Improvements in Shedding Mechanism for Looms.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 8th June, 1889-Accepted, 13th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Shedding Mechanism for Looms.
We, MARY MAC ILWRAITH, of Warwick Road, Solihull, Birmingham, Warwick-
shire Schoolmistress, Executrix of the late William Mac Ilwraith Senior, of the
Gavels, Crookston, Renfrewshire, Retired Muslin Manufacturer, and ANDREW LAWSON
KNOX GILCHRIST, of A. L. Knox & Co. 73 George Street, Manchester, Lancashire,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:
-
This Invention has reference to and comprises new improvements, upon the
portable shedding mechanism for iooms for which the late William Mac Ilwraith,
Senior, obtained Letters Patent No. 4346 November 10 1876, and described in the
relative Specifications thereof lodged at the Patent Office. And specially adapted as
a Jacquard or Dobby mechanism capable of being driven at a high speed for power
looms, for working a great number of leaves of heddles, or other equivalent shedding
mechanism for the weaving of twilled. and other fancy pattern fabrics, as table cloths,
muslins, lace, or leno or gauze fabrics. And which consist in a set of vertical
drawing or pulling plates, links, or rods connected at top and bottom in a positive
manner by wires or cords to the jack levers, or cords over pulleys, directly connected
to the heddles, or other shedding harness, so as to shed the warp positively both up
and down from its normal horizontal plane. These checked pulling plates are
mounted in slots in two transverse horizontal drawing crossheads or bars at each end
of the plates, so as to positively draw these in to form the shed, the crosshead being
guided in side frames and actuated by rotating cams, and have a row of reciprocating
locking catches in each crosshead actuated by two rows of reciprocating kneed
pattern needles guided horizontally in fixed guide plates in double sets over each
other in front of the jacquard frame, and connected by their inner kneed ends to
their respective sets of upper and lower locking catches in the reciprocating or
drawing crossbeads. The locking catches reciprocate by eyes on their actuating
locking needles which are further connected by intermediate couplers, or double
armed light vertical beam levers, oscillating on a transverse central spindle, having
the upper and lower ends of each lever passed through eyes in each pair of upper
and lower needles so as to lock each draw plate to one or other of its drawing
crossheads, these coupling levers being each actuated in one direction by a spiral
light spring, so as to lock all the draw plates or links to the lower crosshead except
when the pattern mechanism pushes in the upper needles, and draws out the lower
needles through their coupler against the power of its spring. The upper set of
needles are actuated by the pattern cards over an ordinary card cylinder or barrel,
or other equivalent pattern mechanism, all so that when one top. pattern needle and
its locker is pushed in to lock its draw plate to the upper draw crosshead, it releases
it from the lower crosshead, and vice versa when the upper needle releases the draw
bar from the upper crosshead by not being actuated by the card, it through its coupler
or lever locks the draw plate to the lower crosshead, so as to positively shed all the
draw plates inwards by their crossheads, those locked to the upper crosshead being
pulled downwards, and those locked to the under crosshead being pulled upwards, in
accordance with the pattern cards; and so shed the heddles respectively attached to
hem through their cords and jacks in a positive manner, and hold them locked while
shedding, by the said locking catches and needles, except at the time when the weft
and heddles are brought to their normal straight position, when the locking
mechanism is freed for the pattern mechanism to change and reset the needles and
ocking catches, in which position they are all refixed or locked by a separate
ocking bar after each change of pattern, this locking bar being only released at the
noment the pattern cards come into action to change the needles.

page_text: A first important improvement of this invention consists in an arrangement of the
mechanism for dispensing with all wheel gearing for actuating the cam shaft
mounted horizontally in journal bearings in the frame of the jacquared mechanism
between the drawing crossheads a little to one side of the vertical guides of these, or
in the centre between these, and by mounting the jacquard frame over one end of the
loom so as to oscillate this cam shaft (instead of rotating it by wheels) to the extent
of a quarter of a circle or so by a lateral crank pin secured in the cam, or in a lever
secured on its shaft. This crank pin is coupled to the upper end of a connecting rod
having its lower end jointed to a crank pin with a short radius or leverage secured on
a crank or disc on the overhung end of the crank shaft of the loom, so that cach
revolution of the crank shaft would oscillate the cams and cam shaft of the jacquard
mechanism to and fro to the extent of about a fourth of a revolution; and each cam
on the cam shaft would have a double eccentric curved or cam groove in it, diagonally
opposite each other, preferably through and through, into which the rollers on the
outer ends of the drawing crossheads would work, and could be inserted and removed
at pleasure from the outside. Both crossheads would be extended to the outer
extremity of their traverse through or by their cam grooves each time the crank
on the crank shaft reached the lower extremity of its throw, and so give time for the
shifting of the locking catches, into or out of the draw plates, by the needles and
pattern mechanism in this position. While the crossheads would be drawn in towards
each other by their respective cam grooves at the time the crank on the crank shaft
was passing its highest position or dead centre, and thus give time for the throwing
or picking of the shuttle and weft in this position of the cams and crossheads, while
the shed was formed by these in a positive manner locked to their draw links and
directly connected through their jacks to the upper and lower bars of the heddles.
The downward motion of the crank on the crank shaft to its lowest centre again
brings the cams and crossheads to their outward position with the heddles and warp
in line, ready for a fresh change and locking of the links by their shifting needles
and pattern cards and cylinder.
A further improvement consists in making all the draw plates or links, (which are
connected to and actuate the jack levers and heddles) parallel in their thickness, so
as to work close up to each other in one parallel slot in both the crossheads, instead
of in separate slots with divisions between them as heretofore; and having their
locking checks for the locking catches at their extreme upper and lower ends in their
front edge, just under a projection beyond these formed for the crossheads to take on
to, and shift them positively back outward to their normal position while being locked
or unlocked by their catches and needles and changing pattern cards. And further
in fitting and ranging these locking catches in transverse slots in the upper and lower
faces of the drawing crossheads, and in securing plates over these to hold them in
their true locking position opposite each draw link, and a little narrower than the
draw link, with divisions between thein, so that they are sure to take into the locking
notches at the upper and lower ends of the draw links, as shifted by the needles,
which have kneed ends projecting down and up through corresponding holes in the
ends of the locking catches, so as to be shifted by the pattern needles, the lockers
sliding up and down on the kneed ends while the crossheads are moving up and
down.
Another improvement consists in mounting the light vertical couplers or beam
levers, on a central round spindle, with its one side planed off, so that by turning
the spindle each coupler can be slipped on or off its swivelling central eye through
an open slit in its back, and have the spindle turned so that these couplers may
oscillate with their upper and lower pattern needles slipped over their upper and
lower ends by loop eyes on them fitting these. A new form of spring lever is also
fitted to act on each lower needle on the bow connecting it to the lower arm of its
coupler formed of steel wire, having its fulcrum eye made by two turns round its
fulcrum rod, with the short lever end projecting out with a light spiral spring
attached to it, which has the effect of making each spring lever with nearly the
same tension during the entire motion of the needle as an improvement upon the

page_text: ordinary mode of mounting spiral springs on the needles; which vary so much in
their tension and force during the motion of the needles. This arrangement also
enables the needles to be mounted in one horizontal row at top and bottom in their
two set of guide plates on opposite sides or ends of the needles, and having the
couplers connected to them in the centre between the guides. The transverse
spindles on which the couplers oscillate and that on which their said improved
re-acting springs oscillate, also that to which the spiral springs of the spiral levers
are attached, aro all so simply fitted in through eyes in the frame of the jacquard or
brackets projecting from them, that they can easily be removed for the insertion of
new levers or springs, without unscrewing the main frames.
A further improvement consists in actuating the rocking lever framo carrying the
pattern card barrel in its upper ends, and fulcrumed at its lower end to projecting
brackets from the side frames of the jacquard, both inwards and outwards to move the
needles and turn the barrel by its fixed turning pawl lever, all by an arm projecting
from one side of this lever frame towards the cam shaft; and having a lateral stud
and antifriction roller on this arm working into another segmental curved cam groove
in on of the side cams which work the drawing crossheads, but at right angles to it,
or it might be in a separate cam secured on the one end of the cam spindle when that
was preferred.
Another improvement has reference to an arrangement of locking mechanism for
locking the upper ends of the couplers just after their needles are shifted by the
pattern mechanism and have locked their draw links to the draw bars, to hold them
while the crossheads are actuating the draw links and forming the shed with the
heddles; and also free the couplers again just before the pattern mechanism has to
shift the needles and their couplers. This mechanism consists of a transverse bar
reciprocated in vertical guides at its ends and slightly tapered on its lower sides or
edges so as to enter between the upper ends of the couplers to lock these, and of a
parallel width along the upper edge to hold them in their extreme locked in and out
positions when drawn down, preferably by two spiral springs direct or through levers.
at its ends. But these levers are so mounted, by vertical screw stems above, on two
arms of a rocking lever frame, with nuts on these above the levers, that this frame,
when actuated by a longer back curved lever mounted on the rocking spindle of the
said lever frame when this is pressed down, lifts the locking bar out, but when let go
allows the locking bar to be drawn down by its spring. This rocking lever frame is
carried in bearing brackets bolted to the two side frames of the jacquard mechanism,
so that an antifriction roller mounted on a stud on a slotted adjustable arm screwed
to one of the side cams, which work the drawing crossheads, glides over a reverse
loose curved lever fulcrumed on the free end of the back lever, while this is lifting and
unlocking the locking bar, but while the cam and antifriction roller are turning in the
opposite direction, the roller passes under the loose curved lever, while the parts are
locked and the shed is being formed, and then in reversing, again glides over the
loose curved bar, allowing it to lock the moment the antifriction roller passes over
the fulcrum end of this curved lever, the locking being effected as before stated
by the springs on the end of the locking bar, and the unlocking is effected by
The
the antifriction roller on the cam passing over the loose curved lever.
arrangement however is such that should any accident prevent the shifting of the
needles and their couplers, such as a bad or broken pattern card, and the locking
bar could not be forced down, their stems would pass up through their locking
bars, and no harm or breakage could take place to the locking Jacquard mechanism,
and therefore only a false shed could be formed and require to be picked out. In
this shedding mechanism a very short reciprocating motion of the draw cross bars
and pulling plates or rods, and consequently eccentricity of the cams, as about an
inch or so on cach, or two inches combined, gives the necessary full shed of
the heddles and warp connected and multiplied direct through the jack levers; and the
whole portable shedding mechanism can be mounted on a very small frame over the
one end of the loom and its crank shaft as stated. These new improvements in
the several mechanical motions of this improved positive locking and acting Jacquard

page_text: or Dobby mechanism for actuating the heddles or other harness of power looms, will
enable these to be driven at higher speeds than has heretofore been possible in the
weaving of fine or large pattern twill and other fancy fabrics, combined with greater
simplicity and durable wearing construction of the parts and ease in fitting and
replacing these.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Shedding Mechanism for Looms.
We, MARY MAC ILWRAITH, Warwick Road, Solihull, Birmingham, Warwickshire,
Schoolmistress, Executrix of the late William Mac Ilwraith Senior, of the Gavels,
Crookston, Renfrewshire, retired Muslin Manufacturer, and ANDREW LAWSON KNOX
GILCHRIST, of A. L. Knox & Co., 73 George Street, Manchester, Lancashire,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of our invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and_by_the
following statement in writing reference being a to the accompanying Sheets of
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
This Invention has reference to and comprises new improvements, upon the portable
shedding mechanism for looms for which the late William Mac Ilwraith, Senior,
obtained Letters Patent No. 4346 November 10 1876, and described in the relative
Specifications thereof lodged at the Patent Office. And specially adapted as a
Jacquard, or Dobby, mechanism capable of being driven at a high speed for power
looms, for working a great number of leaves of heddles, or other equivalent shedding
mechanism for the weaving of twilled and other fancy pattern fabrics, as table cloths,
muslins, lace, or leno or gauze fabrics. And in order that our said Invention, and
the manner of performing or carrying the same into effect or practice may be properly
understood, we have hereunto appended an explanatory sheet of Drawings, in which
the saine reference letters are used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures
where shown. Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of our new or improved
arrangements of Jacquard, Dobby or shedding mechanism, showing the draw
plates a, a, and their reciprocating cross-heads A, A', in the position of the shed of
the warp being drawn or formed, and locked in this open position with the moving
crossheads in their inmost position by their locking catch bars 6₁₁ shifting
needles G, G, and beam levers or couplers g, g, all in corresponding locked position,
and showing the rocking lever frame J, J', carrying the pattern card barrel H in its
outmost position. While Figure 2 is a plan corresponding to Figure 1. Figure 3 is
a general front elevation, corresponding to Figure 1, showing the new or improved
shedding mechanism as applied to a power loom, and showing the heddles Z, Z, in the
shed position, and the parts of the Jacquard mechanism in corresponding position to
Figures 1 and 2. Figure 4 is an elevation corresponding to Figure 1, but showing
the rocking lever frame J, J', carrying the pattern card barrel H in its inmost position
for making the change of pattern when the draw plates a, a', and heddles Z, Z, are
in their normal horizontal plane or close shed position, and the moving cross-
heads A, A, in their outmost position, and just going to begin to form the shed.
And Figure 5 is an elevation corresponding to, but looking at the opposite side of the
mechanism, to Figure 4, and with the shed in the act of being closed by moving out
the reciprocating draw crossheads A A', by their cams D, and pushing or drawing in
the draw plates a, a¹ and shed of the heddles Z, Z, and warp. Figures 6 and 7 show
a front and back elevation respectively of the upper and lower transverse reciprocating
or draw crosshead A A¹ detached and showing the guide slits b, b, for the locking
catches 6, 6, and the slots a" for the draw plates a, a, and with the anti-friction
rollers A², A², at their ends for working in their actuating grooves C, C, in the
cams D, D¹. And Figure 8 is a side and edge view of one of the draw plates or
rods a a¹ detached from the machine; and Figures 9 and 10 are a side elevation

page_text: and plan respectively, of one of the upper locking catches 61, and its shifting and
locking needles G, G, G³, as detached from the machine. And Figure 11 is a side
and edge view of one of the duplex moving beam levers or couplers g which
moves and coup.es the upper and lower needles G, G¹, and their reciprocating
lockers b¹, b¹.
Referring to these Drawings, the improvements of this invention have reference
to the shedding mechanism described in the Specification of the aforesaid Patent,
consisting of a set of vertical drawing or pulling plates, links, 'or rods a with notches a¹
near their upper and lower ends, and connected at top and bottom in a positive
manner by wires or cords at a², a², to the upper and lower jack levers or other
equivalent, directly connected to the heddles %, Z, or other shedding harness, so as
to shed the warp of the web and loom positively both up and down from its
normal horizontal plane or close shed position. These checked pulling plates a, a',
are mounted in slots all in two transverse horizontal drawing crossheads or bars A A'
at each end of the plates a, a', so as to positively draw these in to form the shed,
the crossheads A A' being guided on guides B attached to the side frames F, F
secured together by upper and lower transverse stays F', F", and actuated by
rotating or oscillating cams D D', on an oscillating or rotating shaft E outside the
frames FF. Each crosshead A A¹ has a row of reciprocating locking catches
working in slots bone opposite the notches a¹ in each draw plate or rod a, and
actuated by one or it might be two rows of reciprocating kneed pattern needles G G¹
guided horizontally in fixed guide plates f, f, in sets at the upper and lower parts of
the front of the Jacquard frame F, F, and connected by their inner kneed ends G¹¹,
to their respective sets of upper and lower locking catches in the reciprocating
or drawing crossheads A A. The locking catches are reciprocated by eyes at 6
taking on to the vertical ends G, of their actuating moving and locking needles G G¹
which are further connected by intermediate couplers, or double armed light vertical
beam levers oscillating on a transverse central spindle g¹ having the upper and
lower ends of each lever g passed through eyes or slots at G2 in each pair of
upper and lower needles G, G³, so as to lock cach draw plate a, a¹, to one or other
of its drawing crossheads A, A', these coupling levers g being each actuated in one
direction by a spiral light spring gl, so as to lock all the draw plates or links a a¹ to
the lower crosshead A' except when the pattern mechanism pushes in the upper
needles G, and draws out the lower needles G¹ through their coupler g against the
power of its spring . The upper set of needles G, are actuated by the pattern
cards I over an ordinary card cylinder or barrel H, or other equivalent pattern
mechanism all so that when one top pattern needle G, and its locker 6' is pushed
in to lock its draw plate a to the upper draw crosshead A, it releases it from the lower
crosshead A¹, and vice versa when the upper needle G releases the draw plate a from
the upper crosshead A by not being actuated by the card, it through its coupler
or lever g locks the draw plate a to the lower crosshead A', so as to positively shed all
the draw plates a, a, inwards by their crossheads A, A', to form the open shed, those
locked to the upper crosshead A heing pulled downwards, and those locked to the
under crosshead A', being pulled upwards, in accordance with the pattern cards I;
and so shed the heddles Z, Z, respectively attached to them through their ordinary
cords a², a², and jacks z,, in a positive manner, and hold them locked while shedding,
by the said locking catches b', ', and needles G, G', except at the time when the
weft and heddles are brought to their normal straight or close shed position, when the
locking mechanism is freed from the pattern mechanism to change and reset the
needles G, G¹, and locking catches 61, 61, in which position they are all refixed or
locked by a separate locking bar c after each change of pattern, this locking bar c
being only released just before the pattern cards I come into action to change the
needles G G¹.
A first important improvement of this invention consists in an arrangement of the
mechanism for dispensing with all wheel gearing for actuating the cam shaft E
mounted horizontally in journal bearings in the side frames F, F, of the jacquared
mechanism (bound together by upper and lower transverse stay frames F¹, F")

page_text: between the drawing crossheads A, A¹, a little to one side of the vertical guides B, of
these, or in the centre between these ; and by mounting the Jacquard frame F to Fi
over one end of the loom 1, 1, as shown particularly in Figure 3, so as to oscillate
this cam shaft F (instead of rotating it by wheels) to the extent of a quarter of a
circle or so, by a lateral crank pin D secured in the cam D, or it might be in a
lever secured on its shaft E. This crank pin D is coupled to the upper end of a
connecting rod D2 having its lower end jointed to a crank pin Du with a short
radius or leverage secured on a crank or disc D³ on the overhung end of the crank
or a second motion shaft 5 of the loom rotating at the same speed as the crank shaft,
so that each revolution of this crank shaft 5 would oscillate the cams D and cam
shaft E of the Jacquard mechanism to and fro to the extent of about a fourth of a
revolution for each pick of the loom; and each cam D on the cam shaft E has a
double eccentric curved or cam groove C, C, in it, diagonally opposite each other,
preferably through and through the cam discs D, D', into which the rollers A² on
the outer ends of the drawing crossheads A A' work, and so can be inserted and
removed at pleasure from the outside. Both crossheads A, A', are extended to the
outer extremity of their traverse and close position of the shed as shown in Figure 4,
through or by these rollers A2 A2 and cam grooves C, C, each time the crank D³ on
the crank shaft 5 reached the upper extremity of its throw, and so give time for the
shifting of the locking catches 61, 61, in these crossheads A, A, into or out of the
notches a¹ of the draw plates a, a, by the needles G, G¹, and pattern, mechanism in
this close shed position. While the crossheads A, A¹, are drawn in towards each
other by their respective cam grooves C, C, at the time the crank D³ on the crank
shaft 5 was passing its lowest position or dead centre, and thus give time for the
throwing or picking of the shuttle and weft in this position of the cams D and
crossheads A, A, while the shed was formed by these in a positive manner locked
to their draw links a, a', and directly connected through their jacks,, to the upper
and lower bars of the heddles Z as the several parts are shown in this position in
Figures 1, 2, and 3. The motion of the crank D³ on the crank shaft 5 to its
highest centre, again brings the cams D and crossheads A, A', to their outward
position with the heddles Z and warp in line or close shed position, ready for a fresh
change and locking of the draw links a, a, by their shifting needles G, G¹, and
pattern cards I and cylinder H, all as described in reference to and shown in this
position of the parts in Figure 4.
A further improvevient consists in making all the draw plates or links a, a', (which
are connected to and actuate the jack levers, and heddles Z, Z,) parallel in their
thickness, so as to work close up to each other in one long parallel vertical slot a",
at the back of both crossheads A, A', with a stop plate a screwed on the back for
guiding the draw bars a in their slot a¹ and stopping them in their extreme outward
position to prevent the strain from coming on the lockers and their notches a¹, of
the draw plates a, as seen particularly in Figures 1 and 7, instead of in separate
slots with divisions between them as heretofore; and having their locking checks a¹
for the locking catches at their extreme upper and lower ends in their front edge,
just under a projection a³ beyond these formed for to take over the crossheads A, A¹,
in line with the bottom of the plates and shift them positively back outward to
their normal position while being locked or unlocked by their locking catches b¹¹
and needles G, G, and changing pattern cards J. And further in fitting and
ranging these locking catches 61, 61, in transverse slots in the upper and lower faces
of the drawing crossheads A, A', and in securing plates 6 over these to hold them
in their true locking position opposite cach draw link, a, a¹ and a little narrower
than the draw link, either with or without divisions between them, so that they are
sure to take into the locking notches a¹, at the upper and lower ends of the draw
links a, as shifted by the needles G, G¹, which have the kneed ends G₁, projecting
down and up through corresponding holes or eyes in the ends of the locking
catches b¹, so as to be shifted by the pattern needles G, G¹, the lockers b², sliding
up and down on the kneed ends G" while the crossheads A A¹ are moving up
down.
and

page_text: .11
Another improvement consists in mounting the light vertical couplers or beam
levers g, g, on a central round spindle g with its one side planed off, so that by
turning the spindle g each coupler g can be slipped on or off its swivelling central
eye through an open slot at g in its back edge and have the spindle g¹ turned so
that these couplers may oscillate with their upper and lower pattern needles G, G₁,
slipped over their upper and lower ends by loop eyes at G2 on them fitting these.
A new form of spring lever g g is also fitted to act on each lower needle G on the
back of the bow or block G2, (connecting it to the lower arm of its coupler g),
formed of steel wire, having its fulcrum eye made by two turns round its fulcrum
rod with the short lever end projecting out with a light spiral spring g
attached to it and to a screw adjustable tension rod g³ below, secured by brackets g*
to the lower transverse bar F1, of the Jacquard frame, and which carries also the
round bar g of the wire bellcrank levers g". This has the effect of making each
spring lever gg with nearly the same tension during the entire motion of the
needles G as an improvement upon the former mode of mounting spiral springs to
act on the needles, and which vary so much in their tension and force during the
motion of the needles. This arrangement also enables the needles G, G¹, to be
mounted in one horizonial row at top and bottom in their two set of guide plates f, f,
on opposite sides or ends of the needles G, G¹, and having the couplers y connected
by grooved blocks at G2 to them in the centre between the guides ff. The transverse
spindies g on which the couplers oscillate, and that on which their said improved
re-acting spring levers oscillate, also that tension screw rod g³ to which the spiral
springs of the spiral levers are attached, as already described are all so simply
fitted in the frame of the Jacquard, or brackets projecting from them, that they
can easily be removed for the insertion of new levers or springs.g", g¹¹, without
unscrewing the main frames F, F.
:
A further improvement consists in actuating the rocking lever frame J, J¹,
carrying the pattern card barrel H in its upper ends, and fulcrumed at its lower end
to projecting brackets J, from the side frames FF of the Jacquard mechanism,
both inwards and outwards to move the needles G, G', and turn the barrel H by its
fixed turning pawl lever H, all by an arm K projecting from one side of this lever
frame JJ towards the cam shaft E, secured to a stud K¹, and having a lateral stud
and anti-friction roller mounted at K on its outer free end, working into another
segmental curved cam groove K preferably in a special side cam K³, secured on
the outer end of the spindle E, or it might be in one of the side cams D which work
the drawing crossheads A, A', but at right angles to it, so as to bring the pattern
cards I and barrel H inwards to move the upper needles G, when the drawing
crossheads A, A¹, are in their outward position, and the shed in its closed position, as
indicated in this position of the parts in Figure 4.
Another improvement has reference to an arrangement of locking mechanism for
locking the upper ends of the couplers just after their needles G, G¹, are shifted
by the pattern mechanism and have locked their draw links a, a, to the draw bars
or crossheads A A¹ to hold them while the crossheads are actuating the draw
links a, a, and forming the shed with the heddles Z, Z; and also free the couplers g
again just before the pattern mechanism has to shift the needles G, G¹, and their
couplers g.
This mechanism consists of a transverse bar e reciprocated in vertical
guides at its ends at F in the upper part of the side frames FF, and slightly
tapered on its lower sides or edges so as to enter between the upper ends of the
couplers g to lock these when they are separated, as indicated in Figure 1, and of a
parallel width along the upper edge to hold them in their extreme locked in and out
positions when the bar is drawn down, preferably by two spiral springs c¹ c¹ direct,
or through the lever frame c², c³, carrying it at the end of its arms c² by screws or
stems But these levers 3 are so mounted to the bar c, by the vertical screw
stems above, on the two arms e, with nuts at c on these above the levers, that
this frame c c which is mounted by its spindle cl¹ in bearing brackets con the
upper part of the frame F", when actuated by the longer back curved lever c³

page_text: mounted on the rocking spindle c¹ of the said lever frame when this is pressed
down, lifts the locking bar e out, but when let go allows the locking bare to be
drawn down by its springs c¹. This rocking lever frame c², c³, is carried in the
bearing brackets el bolted to the upper part F¹ of the two side frames F, F, of the
Jacquard mechanism, so that an antifriction roller d mounted on an adjustable stud
bracket d screwed to one of the side cams D¹, which work the drawing cross-
heads A, A glides over a reverse loose curved lever d fulcrumed at d" on the free
end of the back lever ca, and having its front free end resting on the perephery of
the cam D while these levers d² d³ are being depressed to lift and unlock the
locking bar e while the cam D¹ is turning in the direction indeated by the arrow in
Figure 5; but while the cam D' and antifriction rollers d are turning in the opposite
direction the roller d passes back under the loose curved lever d³, while the parts are
locked by the bar and springs and the shed is being formed, and then in
turning in the reverse direction again glides over the loose curved bar d³ and allows
it to lock the moment the anti-friction rollers d pass over the fulcrum end of this
curved lever the locking being effected as before stated by the springs on the
end of the locking bar e, and the antifriction roller d on the cam D¹ passing under
the loose curved lever. The arrangement however is such that should any accident
prevent the shifting of the needles G G' and their couplers g, such as a bad or
broken pattern card I and the locking bar e could not be forced down, the bars and
levers c, c², at the stem c¹¹ would rise and no harm or breakage could take place to
the locking Jacquard mechanism, and therefore only a false shed could be formed
and require to be picked out. In this shedding mechanism a very short reciprocating
motion of the draw cross bars or crossheads A, A, and pulling plates or rods a, a,
and consequently eccentricity of the cams D', as about an inch or so on each, or two
inches combined, gives the necessary full shed of the heddles Z, Z, and warp con-
nected and multiplied direct through the jack levers, , and the whole portable
shedding mechanism can be mounted on a very small frame 2 over the one end
frame of the loom 1 and its crank shaft 5 on the first or second motion shaft of the
loom. These new improvements in the several mechanical motions of this improved
positive locking and acting Jacquard or Dobby mechanism for actuating the heddles
or other harness of power looms, will enable these to be driven at higher speeds
than has heretofore been possible in the weaving of fine or large pattern twill and
other fancy fabrics, combined with greater simplicity and durable wearing construction
of the parts and case in fitting and replacing these.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
First. The general construction, or arrangement and combination of the parts,
and mechanical motions, for the positive locking and acting of the Jacquard or
Dobby shedding mechanism to actuate the heddles or other harness of power looms,
substantially as herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
Second. In positive acting shedding mechanism for looms of the character herein
Described, the oscillating of segmental cams, and cam shaft to-and-fro by a lateral
acting crank pin, connecting rod, and crank or equivalent acting mechanism from
one of the shafts of the loom, substantially as and for the purposes herein described,
in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In positive acting shedding mechanism for looms, the forming of the cams
on cam shaft with a duplex segmental curved or cam groove diagonally opposite each
other, in which work the opposite ends of the drawing crossheads, substantially as
and for the purposes herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
Fourth. In positive acting shedding mechanism for looms, the forming of the
draw plates, which are connected to and actuate the Jack levers and heddles, parallel

page_text: in their thickness, to work close up to each other in one parallel slot in both cross-
heads, substantially as and for the advantages herein described in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. In positive acting shedding mechanism for looms, the arrangement and
combination of locking catches in transverse slots in the upper and lower faces of
the drawing crossheads, and in securing guide and removable plates over these, with
locking checks or notches for the catches at the upper and lower ends of the draw
links, substantially as and for the purposes herein described, in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Sixth. In positive acting shedding mechanism for looms, the mounting of light
vertical portable couplers or beam levers on a central spindle, so that by the turning
of the spindle the couplers will oscillate with their upper and lower pattern needles,
and enable any coupler or needles to be removed, substantially as and for the
advantages herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
Seventh. In positive acting shedding mechanism for looms, the constructing of
spring levers to act on the bow connecting each lower needle to the lower arm of
its coupler, substantially as and in the manner and for the advantages herein described,
in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Eighth. In positive acting shedding, mechanism for looms, the actuating of, the
rocking lever frame carrying the pattern card barrel, both inwards and outwards
to move the needles, by an arm and a positive moving segmental curved grooved
cam on the main spindle of the Jacquard mechanism, substantially as and in the
manner and for the advantages herein described, in reference to and shown in the
accompanying Drawings.
Ninth. In positive acting shedding mechanism for looms, the arrangement and
combination of mechanism with duplex lever frame for locking the upper ends of the
couplers or beam levers after their needles are shifted by the pattern mechanism,
substantially as and for the advantages herein described, in reference to and shown
in the accompanying Drawings.
10th day of Tu 1880
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.