IMPROVE- MENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Kirkwood at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd October
.1861.
I, JAMES KIRKWOOD, of Paisley, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention comprises various improvements in looms for weaving,
designed principally to facilitate and cheapen the production of figured fabrics
of the "Paisley shawl" class, but also more or less applicable to looms for
weaving other fabrics.
The improvements are contrived to permit of the application of steam or
similar motive power, and in one modification of loom embodying them are
combined with jacquard pattern mechanism of the single-lift class. This
jacquard mechanism acts on the warps by means. of the ordinary harness
mounting and a set of heddles; it is also made to both regulate and effect the
changes of the shifting shuttle boxes, and at the same time to both regulate
and effect the picking movements. The shuttle boxes may be arranged for
various numbers of shuttles, and for shifting to the extent of one or more
boxes at a time. When arranged for shifting one box at a time, each shifting
box has fixed to it a kind of ratchet rack, with the inclined teeth pitched at
the distance of two boxes in depth, and with this rack there are arranged to

page_text: gear two spring catches centred on the lathe frame in such positions that
when one catch is in gear with a rack tooth, the other catch is half way
between two teeth. The catches are connected to separate tails of the
jacquard apparatus, and when a downward shift is required the catch in gear
is drawn back by the corresponding jacquard tail, and the shifting box falls by
its weight, or is otherwise shifted into gear with the other catch. The box is
lifted, when required, by means of a lever acted upon by another jacquard
tail, and in rising the rack forces back one catch and allows the other to fall
into gear. To provide for shifting two or more boxes at a time three or more
catches are required, and the rack must be differently pitched to correspond.
The shifting boxes on both sides of the lathe must, of course, move simul-
taneously, and for that purpose either the same or duplicate jacquard tails are
contrived to act on both. It is necessary to effect the shift of the shuttle
boxes at the commencement of the upward motion of the jacquard lift board,
and for this purpose the catches are acted upon through levers, which after
acting quickly at the commencement slide upon each other during the
remainder of the lift board's motion. The picking motion is contrived so that
the picking can be effected twice or oftener in succession from the same side.
The picking sticks or levers are actuated by springs, the strain on which is
applied by the jacquard apparatus by means of strong wire tails arranged for
the purpose, and which act on one side or the other according to the cutting
of the cards. The picking levers are held by catches, which are released at
the proper period by the backward motion of the lathe. The picking levers
are placed in their catches by the forward motion of the lathe, this acting on
a lever connected to them, and it is after they are so secured that the spring
of which ever one has to act next is strained. A shuttle guard is suspended
in front of the reed, consisting of a bar fitted with points projecting down-
wards, and which when the shuttle is obstructed in going across prevents it
from flying out of the loom. This guard may be made to rise on the beat-up
taking place, so as to leave the shuttle at the fell. The loom is by preference
driven at a variable speed by means of eccentric or elliptic wheels, in such a
way as to give comparatively more time for throwing the shuttle. The shaft
of the driven eccentric wheel has fast on it a spur wheel in gear with an
equal size spur wheel on a horizontal shaft, which works the lathe by means
of connecting rods from external eccentric or crank pins, which may be made
adjustable, whilst the driving spur wheel has an adjustable eccentric or crank
pin from which a connecting rod extends to work the jacquard apparatus.
The jacquard apparatus is strengthened, where necessary, to enable it to

page_text: actuate the heddles, the shifting shuttle boxes, and the picking motion; the
corresponding tails being made of strong wire, and the lifting board being
formed of or defended by a metallic plate at the parts acting thereon.
Various kinds of jacquard apparatus may obviously be adapted to the
purposes of the present Invention, and the arrangement and construction of
the various details may be considerably modified without departing from the
modes of action forming the object of the present improvements.