Improvements in Jacquard APPARATUS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Wright, of the Town and County of the
Town of Nottingham, for the Invention of "Improvements in Jacquard
APPARATUS."
Sealed the 4th March 1873, and dated the 11th January 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said.Thomas Wright at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th January 1873.
I,, THOMAS WRIGHT, of the Town and County of the Town of Notting-
ham, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN JACQUARD APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
-
The object of this Invention is to simplify the arrangement of jacquard
apparatus hitherto employed with a view to economy, and also to ensure
greater accuracy in its operation upon the thick thread or warp or gimp
bars of the lace machine. The thick thread, warp, or gimp bars are
hereafter called "steel bars.”

page_text: "
Hitherto the steel bars" have been operated by means of instru-
ments called "droppers," which were selected to suit the design by
means of perforated cards. I propose to substitute for these "droppers'
a set of pins working in perforated sleys. The "steel bars" are operated
upon at each end by springs, the spring at the jacquard end of the bar
having more power than the one at the other end. The tendency of the
stronger spring is to keep the steel bar drawn up to the right hand of
the machine. If it is desired to let a bar fall any number of gaits this
is effected by the perforations in the jacquard "card" allowing the pins
to fall to the lower sley, so that the end of the lever which works the
"steel bar" is drawn up over the heads of the fallen pins until it reaches
the pin which is kept in position by the "card" underneath not being
perforated. The cylinder, "card," driving bar, and nipping tackle are
similar to those now in use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,-
filed by the said Thomas Wright in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 11th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WRIGHT, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and soventy-three, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas Wright, Her special license that I,
the said Thomas Wright, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Thomas Wright, 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, usc, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN JACQUARD APPARATUS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Wright, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one

page_text: of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to bo
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 Thomas Wright, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
The object of this Invention is to simplify the arrangement of jacquard
apparatus hitherto employed with a view to economy, and also to ensure
greater accuracy in its operation upon the thick thread or warp or gimp
bars of the lace machine. The thick thread, warp, or gimp bars are
hereafter called "steel bars."
""
Hitherto the "steel bars" have been operated by means of instruments
called "droppers," which were selected to suit the design by means of
perforated cards. I propose to substitute for these "droppers
a set of
pins working in perforated sleys. The "steel bars" are operated upon at
each end by springs, the spring at the jacquard end of the bar having
more power than the one at the other end. The tendency of the stronger
spring is to keep the steel bar drawn up to the right hand of the
machine. If it is desired to let a bar fall any number of gaits this is
effected by the perforations in the "jacquard card" allowing the pins
to fall to the lower sley so that the end of the lever which works the
"steel bar" is drawn up over the heads of the fallen pins until it reaches
the pin which is kept in position by the "card" underneath not being
perforated; or instead of the jacquard card allowing the pins to fall
so as to permit the lever or slide which works the "steel bar" to pass over
the heads thereof the pins may be raised by the card so as to permit the
slide to pass through or under the heads thereof until it comes against
the head of a pin which is allowed to fall by a perforation in the card.
The cylinder, "card" driving bar, and nipping tackle are similar to those
now in use.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical section, and Figure 2 is an end elevation of
jacquard apparatus arranged according to my Invention. Figure 3 is a
full size sectional view of some of the parts in a similar position to that
shown in the previous Figures. Figure 4 is a full size sectional view of
parts at the moment when the jacquard cylinder has risen to its full
height and made a selection. Figure 5 is a plan, full size, of parts
corresponding in time with those of Figure 4.
Figures 6 are edge and side views, full size, of a "pin" of the form
I prefer to employ, and such as are shown applied to the previous Figures.
Figure 7 is a sectional view, and Figure 8 is a plan, full size, of parts
slightly modified from those shown in the previous Figures; and Figure 9
is a separate view of one of the "pins" j, of the form shown, applied
to the arrangement represented at Figures 7 and 8.
a, a, is the main framing of the jacquard apparatus; 6 is the main or
driving axis which receives rotary motion by means (not shown) of
suitable gearing from the lace machine with which it is connected, as is
well understood; c is the jacquard cylinder, the axis c¹ of which is
carried by and turns in slides capable of being moved up and down in
the following manner in slots or guides a¹ formed in the main framing.
On the axis c¹ of the jacquard cylinder c is mounted at each end a link
or connecting rod d, which is also pin-jointed to levers e¹ fixed upon the
shaft or axis e, to which a partial rotary motion is given by the cam f
in the following manner :-On one end of the axis b is mounted a block
which fits and is capable of sliding within the open slotted end of a
link g connected by pin joint to the lever e³ fixed on the axis e. On this
link g are mounted two trucks or pulleys g¹ bearing on opposite sides of
the cam f. Thus in the revolution of the cam f the link g is moved to
and fro, and by the connections before described gives the required to-
and-fro motion to the jacquard cylinder c. On each end of the jacquard
cylinder c is mounted a pin or rack wheel c³, which in the downward
motion of the cylinder c comes against a fixed spring clawker h, and
thereby gives the required step-by-step rotary motion to bring round a
fresh "card" at each action of the apparatus. Breaks i act against the
pins of the wheels c³ to hold the jacquard cylinder c in the proper
position for work after each partial rotation thereof.

page_text: Instead however of employing instruments known as droppers" as
heretofore to be selected by the jacquard cards, and to operate the
" steel bars" to suit the design, I employ in lieu thereof a set of
'pins "j working in two perforated sleys k, k.
"
These pins I prefer to form as shown separately at Figures 6 and as
shown applied to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, in which arrangement the
upper ends of the pins ; are turned over to enable them to be passed
over slides 7, and I adjust these pins with the heads thereof standing
alternately in opposite directions over the slides 7, by which plan I am
enabled to arrange the holes of the sleys k, k, with two rows of holes to
each slide, whereby I am enabled to use larger holes and have more
space between them than if only one row of holes were employed to
each slide. Each slide has a slot formed therein, within which works
a pin or stud m* fixed to another slide m, which is pin-jointed to a
lever m¹ mounted on the axis n. To each lever m² is pin-jointed another
slide m³, which has connected thereto by a spring m³ a sliding stop m².
Each slide m³ has mounted therein as usual a "draw bit" m³, which is
connected by a wire m³ to a perforated
"steel bar" of the lace machine,
as is well understood. Each "steel bar" is acted upon at the left hand or
machine end thereof by a spring (not shown), and at the jacquard or
right hand end thereof by another spring 12 acting thereon through the
parts l, m, m', m², m³, and m³. The springs & I make stronger than those
acting upon the opposite ends of the steel bars, which springs there-
fore tend to keep the steel bars drawn up to the right hand or jacquard
end of the lace machine.
I would here remark that the Drawings represent the jacquard
apparatus as it would be viewed from the back of the lace machine, and
consequently when speaking of the right hand or left hand end of the
lace machine the opposite ends of the Drawings must be understood as
referring to those parts.
The jacquard apparatus shown in the Drawings is adapted to a
"10 point" lace machine, but by varying the distances between the
"pins" or by varying the height at which the slides m³ are pin-jointed
to the levers m¹ the jacquard apparatus shown in the Drawings may be
adapted to other gauges of lace machines. o is the driving bar which is
mounted with capability of sliding in slots a formed in the main

page_text: framing a. This driving bar o is operated by cams p acting upon the
lower ends of levers o' mounted upon axes of motion at o³, and con-
nected at their upper ends by pin joints to links o³, which are also pin-
jointed to the driving bar o.
The nipping tackle acts upon the sliding stops m³ to hold them, and
consequently the "steel bars" at the distances selected, and the nipping
is effected by cams q acting upon the lower ends of levers q', which at
their upper ends aro pin-jointed to links q, the outer ends of which act
upon bell-crank levers q³, which act upon the slide bolts of the nipping
tackle, as is well understood.
When using "pins" of the form shown at Figures 6, and parts con-
nected therewith as arranged in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, I am enabled
to let a
"steel bar" fall or change its position by any number of gaits
by employing only one perforation in the jacquard card for each
slide 7, the perforation in the "card" allowing one "pin" to fall, whilst
the card will raise all the other pins to a height sufficient to allow the
slide to pass under the heads of the "pins" till the shoulder of the
slide abuts against the head of the fallen "pin."
The operation of the jacquard apparatus shown at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, and 6, is as follows:-Supposing the jacquard cylinder to have risen
to its highest position, as shown at Figure 4, and to have raised all the
pins j but one to each slide, which pins will fall through the perforations
in the card, the nipping tackle will then be held off so as to release the
sliding stops m' just before the driving bar o arrives at its nearest position
to the jacquard cylinder, the shoulders of the slides having been left
in contact with the fallen or selected pins through the action of the
springs, causing the slides to follow the driving bar o during its
approach towards the jacquard cylinder. The sliding stops m' will then
immediately be drawn by the springs m³ up to the slides m³, and will
follow the motions of such slides, and the springs at the left hand
or machine end of the steel bars will draw the steel bars in that
direction until the studs m* of the slides m come against the machine
ends of the slots P. The jacquard cylinder will then begin to fall and
the nipping tackle will be put on so as to hold the sliding stops m*, and
consequently the steel bars in the position to which they have been
selected by the jacquard apparatus. The driving bar o will then begin

page_text: its return motion in order to carry all the slides in the direction of the
arrow, see Figure 4, and clear of the pins ; preparatory to a fresh
selection being made by the "jacquard cards."
Instead however of employing pins with the heads thereof turned
over, as shown at Figures 6, plain pins ; such as those shown in connec-
tion with Figures 7 and 8 and separately at Figure 9 may be employed,
in which case the holes in the sleys k for each set of pins corresponding
with each slide will be arranged in a single line coincident with the
linc of traverse of the slide 7, and each slide will be capable of passing
over the heads of the pius j corresponding therewith, which are not
raised by the jacquard cards until it arrives at the first pin ; which is
raised by the cards, when it will be stopped by abutting against such
pin. In this case the jacquard card would require to be perforted with
as many holes for cach slide / as the number of gaits it would be desired
to allow each steel bar to fall from the extreme left hand or machine end
thereof, by which means the required number of pins ; will be allowed
to fall till they are supported by the lower sley, when their upper onds
will be below the under side of the slides 1, which can then be drawn
over them by the springs until the ends thereof reach the first pins
which are raised by the jacquard card.
In this last mentioned arrangement the other parts of the apparatus
are of a similar character to those already described in connection with
the previous Figures.
Jacquard apparatus arranged according to my Invention may be
applied to act upon either or both the top and bottom bars of a lace
machine.
I would here remark that the mode herein described of operating the
jacquard cylinder, driving bar, and nipping tackle forms no part of my
present Invention, and may be varied in any suitable manner, and the
shape of the pins and slides may also be varied without departing from
the peculiar character of my Invention.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the mode
in which I prefer to carry the same into effect, I would have it under-
stood that what I claim as my Invention is the employment in jacquard
apparatus of "pins" which are selected by the jacquard cards, and
are caused to regulate the position to which the top and bottom bars of

page_text: a lace machine are drawn by springs ", in manner substantially as herein
shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wright, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
THOMAS WRIGHT. (L.S.)