CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1849

page_text: CLEGG, HENDERSON, AND CALVERT'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
CLEGG, JOSEPH HENDERSON, and JAMES CALVERT, of Blackburn, in the County
of Lancaster, Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Sixteenth day of April,
in the twelfth year of Her reign, and in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty-nine, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Robert Clegg, Joseph Henderson, and James
Calvert, our exors, adññors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power,-
sole privilege and authority, that we, the said Robert Clegg, Joseph Hen-
derson, and James Calvert, our exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said Robert Clegg, Joseph Henderson, and James Calvert, our exors,
adñiors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our, Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING;" in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso, that we, the said Robert Clegg, Joseph Henderson, and James
Calvert, shall cause a particular description of the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing
under, our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, to be

page_text: enrolled in Her said 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, we, the said
Robert Clegg, Joseph Henderson, and James Calvert, do hereby declare our
said Invention to consist in the novel mechanical arrangement and construction
of certain instruments or apparatus to be applied to looms for weaving.
The first series of our improvements relates to the application of friction
brakes to the fly wheel or pulley of looms in such a manner that before the
loom is thrown out of geer the momentum of the working parts is partially
arrested, and the shock or concussion attendant upon its sudden stoppage
greatly modified and reduced. We would remark, we are aware that friction
brakes have been used in power looms previous to the date of our said Letters
Patent; such friction brakes, however, have been applied after the loom has
been thrown out of geer or simultaneous with it, either by means of a spring
or weight discharged by the spring handle or other instrument used in stopping
the loom, or by means of the ordinary finger of the stop rod striking the loose
frog, or any equivalent therefor, and acting upon a system of levers connected
with the brake. When friction brakes are applied by the discharge of a weight
or spring, their action, being subsequent to throwing the loom out of geer, is
very imperfect and uncertain; while in brakes applied by a system of levers
connected with the frog and put into operation when the latter is struck by
the finger of the stop rod, the spring handle is always struck by the projection
from the frog, and the driving strap traversed before the brake is brought to act
upon the fly wheel, or simultaneously with it, consequently the brake is brought
into operation when the working parts are in full motion and the reed is very
near to the fell or face of the fabric; and in order to stop the loom before the
crank shaft commences another revolution, it is necessary to use a heavy brake
and connect it with the frog by a rigid lever, resulting in violent contact
between the fly wheel and the brake; and as the driving strap is traversed
from the fast to the loose pulley before the brake can act, the momentum of
the working parts is arrested entirely by the brake, often producing serious
injury to the warps, the fabric, and the framing of the loom. These evils it is
the object of our Invention to remedy. In our improved method, the brake is
brought into partial operation before the spring handle is knocked off, and,
instead of just coming into action when the driving strap is traversed, is in
full and effective operation when that takes place; and as the momentum of the
working parts is not so sharply arrested as in the brakes put on by the frog

page_text: (the momentum being partially overcome before the driving strap is traversed
from the fast to the loose pulley), we are enabled to use a less heavy and more
flexible description of friction brake, which, while it relieves the loon of the
violent concussions attendant upon the heavy brakes, still enables us to stop
the slay before the recd can approach to the fell or face of the fabric. We
will now proceed to describe the manner in which we carry this series of our
improvements into practical effect. We dispense with the ordinary loose or
spring swell in the back of the shuttle race, and substitute therefor a curved
or 'segmental piece of metal, which we make of one piece with the small
upright lever on the stop rod (which lever usually bears against the loose
swells in the back board of each shuttle box). The ordinary finger of the stop
rod which strikes against the frog we dispense with, as also the frog. To the
upright lever of the stop rod we attach a tail lever, provided on one side of tho
loom with a hook, catch, or slot, which catch or slot takes hold of a projection
or acts upon a stud affixed to a sliding bar or rod connected to the brako
apparatus, and on the other side of the stop rod the tail lever has a curve or
incline which travels beneath a bowl attached to the frame. It will therefore
be perceived, that we form the swell (which consists of a curved arm to the
upright lever), the upright or back lever, and the tail lever, of one piece of
metal, and these are placed upon the ordinary stop rod, the axis of which is
their fulcrum or centre of motion. When the shuttle boxes regularly, the
curved arm of the upright lever is pressed outwards by the curved tail lever
travelling beneath a bowl fixed to the frame on the opposite side of the loom,
and the shuttle having boxed, prevents the catch on the other tail lever from
taking hold of the stud or projection affixed to the sliding bar connected with
the brake apparatus; but when the shuttle misses boxing, a small spring at
the back of each shuttle race presses against the upright lever, forces the
curved arm into the shuttle race, raises the tail lever, and causes the catch or
notch thereon to take hold of the stud or projection on the sliding bar or
rod, the beat up of the slay causes the notch on the tail lever to carry the
sliding bar forwards, which applies the friction brake to the fly wheel or
pulley, and having done so strikes the ordinary spring handle, which latter
throws the loom out of geer in the usual manner. It will be evident from
this descripton that the brake is applied and the momentum of the loom
partially arrested before the spring handle is knocked off; but in order more
fully to explain the nature of our improvements, we have prepared and at-
tached to these Presents several Drawings, illustrating various modes of
carrying our Invention into practical effect. In these Drawings those parts
which refer more particularly to the working of our improvements are repre-

page_text: sented shaded in colours, the other parts being drawn in outline only. The
scale to which the Figures on the annexed Drawings are made is marked
thereon; and the letters or figures of reference used in the following description
are alike in each Figure, that is to say, the same letter or figure of reference
which denotes any part represented in one Figure denotes the same part in
every other Figure where such letter or figure of reference is used. In
Drawing No. 1, A is the main framing of the loom; B is the yarn roller;
C, the cloth beam; D, one of the shuttle boxes; E, the crank shaft, on which
are placed the usual fast and loose driving pulleys, and also the fly wheel or
pulley F; G is the curved arm (or substitute for the loose swell), entering
the back of the shuttle box, and projecting horizontally from the upright back
lever H, which is of one piece with the tail lever I, and is attached to the stop
rod J, as their common axis of motion. The stop rod J extends beneath the
bed of the slay K; and the opposite shuttle box is furnished with a similar
arrangement of levers, with this difference, that the catch on the tail lever I'
is dispensed with, and the tail being bent so as to travel under the bowl K'
(see Figure 9), and thus relieves the shuttle from forcing the swell back as it
enters the box. These levers are attached to the other end of the stop rod.
When the shuttle boxes regularly, the curved arm G is pressed outwards by
means of the other tail lever working beneath the bowl K', and the hook
or catch upon the tail lever I is so far depressed as to be moved out of the
reach of contact with the stud L (coloured rod) upon the sliding bar M; but
when the shuttle fails to enter either shuttle box, and the reed is beating up,
the spring N, bearing against the upright lever H, forces the curved arm G
into the shuttle box, and so far raises the tail lover E that the hook or catch
thereon takes hold of the stud L on the sliding bar M; the continued beat
up of the slay carries the bar M in the direction of the arrow, and causes the
cranked lever P, to which it is connected, to put the brake O on the fly wheel
or pulley F. The brake shewn in this case consists of a belt or strap of
leather attached to a stud projecting from the framing of the loom at P³, which
<description of friction brakes we prefer to the metal brakes usually adopted,
although we do not confine ourselves to any particular substance or material
for the construction of our brakes, which, together with the mechanical
arrangements for bringing them to act upon the fly wheel or pulley, may be
varied according to circumstances. The sliding bar M, after bringing the
brake into action, strikes the spring handle Q, and throwing it out of the catch
or detent in which it is held causes it to act upon the strap fork R, and
traverse the driving strap from the fast to the louse pulley in the usual
manner. S is the weft fork apparatus, and when the spring handle Q

page_text: is knocked off thereby, the catch of the cranked lever T, which rested
on the lever W, is deprived of its support, and by means of the connecting
link U causes the weighted horizontal arm of the bell cranked lever V to
bring the vertical arm of that lever to act upon the stud Lon the sliding bar M,
and thus to bring the brake O into connection with the fly wheel or pulley F,
when the weft thread is absent or broken, and prevent the slay from vibrating.
The red lines in Figure 3 indicate the positions of the weft brake apparatus
when the spring handle is knocked off; and in order to restore this apparatus
to a working position, a projection X from the cranked lever T rests against
the spring handle Q; and when the operative replaces the spring handle in
the catch or detent from which it was struck, the projection X is acted upon,
and through the link Q relieves the brake from the pressure of the weighted
lever. As weft brakes put on by weights have long been used, we wish it
to be understood that we do not claim them as our Invention, but have
merely shewn their adaptation to our before described improved arrangements;
but to persons conversant with weaving, it will readily appear that the weight
upon the cranked lever V will act as an important auxillary to maintain the
effective action of the brake after it has been put on by means of the tail lever
and sliding bar, as illustrated and described.
Figure 4, Drawing No. 2, shews a modified arrangement for applying a
friction brake. The weighted lever V rests upon a projection on the vertical
lever Y and the cranked lever N, a projection upon which, in this case, is acted
upon by the notch upon the tail lever I, must be caught by the notch of the
tail lever I carrying with it the vertical arm of the cranked lever V before the
finger Y on the vertical lever Y can knock off the spring handle Q; with this
arrangement the brake is not only applied prior to throwing the loom out geer,
but the discharge of the weighted lever is also effected before instead of after
the spring handle has been knocked off.
Figure 5 shews an arrangement of a strap brake with two bell-cranked
levers N, N, for bringing it into and putting it out of action with greater
parallelism than when the fulcrum of the brake is a stud on the loom frame.
Figure 6 shews an arrangement for applying a lever brake; Z is a cranked
lever, to the horizontal arm of which the brake is affixed, while a stud upon the
vertical arm is caught by the notch on the tail lever I when the shuttle misses
boxing, and consequently presses the brake against the fly wheel or pulley F.
In Figure 7 the position of the brake is reversed, and consists of a steel
band lined with leather. The other arrangements of apparatus exhibited in
Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 are the same as those before described, and to which
the same letters of reference apply.

page_text: The second series of our improvements relate to the use of cone pulleys and
of conical or inclined surfaces brought into contact therewith, and acting as
friction brakes for the purpose of arresting the evolutions of looms.
In Figure 8, Drawing No. 2, a is a cone pulley on the crank shaft of the
loom; and b, an inclined surface brought into contact therewith when the
spring handle is knocked off. We do not confine ourselves to any particular
arrangements for applying these inclined brakes to the cone pulleys, as the
apparatus for so doing may be varied suitable to convenience.
The third series of our improvements relates to self-acting temples for
keeping the cloth or other fabric woven in looms distended of an uniform
width.
In Drawing No. 3, Figures 10, 11, 12, and 13 represent an improved jaw
temple to be used in looms for weaving fustians and other heavy description of
goods. One of these temples is fixed to the loom upon each side of the fabric.
a, is a bevil wheel, to which rotation is given in any convenient manner from
the working parts of the loom. The shaft b, to which the bevil a is secured,
extends across the loom and gives motion to the temple on the other side of the
fabric. The bevil a drives the bevil c, to which is attached the block d, which,
with the bevil c, revolves on a stud e projecting from the frame plate of the
temple f. This frame plate we secure to the breast beam of the loom; g and h
are bars sliding in guides on the frame plate f. The bars g and h have pro-
jecting rods i, i, and j, j, and these rods severally support the chaps k and 7,
which latter carry the jaws m and n of the temple. The faces of the chaps k, l,
are pierced with a series of holes corresponding to a similar number of teeth upon
the jaws m, n. The teeth upon the jaws pass through the holes in the chaps
and take hold of the selvages of the cloth which pass through a narrow slit in
the chaps. The action of this temple is as follows:-The block d is cut into two
heart-shaped canis 0, 2, on which the tail levers of the jaws m and n travel,
and by which they are opened or shut, in order to retain the fabric or liberate
it as it is wound upon the cloth beam. Upon the block d are also cut the
grooved slots and r; the direction of these grooves is curvilineal, and angular
on the circumference of the block d. The tails of the levers s and t, whoso
fulcrums are studs projecting from a bracket on the frame platef, travel in these
grooves. The upper parts of these levers act upon the chaps and respec-
tively, in such a manner that when the cloth is to be held in the chap k by
the teeth on the jaw m, the angle on the groove 9 causes the levers to move
the chap upon the rods i, i, and advance it to take up the cloth, while the
tail of the jaw m, acted on by the cam o, will cause the sliding bar g to
stretch the cloth to any extent required by means of the regulating and stop-
k
2

page_text: ping screws 2, so soon as it is held between the jaw and the chap, till the tail
of the jaw m falls into the recess in the heart-shaped cam o, and liberates the
cloth from the action of the jaw, then the spring draws in the jaw to make
fresh hold of the cloth, and when the other system of cams, grooves, and levers
put the chap and jawl and n into action one after another in a similar manner.
To assist the recoil of the sliding bars we make use of spiral springs u and v.
Our improvements in temples also refer to the class of temples known as
Smith's temples, or the roller temple, to this we add a bar or rod stretching
from temple to teniple across and above the fabric, between the temple and the
reed, preserving its surface from being unduly drawn up and strengthening
and improving the action of the temple. Figures 14 and 15 shew this im-
provement; w, is the roller temple; a, is the fabric; and y, is the rod stretch-
ing across and above the surface of the fabric, the action of which will be
readily understood without further explanation.
Having now fully described the nature and particulars of our said Invention,
and having shewn several methods of carrying the same into practical effect, we
wish it to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to any of the par-
ticular mechanism or details thereof so long as the nature and object of our
Invention be effected or performed, but that we claim in this our Specification
of Letters Patent granted unto us as aforesaid.
Firstly, effecting the application of friction brakes to power looms previous
to throwing the loom out of geer, together with the mechanism described and
illustrated, or any modification of the same, for bringing friction brakes so
appled into operation.
Secondly, the arrangement of the tail lever travelling beneath a bowl upon
the loom by which the swell is removed from the shuttle box previous to the
shuttle entering the box.
Thirdly, the novel combination of the swell and the back lever in one
instrument, whether the same be used for the purposes of our present Inven-
tion or in ordinary looms.
Fourthly, the use of cone pulleys and inclined or conical surfaces for
riction brakes in power looms.
Fifthly, the pecular arrangement of the double jaw temple as described, or
ny modification of the same.
And, sixthly the use in Smith's temples of a rod or bar extending across
he fabric between the roller and the breast beam.
The whole of which being, to the best of our knowledge and belief, new and
ever before practised within that part of Her said Majesty's United King-

page_text: dom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her Dominion of Wales,
and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, we deliver this as our true and faithful
Specification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Henderson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Fifteenth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and forty-nine.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifteenth day of October, in
the year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid Joseph Henderson came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and everything therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
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