IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Reuben Ackroyd, of Halifax, in the County of York,
Overlooker, and George Hodgson, of Bradford, in the same County,
Machine Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING."
Sealed the 1st May 1868, and dated the 4th November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Reuben Ackroyd and
George Hodgson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 4th November 1867.
We, REUBEN ACKROYD, of Halifax, in the County of York, Overlooker, and
GEORGE HODGSON, of Bradford, in the same County, Machine Maker, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS
FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to means of operating the healds or heddles in looms
for weaving, and the improvements consist in the employment of a set of jack
rods and levers under the healds or heddles in addition to the ordinary set
above them. These rods and levers are connected in pairs, one top and one
bottom, to a heald or heddle by strings in the usual manner, and to each other
by strings or rods. An equal number of enclosed or side grooved tappets are
also employed, which are fixed on the end of the ordinary tappet shaft or on

page_text: another shaft suitably provided for the purpose. Each tappet is connected by
a rod' with friction roller to one end of a cross lever binged hinged on the
loom end frame, the other end of which is connected by a ród to a lever fixed
on one of the bottom jack rods, so that motion communicated by the tappet to
the bottom jack rod and its lever is also given to the corresponding top jack
rod and lever, and thereby to the heald or heddle in connection with them.
These cross levers are so proportioned in the relative length of each arm as to
give the required extent of motion to the heald or heddle respectively to
produce an even shed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Reuben Ackroyd and George Hodgson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 4th May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, REUBEN
ACKROYD, of Halifax, in the County of York, Overlooker, and GEORGE HODGSON,
of Bradford, in the same County, Machine Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Reuben Ackroyd and George Hodgson, Her special licence, that we,
the said Reuben Ackroyd and George Hodgson, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Reuben Ackroyd and George Hodgson
our 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 we, the said Reuben Ackroyd and
George Hodgson, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of our or their hands 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 we, the said Reuben Ackroyd and George Hodgson,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof and accompanying Sheet of Drawings
(that is to say):-
This Invention relates to means of operating the healds or heddles in looms
for weaving, and the improvements consist in the employment of a set of
jack rods and levers under the healds or heddles in addition to the ordinary
set above them. These rods and levers are connected in pairs, one top and
one bottom, to a heald or heddle by strings in the usual manner and to each
other by strings or rods. An equal number of enclosed or side grooved
tappets are also employed, which are fixed on the end of the ordinary tappet
shaft or on another shaft suitably provided for the purpose. Each tappet is
connected by a stud with friction roller to one end of a cross lever hinged on
the loom end frame, the other end of which is connected by a rod to a lever
fixed on one of the bottom jack rods, so that motion communicated by the
tappet to the bottom jack rod and its lever is also given to the corresponding
jack rod and lever, and thereby to the heald or heddle in connection with
them. These cross levers are so proportioned in the relative length of each
arm as to give the required extent of motion to the heald or heddle respec-
tively to produce an even shed.
In order that this Invention may be clearly understood, reference is given
to an accompanying Sheet of Drawings illustrating our improvements.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents an end elevation of an ordinary loom, or such portion or
parts thereof as are necessary to shew the application of our said improve-
ments thereto.
A are two of the ordinary jack rods and their levers applied above the
healds as usual, and B are two similar jack rods and levers applied under
the healds, being supported on stand brackets C fixed to the loom ends. The
sector-ended-levers-A¹ and-Bare-connected-in-pairs, one-top-and-one-bottom,-
as shewn by the dotted lines D to each of the healds or heddles E respec-
tively, and the levers A³ and B³ are also in like manner connected in the same
pairs by rods G, but strings may be employed for this purpose; H are levers
fixed on the bottom jack rods, which levers are connected by rods I with
cross levers J hinged to the loom end, which levers are also connected by
studs and friction rollers K to side grooved tappets M. fixed on a shaft N,
supported in the loom ends. This shaft is geared with and receives motion
from the crank shaft P. It will be readily seen that as this tappet shaft
rotates motion will be given to the cross levers and thence by the jack rods

page_text: and levers to the healds or heddles, and the action of these tappets will be
according to the form and arrangement thereof, as will be fully understood.
Fig. 2 is a plan view in detail of one of the bottom jack rods and
levers.
In 'witness whereof, I, the said Reuben Ackroyd,- for and on behalf of
myself and the said George Hodgson, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this First day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-eight.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the.
within-named Reuben Ackroyd in
the presence of
ARTHUR B. CROSSLEY,
Clerk to Wm. Tasker,
Patent Agent,.
REUBEN ACKROYD. (L.S.)
Halifax and Bradford..