Improvements in the Shedding and Drop-box Mechanism of Looms.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application; 16th Sept., 1891'
Complete Specification Left; 16th June, 1892 -Accepted, 23rd July, 1892
PROVISIONAL, SPECIFICATION...
Improvements in the Shedding and Drop-box Mechanism of Looms.
I, ARTHUR SOWDEN of Sowden Loom Works, Shipley in the County of York,
Loom Maker, do hereby declare the, nature of this invention to be, as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved construction, combination, and arrangement
of treadles, appliances for levelling same in their lowered or highest radius. of
movement, together with appliances for uncoupling, and reversing. or setting, the
pattern mechanism by hand or, independently, of the ordinary, driving, mechanism
for operating such devices.
tr
The improvements and appliances comprises, an eccentric, wheel, on the crank
shaft gearing, with an eccentrio wheel on a. stud.fixed in frame end, of the, loom, a
bevel wheel cast to or fast to latter wheel gears, with a second bevel on an upright
shaft in which is a clutch, box the upper. end, of upright; shaft carries, a, bevel
wheel gearing with a like wheel onia." setting shaft" in which is a pinion, gearing
with a change wheel, the latter drives a. gear. wheel, op.a, cross, shaft.carried by
brackets near top cross rail of the loom and which, shaft carries, the treading
tappets, the treadles. stand nearly vertical and, are mounted. upon, a, cross, shaft
carried at each of its ends slots and on the setting shaft is a long collar,, and a
cam, which when turned by the attendant by, a, handle, forces the cross-shaft along
its slots, the cross shaft presses against the lower end, of, the treadles and the latter
are all lowered and levelled, the end or nose of: cam is hollowed. so. as that, the
shaft forced outwards enters the recess and is thereby locked and held: A like
cross shaft and lever applied to the upper ends of the treadle lever lifts, the whole
level.
The upright shaft is provided with a clutch box motion which can be thrown
out of gear so as to release the upright and the setting,shafts whereby, and by aid
of a nug on the boss of its bevel wheel to operate a star wheel on the axis, of, the
pattern lag barrel or other pattern mechanism that when necessary to, reverse the
barrel or lags it can be conveniently and expediously done, and the treadles.can all
be levelled and are in full view of the operative or "weaver."
The above improvements dispense with jacks levers and rods, half moon levers
and are equally applicable to healds whether operated by springs or positive or
both ways.
Dated this 11th dor of Sontember 1801
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Bank Chambers, Waterhouse Street, Halifax, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION:
Improvements in the Shedding and Drop-box: Mechanism of Looms.
I ARTHUR SOWDEN of Sowden's Loom Works, Shipley in the County of; York,
Loom Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and. in. what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and, ascertainedl
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved construction, combination, and arrange
ment of treadles and appliances for. levelling, same in their lowest or highest radius
of movement together with appliances for uncoupling and reversing or "setting"
the pattern mechanism by hand independently of the ordinary driving mechanism
for operating such devices.
1
The improved appliances comprise an eccentric or straight that is ordinary wheel

page_text: "
on the crank shaft gearing with an eccentric or straight wheel on a stud fixed in
end frame of loom, a bevel wheel cast to, or fast to the latter wheel gears with a
second bevel on an upright shaft on which is a clutch box, the upper end of said
upright shaft carries a bevel wheel gearing with a. like wheel on a "setting shaft
on which is a pinion gearing with a change or intermediate wheel the latter drives
a gear wheel on a cross shaft carried by brackets near the top cross rail of the loom
and such shaft carries the treading tappets, the treadles may stand nearly vertical
or horizontal and are mounted upon a cross shaft carried at each of its ends in slots
or on a fixed fulcrum and on the "setting shaft" is a long collar, and a cam which
when turned by the attendant by a handle forces the cross shaft along its slots the
cross shaft presses against the lower end of the treadles and the latter are all
levelled the end or nose of the cam being hollowed so that the shaft is forced
outwards enters a recess or notch in the cam and is thereby locked and held. A
like cross shaft and lever applied to the upper ends of the treadle lever lifts the
whole level.
ની
The upright shaft is provided with a clutch box motion which can be thrown out
of gear so as to release the upright and "setting shafts." whereby and by aid of
nug or nugs on the boss of its bevel wheel to operate a star wheel on the axis of
the pattern lag barrel or other pattern mechanism that when necessary to reverse
the barrel or lags it can be conveniently and expeditiously done and the treadles
can all be levelled and are in full view of the operative or weaver.
The above improvements dispense with jack levers and rods, half moon levers,
and are equally applicable to healds whether operated by springs or positive or both
ways.
Such being the nature and object of my said invention the following is a com-
plete description of same reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming
a part of this Specification in which :-
Fig. 1 is an end view of part of a loom shewing the improved combination and
arrangement of parts for levelling the treadles in their lowest or highest radius of
movement and appliances for operating by hand the, pattern mechanism.
Fig. 2 is a back view of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a detail of Fig. 2 drawn detached in order to more clearly shew its
construction.
.
Figs. 4 and 5 are details drawn detached in order to more clearly shew their
construction.
Fig. 6 is an end view of a modified form of apparatus for purpose aforesaid as
illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 7 is a back view of Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is a detail of Figs. 6 and 7 drawn detached in order to more clearly shew
its construction.
Fig. 9 is a detail.
Fig. 10 is an end view of apparatus for turning back the pattern mechanism by
hand.
Fig. 11 is a back or end view of a part of Fig. 10.
According to this my invention and referring to Figs. 1-2 and 3 of the
drawings the improved appliances comprise an eccentric wheel 1 on the crank
shaft 2 gearing with an eccentric wheel 3 on a stud 4 fixed and carried in the
framing 5 of the loom. A bevel wheel 6 cast to or fast on the face of the wheel 3
gears with a second bevel wheel 7 on the upright or vertical shaft 8 on which is a
clutch box 9. The upper end of the vertical shaft 8 carries a bevel wheel 10.
gearing with a like wheel 11 fast on a "setting shaft" 12 on which is keyed a
pinion 13 gearing with change or intermediate wheel 14 (or wheels 14-14 see
Figs. 6 and 7) carried on a stud fixed in the framing 22 the wheel 14 drives a gear
wheel 15 on a cross shaft 16 also carried in the framing 22 near and on the top
cross rail 35 of the loom and this shaft 16 carries the treading tappets 17-17 the
treadles 18-18 standing nearly vertical and are mounted and free to turn upon
a cross shaft 20 carried at each of its ends in slots 21 (see Fig. 3) formed in the

page_text: framing 22 and on the setting shaft 12 is a long collar or sleeve 23 at each end of
which is a cam 24. The long collar or sleeve 23 is provided with a hand lever 25
which when moved by the attendant on the loom turns the cams 24-24 and forces
the cross shaft 20 along its carrying slots 21-21 (see Fig. 3) and the lower ends
of all the treadles 18, 18 carried on the cross shaft 20 are "levelled " the end or
nose 26 of each cam 24 is hollowed or has a notch formed in it as shewn so that as the
cross shaft 20 is forced outwards it enters the hollow or notch in the nose 26 and is
thereby locked and held in this position until the handle 25 is again moved by the
attendant on the loom.
:
A similar cross shaft 27 (see Fig. 3) hand lever 28 and cams 29 are applied to
the upper ends of the treadle levers 18-18 and serve when operated by the
attendant as above described to "lift" or move the upper ends of the levers 18-18
level and their runners 30-30) away from and clear of the operating or treading
tappets 17-17 the cams 29 acting on the rod 37 which crosses and bears against
all the levers 18-18. There is preferably one of such cams 24 and 29 at each
side of the frame 22.
The clutch box of the upright or vertical shaft 8 can be thrown out of gear by
the fork and lever arrangement 32 the weight of the handle 38 being sufficient to
maintain the clutch "in" or "out" of gear according to which side of the centre 39
it is moved by the attendant so that the vertical shaft 8 and parts driven thereby
remain inoperative and the pattern barrel 33. carried on the pattern shaft 35° can
be, turned by the hand wheel 36 fixed on the shaft 12 when it is desired to reverse
or turn in the forward direction the barrel 33 and lags carried thereon and this can
conveniently and expeditiously be done and the treadles 18--18 all be "levelled
while in full view of the attendant operative or
"weaver as on the setting shaft 12
is mounted the pinion 12ª gearing with and driving the wheel 13 on the pattern
shaft 35b (see Fig. 1) or on the shaft 35° of the "nug" wheel 37 (see Figs. 6 and 7)
which wheel 37 gears with and drives the star wheel 40 on the axis of the pattern
barrel 33.
"
"
Referring to Figs. 6 and 7 the construction and action of the apparatus is
similar to that already described but the wheeis 1-3 are straight that is, ordinary
and not eccentric and the treadles 18-18 are mounted and carried on a fixed
cross shaft 20 which acts as a fulcrum or centre fixed in the framing 22. The
shaft 12 passes through radius slots 35" formed in the treadles 18-18 whereby
the latter are steadied in their movements.
In order to allow for variation in the size of tread wheels 14 (see Figs. 6-7
and 9).I mount the wheel 14 in a lever 14 one end of which has the shaft 16 as a
fulcrum and the other end can be moved to the desired position and there secured
by nut aud bolt passing through the radius slot 15 in the framing 22 the tread
wheel 14 being carried and fixed in the slot 16*.
In Figs. 6-7 and 8 the treadles 18-18 are moved away from the tappets 17-17
by the rod 37 carried and controlled by the lever or handle 25 and in all-cases
where the pressure of the cams 24—29 or rod 37ª is removed the weight of the
healds and connections will draw the treadles 18-18 close up to the
tappets 17-17.
The pattern barrel 33 is driven by the nugs or studs 37 on the boss of the
bevel wheel 11 such studs or nugs 37 gearing with and operating the star wheel 40
on the pattern shaft 35° on which as before mentioned is mounted the pattern
barrel :33 the pins in the lags carried on the barrel 33-raising or operating the
pattern levers 39-39 for operating the rising and falling box motion according to
the pattern being woven and as is well understood.
The above improvements dispense with "jack" levers and rods, and half moon
levers and are equally applicable to healds whether operated by springs or
positive" or both ways.
66
Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate a modified arrangement of apparatus and parts for
turning "setting" or reversing the pattern mechanism by hand. At 2 is the
crank shaft on which is the straight wheel 1 forming a part of the clutch 9 one

page_text: half of such being fast on the shaft 2 and when the two parts of the clutch 9 are
brought in contact as Jabove described the wheell is fast and gears with and drives
the train of-wheels 42-43 and 114 the latter. being; the "tread" wheel and being
in gear with the pattern mechanism-and-barrel, in the ordinary way.
At, 12 is a
Betting shaft on which is keyed: the bevel wheel 10-gearing, with the bevel 11 on
the axis of the tread wheel 14rso that when the clutch.94is thrown out of gear the
pattern mechanism, can be turned, by the hand wheel 36.at the front of the loom.
When the clutch is operative-the setting shaft:12 and bevel 10 are drawn outwards
along the bearings 45-45 until the bevel wheel 10 is out of gear with the bevel 11
the hand clip 46 being previously raised, until the collar 47. fast on the setting
shaft:12. has passed ito the other side of the clip when the latter is dropped and so
holds the parts in the position desired i.e. out of gear. When it is desired to turn
or reverse the pattern mechanism an inverse motion of the parts is only necessary
to place the wheels 10 and 11.in gear.
In order that different sizes of tread wheels..14.may be employed the wheel 14.is
mounted in the slot 15 of the bracket 48 and as larger or smaller: wheelst 14. are
used so will the relative positions of the wheels. 10-11 be varied and to, allow for
this variation the setting shaft 12 is carried in movable bearings 45-45' one of
such bearings being mounted on a fulcrum stud 45* fixed to the frame 5 of the
loom, and the other bearing 45 has an adjusting slot by which, the position of the
wheel 10 can be adjusted as required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1. The general construction arrangement and combination of parts or mechanism
for operating and levelling the treadles and reversing or "setting" the. pattern
mechanism in the manner and as herein fully described and substantially as.illus-
trated by the annexed drawings.
2. The general construction arrangement and combination of parts constituting
my improvements in looms whereby I am enabled to turn by hand. the pattern
mechanism when the loom is stationary and with the whole of the mechanism and
parts in view of the operative as herein described and substantially as illustrated by
the accompanying drawings.
3. The general construction arrangement and combination of parts or.mechanism
for operating and levelling the treadles in the manner and as herein fully described
and substantially as illustrated by Figs. 1-2-3 6-7 and 8 of the annexed
drawings.
4. The general construction arrangement and combination of parts or mechanism
for uncoupling, reversing or setting the pattern mechanism in the manner; and as
herein fully described, and substantially as illustrated. by Figs. 1–2 6–7 10
and 11 of the annexed drawings.
Dated mic-14th
June 1892.
VETHALIKE OXY ON
une 1887
ARTHUR SOWDEN,
By his Agent, Walter Brierley,
Penny Bank Chambers, Waterhouse Street, Halifax.