WEAVING SCOTCH, KIDDERMINSTER, AND DUTCH CARPETS BY MEANS OF A POWER LOOM
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Josiah Firth, of Heckmondwike, in the County
of York, Carpet Manufacturer, and Joseph Crabtree, of Mill Bridge,
near Heckmondwike aforesaid, Machine Maker, for the Invention of
"WEAVING SCOTCH, KIDDERMINSTER, AND DUTCH CARPETS BY MEANS OF A
POWER LOOM."
of York, Carpet Manufacturer, and Joseph Crabtree, of Mill Bridge,
near Heckmondwike aforesaid, Machine Maker, for the Invention of
"WEAVING SCOTCH, KIDDERMINSTER, AND DUTCH CARPETS BY MEANS OF A
POWER LOOM."
Sealed the 27th January 1857, and dated the 4th August 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Josiah Firth and Joseph
Crabtree at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 4th August 1856.
We, JOSIAH FIRTH, of Heckmondwike, in the County of York, Carpet
Manufacturer, and JOSEPH CRABTREE, of Mill Bridge, near Heckmondwike
aforesaid, Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"WEAVING SCOTCH, KIDDERMINSTER, AND DUTCH CARPETS BY MEANS OF A POWER
Loom," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the weaving by power of Scotch, Kidder-
minster, and Dutch carpets, and consists of,
1st. One, two, or three tiers of boxes at each end of the loom, or of one
or more barrels in which boxes are arranged for the shuttles at each end of
the loom, in such a way as to enable us to bring into action the particular

page_text: shuttle or colour that we may require, up to the number of 30, each shuttle
to run any number of picks that may be required to form the pattern.
2nd. The boxes are shifted, moved, or raised, or let fall, by means of a beam
fixed above or below the main or driving shaft of the loom, one end of the
beam being attached to the boxes by means of an upright or perpendicular
rod; the other end of the beam is brought into contact with a tappet
or plate wheel by means of another upright or perpendicular rod attached
to an horizontal rod, at the end of which is fixed a pulley to act upon the
tappets or plate wheel, and may be thrown into or out of gear whenever
required, that is, when the shuttles run more than one pick each, but when
only one pick each, or there is no more than three shuttles, then the pulley
is kept.in gear_continually..
3rd. When more than three shuttles are employed, the lifting or moving
rods are thrown into and out of gear by means of cards working over a
four-sided cylinder, having as many cards as are necessary to complete the
entire number of changes which the pattern requires. The cylinder can
be moved by an excentric. fixed on the main shaft, or on the picking shaft
below."
4th. For the purpose of weaving Dutch, Berlin tapestry, Venetian, or any
other class of twilled òr. plain Dutch carpeting, we fix four treading tappets
on a shaft placed below the main shaft, which is used both for the means
of treading the gears and throwing the shuttle, and so arranged as to enable
us to inflict two strokes or bats on each pick with the lathe or going part.
The boxes for forming the plaid will be moved on the same principle as in
the foregoing description.
5th. The jacquard machine is trod by two treadles, extending from one end
of the loom to the other, the points extending so far beyond the end of the
loom as to enable us to press them down alternately by means of two excentric
tappets, and lifting the ground part of the jacquard with one tappet, and the
'figured part with the other, the jacquard being a double-lifting jacquard form
ing double cloth. The cylinder of the jacquard we move by another 'tappe
"fixed on the botton shaft, which is trod each alternate revolution of the loom
independent of the treading of the jacquard.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Josiah Firth and Joseph Crabtree in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th February 1857..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSIAH
FIRTH, of Heckmondwike, in the County of York, Carpet Manufacturer, and
JOSEPH CRABTREE, of Mill Bridge, near Heckmondwike aforesaid, , Machine
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her, most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said Josiah
Firth and Joseph Crabtree, Her special licence that we, the said Josiah Firth
and Joseph Crabtree, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Josiah Firth and Joseph Crabtree, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thercafter 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 "WEAVING SCOTCH, KIDDERMINSTER, AND DUTCH CARPETS BY MEANS
OF A POWER LOOм," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Josiah Firth and Joseph Crabtree, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand
and seal of one of us or them, should particularly.describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what mannner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Josiah Firth, on behalf of myself and
the said Joseph Crabtree, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object the weaving by power of Scotch, Kidder-
minster, and: Dutch carpets, and consists of one, two, or three: tiers of boxes at
each end of the loom, or of one or more barrels in which boxes are arranged
for the shuttles at each end of the loom, in such a way as to enable us to bring
into action the particular shuttle or colour that we may require up to the
number of 30, each shuttlé to run any number of picks that may be required
to form the pattern. The boxes, are shifted,. moved, or raised, or let fall, by

page_text: means of a beam fixed above or below the main or driving shaft of the loom,
one end of the beam being attached to the boxes by means of an upright or
perpendicular rod; the other end of the beam is brought into contact with a
tappet or plate wheel by means of another upright or perpendicular rod attached
to an horizontal rod, at the end of which is fixed a pulley to act upon the
tappets or plate wheel, and may be thrown into or out of gear whenever
required, that is, when the shuttles run more than one pick each; but when
only one pick each, or there is no more than three shuttles, then the pulley is
kept in gear continually. When more than three shuttles are employed, the
lifting or moving rods are thrown into and out of gear by means of cards
working over a four-sided cylinder, having as many cards as are necessary to
complete the entire number of changes which the pattern requires. The cylinder
can be moved by an eccentric fixed on the main shaft, or on the picking shaft
below.
For the purpose of weaving Dutch, Berlin tapestry, Venetian, or any other
class of twilled or plain Dutch carpeting, we fix four treading tappets on a
shaft placed below the main shaft, which is used both for the means of treading
the gears and throwing the shuttle, and so arranged as to enable us to inflict
two strokes or bats on each pick with the lathe or going part. The boxes for
forming the plaid will be moved on the same principle as in the foregoing
description. The jacquard machine is trod by two treadles extending from one
end of the loom to the other; the points extending so far beyond the end of the
loom as to enable us to press then down alternately by means of two excentric
tappets, and lifting the ground part of the jacquard with one tappet, and the
figured part with the other, the jacquard being a double-lifting jacquard forming
double cloth. The cylinder of the jacquard we move by another tappet fixed
on the bottom shaft, which is trod cach alternate revolution of the loom inde-
pendant of the treading of the jacquard.
And in order that our said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
The first head of our Invention, which we proceed to describe, consists of an
apparatus for changing tiers of shuttle boxes not exceeding three in number,
which is used in conjunction with a peculiar arrangement of picking apparatus,
and which, when so used, produces a novel combination of colours of weft thrown
across the warp in a regular and constant succession.
In Figure 2, Sheet No. 1, an end view of a portion of a loom, with this
shuttle changing apparatus attached, is represented. a, a, is a plate wheel or
tappet fixed on a stud above the crank shaft, from which it is actuated by a

page_text: pinion on the crank shaft, making eight revolutions to one of a wheel fixed
along side of the tappet a, a, which wheel and pinion are represented by red
lines in Figure 2. The tappet a, a, actuates a roller suspended on a link b
and this roller is also connected by a rod c, c, with one end of a beam or rocking
lever d, d, fixed to the bottom part of the end frame of the loom. From the
other end of the lever d, d, a rod e, e, is connected with a tier of three shuttle
boxes ff, which slide on two guide rods fixed in a frame attached to the end
of the lathe, one of which guide rods is represented, marked g, g. It will be
quite evident that by the action of the lever d, d, and connecting rods c, c, and
e, e, the revolution of the tappet a, a, will cause the tier of shuttle boxes f, f, to
rise and fall in regular succession, according to the form given to the tappet a, a.
At Figure 7 there is represented a tappet for shifting the picking levers, which
is used in conjunction with the shuttle changing apparatus just described. In
Figures 5 and 6 are given two views of the mode in which this tappet is made
to act on the picking levers. h, h, is the lower shaft of the loom, on which is
fixed a bevil pinion j, j, working into a bevil wheel i, i, which is fixed on the
tappet k, k, which is also represented in Figure 6. The tappet k, k, acts on a
small roller fixed to an arm on the rod or bar m, m, m, which slides in guides
fixed to the end frame of the loom. Each end of the bar m, m, m, is turned
down in the form of a fork, between the prongs of which the picking lever n, n,
which is hung on a hinge, as shewn in Figures 1 and 5, moves freely up and
down. From the arrangement described it will be evident that the action of
the tappet k, k, will shift the picking levers on their hinges alternately from one
side to the other, and the picking cams being so placed that the picking levers
are alternately brought under their action or removed to one side, so as to allow
the cams to pass free, it follows that the tappet k, k, according to its form,
dimensions, and speed, will cause the loom to pick from one side or the other
in any number or succession of picks which may be desired. In Figure 5, the
tappet k, k, revolves once for four revolutions of the crank shaft, and the cam
o, o, being made with two picking parts p, p, fixed at opposite points of the
circumference, and the fellow cam of o, o, at the other side of the loom having
also two picking parts placed at right angles to p, p, the effect of the action of
the tappet k, k, is to cause the loom to pick twice from one side and twice from
the other. The tappet represented at Figure 7, which is to be used in
conjunction with the shuttle changing apparatus, is made to extend over eight
picks of the loom to which it is applied, and would be geared with bevil
wheels of one to four.
In Figures 1 and 5 is represented a treading apparatus for actuating the
and

page_text: Figures 1 and 5 are two plate wheels, which are fixed on a shaft, which is
worked by a wheel and pinion of two to one, represented by red lines on the
plan. This shaft revolves' on two. bearings fixed to the floor within the plate
wheels 95, and r, r. These plate wheels carry each a roller, which works
into a slot in the two levers s, s, and't, t, Figures '1 and. 5, and these levers
are connected at the end with the rods u, u, and: v, v, which are also con-
nected at the top ends with the levers of the jacquard, and thus by the
revolution of the two plate wheels q, q, and r, r, the two levers s, s, and 't, t,
tread the levers of the jacquard alternately.
In Figure 8 is represented a double cam, two of which we use. in 'con-
junction with four shafts. One of each pair of cams has a lead upon the
other, as shown in the plan, the effect of which is to keep the two shafts
which are descending-clear of each other, so-ás-in-a-great-measure-to-prevent
the cutting of the warp threads in crossing.
The next head of our Invention, which we now proceed to describe, consists
of an arrangement of apparatus by means of which the lifting box containing
the shuttles is raised or lowered by the action of cards working over a four-
sided cylinder, and is intended to be used when a greater number than three
shuttles is required, or when the number of picks to be run by the shuttles is
too large to be produced by a tappet or plate wheel.
Figure 3, Sheet No. 2, is a side view of a loom with this apparatus
attached to it, and Figure 4 is a.back view of the end of the loom to which
the apparatus is attached. In both of these Figures, 3 and 4, certain portions
of the apparatus are supposed to be removed, in order to exhibit more clearly
its peculiar action and arrangement. In Figures 3, a, a, a, is a rod or bar
sliding in the guides b, b, and to this rod or bar the bracket c, c, is fixed,
carrying a roller which is acted upon by the tappet d, keyed fast on the lower
shaft of the loom, the rod a, a, a, being raised again by means of a spiral spring
or counterweight, when the tappet d is passing through the upper portion of
its revolution. To the upper part of the rod a, a, a, another bracket e is
firmly fixed, carrying a pin on which the moveable arm f, f, swings freely in
à horizontal direction. The moveable arm f, f, carries an upright: pin g
(Figures 3 and 4), which slides freely through a socket in the horizontal
bar.h, h, (Figure 4). One end of the bar h, h, slides freely in a guide or
socket fixed to the end frame of the loom, and the other end is.jointed with
á pin to the upright arm of the bell crank lever i, i, (Figures 3 and' 4,) and to
the horizontal arm of the bell crank lever i, i; the vertical sliding bar j,j, is
jointed at the top, while the lower end of j. j, slides freely in a guide.. "k, k, is
another bell crank lever placed alongside of i, i, but having the vertical arm

page_text: turned downwards, while its horizontal arm is jointed into.a. vertical sliding.
bar 1, 1, similar to j, j, and working alongside of it in the guide m (Figure 3)...
To the lower end of the vertical arm of the bell crank lever k, k; a sliding
catch n, n, (Figure 4,) is jointed, which takes into the notches of the upright
bar o, o, which slides freely in the guides p, p, fixed to the end frame of the
loom. From the top end of the vertical. bar o, o,. a chain is carried over a
pulley 7, and across the top of the loom, and round the cylinder r, to which it
is made fast, which works freely on pivots at each end. From the outer end!
of the cylinder . another chain, partially lapped round it, is carried down the
tier of shuttle boxes s, 8, of which six are represented in Figures' 3' and 4.
These shuttle. boxes are formed with backs of wood, and bottom and front of'
sheet iron, as represented in Figures 3 and 4, and, they are fixed to the
upright rods t, t, which slide freely in guides or sockets u, u, formed in a
framework which is attached to the back part of the end of the lathe. In
Figure 4, the upper part of this framework and guide rods is represented as
broken off, in order to exhibit more clearly the connection of the tier of
shuttle boxes with the chain by which it is suspended from the cylinder r..
The tier of shuttle boxes is made of such a length that the picker; when it
returns to the end of the lathe, shall be clear of the ends of the moveable
shuttle boxes, so as to allow them to pass freely up and down, as may be
required. And it will be seen, in Figure 3, that the picker. slides on 'two.
round bars, which are fixed to the front of the lathe, so that the' picker is.
entirely unconnected with and independent of the shuttle boxes. The outer
end of the moveable arm f, f, is made with a bevilled side, as represented. in'
Figuro 4, so as to take into the notches of the upright bar o, o, when the end:
of the arm ff, is pushed against the notches of the .bar o, o. Above the
sliding catch n, n, there is placed another catch v, v, which is jointed to the:
catch n, n, by a short lever, as represented in Figure 4, so that when the
catch n, n, is withdrawn, the catch v, v, is pushed in, so, as to take into the
notches of the bar o, o, and prevent it from passing more than one notch at
cach withdrawal of the catch n, n.
Immediately below the upright sliding bars 1, 1, and j, j, a jacquard 'cylinder
is fixed, either on a pair of levers, as represented in Figure 4, or in upright
slides, so that the cards in passing over the cylinder are brought to bear on
the lower ends of the upright bars 1, 1, and j, j, so as to raise those bars
when the cards are blank, and to leave them unmoved when the 'cards are
punched with holes. When the tappet d is single, as represented in Figure 3,
the shuttle-changing apparatus would, of course, act, only on every second
revolution of the crank, and in this case would be suitable for a loom giving.

page_text: two blows of the lathe for every shot of weft; but where the loom gives. only
one blow for each shot of weft, then the shuttle-changing, apparatus must
either be actuated by a single tappet on the crank shaft or by a double tappet
on the lower shaft, as represented at w, w, Figure 3.
The arrangement and combination of the various parts of this apparatus
which have now been described being distinctly understood and borne in
mind, it will be evident that in the action of the loom every revolution of the
lower shaft will cause the tappet d to act on the roller carried by the bracket
c, and will depress the moveable arm f, f, to the depth of the sweep of the
tappet d, which is something more than the depth of a single notch of the
bar o, o.
It will also be evident that if a blank card be made to act on and
raise the upright bar j, j, just before the tappet d begins to depress the bar
a, a, a, the moveable arm f, f, will be pressed against the bar o, o, and-by-
the bevilled side of f, f, taking into the notch against which it is pressed, the
bar o, o, will be carried down one notch by the descent of the arm f, f
But as soon as the bar o, o, has descended the depth of one notch, the sliding.
catch n, n, being pressed forward by a spring, will drop into a fresh notch on
the bar o, o, and will retain it in the lower position to which it has been
depressed, which, by the action of the chains, and pulley, and cylinder which
have been described, will have the effect of raising the tier of shuttle boxes
the depth of one box, and of exposing a fresh shuttle to the action of the
picker. And, in like manner, every time that a blank card is made to act
on the upright bar j, j, in the manner we have described, the tier of shuttle
boxes will be raised the depth of anothor box, and a fresh shuttle will be
brought up to the level of the race board and exposed to the action of the
picker. In the case, however, of a blank card being made to raise the
upright bar 1, 1, while a corresponding perforation in the card allows the bar
j, j, to remain at rest, it is evident that the sliding catch'n, n, will be with-
drawn, and the bar o, o, will be allowed to rise till the notch just liberated is
caught by the catch v, v, and on the return of the catch n, n, the notch retained
by the catch v, v; will be liberated, and the bar o, o, will be finally retained
at a fresh notch by the catch n, n, whereby the tier of shuttle boxes will be
lowered the depth of one box; and the same operation will be repeated every
time that a blank card is made to raise the upright bar l, l. In this case it
is to be understood that if the shuttle boxes be not of sufficient weight to
cause the bar o, o, to rise with the necessary rapidity, a spring or counter-
weight is to be applied, as may be required. Thus, then, by the simple means
of having a blank or a perforation in the cards which act on the two upright
bars 1, 1, and j, j, complete command is given in raising or lowering the tier

page_text: of shuttle boxes in any series or succession of lifts, and when it is desired to
retain one particular shuttle in action for a length of time, this effect will be
produced to any required number of picks by having the cards as they are
brought up by the jacquard perforated with two holes, so as to leave the two
upright bars 1, 1, and j, j, at rest.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we make no claim
to any of the mechanical parts separately; but what we claim is,―
First, the combined apparatus described, in respect to Drawing, Sheet 1.
And, secondly, we claim the combined apparatus described, in respect to
Drawing, Sheet 2.
In witness whereof, I, the said Josiah Firth, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
FRED HARRIS.
JOSIAH FIRTH. (L.S.)