IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of the Firm of John Gedge
and Son, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER
LOOMS FOR WEAVING."-A communication from abroad by Adolphe Ovize
and Auguste Côte, both of 39, Faubourg St. Martin, Paris, France.
Sealed the 13th April 1865, and dated the 14th October 1864. .
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William, Edward Gedge
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 14th October, 1864, pursuant to the 9th Section
of: the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
"TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS I ani in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
POWER LOOMS FOR WEAVING," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto
mé, my executors, administrators, and assigns; Her Royal Letters Patent
for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that the said Invention
"is a communication to me from abroad by Adolphe Ovize and Auguste
Côté, both of 39, Faubourg St. Martin, Paris, France.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Gedge, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, reference being had to the Sheets of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters of reference placed
thereon, similar letters being placed upon and denoting similar parts in each
of the Figures respectively.
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) being an elevation of loom seen from the right;
Figure 2 (Sheet 1) a transverse section between the two "right" framings;
Figure 3 (Sheet 2) transverse section through the centre of loom; Figure 4
(Sheet 2) transverse section between the two "left" framings; Figure 5
(Sheet 3) elevation seen from the front in a longitudinal direction shewing
left side with section; Figure 5* (Sheet 3) elevation seen from front in a
longitudinal direction shewing right side, see * for connection of two Figures
5 and 5 Figure 6 (Sheet 4) plan view of the upper part of the loom, left
side Figure 6, (Sheet 1,) plan of upper part of loom right side, see" for
connection of the two Figures 6 and 6* (Sheet 4) and Figure 7 (Sheet 1)
elevation and plan of weft fork placed in the centre of the front cross.
piece.
A, A', tubular sleepers acting as foundation plate, four fulcrum pieces are
traversed by fastening bolts and eight upper projections are also traversed
by the bolts solidly fixing the four frames which carry the whole of the parts
composing the loom; B, B, exterior frames resembling each other in every
point, and receiving right and left the action of the motor; C, C¹, inner
frames under the same conditions as the preceding; D, shaft of the pulleys
receiving motion from the driving band to transmit it to the main shaft; E,
main shaft crossing the loom longitudinally and receiving its continuous
rotary movement from the pulley shaft by the aid of a pinion which gears with
a cam toothed on its circumference (the reference is from 4 to 1); G, G',
cams causing the batten to work .twice for each turn of the main shaft; H,
batten receiving its motion by the aid of two connecting rods jointed on the
uprights and guided at the other extremity on the main shaft, the said con-
necting rods carry in their middle astud furnished with a friction roller rolling
in the throats or grooves of the cams I, I'. Pivots of the batten oscillating
in sockets in the cast iron of the two inner frames. J, moveable metal reed
fixed in wooden cross pieces on the uprights of the batten; K, cam keyed on
the main shaft E determining the movements of the healds by the aid of a
lever a which carries a friction roller gearing into the throat of the said cam
which has two motions and two rests. At the end of this lever is a joint

page_text: which transmits its action to a band acting in its turn on a pulley keyed on
the end of a small shaft; L, small shaft transmitting an alternate motion to
the two healds; M, M', healds suspended to two axles furnished with a
grease guard and bolted to the cap or crown of the machine. On these axles.
turn two cylinders, each furnished with a band, one of the extremities of which
is fixed to the cylinders and the other to the healds which take their alternate
motion on the shaft L.; N, hind or warp beam or cylinder on which are rolled
the threads of the warp; O, front roller on which rolls the fabric as it is
manufactured, it takes its rotary motion from the movement of the compen
sating regulator; P, counterweight of the friction acting on the washers
arranged for this purpose. The object of the friction is to keep the warp
stretched when the movement of the healds takes place. To humour these
oscillations, which take place at each movement of the shuttle through the
warp, the friction cords are fixed to springs; Q, warp (shewn in red lines),
starting from the hind beam, then passing on the compensating cross piece e,
to envelope the cross weaving rods, then passing over the rods which support
the leads cof the dynamometer, from thence between two small longitudinal
cylinders which have for object to arrest the opening of the warp arrangement
necessitated by the application of the dynamometer; lastly, it traverses the
healds M, M', (shewn in red,) to stop on the front roller when the fabric
commences; R, fabric, introducing itself between an arrangement of cylinders
which compose the temple, the fabric leaving the temple slides on the breast
bean, to go afterwards to the enrolling cylinder; S, apparatus forming
temple having for object to maintain the breadth of the fabric. It is com-
posed of four cylinders, two large and two small, the two large ones being of
polished iron, and one of them furnished with a thickness of flannel into
which enter the needles of the small cylinders. The two large cylinders are
carried by the brackets h, h, the small cylinders are of wood and furnished
with needles, they are supported by brackets i, i. The fabric twisting round
the cylinders its width is preserved by the effect of the needles carried by the
small cylinders, and by the aid of the large cylinders pressing on the fabric to
facilitate the entrance of the needles therein. The needle cylinders have an
inclination which is necessary to their proper working; T, circular brush
serving to disentangle or separate the threads of the warp, it receives its
rotation from the shaft D by the aid of the band j of the grooved pulleys k, k',
of the shafts, l, of the bevelled wheels m, m³, and worm and wheel U.
Dynamometer apparatus.-The object of this apparatus is to stop the
loom when a warp thread breaks. For this purpose leads care all suspended
to each thread of the warp. To prevent the warp bending under the weigl.t

page_text: of the leads, it passes in a series of iron rods which support it; thence if one
of the threads break the lead falls on the band p which carries it into the
inclined way which is at one end of the loom, which way brings the lead
into the cast-iron box which oscillates on an axle. In this box movès a blade
(shewn in red) in a vertical plane. This blade is arrested in its movement
when one of the leads fixes itself beneath, and then the effort which the
blade makes to continue its motion causes the box to oscillate, which gives a
rectilineal movement to the iron bar S, which passes beyond its normal height,
and at S' becomes an obstacle to the batten which carries it against the
longitudinal shaft t, one of the ends of which comes against the ball spring,
for throwing out of gear and acting on the driving band, thus stops the loom.
V, is a lever keyed on the pivot I' of the batten, the object of which is to
transmit the motion to the blade which moves in the box r by the intervention
of the elbow piece v. At the end of the lever is a connecting rod which
gives motion to the click or catch of the regulator; W, ratchet wheel piece
moving the regulating apparatus. The effect of this apparatus is to regulate
the journey of the fabric according to the rapidity of manufacture. A come-
and-go motion transmitted to the lever carrying the click or catch Y which
takes into the teeth of the wheel W, keyed on the shaft z and gives it a
rotary motion. On oue of the ends of the shaft is keyed an endless screw All
which gives motion to the winding-on roller O by the aid of the wheel B11
keyed on its axle. This movement is differential and requires a special
apparatus.
X. Differential Compensating Apparatus or Regulator.-It is composed of
the polished iron cylinder C", which bears in its entire length on the front or
winding-on roller, consequently as the fabric between them increases it finds
itself lifted. The two pivots are guided in slide bars; on the side of the slide
bar D is a piece of sheet iron E¹, one of the branches of which is forked
to guide itself on the axle of beam, then a second horizontal branch pierced
with small holes, which serve to catch a band, the other extremity of which is
fixed on the pulley F, which is keyed on the boss of another larger pulley:
the dimensions of which are in relation to the requirements of the reduction.
It is the lifting of the cylinder C" which gives motion to the band G" by the
aid of the pulley F, which moves the large pulley on which passes the
band G; then the band G" sets at work a sector which covers part of the
ratchet wheel; the point of oscillation of this sector is the axle of the wheel,
as the sector may pass between the click and the ratchet wheel; the higher
this rises the greater the number of teeth withdrawn from the action of the
catch or click, consequently the march of the regulator will be in proportion

page_text: to the number of teeth taken by the click, and according to the thickness of
the enveloping or front roller; Y, Y¹, boxes carrying the shuttles, they have
an intermitient rotary motion, which takes place by quarters.
The stop
movements permit the shuttle which is working to act freely, and as many
times as the pattern of the fabric may render necessary. Each shuttle carries
a different colour according to the pattern. These boxes are set in motion by
the cams H',.H", keyed on the main shaft E, and by the aid of the levers I', I¹¹³,
which carry at their extremity hooks intended to catch in the boxes to give
them the rotary motion. The stop movements are caused by the arrangement
of the pattern wheels, which are set in motion by the eccentrics J, J", and by
the aid of their bar K', which commands the wheels like an ordinary click.
These pattern wheels carry keys or stops, which are regulated at will; these
stops cause the levers I, I", to unhook, which produces the stoppages, inasmuch
as they miss the pins of the boxes. To simplify the operation of regulating
the stops or keys, which consists in displacing them when the patterns are
changed, a second wheel L'moved by the same eccentrics cause the unlocking
of the bars, which directly govern the pattern wheels, which then stop for a
longer or shorter time, which produces the same effect on the levers I¹, I", as
the arrangement of stops, that is to say, an unlocking of more or less duration.
The shuttles are driven by spiral springs A", which are alternately stretched
and freed. Their tension is effected by means of a cam N", keyed on the main
shaft; in the throat of this cam rolls a friction roller connected. to a bar
crossing the loom in its breadth. This bar is carried at its extremities on
friction rollers; it also carries at its extremities pins or studs which take
into the levers O, O', which are jointed on the cross piece P¹, P, tying the
framings. These levers carry a grooved friction roller at their extremity,
which accompanies the spring up to the stopping point. The boxes further
carry in their shuttle divisions an arrangement for throwing out of gear
namely, the nippers or levers Q', Q", on which the shuttles slide in entering;
if the shuttle does not arrive, this lever presents an obstacle to the working of
the batten by the intervention of the lever R¹,R", which does not changeits
position. The lever arm R¹, R", which is keyed on its axle catches the batten,
which by its propulsion moves all the arrangement which causes the throwing
out of gear by the aid of the lever R', R".
Apparatus termed weft fork placed above and in the middle of the
breast beam. It is composed of several parts worked by the action of the
batten. A support carries a jointed piece Y', which oscillates in a vertical
plane. At its extremity is a moveable rod carrying a small plate surmounted
by a needle. The entire apparatus rises on the departure of the batten,

page_text: because this latter permits the counter-elbowed lever X' by the effect of springs
fixed at its extremity; then the needle places itself immediately against the
last warp, and finds itself taken between this and the new one which is to hold
it. If the warp break, the needle is pushed back by the spring Y, and carries
with it the piece %, which must engage in the piece a. The separation ofthese
two pieces taking place before the end of the journey of the batten; this latter
only causes the counter-elbowed lever X to lower. The lever !, at the end
of which is fitted a fork, which had risen on the departure of the batten,
arrests this latter in its recoil movement, the power of the batten draws the -
fork, which by means of an iron rod in communication with the apparatus for
releasing throws the band out of gear. An eccentric in the shape of a lieart,
set in motion by each journey of the batten, imprints to the weft fork a con-
tinual come-and-go motion, which displacing the needle at each ply or cross
of the shuttle, prevents its leaving the slightest trace in the stuff.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS.
The Batten. The improvements applied to the batten consist in its complete
stoppage, which facilitates the passage of the shuttle stoppage which takes
place because of the arrangement of cams, which carry a time of stoppage
instead of being with regular movement, as is usually done with a crank which
has no stop but the dead stop.
Shuttle Boxes. The arrangement described having its movements free,
that is to say, independent of the movement of the batten, is not subject to the
variations caused by the vibrations from the batten which usually occur; these
boxes further have an advantage in the arrangement of the shuttle compart-
ments, which cause a throwing out of gear, when from any cause whatever
the shuttle does not arrive at its destination.
Shuttle Drivers.-The throwing of the shuttles being effected by springs,
which act separately, offers the advantage of being always regular, no matter
what the speed of the loom. By 'this arrangement are avoided the dis-
advantages of throwing by means of cams, which in changing speed, alter the
power of propulsion which occasions stoppage of the shuttle when half way, or
the breaking away of the shuttle, even the breaking of the warp accordingly
as the threads rise with more or less regularity.
Regulator. Compensating and differential apparatus, which is new, first,
in that the enveloping or front roller is placed in the interior of the loom, and
may enlarge without inconveniencing the approaches of the loom; further,
this roller by its arrangements suppresses the sanded roller usually used, which
have the defect of fraying the fabric.

page_text: Temple. Its arrangement prevents fraying and contraction of the fabric,
which is seized only by the needles, which cannot fail to act considering the
arrangement of the entire apparatus, except in case of complete deterioration,
which cannot take place as it is so simple.
Weft fork. This apparatus possesses the advantage of being exceedingly
prompt, inasmuch as it does not permit the batten to finish its journey without
throwing the loom out of gear. The weft fork acts at each cross of the
shuttle, whereas ordinary weft forks act only at every second cross.
Dynamometer. The simplicity and the security of this apparatus constitute
a great improvement, it relcases the weaver from the necessity of any attention
by reason of the infallibility of its action consequent upon its simplicity.
With the means above described, the power loom may be applied to the
manufacture of fabrics hitherto made by hand whenever they come under the
category of checks or quadrilles," which necessitate several shuttles, as the
number of shuttles may vary at will by varying the number of compartments
of the shuttle carriers, which are fixed at eight in the loom above described.
It is important to observe, that whatever the number of shuttles brought into
play the batten by reason of its independence of the shuttle carriers or boxes,
causes neither more or less stress on the loom.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
W. E. GEDGE.. (L.S.)