IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAIDING OR PLATTING MACHINES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAIDING OR
PLATTING MACHINES."-A communication from abroad by James
Douglas Butler, of Lancaster, Massachusetts, United States of
America. Engineer.
Sealed the 9th October 1869, and dated the 25th August 1869.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 25th August 1869, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, South-
ampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BRAIDING OR PLATTING MACHINES," and have petitioned Her Majesty
to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal
Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that
A.

page_text: Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 are drawn to a scale one half as large as the
others. C, Figures 1 and 3, designates a grooved pulley which is fitted
to turn loosely upon a shaft D in the direction indicated by the red
arrows. This shaft D has its bearings at D', D", and it is the main
driving shaft of the machine, a rotary motion being imparted to the said
shaft by engaging with it the pulley C. This engagment is accomplished
through a collar E and clutch F. The collar E is fast upon the shaft,
while the clutch F is loose, having a sliding as well as a rotating move-
ment upon it. As represented in the Drawing the clutch has engaged
the collar E and pulley C by being raised so that its horns F¹, F¹, bear
each on the one side against the wings C₁, C', of the pulley, and on the
other against the arms E', E', of the collar. When the horns on the
clutch have fallen away from contact with the wings of the pulley the
engagement of the pulley with the shaft is broken and the machine
stops. The bringing up again of the clutch starts the machine. The
hub is supported upon the starting handle G, which is represented as
sliding upon the shaft D at G' and G", the groove I' in which it also
runs serving to keep it from turning about the shaft. The advantages
in the use of a sliding starting handle instead of a lever consists in its
compactness and simplicity. The handle might however be guided in
any other way than upon the shaft D. When the handle is raised in
starting the machine a bar H slides so as to bring a projection H' on
it under a spur G on the handle. To allow the starting handle to fall
and the machine to stop it is only necessary to push the bar H to the
right by the handle H" a sufficient distance to move the projection H'
out from under the spur G". The handle is kept from falling too far
by the main part of the bar H upon which the spur G" strikes when it
falls from the projection H'. The bar H is supported in the posts. I and
the bracket J' of the standard J as shewn in the Drawing. The
shoulders on the bar H by striking against the posts I limit the motion
of the bar in the one direction, and the projection H' striking against
the bracket J' in the other. The spring J" tends to move the projection
H under the spur G", and to keep the bar against the posts. The
toothed wheel K is fast upon the shaft D, and of course turns with it.
The said wheel K is connected with the gearing K¹, K", K, K*, K³, K',
and gives motion to these wheels, which turn loosely upon the studs
K', K³, K³, K', K, K, as shewn clearly in Figure 2. In the toothed
wheels there are slots L which serve to drive the travellers around in
their tracks N, N', the stems of the travellers being caught by and
2

page_text: carried in these slots as the wheels turn. It is not necessary to point
out the order in which the travellers follow each other, or the direction
which they take in the tracks N, N¹, there being no novelty in these
general features; M*, Figures 5 and 6, is the stem of a traveller, in the
slot L of the wheel K; M is the upper part of the foot of the tra-
vellers so shaped as to run in the groove N', N¹; M³, is the lower part
of the traveller foot and bears on its under side upon the bed plate P
of the machine, and on its upper side against the guide plates 0, 0¹¹¹, 07.
This part M³ being held between the plates the traveller is kept in an
upright position as it moves. The said guide plates are attached to the
bed plate P by bolts passing through each of them, and it and the
bed and guide plates are kept the proper distance apart by collars
between the plates. For the guide plates O the bolts are those marked
R', R2, R3, R, R, Figure 2. The lower end of the standard R also
serves the same purpose. The bolt R³ also passes through the piece
marked O, Figures 1 and 2, which piece may be taken off when the bolt
is unscrewed, leaving an opening through which the travellers may be
taken out of or put into the machine. The collars to keep the guide
plate O the proper distance from the bed plate P are represented at Q,
Figure 5. For the plates O the gear studs serve as bolts and the
collars Q³ to keep them the proper distance from the bed
the guide plate O' the bolt K' and the collar Q' are used.
between the bed plate and each of the guide plates bolted to it being
of the same length make a space of uniform width all around for the
lower part M of the traveller feet. The form of the traveller foot and
stem M³, M³, M*, is not new, and the guide and bed plates while modified
in details of construction, are in general like such as have been hereto-
fore used. In connection with them however there has never yet
been a convenient arrangement for driving the travellers around the
machine. But the slotted toothed wheels supply what is needed; such
wheels might be useful with other forms of travellers, but are especially
of consequence in combination with those in which the stem M*, or its
equivalent, against which the wheels act is between the bearing foot
M2, M3, and the main part of the traveller. The removal of the teeth
of the wheels in making the slots has a tendency to impair somewhat a
the smooth running of the said wheels. To relieve this difficulty two
rows of teeth are to be made on each wheel, the one above the other, and
with the teeth in one row opposite the spaces in the other. Toothed
wheels with a single row of teeth however may answer, especially if the
plate P. For
These collars

page_text: teeth be set spirally. An open space is left between the two rows, in
order that with the rough workmanship which is allowable for such
machinery, there may be no interference of each row with the working
of the other as they act upon the adjoining wheels.
In Figure 6, 1 shows the upper row of teeth, the space between
them, and the lower row. The modified form shewn in Figure 7
consists of the gear S (which is of the ordinary style, having teeth all
around) and the driving plate S₁ both attached to the same stud Su
turning in the tube S, this tube also serving as a bolt to fasten the
plates together, as clearly shewn in said Figure 7. The braided cord
passes over the take-up roll T, Figures 1, 2, and 4, and is held between
it and the binder roll T', this binder roll being pressed against said
take-up roll by the thumb nut T acting through the rubber spring
T upon the frame T in which the binder roll has its bearings. The
roll T is part of the binder roll T' and bears against the roll To which is
part of the take-up roll T. Therefore as T is turned T¹ is turned through
the action as friction wheels of T and T. It is found that the binder
roll T will not be turned by the take-up roll T directly, inasmuch as
the cord between them will slip upon one or the other. Between the
friction gears T and T however there is nothing to interfere with the
action as explained. The frame T is supported at two points only,
namely, T and U, and may therefore rock about the line connecting
these points, so adjusting itself that the pressure of the roll T upon the
roll T shall be proportionate to the pressure of the binder roll T¹ upon
the cord and through it upon the take-up roll T, whatever the size of
the cord may be. It is now quite customary to have toothed wheels
between the two rolls corresponding to the friction gears T and T.
The worm wheel V is part of the same piece with the rolls T, T³. It
is moved by the worm V' upon the same shaft as the ratchet wheel V"
acted upon by the eccentrics rods W, W", which catch upon the
ratchet by means of pins in their ends. These two rods being alike it
is sufficient to refer to one of them as W. At the end of this rod is a
hub in which the pin Wu slides loosely, being kept against the ratchet
teeth by a spring W bearing against its upper end. Near the hub is
a projection We which being underneath the rim V keeps the rod
from lifting. The rod is kept from falling by the ratchet wheel upon
which it slides. Outside of the ratchet wheel is a stationary rim. X',
which is shaped to a curve concentric with the wheel. In the space

page_text: between this rim and the wheel runs the spur W projecting from the
hub on the rod, thus guiding the end of the rod and keeping the pin
upon the ratchet. As the rod reciprocates the wheel will be moved
from right to left. The rod W" has the same motion with W¹ being
moved by the same eccentric Y, and as it acts on the opposite side of
the wheel, the one gives motion to the wheel while the other is sliding
back over the ratchet teeth, so that in every stroke either to the right
or to the left, one or the other rod is acting upon the wheel and through
the worm and worm wheel upon the take-up roll. The ring Y acting
as an eccentric is held between the two plates Y¹ and Y" on the shaft
D. The plate Y' rests upon a shoulder on the shaft as shown, and the
plate Y is pressed upon the upper side of the ring pinching it between
itself and Y by screwing down upon it the crank handle Y. This
handle also serves for turning the machine by hand; Y³ is a check nut
for the said crank handle Y. When Y₁ is unscrewed the eccentric
may be slid between Y¹ and Y", and so set as to give any required
stroke. When set it may be fastened by again screwing down Y2 upon
Y as explained. It will be seen that the eccentric must have a hole
larger than the shaft D since it could not be slipped between the plates
to vary the stroke. As the eccentric has a greater or less stroke the
ratchet wheel and take-up roll will be moved a greater or less extent,
thus giving a more or less rapid rate of taking up the cord. The take-
up is therefore adjustable by simply changing the stroke of the eccen-
tric as explained. Of course the take-up will be intermittent in its
action, the points of rest being at the dead points of the crank in the
eccentric motion.
To work with theoretical perfection a regular movement for the take-
up is required, and such has been attempted in the machines heretofore
used. It is found, however, that practically the variation from a regular
movement in the intermittent action described is of no account, while
there are very obvious advantages connected with the plan, consisting in
convenience of construction, and the ease with which the rate of taking-
up is varied because of the greater facility with which in general the
extent of reciprocating as compared with the rate of rotating motion is
changed. Of course there is an opportunity to vary considerably the
details, and yet have what is in all essential points substantially such a
mechanism as herein-before described. For example, the connection
between the wheel and rods instead of being by a ratchet and pins,
might be by a friction clamp, or the rods might be moved in any other

page_text: way than by an eccentric, or one rod only might be used. The important
feature is the connection of a reciprocating part with the take-up roll in
the general manner indicated. In some kinds of braiding it is customary
to use a guide for the cord, which shall be set just above the braiding
point. This point varies with the different sizes of cord made, and con-
sequently the guide should be adjustable. The particular arrangement
here used is shown at Z, Z, Z". The part Z has a jaw, the inside of
which bears upon the standard R, and the inner end of which has pro-
jecting lugs between which Z' fits loosely; Z' bears upon the other side
of R. These two pieces are drawn together by the thumb screw Z" which
passes through Z and is tapped into Z. As Z and Z' are thus brought
together they pinch the standard R between them, and so hold upon it.
In the end of Z' is a hole Z through which the cord passes. The hole
in Z for the thumb screw being slotted in the direction of the length of
the bar allows Z' to be moved in this direction, the point Z being thus
brought nearer to or carried further from R as may be required. The
guide may also be slipped in the direction of the length of the standard R,
or turned about it as an axis. An opportunity is thus given for adjust-
ment in any direction. The tightening of the thumb screw fastens the
whole as the same may be set. This combination of the two pieces
bearing on opposite sides of the standard and the thumb screw makes
a very convenient arrangement. The travellers M and M' are alike,
except that they are right and left, the one running in the one track
around the machine, and the other in the other. Of the travellers
not shown, those running in the track with M are like it, and those
with M' like it. In explaining the construction of the travellers it will
be sufficient to refer to only one of them, as M', Figures 1 and 8. The
red lines show the thread as wound upon the spool, and running from it
through the hole a in the upright part of the traveller, from a through
the hook 6 on the weight d sliding upon the rod p, from 6 through the
hole c in the top of the traveller, and from c to the braiding point near
the point Z, Figure 1. The weight d corresponds to one used on all
braiding machines to take up the slack of the thread when the traveller
in following its track comes nearer the centre of the machine, thus
lesscuing the distance from c to Z. The weight of a regulates the
tension of the thread. The spool turns upon the loose spindle g which
passes through the ears f and e and rests upon the projection h. The
spool is supported upon f. The delivery of the thread from the spool is
regulated through the notches n, n, on the spool and the catch m.
This

page_text: catch slides upon the rod p and by its own weight and the action of the
spiral spring q is kept caught upon the notches n, preventing the turning
of the spool. When, however, in the running of the machine the supply
of thread becomes insufficient, the. weight d will be lifted against the
catch and raise it from the notches, allowing the spool to turn and
deliver the thread needed. It may be thought that the weight of m is
sufficient to keep it caught, so that the spring q will not be needed.
When the thread breaks the weight d drops upon the ear r, and as the
traveller passes the bar H the weight strikes against this bar crowding
it back, thus stopping the machine in the manner already explained.
The use of the distinct slide rod p is a feature of considerable im-
portance.
Heretofore it has been customary to have the tension weight slide
upon the upright part of the traveller proper, or in a hollow spindle of
the spool. The latter form is inconvenient, and with the other it has
been found necessary to have the upright part upon which the weight
slides of considerable size as it has had to guide the thread from its
upper end at a point corresponding with c, and at another corresponding
with a.
It has been inconvenient to finish this upright, and so the
weight has had to slide upon a rough surface; besides this the weight
has been clumsy and of undesirable shape, it having been necessary to
adapt it to the slide. The slide rod p separate from the upright part of
the traveller proper, and from the spool spindle which I use, passes
through the ears of the traveller, and is screwed into r.
It also passes
through getting no bearing upon it, however. Being supported at
both ends and having nothing to do but to guide the weight and catch
it may be quite small, and if desired of wire as represented, which is
smooth and well adapted for a slide. With this arrangement the weight
can be made of convenient form. The style represented consists of a
tube loosely enclosing the wire, with a bulb cast upon its lower end, and
a steel wire hook upon its side for the thread. Now the details of these
parts may be considerably varied, but I consider it essential to the best
arrangement that there be used a slide rod for the weight separate from
the upright part of the traveller proper, and from the spool spindle. It
is believed that the advantages arising from the use of such a rod from
the nature of the case have been set forth with sufficient clearness. And
it is not intended to confine the Invention to the use of this distinct
slide rod in connection with any particular form of traveller, since it has

page_text: advantages which are independent of exact details. It may be thought
in some cases sufficient to support the slide rod at one end, but in
general it will be better to hold it at both ends, as described. It has
been explained that the delivery of the thread from the spool is accom-
plished through the lifting of the catch m by the tension weight d.
Considerable difficulty, however, has been experienced in this direction
arising from the fact that in the rapid running of the machine the
weight would, because of the momentum it had acquired, continue to
rise after the thread had ceased to draw, and striking upon the catch let
off thread from the spool when it was not needed, and could not be taken
care of. Now to meet this most serious difficulty an arrangement is
shown in which the tension of the thread directly controls the action of
the weight upon the catch independently of the momentum of the
weight. The particular form which is preferred will be understood by a
reference to Figure 8. The hook 6 being on one side of the weight
the latter hangs at an angle, tending to bear at the upper end of the
tube on the side adjoining the hook, and at the lower on the side
opposite the hook. It will be seen that between the end of the ear w
which is fast to the traveller proper and the rod p there is a space a
little more than the thickness of the tube. If then the tube is bearing
against the rod on the side adjoining the ear it will pass by the latter
and strike upon the catch, letting off the thread. Now it has just been
explained that when the thread draws it will keep the top of the weight
tube against the rod on the side adjoining the hook which is the one
adjoining the car; it is therefore plain that the weight tube will, when
drawn by the thread, pass by the ear without touching it, and acting
upon the catch will let off the thread as may be desired; if however
the thread ceases to draw before the weight tube has reached the ear
there will no longer be a tendency to keep the tube against the rod on
the side next the ear, so that it shall pass by the latter, and in general
it will strike against the ear instead of passing it, and acting upon the
catch. In order to prevent the tube from passing the ear by accident
when it is carried by its momentum a projection x is made upon the
traveller, against which one side of the weight will strike with sufficient
force to make a very decided movement of the upper end of the tube
against the outside of the rod and under the ear. The projection x must
be so small that the weight can pass along by the side of it as it slides
upon the rod.
Figures 9, 10, and 11 show modified forms of mechanism for con-

page_text: trolling the action of the tension weight upon the spool catch. I
Figure 9 the thread is shown as passing through the wire hook 6. Thi
hook instead of being fast upon the weight swings in an ear d¹ upo
it; bu is the other end of the wire. The projection on the weigh
limits the motion of the hook upon the weight in the one direction
When the thread draws upon the hook 6' in lifting the weight, the end b
of the wire is thrown out, so that it will strike against the projecting
part m of the spool catch, and lift the catch, letting off the thread
when, however, the thread ceases to draw upon b', the end will
swing against the side of the weight, and pass m¹ without touching it.
In Figure 10, the hook 6, through which the thread passes, is fast to the
weight. A wire 6, 65, swings in the ear d³ on the weight. One end b
of this wire bears against the thread, as shown, and the other end b
serves the same purpose as 6" in Figure 9. When the thread becomes
slack, through the jumping of the weight, b' being unsupported falls,
swinging clear of the spool catch. In Figure 11 the piece 7, 6,
swings upon a pin 68 on the traveller; 67 bears against the thread, as
shown; 6° serves as a weight to keep 6' against the thread. If the
thread becomes slack swings so as to catch upon m", and thus
prevent the lifting of the catch, even though the weight jump against it.
Another form would be to have the spool catch guided laterally by
the thread, so as to be carried in or out of line with the tension weight,
or under a shoulder, which would keep it from lifting. These different
forms of the arrangement for controlling the action of the tension
weight and spool catch are only specimens of the great variety of shapes
which the Invention may take. They are, perhaps, sufficient to call
attention to the comprehensiveness of the said Invention, which includes
regulating the horizontal movement of either the tension weight or the
spool catch, or a latch or spur, acting upon either, by the tension of
the thread, to prevent the moving of the catch by the weight, when the
thread has ceased to draw, substantially in the manner and for the pur-
pose set forth. It is evident that this part of the Invention may be
applied to travellers of the general form heretofore used.
The modification of this Invention, illustrated by Figures 12 to 26
inclusive, will now be described, and to facilitate reference to the several
parts the alphabet will be again commenced, the letters used of course
having special reference to the Figures on Sheets 2 and 3.

page_text: Figure 12 is a top view of a machine for braiding or platting, which
embodies modifications of this Invention; Figure 13 is a front view
thereof; Figures 14, 15, and 16 are different views of one of the
travellers; Figure 17 is a view of the upper part of one of the travellers
of a different form; Figure 18 is an elevation, partly in section, of a
modified form of the drivers, travellers, and other parts; Figures 19 and 1
20 are two elevations of a modified form of the travellers, tension
weights, and other parts; Figures 21, 22, and 23 represent by an
elevation and two horizontal sections, the modified form of the drivers;
Figure 24 is an elevation of a modified form of the travellers, tension
weights, and other parts; Figure 25 is a side elevation of a modified
form of the travellers, tension weights, and other parts; and Figure 26
is an edge elevation of the lower part of the device shown in Figure 25.
Of these Figures 12 and 13 are drawn to a smaller scale than that of the
others. In Figures 12 and 13 the travellers are shown without the
spool, spool catch, tension weight, these being distinctly represented in
Figures 14, 15, and 16.
In Figures 12 and 13, A designates the bed plate; B, the lower table;
C, the outer part of the upper table; and C₁ the inner part of the upper
table. The connection between A and B is by posts F, F, F, and the
lower part of a post G; between A and C the connection is made by
standards E, E¹, and post G. The inner part C₁ of the upper table
is supported from B by the upright C". Fastened to A are the studs
D, D', D", D, upon which the drivers turn. The driver on the stud D
is H, H', H", with the toothed wheel H attached. In the driver plates
are slots which hold the necks a, a', of the travellers. The toothed
wheel H is fast upon the shaft H', which turns in the bearing A' and
A3; when H is turned therefore the drivers are turned through the
gearing H, H, H. The bottom ends of the travellers are shaped to
run in the tracks 6 and 6', and have each a flange which bears upon the
upper surface of B, thus supporting the weight of the travellers. The
tracks would cut the plate B into separate pieces were it not that
the ribs hold them together. It would answer, if preferred, to cut
the tracks only part way through the plate and dispense with the ribs b*.
The upper ends of the travellers are guided by the upper table C, C'.
Of course the edges of the plates against which the travellers bear keep
them from getting out of their course on the one side; to keep them
against these edges, however, some special provision is needed, and this

page_text: is supplied by having the traveller tops hooked to catch upon the
flanges c, c, c, c, or c¹, c, c', c¹, on the plates C, C'. Half of the travellers
run in the track b, b, b, b, and the others in b¹, 61, 61, 61; those which
like the traveller I run in 6', 61, 6, 6, are hooked to catch upon the
ribs c', c¹, c', c¹, on the under side of the plates C, C¹; those which like
J run in b, b, b, b, are hooked to catch upon the ribs c, c, c, c, which are
on the upper sides of Cand C¹. The particular form I have given to the
hooked traveller tops and to the flanges on the plates may be made more
plain by a reference to Figures 14, 15, 16, and 17. In Figures 15 and
17 the plates are shown shaded as in cross section. The shape given is
apparent from the Drawing in connection with the explanation already
given. The rib c under and opposite to is for the flange J" on the
traveller to bear against to keep the travellers from lifting. It is not
absolutely needed. It will answer, and in some cases may be preferred,
to have all the travellers catch upon ribs on the same side of the upper
tables like I' upon ribs c¹ on the under side; or like J' upon ribs c on
the upper side. The traveller top must be long enough to reach from
the outer part C to the inner part C of the table, so that in running
it may catch upon the one before it leaves the other. With the
travellers as shown in Figures 14 and 15, the spool, the tension weight,
and other parts, are between the necks a, a¹, against which the edges
of the slots h in the upper and lower driver plates H", H', respectively
bear. It will answer however to have these parts above the upper table,
as in the arrangement shown in Figure 18.
In Figure 18 there is also shown a modified form of the driver
H', h, h, H, such as allows the abandonment of the bed plate A,
Figures 12 and 13, and in general a simpler construction, the lower
table B serving as bed plate as well as table. The studs D are fastened
to B, as may also be the standards E, E', and the post G. Instead of
the wheel H and the driver plate H", there may be used the wheel
H³, with the slots h in it. This gear has a double row of teeth; /*
representing the upper, and the lower row; the space between them
is represented at 73. The teeth in the one row come opposite the spaces
in the other; it would answer to have only one row of teeth in some
cases. The sleeve h, h, turns upon the stud D, and H' and H are
fastened to it firmly, and turn with it; this sleeve may be a piece of the
brass tubing which has now become an article of regular manufacture,
and which it may be more convenient to use than to make a sleeve
especially for the place.

page_text: Another form of the driver is shewn in Figures 21, 22, and 23, the former
being an elevation and the others sections across 1, 2. These Figures
need but little explanation; the teeth in the one wheel may be set to
come opposite to the spaces in the other, as seen in a line parallel with
the axis of the driver, as represented; or the teeth in the two may be in
the same line parallel with the axis. The flanges H' are to give the
proper shape to the edges of the slots which bear against the traveller's
neck. The details of the traveller and its accompanying parts will be
understood from Figures 14, 15, and 16. The spool K is held in place
by the spindle K¹. The upper end of this spindle is forked to fit around
the part J of the traveller, and its lower end is supported on the
horn J. It may be taken out by being raised and having its lower end
swung over the horn. The piece L, L', L", guided upon the rod o
at L' and L", catches upon the pins k, k, on the spool to keep the latter
from turning freely. The end of the catch L is guided between the
body of the traveller and the hook L". The rod O is supported by the
ears M, M¹. The tension weight P as well as the catch L already
referred to slides upon this rod. In one side of P there is a groove P¹
in which runs the wire Q, Q, Q", and the edge of the rib R. The
shoulder or wing R¹ limits the upward movement of the weight. The wire
Q', Q, Q, serves as a sort of hook around which the thread runs.
this wire is hooked under the weight the latter may be raised by it.
The thread is easily traced in the Drawing running from the spool.
through the hole S, from the hole S round Q', Q, Q", and thence through
the holes S³, 8". As the traveller runs in its track around the machine,
approaching to or receding from the braiding point, the thread draws
and slackens alternately, first raising Q, Q, Q", and through it P, and
then allowing them to fall. When more thread is needed in the running
of the machine the end Q' of the wire is lifted against the car L" of the
spool catch, and raising the catch from a pin k allows the spool to turn
and let off the thread required. The shoulder R' is so placed as to stop
the weight and prevent it striking the spool catch. Heretofore it has
been customary to have the catch raised by the striking of the weight
against it. To this however there has been the very serious objection
that in any attempt at rapid running of the machine the uncontrolled
momentum of the weight when suddenly raised has carried the weight
against the catch so as to lift the latter and let off thread from the spool
when no more was needed or could be taken care of, the effect of which
is to make the thread so slack that good braid will not be made. This
As

page_text: defect has very narrowly limited the speed of braiding machines. Now
inasmuch, as in this improved arrangement the wire Q', Q, Q", slides
freely in the groove P' of the weight (so that the end Q may drop down
upon the weight), and the weight itself cannot touch the catch or push
the wire against it, the letting off of the thread is altogether beyond the
reach of any disturbing influence from the jumping of the weight. The
momentum of the wire which acts upon the catch is of no practical
account because the wire may from the nature of the case be very light.
But the weight must be heavy enough to give the proper tension to the
thread, and with the action of the weight drawing upon the thread this
improved plan in no way interferes, the modification it introduces being
only in connection with the jumping of the weight. The part of this
Invention by which the thread can act upon the spool catch while the
weight cannot has been found in practice to be of great importance.
Figures 18, 19, 20, and 24 give modified forms of the part of this In-
vention having reference to the action of the thread upon the spool
catch. The traveller in Figure 18 is in general so similar to a kind now
in common use that it is sufficient here to explain the modifications
which have been introduced. Heretofore the wire hook T", T³, has been
fast to the weight T, T, so that it was virtually a part of it, in which
case the catch T would be raised by the striking against it of what was
virtually the tension weight. The wire hook T, Ts, is given a sliding
motion in the weight, and while the end T3 is hooked so that it cannot
draw out of the weight it may yet slide down upon the weight until T
is in contact with the top of the weight. The pin T which is fastened
to the weight runs in a groove h', h, in the tube ³, ³. Heretofore this
pin has been so set that the weight could rise high enough to lift the
catch Ts out of the notch in the spool. Here the pin is set so that the
weight cannot act upon the catch. The shoulder at ' corresponds with
the shoulder R¹ in Figures 14, 15, and 16. The sliding of T, Ts, in the
weight is like the sliding of Q', Q, Q", in its weight. In Figures 19
and 20 the tension weight is represented by U, U, u, u¹, and the spool
catch by U, U¹, U, both free to slide upon the uprights U2, U*. In
this form of the Invention it will be seen there is no wire hook corres-
ponding to Q, Q, Q", the thread taking hold directly of the weight and
acting directly upon the catch. It will be seen by reference to Figures 19
and 20 that the thread runs from the spool through the hole u", then
over the corner of the weight at u, then across the hole ut, then through

page_text: the hole ', and then through a to the braiding point. The hole U* is
so large that it will slide right over the part U of the catch without
raising it. But while the thread is drawing it is stretched across the
hole from u to u', so that it will, when it has lifted the weight sufficiently,
strike against the end U and raise the catch out of the notch in the
spool. If the thread is slack, as it will be when the weight jumps, it will
not be stretched across the hole U', and the catch will not be raised.
The weight is prevented from striking the catch by the screw u³ in the
upright. The spool is represented as above the upper tables as in the
form shown in Figure 18.
In Figure 24 the wire W, W", W, W, W, which is raised directly
by the thread runs in the notches X of the spool and serves as the
catch. It allows the spool to turn when the corner W" is raised above
X. The wire is guided by being wound around W', W', at W*, W, and
having its end Ws run in the groove W2, W. The weight W is
supported upon the wire as shown. The piece W³, w, w, is fastened to
W, W, by the set screw w". The thread runs from the spool, first
through us, then through W, and then through wo¹ to the braiding point,
the space between the top of W and the part W* of the catch being so
great as to allow considerable jumping of the weight without its striking
the catch; a stop is not shown on the slide to limit the upward move-
ment of the weight, though such stop is desirable not only for the
protection of the catch but because the weight in rebounding from it
will the sooner fall back to its place to act in keeping the thread at its
proper tension. In some cases it may be desired to arrange the
mechanism with a spool catch having a horizontal movement out of the
notches of the spool. These several tension weight and spool catch
arrangements are varied in detail and yet are but specimens of the
different shapes which this Invention may take, and they might be
multiplied almost without limit, but it is thought that enough variety
in its forms of application has been shown to make clear the com-
prehensiveness of this part of my Invention, which includes the
mechanism in which the spool catch separate from the weight is operated
by the thread acting either directly upon said catch or through a part
distinct from the tension weight proper.
In Figures 14, 15, and 16 the tube N encloses loosely the rod O, O.
It is supported upon the car L" of the spool catch, and on being raised
it will strike against the ear M of the traveller. I have found that even

page_text: when the spool catch is protected from the action of the tension weight
as already explained it is yet liable to be jarred out of the notches of the
spool in the rapid running of the machine. No increase of the weight
of the catch in the least corrects this trouble, but with a weight resting
upon the catch which shall be free to rise without carrying the catch
with it the difficulty is, I find in practice, entirely removed. Any
tendency of the catch to jump scems to be altogether transmitted to the
weight which rests upon it. It is of course necessary that the weight
should be heavy enough to receive this impulse entirely; the tube N
serves as this weight; it is made so short as not to prevent the catch
from rising clear of the pins on the spool; it in no way interferes with
the raising of the catch by the steady force exerted upon it when it
should be raised to let off the thread from the spool except that it makes
so much additional weight to be raised. This combination of the spool
catch and the weight supported upon it is not dependent upon the exact
forms of these parts.
In Figures 25 and 26 the tension weight is represented by Y, the
spool catch by Y', and the check weight by Y". In this modification
the thread takes direct hold of the weight and acts through it upon the
catch. The thread runs from the spool through the hole u", then around
the corner of the weight at u, then through the hole us to the braiding
point. The catch Y has ears ¹ which embrace the sides of the stem Z
of the traveller. The check weight Y" rests either upon the catch Y' or
upon a lug or shoulder z upon said stem Z. The tension weight Y will of
course have an upward and downward movement upon the traveller stem
Z when the machine is in operation. As heretofore explained the tension
weight will jump in the rapid working of the machine, and it is in
this instance prevented jumping too high and striking the spool
catch Y' by coming against the check weight Y". If the tension weight
Y and the check weight Y" are about equal in weight the tension
weight Y will be stopped on striking the check weight Y", and said
check weight will jump in obedience to the impulse received from said
tension weight and the catch Y' will remain undisturbed. But when
the work requires more thread the thread will itself draw the tension
weight Y up against the check weight Y" which latter moves before it
and allows the said tension weight to raise the spool catch Y', when
the required quantity of thread will be drawn from the spool. Instead
of having a part of the check weight below the spool catch so that the

page_text: tension weight Y should strike the same it would answer to have it
entirely above said catch so as to receive the impulse of the tension
weight through the catch only, and in such case the lug z may be
omitted. It is obvious that the lug z may or may not be used as desired
with a tension weight of the contruction shown in Figure 25. The
check weight Y" is shewn as having a shoulder at Y" which makes this
weight act to prevent the catch Y' from jarring out of the spool notches
just as the weight N in Figures 14, 15, and 16 acts upon the latch L.
But it should be distinctly understood that this check weight Y" would
just as well serves its primary object of preventing the tension weight X
from jumping against the catch Y₁ if there was no such shoulder as Y",
and no possible contact between the catch Y' and the check weight Y".
And it is obvious that the construction and precise arrangement, or in
other words the plan just described, may be varied as to details, the
object being to so arrange the check weight that it shall receive either
directly or indirectly the impetus of the tension weight, and thereby
limit the jumping of the said tension weight so that it shall not disturb
the spool catch and effect the letting off of thread at improper times.
Instead of having the hooked part of the traveller for catching upon
the upper plates cast solid, as herein previously illustrated, plates Ze may
be rivetted to the traveller, as illustrated in Figures 25 and 26.
.
Instead of allowing the flange of the traveller (designated by the
letter L in Figure 25) to slide upon the lower table the weight of the
traveller may be borne by the slotted plates or wheels which drive the
travellers. To accomplish this a collar may be cast upon or attached to
the stem, (L'; Figure 25), the under side of which collar will bear upon
the upper surfaces of the said plates or wheels, thereby keeping the said
flange L³ from frictional contact with the lower plate..
с
The improvements included in this Invention are equally applicable
to the different varieties of braiding or platting machines in use,
including those for making flat braid. The modifications required in
each case will be obvious to any one familiar with machinery for braiding
or platting.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and shewn how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practise, I claim,-

page_text: First. The combination of the slotted toothed wheels with travellers
constructed substantially as described.
Second. The slotted toothed wheels provided with a double row of
teeth substantially as described.
Third. The combination of the traveller with mechanism substantially
such as described, or its equivalent, for preventing the movement of the
bobbin detaining catch by the irregular or unseasonable action of the
weight as set forth.
Fourth. The combination and arrangement of the take-up and friction
roll T, T, the binder and friction roll T¹, T, and the rocking frame T,
constructed and operating substantially as described.
Fifth. The sliding starting handle G in combination with the driving
coupling substantially as described.
Sixth. The separate slide rod for the tension weight constructed and
arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.
Seventh. The compound adjustable bar Z, Z', Z", constructed and
arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.
Eighth. Providing the travellers with hooked tops or their equivalents,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Ninth. The combination of the hooked traveller top or its equivalent
with the upper table, substantially as herein specified.
Tenth. The combination of the spool catch with its weight arranged
and operating substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.
Eleventh. Means for operating the spool catch by the thread undis-
turbed by the jumping of the weight, substantially as herein described.
Twelfth. The drivers constructed substantially as illustrated in Figures
18, 21, 22, and 23.
Thirteenth. The check weight Y" in combination with the tension
weight Y operating substantially as and for the purposes herein
specified.
Fourteenth. The combination of the check weight Y", the tension
weight Y, and spool catch Y', arranged and operating substantially as
described with reference to Figures 25 and 26.
Fifteenth. The stop piece or shoulder in combination with the stem Z.
of the traveller, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.
3
3

page_text: Sixteenth. Constructing the hooked part of the traveller substantially
as and for the purpose herein described with reference to Figures 25
and 26.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)