CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lawrence Whitaker, of Haslingden, in the County of
Lancaster, Cotton Spinner, and Doctor Ashworth, of the same place,
Loom Tackler, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER
LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lawrence Whitaker and
Doctor Ashworth at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 23rd March 1854.
We, LAWRENCE WHITAKER, of Haslingden, in the County of Lancaster,
Cotton Spinner, and DOCTOR ASHWORTH, of the same place, Loom Tackler, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN POWER LOOMS FOR WEAVING " to be as follows:-
Our improvements in power looms consist in furnishing them with a small
check strap, attached to or at each end of the lathe or slay, for the purpose of
checking the impulsive force given to the "picker," the "picker" being the
well-known instrument, one on each side of the loom, which gives the im-
pelling blow to the shuttle, driving it to and fro in its race, as required.
This strap, having its ends perforated, is to be placed upon the spindle at
each end of the lathe, the spindle extending through the perforated ends, and
carrying the "picker" upon it between the two ends of this new "check strap ;"
the strap being confined at its centre beneath the slay will of course prevent the

page_text: picker" from travelling beyond the limits of the "check strap," the effect of
which will be to break the force of the "pick," and to reduce the wear and tear
of the "pickers," and also prevent the "cops". from being knocked off or out
of the shuttle, as frequently occurs in power looms for weaving as ordinarily
constructed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Lawrence Whitaker and Doctor Ashworth in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 23rd September 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, LAWRENCE
WHITAKER, of Haslingden, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner, and
DOCTOR ASHWORTH, of the same place, Loom Tackler, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of March, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said Lawrence
Whitaker and Doctor Ashworth, Her special license that we, the said
Lawrence Whitaker and Doctor Ashworth, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Lawrence Whitaker and Doctor Ash-
worth, our 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN POWER LOOMS FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Lawrence Whitaker and Doctor Ashworth (or one of us), by an
instrument in writing under our hands and seals (or under the hand and seal
of one of us) 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 Lawrence Whitaker, do hereby declare
the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
Our improvements in power looms consist in furnishing them with a small
check strap attached to or at each end of the lathe or slay, for the purpose of

page_text: checking the impulsive force given to the "picker," the "picker" being the
well-known instrument, one on each side of the loom, which gives the impelling
blow to the shuttle, driving it to and fro in its race, as required. This strap,`
having its ends perforated, is to be placed upon the spindle at each end of the
lathe, the spindles extending through the perforated ends of the check straps,
and carrying the picker as usual upon it; between the two ends of this new
"check strap" there is a leather stop or button, the strap working in a grooved
bracket fastened to the side of the lathe or slay, which allows the check strap to
move about an inch each way before its action is confined, and thus preventing
the "picker" from rebounding after it strikes the check strap, and also more
effectually breaking the force of the "picker," which will reduce the wear and
tear of the "pickers," and also prevent the "cops" from being knocked off or
out of the shuttle, as frequently occurs in power looms for weaving as ordi-
narily constructed; this novel arrangement of the check strap being adopted
in lieu of the "continuous" check strap hitherto employed.
But in order that our Invention may be the better understood and explained
in detail, we have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made upon a scale
of about an inch and a half to a foot, and having the same letters of reference
on similar parts of the machine or apparatus throughout the several Figures.
Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of part of a power loom framing with our
improvements attached. Fig. 2 exhibits a top or plan view of the same. Fig. 3
is a side elevation, illustrative of the slay, and that part of our Invention secured
to it which confines the action of the check strap. We would here remark that
the same effect may be produced by employing two buttons upon the "check
strap," with one or two slots or eyes between them, or by any other similar
arrangement; what we wish to be understood is, that we do not confine
ourselves to the exact method shown of effecting the desired object.
In Fig. 1, a represents the slay beam, b, b, the spindles, and c, c', our improved
check strap. It will be observed that in this instance we have preferred to show
the "strap" as divided into three parts, the centre portion of which carries the
button d, as well as being furnished with adjusting holes or perforations, and
a peg or pin e, by which means the "check strap" may be lengthened or
shortened at will; the small straps f,f,f,f, likewise encircle the spindles b, b,
and confine the too free action of the "check strap" by overlapping it. In
Figures 1 and 2, the shuttle g is shewn as driven home on the left hand side
and the extremity of the "pickers race, as checked by the check strap c,
whereby the advantages are obtained as above described; the button d is also
shewn as confining the stretch of the check strap; and it will be evident, upon
examination of the other side of the loom frame, as represented in the Drawing,

page_text: that the whole position of the check straps being reversed, a fitting and gradual
check will be given to the advancing shuttle, and so at every alternate race of
the shuttle the opposite check strap will be in a position to do its duty as
required.
Having thus particularly described our Invention, and the manner in which
the same is carried into effect, we wish it to be distinctly understood that we
claim,―
First, securing both the extreme ends of the check strap used in power looms
upon one spindle (one being upon each side of the loom).
And, secondly, the adaptation, employment, or use of the peculiar arrange-
ment and construction of the improved "check strap" or straps for power
looms, as herein particularly described and set forth, and fully illustrated in
the accompanying Drawings.
.
In witness whereof, I; the said Lawrence Whitaker, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
LAWRENCE WHITAKER.
(L.S.)