each split; and in weaving the
fabric this body warp is shed by means of jacquard harness, or by any ordinary
arrangement of heddle leaves and shedding mechanism, while the weft is carried
through the shed by a shuttle in the usual way. The pattern instead of being
made by weft threads as usual, is formed by warp threads which pass, from a bank
of bobbins in front of the warp beam and below the ground warp, through the
reed alongside the body warp to the fell of the cloth, there being, by preference,
one pattern warp thread for each split. The forming of the pattern is effected by
means of separate jacquard harness, in front of the usual harness or heddles,
having two ends for each pattern thread, and so connected to it, that at each
tread of the loom and shedding of the warp, the pattern warp thread, while
being shed, is shifted from one side of the split to the other, and forms the
pattern on the lower side of the cloth as a weft thread extending only across a
single split.

page_text: To effect this shifting of the pattern warp, each pair of harness ends is
connected on opposite sides of each split to a single "doup," and the doup thread
is passed through the mail or eye of one of the harness ends, and is fitted with a
ring or eye outside. The pattern warp passes through this ring and through a
mail or eye in the other harness end. In one shedding of the warp, the pattern
warp is raised by the ring of the doup with the harness end at one side of the
split, while in the next shedding the pattern warp is raised by the mail in the
harness end at the opposite side of the split. When there is to be no figuring,"
or no pattern formed on the fabric, one only of the pattern harness ends is raised
to retain the pattern warp up to the upper side of the cloth.
•
"
When a light body warp is used in weaving such fabrics, the action of the
pattern warp may be such as to.bind the body warp threads of each split into
cord-like strips, and to avoid this action and spread the body warp, the pattern
harness ends, are in a modified arrangement brought down in front of the reed,
which is then divided into a greater number of splits. The harness ends may in
this modification be so arranged as to shift the pattern warp across a single split
or across two or more splits. The harness ends are held down by means of elastic
bands or springs instead of by weights or "leads," these bands being passed round
a rod or bar fitted below the lathe, and the harness ends being led up between the
race of the lathe and the reed.
In another arrangement in which the same object is attained without bringing
the pattern harness ends in front of the reed and lathe, the reed is formed with
wide splits of the usual kind but with a new loop split between each, extending in
the form of a wire bent on itself down nearly to the race of the lathe. Each wide
split is by this means divided into three splits consisting of a central loop split and
au open split on each side of it. The body warp, which may consist of six or other
number of threads for each wide split, is divided between the splits as thus formed
and the pattern harness ends are arranged to shift the pattern warp and raise it
alternately on each side of the loop split of the reed. The pattern or figure warp
may thus be shifted to form the pattern across the body warp threads of the loop
split alone, or of the loop split and one or both of the side splits.
The weaving of the new fabrics may be effected by means of hand or power
looms fitted with the additional jacquard harness and new arrangement of the
doup" and reed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Hamilton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th October
1882.
JAMES HAMILTON, of Strathaven, in the County of Lanark, North-Britain,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING FANCY FABRICS, AND IN LOOMS FOR THE SAME'
"
My said Invention relates to improvements in weaving ornamental or fancy
fabrics, and in arrangements of parts of looms to be used for such weaving. The
new or improved fancy fabrics are of a kind which may be termed "lace-brocade,"
and can be produced by the present improvements for use as tapestry curtains, bed
mats, or coverings, tidies, or anti-maccassars, and for like purposes.
My said Invention is illustrated by the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in
which Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section, and figure 2 is a front elevation of
a hand loom as adapted for weaving the improved fabrics. Figures 3 and 4 are
detailed views showing the action of the separate or additional harness for raising
the pattern warp or threads. Figure 5 is a detailed front view of part of a peculiar
form of reed, which in one arrangement is fitted in the loom for weaving the
improved fabrics.
Figure 6 represents part of a bed mat or fabric showing the
pattern as woven by the improved means hereinafter described.
The hand loom shown in the Drawings is of the ordinary construction, with a
wooden framing A carrying the various parts, but in addition to the usual jacquard
harness B, is provided with separate harness C, C', by means of which the pattern
warp or threads f are raised and shifted from side to side of the splits of the body
or ground warp to form the pattern. Both sets of harness B and C, C¹, may be
worked by the same jacquard machine which is fitted over the loom as usual,
though not shown in the Drawings.
In weaving the improved fancy fabrics according to one modification of the
present Invention, the ground warp or body d of the fabric, is led from the usual
warp beam D to the front of the loom or fell of the cloth and breast beam E through
mails in the harness B, and through a reed G with wide splits, several warp threads
being passed through each split; and in weaving the fabric, this body warp d is
shed by means of the jacquard harness B, or by any ordinary arrangement of
beddle leaves and shedding mechanism, while the weft is carried through the shed
by a shuttle or shuttles in the race of the lathe H in the usual way. The pattern
instead of being made by weft threads as in ordinary woven fabrics,
formed by
warp threads which pass from a bank of bobbins F in front of the warp beam D
and below the ground warp d, over guide rails I, through mails or eyes in or con-
nected to the additional harness ends C, C', and through the reed G alongside the
body warp d to the fell of the cloth, there being by preference one pattern warp
thread for each split, through which four or other number of ground warp
threads d are carried. The forming of the pattern is effected by means of the
separate or pattern jacquard harness C, C', in front of the usual harness B, or in
front of the heddles when such are used. The harness has two ends C, C¹, for each
pattern warp thread, and is so connected to it that at each tread of the loom and
shedding of the warp, the pattern warp thread while being shed is shifted from
one side of the split to the other across the body warp threads d in the split, and
forins the pattern on the lower side of the cloth like a weft thread extending only
across a single split, or in the form of a loop.
To effect this shifting of the pattern warp f, a pair of harness ends C, C', is
provided for each split, the ends C, C¹, being connected on opposite sides of each
split to a single "doup" c as is shown in figures 3 and 4. Each of these doups c

page_text: consists of a loop thread which is passed round a cross lath or shaft J, and through
the mail or eye c' of one of the harness ends C, and is fitted with or attached to a
ring or eye c² outside this mail c¹. The pattern warp f of each split passes through
one of the rings c², and through a mail or eye c³, in the other harness end C' on its
way from the bobbins F, to the fell of the cloth. In one shedding of the warp d, f,
the pattern warp f is raised by the ring c² of the doup c with the harness end C at
one side of the split, as shown in figure 4, while in the next shedding, the pattern
warpfis raised by the mail c³ in the harness end C¹ at the opposite side of the
split. The shaft or lath J round which all the "doups" of the pattern harness
pass, extends across the loom, and is held down to keep the doups tight by means
of a light spring K or weight connected to it by a cord or cords. This "shaft "J
is also connected by cords to the lever operating the jacquard mechanism above,
and as the tread L is depressed by the weaver to actuate the jacquard and harness,
the shaft J is also raised to a slight extent to relieve the doups c, and allow the
rings c² to rise with the harness ends C, or C¹, to the corresponding side of the
split.
دو
In Figures 3 and 4, the four threads forming each split of the body warp, are
represented by dots d, d, one of the threads d, being shown raised to form a twill,
while the pattern thread f is shown passing across below the body warp threads
from one side of the split to the other, to appear on the under side (which is the
right side of the fabric) like weft threads, as is indicated at f in figure 6. The
ground or body of the fabric is only shown in outline in this view to prevent
confusion.
When there is to be no "figuring" or no pattern formed on the fabric, one only
of the pattern harness end C or C¹, which may be that last raised to form the
pattern, is raised to retain the pattern warp up to the upper side, or to the centre
of the cloth. The harness ends C, C, are in this arrangement weighted by the
usual leads c².
When a light body warp is used in weaving such fabrics, the action of the
pattern warp may be such as to bind the body warp threads of each split into
cord-like strips; and to avoid this action and spread the body warp, the pattern
harness ends are, in a modified arrangement not shown in the drawings, brought
down in front of the reed, which is then divided into a greater number of splits.
The additional harness ends (C, C¹,) may in this modification be so arranged as to
shift the pattern warp across a single split, or across two or more splits. The
pattern harness ends C. C¹, are in this case held down by means of elastic bands or
springs, instead of by weights or "leads," these bands being passed round a rod or
bar fitted below the lath, and the harness ends being led up between the race of
the lathe H and the reed G in a slot or aperture formed for them in the lathe.
In another arrangement in which the same object is attained without bringing
the pattern harness ends in front of the reed G and lathe H, the reed is formed as
is indicated in Figure 5, with wide splits g of the usual kind, but with a new loop
split g between each, extending in the form of a wire bent on itself down nearly
to the race of the lathe. Each wide split g is by this means divided into three
splits, consisting of a central loop split g' and an open split on each side of it.
The body warp d which may consist of six or other number of threads for each
wide split g, is divided between the splits as thus formed, two threads of the body
warp being passed through the middle or loop split gl, and two through the splits
formed on each side when there are six body threads to each main split g. The
pattern harness ends C, C', are arranged to shift the pattern warp f and raise it
alternately on each side of the loop split g¹ of the reed G. The pattern or figure
warp may thus be shifted to form the pattern across the body warp threads & in
the loop split g alone, or across those in the loop split g¹ and in one or both of
the side splits.
The weaving of the new fabrics may be effected by means of power looms fitted
with the additional jacquard harness C, C¹, and new arrangement of the "doup" c

page_text: The pattern warpf which is shifted from side to side of the split of body warp d,
in forming the pattern may be made to form loops instead of being woven close to
the body of the cloth, and the loops may be cut to form a pile fabric. For this
purpose, a set of wires may be fitted longitudinally under the splits of body warp,
and be passed through the reed from a board behind to a board at the fell of the
cloth, where a series of fixed or movable knives or cutters may be fitted to cut the
loops on the wires. The pattern warp will in this arrangement pass across below
each wire as if the wire were one of the threads of the body warp d and as the
loops come forward to the fell of the cloth, they are cut to form a pile. The length
of the pile may obviously be varied by raising or lowering the series of wires below
the body warp.
Having thus described my said Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise details herein
described or delineated, but what I believe to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent is:-
First. The weaving of ornamental or fancy fabrics in the improved manner, and
by means of arrangements of apparatus substantially such as herein described and
delineated.
Second. The producing of patterns on fancy fabrics by means of pattern or
figuring warp threads shifted or crossed from side to side of the splits of body
warp, by means of additional or pattern jacquard harness or heddles operated in
conjunction with the ordinary harness or heddles, substantially as herein described
in reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The arrangement in hand or power looms for weaving fancy fabrics, of
the additional or pattern harness C, C¹, or heddles, operated in conjunction with
the usual harness or heddles, such pattern harness C, C¹, being fitted behind or in
front of the reed and connected to "doups" to shift the pattern warp from side to
side of the splits of body warp and form the pattern, substantially as herein
described in reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. In hand or power loons for weaving fancy fabrics, the constructing
and fitting in combination with the additional or pattern harness C, C', of a reed
such as is shown in figure 5 of the accompanying Drawings in which a loop split g¹
is fitted within or between each wide split g, substantially as and for the purpose
berein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hamilton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twenty-fourth day of October, in the year of Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two
0 Witness
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER C.E.
(of W R. M. Thomson & Co)
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JAB HAMILTON (L.S.)