Improvements in and relating to Means for Automatically Supplying and Controlling the Supply of Weft or Filling in Shuttles of. Looms for Weaving.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 14th July, 1899-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Means for Automatically Supplying
and Controlling the Supply of Weft or Filling in Shuttles of.
Looms for Weaving.
I, GEORGE OTIS DRAPER, of Hopedale, in the County of Worcester, State of
Massachusetts, in the United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declaro
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to looms for weaving provided with automatic filling-
supplying mechanism which operates at times to supply the shuttle with fresh
filling, and in looms of this type it has been found necessary in practice to pro-
vide for the automatic transfer of a fresh supply of filling to the shuttle before
the complete exhaustion of the filling then in the shuttle.
The filling-supplying mechanism has been controlled as to its operation by
a feeler or detector cooperating with the filling in the shuttle, the movement of
the feeler effecting the operation of the filling-supplying mechanism when the
filling carried by the shuttle has been exhausted to a predetermined amount.
Thread-severing means is necessary in connection with such an apparatus, to
sever the thread from the ejected filling-carrier.
While it is not broadly new. to employ a filling-feeler, or thread severing
mechanism, in a loom, there are many novel features of construction, operation,
and arrangement involved in my present invention, all tending to the production
of greater accuracy and precision in the operation of the loom and increased
uniformity in the product.
The improved loom is provided with a loom-frame, breast-beam, a lay, having
the bottom of one of its shuttle-boxes cut away below the self-threading shuttle, the
rotatable filling-feeder comprising connected and suitably shaped plates to receive
the ends of the filling-carriers, the thread supporting plate, filling end holder,
stud, transferrer mounted thereon and having a depending end, and a shaft, adapted
to be rocked by movement of the filling fork in the absence of the filling all which
parts may be of known construction.
The filling-feeder is at one side of the loom adapted to transfer a fresh supply
of filling to the shuttle when in the shuttle-box, the feeler mechanism, located at
the other side of the loom, operating when the shuttle is in the box.
An upright stud is attached to the inner side of the breast beam, substantially
opposite the shuttle box, and a stand is attached to and projects rearwardly from
the usual holding plate provided with upturned parallel ears, and on the stud is
mounted loosely the hub of a substantially L-shaped feeler carrier, the head
having at its outer end upturned lugs or stops. A suitable spring bears at one
end against the outer ear of the bracket, and at its outer end against a perforated
lug on the feeler-carrier, to normally maintain the latter in position, the inner
ear serving as a limiting stop for said lug, a pin supported in said ears and pass-
ing loosely through said lug maintaining the spring in position. The inner end
of the head is flat and somewhat enlarged to form a stable support for an arm,
mounted to swing laterally on a vertical pivot in the feeler-carrier, said arm

page_text: passing between the two stops, and towards the front of the loom, slight play of
the arm being permitted between said stops.
At one side of the pivot, the arm is rearwardly extended to form the filling
feeler, preferably elongated in the direction of the length of the breast-beam, and
adapted to pass through an aperture in the front wall of the shuttle-box when the
lay beats up.
If the shuttle be properly boxed, the feeler will pass through a slot in the side
wall of the shuttle and will bear upon the filling on the filling-carrier or bobbin,
at each beat of the lay, until exhaustion of the filling to a predetermined point,
the pressure on the feeler tending to swing the arm on its fulcrum, against the
outer stop, after which the feeler-carrier and arm will be swung bodily on the
centre towards the front of the loom.
At the opposite side of the fulcrum stud from the feeler, an arm is laterally
extended and enlarged to form a split bearing, in which a threaded stud is adjust-
ably held, a clamp screw drawing the parts of the bearing together to securely
grip said stud and maintain it in adjusted position, the stud entering an aperture
in the wall of the shuttle-box when the lay beats up, so that the head of the stud
will bear against the shuttle wall when the shuttle is in the box.
Inasmuch as the feeler projects beyond the stud the former will normally
engage the filling before the latter engages the side of the shuttle; but, as the
filling is drawn off and the wound mass decreases in diameter, both stud and
feeler will finally engage simultaneously, and when the filling has been exhausted
to a predetermined amount the stud will engage first, so that said arm will be
swung to the right, bringing a blade like dagger carried thereby at its forward
end, into operative position.
An arm, which may be a part of a bracket, provides an upright bearing for
a vertical headed stud, having at its upper end above the bearing a blade, and an
outwardly extended arm, the blade being so located that normally the dagger will
pass beyond its upright edge when the feeler-carrier is swung on its pivot, a suit-
able spring normally maintaining the blade and arm in position, but when said
arm is swung to the right, as just described, the dagger will engage the blade and
rock the stud against the stress of the spring as the lay completes its forward
stroke.
The movement thus imparted to the arm is effected by swinging of the feeler
carrier, due to engagement of the stud with an unyielding object, as the shuttle
wall obviating any possibility of improper operation which might occur were the
movement dependent upon engagement of the feeler with the filling or filling
carrier, as the latter might yield under the stress.
I prefer to provide the filling supply in the form of a bobbin, on which a bunch
of the yarn is wound near the beginning of the spinning operation, such bunch
forming a well defined projection for the feeder to work against, thereby enabling
the feeler to operate more closely or in a more delicate manner, for the feeler is
prevented by the bunch from moving into operative position until the latter com-
mences to wind off, ensuring a very small percentage of waste on the ejected
bobbin.
The feeler is arranged to act, by adjustment of the said stud, when the main
portion of the filling-carrier is bare of filling while a sufficient portion of the
bunch yet remains to form a projection for the feeler to engage, and a very
accurate and delicate determination can thus be effected of the time at which
filling transfer shall take place. .
It will be understood, however, that the mechanism herein described can also
operate in conjunction with a filling carrier having an enlarged portion near its
base, the feeler being then adjusted to act when the larger portion of the filling-
carrier is nearly or entirely bare. of filling while some yet remains on the
remainder of the carrier, a very accurate determination of the time of transfer 5
of a fresh supply of filling being thereby effected.
The rock shaft has attached securely thereto near its left hand bearing the hub-

page_text: of an upturned finger, which normally rests against the front face of the breast
beam, and has pivotally mounted upon it a bent arm extended beneath the breast
beam and provided with a latch.
A dog attached to the upper end of a bent arm rests against a sliding cam which
is supported by the top of the stand which sustains the bearing, an upturned lug
on the stand entering a cut away portion of the cam to retain it against the breast
beam, while an overhanging lip on a dog prevents the cam from jumping out of
its support.
The sliding cam is connected by a link with an arm, and when the vertical
headed stud is rocked by the dagger as described, the cam will be moved, and
acting on the dog rocks the arm on its fulcrum to thereby elevate the inner end
of the latch into position to be engaged by a projection on the usual weft-hammer.
The forward movement of the latter in turn swings the arm on the dog as a
fulcrum, and consequently the finger is thrown out, to thereby rock the shaft in
the desired direction.
It is important to note that the immediate result of the engagement of the
dagger and blade, due to the detecting action of the feeler, is merely to slide the
cam into operative position, and as the latch carrying arm is free to swing on
its pivot, the work required of the cam actuating, devices is only the comparatively
slight effort necessary to move the latch into operative position, or set it.
This setting having been effected, the further movement of the arm by the
weft-hammer or vibrator, and consequent rocking of the shaft, is entirely
independent of and separate from the devices immediately controlled and operated.
by or through the feeler, there being no positive connection between them.
There is thus no chance that the quick movement of the cam might by its.
momentum throw the rock shaft into operative position, and thereby subject the
purposely delicate parts of the feeler mechanism to improper strain, and further-
more, there is no possibility of the movement of the vibrator or weft-hammer
affecting the feeler mechanism at all.
When the latch is moved into position to be engaged by the projection on the
vibrator the engagement will be at about the height of the pivot above the rock-
shaft, so that the latter can be readily rocked when the finger is swung outward..
A hooked arm fast on the rock-shaft has attached to it a strong spring the
other end of the spring being secured to the loom frame, the spring tending to
turn the rock-shaft.
A lug on the hooked arm is above and cooperates with a lug on an arm having.
a hub, loosely mounted on the rock-shaft, said hub having also fast thercon a
normally inoperative dagger to actuate the thread-severing mechanism.
The said arm is connected by a link to an arm of a sleeve rotatably mounted
on the stud, a second upturned arm being pivotally connected by a link with an
arm on a hub, pivotally mounted on a rigid stand, a downwardly and laterally
bent arm on the hub forming the shuttle-feeler, the lower end of the latter being
turned toward the lay to engage the shuttle when improperly boxed.
A spring-controlled rocker-stud is mounted in the depending end of the trans-
ferrer, a notched dog carried by the stud being turned by the spring into position
to be engaged by a bunter on the lay when a filling carrier is to be transferred.
to the lay, provided the shuttle is properly boxed.
A third arm of the hub is adjustably connected with a downturned finger,
which controls the position of the dog and maintains it depressed when the loom
is running properly, the link at such time being drawn down by its connection
with the rock-shaft.
It will be obvious from the foregoing description that the mechanism controlled
by the feeler will operate upon exhaustion of the filling to a predetermined point,
and upon such exhaustion of the filling the rock-shaft will be turned, as described,
to raise the link, depress the arm, and permit the dog to be brought into operative
position to be acted upon by the bunter to effect transfer of a filling carrier from
the filling-feeder to the shuttle when the latter is properly boxed,

page_text: When the shaft is rocked, as before described, the dagger will also be moved to
actuate the thread severing mechanism to sever the thread between the ejected
filling-carrier and the cloth.
If, however, the shuttle is improperly positioned a fresh filling-carrier will not
be transferred thereto, and it is desirable that the thread severing mechanism
shall not operate.
Supposing that the shuttle is improperly boxed, so that it engages the shuttle
feeler and prevents elevation of the arm, and even though the rock shaft may be
turned only the hooked arm will be elevated against its spring, and as the arm is
not clevated, the dagger will remain inoperative.
The lay has secured to its rear side à bracket provided with an upright,
vertically slotted at its upper end to receive, one or more knives or cutting blades,
fulcrumed and upturned said blades normally resting in a transverse recess, in
the raceway of the lay, the shuttle laying the filling thread above the blades.
A link connects the rear ends of the blades with a rocker arm, the hub of
which is fast on a short shaft extended laterally loosely through a bearing, depend-
ing from the bracket, a sleeve, fast on the shaft, having secured to it one end of
a spring whose other end is attached to the bearing, the spring normally retain-
ing the arm in the proper position with the blades depressed in inoperative
position.
A second bearing on the bracket forms the inner bearing for a comparatively
long shaft, its outer bearing forming part of a stand attached to the lay, a spring
being connected at one end to the bearing and at its other end to a sleeve fast
on the inner end of the shaft adjacent the bearing, said spring controlling the
rocking movement of the shaft.
A sleeve is secured by set screws on the last named shaft at the outer end of
the bearing adjacent thereto, and beyond it the hub of a projecting dog is secured
on said shaft by set screws, the dog being located opposite the dagger, and adapted
to be engaged and moved thereby to rock the shaft in opposition to its spring
when the dagger has been moved into operative position.
By means of a stop on the sleeve, bearing against a part of the bracket, the
rotative movement of the said shaft due to its spring is limited.
The said sleeve has a depending arm provided with a lateral stud on which is
loosely mounted a latch having ears, the former being normally held against a
lug, on the arm by a spring, one end of which is attached to the latch and the
other end to a sleeve fast on the stud, while the ear is adapted to engage a lug on
the hub, when the arm is swung towards the back of the lay, such movement
being effected by the engagement of the dagger with the dog."
When the arm is thus swung, the ear of the spring latch engages the lug, and
depresses the rocker arm thereby swinging the cutting blades upward on their
fulcrum to sever the filling between the blades and the slotted part of the upright.
The lug prevents rotative movement of the latch when the arm swings inward,
and the rocker arm will be depressed until the ear can slide over the lug, suddenly
releasing the rocker arm and permitting its controlling spring to return it to
normal position, with the blades below the path and out of the way of the shuttle
after severing, as described, the filling thread of the filling-carrier to be ejected.
As the lay moves back and disengages the dog and dagger, the spring will
return the arm to normal position, and during such movement the spring will
permit the ear of the latch to snap past the lug.
Obviously, the operation of the thread-severing mechanism will take place only
when the shuttle is properly boxed, and it will also be obvious that the said
mechanism will be operated just before a fresh filling-carrier is inserted in the
shuttle, the thread of the filling carrier to be ejected being severed. The said
long shaft projects inwardly some distance beyond the sleeve, and the dog, and
the other devices for operating the thread severing mechanism, are separate, or
independent.
This construction enables the severing mechanism to be very readily adjusted

page_text: when weaving narrow webs, it being desirable to cut the thread as close to the
elge of the cloth as can be conveniently done, and to effect this, the cutting
blades must be shifted along the lay.
By shifting the bracket, the blades and the various parts supported by the
bracket can be moved as desired, loosening of the set screws permitting the sleeve
to be slid along the shaft towards its inner end, without disturbing the location
of the dog opposite the dagger.
The adjustment referred to can thus be very readily effected with small
expenditure of time and labor.
The filling-feeler, feeler-carrier, stud, dagger and connections between it and
the filling supplying mechanism control the latter as to its operation upon a
predetermined exhaustion of the filling, and such devices may be designated
generically as controlling means for the filling-supplying mechanism, while the
stud may be termed the actuator for said controlling means, governed by the
feeler, the latter, in conjunction with the quantity of filling remaining on the
filling-carrier, determining when the operative movement of the controlling
means shall be effected by the engagement of the shuttle-body with the actuator.
The sliding cam which is operated by or through the dagger, when the filling
in the shuttle has been exhausted to a predetermined extent, operates to set
the controlling means for the filling-supplying mechanism into position to
operate, and the cam may be, for the purposes of this invention, termed a setting
cam.
Dated the 21st day of November 1808
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55/56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to Means for Automatically Supplying
and Controlling the Supply of Weft or Filling in Shuttles of
Looms for Weaving.
I, GEORGE OTIS DRAPER, of Hopedale, in the County of Worcester, State of
Massachusetts, in the United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement: —
This invention relates to looms for weaving provided with automatic filling
supplying mechanism which operates at times to supply the shuttle with fresh
filling, and in looms of this type it has been found necessary in practice to pro-
vide for the automatic transfer of a fresh supply of filling to the shuttle before
the complete exhaustion of the filling then in the shuttle.
The filling supplying mechanism has been controlled as to its operation by
a feeler or detector cooperating with the filling in the shuttle, the movement of
the feeler effecting the operation of the filling supplying mechanism when the
filling carried by the shuttle has been exhausted to a predetermined amount.
Thread-severing means is necessary in connection with such an apparatus, to
sever the thread from the ejected filling-carrier.
While it is not broadly new to employ a filling feeler, or thread severing
mechanism, in a loom, there are many novel features of construction, operation,
and arrangement involved in my present invention, all tending to the production
of greater accuracy and precision in the operation of the loom and increased
uniformity in the product.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a top or plan view, centrally broken out, of a sufficient portion of
a loom to be understood, with my present invention applied thereto;
Fig. 2 is a partial right hand side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1,
with the loom frame broken away to show clearly some of the mechanism;
Fig. 3 is a partial left hand side elevation of the loom;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the filling feeler and cooperating
mechanism;
Fig. 5 is a detail of a portion of the devices intermediate the feeler and bunter;
Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of one of the filling-carriers with substantially the
initial winding of filling thereupon, to be described;
Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the loom on an enlarged scale, taken on the
line, Fig. 1 looking toward the right, with the lay forward and the shuttle
improperly positioned in the shuttle box;
Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevation of the thread severing mechanism;
Fig. 9 is a front elevation thereof, partially broken out, and
Fig. 10 is a view in elevation of another form of filling carrier.
The loom frame A, breast beam A, the lay A³, having the bottom of one of its
shuttle boxes cut away below the self threading shuttle S, the rotatable filling
feeder comprising connected and suitably shaped plates to receive the ends of the
filling carriers b, the thread supporting plate b₁, filling end holder b², stud f,
transferrer f mounted thereon and having the depending end f³, and the shaft d¹,
adapted to be rocked by movement of the filling fork in the absence of the filling
may be and are all of well known construction.
The filling-feeder, indicated by the letter F, is shown at one side of the loom
and adapted to transfer a fresh supply of filling to the shuttle when in the shuttle
box B, the feeler mechanism, located at the other side of the loom, operating
when the shuttle is in the box B¹.
An upright stud a is attached to the inner side of the breast beam, substantially
opposite the shuttle box B', and as herein shown a stand a¹ is attached to and pro-
jects rearwardly from the usual holding plate N, Figs. 1 and 4, provided with
upturned parallel ears, and on the stud a is loosely mounted the hub a³ of a
substantially ✓ shaped feeler carrier at, the head as having at its outer end up-
turned lugs or stops 2, 2.
A suitable spring s bears at one end against the outer ear a² of the bracket a¹,
and at its outer end against a perforated lug a on the feeler carrier, to normally
maintain the latter in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the inner ear a² serving
as a limiting stop for the lug a7, a pin 3, supported in said ears and passing
loosely through the lug a maintaining the spring in position.
The inner end of the head is flat and somewhat enlarged to form a stable
support for an arm a³, mounted to swing laterally on a vertical pivot a in the
feeler carrier, said arm passing between the two stops 2, 2, and towards the front
of the loom, slight play of the arm being permitted between said stops.
At one side of the pivot as, the arm is rearwardly extended to form the filling
feeler a, preferably elongated in the direction of the length of the breast beam,
and adapted to pass through an aperture 4 in the front wall of the shuttle box B',
see dotted lines Fig. 1, when the lay beats up.
If the shuttle be properly boxed, the feeler will pass through a slot 5 in the
side wall of the shuttle and will bear upon 'the filling on the filling carrier or
bobbin b, at each beat of the lay, until exhaustion of the filling to a predeter-
mined point, the pressure on the feeler tending to swing the arm a on its
fulerum, to the left, Figs. 1 and 4, against the outer stop 2, after which the
feeler carrier and arm will be swung bodily on the centre a towards the front of
the loom.
At the opposite side of the fulcrum stud a from the feeler, the arm a" is
laterally extended and enlarged to form a split bearing 10, in which a threaded
stud is adjustably held, a clamp screw a drawing the parts of the bearing a

page_text: together to securely grip the stud a3 and maintain it in adjusted position, the
stud entering an aperture 6 in the wall of the shuttle box when the lay beats up,
so that the head of the stud will bear against the shuttle wall when the shuttle
is in the box.
Inasmuch as the feeler projects beyond the stud a¹³, the former will normally
engage the filling before the latter engages the side of the shuttle; but as the
filling is drawn off and the wound mass decreases in diameter, both stud and
feeler will finally engage simultaneously, and when the filling has been exhausted
to a predetermined amount, the stud will engage first, so that the arm a will be
swung to the right, Fig. 1, bringing a blade like dagger a¹ carried thereby at
it forward end, into operative position.
Referring to Fig. 4, an arm 20, which may be a part of the bracket a¹ provides
an upright bearing a for a vertical headed stud a, having at its upper end above
the bearing a blade a; and an outwardly extended arm a24, the blade being so
located that normally the dagger à will pass beyond its upright edge when the
feeler carrier is swung on its pivot a, a suitable spring st normally maintaining
the blade and arm a in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, but when the arm a
is swung to the right, as just described, the dagger als will engage the blade a3
and rock the stud a against the stress of the spring s as the lay completes its
forward stroke.
The movement thus imparted to the arm a³ is effected by swinging of the feeler
carrier, due to engagement of the stud a¹³ with an unyielding object, as the shuttle
wall, obviating any possibility of improper operation which might occur were
the movement dependent upon engagement of the feeler with the filling or
filling-carrier, as the latter might yield under the stress.
I prefer to provide the filling supply in the form of a bobbin, as b, on which
a bunch 620 of the yarn is wound near the beginning of the spinning operation,
such bunch forming a well defined projection for the feeler to work against there-
by enabling the feeler to operate more closely or in a more delicate manner, for
the feeler is prevented by the bunch from moving into operative position until
the latter commences to wind off, ensuring a very small percentage of waste on
the ejected bobbin.
The feeler is arranged to act, by adjustment of the stud a¹³, when the main
portion of the filling carrier is bare of filling while a sufficient portion of the
bunch 620 yet remains to form a projection for the feeler to engage, and a very
accurate and delicate determination can thus be effected of the time at which fill-
ing transfer shall take place.
It will be understood, however, that the mechanism herein described can also
operate in conjunction with a filling carrier having an enlarged portion 700 near
its base Fig. 10, the feeler being then adjusted to act when the larger portion
of the filling carrier is nearly or entirely bare of filling while some yet remains
on the remainder of the carrier, a very accurate determination of the time of
transfer of a fresh supply of filling being thereby effected.
Referring now to Fig. 4, the rock shaft d' has attached securely thereto near
its left hand bearing 8 the hub of an upturned finger d², which normally rests
against the front face of the breast beam, and has pivotally mounted upon it at d³
a bent arm d' extended beneath the breast beam and provided with a latch d³,
Figs. 3 and 5.
A dog de attached to the upper end of the bent arm d* rests against a sliding
cam c which is supported, as herein shown, by the top of the stand 9 which
sustains the bearing 8, an upturned lug 10 on the stand entering a cut away
portion of the cam to retain it against the breast beam, while an overhanging
lip on the dog de prevents the cam from jumping out of its support.
The sliding cam is connected by a link with the arm a, and when the
stud a is rocked by the dagger als as described, the cam c will be moved to the
right, Figs. 1 and 4, and acting on the dog do rocks the arm d' on its fulcrum d³,
?

page_text: to thereby elevate the inner end of the latch d into position to be engaged by
a projection 12 on the usual weft hammer. C.
The forward movement of the latter in turn swings the arm d* on the dog de
as a fulcrum, and consequently the finger d is thrown out, to thereby rock the
shaft d' in the direction of arrow 13, Fig. 4.
It is important to note that the immediate result of the engagement of the
dagger and blade a³, due to the detecting action of the feeler, is merely to slide
the cam c into operative position, and as the latch carrying arm d is free to swing
on its pivot d³, the work required of the cam actuating devices is only the com-
paratively slight effort necessary to move the latch into operative position, or set
it.
This setting having been effected, the further movement of the arm by the
weft hammer or vibrator, and consequent rocking of the shaft is entirely
independent of and separate from the devices immediately controlled and operated
by or through the feeler, there being no positive connection between them.
There is thus no chance that the quick movement of the cam c might by its
momentum throw the rock shaft into operative position, and thereby subject
the purposely delicate parts of the feeler mechanism to improper strain, and
furthermore, there is no possibility of the movement of the vibrator or weft
hammer affecting the feeler mechanism at all.
The latch, its carrier arm d, and the finger are clearly shown on an
enlarged scale in Fig. 5, the latch and arm being preferably adjustably con-
nected by a set screw 14.
When the latch is moved into position to be engaged by the projection 12 on
the vibrator C, the engagement will be at about the height of the pivot d, above
the rock shaft d', so that the latter can be readily rocked when the finger is
swung outward.
As best shown in Figs. 2 and 7, a hooked arm de fast on the rock shaft has
attached to it a strong springs, the other end of the spring being secured to
the loom frame, the spring tending to turn the rock shaft oppositely to the
arrow 18.
A lug 15 on the hooked arm is above and cooperates with a lug 16 on an arm g
having a hub g, Fig. 1, loosely mounted on the rock shaft, said hub having also
fast thereon a normally inoperative dagger g¹ to actuate the thread severing
mechanism, as will be described.
As best shown in Fig. 7, the arm g is connected by a link to an arm h¹ of
a sleeve h, rotatably mounted on the stud f, a second upturned arm 2 being
pivotally connected by a linke with an arm on a hub k, pivotally mounted on
a rigid stand, a downwardly and laterally bent arm on the hub k forming
the shuttle feeler, the lower end of the latter being turned toward the lay to
engage the shuttle when improperly boxed.
A spring controlled rocker stud m is mounted in the depending end f" of the
transferrer, a notched dog m* carried by the stud being turned by the spring
into position to be engaged by a bunter C2 on the lay when a filling carrier is to
be transferred to the lay, provided the shuttle is properly boxed.
A third arm 3 of the hub h is adjustably connected with a downturned finger n,
which controls the position of the dog and maintains it depressed when the loom
is running properly, the link g² at such time being drawn down by its connection
with the rock shaft d.
It will be obvious from the foregoing description that the mechanism controlled
by the feeler will operate upon exhaustion of the filling to a predetermined point,
and upon such exhaustion of the filling the rock shaft will be turned, as
described, to raise the link g, depress the arm h³, and permit the dog m³ to be
brought into operative position to be acted upon by the bunter C² to effect transfer
of a filling carrier from the filling feeder to the shuttle when the latter is
properly boxed.
When the shaft d¹ is rocked, as before described, the dagger g¹ will also be

page_text: moved to actuate the thread severing mechanism to be described to sever the
thread between the ejected filling carrier and the cloth.
If, however, the shuttle is improperly positioned a fresh filling carrier will
not be transferred thereto, and it is desirable that the thread severing mechanism
shall not operate.
Referring to Fig. 7, it is supposed that the shuttle is improperly boxed, so that
it engages the shuttle feeler and prevents elevation of the arm g, and even
though the rock shaft d' may be turned only the hooked arm ds will be elevated
against its spring s2, and as the arm g is not elevated, the dagger g¹ will remain
inoperative.
The lay has secured to its rear side a bracket O, provided with an upright o,
vertically slotted at its upper end at o¹, Fig. 9, to receive, as herein shown, one.or
more knives or cutting blades 02, fulcrumed at o³ and upturned as at ot, Fig. 8,
said blades normally resting in a transverse recess 06, Fig. 7, in the raceway of
the lay, the shuttle laying the filling-thread above the blades.
A link o connects the rear ends of the blades with a rocker arm of, the hub 060 of.
which is fast on a short shaft of extended laterally loosely through a bearing Ò¹,.
depending from the bracket, a sleeve 08, fast on the shaft, having secured to it one.
end of a spring whose other end is attached to the bearing O¹, the spring.
normally retaining the arm of in the position shown in Fig. 8 with the blades
depressed in inoperative position.
A second bearing 03 on the bracket forms the inner bearing for a comparatively
long shaft t, its outer bearing oo, Fig. 9, forming part of a stand attached to the
lay, a spring, Fig. 9, being connected at one end to the bearing 02 and at its
other end to a sleeve t fast on the inner end of the shaft t¹ adjacent the bearing 02.
said spring controlling the rocking movement of the shaft.
A sleeve is secured by set screws 18 on the shaft t¹ at the outer end of the
bearing 2 adjacent thereto, and beyond it the hub w of a projecting dog w* is
secured on said shaft by set screws 19, the dog being located opposite the dagger g¹;
and adapted to be engaged and moved thereby to rock the shaft t' in opposition to
its springs when the dagger has been moved into operative position as described.
By means of a stop t on the sleeve ³, bearing against a part of the bracket O,.
the rotative movement of the shaft t' due to its spring s5 is limited.
The said sleeve 3 has a depending arm to provided with a lateral stud to on
which is loosely mounted a latch t having ears 18, 19, the former being normally
held against a lug to, on the arm t5 by a spring se, one end of which is attached
to the latch and the other end to a sleeve a fast on the stud to, while the ear t
is adapted to engage a lug o" on the hub 060, see Fig. 8, when the arm 15 is swung.
towards the back of the lay, such movement being effected by the engagement of the
dagger gl with the dog w.
When the arm 5 is thus swung, the ear of the spring latch 7 engages the
lug o, and depresses the rocker arm of, thereby swinging the cutting blades up-
ward on their fulcrum to sever the filling between the blades and the slotted
part of the upright o.
The lug to prevents rotative movement of the latch t when the arm swings
inward, and the rocker arm 06 will be depressed until the ear 9 can slide over the
lug o", suddenly releasing the rocker arm and permitting its controlling spring s
to return it to normal position, with the blades below the path and out of the
way of the shuttle after severing, as described, the filling thread of the filling
carrier to be ejected.
As the lay moves back and disengages the dog w³ and dagger g', the spring $5
will return the arm to to normal position, and during such movement the spring $6
will permit the ear 9 of the latch to snap past the lug o.
Obviously, the operation of the thread severing mechanism will take place only
when the shuttle is properly boxed, and it will also be obvious that the said
mechanism will be operated just before a fresh filling carrier is inserted in the
shuttle, the thread of the filling carrier to be ejected being severed.

page_text: Referring to Fig. 9 it will be seen that the shaft t' projects inwardly some dis-
tance beyond the sieve , and that the dog w* and the other devices for operating
the thread severing mechanism, are separate, or independent.
This construction enables the severing mechanism to be very readily adjusted
when weaving narrow webs, it being desirable to cut the thread as close to the
edge of the cloth as can be conveniently done, and to effect this, the cutting blades
must be shifted along the lay.
By shifting the bracket O, the blades and the various parts supported by the
.bracket can be moved as desired, loosening of the set screws 18 permitting the
sleeve t³ to be slid along the shaft towards its inner end, without disturbing
the location of the dog w* opposite the dagger gl.
The adjustment referred to can thus be very readily effected with small
expenditure of time and labor.
"
The filling feeler, filling carrier, stud a13, dagger a¹s and connections between it
and the filling supplying mechanism control the latter as to its operation upon
a predetermined exhaustion of the nlling, and such devices may be designated
generically as controlling means for the filling supplying mechanism, while the
stud a may be termed the actuator for said controlling means, governed by
the feeler, the latter, in conjunction with the quantity of filing remaining on the
filling carrier, determining when the operative movement of the controlling
means shall be effected by the engagement of the shuttle body with the actuator.
The sliding cam which is operated by or through the dagger a5, when the fill-
ing in the shuttle has been exhausted to a predetermined extent, operates to set
the controlling means for the filling supplying mechanism into position to operate,
and the cam may be, for the purposes of this invention, termed a setting cam.
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-
1. In a loom, a shuttle containing a supply of filling wound to form a pre-
liminary annular bunch, filling supplying mechanism, controlling means therefor,
and a ulling feeler to govern the operation of said controlling means when the
tilling has been exhausted to expose the preliminary bunch to engagement by the
feeler.
2. In a loom, a shuttle containing a supply of filling, filling supplying mechan-
ism, controlling means therefor, and including a setting cam to position said
means for operation, and a filling feeler to govern the operation of said cam, and
through the controlling means, to actuate the filling supplying mechanism upon
exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle to a predetermined extent.
3. In a loom, a shuttle containing a supply of filling, filling supplying mechan-
ism, controlling means therefor including an actuator, a dagger to effect the
operation of the filling supplying mechanism, and a setting cam actuated by the
dagger to position said controlling means for operation, combined with a teeler
to cooperate with the filling and permit operative movement of the actuator upon
exhaustion of the filling therein to a predetermined extent.
4. In a loom, a shuttle containing a supply of filling, filling supplying
mechanism, controlling means therefor including an actuator, a dagger to effect
the operation of the filling supplying mechanism, a sliding setting cam to position
the controlling means for operation, and a vertically pivotted rocker arm con-
nected with said cam and actuated by the dagger, combined with a feeler to co-
operate with the filling and govern the operation of the actuator by or through
engagement with the shuttle body.
5. In a loom, a shuttle containing a supply of filling, a transferrer to transfer
a fresh supply of filling to the shuttle, controlling means therefor including a
dagger having connected therewith an actuator, moved by engagement with the
shuttle body, and a filling feeler, to govern the position of the actuator according
to the amount of filling in the shuttle, a setting cam to position the controlling

page_text: means for operation when the filling in the shuttle is exhausted to a predeter-
mined extent, and a vertically pivotted, spring controlled blade connected with
the cam and actuated by engagement with the dagger.
6. In a loom, a shuttle containing a supply or filling, filling supplying
mechanism, controlling means therefor including a feeler carrier, a dagger pivot-
ally mounted thereon and having its inner end enlarged to form a feeler on one
side of the pivot and split to form a bearing at the other side of the pivot, a
threaded actuator mounted in said bearing, a clamp screw to close the bearing on
said actuator when adjusted, and stops to limit swinging movement of the dagger
relatively to the feeler, combined with a setting cam tor said controlling means,
moved by the dagger into operative position when the actuator is permitted by the
feeler to engage the shuttle body.
7. In a loom, a shuttle containing a supply of filling, filling supplying
mechanism, controlling means therefor, including a feeler to cooperate with the
filling in the shuttle, a dagger controlled as to its position by the feeler, and a
rock shaft mounted in fixed bearings, a finger fast on said rock shaft, a bent arm
fulcrumed on the finger between its tip and the rock shaft, a setting cam moved
by or through the dagger to tip said arm on its fulcrum into operative position
when the filling in the shuttle is exhausted to a predetermined extent, and a
vibrator to engage said arm when in operative position and thereby swing the
finger to turn the rock shaft.
8. In a loom, a shuttle having a slotted side and containing a supply of filling;
filling supplying mechanism located at one side of the loom; a filling feeler
pivotally mounted at the other side of the loom and adapted to enter the slot
in the shuttle and cooperate with the filling; and an actuator controlled by the
feeler and operated by engagement with the shuttle body, combined with an
operating rock shaft for said filling supplying mechanism; means, including a
vibrator, to rock said shaft, and a setting cam for the said means, moved by or
through the operation of the actuator when engaged by the shuttle-body.
9. In a loom, a shuttle having a slotted side and containing a filling carrier
provided with a filling wound to form a preliminary bunch; filling supplying
mechanism; a swinging feeler carrier; a dagger pivotally mounted thereon and
provided with a connected filling feeler and an actuator, engagement of the latter
by the shuttle body when the feeler engages the annular bunch on the filling
carrier acting to swing the dagger into operative position and thereafter to move
it bodily with the feeler carrier as the lay beats up, and operating connections,
including a sliding setting cam, between the filling supplying mechanism and the
dagger, forward movement of the dagger when in operative position moving the
setting cam.
10. In a loom, filling severing mechanism, including a rocker arm having a
lug, a rock shaft moved in one direction by a spring, and a sleeve fast on said
shaft and having an eccentrically mounted spring controlled latch, to engage
the lug when moved in one direction and thereby operate the said mechanism,"
and to snap over said lug on the return movement, combined with a second sleeve
fast on the rock shaft and provided with a dog, a dagger to at times engage the
dog and rock said shaft in opposition to its spring, a feeler adapted to contact
with the filling, and connections between the feeler and dagger, to move the latter
when a filling thread is to be severed, said severing mechanism being laterally
adjustable bodily relatively to the rock shaft, independently of the sleeve having
the dog.
11. In a loom, filling severing mechanism including a supporting bracket and
an operating rock shaft having a bearing on said bracket, combined with a second
independent bearing for the rock shaft, a dog fixed on the latter, a dagger to at
times engage said dog and rock the shaft, a feeler adapted to contact with the fill-
ing, and connections between the feeler and dagger to operate the latter when a
filling thread is to be severed, the filling severing mechanism being laterally

page_text: adjustable bodily relatively to said rock shaft and independently of the actuating
dog thereon.
12. In a loom, a shuttle containing a supply of filling, filling supplying
mechanism, controlling means therefor including an actuator, a dagger 'to effect
the operation of the filling supplying mechanism, and a setting cam actuated
by the dagger to position said controlling means for operation, combined with a
feeler to cooperate with the filling and permit engagement and movement of the
actuator by the shuttle body upon exhaustion of the filling therein to a predeter-
mined extent.
13. In a loom, a shuttle containing, filling, filling supplying mechanism, and
controlling means therefor, including a setting member, and a device positioned
according to the quantity of filling in the shuttle, to push the setting member
into operative position upon exhaustion of the shuttle-contained filling to a pre-
determined point, and thereby render said filling supplying mechanism operative
to insert a fresh supply of filling into the shuttle.
14. In a loom, a shuttle containing filling, filling supplying mechanism, and
controlling means therefor, including a sliding setting member, and a discon-
nected device positioned according to the quantity of filling in the shuttle, to
effect sliding movement of the setting member into operative position upon
exhaustion of the shuttle contained filling to a predetermined point and thereby
render said filling supplying mechanism operative.
Dated the 13th day of July 1899.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.