IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Loret-Vermeersch, of Malines, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING."
Sealed the 22d August 1854, and dated the 20th March 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Loret-Vermeersch
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th March 1854.
I, FRANÇOIS LORET-VERMEERSCH, of Malines, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING" to be as follows:-
My Invention .consists of certain improvements in looms for weaving
fabrics, either by hand or power, the arrangement of which is as follows:-
Just below the cloth beam, and at right angles to it, is fitted a driving shaft,
supported in bearings attached to the framing; this shaft extends outward in
front of the cloth beam, and carries a fly wheel, to which a handle is fitted for
turning it by hand, or fast & loose pullies, if steam power be used. At the
other end of the driving shaft is fitted an excentric, to which is attached, a rod
connected with a bell crank lever, which gives motion to the batten or slay.
The driving shaft also carries two other excentrics, one of which, by a suitable

page_text: arrangement of levers, &c., causes the rising and falling of the heddles, the
other effects the driving of the shuttle through the shed. By this arrangement
the operation of weaving is effected by turning the handle of the fly wheel.
For weaving fabrics where a number of heddles are employed I use the fol-
lowing arrangement:-To the side framing of the loom is suspended a frame,
which carries a cylinder or drum perforated with holes, in the order in which the
heddles are to be raised. In each of the holes is fitted a pin or stud, which
comes in contact with the ends of a series of vertical levers, equal in number
to the heddles employed, and attached to them. by cords. The cylinder is put
in motion by an excentric on the driving shaft, and as it rotates the pins raise
the heddles in their proper order. The falling of the heddles is effected by
attaching strings to their under sides, which are carried down to spiral springs
fixed to the cross bars of the framing; the lifting of the heddles causes a cer-
tain amount of tension on the springs. In cases where a smaller number of
heddles would suffice, two or four, for example, I effect the rising and falling
by attaching them at the top and bottom to levers working on centres attached
to the framing. These levers are made to oscillate by means of an excentric
fixed on the driving shaft. Another modification consists of a toothed wheel
fitted to the driving shaft, and gearing with another wheel double its diameter.
On the axis of the second wheel is an excentric, which causes the alternate
elevation and depression of the heddles; the latter arrangements are adapted
for weaving linen or "union" cloths. Another part of my improvements consists
of a mechanical arrangement for drilling the holes in the cylinder or drum
used for raising the heddles. It consists of a frame, the standards of which
support two horizontal cross pieces, perforated with holes for holding the drill in
a vertical position; the cylinder is fixed by set screws below the lower cross bar.
The drill being set in motion, a hole is made in the cylinder below, and if the
drill is put into each of the holes in the cross bars, a straight row of holes will
be made in the cylinder; or if the cylinder be turned partially round as each
hole is made, the direction of the rows of holes will be more or less angular.
In the foregoing I have not entered into any description of the minor details
connected with my improvements, and I reserve a right to make any requisite
modifications; the above is, however, a description of the principal features of
my Invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said François Loret-Vermeersch in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th September 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCOIS
LORET-VERMEERSCH, of Malines, in the Kingdom of Belgium, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Francois Loret-Vermeersch, Her special licence that I, the said Francois
Loret-Vermeersch, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Francois Loret-Vermeersch, 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, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, 'an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Francois Loret-Vermeersch, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be 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 Francois Loret-Vermeersch, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed:→
My Invention of improvements in looms for weaving consists of certain new
mechanical arrangements for effecting the movements of the different parts of
the loom, which I will describe seriatum, referring to the Drawings hereunto
annexed. Fig. 1, Sheet A, shows a front elevation of a loom, having my im-
provements applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a back view of the same; Fig. 3 is a
view of the right hand side of the loom; and Fig. 4, a view of the left hand
side; Fig. 5 is a vertical section, parallel with the front of the loom, to show
the manner of working the shuttle; Fig. 6 is a section parallel with the sides,
to show the parts connected with the main driving shaft. A, A, is the framing;
B, the warp beam; C, the warp roller; D, the breast beam; E, the cloth
beam; F, the heddles; G, the main shaft, upon which is keyed the fly wheel H,

page_text: If the loom is to be worked by hand, the fly wheel H is fitted with a
handle, as shown in the Drawing; if steam power be used, the fly wheel H
is replaced by fast and loose pullies. The movement of the batten or lay is
effected as follows:-The shaft G carries at one end the fly wheel H, and at
the other the lever b, Fig. 6, moving on the pin b', which supports the hook c;
this hook is connected with the bell-crank lever d, d', which is secured to the
axle or shaft I, Figs. 1, 2. The axle I is supported by the bearings e, and
carries at one end the bell-crank lever d, and at the other end a lever f, Fig. 4;
between these levers is fitted the connecting rod g, which is jointed to the
batten or lay K; to the opposite side of the batten are fixed two axles or shafts
h; these are supported by four pullies or friction rollers i. When the workman
gives motion to the fly wheel H; the lever 6 will communicate an oscillating
motion to the shaft I, and thence to the batten or lay. I will now describe
the mechanical arrangement, by means of which the shuttle is projected
through the "shed." The arm or rod L, Figs. 1, 5, is supported by a pin k,
upon which it turns; upon the upper side of this arm or rod is fixed a cam i;
this is a triangular shaped piece of steel or other suitable metal, the sides
of which are curved, as shown in the Figure; it is secured to the arm L
by screws t¹, t¹; the lower part of the cam fits in a groove. made in the arm
L, by which its position and inclination may be adjusted. To the extremity of
the lever L are attached two cords m, which pass over the pullies n, n³, and
are fastened to the drivers o, Fig. 1. At the outer extremity of the arm L is
fastened a piece of wire p, attached to the spiral spring q; upon the shaft G is
fitted a lever r, which carries at its extremity a roller s; thus, at each revo-
lution of the fly wheel H, the lever L is suddenly depressed by the roller s
passing over the cam V, thereby stretching the cords m, the position of which
causes the drivers, o to spring forward, and shoot or drive the shuttle through
the shed. One side or surface of the cam is curved outward in the form of
an arc, and the under side is of a semi-circular form; this cam may in some
cases be made to oscillate upon a point, as shewn by the dotted line at u, so
that any required inclination may be given to it by adjusting the screws t', t',
and consequently increasing the rapidity of the depression of the lever L, and
also of the traverse of the shuttle. The movement of the heddles is effected
in the following manner:-M is a moveable iron frame, suspended by the
screws v, so as to oscillate freely; to the lower part of the frame is fitted the
cylinder N, which rotates upon the axle x; to one end of the cylinder is
adapted the pinion y. The cylinder is pierced with as many rows of holes as
there are heddles; in these holes are fitted small spindles or pins, Fig. 5,
which in number and disposition follow the order in which the heddles are to

page_text: 2
be raised. The heddles F are raised to about the centre of the iron levers a,
which are placed perpendicular position, and supported, by the cross bar. b..
To the upper ends of the levers a are fastened the cords c, which, after passing
over the pullies d, are attached to the triangles e, which sustain the heddles.
The heddles are drawn downwards by the springs f, which are placed very near
to or level, with the floor; the springs are connected with the heddles by the
wires g', g', which are passed through eylot holes underneath the heddle frames.
The lower ends of the levers a are bent at a right angle, so as to be opposite
the axis of the cylinder, and facing the pins or, spindles z.
The connecting
rod P, Fig. 5, has fitted near its centre the roller or pulley i; the rod P. is
retained in a horizontal position by the collar. k, and it is jointed at, to the
lower cross piece of the frame M.. The movements of the cylinder N and the
heddles are effected as follows:-The shaft G carries an excentric Q, which
presses upon the roller or pulley i, and by its rotary motion movement puts in
action and gives a zig-zag motion to the rod P, which in its turn gives an
oscillating motion to the frame M and the cylinder N. The horizontal ends
h¹ of the levers a are in a line with the centre of the cylinder and facing the
projecting pins, so that when the connecting rod P draws with it the frame
and cylinder, the pins press upon the ends h¹ of the levers a, and the upper
ends which are fastened to the cords c lift the heddles F. As the rotation of
the driving shaft continues, the cylinder and frame are driven back by the rod
P to the centre of the outer excentric n, which is acted upon by the roller or
pulley i, and at each oscillating movement one of the pins of the pinion y',
Fig. 1, meets a hook o¹, which causes it to turn one tooth, and consequently
one division of the pins z. There is also a second hook p', which is connected
with the first by the cord q, which; after passing over the pullies r¹, r¹, is carried
down, so as to be within reach of the workman's hand; the two hooks o¹, p¹,
are lifted when about to recommence a shoot of weft that has been badly done,
which may by chance occur. Figs. 7, 8, represent front and side views of the
cylinder N, by which the alternations in the rise and fall of the heddles are
effected, in order to produce the required pattern on the fabric. The cylinder
N rotates upon its axis x, to one extremity of which is fixed the pinion y; to
the other end is fitted the flange t, which rotates in the forked piece of metal
u, and serves to guide the cylinder; the fork u is supported by a pin at v, upon
which it moves; the upper part is continued outward, forming a flexible arm,
which presses against an indented piece of steel x. The cylinder N is per-
forated with 36 (or other number: of) rows of holes; that is to say, there are
three times the number of rows of holes that there are levers a, which are here
shown as 12. The levers a are placed at equal distances: apart, in such manner

page_text: as to leave a free passage for the pins z, which are prepared to make the
necessary changes in the disposition of the. heddles, in accordance with the
draft of the fabric that is being woven. When the workman displaces the fork
u, it moves one tooth of the plate a and also the cylinder, causing another row
of pins to be brought into action, and thus alter the draught of the loom.
R, Fig. 9, represents a front view of the spring, by which the speed of the cylinder
N, Fig. 3, may be controlled. On reference to Fig. 8, a small lever y¹ will be
seen at the side of the cylinder; this lever slides between the pins of the pinion
y, and is for the purpose of retaining the cylinder in the proper position each
time it presses the levers a of the heddles. For machines which are furnished
with a cylinder, such as shown by Fig. 7, for effecting the change of draught
or alternate rise and fall of the heddles, then I place an excentric Q at the
extremity of the shaft G, Fig. 10, and this excentric carries the lever b, which
communicates motion to the batten. The arrangement for stopping the loom
is as follows:-An iron axle or shaft z, Fig. 1, is fitted beneath the batten K,
are supported by bearings; affixed thereto at one of its extremities is fitted
a bell-crank lever 6, and at the other an arm c", which rises in front of
the shuttle box, and is held by a spring d; the vertical arm of the lever ",
and the arm c¹, press against the horizontal levers e, e¹¹, which enter
the shuttle boxes. When the shuttle arrives in the box it pushes aside
the lever e, and consequently the arm 6", or ", on whichever side this
effect is produced, the horizontal arm of the lever 6" encounters no obstacle;
but when the shuttle docs not arrive in the box or traps in the shed, the
arm c is not raised, and it comes in contact with the extremity of the arm f,
which arrests the fly wheel H, and the motion of the machine. The unwinding
of the warp is effected as follows:-B, Fig. 2, is the warp beam, supported by
the bearings ; a cord ¹¹ is passed round the beam, one end of which is
fastened to the cross bar S, to the other is secured a weight ke"; the degree of
friction of the cord upon the roller may be regulated as desired, in order to
maintain an equal strain upon the warp. C is another roller, over which the
warp passes; are the bearings of the same. The fabric as it woven is taken
up on the cloth beam; thus the warp roller B, Fig. 4, being properly fixed, the
warp is passed round the roller C, through the heddles and the splits of the
reed where it is woven, the cloth passing over the breast beam D to the cloth
beam E, one end of which (that to the left) is carried beyond the framing,
and on this end is fitted the toothed wheel T, which gears with the pinion m',
supported on a shaft or axle attached to a cross bar of the framing: upon the
pinion axle is fitted a rachet wheel U, which travels with it. A bell-crank
lever V is pivotted at n¹¹ to a cross bar of the framing, the horizontal arm of

page_text: which carries a weight o" and a detent or pall p", which passes on the teeth
of the wheel U; the upper end of the bell-crank lever rests against a finger q",
which projects from the shuttle box. When the batten K is nearest the
heddles, the finger q" pushes back the arm of the lever V, which turns upon
its axis n", causing the outer end upon which the weight o!! is secured to
descend, and thereby lift the pall or detent p", which slides over one tooth
of the wheel U; but when the batten moves forward to strike up the weft,
the finger q is clear of the lever V, the weight of which presses by the pall p".
on the wheel U, causing it to turn in the proper direction for winding the
cloth, and with it the pinion m, the wheel T, and the cloth beam E. Fig. 11,
Sheet 2, represents another arrangement of the loom. The levers a by which
the heddles are raised are prolonged downward, and jointed at c to the
horizontal levers b; the ends of these levers are bent upwards, and again at
right angles at d, as shown in the Figure; they are connected with the heddles
by the cords e. To the cross framing B is fixed the bearing f, which supports
the axle g, which carries the bell-crank lever h, at one end of which is a lever i
resting on the levers b; the connecting rod P is jointed at its inner end to the
lever h, and at the other end to the frame M. The movement of the heddles
to form the "shed" is as follows:-The shaft G, which carries the excentric Q,
gives an oscillating movement to the rod P, which communicates a similar
motion to the frame M and the lever h; when the pins press at h¹ upon
the levers a, it causes them to oscillate at the top and bottom; the upper part
lifts the heddles, and the lower part pressing against the levers b, the ends d
rise, so as to clear the roller k, and give the necessary freedom to the motion
Thus, when the horizontal levers are not depressed by
the levers a, they remain stationary by the pressure of the friction roller k
upon them, and so form the shed. While the connecting rod P transmits its
motion to the lever h, the roller k presses upon all the levers which are not
pushed back, leaving the others at liberty. For weaving fabrics which do not
require more than two heddles, I use the arrangement shown by Figs. 12 and.
13, in which the frame M, cylinder N, and levers a, are not required; and in
place of the shaft G and excentric Q the toothed wheel a and lever b is
used, which communicate the proper motion to the batten. The axle B, which
is supported by the bearings c, c', carries the toothed wheel ; this wheel is
twice the diameter of the wheel a, with which it is in gear. At the opposite
extremity of the axle B are fitted two excentrics e, e, which press alternately
upon two rollers-connected with the levers f, f, which are supported in bearings
at g at the end of the arm h. The lower ends of the levers f, f, are fitted to
the swivels i, i, which are attached to the heddles F, F; the upper sides of
of the heddles F.

page_text: the heddles are attached to similar swivel hooks k, which are attached to the
straps; the ends of the straps are carried over the rollers e, which rotate-on
the axle m, supported in the bearings n. The action is as follows:-The shaft
G carries at its outer end the wheel a, which is put in motion by the fly wheel;
the wheel a is in gear with the wheel d, which therefore makes but half a
revolution to each rotation of the fly wheel; the axle B carries with it the
excentrics e, e, which alternately depress the levers f, f, and whatever distance
the lever is depressed, the heddle attached to it is similarly drawn down,
and the other heddle drawn up a corresponding distance, being connected
together by the straps l.
The last part of my Invention refers to an arrangement for piercing the
holes in the cylinders. Fig. 14 is a front view of the apparatus, and Fig. 15
a side view of the same. A; A, are two standards; one is fastened to the base
B, and the other is secured by a screw. C, D, are two bars fastened to the
uprights A by screws b; the lower one travels in the slot c; both the bars are
perforated with a row of holes, in which is placed a drill, as shown in the
Figure. The drill being put in motion, it pierces a hole in the cylinder below;
it is then shifted to the next hole in the bar, and so on throughout the series;
the cylinder is retained in the desired position by a bolt c, which passes between
the pins of the wheel G.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to
the precise details of the various parts, as the same may be varied without
departing from the principle of the Invention, neither do I confine myself to
actuating the loom by manual power alone;"but what I claim and desire to
secure by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
The arrangement of the loom and parts connected therewith, substantially as
described and shown herein, and the application of the cylinder N to any kind
of loom."
In witness whereof, I, the said Francois Loret-Vermeersch, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Eleventh day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
T. LORET-VERMEERSCH. (L.S.).