IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Andrew Muir and James McIlwham, of
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Machinists, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Andrew Muir
and James McIlwham at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 14th November 1863.
We, MATTHEW ANDREW MUIR and JAMES MILWHAM, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Machinists, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
This Invention of improvements in looms for weaving relates to mechanism
for obtaining varied shedding actions, to shifting shuttle-box details, and to a
variable picking motion.
In carrying out the improvements relating to shedding an improved jacquard
dobby is employed, the details of which are carried by a suitable framing
situated above the heddles. The heddle leaves, connected below to springs or
weighted levers, which tend to draw them down, are suspended each from a
pair of levers centred on fixed studs, and geared together by toothed sectors
formed on their inner adjacent ends. The shedding action is communicated
to one of each pair of the heddle levers, either directly or through the inter-
vention of a link and lever. Each layer acted upon is fitted with two pins, by

page_text: which it is connected to two slotted links formed with hooks at their upper
ends, and each hooked link passes through slots in two horizontal bars or
needles, which are acted upon by the jacquard barrel. Any convenient
number of heddle leaves may be used, there being a pair of hooked links and
a pair of needles for each. The series of hooked links form two rows, each
lever having a link in each row, and there are two lifting bars, one to act on
each row of hooked links. The lifting bars are actuated from two treadles
below in such a way that when one rises the other falls, and vice versa. The
rising bar at any shot or shed acts of course on only those hooked links
which are selected by the action of the jacquard barrel, and those heddle leaves,
the hooked links of which are not lifted, are drawn down by the springs below.
The needles are acted upon by springs, which press them outwards, and thereby
tend to keep the corresponding hooked links out of gear whilst the selected
needles are pushed inwards by the jacquard barrel against the springs; or the
needles with the springs and the hooked links may be arranged so that the
springs tend to keep the hooked links out of gear, in which case the pattern
pins are arranged to push out of gear the hooked links that are not to be
lifted. The endless pattern chain consists, by preference, of strong wooden
bars or lags linked together, and perforated each with a row of holes to receive
in the case of each such pattern pins as the shedding requires. The needles
are disposed in two rows horizontally, the two needles acting on the two
hooked links of the same heddle leaf, being one immediately under the other.
Two kinds of pattern pins are used, a broad one to act on both an upper and
a lower needle, and a narrow faced one to act on either the upper or lower
needle only, accordingly as it is inserted with the projecting face to the upper
or lower side. Each lag or bar of the pattern chain corresponds to two
successive sheds, and whilst the barrel is made to move up to the needles at
every pick, it is only at each alternate pick that a new lag or pattern bar is
turned into acting position. The lifting bars are, by preference, centred on
a swinging fulcrum towards the front of the loom, so that the hooked links
towards the back have greater strokes, and the corresponding heddle leaves
have more movement, which, as is well understood, is requisite to produce an
equal shed. To reduce the horizontal movement which the angular motion of
the lifting bars tends to give them, they are connected to the framing by a
radius link acting after the manner of a parallel motion. Such levers as have
not their hooked links in gear, and are consequently not raised by the lifting
bars, but are drawn down by the springs below, rest upon a cross frame bar
lined with wood and leather to reduce concussion, and have their downward
motion limited and regulated thereby.

page_text: In order to act upon shifting shuttle-box details according to one modification,
two of the needles of the dobby and two perforations of the pattern bars or
lags are made to act on crank levers, from which wires or links pass down to
details at the side of the loom; these details being for the most part the same
as those described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to the present
applicants, and dated 18th June 1856 (No. 1437). The action of these
details depends on the movement of a three-armed lever, to the middle
horizontal arm of which one of the wires or links from the dobby is connected.
The other wire or link is connected to a crank lever acted on by a spring, and
having one arm formed with steps bearing against a pin or catch on the middle
arm of the three-armed lever. When the crank lever is moved the catch
drops one or more steps, according to the size of the pattern pin and consequent
extent of the movement, and when the catch is lifted by the other wire the
proper step is moved under it by the spring of the crank lever.
In another modification the shifts of the shuttle box are determined by a
pattern barrel, such as is described in the earlier Specification herein-before
referred to; the dobby being arranged simply to determine the number of
picks between each shift, and to put the barrel into action at the proper
periods.
It will also be obvious that the improved dobby details may be arranged to
work in concert with various other kinds of shifting shuttle-box details.
In the improved variable picking motion, the picking wipers on the low
shaft revolving once for every two picks, are made each with two diametrically
opposite points, so as to be capable of acting at any pick, but of course only
one wiper acts at a time. Each wiper is arranged to shift on the shaft, being
loose thereon, but driven by two pins or studs projecting from a boss keyed on
the shaft and passing though holes in the wiper. Each wiper is made with a
grooved boss to receive the fork of a clutch lever, and the two clutch levers are
fixed on opposite ends of a sliding rod in such a way that the movement of the
clutch rod which moves one wiper into its acting position moves the other out
of it. Near its middle the wiper shaft has fast on it two dises or curved edge
cams, which act on two levers in such a way as to move them both outwards
at each pick, a spring connecting the levers drawing them together again.
The levers have latches jointed to them capable of pressing against stops fixed
on the sliding clutch rod, but only one latch can act at a time, as the two latches
are connected by wires or links to a lever centred at its middle in such a way
that when it holds one latch in gear the other is out of gear. The lever last
mentioned is moved, as required, by the pattern mechanism, so as to cause the
picking to take place from the opposite sides alternately, or twice or oftener

page_text: in succession from the same side. The weft fork details, which are repeated
at opposite sides of the loom, are acted upon in concert with the picking wipers
so as at each pick to be in a condition to act only at the side towards which
the shuttle is thrown.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Matthew Andrew Muir and James MoIlwham in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 12th May 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, MATTHEW
ANDREW MUIR and JAMES MILWHAM, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Machinists, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto us, the said Matthew Andrew Muir and James McIlwham, Her special
license that we, the said Matthew Andrew Muir and James McIlwham, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Matthew Andrew Muir and James McIlwham, our executors, administrators,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and 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 Matthew Andrew Muir and James
Mollwham, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or one of our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one
of them, 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 Matthew Andrew Muir and James
McIlwham, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and, ascer-
tained in and by the following statement in writing, reference being had to
the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say :-
.

page_text: Our said Invention of improvements in looms for weaving relates to mecha-
nism for obtaining varied shedding actions to shifting shuttle-box details and
to a variable picking motion.
And in order that our said Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, may be properly understood, we have hereunto appended a Sheet of
explanatory Drawings to be herein-after referred to, and representing our
improved arrangements, together with such of the well-known parts of looms
as are considered necessary in explaining the practical application of our
improvements.
Figures 1 and 2 are front and side elevations, and Figure 3 is a plan of a loom
with our improved shedding and shifting shuttle-box arrangements; Figure 4 is
a vertical section at right angles to Figure 1, showing merely certain minor
details herein-after more particularly referred to; and Figures 5 and 6 are
enlarged views of details also herein-after referred to; Figures 7 and 8 are back
elevation and plan of our improved picking motion. The same or like parts are
marked with the same reference numerals in all the Figures in which they occur.
For the shedding actions we employ an improved jacquard dobby, the
details of which are carried by a suitable framing situated above the heddles
or healds, and consisting in the example represented of an open rectangular
horizontal frame 1, supported by brackets 2, which are bolted to the side
frames 3 of the loom, and formed or fitted with light front and back standards 4
The heddle leaves,
rising vertically, and connected at the top by a tie-rod 5.
which are not shown in the Drawings, are connected below to springs or
weighted levers, which tend to draw. them down; whilst they are suspended
each from a pair of levers 6, 7, centred on studs or spindles 8, fixed across
the frame 1, and geared together by toothed sectors formed on their inner
adjacent ends. The shedding action is communicated to one, 6, of each pair
of the heddle levers, either directly as shown, or through the intervention of a
link and lever. Each lever 6 acted upon is fitted with two pins, as shown in
the enlarged detached sectional elevation, Figure 5, by which pins it is con-
nected to two slotted links 9, 10, formed with hooks at their upper ends, and
each hooked link 9, 10, passes through slots in two horizontal bars or needles
11, 12, which are acted upon by the jacquard barrel 18. The loom may be
fitted with any convenient number of heddle levers 6 there being a pair of
hooked links 9, 10, and a pair of needles 11, 12, for each. The series of
hooked links 9, 10, form two rows, each heddle lever 6 having one of its two
links in each row, and there are two lifting bars or branders 14, 15, one to
act on each row of hooked links. The branders 14, 15, are actuated from
treadles 16 below, in such a way that when one rises the other falls, and vice

page_text: versa. The treadles 16, actuated by cams 17 on the low shaft 18, are con-
nected by links and straps 19 to a rocking shaft 20, carried in the upper
parts of the dobby frames 4, and from an inner barrel on this shaft straps 21
are connected to the branders 14, 15. In the example represented the rising
brander (14) acts at any shot or shed on those hooked links (9) which are not
pushed out of the way by the action of the jacquard barrel, and those heddle
leaves the hooked links of which are not lifted are drawn down by the springs
or weighted levers below. The needles 11, 12; are acted upon by springs 22,
which press them towards the jacquard barrel, and thereby tend to keep the
corresponding hooked links in positions to be caught and lifted by the brander,
whilst the needles acted upon by the jacquard barrel are pushed inwards
against the springs 22, their hooked links being thereby kept out of the way
of the brander. The hooks of the links might be turned the other way, and
the branders be arranged at the other sides of them, in which case the links
lifted would be those pushed in by the jacquard barrel, the springs keeping
the others out of gear.
Each hooked link 9 or 10 is acted upon by only one
needle 11 or 12, but passes through an elongated slot in the other needle
appertaining to the same heddle lever 6. The endless pattern chain 23
consists by preference of strong wooden bars or lags 24, Figure 6, linked
together and perforated each with a row of holes, to receive in the case of
each such pattern pins as the shedding requires. Three such pattern lags are
shown in Figure 6, the topmost one being represented as turned away to be
seen in edge view. The needles 11, 12, are disposed in two rows horizon-
tally, the two needles acting on the two hooked links 9, 10, of the same
heddle leaf, being one immediately under the other. Two kinds of pattern
pins are used for the shedding movements, a broad one to act on both an
upper needle 11 and a lower one 12, and a narrow faced one to act on either
the upper or lower needle only, accordingly as it is inserted with its projecting
face to the upper or lower side. Each lag or pattern bar 24 corresponds to
two successive sheds, that is, to every pair of sheds, one of which is effected by
one brander 14, and the other by the other brander 15, and whilst the barrel 13
is made to move up to and act upon the needles 11, 12, at every pick, it is
only at each alternate pick that a new lag or pattern bar 24 is turned into
acting position. The jacquard barrel 13 is carried by two arms 25, fast on a
rocking shaft 26, mounted in bearings on the frame 1, and a lever 27 on the
shaft 26 is connected by a link 28 to a lever 29, centred on a stud at the side
of the loom, and actuated by a link 30 from an eccentric pin on the crank
shaft 31 of the loom. Brackets 32 (Figure 1) are fixed to the frame 1 to
carry rollers, over which to place the endless pattern chain 23; and the

page_text: jacquard barrel 13 is turned to bring each lag successively into action by a
catch 33 jointed to the dobby frame 4, and acting on ratchets on the barrel.
At the alternate picks when the jacquard barrel is not to be turned, the
catch 33 is lifted out of gear by a hook 34 jointed to an overhanging stud 35
on one, 15, of the branders. The branders 14, 15, are centred on a swinging
fulcrum at 36 towards the front of the loom, and carried by a projecting
bracket 37, so that the hooked links (9, 10,) toward the back have greater
strokes, and the corresponding heddle leaves have more movement, which,
as is well understood, is requisite to produce an equal shed. The branders
work in and are guided by slots in the frames 4, and to reduce the hori-
zontal movement which the angular motion of the branders 14, 15, tends
to give them, they are connected to the framing 4 by a radius link 38,
acting after the manner of a parallel motion. Such heddle levers 6 as have
not their hooked links 9, 10, in gear, and are consequently not raised by
the branders 14, 15, but are drawn down by the springs or weighted levers
below, rest upon a cross frame bar 39, lined with wood and leather to reduce
concussion, and have their downward motion limited and regulated thereby.
Amongst the varieties of shedding actions which the dobby details may be
arranged to work is that employed in gauze weaving, and as in that kind of
weaving a portion of the warps have to be slackened at particular periods, and
it is desirable that such slackening should be regulated by the pattern action
so as to prevent its getting out of proper relation to the shedding action, the
details for so regulating the slackening action are shown in the Drawings,
more particularly in Figures 1 and 4, the latter being an inside sectional view
of the left-hand side frame of the loom. The portion 40 of the warps which
has to be slackened passes over an outer round bar 41 carried by brackets or
levers 42 centred on the bar 48, over which the remaining warps pass. At
one side of the loom the bracket or lever 42 projects inwards, and is fitted
with a pin, which can be caught by a hook 44 jointed to a vertical rod 45.
This rod 45 moves up and down on a pin on the framing, being jointed to a
lever 46 actuated by a cam 47 on the low shaft 18. When the hook 44
catches the lever 42, the rising of the bar 45 causes the back rod 41 to be
lowered, and the warps 40 are thereby slackened, and this would occur at
every second shot if the hook 44 remained always in gear; but as it is re-
quired only at every fourth shot, the hook 44 is drawn out of gear at the
proper times to prevent the intermediate action by a cord 48 connected to a
crank lever 49, from which a cord 50 is connected to a lever 51, disposed so
as to be acted upon by a horizontal needle of the dobby, such needle being
provide for the purpose, and being acted upon by suitably disposed pattern

page_text: pins on the endless pattern chain. With these arrangements the separate,
actions cannot get out of proper order or relation if the pattern chain is cor-
rectly pinned.
In order to act upon shifting shuttle-box details, according to one modifi-
cation, two needles of the dobby and two perforations of the pattern bars or
lags. 24 are arranged to act on two crank levers 52, 53, from which wires or
links 54, 55, pass down to details at the side of the loom, these details being
for the most part the same as those described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to us, and dated 18th June 1856 (No. 1437). These details
are best shown in Figure 2, and to facilitate reference are marked with the
same reference letters and numerals as in our said earlier Specification,
accented, however, for the sake of distinction. The action of the details
depends on the movement of a lever W¹, to the middle of which we now
attach a third arm 56 in a nearly horizontal position, and it is to this arm 56.
that one, 54, of the wires or links from the dobby is connected, the arın 56
having a tendency to turn down from the action of a spring on the rod Z.
The other wire or link 55 is connected to a crank lever 57, acted on by a-
spring, and having one arm formed with small steps bearing against a pin or
catch on the middle arm 56 of the lever W. When the crank lever 57 is:
moved by the dobby, the catch lever 56 drops one or more steps, according to
the size of the pattern pin and consequent extent of the movement; and
when the catch lever 56 is lifted by the other wire 54, the proper step is
moved under it by the spring of the crank lever 57.
In another modification the shifts of the shuttle box are determined by a
pattern barrel, such as is described in our earlier Specification herein-before
referred to, the dobby forming the subject of our present Invention being
arranged simply to determine the number of picks between each shift, and to
put the barrel into action at the proper periods. Thus wires, such as the
wires 54, 55, acted on by the dobby, may be connected to the propelling
catches or pawls by which the pattern barrel is shifted round. It will also be
obvious that our improved dobby details may be arranged to work in concert
with various other kinds of shifting shuttle-box details.
In our improved variable picking motion, shown in Figures 7 and 8, the-
picking wipers 61 (of which one only is shown) on the low shaft 18, revolving
once for every two picks, are made each with two diametrically opposite
points, so as to be capable of acting at any pick; but, of course, only one
wiper acts at a time. Each wiper 61 is arranged to shift on the shaft 18,
being loose thereon, but driven by two pins or studs projecting from a boss 62,
keyed on the shaft, and passing through holes in the wiper. Each wiper 61

page_text: is made with a grooved boss 63 to receive the fork of a clutch lever 64, and the
two clutch levers are fixed on opposite ends of a sliding rod 65 in such a way
that the movement of the clutch rod 65, which carries one wiper 61 into its
acting position, carries the other out of it. The clutch rod 65 is carried and
slides in brackets 66 fixed to the back frame 67 of the loom. Near its
middle the low or wiper shaft 18 has fast on it two dises or curved edge cams
68, which act on two levers 69 in such a way as to move them both outwards
at each pick, a spring 70 connecting the levers drawing them together again.
The levers 69 have latches 71 jointed to them, capable of pressing against
stops 72 fixed on the sliding clutch rod 65, but only one latch 71 can act at
a time, as the two latches are connected by wires or links 78 to a lever 74,
centred at its middle in such a way that when it holds one latch 71 in gear,
the other is out of gear. The lever 74, last mentioned, is moved as required
by the pattern mechanism, so as to cause the picking to take place from the
opposite sides alternately, or twice or oftener in succession from the same
side; and for this purpose the lever 74 is formed with an arm 75, to which is
connected a cord or wire 76 from the pattern mechanism. The weft fork
details, which are repeated at opposite sides of the loom, are acted upon in
concert with the picking wipers 61, so as at each pick to be in a condition to
act only at the side towards which the shuttle is thrown. On each sliding
wiper boss 73 there is formed a second disc 77, which is fitted with pins to
act on the lever 78, on the movement of which the weft fork action depends.
When the wiper boss 63 is at either side of the loom moved outwards for the
picking to take place from that side, the disc 77 is thereby moved with its
pins clear of the lever 78, and does not act on it; whilst at the same time a
pin 79, carried by the sliding clutch rod 65, enters under the lever 78 to support
it in a proper position. Simultaneously with this action on one side, the cor-
responding parts on the other side are shifted so as to cause the corresponding
lever 78 on that side to act.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be performed, we have to state that we do not claim
to have invented every separate detail herein described or delineated, and
that we do not restrict ourselves to the precise details herein described
and delineated; but that what we believe to be novel and original, and claim
as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent, is,
1. The arranging or combining together of the parts of dobby pattern
mechanism for working heddles or shifting shuttle boxes, or both, substantially
in the improved manner herein-before described.

page_text: And, 2. The arranging or combining together of the parts of variable
picking motions, substantially in the improved manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James McIlwham, on behalf of the said
Matthew Andrew Muir and myself, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
28, St. Enoch Square,
Glasgow.
JAMES MCILWHAM. (L.S.)