Improvements in the Production of Selvedges when Two or More Pieces are Woven Side by Side.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Feb., 1891-Accepted, 23rd May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production of Selvedges when Two or More
Pieces are Woven Side by Side.
I, WILLIAM SIMPSON of Number 35 Edward Street, Lower Broughton, Salford
in the County of Lancaster Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My said invention consists of an improvement in the formation of the inner
selvedges when two or more pieces of cloth are woven parallel to each other in
a single loom and of means for practically putting into effect the said
improvement.
According to the first part of my said invention I so arrange the warp threads
in the reed as to leave a suitable space or interval between the sets of warp threads
which are destined to form for example two distinct pieces. When a pick has
been made the weft thread last put in will cross the said interval and connect the
two sets of warp threads and if it were simply cut either during the operation of
weaving or subsequently "raw" imperfect edges would be left at the inner adjacent
selvedges of the two pieces of cloth. To obviate this defect I cut the weft thread
where it crosses the interval between the two sets of warp threads during the
process of weaving and then double or fold the cut ends backwards in among and
at right angles to the warp threads which form the two pieces so that the cut
ends become incorporated into the cloth when the warp threads are caused to cross
each other by the treading of the warp. I prefer to fold each cut end back after
the warp threads have crossed and secured the weft thread of which it forms part
so that the cut end may thus lie in the next shed. In this manner two absolutely
independent pieces, each with perfect selvedges, are simultaneously produced in
the loom.
According to the second part of my said invention I provide means for severing
the weft thread consisting of a knife or a scissors-like appliance and also a gripping
device consisting of fingers nippers or analogous means for taking hold of the
thread while being cut and for doubling or turning the cut ends of the weft back-
wards into the sheds formed by the crossing of the warp threads of the two pieces.
Each of the said gripping devices is so shaped and constructed that after the loose
end has been doubled back into the shed it shall be automatically released and
left there when the gripping device returns to receive the next thread.
Means are provided for actuating the cutting appliance and the gripping devices
preferably by links or levers and eccentrics or cranks deriving motion from the
slay cap and provided with suitable adjustments for accurately timing the successive
operation of the different parts.
Although I have hereinbefore referred to my invention in its application to the
simultaneous weaving of two pieces only it is to be understood that its applicability
is in no wise confined to this number of pieces since by providing two or more
suitable intervals between the warp threads and by using two or more sets of

page_text: cutting and doubling appliances it is possible to weave three or more independent
pieces simultaneously.
Dated this 22nd day of May 1890.
JULIUS ALLMANN & Co.,
70, Deansgate, Manchester, Agents for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in the Production of Selvedges when Two or More
Pieces are Woven Side by Side.
I WILLIAM SIMPSON of No. 35 Edward Street Lower Broughton Salford in
the County of Lancaster Manager 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:—
56
"
My said invention consists of an improvement in relates to the formation of the
inner selvedges when two or more pieces of cloth are woven parallel to each other
in a single loom and of means for practically putting into effect the said improvement.
According to the first part of my said invention I so arrange the warp threads
in the reed as to leave a suitable space or interval between the sets of warp threads
which are destined to form for example two distinct pieces. When a pick has been
made the weft thread last put in will cross the said interval and connect the two
sets of warp threads and if it were simply cut either during the operation of weaving
or subsequently raw imperfect edges would be left at the inner adjacent
selvedges of the two pieces of cloth. To obviate this defect I cut the weft thread
where it crosses the interval between the two sets of warp threads during the
process of weaving and then double or fold the cut ends backwards in among and
at right angles to the warp threads which form the two pieces so that the cut
ends become incorporated into the cloth when the warp threads are caused to cross
each other by the treading of the warp. I prefer to fold the cut ends back after
the warp threads have crossed and secured the weft thread of which it forms part
so that the cut end may thus lie in the next shed. In this manner two absolutely
independent pieces, each with perfect selvedges are simultaneously produced in
the loom.
According to the second part of my said invention I provide means for severing
the weft thread consisting of a scissors-like appliance and also a gripping device
consisting of fingers nippers or analogous means for taking hold of the threads while
being cut and for subsequently doubling or turning the cut ends of the weft back
again into the sheds formed by the crossing of the warp threads of the two pieces.
The gripping devices are so operated that after the loose ends of the weft have
been thus doubled back they leave the said ends in the sheds and return to receive
the next thread. Means are provided for actuating the cutting appliance and the
gripping devices preferably from the slay cap.
In order that my said invention may be more fully understood I will proceed to
describe the same in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in all the
figures of which the same letters refer to the same parts.
Fig. 1 is a diagram representing the kind of inner selvedges to which my said
invention relates. A A' represent warp threads running from the reed to the
cloth beam in the direction indicated by the arrows and B B¹ represent weft
threads. C is the interval between the two sets of warp threads. The last weft
thread is shown as having been severed and the cut ends B B' as having been
doubled back in among and nearly at right angles to the warp threads. The next
beat of the reed will bring these threads close up to the threads B B' and the cut
ends B B will lie parallel thereto. In this manner two adjacent selvedges as
shown in the bottom part of Fig. 1 will be formed.
The arrangement of mechanism I prefer to employ in producing such selvedges

page_text: is shown in a side elevation in Fig 2 in which y represents the level of the cloth
which passes on either side of the apparatus on its way to the cloth beam, a is one
of the gripping devices (of which there are two), is a pair of scissors, c is a
temple of the ordinary roller pattern, one such temple is provided for each selvedge,
d is one of a pair of claws which work parallel to each other, their function is to
seize the weft thread last left by the shuttle and to present it to the gripping and
cutting devices as shown in Fig. 3.
The gripping devices hereinafter referred to as grippers consist preferably of a
piece of spring steel bent in such a manner that its tendency when unrestrained
is to gape as shown in Fig. 3, it is mounted in a sheath a' the interior of the fore
part of which is conical. When drawn back in the sheath the gripper is caused to
close by the sheath. A pin a' passes through the sheath and between the two
halves of the gripper and prevents the gripper from turning in its sheath. A
small spiral spring is provided inside the sheath the action of which tends to keep
the gripper inside the sheath and closed. When pressure is brought to bear on the
end a of the gripper it is pushed forward and partly out of the sheath and being
thus freed from restraint it opens. On such pressure being removed the spiral
spring pulls the gripper back into its sheath. The points of the gripper just
outside the sheath are provided with lugs or projections so as to prevent it from
passing too far into the sheath.
Each gripper oscillates about a pin a' deriving motion from.a pinion a secured
thereon, and in addition to this rotary motion about the pivot at each gripper has
a motion at right angles thereto as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 from which it will
be seen that the gripper a is carried at the end of a rod a' which slides in a slot in
the end as of the pin a. Pivoted in and projecting through an offset as of the
pin a' is a link a the bottom end of which is provided with a slot into which takes
a pin on the rod a'. The angle which the link a' makes with the pin a determines
the distance of the gripper a from the pin a. In the upper part al (Fig. 2) of the
bracket which carries the pin a' is a helical or excentric slot in which the upper
projecting end of the rod a (Fig. 4) moves so that according to the part of such
slot in which the upper end of the rod a happens to be the angle of the rod a' and
consequently the distance of the gripper a from the pin a will vary. The said
helical slot is so disposed that when the grippers are in the position shown in full
lines in plan in Fig. 6, (that is with their points facing away from the reed,) they
are at their extreme distance from the pins a' and that when in the position indi-
cated by dotted lines in Fig. 6 (that is with their points towards the reed) they
are as near as possible to the pins at and to each other. The arrows in Figs. 2
and 6 indicate the direction in which the warp travels.
The successive steps in the action of the gripping and cutting devices are as
follows. Premising that Fig. 2 represents the apparatus when the grippers have
just left the cut ends (B and B' of Fig. 1) the points of the claws d rise seize the
uncut weft thread last put in (B6 of Fig. 6) and draw it towards the grippers.
Simultaneously with this movement the pins a rotate (the grippers meanwhile
approaching nearer thereto) and are drawn backwards so that by the time the back-
ward traverse of the claws d is completed the grippers have assumed the position
shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6 and the back end of each gripper has come into
contact with a fixed block (Figs. 2 & 3) and are thereby pushed forward in their
sheaths when they gape and are ready to receive the uncut weit thread presented to
them by the claws d. They then lie on each side of the open scissors
which are
in the centre of the interval between the two sets of warp threads. Next the
grippers move forwards towards the reed and the moment they leave the block f
the points of the grippers close on the weft thread. The scissors then close and
cut the short length of weft lying between the grippers. The latter then advance
further towards the reed and diverge from each other and carry the cut ends of
weft to the right and to the left in among the warp threads where the grippers
leave the threads and finally assume their first position as shown in full lines in
Fig. 6 when the cycle of operations recommences. The rectilinear traverse of the

page_text: rod a' (Fig. 4) through the end a of the pin at is purposely made greater than
the length of the cut end to be turned in so that at a certain point in its course the
gripper may slip off the cut end and leave it between the warp threads. During
the foregoing operations the warp threads have crossed by the treading of the loom,
and a new shed has been formed, into which the grippers enter, and thus leave
the cut ends in the next shed to that in which the weft threads of which they form
part lie. The cut ends are thus woven in and thoroughly incorporated into the
cloth so that they cannot easily be drawn.
The mechanism for effecting the foregoing operations is illustrated in a side
elevation in Fig. 2, in which a is a bracket carrying the whole apparatus and secured
to the breast beam of the loom, h is the main framework of the apparatus which can
slide longitudinally on the bracket g. A spiral spring lies in a hollow formed in
the bracket g and the main framework and serves as a buffer so that in the event
of the reed accidentally striking the front of the apparatus the spring will yield and
the apparatus will slide backwards on the bracket g. A set screw in a part of the
framework bears against a projection g' of the bracket g so that the position of
the whole apparatus may be adjusted longitudinally on the bracket g.
All the movements are derived from the lever D which oscillates about its
fulcrum E and which I prefer to actuate by means of a link attached at one end to
the slay cap and jointed at the other end to the lever D by means of a pin adjust-
able in the slot F for the purpose of regulating the stroke of the lever E. The motion
of the apparatus may however be derived from any other convenient moving part of
the loom. k is a pin at the end of a stud which is adjustable in the slot k¹; the
pink works in a slot in the link k³ hinged to a sliding bar which works in
suitable guides and derives intermittent rectilinear motion from the lever D as the
pink strikes the ends of the slot . A cross bar k forms a rigid connection between
the sliding bark and a sliding rod d' which works in guide pieces d³ ³. At d' the
claw d is hinged for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The claws & being thus
connected to the sliding rod d' derive their intermittent longitudinal motion therefrom.
On a pin m adjustable in the slot m¹ in the lever D is pivoted a link m² which is
hinged at m³ to a rack m sliding in suitable guides. Gearing into the rack m¹ is a
pinion indicated by dotted lines at m³ and secured to a rocking shaft m from which
all the motions for working the grippers and the scissors are derived. n is a
carriage working on V slides and caused to slide backwards and forwards on the main
framework by the oscillations of the crank n' on the rocking shaft m®. A link n'
connects the crank to the carriage n. Secured to the carriage n is a plate n³ in
which is pivoted the toothed wheels n' and a gearing into each other. The toothed
wheels n also gear into the rack o and as they travel along the rack they rotate
and impart their rotary motion to the grippers a. The rack o has also a sliding
motion quite independent of the carriage n. The rack o has a bent tail rod o³
carrying a roller of which is caused to bear against a cam o' on the rocking shaft me
by means of a spiral spring of bearing against a collar on the tail rod o³ and a block
on the main framework . The movements of the cam o impart the requisite
reciprocating motion to the rack o which is provided with a guide plate o' working
between guide pieces o².
The cutting device 6 consists of a pair of scissors the bottom member of which is
fixed. The upper member acts as a bell crank lever pivoted to the lower member
at 6' and operated by a pin working in a slot . The said pin is attached to the
underside of the rack o.
The movements of the rack and the carriage n are so timed that for a short
distance at the beginning of the forward stroke they move simultaneously and
consequently the grippers are not rotated but simply close on the weft thread. A
further slight forward motion of the rack o causes the scissors to close and cut the
thread. The forward movement of the rack then rcases while the carriage continues
to advance carrying the toothed wheels n' along the rack and operating the grippers
in the manner already described. The carriage n next recedes and brings back the
grippers to the position they occupied when the scissors closed. From this point

page_text: both the carriage n and the rack o recede together and the scissors are opened and
the backs of the grippers coming into contact with the block f the points of the
grippers open as before mentioned.
A lever d Fig. 2 is pivoted at d and is provided with slots at the bottom end
through which the claws d pass so that when the upper half of the lever is drawn
backwards or forwards the claws d (hinged at d) will be raised or lowered. The
object of raising the claws is to enable them to take up any slack there may be in
the weft thread and by varying the lift of the claws the length of the weft thread
they will draw in may be regulated within certain limits and thus the length of the
cut ends to be turned in may be determined irrespectively of the distance apart of
the warp threads. For the purpose of actuating the lever d³ a dog leg bolt p is
provided to one end of which the upper half of the lever do is secured by a pin. A
spiral spring p¹ is mounted on the bolt p in such a manner that its resilience
will always cause the bolt to assume the position shown in Fig. 2 when the bolt
is not pushed forwards. For regulating the position of the bolt p a bell crank
lever pis provided having it fulcrum at p' in a block in the plate n³. A spiral
spring p² tends continually to press upwards the arm of the lever p². At the other
end of the bell crank lever is a catch p' which during the forward motion of the
carriage n presses against the back end of the bolt p and pushes it forwards. On
the rocking shaft me is another camp having a projection which at the proper
moment presses on the lever p³ and overcoming the resistance of the spring p³ lifts
the catch p clear of the bolt p which is then shot back by the action of the spiral
spring p¹. By setting the camp on the rocking shaft m³ the lifting and the lowering
of the claws can be arranged to take place just as required and generally
I may remark that the proper timing of the different motions must be effected by
carefully setting the cams at suitable relative angles to each other. As is well
understood the traverse of the principal sliding parts can be readily regulated by
means of the slots in the lever D and the precise shapes and proportions of the
different parts may be varied almost infinitely to suit special cases.
The means I have indicated for operating the grippers, claws and cutting devices
are only to be considered as an example of the method I prefer to use for weaving
two pieces of calico side by side and I do not in any way limit myself to the
specific devices shown for carrying into practical effect the essential features of my
invention.
Although I have hereinbefore referred to my invention in its application to the
simultaneous weaving of two pieces only it is to be understood that its applicability
is in no wise confined to this number of pieces since by providing two or more
intervals between the warp threads and by using two or more sets of grippers and
cutting appliances it is possible to weave three or more independent pieces simul-
taneously.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1. The process of producing selvedges of the kind shown in Fig. 1 by leaving an
interval between the warp threads, by outting the weft which crosses the said
interval when weaving, and by doubling the ent ends of weft back and between the
warp threads substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
2. 1. For putting into practice the process referred to in Claim No. 1 herein-
before described the use combination and arrangement of gripping and cutting
devices for seizing severing and doubling back the cut ends of weft substantially

page_text: before described the combination of a rack and pinions for rotating the grippers
substantially as herein before described and shown.
54. The use of grippers constructed and operating substantially as and for the
purpose herein before set forth.
6. 5. The cutting device for severing the weft actuated and operating sub-
stantially as herein before described and shown.
Dated this 21st day of February 1891.
EDWARD TURNER WHITELOW,
70, Deansgate, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.