IMPROVE- MENTS IN WEAVING
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Watson, of Galashiels, in the County of
Selkirk, North Britain, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WEAVING."
Sealed the 9th February 1858, and dated the 26th September 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Watson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
September 1857.
I, RICHARD WATSON, of Galashiels, in the County of Selkirk, North
Britain, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said. Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of looms for
weaving various classes of goods, together with the mechanical movements
necessary for actuating the loom during weaving.
According to this Invention the usual overhead shafts, with their belts and
driving pulleys, are all dispensed with, and their place is supplied by long
horizontal reciprocatory bars or shafts carried in bearings beneath, or on a
level with the floor of the weaving shop. These bars or longitudinally
reciprocatory shafts are each driven from one end by means of a crank or
other suitable movement, one such bar or shaft being provided for each row of
looms being disposed beneath the centre of such row. At the part where the
connection is to be formed between the bar and the individual looms the bar
is suitably notched on its upper side, this notch being so arranged as to work

page_text: directly beneath the slay or lathe of the loom. The lathe is fitted with a
bottom tail piece or rod carrying a jointed catch piece, with an underneath
catch or inverted hook; this catch piece is connected with the loom stop rod,
so that the attendant can set the catch either in gear with the notch of the
bar beneath, or raise it free from the bar altogether. In this way, so long as
the catch is allowed to rest in the notch of the bar, the continuous reciprocatory
action of the latter gives the necessary reciprocatory action to the lathe, but
when the catch is elevated the disengagement occurs, and the loom ceases to
It is this movement of the lathe which actuates all the other move-
ments of the loom.
The shed of the warp threads is formed as required by a ratchet wheel
action, the catch movement of which is actuated by a link jointed to the lathe.
This ratchet wheel runs loose on a stud in the loom framing, and it is pierced
at regularly graduated intervals with a ring of holes for the insertion of a set
of pins, studs, or pulleys, set alternately one on each face all round the wheel.
Thus, as the ratchet wheel is turned by the lathe action, the projections on
the wheel faces work the shedding or treaddle levers, and form the necessary
sheds. These pins or projections are adjustable in any desired. way for the
production of various effects in the woven goods, such as twilling and other
results. A similar horizontal combined ratchet and pin wheel action is
employed for picking the shuttle. This ratchet wheel is actuated from the
lathe in a manner similar to that just described, and as the projections upon
the ratchet wheel face individually come round they strike the tail of a picking
lever, the other end of which drives the shuttle. Of course there is one such
action on such side of the loom. This ratchet and pin wheel picking action
also affords an easy means of adjusting the sequence of the picks, as may be
desired, for varying the effects in the woven goods. The lathe action is also
available for working jacquard movements. The take-up of the woven fabric
is effected by ratchet or other movements of the ordinary kind, as may be
desired..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Watson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th March 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
WATSON, of Galashiels, in the County of Selkirk, North Britain, Manufacturer,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for. Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Richard Watson, Her special license that I, the said Richard Watson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such other's as I, the said Richard
Watson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Watson, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Watson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to, the accompanying Drawings, and to 'the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of looms for
weaving various classes of goods, together with the mechanical movements
necessary for actuating the loom during weaving.
According to this Invention, the usual overhead shafts, with their belts and
driving pulleys, are all dispensed with, and their place is supplied by long
horizontal reciprocatory bars or shafts carried in bearings beneath, or on a
level with the floor of the weaving shop. These bars or longitudinally
reciprocatory shafts are each driven from one end by means of a crank or
other suitable movement, one such bar or shaft being provided for each row of
looms being disposed beneath the centre of such row. At the part where the
connection is to be formed between the bar and the individual looms the bar
is suitably notched on its upper side, this notch being so arranged as to work
directly beneath the slay or lathe of the loom. The lathe is fitted with a
bottom tail piece or rod carrying a jointed catch piece, with an underneath
catch or inverted hook; 'this catch piece is connected with the loom stop rod,
so that the attendant can set the catch either in gear with the notch of the
bar beneath, or raise it free from the bar altogether. In this way, so long as
1

page_text: move.
the catch is allowed to rest in the notch of the bar, the continuous reciprocatory
action of the latter gives the necessary reciprocatory action to the lathe; but
when the catch is elevated the disengagement occurs, and the loom ceases to
It is this movement of the lathe which actuates all the other move-
ments. of the loom. The shed of the warp threads is formed as required by a
ratchet wheel action, the catch movement of which is actuated by a link
jointed to the lathe. This ratchet wheel runs loose on a stud in the loom
framing, and it is pierced at regularly graduated intervals with a ring of holes
for the insertion of a set of pins, studs, or pulleys, set alternately one on each
face all round the wheel. Thus, as the ratchet wheel is turned by the lathe
action, the projections on the wheel faces work the shedding or treadle levers,
and form the necessary sheds. These pins or projections are adjustable in any
desired way for the production of various effects in the woven goods, such as:
twilling and other results. A similar horizontal combined ratchet and pin
wheel action is employed for picking the shuttle. This ratchet wheel is
actuated from the lathe in a manner similar to that just described, and as the
projections upon the ratchet wheel face individually come round they strike
the tail of a picking lever, the other end of which drives the shuttle. Of
course there is one such action on each side of the loom. This ratchet and
pin wheel picking action also affords an easy means of adjusting the sequence
of the picks as may be desired for varying the effects in the woven goods.
The lathe action is also available for working jacquard movements. The take
up of the woven fabric is effected by ratchet or other movements of the
ordinary kind, as may be desired.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the several illustrative Figures upon the explanatory
Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of
showing certain modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously
carried out in practice.
Figure 1 on my Sheet of Drawings is an elevation or end view of a loom
arranged according to one modification of, my improvements, that is to say,-
the Figure is an elevation of the right-hand side of the loom as looking
towards its front; Figure 2 is an elevation or end view of the opposite or left-
-hand side of the loom; Figure 3 is an elevation of the front of the loom, and
Figure 4 is an elevation of the back part of the loom, looking upon the warp
beam. In all the Figures those portions of the loom which are not essential
to the description of my Invention have been omitted in the Drawing. In the
modification of my improvements, as delineated in my illustrative Drawings,
the loom framing A consists of two cast-iron side standards, united by cross

page_text: rails at the upper and lower parts. The back uprights of the side standards
A are curved above the warp beam, so as to sweep forward towards the front
of the loom and then upwards, their extremities terminating over the centre
of the framing. The different reciprocatory and rotatory movements of the
loom are wholly derived from the crank disc B, to the pin of which is attached
one extremity of the rod C; the other end of this rod is connected to the bar
or shaft D. This bar or shaft D is carried beneath the loom and midway
between the end standards; it is raised slightly above the level of the flooring,
and extends throughout the row or series of looms, there is consequently a
corresponding arrangement of a crank disc and reciprocatory bar or shaft to
each row of looms in the weaving shed. The bar D is supported near the
back part of each loom by means of a pair of standards E, which are bolted
to the flooring. To the upper ends of these standards is jointed the rod F; the
lower end of the rod is forked to receive the bar D, which is attached to the
rod by a pin. At the part of the bar D near the front of the loom a notch
or curved recess is made in the bar, and into this notch a pin, which is fast to
the free end of the lever G, falls. This lever is attached to the arm H, which
is fast to the shaft I, a partially rotatory movement being communicated to
the shaft from the reciprocatory motion of the bar D, when the crank dise B
is caused to rotate. The backward end of the lever G is connected by a
link J to the lever K, which oscillates upon the shaft I. The free end of the
lever K, extends forward in front of the loom framing, and is attached by a
link L to the bell crank lever M, which is centred upon a stud fixed to the
lower stay piece of the framing. The other arm of the bell crank lever M is
connected by the rod N to the lower end of the stop rod O. Whilst the stop
rod is held in its retaining check or detent the front end of the lever K is
depressed, which has the effect of keeping the backward end of the lever G
raised, and the fore end recessed in the bar D. During this position of the
lever G it will of course move to-and-fro in accordance with the bar D, and
consequently impart a rocking or pendulous movement to the arm H, and a
partially rotatory motion to the shaft I, from which the other movements of
the loom are taken. But the instant that the stop rod O is released from its
detent, either by the hand of the attendant or by means of the self-acting
mechanism ordinarily used for the purpose, the rod N is moved laterally,
5 which causes the bell crank lever M, to raise the front end of the lever K, and
thereby depress the backward end of the lever G. The motion of the lever G
about its axis lifts the pin at the fore end of the lever out of the notch. or
recess in the bar D, and the loom is in consequence instantly stopped. The
raising of the fore end of the lever G is assisted by the action of the spiral

page_text: spring P, one end of which is fastened to the lever G, and the other to the
arm H. When the stop rod is held in the check or detent, and the lever G
is in gear with the bar D, the spring P is stretched to a certain extent; this
tendency to raise the fore end of the lever G is overcome by tho stop rod O.
But upon the stop rod being released from its detent the recoil of the spring
lifts the lever G out of the notch or recess in the bar D. The return of the
stop rod to its detent raises the after or backward end of the lever G, and
depresses the front end, the pin of which slips into the notch in the bar D as
it moves to and fro beneath. In this manner the starting and stopping of the
loom are completely under control and as readily effected as by the ordinary
pulley and belt arrangement. The lathe Q is suspended by means of the
swords R, which are centred upon a stud projecting laterally from each side
of the upper part of the loom framing. The lathe derives its pendulous motion
from the shaft I, to each extremity of which a lever S is keyed; the upper
ends of these levers are each connected to the lathe Q by a link T. These
links are made with a shoulder or projecting part, which comes in contact with
a stop on the upper end of each of the levers S, and thus prevents the link
from passing beyond the proper point when at the extremity of its range. In
Figures 1 and 2 of my Drawings the lathe is shown at the extremity of it's
traverse, both in the forward and backward directions; in Figure 2 it is shown
in the latter position, in which the shoulder on the link is supposed to be in
contact with the stop on the lever S, and thus prevents it from passing beyond
the point where it forms a right line with the lever to which it is jointed.
The picking motion by which the shuttle is driven from either side of the
loom at pleasure according to the requirements of the pattern that is being
woven is derived from the reciprocatory movement of one of the levers S. In
this modification of my improvements the right-hand lever S is used for the
purpose a stud pin fitted to the lever carries a pawl U, the free extremity of
which falls into the teeth of the ratchet wheel V, which is carried by a stud
fixed to the lower part of the standard A. The ratchet wheel V is made
with holes round its face, into which pins or angularly shaped projecting pieces
of metal are fitted as shown at W, Figure 3; these pins or wedge pieces
come in contact with a projection on the inner side of the lever X. This lever
is fast to a small shaft Y, carried in the standard Z, which is bolted to the
flooring; a corresponding arrangement of a lever X and shaft Y is fitted upon
the opposite or left-hand side of the loom, the inner extremities of the two
shafts Y being connected to each other by the rod a. The shafts Y are
capable of a certain amount of lateral motion, or traverse in their bearings in
the standards Z; but when not otherwise acted upon, the shafts and the levers

page_text: Xare kept to the left-hand side of the loom by the tension of a helical spring
b, one extremity of which is fastened to the rod a, and the other to the lower
part of the cross rail of the loom framing. When, however, a pin or wedge
picce W is inserted in the face of the ratchet wheel V, as the wheel rotates
this wedge piece comes in contact with the projection on the right-hand side
of the lever X. The pressure of the wedge piece W'against the lever X.
overcomes the tension of the spring 6, and causes the shafts Y and the levers X
to move laterally to the right of the loom. By means of this lateral motion
either the right or left hand lever X is caused to actuate the picking stick
above it, so that the shuttle or shuttles may be thrown from either side of the
loom in any predetermined sequential order. Each of the levers X carries
upon its upper edge a pulley c, which may be brought within the range of the
tappet d, that in this instance forms a tail or prolongation to each of the
levers S. Accordingly, as one or other of the levers X is brought under its
corresponding tappet d, it will be depressed by the reciprocatory action of the
tappet as it passes over the periphery of the pulley c. The backward ends of
the levers X are connected by a shackle to the rods e, the upper ends of which
are attached to the straps f; these straps are secured to the cone pulleys g,
which are fast to the spindles h. These spindles are carried in bearing plates,
which are bolted to the side standards A, and to their front ends are fitted the
picking sticks i; thus, when the pulley c, on either of the levers X, is brought
under its actuating tappet d, the lever is suddenly depressed, which imparts a
correspondingly rapid motion or jerk to the picking stick connected therewith;
this motion of the picking stick and its picker drives the shuttle from that side
of the loom through the shed. The picking sticks are brought back to their
normal position by the reaction of the helical springs j, the lower end of which
are attached to studs fixed to the inner faces of the side standards A. The
upper ends of the springs j are fastened to the straps k, which are fast to the
pulleys; these straps work in opposite directions to the straps f, so that
when the pick is made they are wound round the pulleys, and the springs are
thereby stretched; but the instant the tappets d have passed the pulleys c,
the picking sticks spring back by the recoil of the springs j. The shedding
action cr movement of the heddles in their appropriate sequential order is
derived from the reciprocatory movement of the lathe Q, to the swords of
which a link is attached; the other end of each of these links is jointed to
the central arm of the double bell crank or 1 shaped lever m.
The two
lateral or horizontal arms of the bell crank lever m are connected to the rods
n and o, the upper ends of which are linked to the levers p and; these
levers run loosely upon the spindle r, which is carried in pedestal bearings,

page_text: that are bolted to the upper sides of the standards A. Upon each extremity
of the spindler is keyed a ratchet wheel t and u; these wheels are actuated
by the pawls v and w, which are carried upon studs fitted to the levers p and q.
The downward motion of one lever causing its contiguous wheel to rotate by
the drag of the pawl upon its teeth, whilst the upward motion of the opposite
lever does not affect its neighbouring wheel, as the pawl slides over its teeth.
The central portion of the spindler is fitted with a drum s, which has a series
of grooves or indentations formed therein, and, made from end to end of the
drum parallel to its axis. Into these grooves or indentations in the drum the
links or connecting pins of the endless heddle chain x fall; there is a series of
these chains placed parallel to each other and corresponding in number to the
number of leaves of heddles in use. The endless chains are kept distended
by the drum y, which is fitted in bearings upon the framing; the chains are so
niade that projecting pieces z may be readily attached thereto; these project-
ing pieces or heddle tappets z, as the chain rotates, come into contact with the
pulleys 1, which are shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 of my Drawings. The
pulleys 1 are fitted in the heddle levers 2; these levers are carried upon a
shaft, which is arranged parallel to the side standards A, its bearings being
carried by the front and back upper cross rails of the loom framing. The
inner ends of the levers 2 are connected to the heddles by the cords 3, which
are attached at their lower ends to the heddle shafts 4; the outer ends of the
levers are attached by the rods or cords 5 to the bell crank levers 6. Thero
is a bell crank lever 6 to each rod or cord 5, and the series of levers is carried
loosely upon a spindle which is fitted in a pair of short standards 7 that are
bolted to the flooring. The levers 6 are connected by the horizontal rods 8 to
the series of bell-crank levers 9, and these are connected in like manner to the
series 10, both of which series of bell-crank levers are arranged immediately
beneath the heddles and equidistant from the extremities of the heddle shafts.
The free arms of the two series of bell-crank levers 9 and 10 are separately
connected to its corresponding overhead heddle by the rods or cords 11, so as
to keep them uniformly distended. As the lathe Q vibrates, the double bell
crank lover m oscillates upon its axis, the traverse of which is indicated by
the dotted lines in Figure 1 of my Drawing. When the lathe moves back-
wards the rod o, which is attached to the bell crank lever m, draws down the
lever q, the pawl w of which causes the ratchet wheel u to partially rotate;
this movement carries round the chains x, and those which have tappets z
fitted to them will depress their corresponding heddle levers 2; the heddles
attached to the other ends thereof being consequently raised. The depression
of the outer ends of the levers 2, that are so acted upon, slackens the rods or

page_text: cords 5, so that the bell crank levers 6 turn upon their axes, and the horizontal
rods 8 actuate the levers 9 and 10, and the rods or cords 11. This movement
thus compensates for the upward motion of the heddles. In like manner when
the heddles are not raised, which only occurs when there are tappets z on
the chains x, the required tension of the heddles is maintained by the com-
pensating action of the rods or cords 5, 8, and 11, and their respective bell
crank levers. When the lathe Q moves forward to beat up the weft, the
front arm of the bell crank lever m is depressed, and by this means the rod n,
lever p, and pawl v, actuate the wheel t, which turns the chains x, so that the
rollers 1 on the heddle levers 2 rest in the spaces on the chain between the
tappets, in which position no shed is formed. In this manner any number
of heddles required to produce a particular fabric may be actuated in the
sequential order necessary to produce the predetermined pattern or effect.
The last modification which I shall have occasion to describe under the
present Letters Patent is a movement for equalising the giving off of the warp
from the warp beam, in the exact proportion as the woven cloth is wound up
upon the cloth beam. A segmental wheel 12, which is carried by a bracket
projecting from the left-hand side standard A, is in gear with the bevil wheel
13, the spindle of which is carried in a bush or socket bearing on the side
standard. The upper part of the segmental wheel 12 is connected to the
sword R of the lathe Q. The boss of the bevil wheel 13 carries a lever 14,
the extremities of which extend laterally from the wheel. To the ends of the
lever 14 are connected the forked ends of two link rods 15 and 16; the rod
15 is attached to a lever 17, which is carried loosely on the spindle 18. The
lever 17 has a stud projecting from its side, on which is centred a pawl, which
falls into the teeth of the ratchet wheel 19. This wheel is fast to the spindle
18. The spindle 18 is carried in bracket bearings, bolted to the side standard
A; its backward extremity extends beyond the loom framing, and at this part
carries a screw 20, which gears with the wheel 21 on the spindle of the warp
roller. The spindle 18 has also fast to it a pulley 22, round which the cord
23 of the pace weight 24 is wound, the end of the cord being made fast to an
eye inside the loom framing. The rod 16 is attached to the end of the lever
25, which has a pawl 26 fitted thereto. The pawl rests in the teeth of the
ratchet wheel 27, the pinion of which gears with the wheel 28 on the spindle
of the cloth beam. As the lathe moves to and fro, and the weft is beat up,
the segmental wheel 12 causes the wheel 13 to partially rotate. This move-
ment communicates an oscillating motion to the lever 14, and the link rods 15
and 16, and the levers 17 and 25, to which they are respectively attached. As

page_text: each successive shot of weft is thrown in, the screw or worm 20 is slightly
acted upon in unison with the taking-up motion, so that as the fabric is woven
and gradually wound upon the cloth beam, the warp is simultaneously acted
upon and let off precisely in the same ratio, its tension throughout the
weaving being uniformly preserved.
These several improvements; may, with certain minor modifications, be
applied to looms for weaving figured fabrics, by means of the jacquard appa-
ratus.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as variations may be made therefrom without deviating
from the principles or main features of my said Invention; but what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,
First, the general arrangement and construction of looms for weaving textile
fabrics, as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of driving or imparting motion to looms by
means of bars or shafts, to which a reciprocatory movement is communicated
either from crank discs or other mechanical equivalent therefor, as herein-
before described.
Third, the system or mode of deriving or obtaining the movements of the
different parts of looms from a shaft to which an oscillatory or partially rota-
tory motion is communicated from the driving bars or shafts, as herein-before-
described.
Fourth, the system or mode of connecting or disconnecting looms with.or
from the reciprocatory bars or shafts, as herein-before described.
Fifth, the system or mode of actuating the lathes of looms by means of a
lever or levers connected with and deriving motion from the oscillatory or
partially rotatory movement of, a shaft, as herein-before described.
Sixth,, the system or mode of actuating the picking sticks of looms by means
of cams or tappets, to which a pendulous motion is given from the main
oscillatory shaft, as herein-before described.
Seventh, the mechanical arrangement by means of which one or more
shuttles may be actuated or driven from either side of the loom, according to
the prearrangement of the pattern wheel, as herein-before described.
Eighth, the system or mode of raising the heddles of looms by means of a

page_text: mechanical arrangement connected with the lathe. Also the mode of actuating
the heddles in a predetermined sequential order by means of tappets or
projecting pieces affixed to endless chains, as herein-before described.
Ninth, the use and application of the mechanical arrangement, or any
mere equivalent therefor, whereby the letting off of the warp and the taking
up of the woven fabric are effected simultaneously, or in conjunction, so
that both operations are exactly proportioned to each other, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Watson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-fifth day of March, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-eight.
RICHARD WATSON. (L.S.)