IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Bullough, of New Accrington. in the County
of Lancaster. Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 23rd October 1860, and dated the 27th April 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Bullough at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents. with his Petition, on the
27th April 1860.
I. JAMES BULLOUGH. of New Accrington. in the County of Lancaster,
Manufacturer. do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
PROVEMENTS IN LOOKS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:
"IM.
Instead of the ordinary temples for keeping the fabric distended to its full
width during the operation of weaving, extend a wire at each side of the
fabric from the back to the front of the loom, by which each selvedge will be
kept rigid.
Secondly, reduce the resistance of the swell on the shuttle. or dispense
with the necessity of the swell by introducing a lever to work the stop rod.
Thirdly. I use a wheel or cam for retaining the lifting catch of the letting-
Pri 81

page_text: off motion without letting back for any number of picks desirable, and thus
prevent thick and thin places in the cloth or fabric.
Fourthly, I use two springs with a set screw to each, to adjust the position
of the weights and weight levers of the yarn beam.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Bullough in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th October 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
BULLOUGH, of New Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victeria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Bullough, Her special licence that 1, the said James Bullough,
my executors, administrators. and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Bullough, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said James Bullough. my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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 James Bullough, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
My Invention consists, firstly, in improved modes of keeping the fabric
distended to its full width during the operation of weaving.

page_text: Secondly, in improved modes of regulating the action of the caich of the
ratchet wheel of the taking-up motion.
Thirdly. in various arrangements of mechanism for reducing the resistance
of the swell on the shuttle, or altogether dispensing with the use of the swell.
And, fourthly, in the employment of two springs with set screws to each.
for adjusting the positions of the weights and weight levers, and also in an
improved distribution of the levers.
The manner in which my Invention is to he performed will be clearly
understood by the following description thereof. reference being had to the
figures and letters on the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings, the letters
referring to each Figure separately.
Fig. is a front elevation of the framework and other parts of a loom
having one of my improved modes of keeping the fabric distended to its full
width during the operation of weaving; Fig. 2. an end elevation of the same:
Fig. 3. a plan and Figs. 4 and 5 are views of detached parts, drawn to an
enlarged scale. Instead of the ordinary temples employed for distending the
cloth I extend an elastic wire at each side of the fabric from the front of the
loom to near the healds, and weave each wire into the edge of the selvedge.
the wires having an alternate up-and-down motion similar to that given to the
warp by the healds.
The elastic wires are shewn at a connected at the back to the vertical
bars b. and held or guided in front within the selvedge of the fabric by the
rollers e and d. shewn enlarged in Figs. 4 and 5. The bars are fixed to
racks e. and work freely in the guides and g. The racks e gear one up and
the other down into toothed wheels or pinions fixed to the heald roller
shaft i. so that as the shaft rocks to and fro an alternate vertical to-and-fro
movement is given to the bars e. and also a rising and falling of the wires at
the same time as the warp, by which means the wires are interwoven into the
selvedge, and maintain the fabric at its proper width, the wires being prevented
from interfering with the edges of the warp by thin strips of metal placed on
the slay behind the reed. The aforesaid rack-and-pinion movement is one of
the simplest modes of giving the up-and-down motion to the wires, but they
may be actuated in any other suitable manner. The weaving of the wires into
the selvedge causes the latter to be loose and open, and therefore the arrange-
ment is not suitable for some kinds of cloth, but that which is a defect in
cotton goods becomes an absolute advantage for fabrics of wool, or mixtures of
wool and other fibrous material in which the selvedges are generally so thick
and strong as to warp the body of the fabric. In order to assist the advance

page_text: of the fabric over the breast beam, the rollers c and d are turned by a friction
band . pui in motion by its contact with the sand roller 1. the band working
in grooves in the rollers. and encircling them, as shewn at m. Fig. 4. The
aforesaid friction band may be employed with advantage to any kind of
revolving temple.
Figs. 6 and are front and end elevations; and Fig. 8. a plan of the
framework and other paris of a loom having an arrangement of mechanism to
be used in conjunction with any of the ordinary temples, and also a mode of
regulating the action of the catch of the raichet wheel of the taking-up
motion. At the outer ends of the temple n are small levers or fingers 0.
having one or more pointed pins p. which are alternately caused to enter the
selvedge ends at the verge of the cloth, and thereby assist in keeping the fabric
to its proper width. The fingers and pins are raised when the reed comes
forward for beating up. and then lowered one after the other into the selvedge
in the following manner: At the outside of each finger is a stud q. on
which is one end of the connecting rod r. having its other end attached to the
long arm or lever working on the fulcrum 1. and resting at the other end on
the cam or tappet on the tappet shaft of the loom, so that when the larger
circumference of the tappet is in contact with the arms the pin end of the
finger o is depressed into the selvedge, and as the tappet revolves, the pin end
of the finger o gradually rises until the arm & rests on the smaller circumference
of the tappet, when both fingers o are raised to such a position as to allow the
beating up by the reed. The aforesaid fingers and pins are intended to he
used in connection with the ordinary temples, and also my elastic wires when
strong fabrics are woven, in order that they shall be more perfectly distended
to the desired width.
In Figs. 6 and 7 represent an arrangement of self-acting mechanism for
regulating the action of the catch of the ratchet wheel of the taking-up
motion, so that when the loom has been stopped the taking-up shall commence
at the desired time, and prevent thick and thin places in the cloth. To the
shaft u, which carries the ordinary finger lever for raising the catch of the
ratchet wheel of the taking-up motion, I fix an arm or lever r, and connect it
to a rod terminating at its lower end with a catch y. which works in the
teeth of a small ratchet wheel working on a pin a', and held by a spring and
pad, so that it can only turn when the friction is overcome. On the pin a', as
a centre, is the lever b', connected by a rod with the lower end of the sword
arm, so that it may receive a 10-and-fro motion. On a pin at the top of the
lever bis the ratchet c' and arm d', both in one piece, but having the ratchet

page_text: side heavier than the other, so that it may always gear with the small ratchet
wheel, unless prevented from so doing. On the rod above the arm is the
pin or projection e', for the purpose of raising the ratchet from the teeth of
the ratchet wheel z. and prevent its working when the ordinary catch is in the
ratchet wheel of the taking-up motion. When the loom is stopped the finger
lever vis pushed back in the usual manner, which thereby raises the arm,
rod z. and places the catchy in an elevated position on the small ratchet
wheel z. the pin e' being also lifted. so as to allow the ratchet c' to gear into
the ratchet wheel and give it motion when the loom is started, and as it turns
tooth-by-tooth it allows the catch to descend in the same proportion.
gradually advancing the finger lever until it touches the weft lever. or has
arrived at any other stop, at which time the ordinary catch of the taking-up
motion is in gear with the teeth, and enables the taking-up to proceed. Or if
there should be no stop for the finger lever . its motion would still be
regulated by the descent of the catch y. for when it is lowered to a certain
point the pin e' would press down the arm d' and raise the ratchet c', so that
the ratchet wheel would not turn. which thereby holds the catch. the friction
of the strap and pad being sufficient to balance the weight of the parts. The
small ratchet wheel z may be varied in diameter, and have teeth of different
degrees of fineness, and also the pin e' may be adjusted so as to give a greater
or less interval of time between the starting of the loom and the taking-up of
the fabric. In cases where the aforesaid apparatus may not be desired, I
remedy the defect of the too sudden fall of the catch in the taking-up wheel
by placing a spring against the finger lever, which keeps it back until, when
the loom is started, the operative considers it necessary for the taking-up to
commence. This contrivance is represented in Fig. 9, in which represents
the spring which presses against the finger lever r.
In Fig. 10 represent another arrangement for the same purpose. On a
stud near the top of the finger lever is a small lever g'. having at the back a
projection or catch. so that when the finger lever is pulled back the projection
can be caught by the front of the breast beam or shuttle holder ', the finger
lever being relieved by pressing the other end of the lever g'.
The third part of my improvements consists in various arrangements of
mechanism for reducing the resistance of the swell on the shuttle, or dispensing
altogether with the use of the swell. In all the arrangements in ordinary use
the swell is in contact with a lever connected with the stop rod, and in
addition a spring is employed for the purpose of keeping the swell in the box,
and thus the shuttle is subjected to a much greater pressure than is necessary

page_text: for simply holding it steady. for the shuttle is only required to be pressed by a
slight weight or friction, so that it can be held in the box and delivered from
it with ease.
In Figs. 11, 12, 13. and 14. I shew one of my improved arrangements for
reducing the pressure or resistance on the swell by causing its under side io
operate upon the stop rod and finger instead of the back. At the under side
of the slay there is a rod a extending from box to box, and having upon it
the ordinary siop rod finger b. At the back of the rod a there is a lever c.
having at the end a vertical rod d. which slides against a plate at the back of
the slay. Also on the rod a there is another lever e, having a bowl or roller f.
which rolls on the top of the curved frame g during the greater part of the
movement of the slay. When the shuttle is in the box the back of the swell
projects out at the back in the usual manner. as shewn in Fig. 12. and
prevents the rod d from rising. by which means if the bowl should pass the
curve it could not be depressed, and therefore prevents the stop rod finger b
from coming in contact with the frog h and stopping the loom. But if the
shuttle is not in the box, the swell is in the inside, as seen at Figs. 13 and 14,
and offers no obstruction to the rod d, which is not only capable of passing at
the back of the swell, but enables the bowl to fall when it has passed the
curve, and thereby lower the stop rod finger, so that it may come in contact
with the frog and stop the loom, it being understood that at each stroke of the
slay the bowl would fall sufficiently low for the stop rod finger to come in
contact with the frog unless held up by the under side of the swell.
In Figs. 15 and 16 F represent another of my improved arrangements of
mechanism for stopping the loom without giving an extra pressure upon the
At the back
swell. The stop rod is shewn at i, and the stop rod finger at k.
part of the rod is a lever having a pin or projection m. and at the front is
another lever n carrying the bowl or roller o. which rolls as the slay moves to
and fro upon the top of the strong spring p. which is shaped so as to raise the
bowl, and also the stop rod finger unless the bowl is firmly held. At the back
of the slay there is a rod q extending from box to box, and having levers r.
is
which are in contact with the backs of the swells; one of the levers
double, and has at the bottom a catch s. so that it may seize the pin m when
necessary. When the shuttle is in the box it pushes out the lever r at the
top and the reverse way at the bottom, and thereby prevents the catch s from
seizing the pin m, as shewn in Fig. 15. The lever n is thus at liberty to rise
as the bowl follows the course of the top of the spring p. and raises the stop
rod finger out of the way of the frog t. But when the shuttle is not in the

page_text: box, the lever r falls inwards at the top and outwards at the bottom, so as to
cause the catch & to seize the pin m and hold up the lever 1, keeping down the
lever and bowl, and also the stop rod finger, and as the bowl comes forward it
depresses the spring, and the loom is stopped. Thus the cam or curve on the
spring p always keeps the stop rod finger out of the way of the frog when the
bowl is at liberty, but when the bowl is depressed and firmly held the spring
must give way.
In Figs. 17, 18, 19, and 20. I shew another arrangement for reducing the
pressure upon the swell. In this case the swell is placed at the front of the
shuttle box instead of the back. There is a short stop rod a, on which is
the stop rod finger b, and also an arm or lever e carrying the bowl d, which
rolls upon a cam or curve at the top of the strong spring e, so as to cause the
stop rod finger to escape the frog when the shuttle is in the box. At the front
of the slay is the rod extending from box to box, and mounted with levers
in contact with the front of the swells h; one of the levers is double, and
extends below, so that it may either be over or on the side of a part of the
stop finger, and be able to keep it down if required. It will be seen that the
swells form parts of the box for holding the shuttle, and each of them is
pressed by a slight spring. When the shuttle is in the box the swell is pressed
out, and pushes the top part of the lever in the same direction, and the
bottom part inwards, so as to escape the stop rod finger, as shewn at Fig. 19,
which, therefore. rises out of the way of the frog as the bowl follows the curve
on the top of the spring. But if the shuttle is not in the box the swell falls
in, and then the top of the lever g falls inwards, bringing out the lower end
which stands over the stop rod finger b. or a part connected with it, as seen in
Fig. 20, and, therefore, prevents the finger from rising. and consequently
places it so that it may come in contact with the frog and stop the loom, the
spring upon which the bowl works yielding for the purpose.
In Figs. 21, 22. 23, and 24, I represent an improved arrangement of
shuttle box in which there are no swells. and also a contrivance for stopping
the loom when the shuttle is lodged in the warp. Instead of the ordinary
stationary shuttle guides I have them moveable, each working on a pin as a
centre. The guide is shewn at a working on the centre pin fixed to the
slay c, and is adjusted to its required position by a pin and stop, a spring d
being employed to keep it steady. The moveable guides are simply for holding
the shuttle, and have no connection with the top rod, and as in this arrange-
ment there are no swells, I adopt a mode of stopping the loom without their
influence. On the crank shaft at the outer end is a small cam or tappet e,

page_text: which raises up the lever working on a fulcrum fixed to the end frame of
the loom, the said lever having a guiding surface h at the other end. Under
the slay is a rod i carrying a number of arms turned up at the back of the
slay, and mounted at the top by a rail of tin, wood, or other material, and at
one end of the rod is a lever m, having a bowl or roller in line with the
guiding surface h of the lever, which, as it moves up and down, gives an
up-and-down movement to the arms and rail 1. At the other end of the rod
there is another arm qr lever a having a pin o at the top, which, as it rises up,
comes in contact with and raises one end of the double lever p, depressing
the other end which bears upon the tail end of the trigger or little stop rod
finger y employed for depressing the ordinary stop rod finger r, which move-
ments are continually taking place when the shuttle is properly boxed. But
if the shuttle is lodged, the warp at that place cannot become straight, and
thereby prevents the rail from rising so high as it otherwise would, and
consequently the lever n and pin o are prevented from acting upon the double
lever p which operates upon the tail of the trigger q, and thereby allows the
front end of the trigger to fall, and by coming in contact with the additional
frog brings down the ordinary stop rod finger r to the ordinary frog 1, and
thereby stops the loom. The rod i arms k, and rail are also moved up and
down as required by connecting an arm or lever by rods, wires, or chains to
the treddles which work the healds. In all the aforesaid arrangements the
stop rod finger is influenced by a spring when required.
My improved arrangements for adjusting the positions of the weights and
weight levers as regards height, and also an improved distribution of the
levers, are shewn in Figs. 25 and 26, shewing part of the back of a loom.
One end of the rope which passes over the yarn beam is fixed to a strong
spring a formed with a curved shoulder b, which rests upon a scating on the
frame of the loom. At the side of the shoulder bare the two screws and
nuts e, by means of which the end of the spring and rope connected with it
can be raised or lowered as required, and thereby give the proper incline to
the levers.
In Fig. 25 shew an arrangement of weight levers, the leverage of which
can be readily varied and adapted for different strengths of cloth. The
weight leverse are connected by links to other levers g, to which the
ropes are connected, and if the fulcrum of each lever is at 1, the leverage
obtained is adapted for strong cloth; but if the fulcrum be shifted to m. as
shewn in Fig. 26, then the leverage is lessened, so as to be adapted for light
cloth, there being holes to vary the positions of the fulcra according to the

page_text: resistance required. This arrangement being specially adapted to my self-
adjusting weighting motion.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be distinctly
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein set forth;
but I claim as my Invention, and which to the best of my knowledge and
belief has not been hitherio used within the realm, the improvements in
looms, as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying two Sheets of
Drawings.
In witness whereof. I. the said James Bullough, have hereunto set my
hand and seal. this Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
TALKING
קסןיימני
LOUGH. (...)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named James Bullough, in
the presence of
E. J. HUGHES, Patent Agent,
Manchester.