AN AUTOMATIC OR SELF ACTING SHUTTLE GUARD FOR LOOMS
Year: 1886

page_text: JAMES GREGSON of the firm of Gregson and Monk of Vulcan Iron Works Preston
Machinist and loom maker, and WILLIAM THOMAS Fox of 42 Upper Kent Street
Preston, Book-keeper, both in the county of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature
of our invention for "AN AUTOMATIC OR SELF ACTING SHUTTLE GUARD FOR LOOMS"
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this Invention is the prevention of the shuttle flying out of the
lathe or slay, during the operation of weaving, thus lessening the danger of accident
to the workers, and preventing damage being done to the pieces being woven.
In existing looms the ordinary shuttle guard is a fixture, or shuttle guards which
are movable by the hand of the worker, and these guards are generally in the way
of the weaver when required to piece up their ends &c and is detrimental to the
production of the workers. Our Invention overcomes all these defects by being
made automatic or self acting in its working.
Our object is accomplished in the following manner. We provide a semi-circular
guard, which is moved backward and forward above the lathe or slay cap; to the
back side of this guard we attach a flat piece of Iron, which is carried down behind
the lathe or slay cap and reed, under the lathe or slay, and attached to a boss which
works upon a rocking shaft, fixed underneath the lathe or slay by two or more
brackets; to this rocking shaft or to the boss which works upon the rocking shaft
we fasten a finger, this finger being connected either with a flat spring or a spiral
spring; from the spring bandle we arrange a cranked rod which is brought direct
under the lathe or slay, and fitted with an incliued bracket which extends the full
traverse of the lathe or slay. In order that its working may be thoroughly
understood we refere to the accompanying drawings which represents our improve-
ments, in the different views similar parts are marked with corresponding letters of
reference.
Fig. I. shows the working material required in our improvement detached from
the lathe or slay. A is the shuttle guard. B is the flat piece of iron, or flat arm
placed at the extreme ends of the reed space of the loom so that neither the guard
or the arms come in contact with the healds when the loom is stopped; this tat
arm B is connected to the boss C or to the rocking shaft D, the finger E may be
fastened to the rocking shaft D or to the boss C F are the brackets which hold the
rocking shaft suspended from the lathe or slay, and the extreme ends of the rocking
shaft are held or carried from the lathe or slay swords. G is a lever which

page_text: works upon a turned stud H fixed into a bracket I and is fastened underneath the
lathe or slay. N is a raised nipple on the lever G which prevents this lever from
bearing on the inclined bracket L. when the loom is in motion, by resting against the
underneath side of the lathe or slay. J is the spring or setting on handle of the loom,
K is a cranked rod which is bolted to the spring handle J. and which passes under-
neath the lathe or slay; to this rod is fastened an inclined bracket L, the spiral
springs are marked M. the shuttle guard A is made of such a width and length as
to stand right over the shuttle traverse when in its working position, and is held
thus by the spiral springs M connected from the lathe or slay sword or if prefered
by a flat spring screwed upon the underneath side of the lathe or slay, and brought
over the finger E, it will be readily seen that the guard working upon a rocking
shaft that the springs will easily keep the guard over the traverse of the shuttle,
and when down or closed it keeps the shuttle from flying out, the inclined
bracket L being connected by a cranked rod to the setting on or spring handle J;
it must of necessity when the loom is stopped for any purpose whatever, press the
lever G down and by doing so, it raises the end of the lever marked G. 1. this being
placed under the finger E it also presses this upwards, thus bringing the flat face of
the shuttle guard against the face of the lathe or slay cap as shown in fig. 3. thus
giving the weaver free access to the warp ends, when it is necessary to take up
broken ends or to repair any damage to the piece and is not in the way like the
ordinary fixed guard. Immediately the worker starts the loom the inclined
bracket L being withdrawn liberates the lever G. and the guard is brought back
into its working position by the spiral springs M. The rocking shaft D is not
compelled to be placed underneath the lathe or slay, but may be placed in any
other convenient place, such as the backside of the lathe or slay cap, or to the
lathe or slay backs, or may be fastened entirely to the lathe or slay swords. When
the loom is at work, the guard is in its place like an ordinary guard, but when the
loom is stopped, the guard is taken out of the way of the weaver, this motion is
always effected by the very act of starting or stopping the loom tho guard is how-
ever under the control of the weaver independently of the method described.
Fig. 2. shows an end view of the shuttle guard attached to the lathe or slay with
the guard brought forward in its working position.
Fig. 3 shows an end view of the lathe or slay with the shuttle guard at rest.
In conclusion we may observe that we do not confine ourselves to the precise
details we have had occasion to describe or refere to, as many variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of our
Invention.
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:-
-
An Automatic or self acting shuttle guard, so constructed that it can be operated
either by the weaver or in connection with the starting gear of the loom, also the
use or employment of a rocking shaft fixed to the lathe or slay, or to the lathe cap
or lathe swords, which oscillates and by that means raises or lowers the guard as
the starting gear is moved, substantially arranged in the manner described and for
the purpose specified.