Improvements in Shuttles Used in Looms for Weaving Cloth.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Shuttles Used in Looms for Weaving Cloth.
J, JOHN IRELAND of 9 Irelands Lane, Dundee, in the County of Forfar, North
Britain, Shuttle Maker and Machinist do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SHUTTLES USED IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING CLOTH
to be as follows:-
C
This Invention, which relates to improvements in shuttles used in looms for
weaving cloth, has for its object to substitute the employment of metal such as cast
or forged iron or cast or forged steel or a combination of cast or forged iron or steel
as the material or materials of which such shuttles are constructed, in place of
being constructed wholly or partly of wood as has hitherto been the practice.
In lieu of constructing the new or improved shuttle or shuttles of iron or steel as
stated in the preceding paragraph they may be constructed wholly or partly of
brass, gun metal, phosphor-bronze or of any other metal which will produce a
shuttle of the requisite strength consistent with the requisite lightness of structure.
The new or improved shuttles may be cast or forged in one piece and the tips
which are preferably of hard.steel may be inserted in the moulds so that the metal
when cast thereinto closes round and firmly unites with the tips; or the tips may
be screwed into the ends of the shuttle or otherwise firmly fastened therein in the
case of both cast and forged shuttles.
The interior of the shuttles, when cops are used therein are provided with teeth
for retaining the cop in place and the upper teeth preferably incline downwards
upon the cop so as to keep it in its proper working position within the shuttle.
The springs of the shuttles are, provided with teeth and are sufficiently elastic so
as to yield and retain the ends of the cops.
In the improved shuttles, either a single or a double cop may be used, and the
shuttle is provided with adjustable drag-eyes which can be fixed in position either
at the ends of the shuttle or at the centre thereof.
When a single cop is used the weft is drawn off at one end, and when two cops
are used the drag-eyes are placed at the centre of the shuttle.
In the case of using pirns in the improved shuttles the shuttle is provided with a
skewer or tongue at each end for either one long pirn or two short pirns, or other
suitable means for holding the pirn or pirns may be adopted. The drag-eyes in,
CD

page_text: the pirn shuttle are also adjustable so as to be fixed either at the centre or at one
end according as a long pirn or two short pirns are used.
The interior of the shuttles may be enamelled or glazed and the drag-eyes may
also be enamelled and glazed or the ordinary earthenware drag-eye may be fixed
therein.
I, JOHN IRELAND of 9 Ireland's Lane, Dundee in the County of Forfar, North
Britain, Shuttle Maker and Machinist do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SHUTTLES USED IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING CLOTH
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
My Invention, which relates to improvements in shuttles used in looms for
weaving cloth, has for its object to construct such shuttles of metal, such as cast
or forged iron or cast or forged steel in place of constructing them wholly or
partly of wood, as has hitherto been the practice.
In lieu of constructing the new or improved shuttle or shuttles of iron or steel
as stated in the preceding paragraph, they may be constructed wholly or partly
of brass, gun-metal, phosphor-bronze, or of any other metal which will produce a
shuttle of the requisite strength consistent with the requisite lightness and stability
of structure.
The new or improved shuttles may be cast or forged in one piece, and the tips
which are preferably of hard steel, may be inserted in the moulds so that the
metal, when cast thereinto, closes round and firmly unites with the tips; or, the
tips may be secured into the ends of the shuttle or otherwise firmly fastened
therein, in the case of both cast or forged shuttles.
The interior of the shuttles, when cops are intended to be used therein, are
provided with teeth for retaining the cop in place, and the upper teeth preferably
incline downwards upon the cop so as to keep it in its proper working position
within the shuttle.
The springs of the shuttles are or may be provided with teeth, and are sufficiently
elastic to yield and retain the ends of the cops:
In the improved shuttles, either a single cop or two cops may be used, and the
shuttle is provided with adjustable drag-eyes, otherwise called "pig's-eyes" which
can be fixed in position either at the ends of the shuttle or at the centre thereof.

page_text: When a single cop
used, the weft is drawn off at one end, and when two cops
are used, the drag-eyes or "pig's-eyes" are placed at the centre of the shuttle.
In the case of using pirns in the improved shuttles, the shuttle is provided with
a skewer or tongue at one end for a long pirn; or, if two short pirns are used, then
a skewer is provided at each end; or other suitable means for holding the pirn or
pirns may be adopted. The drag eyes or "pig's-eyes" in the pirn shuttle are also
adjustable as as to be fixed either at the centre or at one end according as a long
pirn or two short pirns are used.
"
The interior of the shuttles may be enamelled or glazed and the drag-eyes or
pig's-eyes" may also be enamelled and glazed or the ordinary earthenware drag-
eyes or "pig's-eyes" may be fixed therein.
In order that my said Invention may be properly understood and readily carried.
into effect, I will now proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figures 1 and 2, are respectively plans of the upper and under sides of a cop-
shuttle constructed according to my present Invention.
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a horizontal and a vertical section of the same.
Figure 5, is a transverse section of the same taken on the line A. B. Figure 4.
Figure 6, is a plan of the upper side of a pirn shuttle constructed according to
my present Invention.
Figure 7, is a portion of the same shewing, in vertical section, a modified
arrangement of tension device as hereinafter more particularly described.
The shuttle which I have represented at Figures 1 to 5, of the annexed
drawings, is arranged for containing one cop. The body a, of this shuttle is
constructed of metal, which may be of cast or wrought iron or steel, brass, gun-
metal, phosphor-bronze, or any other metal of strength consistent with the requisite
lightness and stability of structure. The. tips b, which are made of hard steel,
may be fitted and secured into the ends of the body a; or, when such body a is of
cast steel, the said tips b, are in one piece with the casting, because, in such case,
the metal is capable of being hardened and tempered.
The lower part of the shuttle is formed with the longitudinal row of teeth c,
(Figures 3, 4 and 5.) which project vertically upwards into the interior of the
shuttle. The two vertical or approximately vertical sides of the shuttle are each
provided with a row of teeth d, which incline downwards into the interior of the
shuttle.
The improved shuttle herein before described is provided with a spring cover
plate e, constructed and secured in the shuttle by any of the well-known means.
The plate e, which is represented upon the annexed drawings, at one end, is bent
up as at f, (Figure 4) so as to engage with the projection y, formed on the upper
side of the shuttle body. In closing the said shuttle by means of the spring
plate e, the end f, is passed over the transverse bar h, and under the projection g.
The opposite end of the plate e, which is also bent up as shewn at i, (Figure 4) is
then forced down until it is below the level of the bar j, by which it is retained
after it has been moved longitudinally under it.
The shuttle herein before described, is further provided with a suitable tension
device and a drag-eye or "pig's eye" both of which are or may be of ordinary
construction. The tension device represented upon the annexed drawings consists
of the well-known rollers k, which are capable of rotating and moving vertically
up and down in the guides . The lowermost of these rollers, rests upon the
transverse pin m, and by passing the weft coming from the cop or pirn, under one
or more of the said rollers, and thereby subjecting it to less or more of their
weight, the tension is proportionately affected; or, a spring tension device such as
that shewn at Figure 7 may be used. This tension device consists of the transverse
rod u, which is secured to the end of the spring and is capable of sliding
vertically in the guides . The wire w, passes above the rod u, transversely across,
and is secured in the sides of the shuttle, and the wire y, passes across at the bend
of the spring v, and is similarly secured into the side of the shuttle. The weft
being drawn of the cop or pirn passes between the rcd u, and the wire w, the
"

page_text: spring v, pressing the said rod u, upwards and compressing the weft between the
said rod u, and wire w. The drag-eye or "pig's eye" which I have represented
upon the annexed drawings, consists of the short porcelain or earthenware tube n,
upon the outer surface of which is formed the projection o, represented in dotted
lines at Figures 3 and 4. The tube n, is supported in the bracket p, which is
secured by the screws q, or by other equivalent means, to the interior of the shuttle
as shown at Figures 3 and 4. In the hollow part of the bracket p, in which the
tube n, is supported, a hole or recess is formed for the reception of the before-
mentioned projection ò, the said tube being retained in its proper position by the
spring r, which is also secured to the bracket p, by a screw as shewn. When it is
desired to remove the drag-eye or "pigs-eye" this is effected by lifting the spring r,
or by removing the spring.
The shuttle which I have represented at Figure 6 of the annexed drawings, is
one constructed for carrying a pirn upon the skewer or tongue 8, represented in
dotted lines. The pirn, the outline of which, is represented in dot and pick lines
at Figure 6, is retained on the skewer 8, by the point of the spring lever t, which
engages with a groove or recess formed in the wooden base of such pirn. The
general details of this pirn-carrying shuttle being similar to those hereinbefore
described with reference to cop shuttles, no further description is necessary.
It is to be understood that for the purpose of making the shuttles of as light
weight as possible, the sides and bottom thereof are formed with the openings.
It is further to be understood that the hereinbefore described shuttles may each
be constructed to carry two cops or. pirns, under which circumstances the arrange-
ments hereinbefore described are duplicated.
It is further to be understood that when one cop or pirn is used the drag-eye or
"pigs-eye" is placed at one end of the shuttle, and that when two cops or pirns are
used, the drag-eyes or "pigs-eyes" are placed at or near the centre of the length
of the shuttle, or, they may be carried in a plate or bracket whose position in the
shuttle is capable of being adjusted from time to time.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
The improvements in shuttles used in looms for weaving cloth consisting in
forming the bodies of such shuttles wholly of cast or wrought metal and providing
them with teeth or their equivalents for retaining the cop, or with a skewer for
holding a pirn and with a drag-eye or "pig's eye" consisting of the porcelain or
earthenware tube n, held in the bracket p, or the equivalent thereof all sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein before set forth with reference to the
annexed drawings.