IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING HATS.
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING HATS.". A communication
from abroad by John Van Dussen Reed of New York, County and
State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 31st January 1871, and dated the 2nd September 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 2nd September 1870.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING HATS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in improvements upon the loom for which
Letters Patent were granted to William Edward Newton, bearing date the
1st of April 1864, No. 815, in which loom two distinct sets of machinery
are employed, one for weaving the crown and brim of a hat, and the
A

page_text: other for weaving the side crown. The warp carriers being transferable
from one set to the other during the progress of the work in weaving
the different parts of the hat.
In this Invention the upper set of machinery described in the aforesaid
Patent for weaving the side crown of a hat is entirely dispensed with,
and the lower set only is used, together with the improved mechanism
applied thereto for weaving the whole hat. The mechanism rests on a
bed plate, from which rise four standards, joined all but one at their
upper ends to a stationary ring plate, which is made with corresponding
arms to match the standards and support the upper mechanism, so that
the lower will be readily accessible. A stationary ring for supporting
the lower stationary mechanism is fitted to the bed plate near the centre
of the loom in the form of a cylinder, as a guide or base for another
similar ring to revolve around it. Each of these rings have a series of
arms extending outwards and upwards from their upper edges, each
series supporting and carrying a ring. The two stationary rings above
mentioned support a series of cast-iron plates placed side by side, and
called partitions. These partitions are moulded together by some soft
metal at the ends that are embedded in the rings into sections, forty-
eight in each section, except one, which has forty-seven, while the
remaining parts are far enough apart to allow a piece of thin sheet metal
to pass edgewise freely between any two of them, thus presenting to the
eye the appearance of comb teeth. Those of the upper stationary ring
extend downward therefrom and are attached thereto by bolts, clamp
plates, and the undercut walls of the dovetailed groove in which they
are recessed in said ring, and to which they are fitted at an angle of
25 degrees from a vertical line, directly in line with the partitions of
the lower stationary ring, which are supported in a like manner by the
said ring. The upper and lower partitions must line exactly with each
other, so as to form direct guides for the warp carriers to pass safely
from one set to the other as they are operated upon by the shuttle
carriage. The ends of these two series of partitions are separated by a
sufficient space, through which the weft blade (described hereafter)
passes towards the centre of the loom. The number of partitions is
each series is equal to the greatest number of threads or strands to be
used in the warp, which in all cases must be an odd number, a number
that will divide by six, before the odd number is either added or sub-
tracted is preferred. As before mentioned the partitions are equal

page_text: distances apart, leaving sufficient space to permit the warp carriers to
pass freely; these are made of steel plates formed so that when placed
between the partitions they are confined, but are free to move vertically
between them.
Each warp carrier has a lug upon the centre of the
outside end. These lugs extend outward beyond the outside edges of
the partitions, so as to become engaged by the shuttle carriage, whose
grooves or channels they enter, causing them to be raised or lowered at
each revolution of the carriage. The inner ends of the warp carriers
have small metal loops formed on sliding tongues or plates carried by
them, which are engaged by hooks that carry the strands of the warp.
These strands extend from the hooks of one carrier across the centre of
the loom to the hook of the opposite carrier. The attachments of the
strands to hooks is made by means first of a small sheet-metal eye, one
to each, with a recess near the front end to receive a knot that is tied
on the end of the warp. These eyes are also slotted or grooved to the
ends to cause the thread to pass directly out in line of the centre. These
eyes form complete coverings for the knots, which are kept in place by
the tension during the work. To these eyes are attached looped cords,
the bights thereof being passed through rubber springs, and both ends
clamped together by the eyes; these, together with the hooks, form
suitable connections between the warp strands and the warp carriers.
The carriers are made to let the warp contract during the weaving of
the side crown of the hat, for which purpose the sliding tongues to
which the hooks are attached are cut upon the under side into ratchet
teeth, so that the increasing tension which would draw the warp
forward towards the centre of the work is checked by a double-acting
spring pawl mounted on the carrier, allowing only one tooth to escape
at each time the pawl is acted upon. This office is performed by a
lifting roller which is projected forward from the shuttle carriages
through the space between the ends of the partitions and passes along
directly under the end of the said pawls, on which it operates only when
it is lifted into its working position, where it is held by a spring catch,
which is done at the time the side crown is being woven, and it acts
only on such pawls as may chance to be at the time over the roller as
it is passing. As one half of the carriers are always in line with the rollers,
therefore each pawl is acted upon at each alternate revolution. When
the sliding tongues have been drawn out to weave a hat, and the work
is taken out, they are restored to their former position by simply pushing
them back with the hand, the buttons attached to them sliding along
A 2.

page_text: vice versa.
grooves in the carriers, together with yokes, serve to guide and hold
them. The rubber springs are here used upon the strands to allow them
to yield sufficiently for the shortening by corrugation as the weaving
progresses and to compensate for the displacement of the warp by the
depositing blade or shuttle as it revolves through the shed and deposits
the weft of filling. The opening of the strands to form the shed is
effected by weaving the warp carriers through the agency of the channels
in the shuttle carriage from the upper to the lower partitions, and
The order of the operation depending upon the kind of
work, whether plain or twilled. But for plain weaving one warp carrier
is elevated and the next depressed, and so on, for all that are engaged;
thus changing positions alternately at each revolution. The shuttle
carriage is formed principally of annular bands or rings surrounding
the partitions at a proper distance, and forming grooves by which the lugs
on the warp carriers can be operated and guided, the said lugs projecting
into said grooves. These rings form when united a light framework, being
bound together by brackets at proper distances apart, the whole secured
to and revolving with the ring (before described as supported on a series of
arms rising from a revolving ring) which is driven by a driving or spur
wheel acting upon a rack cut in the outside of the ring entirely around,
and it is by this movement that nearly all of the work is performed.
The warp carriers at the commencement of the work occupy a position
in the partitions where they all lay until acted upon, the warp strands
as they cross the centre of the loom are held down by a cord with just
tension enough to straighten up the work. The warp carriers are always
raised in pairs two at a time into the grooves or channels of the carriage
in a particular manner by what is called an indicator, consisting princi-
pally of a light circular ring which lies in a recess in the lower stationary
ring beneath the carriage just at the base of the lower partition so that it
may turn on its axis when acted upon at intervals. Upon this ring
at equal distances apart, except one, are a series of lugs called toes,
generally about twenty in number, corresponding to the number of 48
partition plates each into which said sections the said plates are divided.
Upon the inside of each of these toes is a wide flat recess into which
slides a thin piece of sheet metal with the upper end just wide enough
to lift the lugs of two warp carriers. There is a pin secured to each of
these plates which extends backwards through a suitable slot in the toe,
arranged so that the plate can slide freely up and down a certain distance.
A flat friction spring is placed between the two to keep the plate where

page_text: it is required. These slides are elevated one at a time by a lifting point
or inclined plane mounted on a bracket attached to the carriage, said
inclined plane passing under the pins of the sliding plates as they pass by
and lift them to their highest position, taking up a pair of warp carriers
high enough to let the point of one of the ribs on the carriage forming
one side of a groove receive and carry them up into the working
channels. But it is now necessary that the slide be withdrawn again
before a revolution takes place, this is done by a short inclined plane
attached to the rib and to the bracket before described, as binding
together the annular bands or rings of which the shuttle carriage is
composed, which immediately presses it down again, and so on in
succession with each of the said slides until one revolution is made. If
it is the first revolution there will be one pair of carriers raised from
each section. The second revolution none are raised, being so arranged,
as I will proceed to describe, that the lifting is done at each alternate
revolution. From the upper end of the bracket before mentioned as
carrying the inclined plane or lifting point for operating, the slide
extends down a pawl which is lifted a little by a fixed pin mounted
in the framing of the machine, against which it comes, and is moved
enough to revolve a ratchet pinion also mounted on the said bracket,
(which has six teeth) one tooth, also a six-sided pinion and a three-
toothed pinion, all of which are attached to the same axis. The six-
sided pinion having three sides narrow and three wide operates a spring
lever carrying a pin on the end of the long arm, so that after one
movement of the said pin will be held in a high position, and the next
it will be lower, also the lifting or three-toothed pinion having three
points and three blanks operates the inclined plane before referred
to, so that it will be up when the pin of the spring lever above
mentioned is down, and vice versa, thus acting alternately. When the
inclined plane or lifting point is down the carriers are lifted, but when
the pin is down at the next revolution of the carriage, the indicator ring
is tripped and moved forward to a new position, as will be presently
described, so that the slide (for lifting the carrier) will be caused to act
at another part of the section, and as there is no uniformity in the
distances moved (which will be explained hereafter). it does not move
twice alike.

page_text: the six-sided pinion by a pin passing through a slot in the outside axis, so
that the pin being drawn out slides said pinion endways enough to permit
the spring lever which it operates to get behind it, and prevent its working,
when not desired there is a strong spiral spring between the ratchet and
six-sided pinion to restore the latter again to its working position. After
the first revolution of the carriage is made, and two carriers of each
section raised, it becomes necessary to set the indicator forward a little,
as above indicated, for taking up other carriers at the third revolution,
which movement of said indicator this time would be the distance of 24
partitions or half a section. But before this can be done it will be
necessary to unlatch the ring, which is held by a latch and catch pivoted
to the main or lower stationary ring and acting upon small projections
placed on the indicator ring at the proper distances apart, according to
any prearranged order by which it is designed to raise the warp threads
successively into the working position as the top of the crown and the
brim of the hat increase in size the first rounds of the carriage bringing
up two warp threads from each section except one, the third, two more,
and so on; the main feature of the said order of arrangement being
to take up the successive warps as near the centre of the space between
those which are up as possible, but as it is impossible to do this exactly,
it becomes necessary to arrange the said studs at irregular distances
apart. When the indicator ring is to be moved the pin on spring lever
is in its lowest partition, and as it passes over the latch above mentioned
depresses it and causes the spring toe of the latch to rise above a pro-
jection on the indicator ring and immediately spring forward so as to lay
upon the top of the lug, leaving the indicator ring free to be pushed
along when the latch resumes its place against the next lug that comes
along, which forces back the spring in the toe, and permits the spring
catch before referred to to drop in behind it, thus locking it both ways.
The indicator ring is drawn forward at this time from one partition to
another by a sliding spring hook attached to the carriage coming in
contact with a stud on said ring which moves it along until the catch
stops the ring against the next lug, when the sliding spring hook which
is one of six points of a same piece is pulled backwards by a lug along an
oblong slot in the bracket in which it is mounted to be discharged from
said stud. The sliding piece is fastened to a round axis which passes
through a square sliding block working in the oblong slot and revolves
in said block. On the other end of said axis is a six-sided piece above
which is a strong steel spring and below is a stationary piece firmly

page_text: attached to the bracket bevelled at the back end which does not extend
quite to the end of the slot. From the square sliding block working in
said slot there is a strong hook which passes upward through another slot
in the plate or bracket made at right angles to the first one and of the
same length, to which is secured a strong spiral spring, the opposite end
of which is attached to the brackets by which the carriage is connected
before referred. Now when the point of the sliding spring hook is
forced back until the lower side of the six-sided part passes beyond
the bevelled end of the pin or stationary piece above mentioned,
and is freed so that it is suddenly turned to the next side by the
spiral spring, the steel spring above mentioned rising up to accomodate
the six-sided piece by which the stud on the indicator ring is released
and a new point of the sliding spring hook is presented for the next
stud, the spring then draws back the pieces to which it is connected
to their first position. These points act every revolution, but only
move the indicator ring when it is unlatched. The block is placed
edgewise in a suitable bracket attached to the carriage, and is arranged

page_text: the toes which are to pass the short section are arranged to slide back.
The sliding toe is fastened to a piece of sheet metal which is held to
the ring by a pin and washer which passes through a suitable slot in
the ring, leaving it free to move along the ring the required distance.
A proper shaped recess is made in the lower edge of said piecc, into
which fits the short end of a lever whose long end projects downward,
said lever being pivoted to the indicator ring. This long end, as the
ring is moved, strikes a stationary pin at the proper place in the lower
stationary ring, and changes the toe, and each toe is changed in suc-
cession as it passes the stationary pin. There is one toe shifted for each
shift of the indicator ring, but there are not movements enough to pass
the ring more than two-thirds of a revolution, therefore only a portion
of the toes are made to slide while the remainder are fixed. After a hat
has been woven this ring is pushed back by hand to its original place
which restores the shifting toes to their original position by the levers
passing over the fixed studs.
Having now explained the manner of introducing the warp carriers
to the carriage, we will follow their course up the first channels which
unites with two other channels and forms one in which they pass on
to a pair of separating wheels placed one each side of the channel.
The ends of the teeth of the said wheels are made round and gear
slightly into each other, but the spaces between the teeth are deep
enough to permit the stems of the carriers to pass below or above the
tooth of the opposite wheel, thus separating them alternately into two
distinct rows, and to keep them apart there is a fixed steel point secured
to the bracket in which the separating wheels are mounted on the
carriage which receives them and conducts them to the proper channels.
Thus all carriers passing through the wheels are divided equally in two
parts, the one being carried up and the other down to form the shed for
the shuttle carrier. The separating wheels have upon the axis of each
a pinion of the same diameters, but with ordinary teeth, which gear
together, and for the purpose of adjustment on the outside of one of the
latter is another somewhat larger. This latter is driven from a rack on
the lower stationary ring by an intermediate pinion. This rack has the
proper number of teeth to actuate the separating wheels so that each
notch will take a carrier. All of these pinions are secured to the large
bracket in which said wheels are mounted, as before stated, by smaller
brackets. The carrier after leaving the large bracket can be passed

page_text: either into the upper or lower channel of the carriage by means of a
switch which is pivoted and can be changed into three different positions
by a spring latch which may be held by the spring in either of three
notches. When in the last notch it forms a continuation of the fixed
steel dividing point, and the carriers go half in one and half in the other.
When changed to the upper portion the carriers all pass down the lower
channel or below the.blade, as required. When the work is done and it
is necessary to disengage the carriage, a switch being thrown up takes
up with it any of the carriers that may chance to be above the latch
part at the time it is raised, and all the remainder will pass down beneath
the carriage to their original first position, those being taken up will
be discharged as the others are at the next revolution. On the contrary
when it is desired to have the carriers in the upper channel the switch
is brought to its lowest position and they all pass above it. Between
two of the brackets of the carriage are two light square bars, between
which is a space in which the bars which hold up the front end of the
divider is secured adjustably by a clamping set screw. As the carriage
continues to revolve the warp carriers are moved above and below
the blade or weft laying mechanism in their respective channels, and
then gradually approach each other until they are again in one channel
before entering the division wheels on account of the odd number
aforesaid. Those coming from the upper channel are passed down into
the lower channel and those therein pass up into the upper channel by
the division wheels; thus they are shifted to change the shed at each
revolution. The blade or shuttle with its attachments are supported on
a bracket forming part of the carriage. That part which actually lays
the filling is the shuttle proper, but this with what is connected is called
the blade. The thread filling is on a spool; it has no friction itself,
but the thread passes around several pins and then to the shuttle where
it is guided in front of two small friction rollers which lay it between
the warp which spreads above and below. These rollers assist somewhat
in forcing up the filling. To make room for the shuttle to pass there
is attached to it what is called a divider, in a loose sort of a way, so that
its movements may be free to accomodate the different positions it takes
during the work; it sits at right angles to the work. The shuttle is
fast to a short shaft, the opposite end of which is fastened to the inside
of a tube which extends some distance up the blade, which has a screw
thread cut near the upper end upon the inside to act as a nut for
a screwed stem to withdraw away from the centre of the work as

page_text: fast as required. Outside of the tube is a larger tube which acts as a
guide or case, and on this is attached the bracket to hold the spool. The
upper end is secured to a hub which is pivoted on each side, so that the
whole blade can oscillate up and down and supported by brackets which
pass between the upper and lower partitions and are secured to a cross
piece to the bracket of the carriage. The end of the screw stem is
formed into a fork shape and connected to a plain stem of the same
shape by a double cross pin forming a universal joint. The outside end
is made larger and slides freely out and in through a suitable collar on
the cross piece.
In weaving a hat properly it should be woven in an oblong form, or
longer from the front to the back part of the head, generally 1 inches,
more or less. To do this it is necessary that the shuttle should advance
to and recede from the centre twice at each revolution round the hat,
slightly at first, and gradually increase until the brim is reached. To do
this there is an annular groove in the plain stem, in which works a pin
secured to the end of a slotted lever, which lays upon a small bracket
which has a pin in it on which the lever vibrates, said pin being
adjustable in a cross slot, so it can move in and out a little on the
bracket, but prevents the lever moving endways. At the centre of the
lever is a long slot, into which another pin works, but this one is a part
of a sliding rack, and this pin is the fulcrum on which the lever acts;
said pin is changeable from one end of the slot to the other by the rack.
On the end where the cross slot is there is a pin rising upward into a
grooved cam, which gives it lateral motion. The cam revolves very
slowly, just twice during a revolution of the carriage. On the inside
end of this cam is a pinion, which is worked simply by two small pins
acting as cogs, and placed near the centre of the hub of an intermediate
pinion, which is supported on a bracket, and is set in motion by a
stationary rack with a given number of teeth attached to and a part of
the upper partition ring. Thus the intermediate pinion works the first
pinion and the grooved cam, the lever which works the shuttle according
to the position of the bracket forming part of the sliding rack, which is
shifted by the following devices:-Just above the sliding rack before
mentioned is a ratchet pinion with ratchet teeth only a part of the way
round; to this is applied a pawl lever and stop pawl. On the inside of
the ratchet pinion there is another pinion gearing with the rack; the
pawl lever is moved each time the carriage makes a revolution by

page_text: coming in contact with a fixed pin, and is returned by a spring, this
moves the rack bar and pin; when it is not required to shift the rack
bar the pawl lever is thrown up. On the extreme end of the plain stem
of the blade is a ratchet wheel, capable of sliding on it, but held by a
key groove and key in the hub of the wheel, so that the latter will turn
the shaft; a handle is also attached to it to move it back when it is
necessary. They are kept in their places by the cross piece before
mentioned, so that when said part is forced in and out the wheel will
not be disturbed. Just inside the wheel is an elbow lever, said lever
working loosely on said part. To the lower end of the lever is attached
a pitman, the lower end of which is fastened near the centre of a spur
wheel by a set screw and block in a dovetail groove, so as to be readily
changed to different distances from the centre. This spur wheel gears
with a rack on the lower stationary ring to give more or less feed
operation. As the carriage passes along the spur wheel revolves and
operates the lever more or less, and turns the wheel on the plain stem,
and also the screw stem inside of the blade, screwing back the shuttle
as fast as the increasing size of the work requires it. When the side
crown is being woven a pawl catch on the lever is thrown back, and the
blade remains stationary while the remaining parts operate. Also if the
oval movement is not required the pawl lever before mentioned is
thrown back, care being taken to place the pin in the sliding rack at
the extreme end of the groove nearest the blade. Power to work the
loom is applied to fast and loose pulleys on the shaft which extends
towards the centre of the loom; this shaft is for the purpose of
operating a plunger. Near the end towards the centre it has a pinion,
and also a lever arranged upon it; this lever holds an intermediate
pinion which gears with the said pinion, and can be thrown in and out
of gear as circumstances require, with a third pinion, which is removable
for the application of others for different speeds. The latter turns a
short worm shaft, which has also a small crank, by which it can be
worked independently; this worm works a wheel which performs the
office of nut to work the plunger up and down, but is connected to
the plunger by two half nuts, cach half being forced to and from the
centre by a pin in the top projecting up through a cam plate. This
plate has two handles, by which it is turned in one direction to grasp
the plunger to feed it down when the side crown is woven, and the other
way when it is to be raised. The plunger has a counterweight attached
by a cord and a ring at the top, by which its weight is balanced, so that

page_text: when the half nuts are open it can be pushed up by hand at pleasure.
This plunger has two things to do. The warp is all prepared and placed
upon a wooden frame made round and cone-shaped, and attached to the
foot of plunger to be suspended from it. Each warp strand with the hook
attached is taken from this frame and hooked by hand into a carrier;
when all are locked in the cord before referred to is attached by a hook
to the mass of warp, where it crosses at the centre, and the wooden
frame is removed. The foot piece is also made of the proper size and
shape to fit a cup (hereafter explained). The pulley shaft drives a
perpendicular shaft, on which is the wheel for driving the carriage by
gearing with the rack, as before described. A rod is provided to work a
cup lever by the action of the foot of the operator on the projection near
the floor, which being pushed down elevates the cup to its working
position, where a set screw holds it fast.
When a hat is to be woven all of the warp carriers are switched into
the upper channel of the carriage for convenience in attaching the warp.
The cone is then introduced and occupies a central position; the cord is
then attached, and the warp is hooked down one at a time by hand to the
carriers. The cone is then removed, and all of the carriers are then
switched down to the bottom beneath the shuttle by one revolution.
The indicator is set back by hand to the starting point, and the dividing
switch set on the centre position; the disengaging switch down the
carriage is allowed to revolve once, and the lifting toe will have raised
the first pair of carriers in each section, taking care to leave only one up
in the first section. The shuttle is then pushed down as near the centre
as possible, and the thread filling properly adjusted.. The carriage is
then started; the first revolution none will come up, but those which
are up simply change places, but the indicator ring is tripped and drawn
.forward one shift as the next revolution is made, the centre pair out of
each section will be raised, and so on alternately till the crown of the hat
is large enough. An oval ratchet feed wheel having been put on during
the making of the crown the latter will be the right shape; the cup is
now forced down to the woven fabric and the pawl catch thrown back to
prevent the blade feeding back any more, the plunger is lowered till the
foot piece touches the woven crown, and the two half nuts are forced up
to the plunger; the carriage is again started, and the shuttle continues
to deposit the filling upon the edge of the cup. The oval form being
now complete, the pawl of the lever acting on the oval feed wheel is

page_text: thrown off, and the oval does not increase, but keeps the same. The
plunger in the meantime is feeding down into the cup, and takes away
the filling as fast as it is laid down over the inside edge of the cup.
This of course requires more warp, therefore the lifting roller is set in
position and lifts the pawl levers of the carriers, and lets the slides of all
the carriers out one tooth which are above the roller; those below the
roller will be acted on the next revolution; this continues till the side
crown is woven, when the feed on the plunger is stopped and the pawl
catch of the blade feed is put on, the lifting roller changed back agair,
and the brim is woven as far as required. The carriers are now elevated
to the upper channel, when the warp is cut off at the right place, and the
hat removed. The hooks and springs are now removed, and the loom is
ready to commence again. This loom, where the carriage runs, is
arranged on an angle of about 25°, while the blade works at right angles
with it. This is done because it is found impossible to deposit the filling
exactly at the place where it ought to be; it will always be 18 or 18
inch farther back when first laid, but the next revolution it is forced up.
tight by the crossing of the warp behind it, but now that it is up it is too
long for the place it occupies, or the circumference is too long for the
diameter; therefore were the hat wove horizontally both crown and brim
would be too full, and it requires about the angle of 25° to shorten the
circumference of each course as it is laid to make the work right. The
weaving cup has false tops, which are changed for weaving the different
sizes; also the foot piece of the plunger is changeable to correspond, but
it sometimes becomes necessary to weave a round or tapering crown.
This requires a different cup, one that will expand and contract as the
work progresses; when used the present cup must be removed, and the
expanding one put in its place. Upon the top of the central part is a
disc, which has upon its periphery a series of grooves cut obliquely
towards the centre sufficiently wide to admit elbow levers, there being one
for each groove; they are secured in the grooves by steel pins passing
through the levers at right angles, serving also for pivots for the said
arms. The outside end of each lever is received in a groove upon the
inside of the flange raised on a cup plate surrounding the disc, and by
which they are operated. The disk is movable, and is forced up or
down by means of a screw cut upon the tubular stem of the plate at its
lower end, which being fitted into a nut wheel with a corresponding
thread is turned and kept in its relation to the plunger by means of a
groove and two tongues secured in the under side of the wheel; this

page_text: compels the disc to rise or fall. A pinion placed upon a radial shaft gives
it motion when operated by a crank at the opposite end either by hand
or power. The upper ends of the elbow levers are formed into arcs of a
circle whose radius is a mean distance of the two extreme positions
to which they may be adjusted; they overlap each other at ends in
consequence of their moving somewhat obliquely; they are arranged so
that the sections will not lap each other smoothly on both sides, there-
fore the inside surface is smooth in order to weave over, and the
inequalities, whatever they may be, are thrown upon the outside, where
they do no harm, and such will be the case in any position as the cup
expands. As the screw wheel is turned in one direction the cup plate is
elevated, and the elbow levers are contracted, which is the first position
in making a round crown hat; but as the weaving gradually progresses
the wheel is turned in the opposite direction, the levers gradually
expand, and the woven fabric is forced downwards as fast as made by
another motion until the proper size and depth is obtained; it then
remains stationary during the operation of weaving the brim.
In
I sometimes double the capacity of this loom by duplicating the
shuttle blade and its operating devices, placing the said duplicate on the
carriage opposite the position occupied by the one set here described;
also duplicating the shed forming wheels and the switch arrangement of
the channels, placing them also opposite the ones here described.
this case the one shifting lever for the lifting toes and the tripping lever
would be sufficient to perform the offices required of them, another pin
being provided at the side of the framing opposite the one now used.
If the carriage be made very large other sets may also be introduced. It
is manifest that the indicator, ring, and lifting toes may be arranged
under various modifications, and I do not therefore limit myself to any
particular arrangement of the same.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Melville
Clark, my executors, administrators, and 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 LOOMS FOR WEAVING HATS," a communication to me
from abroad by John Van Dussen Reed, of New York, County and State
of New York, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, 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 Alexander Melville Clark, 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, reference being had to the four Sheets of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists in improvements upon the loom for which
Letters Patent were granted to William Edward Newton, bearing date
April 1st, 1864, No. 815, in which loom two distinct sets of machinery
are employed, one for weaving the crown and brim of a hat, and the
other for weaving the sides, the warp carriers being transferable from one
set to the other during the progress of the work in weaving the different
parts of the hat.
In this Invention the upper set of machinery described in the aforesaid
Patent for weaving the sides of a hat is entirely disnensed with and the

page_text: are moulded together by some soft metal at the ends that are embedded
in the rings into blocks, twenty-four in each, more or less, except one,
which has twenty-three, or one less, while the remaining parts of the
partitions are far enough apart to allow a piece of thin sheet metal to
pass edgewise freely between any two of them, thus presenting to the
eye the appearance of comb teeth. Those marked a extend downward
from their supporting ring C (to which they are attached by bolts c,
clamp plates d, and the undercut walls 2 of ring C, to which they are
fitted) at an angle of preferably 25 degrees from a vertical line, directly
in line with the lower partitions marked a¹, which are supported in a
like manner by the ring E². The upper and lower partitions must line
exactly with each other, so as to form correct guides for the warp
carriers to pass safely from one set to the other as they are operated upon
by the shuttle carriage. The ends of these two series of partitions are
separated by a sufficient space through which the weft blade (described
hereafter) passes towards the centre of the loom. The number of
partitions in each series a or a¹ is equal to the greatest number of threads
or strands to be used in the warp, which should preferably be an odd
number, and a number that will divide by six before the odd number is
either added or subtracted is preferred.
As before mentioned the partitions are placed at equal distances apart,
leaving sufficient space to permit the warp carriers n, n¹, to pass freely;
these are made of steel plates n (Figures 7 and 8) formed so that when
placed between the partitions they are confined, but are free to move
vertically between them. Each warp carrier n has a lug e upon the
centre of the outside end; these lugs extend outward beyond the outside
edges of the partitions a, a¹, so as to become engaged by the shuttle
carriage whose grooves or channels s¹, s, or 8³, they enter, as seen in
Figure 3 (hereafter explained) causing them to be raised or lowered at
each revolution of the carriage. The inner ends of the warp carriers
have small metal loops 3 formed on plates J carried by them, which are
engaged by hooks 4 that carry the strands 5 of the warp (Figure 1);
these strands extend from the hooks of one carrier across the centre of
the loom to the hook of the opposite carrier. The attachments of the
strands to hooks is made by means first of a small sheet metal eye f, one
to each (Figure 9), with a recess near the front end to receive a knot that
is tied on the end of the warp; these eyes are also slotted or grooved to the
ends to cause the thread to pass directly out in line of the centre; these
B

page_text: eyes form coverings for the knots, which are kept in place by the tension
during the work. To these eyes are attached the looped cords g, the
bights thereof being passed through rubber springs h, and both ends
clamped together by the eyes f; these together with the hooks form
suitable connections between the warp strands and the warp carriers.
The carriers are made to let the warp contract during the weaving of the
sides of the hat, for which purpose the sliding tongues J to which the
hooks 4 are attached are cut upon the under side into ratchet teeth, so
that the increasing tension which would draw the warp forward towards
the centre of the work is checked by the double-acting pawl k, allowing
only one tooth to escape at each time the pawl is acted upon. This
office is performed by the lifting roller I° (Figure 5) which is projected
forward from the shuttle carriage through the space between the ends of
the partitions a, a¹, and passes along directly under the end of the
pawls k, on which it operates only when it is lifted into its working.
position, where it is held by the spring catch m, which is done at the
time the sides are being woven, and it acts only on such pawls as may
chance to be at the time over the roller as it is passing. As one half the
carriers are in line with the roller, therefore each pawl is acted upon at
each alternate revolution. When the tongues J have been drawn out to
weave a hat, and the work is taken out, they are restored to their former
position by simply pushing them back with the hand; the buttons o
attached to them sliding along the grooves in the carriers n together with
the yokes o¹ serve to guide and hold them. The rubber springs h are
here used upon the strands to allow them to yield sufficiently for the
shortening by corrugation as the weaving progresses, and to compensate
for the displacement of the warp by the depositing blade or shuttle as it
revolves through the shed and deposits the weft or filling. The opening
of the strands to form the shed is effected by weaving the warp carriers
through the agency of the channels in the shuttle carriage from the
upper to the lower partitions, and vice versa. The order of the operation
depending upon the kind of work whether plain or twilled; but for
plain weaving one warp carrier is elevated and the next depressed, and
so on for all that are engaged, thus changing positions alternately at
each revolution.

page_text: guided, the said lugs projecting into said grooves as herein-after shown
(see Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6). These rings form when united a light frame-
work, being bound together by brackets G¹, H¹, A¹, B¹, C¹, D¹, E³, and F³,
at proper distances apart, the whole secured to and revolving with the
ring F, which is driven by the driving wheel G acting upon a rack cut
in the outside entirely around, and it is by this movement that nearly all
of the work is performed. The warp carriers at the commencement of
the work occupy the position shown by n¹ where they all lay until acted
upon. The warp strands as they cross the centre of the loom are held.
down by a cord Z to the position shown in Figure 1, with just tension
enough to straighten up the work. The warp carriers are raised one or
more at a time into the grooves or channels of the carriage in a
particular manner, by what is called an indicator, consisting principally
of a light circular ring I, which lies in a recess in stationary ring E³,
beneath the carriage just at the base of the lower partitions a¹, so that it
may turn on its axis when acted upon at intervals. Upon this ring at
equal distances apart, except one are a series of lugs called toes P,
generally about twenty in number, corresponding to sections of 48
partition plates each, more or less, into which sections the said plates
are divided. Upon the inside of each of these toes is a wide flat recess
(see Figure 15), into which slides a thin piece of sheet metal q with the
upper end just wide enough to lift the lugs of one or more warp carriers.
There is a pin 6 secured to each of these plates 9, which extends
backwards through a suitable slot in the toe, arranged so that the plate
can slide freely up and down a certain distance. A flat friction spring is
placed between the two (not shown) to keep plates q where it is required.
These slides are elevated one at a time by a lifting point r or inclined
plane, mounted on the bracket H, Figures 3 and 12, attached to the
carriage, said inclined plane passing under the slide pins 6 as they pass
by and lift them to their highest position, see 7, Figure 3, taking up a
pair (more or less) of warp carriers high enough to let the points of one
of the ribs on the carriage forming the groove s¹ receive and carry them
up into the working channels. But it is now necessary that the slide q
be withdrawn again before a revolution takes place, this is done by
the short inclined plane u attached to bracket H¹ and rib 8, which
immediately presses it down again, and so on in succession with each of
the said slides until one revolution is made. If it is the first revolution
there will be one pair of carriers (more or less as required) raised from
each section. The second revolution none are raised, being so arranged

page_text: as I will proceed to describe that the lifting is done at each alternate
revolution. From the upper end of the bracket H extends down a
pawl V, see Figure 11, which is lifted a little by a fixed pin W mounted
in the frame (Figure 1) against which it comes and is moved enough to
revolve the ratchet pinion ✗, (which has six teeth) one tooth, also
the six-sided pinion y, and the three toothed pinion Z¹ both of which
are attached to the same axis. The piece y having three sides narrow,
and three wide, operates the spring lever b₁ having the pin c¹ on
the end of the long arm so that after one movement the said pin
will be held in a high position and the next it will be lower. The
lifting pinion Z₁ having three points and three blanks, operates the
inclined planer, so that it will be up when the pin c¹ is down, and vice-
versa, thus acting alternately. When is down the carriers are lifted,
but when c¹ is down at the next revolution of the carriage, the indicator
ring is tripped and moved forward to a new position as will be presently
described, so that the slide 2 will be caused to act at another part of
the section, and as there is no uniformity in the distances moved (which
will be explained hereafter) it does not move twice alike.
Another feature is that through the axis of X is a smaller pin having
a ring d in one end, the other is secured to the pinion y by a pin passing
through a slot in the outside axis, so that the pin being drawn out
slides y endways enough to permit the lever 6' to get behind it and
prevent its working when not desired, and there is a strong spiral
spring d between X and y to restore y again to its working position.
After the first revolution of the carriage is made, and two carriers of each
section raised, it becomes necessary to set the indicator forward a little,
as above indicated for taking up other carriers at the third revolution,
which movement of said indicator this time would be the distance of 24
partitions or half a section. But before this can be done it will be
necessary to unlatch the ring, which is shown in Figures 13, 14, and 15,
as being held by the latch c¹ and a catch f¹ pivoted to the main ring E2
and acting upon the small projections g¹ placed on ring I at the proper
distances apart, according to any prearranged order by which it is
designed to raise the warp threads successively into the working position
as the top of the crown and the brim of the hat increase in size, the
first rounds of the carriage bringing up two (or other number of) warp
threads from each section except one, the third two more, and so on,
the main feature of the said order of arrangement being to take up the

page_text: successive warps as near the centre of the space between those which are
up as possible, but as it is impossible to do this exactly it becomes
necessary to arrange the said studs at irregular distances apart. When I
is to be moved the pin c¹ on lever b' is in its lowest position and as
it passes over e¹ depresses it and causes the spring toe h¹ to rise above
the projection g¹. The toe ' immediately springs forward (Figure 14)
and lays upon the top of the lug, leaving I free to be pushed along,
when e¹ resumes its place against the next lug, that comes along, which
forces back the spring in the toe, and permits the spring catch f¹ to
drop in behind it, thus locking, it both ways. The ring I is drawn
forward at this time from one partition to another by a sliding spring
hook attached to the carriage (Figures 6, 16, 17, and 18,) coming in
contact with the stud¹ which moves it along until the catch e¹ stops the
ring. against the next lug g', when the point ", which is one of six
points of the same piece is pulled backwards by lug along an
oblong slot 8 in bracket L³ to be discharged from said stud.. The piece
is fastened to a.round axis, which passes through a square sliding block I'
working in slot 8 and revolves in said block. On the other end of said
and
axis is a six-sided picce K² above which is a strong steel spring K',
below K is a stationary piece 9 firmly attached to the block L bevilled
at the back end, which does not extend quite to the end of slot 8. From
the square sliding block working in said slot 8 and carrying the pieces I'
and K2 (Figure 18) there is a strong hook which passes upward through
another slot in plate L³ made at right angles to the first one and of
about the same length, to which is secured a.strong spiral spring m³, the
opposite end of which is attached. to the bracket F³.. Now when the
point is forced back by until the lower side of K² passes beyond the
bevelled. end of the piece 9 and is freed, so that it and plate are
suddenly turned to the next side, the spring K¹ rising up to accommodate
piece K, by which the stud j is released and a new point of is presented.
for the next stud j¹. The pieces I',. K³, are then drawn back by the
spring m¹ to their first position.. These points act every revolution,, but
only move the ring I when it is unlatched.. The block. L is placed.edge-
wise in a suitable bracket R attached to the carriage and is arranged
on said bracket at each end to be adjustable as to height by the. sct.
screw O¹..
There is also another feature of this indicator which is necessary here
to explain. When the first pair or other number of warp carriers are
raised from the first and short set of 47 partitions one is suffered to pass

page_text: into the work, the other one being pushed down again by hand on the toe
slide q. This is done because the odd number which is required (as will
hereafter appear) and which is placed in the first section acted upon
becomes even when one is removed therefrom, and one pair being taken
from each succeeding section there will of course remain 46 carriers in
each, and did the indicator ring not shift its position all the lifting toes
would be right for their respective sections, but the first section having
only 47 partitions while all the rest have 48, the toe P acting on this
section and the one next behind it must be nearer together on the ring
than all the others, consequently when the ring I shifts the toe succeeding
the one acting on the first section must be shifted back on the ring,
and the same must be done with each succeeding toe as it passes the
short section of partitions, for there will be only the distance of 45 par-
titions between the toe of the short section and the one behind it, whereas
to work properly with the other sections they must be the distance of 46
partitions. For this reason all of the toes which are to pass the short
section are arranged to slide back (see Figures 13 and 15). The sliding
toe is fastened to a piece of sheet metal P2, which is held to the ring by
a pín and washer which passes through a suitable slot in the ring, leaving
it free to move along the ring the required distance. A proper shaped
recess is made in the lower edge of P2, into which fits the short end of
the lever g, whose long end projects downward, said lever being pivoted
to the ring I; this long end as the ring is moved strikes a stationary
pin n at the proper place in the ring E2 and changes the toe, and each
toe is changed in succession as it passes the pin n². There is one toe
shifted for each shift of the ring, but there are not movements enough to
pass the ring I more than two-thirds of a revolution, therefore only a
portion of the toes are made to slide while the remainder are fixed. After
a hat has been woven this ring is pushed back by hand to its original
place, which restores the shifting toes to their original position by the
levers q passing over the fixed stud n³.
Having now explained the manner of introducing the warp carriers to
the carriage we will follow their course up channel s¹, which unites
with two other channels 83, 8³, and forms one 8, in which they pass on to
a pair of separating wheels t, t¹, placed one each side of the channel, the
ends of the teeth of said wheels are made round and gear slightly into
each other, but the spaces between the teeth are deep enough to permit
the stems of the carriers to pass below or above the tooth of the opposite
wheel, thus separating them alternately into two distinct rows, and to

page_text: keep them apart there is a fixed steel point 2 secured to the bracket A',
which receives them and conducts them to the proper channels. Thus
all carriers passing through the wheels are divided in two parts, the one
being carried up and the other down to form the shed for the shuttle
carrier. The wheels t, t¹, have upon the axis of each a pinion u², u³, of
the same diameters but with ordinary teeth which gear together, and for
the purpose of adjustment on the outside of u³ is another pinion u* some-
what larger; this latter is driven from the stationary rack W¹ (Figures 1
and 2) by the intermediate pinion u³; this rack has the proper number
of teeth to actuate pinions t, t¹³, so that each notch will take a carrier.
All of these pinions are secured to the large bracket A¹ by smaller
brackets X'. The carrier after leaving the bracket A¹ can be passed
cither into the upper or lower channel &³ or 8 by means of the switch Z²
which is pivoted underneath the bracket B', and can be changed into
three different positions by the spring latch Z³, which may be held by
spring Z in either of the notches Z, Z, or Z', when in the latter notch it
forms a continuation of dividing point t², and the carriers go part in one
and part in the other. The Drawing, Figure 4, shows it in the central
position. When changed to the upper position the carriers all pass down
the channel or below the blade as required, when the work is done and
it is necessary to disengage the carriage the switch y* on the bracket C¹,
being thrown up, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, taking up with it any of
the carriers that may chance to be above the latch part at the time it is
raised and all the remainder will pass down beneath the carriage to their
original first position, those taken up being discharged as the others are
at the next revolution. On the contrary when it is desired to have the
carriers in the upper channel ³, the switch Z is brought to its lowest
position and they all pass above it. Between the brackets D' and Es are
two light square bars E', between which is a space in which the bar J',.
which holds up the front end of the divider K³ is secured adjustably by
the clamping set screw a³. As the carriage continues to revolve the
warp carriers are moved above and below the blade or weft laying
mechanism on the bracket G'in their respective channels s²; and then
gradually approach each other until they are again in one channel st
before entering the division wheels. On account of the odd number.
aforesaid those coming from the channel are passed down into the
channel 82, and those in pass up into channel by the wheels t, t¹,.
thus they are shifted to change the shed at each revolution.. The
bracket G supports the blade or shuttle with its attachments (see.

page_text: Figures 19, 1, and 2); that part b³ which actually lays the filling is the
shuttle proper, but this with what it is connected is called the blade.
The thread filling is on the spool c³, it has no friction itself but the thread
passes around several pins and then to the shuttle, where it is guided in
front of two small friction rollers 6, which lay it between the warp
which spreads above and below; these rollers assist somewhat in forcing
up the filling. To make room for this shuttle to pass there is attached
to it at d³ what is called a divider K³ in a loose sort of a way so that its
movements may be free to accommodate the different positions it takes
during the work; it sits at right angles to the work, as seen in Figure 1.
The shuttle is fast to a short shaft, the opposite end of which is
fastened to the inside of a tube e³, which extends some distance up the
blade, which has a screw thread cut near the upper end upon the inside
to act as a nut for the screw f³ to withdraw away from the centre of the
work as fast as required. Outside of e³ is a larger tube g³, which acts as
a guide or case, and on this is attached the bracket e¹ to hold the spool.
The upper end is secured to a hub ³ which is pivoted on each side, so
that the whole blade can oscillate up and down, and is supported by the
brackets I* which pass between the upper and lower partitions a, a², and
. are secured to the bracket G¹ of the carriage by the piece K. The end of
the screw f³ is formed into a fork shape and connected to another J* of
the same shape by a double cross pin forming a universal joint. The
outside end is made larger and slides freely out and in through a suitable
collar J³ on the bracket K*.
In weaving a hat properly it should be woven in an oval form or longer
from the front to the back part of the head (generally 1 inches more
or less.) To do this it is necessary that the shuttle should advance to
and recede from the centre twice at each revolution round the hat,
slightly at first and gradually increasing until the brim is reached. To
do this there is an annular groove I³ in the part J³, in which works a
pin I¹³ secured to the end of a slotted lever m³, which lays upon a
small bracket ³, which has a pin 10 in it on which the lever vibrates,
said pin being adjustable in a cross slot, so that it can move in and out
a little on the bracket but prevents the lever moving endways. At
the centre of the lever is a long slot into which another pin k³ works,
but this one is a part of a sliding rack ko, and this pin is the fulcrum on
which the lever m³ acts, said pin is changeable from one end of the slot
to the other by the rack 6. On the end where the cross slot is there

page_text: is a pin 11, Figure 3, rising upward into a grooved cam 112, which gives
it lateral motion. The cam revolves very slowly twice during a
revolution of the carriage. On the inside end of this cam is a pinion n³
which is worked simply by two small pins acting as cogs and placed
near the centre of the hub of an intermediate pinion n' which is
supported on the bracket. n³ and is set in motion by a stationary rack
with a given number of teeth attached to and a part of the upper partition
ring C. Thus n' works n³, and n¹² the lever m³, which works the shuttle b³,
according to the position of the bracket k³, which is shifted by tho
following devices :-Upon the upper edge of the bar ke is a rack with a
few teeth 14, and just above the rack is a ratchet pinion m* with ratchet
teeth only a part of the way round, to this is applied the pawl lever m³
and stop pawl O. On the inside of m' there is a pinion O³ (Figure 20)
gearing with the rack ko, the pawl lever m³ is moved each time the
carriage makes a revolution by coming in contact with a fixed pin 15,
and is returned by the spring 16, this moves the rack bar k³ and the
pin . When it is not required to shift the rack bar the pawl of lever m³
is thrown up. On the extreme end of J³ is a ratchet wheel o* capable
of sliding on it but held by a key groove of and key in the hub of the
wheel so that the latter will turn the shaft, a handle P3 is also attached
to it to move it back when it is necessary. They are kept in their
places by the bracket P* so that when J³ is forced in and out the wheel
will not be disturbed. Just inside the wheel o' is an elbow lever o³,
said lever working loosely on J³; to the lower end of the lever o*.
is attached a pitman P, the lower end of which is fastened near the
centro of the wheel Q by a set screw and block in a dovetail groove
so as to be readily changed to different distances from the centre.
wheel Q gears with the rack W₁ to give more or less feed.
This
Operation-As the carriage passes along the wheel Q revolves and
operates the lever o³ more or less and turns the wheel o*, also the screw f³
inside of the blade screwing back the shuttle as fast as the increasing
size of the work requires it. When the sides are being woven the pawl
catch o¹ on the lever o³ is thrown back and the blade remains stationary
while the remaining parts operate. Also if the oval movement is not
required the pawl catch of m³ is thrown back, care being taken to place
the pin in bracket at the extreme end of the groove nearest the blade.
Power to work the loom is applied to the pulleys L, L', one fast and
one loose on the shaft S, which extends towards the centre of the loom.

page_text: This shaft is for the purpose of operating the plunger T. Near the end
towards the centre it has a pinion 7, also the lever U arranged upon it.
This lever holds the intermediate pinion which gears with 7³, and
can be thrown in and out of gear as circumstances require with pinion 25
which is removable for the application of others for different speeds.
This turns the short worm shaft S₁ which has also a small crank by
which it can be worked independently. This worm works wheel V
which performs the office of nut to work the plunger up and down but is
connected to the plunger by two half nuts W* each half being forced to
and from the centre by a pin in the top projecting up through a cam
plate X5. This plate has two handles by which it is turned in one
direction to grasp the plunger to feed it down when the sides are woven,
and the other way when it is to be raised. The plunger has a counter-
weight attached by a cord and a ring at the top (not shown) by which
its weight is balanced, so that when the half nuts are open it can be
pushed up by hand at pleasure. This plunger has two things to do.
The warp is all prepared and placed upon a wooden frame made round
and cone shaped, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1 and attached to
the foot pin Y to be suspended from it. Each warp strand with the
book attached is taken from this frame and hooked by hand into a
carrier, when all are locked in the cord Z is attached by a hook to the
mass of warp where it crosses at the centre and the wooden frame is
removed. The foot piece Y is also made of the proper size and shape
to fit the cup Y' (hereafter explained.) The shaft S drives the perpen-
dicular shaft S2 on which is the wheel G for driving the carriage by
gearing with rack Ws. The rod I is to work the cup lever J' by the
action of the foot of the operator on the projection near the floor, which
being pushed down elevates the cup Y¹ to its working position and the
set screw J holds it fast.
When a hat is to be woven all of the warp carriers are switched into
the upper channel 8 of the carriage for convenience in attaching the
warp. The cone is then introduced, and occupies the position of the
dotted lines 1, 1, Figure 1. The cord Z is then attached, and the warp
is hooked down one at a time by hand to the carriers n. The cone is
then removed, and all of the carriers are then switched down to the
bottom beneath the shuttle by one revolution. The indicator is set
back by hand to the starting point, and the switch Z set on the centre
position, the switch y² down; the carriage is allowed to revolve once,

page_text: and the lifting toe will have raised the first one or more carriers in
each section, taking care to have an odd number up in the first section.
The shuttle is then pushed down as near the centre as possible, and
the thread filling properly adjusted. The carriage is then started; the
first revolution none will come up, but those which are up simply changò
places; but the indicator ring is tripped and drawn forward one shift
as the next revolution is made; the centre carrier or carriers of each
section will be raised, and so on alternately till the crown of the hat is
large enough. The oval feed ratchet wheel m' having been put on
during the making of the crown the latter will be the right shape; the
cup Y¹ is now forced up to the woven fabric, and the pawl catch o¹
thrown back to prevent the blade feeding back any more; the plunger T
is lowered till the foot picce Y touches the woven crown, and the
nut W is forced up to the plunger; the carriage is again started, and
the shuttle continues to deposit the filling upon the edge of the cup.
The oval form being now complete the pawl of lever m³ is thrown off,
and the oval does not increase but keeps the same. The plunger in the
meantime is feeding down into the cup, and takes away the filling as
fast as it is laid down over the inside edge of the cup. This of course
requires more warp, therefore the lifting roller I³ is set in position and
lifts the pawl levers k of the carriers, and lets the slides J of all the
carriers out one tooth which are above the roller; those below the roller
will be acted on the next revolution. This continues till the sides are
woven, when the feed on the plunger is stopped by removing the gear
pinion, and the pawl catch o¹ of the blade feed is put on, the roller I³
changed back again, and the brim is woven as far as required. The
carriers are now elevated to the upper channel, when the warp is cut off
at the right place and the hat removed. The hooks and springs are
now removed, and the loom is ready to commence again. This loom
where the carriage runs is arranged on an angle of about 25 degrees,
while the blade works at right angles with it. This is done because it
is found impossible to deposit the filling exactly at the place where it
ought to be; it will generally be about one-sixteenth or one-eighth inch
farther back when first laid, but the next revolution it is forced up
tight by the crossing of the warp behind it, but now that it is up it is
too long for the place it occupies, or the circumference is too long for
the diameter; therefore, were the hat wove horizontally both crown
and brim would be too full, and it requires about the angle of 25 degrees
to shorten the circumference of cach course as it is laid to make the

page_text: work right. The weaving cup'Y' has false tops, which are changed for
weaving the different sizes, also the foot piece Y is changable to corrc-
spond; but it sometimes becomes necessary to weave a round or tapering
crown; this requires a different cup, one that will expand and contract
as the work progresses. This is shown in one arrangement by Figures 21
and 22. When used the present cup must be removed and the expanding
one put in its place. Upon the top of the central part is a disc B', which
has upon its periphery a series of grooves cut obliquely toward the
centre sufficiently wide to admit elbow levers 715, there being one for
cach groove; they are secured in the grooves by steel pins 70 passing
through the levers at right angles, serving also for pivots for the said
arms. The outside end of each lever is received in a groove M upon
the inside of the flange raised on plate B³, by which they are operated.
The disc or plate B* is movable, and is forced up or down by means of
a screw cut upon the tube M³ at its lower end, which being fitted into a
nut wheel M with a corresponding thread is turned and kept in its
relation to the plunger N by means of a groove 91 and two tongues g¹,
secured to the under side of the wheel; this compels the plate B* to rise
or fall. The pinion N placed upon the radial shaft K₁ gives it motion
when operated by a crank at the opposite end either by hand or power.
The upper ends of the levers 718 are formed into arcs of a circle whose
radius is a mean distance of the two extreme positions to which they
may be adjusted; they overlap each other at the ends, as shown in
Figure 22, in which one half are shown in each extreme position. In
consequence of their moving somewhat obliquely they are arranged
so that the sections will not lap each other smoothly on both sides,
therefore the inside surface is smooth in order to weave over, and the
inequalities, whatever they may be, are thrown upon the outside, where
they do no harm, and such will be the case in any position as the cup
expands. As the wheel M¹ is turned in one direction the cup M² is
elevated, and the levers 715 are contracted, which is the first position in
making a round crown hat, but as the weaving gradually progresses the
wheel is turned in the opposite direction, the levers gradually expand,
and the woven fabric is forced downwards as fast as made by another
motion until the proper size and depth is obtained; it then remains
stationary during the operation of weaving the brim. I sometimes
double the capacity of this loom by duplicating the shuttle blade and
its operating devices, placing the said duplicates on the carriage opposite
the position occupied by the one set here shown, also duplicating the

page_text: ?"
shed forming wheels and the switch arrangement of the channels, placing
them also opposite the ones here shown. In this case the one shifting
lever for the lifting toes and the tripping lever 6' would be sufficient
to perform the offices required of them, another pin W being provided
at the side opposite the one now used to actuate the lever V twice in
each revolution. If the carriage be made very large other sets may also
be introduced. It is manifest that the indicator ring and lifting toes
may be arranged under various modifications, and I do not thereforc
limit myself to any particular arrangement of the same; and as the
size of the loom may be varied neither do I limit myself to any particular
number of partitions and warp carriers.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. Actuating the dividing or separating wheels t, t¹, which change
the warp carriers by a fixed toothed rack or its equivalent, substantially
as specified.
2ndly. The arrangement for supporting the warp carriers in a con-
tinuous line below the shuttle carriages previous to setting the machine
in motion, and delivering them to the shuttle carriage during the
successive movements of the latter, substantially as specified.
3rdly. In a machine for weaving hats, the use of a self-acting indicator
adapted to select and raise the warp carriers into the shuttle carriages,
substantially as specified.
4thly. The use of an expanding and contracting cup in a loom for
weaving hats for weaving circular, conical, or other irregular forms,
substantially as specified.
5thly. The combination with the warp carriers of let-out mechanism,
substantially as described.
.
6thly. Weaving the top crown, sides, and brim by one set of mechanism,
substantially as herein specified.
7thly. The weaving of said fabrics at an angle of 25 degrees (more or
less) from a horizontal line for the purpose of shortening the circum-
ference of the weft or filling, substantially as specified.
8thly. The employment in a circular hat weaving loom of one or more
sets of shed forming mechanism and one or more sets of weft mechanism,
all substantially as herein specified.

page_text: 9thly. The improved arrangements of mechanism herein described for
causing the shuttle blade to move forward and back to impart the oval
form to the hat, substantially as specified.
10thly. The indicator ring, lifting toes, sections of partitions, and
shuttle carriers combined, substantially as described.
11thly. The indicator arranged for shifting in any irregular order for
bringing the toes to act upon the carriers in the centres, or nearly so,
of the spaces between the warps which are in the working position,
substantially as specified.
12thly. The combination with the indicator ring and the lifting toes
thereon of the arm V, the trip lever 6', and the operating mechanism for
the said arm and lever, substantially as specified.
13thly. The combination with the indicator ring of the carrying and
tripping piece I' and the holding and actuating mechanism thereof,
substantially as described and shown in Figures 6, 16, 17, and 18.
14thly. The combination with the former Y₁ of the pressing foot
plate Y arranged substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
Witness,
W. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)