CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Hardman, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County
of Lancaster, Foreman, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 1st May 1863; and dated the 19th November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Hardman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
November 1862.
I, ROBERT HARDMAN, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of Lancaster,
Foreman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS. IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the picking motions of looms, and consists in the
following improved combinations of parts for effecting the same. To the
tappet shaft of the loom are connected two bowls acting alternately on
two picking. levers, which are connected by straps or otherwise to the picking
sticks for driving the shuttle from one side of the loom to the other alter-
nately; or when shuttle boxes with two or more compartments are used the
shuttles may be picked in the required succession by connecting the picking
levers to a rod, which is moved sideways by an eccentric actuated by the
tappet or crank shaft of the loom, by this means the picking sticks at each
side of the loom may be worked one, two, or more times in succession.
My improvements may be modified in the following manner :-To the fly
wheels or other pieces fixed to the crank shaft are fixed two bowls or tappets

page_text: acting alternately on picking levers hinged to each loom side; the lower or
outer end of each lever is connected by a strap or otherwise to the picking
sticks. The levers are moved to and fro, so as to bring them alternately in
contact with the picking bowls or tappets by an eccentric on a second motion
wheel, which eccentric, by a link and elbow lever, acts on a sliding bar con-
nected by brackets to the picking levers. To the second motion wheel are
also connected the tappets for working the healds.
Another part of my Invention consists in making the part of the picking
lever on which the bowl or wiper acts capable of being removed and replaced
by a fresh piece when worn or injured.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Hardman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
HARDMAN, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of Lancaster, Foreman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Robert Hardman, Her special license that I, the said Robert Hardman,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Robert Hardman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Robert Hardman, 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 Robert Hardman, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
The nature of my Invention consists in certain improved combinations of
machinery for picking or throwing the shuttle from one side of the loom to
the other.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,.
reference being had to the figures and-letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is an end view, and Fig. 2 part of a front view, of a loom, repre-
senting one mode of constructing my improved picking motion.
.
a is the crank shaft; b, the tappet shaft; c, the lay sword; d, the lay;
e, the picking stick attached to the box or shoe f, which vibrates on the stud g,
and is provided with a segment h; at each end of the tappet shaft b is fixed a
lever i, in which are studs for the bowls j; these parts are all made in the
usual manner. The bowls act alternately on the picking levers k, only one
of which is shewn in the Drawing. The picking levers k are mounted on
studs l, fixed in the loom sides; to the vertical arms of the levers / are
attached the pieces m, against which the bowls j act for giving motion to the
picking sticks e; these pieces m are made of chilled cast iron or other metal,
and can easily be removed and replaced by fresh pieces when worn or injured.
The horizontal arms of the picking levers k are connected to the segments h
by a leather strap, as shewn in the Drawing, or in any other convenient
manner. When the picking stick has been operated upon by the bowl j,
acting on the picking lever k, it is brought back to its original position by the
spring n to be ready for the next pick.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent a modification of my improved picking motion; in
these views the parts marked a, c, d, e, f, g, h, j, m, and n'are similar to those
above described. In this loom the usual tappet shaft may be dispensed with,
and the bowls j are mounted on studs fixed in the fly wheels a' on the crank
shaft a. The picking levers k are moved to and fro' on the studs l, for the
purpose of bringing them alternately in line with the bowls j, by means of the
pinion a² gearing into the second motion wheel o, to the boss of which is cast
or fixed the eccentric p, connected by the link 9 to the lever r; this lever is
fixed to the shaft s, to which is also fixed the lever t, taking into a projection
from the bar u which slides in the side frames of the loom; to the bar u are
fixed the two forks v, each of which takes into a circular groove in the boss of
the picking levers.k. In Fig. 4, the left-hand picking lever k is in position
for being acted upon by the bowl j, while the right-hand picking lever is
moved towards the frame side to allow the bowl j to pass without coming in

page_text: contact with it, but the relative position of the levers k is changed at the next
revolution of the crank shaft. The tappets w for working the healds are fixed
to the second-motion wheel o when the tappet shaft is dispensed with, as
shewn at the right-hand side of Fig. 4. When shuttle boxes with two or
more compartments are employed, the shuttles may be picked in the required
succession by connecting the bar u to a tappet chain, or other equivalent
agent for governing the succession of the shuttles.'
Fig. 5 represents another modification of my improved picking motion; the
parts marked a, a, d, e, f, g, j, l, m, v, and us are similar to those above
described. In this view the picking levers k are connected to the picking
sticks e by the link x, which is forked at the lower end to receive the strap
attached to the segment h, shewn best in Figs. 2 and 4.
By means of these improvements the picking motion is made very simple
in construction, durable, and the "parts liable to be worn are easily removed
and replaced when requisite.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner
of performing the same, I declare that I claim the combinations of parts
employed, as herein described, for actuating the picking sticks of looms.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Hardman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.'
ROBERT HARDMAN. (L.S.)