CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY, FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING FIGURED OR ORNAMENTAL BOBBIN NET OR TWIST LACE, AND OTHER ORNAMENTAL FABRICS LOOPED OR WOVEN
Year: 1840

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CROFTS, of Radford, in the County of Nottingham, Machine Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Seventh day of November, in the fourth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Crofts, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said William Crofts, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Crofts, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY, FOR THE PURPOSE OF
MAKING FIGURED OR ORNAMENTAL BOBBIN NET OR TWIST LACE, AND OTHER
ORNAMENTAL FABRICS LOOPED OR WOVEN;" in which said Letters Patent is con-
tained a proviso that I, the said William Crofts, should cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery, within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear..

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Crofts, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon
(that is to say): ==
•
The machinery for making bobbin net lace being well understood, it is not
my intention to enter into a particular description of the various constructions
of machinery which are now in use for producing the requisite evolutions to
the bobbin threads and warp threads, in order to their twisting and looping
together to produce various patterns of figured or ornamental bobbin net or
twist lace, and other ornamental fabrics, looped or woven. But I shall, for
the most part, confine my description to the various improvements which I
have made in such machinery, only describing so much of the old ma-
chinery as may be found necessary in making my improvements fully under-
stood.
The first part of my Invention relates to a mode of giving the requisite
shogging motions to the warp threads of bobbin net or twist lace machinery
by pattern surfaces, and consists in the application of a peculiar arrangement
of lace wheels and mode of bringing a succession of pattern surfaces to act
on the guide bars or other apparatus which influence and govern the working
of the warp threads of bobbin net lace machinery. The Drawings marked A
shew so much of bobbin net lace machinery as will enable me to explain the
nature of and mode of applying the first part of my Invention. The particu-
lars of the various views of the machinery shown by these Drawings being
written thereon, and such being the case with respect to many of the principal
parts, it will not be necessary to repeat them here; but they will facilitate
the workman in understanding the improvements which constitute the first
part of my Invention. I would, however, remark that the guide bars which
are worked by the pattern surfaces hereafter described are arranged in a
curve as described in my Specification to a Patent granted the Sixteenth day
of March, One thousand eight hundred and forty, which I consider to be the
best mode of arranging guide bars, where there are several employed; at the
same time I do not confine myself thereto, as this part of my Invention
does not depend on the particular arrangement of guide bars used, but; as
before stated, relates to a mode of constructing and applying-pattern surfaces
to regulate and govern the movement of the warp threads.
.'
Figure 1 shews a side view of the apparatus for working the guide bars.
Figure 2 shows an edge view of the wheels; and Figure 3, a'plan of part

page_text: of a length of pattern surface worked by the pattern wheels. a, a, is the axis
of the wheels 6, the nature of which wheels is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2,
and they are shown on a smaller scale in their places in the other Figures of
these Drawings. The wheels 6 have each a series of recesses 61, into which
the filling pieces c are securely held when in action. There are two, wheels 6
for each guide bar, and they are affixed to the axis a, and there is a circular
plate d affixed on the axis a, to each pair of wheels b, as is shewn. The
object of this circular plate is. to receive the ends of the filling pieces, which
produce the varying pattern surface and prevent them being driven back;
and in fact, the plate d acts as a guage plate, against which the end of each
of the filling pieces c rests when it is operating on its guide bar, and the
guide bar will move accordingly as the filling or pattern pieces c are longer or
shorter, the guide bars being at all times borne on by springs in such manner
as to draw them towards the left-hand end of the machine. It will there-
fore readily be understood, that on the varying lengths of the pattern or filling
pieces c, which come in succession, so will be the order in which the guide bar.
will be shogged either to the right-hand or left-hand end of the machine.
The filling or pattern pieces c. are shown to be attached by strings to a
continuous strap e of leather or other suitable material, which strap e.simply.
acts as a carrier in order successively to bring up the filling or pattern
surfaces c to the wheels b, and thus bring them successively to operate on
their guide bar.. f is a fixed curved guide which prevents the pattern or
filling pieces c being forced out of their places as they come into action,, such
filling or pattern pieces c passing under the guide f, as is clearly shewn in.
Figures 1 and 2. I would remark; that by having a number of such filling.
or pattern pieces of varying lengths, they may be used, over and over again
in varying order according to the pattern: of fabric to be produced, such
pattern or filling pieces c, in fact, acting as pattern type which may be "com-.
posed" according to design, and from time. to time varied as occasion may
require; and owing to. such pattern or filling pieces c working horizontally.
those surfaces c may be placed together, and thus. bring a very extensive
pattern into comparatively small space.. The other Figures of these Drawings
shew a series of apparatus for working the guide bars; and it may be remarked
that more or less may be used; depending on the number of guide bars it.is
desired to actuate thereby. 9, 9, are levers connected at one end by con-
necting rods to the guide bars, and at their other ends they respectively rest
against the pattern surfaces c, as is shown; and according as such pattern
surface is longer or shorter, so will be the position of the. warp threads.
Motion is communicated to the axis a from the main shaft of the machine;

page_text: by means of the circular plate having two inclined projecting surfaces i
acting as portions of screws which, taking between the teeth of the wheel'j,
'drive it one tooth each half-revolution of the main shaft or axis of the machine,
and thus bring a fresh pattern surface into action. The wheel; is affixed to
the axis k, which turns in suitable bearings at the right-hand end of the
machine, as is shewn, and at the upper end of the shaft or axis k is affixed
the bevilled toothed wheel, which taking into drives the bevilled toothed
wheel m affixed on the axis a, a. By this arrangement I am enabled to
produce very extensive and varying pattern surfaces at very moderate cost,
the parts of which being capable of being "recomposed" on the same or other
strap as often as a change of pattern is required, the wheels b acting like
pattern or lace wheels when in operation; but in place of the pattern surfaces c
being on the periphery thereof, such surfaces c lie horizontally, and so act on
the apparatus placed between them and their guide bars, which constitutes
one of the peculiar characters of this arrangement of pattern wheels and
surfaces b; for I would remark that it is not new to have a continuous chain
of pattern surface in bobbin net lace machinery for actuating the warp threads,
but in the former cases the projecting pattern surface projected from the axis
of the wheel (which put the same in action) as radii.
The Drawings marked B shew another arrangement of the first part of my
Invention, and consists in employing two pattern wheels b, and their pattern' or
filling surfaces or pieces c to one guide bar, and in such manner that one of
the pattern wheels 6 may be changing its surface c during the time that the
other pattern wheel is operating on the guide bar. Figure 1 represents a
longitudinal section of the apparatus for one guide bar. Figure 2 shews a
transverse section of the axes a, a, of the pattern wheels b, for one guide bar.
Figure 3 is an edge view of the wheels b with their axes a, a; and Figure 4
shews the sliding bars by which the contour of the pattern surface is commu-
nicated to the guide bar. The other views of the Drawings B shewing a right-
hand end view of a machine, a part of a back view, and also a plan of those
parts which constitute the improvements for working the guide bars. In this
instance also the same arrangement of guide bars are used as are described in
my said former Specification. In this arrangement there is an upper and
lower axis a, a, for carrying the pattern wheels b, b, for each guide bar, and
two straps or carriers e for the pattern surfaces c; and they are so arranged as
to act alternately on the sliding bolts or bars X, Y, which act on the guide bar
Z. The filling or pattern pieces and their wheels are similar to what has been
before described, but they receive motion in a different manner from the main
or cam axis of the lace machine to which they are applied. The frame m,
1

page_text: which carries the axes a of the pattern or lace wheels, moves on axes or
necks m, and such frame m is caused to move on such axes or necks
m² by cams n, n', on the axis o, such axis receiving motion from the
main or cam shaft of the machine by a bevilled toothed wheel p affixed
on the main shaft, taking into and driving a bevilled toothed wheel y
affixed on the axis o, there being projecting arms r, r', affixed to the under
side of the frame m, which, by their, trucks or rollers, rest on the surfaces of
the cams n, n', as will readily be understood on examining the Drawings B,
and motion is communicated to the various axes a, a, in the following manner :-
s is a cam having two grooved surfaces, one to work the driver t, and the other
to work the clawker v, the driver t and the clawker v being attached by pin
joints respectively to the two levers w. By this arrangement, when the driver
t comes into action on the ratchet wheel a on one of the upper axes a, it will
cause all the upper axes a, a, to move round so as each to bring up a fresh
filling or pattern piece c, all the upper axes a being geared together by cog
wheels, as is shown; and when the clawker v moves the ratchet wheel y on
one of the lower axes a, the whole of the lower axes a will be turned and
bring up a fresh pattern surface or filling piece c and the two grooved surfaces
of the cams & are so formed as to bring the clawker and driver into action.
alternately, and in such manner that when the lower axes a have been turned
and have brought up fresh pattern surfaces c, those fresh surfaces c will go
into position to work their respective sliding bolts or bars, and the pattern
surfaces on the wheels of the upper axes a, a; will go out of action, and
when out of action will be acted on by the driver t to change the surfaces c.
The Drawings B at right-hand end view and back view show the parts in the
position they would be when the pattern surfaces of the lower axes a are in
action, and the pattern surfaces of the upper axes a are out of action, and
being changed by the driver t. The bars or sliding bolts X, Y, are at all times
diawn by springs, with a tendency away from the pattern surfaces c; and the
sliding bolts will only come against. their pattern surfaces c when pressing
against their guide-bar bolts, and owing to the springs of the guide bars at all
times pressing against their bolts. W, and causing them each to rest against
one or other of its bolts X or Y; whichever bolt X or Y the bolt W of a
guide bar presses that bolt X or Y will be forced against a pattern surface or
filling piece c, the pattern surfaces c of the upper axes a working the bolts X,.
and the pattern surfaces or filling pieces cof. the lower axes a working the
sliding bolts Y; and it will readily be understood that when the bolts Y are
in action the pattern surfaces which govern the movements of the bolts X
may be changed, which is the state of things shown in the Drawings B. at the

page_text: right-hand end view and back view; and when the frame m is caused to move
so as to bring the bolts X to operate on the guide-bar bolts W, the bolts X will,
in coming in contact with the bolts W, be driven back till the other ends of the
bolts come in contact with their pattern surfaces, and according to the
length of such pattern surfaces so will be the extent of shogging of the guide
bars.Z.
I will now proceed to explain the Drawings marked C, where the first part
of my Invention is shown to be applied to an apparatus such as was described
in the said Specification of my former Patent, and constituted the second head
of claim of invention under that Patent, whereby independent instruments
were worked by pattern surfaces in classes in place of separately, as was fully
described, and the Drawings C, in addition. to showing the first part of my
present Invention applied to such mode of using independent instruments also
shew the second part of my present Invention, which relates to the employ-
ment of a peculiar construction of independent instruments to act as inter-
ceptors of warp threads in bobbin net lace machinery, and consists in forming
the stems of such interceptors of springs, whereby the use of separate springs
for the intercepters is rendered unnecessary, and the parts are less.numerous
and less complex. Z* represent these spring intercepters, the stems of which
are cast in lends and applied as is shown in the Drawing, and they are coupled
up and work in the same manner as was described in respect to the second
part of Invention as claimed in my said former Patent; at the same time,
although I consider such means of using and coupling up independent inter-
ceptors as the best means of working, and for such reason have shewn my
present improvement combined therewith, I do not confine myself to such
mode of using the spring-stemmed interceptors shown in the present Drawings C.
The second part of my present Invention, of spring-stemmed interceptors
being capable of being acted on by other arrangements of apparatus worked
by suitable pattern surfaces. The nature of the spring intercepters being
clearly shown in the Drawings C now under description, no further expla-
nation thereof will be necessary; and their mode of action will be found
described. in my said former Specification when explaining the nature of
the parts and their modes of action shown in the Drawings marked C attached
to that Specification. In applying the pattern surfaces c according to the first
part of my present Invention, they will be found to be substituted for the
pattern surfaces described in my former Specification, and, in order to adapt the
pattern surfaces c and wheels b to such second part of my former Patent, I
dispense with the parts U, and those parts which go to their movements, and
apply in. place thereof the levers U*. And the pattern surfaces care of two

page_text: lengths, the longer lengths keeping the ends of the levers U* below the pro-
jections W, and the shorter filling pieces allowing the ends of the levers U*
to descend, and by such means bring the other ends into a position to prevent
the projection W going back, all which was fully described in respect to the
Drawings C of my said former Specification, and consequently will not require
to be further described in my present Specification. In order to the pattern
surfaces c being changed without the pressure of the levers U*, I apply a
bar (1) which is connected by arms (3) to and moves on axes or necks, as is
shewn at (2) (2), there being arms (4) (4) affixed to such axes, as is shewn
(5) (5), being connecting rods connecting the arms (4) with levers (6), which
levers, by their trucks or rollers, rest on the surface of the cams (7), and by
such means the levers U* are lifted off the pattern surfaces, and allow of their
changing, and then the bar (1) allows the levers U to descend; and those
which are stopped by long filling pieces or pattern surfaces c will be held out
of the way of the projections W³, and those which are allowed to descend by
there being a short filling piece or pattern surface will bring their other ends
into a position to stop the projections W³, as will readily be understood by
examining the Drawings now under description. The pattern wheels b, and
other parts which go to produce the pattern apparatus, is similarly arranged to
that first described, and the axis a receives motion in a similar manner. The:
other parts shewn by the Drawings C are similarly arranged to those shewn in
the Drawings C of my said former Specification, and the description there
given is applicable to the present Drawings so far as the mode of working
those parts is concerned, but the same do not constitute any part of the present
Invention.
I will now proceed to describe the third part of my Invention, which is shewn
in the Drawings marked D, and relates to a mode of using perforated surfaces
to work guide bars. These Drawings D shew so much of a lace machine as
will enable me to explain this part of my Invention, the guide bars being
arranged in an inverted curve or arch, as was fully described in my said former
Specification, the present part of my Invention simply having for its object.a
mode of working guide bars by means of perforated surfaces, and where such
guide bars are numerous I prefer them to be arranged as shewn. A is what
is called the Jacquard cylinder, having eight surfaces, as is shewn; this cylinder
moves on necks or axes, carried by the arms B, which are affixed to the
spindle or axis C, as is shewn; D is an arm affixed to the spindle bar or axis
C, and it has a truck or roller which bears against the cam wheel E, such cam
wheel having a projecting.rim on its side, so arranged that it will cause the
Jacquard cylinder to swing to and fro, a spring being used to draw the Jacquard

page_text: cylinder outward, but the same is not shewn; and in swinging back from the
levers M, N, hereafter described, the Jacquard cylinder will be turned one
eighth round by a tooth of the ratchet wheel G coming in contact with the
driver H, as is shewn, and the Jacquard cylinder is prevented turning at other
times by the lever I borne against the studs J, on the plates K, as is well
understood and clearly shewn in the Drawings D. The perforated surfaces L
I prefer to be of plates of metal connected together in a continuous chain, as
is shewn in the Drawing; but it should be stated that the various perforations
shewn in such plates do not go to any pattern, but are simply for illustration..
M, N, are two cranked levers two each guide bar, and they act on the guide-bar
bolts in the manner hereafter described. O is the dead stop for the guide
bars, and P the set screw to each guide-bar bolt, which regulates the distance.
The guide-bar bolt is capable of movement towards the pattern surface. The
guide-bar bolt, which is shewn full size, is capable of moving two spaces from
its dead stop, and it is shewn to be in the middle position, and is resting
against the shorter of the two levers M, the other lever N having been selected
by the pattern surface, having no perforation opposite its end; and it will
readily be understood, that if the lever N had had a perforation for its lower
end to pass through, it would have caused the guide-bar bolt to have stood two
spaces from the dead stop; and again, if there had been no perforation cither
for the lover M or N, they would have been both lifted out of the way of the
end of the guide-bar bult, and that bolt would have come to the dead stop..
It will therefore be seen that the guide bar can take these positions first when
both levers M, N, are removed out of the way by the pattern surface being
unperforated. Second, when only the lever N is removed out of the way of
the guide-bar bolt, when that bolt will be stopped by the lever M, one space
from the dead stop. And thirdly, when there is a perforation for the lever N,
when the guide bar bolt will be stopped two spaces from the dead stop, and if
it be desired to have a greater range then more levers may be introduced, the
guide-bar bolts are all moved away from their levers M, N, whilst those levers
are changing by the coming up of a fresh pattern surface, and such movement
of the guide-bar bolts is accomplished by means of the locker bar O¹, carried
by arms P¹, affixed to the spindle bar or axes Q. as is shewn, and R is an arm
having a truck or roller which rests agaiust and is acted on by the cam S, as
will readily be understood on examining the Drawings D.
I will now proceed, to describe the fourth part of my Invention, which
relates to a mode of employing a point bar to hold the warp threads open during
the swing of the carriages through the warp threads, and in such manner that
the warp threads below the point bar may be racked and selected during the.

page_text: movement of the carriages, the extra points holding the warp threads from
changing above them, notwithstanding that there are changes taking place
below them. This part of my Invention is shewn applied in Drawings marked
E and C, and consists simply in the mode of applying the extra point bar z,
such point bar having as many spaces as there are spaces in the combs or bolts
for the bobbin carriages, and the parts are so arranged that the points of the
point bar z enter the spaces between the warp threads, through which the car-
riages are to pass, and the points being inserted those spaces will be held open
thereby during the passing of the carriages, and thus allow the warp threads
below the points being racked, so that when the carriages have completed
their movement through the warp threads, the extra points will go out and
enter again immediately, going in amongst the warp threads in the position to
which they have been brought during the movement of the carriages. By this
means time will be saved, and the warp threads held in the best state for the
carriages to pass between them.
The fifth part of my Invention relates to a mode of manufacturing lace and
other fabrics by bobbin net or twist lace machinery, and consists in applying
three warp threads to each bobbin thread. This part of my Invention I prefer
to be applied to single tier machinery, as only four guide bars will be necessary,
-that is, two guide bars having as many threads in each bar as there are car-
riages, and two other guide bars having each half as many threads as there
are carriages; but in double tier machinery there would require six bars, each
bar having half as many threads as there are carriages, for which reason I
will confine my description to single tier machinery. The nature of single tier
machinery being well understood, it will not be necessary to enter into descrip-
tion here, but simply confine myself to the nature of a cut of wheels to be used
in carrying out this part of my Invention. There being four guide bars, there
are four guide-bar wheels, as are shewn in the Drawings marked F. The
object of this part of my Invention being to make each of the pillars of the
fabric of three warp threads, interlaced, looped, or woven by a bobbin thread;
thus producing a very beautiful groundwork of fabric, and when ornamented
by a proper working of the machinery, the close work will be more opaque
than can be produced by other means.
I would remark that although I prefer the using of the exact cuts of wheels
shown, yet. I do not confine myself thereto, so long as the bobbin threads in
producing the fabric are interlaced, looped, or woven with three or more warp
threads, and thereby produce what may be called woven pillars in forming tho
sides of the meshes and close cloth work when looped with four..

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have. it understood that what I claim as my
Invention is,―
First, the mode of constructing and applying pattern surfaces and wheels, as
berein described in reference to Drawings marked A, B, and C.
Secondly, I claim the mode of constructing spring-stemmed intercepters.
Thirdly, I claim the mode of applying Jacquard or perforated surfaces to
the guide bars of bobbin net lace machinery, as described in reference to
Drawing D.
Fourthly, I claim the mode of applying an extra point. bar to the warp
threads, in order to their being held for the carriages to pass through, and thus
allow of the warp threads being racked, when such application is made to
bobbin net lace machinery, wherein the warp threads are worked. by indepen-
dent instruments; and
Fifthly, I claim the mode of making lace and other fabrics: in bobbin' net
or twist lace machinery, by causing each bobbin thread to interloop or weave
with three warp threads in making the pillars of the meshes, as described.
hand
In witness whereof, I, the said William Crofts, have hereunto set my
and seal, this Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-one.

page_text: The axis which carries these wheels is
at the left hand end of the machine
and makes one revolution for one
revolution of the Main Shaft. and
these wheels are so cut as to allow
time for the withdrawal of the
interceptiors and sufficient time for
the proper insertion of the interceptior's
again and again time for an additio
racking of the guide Bars before the
carriages reenter the warp Threads.

page_text: This Cut of Wheels applied to a single Tier Machine will make
close woven or looped Cloth work composed of three warp threads
to one bobbin thread but by causing interceptors to enter
between the warp threads during the movement from C. to.D. on
either or both sides of the Wheels they will divide the Cloth work
into pillars and will be capable of converting the Cloth work into
Nett or meshes of Lace depending on the pattern surface which,
work the interceptors into the Warp