IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING GAUZE FABRICS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Baird, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Manager to Messieurs John Brown and Son, Power-loom
Manufacturers, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
GAUZE FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Baird at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th December 1881.
JAMES BAIRD, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Manager to
Messieurs John Brown and Son, Power Loom Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING CAUZE FABRICS."
The Invention relates to machinery for weaving gauze fabrics both plain and
figured, and consists in producing the crossing of the warp threads characteristic of
gauze by means of a reed-heddle to which sideway motion is communicated; also
in the arrangement and combination of parts constituting the mechanism by which
such fabrics are produced.
The reed-heddle used is of the kind commonly in use for gauze weaving and
known as the "gauze-reed," and is similar to the double,slay or comb described in
and marked "p" in the Drawings annexed to the Specification filed in pursuanco
of the conditions of the Letters Patent granted to James Broadley, as of 17th May
1862, No. 1501. As hitherto each alternate warp thread passes through the eye
in the short split of the gauze reed, while the other warp threads pass through the
open spaces formed by the long splits.
In weaving gauze the up and down motion of the warp required for forming
the ground shed may be conveyed either (a) wholly to the warp, threads passing
through the eyes of the short splits by means of the gauze-reed; (b) wholly to the
other warp threads by means of a short reed, or comb, or equivalent; in the case
of figured gauze by means of the jacquard harness; or (c) partly to each set of
warp threads by the above respective means, but I do not claim as novel any of the
above modes of producing the up and down motion. Instead however of the

page_text: crossing required for producing gauze being effected as hitherto by the warp
threads which pass through, the open spaces of the gauze reed being moved side-
ways by means of a second reed placed behind the gauze reed, or other means in
use for that purpose, the warp threads which pass through the eyes of the short
splits are moved sideways so as to be drawn across the other warp threads, and
the second reed or other means aforesaid is dispensed with. In order to effect this
the gauze-reed has in addition to any up and down motion which it may have a
sideway motion alternately from right to left, and vice versa, of sufficient range to
effect the crossing.
In weaving figured gauze the shed required for the figuring weft is produced by
the usual jacquard apparatus operating by means of harness on the warp threads
which pass through the open spaces of the gauze-reed, and the mechanism is so
arranged that the gauze-reed will move sideways at a time when the whole of these
warp threads are clear of the short splits, and thus draw the other warp threads
across them.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Baird in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th June
1882.
JAMES BAIRD, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Manager to
Messieurs John Brown and Son, Power Loom Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING GAUZE FABRICS."
My said Invention relates to machinery for weaving figured gauze fabrics, and
consists in producing the crossing of the warp threads characteristic of gauze
weaving by means of a reed-heddle to which sideway motion is communicated;
also in the arrangement and combination of parts constituting the mechanism by
which such fabrics are produced.
The reed-heddle used is of the kind commonly in use for gauze weaving and
known as the "gauze-reed," and is similar to the double slay or comb described in
and marked p in the Drawings annexed to the Specification filed in pursuance
of the conditions of the Letters Patent granted to James Broadley, as of 17th May,
A.D. 1862, No. 1501. As hitherto each alternate warp thread passes through the
eye in the short split of the gauze-reed while the other warp threads pass through
the open spaces formed by the long splits.
In weaving gauze the up and down motion of the warp required for forming the
ground shed may be conveyed either (a) wholly to the warp threads passing
through the eyes of the short splits by means of the gauze-reed; (b) wholly to the
other warp threads by means of a short-reed, or comb, or equivalent; in the case
of figured gauze by means of the jacquard harness; or (c) partly to each set of
warp threads by the above respective means; but I do not claim as novel any of
the above modes of producing the up and down motion.
Instead however of the crossing required for producing gauze being effected as
hitherto by the warp threads which pass through the open spaces of the gauze-reed
being moved sideways by means of a second reed placed behind the gauze-reed, or
other means in use for that purpose, the warp threads which pass through the eyes
of the short splits are moved sideways, so as to be drawn across the other warp
threads, and the second reed or other means aforesaid is dispensed with. In
order to effect this the gauze-reed has in addition to any up and down motion
which it may have a sideway motion alternately from right to left, and vice versa,
of sufficient range to effect the crossing.
In weaving figured gauze the shed required for the figuring weft is produced by
the usual jacquard apparatus operating by means of harness on the warp threads
which pass through the open spaces of the gauze-reed, and the mechanism is
so arranged that the gauze-reed will move sideways at a time when the whole of
theso warp threads are clear of the short splits, and thus draw the other warp
threads across them.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to
the annexed Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
Figure 1 represents a part elevation of those portions of a loom fitted with the
improvement constituting my present Invention; Figure 2 represents a transverse
view partly in section and partly in elevation of the same taken on a line at right
angles to Figure 1; and Figure 3 represents an end elevation partly in section of
the same, showing more fully the framing and construction of the loom.

page_text: According to my present Invention the reed-heddle A, as shewn, is suspended
by the connecting links B, B, these connecting links being secured at their upper
extremities to the slotted levers C, C, fixed to the rocking shaft D, which is actuated
in the usual manner, viz., by a cam motion from the end of the loom, the cam
being fitted either on the shaft E or upon a second motion shaft and depressing in
its rotation a lever not shewn in the Drawings (being well understood) connected
-by a link up to another lever fitted to the rocking shaft D, produces the necessary
upward and downward movement of the reed-heddle A.
The connecting links B, B, are fitted loosely within their sockets F, F, so as to
allow them sufficient play for the sideway motion of the reed-heddle A. These
links are supported within the sockets F, F, by the pins G, G. To give the reed-
heddle A the necessary sideway motion I fit a cam G' upon the shaft E, which
actuates a lever H fitted with antifriction rollers I, 1, the lever H being fixed to
the vertical shaft J, working in and carried by bearings K, K. To the top of the
shaft J is fitted the slotted lever L, in the slot of which the eye-bolt M works from
which connection is made by the links N, N, to the reed-heddle A. The guides
O, O, are slotted out to allow of sufficient play between them and the guide-
rods P¹, P¹.
The sideway motion is imparted to the reed-heddle A through the cam G',
lever H, vertical shaft J, lever L, eye-bolt M, and links N, N, which are properly
stayed by the brackets P, P, fitted with the eye-bolts Q, Q, with which the
requisite degree of tension may be given to the links N, N, and eye-bolts M.
The jacquard harness used in making figured gauze is of the ordinary_description
and is shewn in Figures 2 and 3; Q₁ being the harness yarn, and R the hole-
board.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may
be carried into practice, I desire to observe in conclusion that I do not limit myself
to the precise details of mechanism for imparting the sideway movement to the
said heddle A, as it may be varied without departing from the essential features of
my Invention; but what I do consider as novel and original, and therefore claim
as secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,
Producing the crossing of the warp threads in figured gauze fabrics by imparting
a sideway motion to the reed-heddle by the means or mechanisın herein before
described or by the mechanical equivalents thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Baird, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Third day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two.
JAMES BAIRD. (L.S.)