CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF LOOM HARNESS
Year: 1855

page_text: Sealed the 18th January 1856, and dated the 28th September 1855.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Thomas Clegg at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration, on
the 28th September 1855, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent
Law Amendment Act 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,
BE IT KNOWN that I, THOMAS CLEGG, of the State of Massachusetts, of
the United States of America, have invented "CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF LOOM HARNESS;" and
I do hereby declare that the same are fully described and represented in the
following Specification, and the Figures of the accompanying Sheets of Drawings
marked respectively 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
My Invention relates to the making of a loom harness with metallic eyes,
and particularly such as are exhibited on an enlarged scale in Figures 24, 25,
and 26 of Sheet 7; and also in about their natural sizes in Figure 1, Sheet 2,
A

page_text: and Figure 6, Sheet 7. The said Figure 24 denotes a side view of such a
metallic eye for a heddle or harness. The said Figure 25 is an edge view,
and the said Figure 26 is a longitudinal and transverse section of it.
In the manufacture of heddles from wire, either one or both extremities of
the eye or opening for the reception of a warp thread have been formed by
simply twisting together the two pieces of round wire. When the eyes are
so made, it has been found very difficult, if not impossible, to use them in the
weaving of fine fabrics, they being only useful in the manufacture of those
made from coarse yarn. The occasion of the difficulty is, the catching of the
warps in the twist of the wires. It will readily be seen, that when the warp
thread is lifted upwards by the heddle, considerable strain is produced on it,
which strain tends to cause the thread to pass into the twist and between the
two wires, and to become there caught and held so firmly as to be productive
of injurious consequences.
The first part of my Invention consists in so compressing the two wires at
the top and bottom of the eye as to flatten them on one another, and bring
them to or about the thickness of a single wire when they are laterally
spread out. This compression may be produced by pressure between jaws, or
by a hammer.
In the said Figures 24, 25, and 26, a, b, represent the two wires or sides
of the eye of the opening c twisted together, and afterwards flattened or com-
pressed together, as seen at d, e. This compression of them brings them into
such close connection, and imparts to them such a peculiar shape at top and
bottom of the eye opening, as entirely prevents the catching of the warp
thread, as described, and thereby renders the eye or a heddle made with such
capable of being used in the weaving of fine goods.
The eye represented in the said Figures is one which in the formation of
a harness for a loom is to be connected with strings or cords run through
small eyes f, g, made at the extremity of the twist.
A heddle so made is far preferable to one made entirely of wire. It is
common to make a harness of cords having metallic eyes fixed in them, but as
such eyes have usually been constructed, their cost and the difficulty of making
them smooth enough has been a serious objection to their use.
The eye as made by me of round wires twisted together, and subsequently
compressed on one another and flattened, as described, not only can be manu-
factured at much less expense than most other metallic eyes in use for heddles,
but is far superior to them, and is perfectly adapted either for fine or coarse
weaving.
The second or next portion of my Invention or improvement is represented.

page_text: in Sheets 1, 2, 3, and 4, and consists in mechanism for making such heddle or
harness eyes from wire. Such mechanism I now shall proceed to describe, the
description of it having reference only to the Drawings of said Sheets 1, 2, 3,
and 4 of which (of said Sheets 1, 2, 3, and 4) Figure 1 represents a side
view of a wire heddle eye as made by said machine: Figure 2 is a top view
of the machine; Figure 3 is an elevation of that side of the machine on
which the driving pulley is placed; Figure 4 is an elevation of the opposite
side of it; Figure 5 is an elevation of that end of it at which the feed rollers
are situated; Figure 6 is an elevation of the opposite end; Figure 7 is a
transverse and vertical section, taken through the main driving and twisting
shafts; Figure 8 is a vertical and longitudinal section, taken through the
middle of the feed rollers, and showing the compresser jaws. Such other
Figures as may be necessary to a full and complete description of the machine
will be herein-after mentioned and described.
In the said Drawings [of Sheets 1, 2, 3, and 4], A represents the main
frame for supporting the operative parts of the machine; B, the main driving
shaft, which is placed in the position as represented in the Drawings, and put
in revolution by an endless band made to work around a driving pulley C.
At the front end of the machine is a set of feed rollers D, E, which are placed
respectively upon the horizontal and parallel shafts F, G, which shafts are
made to rotate in suitable bearings, and to connect by two geers H, I, [of
equal diameters] placed respectively upon the said two shafts. There is a
smaller gear K fixed on the outer end of the shaft G, such geer being made
to engage or connect with a train of geers L, M, N, arranged as seen in the
Drawings. This train receives an intermittent rotary motion by a sectoral
geer O during the revolution of such sectoral geer, which is placed upon the
side of a larger geer P. The said geer P is fixed on one end of a horizontal
shaft Q, and receives its rotary motion by means of a pinion geer R, fixed
upon the driving shaft B. The directions of the rotation of the several geer
wheels are denoted by arrows marked upon them.
The upper feed roller is pressed down, and towards and upon the other, or
the wire made fast between them means of a spring S, which is applied to
a stirrup T that embraces the shaft of the upper feed roller near one end of
it, the bearing of such end of the shaft being so made as to allow of a little
vertical play to the shaft.
In the Drawings of said Sheets 1, 2, 3, 4, U represents the wire from
which the eyes are to be formed. It is passed in between the two feed rollers,
and by them fed towards the bending and twisting machinery as fast as occa-
sion may require. From the feed rollers the wire passes through a round hole
1)

page_text: made in the stationary steel plate V, which has on its rear side a knife W,
the office of which is to cut off the wire, or separate from it a piece of suffi-
cient length to form a heddle eye. A rear side view of this knife and the
plate V is given in Figure 9. The said knife, formed like one of the blades
of a pair of shears, turns upon a fulcrum or pin X, and is moved away from
the wire during the time that a sufficient length of it to form a heddle eye is
passing through the steel plate V, by means of a cam Y fixed upon the side of
a geer wheel Z, fixed upon the shaft Q. As soon as this cam ceases to act
upon the lower end of the lever of the knife W, a spring a applied to the
lever and the frame is set free, so as to re-act and move the knife against
the wire, and cause said knife to separate from the wire a blank or piece of
sufficient length for the formation of a heddle eye.
On passing onwards from the plate Y, the wire is made to extend into and
work through two guide pliers b, c, whose purpose is to receive the end of
the wire, and guide it properly towards the pin, around which it is afterward
bent.
Each of these guide pliers is provided with a short semi-cylindrical groove d,
which has a flaring mouth e, as seen in Figure 10, which is a top view of the
lower and stationary part of the guide pliers, the under side of the upper
guide wire plier c being formed with a similar groove. The said guide plier c
is a bent lever, turning on a fulcrum f, and operated in one way by a cam g
[fixed on the shaft F], and in the other by a spring h, which presses the tail
end of the lever against the shaft and cam. A side view of this cam and the
lever and spring is given in Figure 11. After having passed through the
guide pliers in part, the wire is received upon a bed or flat surface i, formed
upon the end of a rotating shaft k, the said wire being made to rest at its
middle against a small stud or pin 7, which projects upwards from the bed i,
as seen in the Drawings. Behind the wire and pin l, and on the flat surface i,
there is a slider or bender plate m, which is made to slide freely in a longi-
tudinal direction upon the shaft k. The said slider has a notch n formed in
its end, which is next adjacent to the pin l, such notch being formed of a
width equal to the diameter of the pin 7, added to twice the diameter of
the wire.
At a proper time the slider or bender m is forced against the wire, so as to
bend it on and against the pin 1, the movement of the slider being affected by
means of a lever o, which turns on a fulcrum p, and is moved by a small cam q,
placed upon the shaft Q. A side view of the lever and cam is given in
Figure 12. The back movement of the lever and slider or bender is pro-
duced by the re-active power of a spring r. The bender should be so applied

page_text: to the lever o as to allow of the rotation of the shaft & during the operation
of twisting the wire, which operation will be berein-after described.
The next portion of the machinery to be described is that by which the
wire is held or supported during the twisting operation. A part of this
machinery consists of a stationary rest t; another parts may be called the
moveable die. An under side view and edge and side views of this die arc
given in Figure 13, wherein it is shown as formed of three projections u, v, w.
One of the projections, viz., the middle one 2, when the moveable die is
depressed, is carried between the two bent legs of the wire blank, while each
of the other projections u, w, is made to project down outside of one of the
legs of the wire blank. When the moveable die is depressed, one of the legs
or half of the wire blank is supported on the stationery rest t. The moveable
die s extends downwards from an arm a that projects from a vertical slide y.
The slide y is supported in stationary bearings,, and is jointed at its lower
end to a rocker lever a', that is depressed at its opposite end by a spring b', and
elevated by a cam e', fixed upon the inner side of the large geer P, herein-
before described, such cam being shown in Figure 14, which is a side view of
it and the geer P. When the two halves of the wire blank are bent around
horizontally, and into parallelism with one another, they are received between
two jaws d' and e', which are sustained by a moveable carriage f¹.
In Figure 15 is given a longitudinal section of the said carriage and its
jaws, and the rod g' upon which it moves horizontally. The said carriage is
supported so as to move freely on the said rod while the said rod is maintained
in a perfectly stationary position, as seen in the Drawings. The lower jaw e
is a stationary jaw, that is to say, it is firmly fixed to the carriage, while the
upper jaw is a moveable one, or is so attached to the carriage as to be capable
of freely sliding upwards or downwards. It is pressed down towards the
stationary jaw by means of a spring h. The said moveable jaw is also pressed!
downwards towards the stationary jaw by means of a vertical slide frame i¹,
which is fixed upon the top of a slide rod l, and is elevated by a cam m',
[fixed upon the shaft Q.] and depressed by the action of a spring a suitably
connected to the slide frame; projections o', o', extend upwards from the slide
frame , and a short distance over the moveable jaw d'.
From the lower jaw there is a small stud p made to project inwards and
upwards a short distance above the die. When the wire is bent around, its
two legs or parts are made to embrace the said stud p¹, and by said stud they
are kept at a suitable distance apart. It should be borne in mind, that during
the time the wire blank is being so bent the two jaws d¹ and e¹ are separated
so as to receive it, such separation of them having been previously effected by

page_text: the elevation of the upper jaw, produced by the action of the cam m', such
cam having raised the vertical slide frame . and forced it against the upper
jaw. so as to elevate such jaw into the position required.
Directly underneath the shaft k is another horizontal shaft g', whose axis is
parallel to that of the shaft k. The said two shafts are connected by geers, s
the lower one of which, viz., s, is made to engage with and is moved by the
sectoral geer o during the revolution of the said sectoral geer. From the
above, it will be seen that both the shafts k and receive a simultaneous
rotation while the lower shaft is being rotated. There is on the lower shaft q'
a sliding geer t¹, which is connected to the shaft by a spline or feather, or
such a connection as will enable it to slide freely on the shaft, and be rotated
by the shaft when the shaft is put in revolution.
Affixed to the inner face of one side of a frame there is a vertical slide or
carriage, which supports a rotary notched geer on a tubular arbor w¹.
which arbor revolves on a carriage. Figure 16 is a side view of the carriage
and the geer v¹; Figure 17 is a vertical section of the same. The said rotary
geer v¹ is provided with a notch a', which extends downwards between its teeth
and to or below its middle, and has a small pin or stud y projecting upward
from the bottom of it (the notch), this pin serving to aid in the formation of one
of the end eyes of the article made by the machine. When the wire blank
has entered between the jaws d'e', the rotary geer is elevated or raised
upwards, so as to receive the blank within its notch a', and so that the stud
or pin y¹ shall pass between the two halves or legs of the wire blank. The
elevation of the rotary geer and slide u is produced by a cam 2, which acts
against the rocker lever a² that is jointed to the carriage u'. The said cam is
fixed on a shaft b', that receives its rotary motion by means of a geer c², that
engages with the geer, herein-before described. The depression of the
carriage w is produced by the re-acting power of a spring d, arranged as seen
the Drawings. As soon as the rotary geer is elevated above the geer t', such
slide geer is by a spring e² thrown forward into geer with a rotary geer vl.
Next the sectoral geer o comes into operation with the geer s¹, and produces a
simultaneous rotation of the shafts q', k, and the rotary geer v¹. While this
is taking place, the wire blank is held firmly on the pins 7 and y', and by
means of the stationary rest t and the moveable die s. and also by the two jaws
de. The consequence is, that the wire blank will be twisted between the
pin and the moveable die s, also between the moveable die s and the pin y',
and also between the pin y' and the stud p¹.
At the next operation the slide geer t¹ is moved backwards by the action of
a fork lever f, the upper ends of the fork of said lever being provided with

page_text: inclined planes or cams g², g². which are thrown up respectively against arms
h, h², that extend from a tubular shaft of the slide geer t¹. The forked arm
of the lever is depressed at the proper time by a cam k, that is fixed on
a shaft be, and made to act against the stud projecting from the tail end
of a forked lever; said forked arm is also raised at the proper time by the
re-acting power of a spring m.
As soon as the slide geer t'has been moved backwards and beyond the
rotary geer, the said rotary geer is depressed entirely below the wire
blank. When the vertical slide frame i is depressed, so as to force the
jaw d¹ towards the jaw e¹, it carries a forked piece of metal n² down upon
and astraddle of a stud p' and the wire blank, the same serving to hold
the wire blank close against the stud. When the slide frame ¹ is elevated,
it as a matter of course will lift the fork n entirely above the stud p¹.
This being the case, the next operation is to move the carriage f' on its
rod g', so as to carry the twisted wire blank in between the flattening jaws,
as will be herein-after described.
Before, however, this can be accomplished, a small projection o², that extends
upwards from the fork of the fork lever ft, has been elevated against the
wire blanks, so as to throw it entirely off the pin l, such elevation of such
projection occurring at the time of the elevation of the forked lever, as
herein-before described.
The movement of the carriage f' is effected by the action of a rocker arm p²,
which is formed as seen in Figure 4, and turns upon a fulcrum pin g³, arranged
at its lower end. A bent arm extends from the arm p*, as seen in the said
Figure, and is acted upon by a cam s², placed in the outer end of the shaft b².
The upper end of the arm på is forked, and straddles a screw pin t, projecting
from the carriage f¹, which carriage is moved in one direction on its rod g'
when the cains acts against the bent arm. The return of the carriage or
movement in the opposite direction is produced by the re-acting power of one
or more springs u², u, applied to the main frame and the arm p², as seen in
Figure 4.
I have heretofore spoken of the pressure jaws. They are shown at ³, w,
the lower one, viz., w, being stationary, while the upper one is moveable, or is
fixed upon a lever a, which turns upon a fulcrum y, and has its tail end
elevated by a cam, fixed upon a shaft a³, which receives its rotations from a
train of geers b, c. & d³, made to engage with the geer P. The object of
the pressure jaws is to firmly compress the metallic eye, and particularly the
twists thereof, and so flatten said twists as to make them in thickness in one
direction equal to or about equal to that of the wire used. The object of this

page_text: flattening or compression of the twists is to prevent the warp thread, when the
metallic heddle or eye is used, from sticking or catching in the twists of the wire.
When the carriage is moved upon its rod g' towards the compresser jaws,
the jaws are open to receive the twisted wire blank, which is carried in between
them, and they are firmly closed upon it, and perform their office of compressing
the twists of it. This being accomplished, a lever e³ is moved by a cam f
(placed upon the shaft a³) against the jaw d', and lifts it above the blank, so
as to entirely release the said blank from the carriage f', and allow the blank
to remain between the compresser jaws while the carriage is moved backwards
into the position for the reception of the next blank.
During the backward motion of the carriage, the blank is discharged from
the presser jaws [they being supposed to be opened] by the action of the stud
p, or small stud 3, placed upon and made to project from the inner side of
the carriage. If desirable, a small knife may be applied to the side of the
presser jaws, and so made to operate as to cut off the surplus portions of the
eye blank previous to its discharge from the compresser jaws. The upper jaw
of the compresser jaws may be moved away from the lower jaw by the weight
of the tail of its lever, or by additional weight, or a spring applied thereto.
The next part of my Invention is exhibited in the Drawings of Sheets 5, 6,
and 7, and relates to mechanism, or a machine for weaving and forming the
harness.
Of the said Drawings, Figure 1 denotes a top view of the said machine;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of it; Figure 3 is a central vertical and longi-
tudinal section of it; Figure 4 is a vertical and transverse section of it, taken
through the stops w, w, of the thread arm; Figure 5 is a rear end view of
the machine. Such other Figures as may be necessary to a complete descrip-
tion and illustration of the essential parts of the said mechanism will be
herein-after particularly referred to and described.
The peculiar object of this latter part of my Invention is to weave a loomi
harness from cotton, worsted, or other proper twine, and at the same time
interweave it with metallic eyes of the kind herein-before described, and shown
in Figures 24, 25, and 26 of Sheet 7.
The eye shown in Figure 6, and as herein-before explained, is made with
three passages a, b, c, through it; the warp thread of the loom when the
harness is in use being carried through the middle passage b. The other
passages a are for the reception of the twines, or lower and upper loops
which connect the metallic eye to the two back bands. In Figure 7, I have
given a side view of a portion of the harness as completed, in which the
back bands are seen at d and e. The operative parts of the machine are

page_text: supported on a suitable frame A, which carries between its two rails e¹, e', a
driving shaft B, whose journals are supported in boxes ff, Figure 1.
Over and parallel to the driving shaft a flat rod or bar D is arranged,
and at one properly fixed to, and supported by, and on the top of a
cross frame E, fastened to and between the top rails e, e¹. The other end
of the rod rests on a shoulder 7, Figure 3, and is formed with a slot m,
as seen in Figure 8, which is a top view of the bar. On this bar D the
metallic eyes are to be strung or placed, as seen at g, in Figures 1, 3, and 4.
The said frame E supports two vertical shafts F, F, from the top of which
two arms G, G, respectively extend, as seen in the Drawings. To each shaft
Fa toothed or geered sector H, Figures 3 and 1, is applied, the two sectors
being made to geer into each other. A retractive spring I has one end
attached to one of the sectors, and the other to a projection of the frame A.
There is an arm i, Figure 1, extending horizontally from one of the shafts F,
a cam k fixed on the driving shaft being made to work against the said arm i,
and formed so as to cause such a movement of it as will create at a proper
time a simultaneous outward movement of the two arms G, G. Each of the
arms G, G, carries at its outer extremity a finger or hook k, a side view of
which is given in Figure 9.
The next part of the machinery is that by which a metallic eye is separated
from the pack. It may be described as follows:-1, Figures 4 and 23, is a
metallic chisel, which plays vertically between guides o, o, and over the the
rear part of the rod D, and into and out of the slot m of it. This separator I'
is depressed at the proper time by a lever p, which is actuated by a cam g,
Figure 5, fixed on the cam shaft r. The elevation of the separator is effected
by a spring s, Figures 1 and 23, which is connected with the framework and
the rear arm of a lever p. The said cam shaft r extends transversely across
the machine, and receives its motion from another transverse shaft t, by means
of spur geers u, v, Figures 23 and 5, affixed on them respectively. The shaft t
receives motion from the main driving shaft B, and by means of two bevil
geers w, x, Figures 3 and 5, one of which is fixed to the rear end of the driving
shaft, while the other is fixed on the shaft t. In the performance of its office,
the separator is made to descend between the rearmost eye and the last but one
of the pack, and to separate the said rearmost eye from the pack. This done,
a catch y, formed as seen in side view in Figures 10 and 3, is moved forward,
and slips over and catches the eye, and draws it back a short distance on the
rod or spindle d. The said catch is fastened to an arm z, that projects down
from a slide rod a', which slide rod is moved forwards by a cam [on the
shaft r] and backwards by a spring c'. The catch y is a lever, which is borne

page_text: down upon the bar or spindle D by the action of a spring d', all of which is
shown in Figures 10 and 3.
The next part of the machine is that which supports the pack of eyes while
the arms G, G, are in the act of drawing the twines or threads through the
pack. This part of the machine also serves the part of a stop or guage, in
order to cause the separator 1' when it descends to pass between the last eye
and last but one of the pack. Each part of the machine consists of a fork e
that is made to straddle the bar D, and to be depressed at a proper time, so
that the last but one of a pack of eyes may rest against it. This fork c³ is seen
in Figure 4, and slides vertically in a bearing f', and is jointed to one arm of
a lever g', whose other arm rests on a cam h¹, Figure 5, arranged on the cam
shaft 1.
A retractive spring i is affixed to the rear arm of the lever g', and
operates to raise the fork e² at a proper time, and entirely above the pack of
eyes. It should be borne in mind, that during the operation of the machine
the whole pack of eyes are to be kept pressed towards the fork by means of
a spring
or some other contrivance that will cause the pack to move on the rod
as occasion may require.
The next part of the machine to be described is that by which the bar D is
raised or sprung upwards, so as to enable the hooks k, k, of the arms G, G, to
pass underneath the lines k', ', Figure 1, that are carried through the outside
eyes (a, c, Figure 6) of the several metallic eyes composing the pack on the
bar 1.
These lines ¹, ', are made respectively to proceed from two spools suitably
situated. After extending through the pack, each of the said lines k¹, k¹, is
drawn nearly at right angles, and fastened to its back band d³ or e. These
back bands are cords, which are seen in Figures 1, 2, and 3, they being
arranged horizontal and parallel, and each fastened to two of four posts or
studs,,,, that extend up from a long rectangular frame or carriage m',
which is supported on parallel rails, so as to be capable of endwise or longitu-
dinal movements. The said carriage is moved by a long screw n', that works
into a screw nut o', which has an arm p' extending from it up into a recess g¹,
formed in the carriage. The screw is revolved by a train of gears r¹, s¹, t¹, the
former of which is fixed on the screw and the latter on the driving shaft, the
gear s being an intermediate or connecting gear.
The said elevation of the bar D is effected by a cam u' fixed on the main
shaft, and made to rotate against a spring v¹, that simply rests against the
under side of the pack of eyes in order to prevent the cam from coming in
contact with them. After the cam has performed its office, the bar is sprung
down or back to its place by the natural spring or elasticity it possesses.

page_text: When it so passes downwards, it lays the lines, in the nooks of the
arms G, G.
The next operation is for the arms G, G, to draw outwards, and to drag the
lines with them, and into the positions as seen in Figure 1. When this has
Each of them
been accomplished, the loop spreaders are brought into action.
consists of a bent lever w¹, arranged as seen in Figures 1, 2, and 3, and shaped
as seen in side view in Figure 11. Each lever is worked in one direction by a
cam a¹ on the cam shaft r, and it is moved in the opposite direction by a spring y'.
When its front arm is drawn down by the spring, it is made to pass into the
loop held by the hook of its arm G, and to so separate the loop as to enable
the next portion of the mechanism or the draft hook to enter the loop.
The said draft hooks are shown at a, a, Figures 1 and 2. Each of them
consists of a hooked slide, made to move longitudinally and horizontally, and
operated by an arm c² extended up from a rocker shaft 6. The rocker shaft
has another arm d², extended downwards from it, and jointed at its lower end
to a long pitman e', which is jointed at its front end to an arm g², which
projects from a rocker shaft h². A forked arm extends up from the rocker
shaft h2, and receives a double cam in the fork, such cam being fixed on the
driving shaft, and made during its revolution to produce a rocker motion of
the rocker shaft, or such a motion as may be necessary to cause the draft hooks
to be moved forward under the thread laying against the loop spreaders. In
passing against and under the thread, such thread will be made by the barb of
the hook to rise up on the barb, and to fall downwards behind it, so that
when the hook is drawn backwards it will seize the thread and draw it back,
so that part of it will extend from a metallic eye to the back band, and another
part be drawn or laid parallel to the back band. While the thread is so
drawn back by the hook it is carried through the recess k, Figure 4, of the
winding apparatus, which will now be described.
The object of the winding apparatus is to fasten the thread to the back band,
there being one winding apparatus to each back band. Its operation and
construction are as follows:-
A spur gear wheel 12 is mounted on a short tubular shaft m², see Figures 1,
4, and 12. (the latter being a longitudinal and vertical section of the winding
apparatus, and taken in line of the axis of rotation of the gear F. Such tubular
shaft is supported on a post n², so as to be capable of a free revolution on its
axis.
A recess or passage is formed radially through the gear and tubular
shaft, and into the passage made through the tubular shaft.
A cylindrical pin p³ projects from the rear side of the gear, and carries a
bobbin 2, Figures 1 and 23. From the bobbin a thread r³ is led twice through

page_text: a guide så, as seen in Figure 13, which is a top view of the gear, its bobbin
guide, and the friction spring thereof. This guide has a friction spring
affixed to it, and made to bear on the thread, as seen in Figure 13. From the
guide the thread is carried and fastened to the back band, so that when the
gear is put in revolution it will wind the thread around the harness thread
and the back band, and so as to confine the two together. The geer is made
to make two entire revolutions in order to confine the harness thread or cord
to the back band; although in some cases it may be caused to make but one,
while in others it may be necessary to give it a greater number. The gear じ
is put in revolution by a gear 3 fixed on a shaft u, which shaft receives its
rotary motion by means of an endless chain made to travel around two
sprocket gears w, a, one of which is fixed on the shaft u and the other on
the driving shaft.
When the armis G, G, are next moved towards each other, they will leave
the threads of these hooks looped on the loop spreaders w¹, w'. When the
loop spreaders rise up they cast off the threads, and leave them in the tubular
shaft of the gears 1, . As soon as the recesses k", ", are brought around into
horizontal positions, and facing the rod D, the harness lines or threads will be
left free to pass out of the gears 1, 1, and through the passages thereof, and
they will be drawn out, and the slack of the thread taken up by the arms G, G,
when they are next moved away from each other.
On
The next part of the machine to be described is that by which a thread is
interwoven into the threads extending from cach orifice a or c of the metallic
eye to the corresponding back band, the same being in order to make what is
usually termed the "lease" or passage for the lease bar or rod through such
threads. On one side or bottom half of the harness the lease thread is passed
down between the first and second threads, next up between the second and
third, and down between the third and fourth, and so on, in such order.
the other side or top of the harness the lease thread is passed down between
the second and third threads, thence up between the fourth and fifth, thence
down between the sixth and seventh, and so on. The method by which this
is accomplished by the machine during the process of weaving the harness will
now be described. For this purpose two shuttle slides a³, b³, see Figure 4, are
employed. The first one interweaves the lease thread for the bottom half of
the harness, while the second one interweaves the lease thread for the top half
of said harness.
Figure 14 represents a vertical cross section of a portion of the machine,
and is so made as to exhibit a front elevation of these shuttle slides. They
respectively play in races or vertical grooves c³, c, d, d', made in the two parts

page_text: e, f, Fig. 4, of the framework; there being a horizontal space g³ made
between these two parts, such space being for the harness threads to pass
through during the operation of weaving the harness. The shuttle slides
during these operations are thrown across this space.
In Figure 15 is given a vertical section of the shuttle slide a, its race, and
the mechanism by which it is held up when elevated by its lever. Figure 16 is a
side view of its elevating mechanism. The lease thread or string is shown at h³.
It is carried through a hole made through the middle of the shuttle slide, and
a knot is made on the end of the thread, so that the thread may not draw
through the slide. There is a vertical slot made out of cach shuttle slide
race, as seen in Figures 14 and 15, the same being to enable the lease thread
to play freely upward and downward without obstruction. A pin extends
from the front side of the slide a³, and through a hole, somewhat larger in
diameter than that of the pin, formed through one or the front arm of a bent
lever m, that plays vertically on a fulcrum or pin n³, and is not only moved in
one direction (or so as to raise the slide a) by a cam o, Figures 5 and 16,
(fixed on the cam shaft t.) but is moved in the other direction by a re-acting
spring p. When the shuttle slide a³ is moved up towards its highest position,
it is moved against a spring (whose office is simply to ensure its downward
movement), and when it arrives near its highest position it encounters a spring
bolt Figures 14 and 15, which it forces backward until a hole 3 of the
slide is carried up to a level or into line with the spring bolt, which taking
place, the spring of the bolt throws the bolt forward into the hole, and holds
the shuttle slide up while it (the bolt) is in the hole. At the proper time
for the descent of the shuttle slide, a cam pin t', Figure 15, projecting from
the side of a cam on the shaft r) is made to enter an inclined groove u³
(formed in the bolt), and by its action it draws the bolt back and out of the
orifice s³, and thus allows the spring p' to depress the front arm of the lever m³,
and cause it to move the shuttle slide downwards. The shuttle slide a³ is thus
made to move upwards against the rear side of each harness thread that
extends (from one of the back bands) and downwards against the front side
of it while it is being wound, thus interweaving or drawing the lease thread
around the threads or between them, as specified.
In order to move the harness thread back of the shuttle slide a³, so that it
may rise up in front of such thread, or that part of it extending from the
pack of eyes on the bar D to the tubular shaft of the winding gear, I make
use of a contrivance which I shall now proceed to describe.
A rod or bar u (see Figure 4) is supported so as to slide longitudinally in
horizontal directions; a horizontal section through this rod and the mechanism

page_text: This rod has an arm (see
connected with it is given in Figure 17.
Figure 18, which is a vertical section of the rod arm, and thread catch w
carried by it,) extended from it, and jointed or hinged to a thread catch w
which is formed in top view, as seen in Figure 19, and in front view, as seen in
Figure 20. This thread catch carries a small bent standard a³, the horizontal
part of which when the thread catch is moved forwards is made to pass
against an inclined plane y3 (Figure 18) formed on a lifter lever ³, which rests
on a pin a', turns on a fulcrum 6, and is pressed down upon the pin a by a
spring c, see Figure 4. When the thread catch is moved forward it rises up
over the harness thread, and after its standard a passes by the lever, it
(the thread catch) falls down in front of the thread, so that when the catch is
drawn back it may carry the thread with it, and so that the shuttle slide can
pass in front of the thread. When the catch goes back its standard a strikes
against and lifts the lever 2, which gives way to allow the standard to pass by
it. After the standard has passed by the lifter lever, the latter will be borne
downwards on its rest pin by its spring. The backward motion of the slide
bar u is effected by a cam d, Figures 15 and 17 (on the cam shaft r), which
acts against a slide e, Figures 4 and 17, that is jointed to a lever ft, that plays
on a fulcrum at g', and is placed between and properly jointed at its two
ends to the two slide and ut. The forward motion of the slide bar u' is
produced by the re-action of a spring h.
Having now described the machinery by which the lease thread carried the
shuttle slide a is interwoven, I shall proceed to explain that which operates
the other shuttle slide, viz., 63, and puts the lease thread into the upper part of
the harness. The lease thread or string of the shuttle slide is shown at *,
it being affixed at one end at the middle thereof, or applied thereto as the
other lease thread is applied to its shuttle slide. The machinery by which
the shuttle slide 3 is raised and depressed is to a certain extent similar to
that which operates the other slide; that is to say, there is a pin l', a bent
lever m, Figure 1; a cam o, Figure 5 (fixed on a shaft t,) and a spring p',
applied together to operate the said slide 3, and made and applied to one
another, like the pin 1, lever m³, cam o³, and spring p³, herein-before described.
There is also to such shuttle slide a spring bolt, a hole s, Figures 4
and 21, and a can pin to, respectively, like the spring p³, the spring bolt 3,
the hole s³, and cam pin t', herein-before described.
The cam pin t, however, is only brought into action on the spring bolt
during every other instead of every revolution of the shaft r.
For this pur-
pose the said cam pin is made to project from a small wheel u', (see Figure 5,
which is applied to the shaft r by a spline or feather connection, or one which

page_text: will permit the wheel to be moved laterally on the shaft while it is revolved
by the shaft. A side view of the wheel, and some of the machinery
immediately connected with it, is represented in, Figure 21. In rear of the
pin is a pendant lever v', which turns on a fulcrum at w', and has an arm a
extended from it and into a groove y' made around in the periphery of the
wheel u: A retractile spring is applied to this lever on one side, as seen in
Figure 5, while a cord as is attached to it at its lower end, and led towards and
around guide pullies b, c, d, Figure 23, and from thence is attached to the
end of an arme, Figure 2, that projects from a rocker shaft f³.
Another arm g (see Figure 22), (which is a cross section of the machine,
taken through the upright shafts of the levers G, G, and so as to show the
shaft f,) extends upward from the rocker shaft f, and has a retractive spring
h applied to it, as seen in Figure 23, which is a side elevation of the machine,
and is made to show that side of it which is opposite to the one represented
by Figure 2. To the said arm g a wire or cord is affixed, and is led from
it to and fixed on the outer end of a horizontal lever k, which is moved at a
proper time by a cam fixed on the side of a gear m", which is turned by a
pinion n fixed on the driving shaft, the pinion having only half the number of
teeth of the said. gear. Now, as the gear can only perform one rotation
while the pinion makes two, it will be seen that the action of the mechanism
will be such as to cause the wheel " to be moved laterally during every other
revolution of the shaft r, the lateral movement being such as will carry the
pin &, Figure 23, out of action with its spring bolt r'. As the spring bolt is
only moved forward during every other revolution of the shaft r, the shuttle
slide 63 will be moved up and down only half as fast as the slide a³; conse-
quently the laying of the lease thread between the threads of the upper part
of the harness is in order, as above specified. The object of these modes of
laying the lease threads is well understood by those who make harnesses. In
order that an eye on the rod D may be entirely removed from it at a proper
time, the cam u is so formed with a projection a as to lift the rod D up from
the shoulder at the right time, and far enough to allow the eye to be drawn
from it without obstruction, and by the draft on the weaving threads. In the
operation of the machine in weaving a harness, the mechanism for sepa-
rating a metallic eye from the pack on the mandril or rod D is first brought
into action. Next, the rod D is elevated or sprung upwards a short distance,
and the arms G, G, are moved up to the pack of metallic eyes, and their hooks
made to pass under the two cords or threads extending through the said pack.
Next, the rod D is depressed so as to deposit the said cords or threads in the
hook of the arms. Next, the arms G, G, are moved outwards towards the

page_text: winding apparatus, and made to draw the threads through the pack, and hold
them out in the form of loops. Next, the loop separators are brought into
action and separate the loops, so that the draft hooks a², a², can seize the
threads. Such draft hooks are next put in action and made to drag the
threads, so that while a portion of each of them will extend from the eye that
was separated from the pack to the back bands, another portion of each of
them will be laid parallel with and against the back band. Next, the winding
apparatus of each back band revolves and winds a thread around the back
band and the harness thread so laying against it.
I do not claim a loom harness metallic eye or eyelet made by being stamped
out of a piece of metal, nor do I claim a metallic eye or heddle formed of
round wire or wires twisted together; but what I do claim as an improved
manufacture is, a loom harness metallic eye made of round wire or wires
twisted together, and compressed and flattened in the twist of its wires, and
directly at the top and bottom of its warp thread, opening substantially in
manner and for the purpose as described.
Of the machinery, as above described, and as represented in Sheets 1, 2, 3,
and 4, I claim the combination of pressure jaws or mechanism with machinery
for doubling and producing the twist in the wire, as above set forth, the said
presser jaws or compressing mechanism being for the purpose of flattening the
twists of the wire, substantially in the manner and for the purpose as specified.
And in combination with the pressure jaws or mechanism and the mechanism
for producing doubling and twisting of the wire blank, I claim the moveable
carriage f¹ and its jaws d', e¹, or mechanical equivalents therefor, as made to
operate substantially in manner and for the purpose as above set forth.
I also claim the combination of the stationary rest t and moveable die s
with the slider or bender m, the shaft k, and the rotary notch gear v¹, the
whole being made to operate together substantially in manner as herein-before
specified.
And of the machinery before described, and as represented in Sheets 5, 6,
and 7, I claim a combination of the following constituent or elements, viz. :-
1st, a mechanism, bar, or mandril D for supporting the pack of metallic
eyes, and permitting it or parts of it to be moved longitudinally thereon,
substantially as specified.
2nd, a mechanism for separating a metallic eye from the pack on the
mandril D, in order that the hooks of the arms G, G, may be able to seize
the weaving threads, such part of the machine being the chisel I and the
catch y, operated essentially as specified.
3rd, mechanism for seizing the weaving threads and drawing them laterally

page_text: into the form of loops, such mechanism being the hooked arms G, G, (or
mechanical equivalents therefor), arranged and made to operate substantially
as specified.
4th, a mechanism or carriage m¹ for supporting and moving the back bands
and the harness as it woven or made.
5th, the machinery for seizing the loops held by the hooks of the arms
G, G, and drawing them parallel to and along the back bands, such being the
hooks a, a, made to operate as described.
6tb, machinery for fastening the weaving threads or loops to the back band,
the same being the thread-winding mechanism or recessed geers 1, 1, and the
bobbin of each, the whole being made to operate substantially as specified.
I also claim the combination of the stop and guage fork with the separator
I and the mandril D, the same being for the objects above specified.
I also claim, in combination with the bar or mandril D and the hooked
arms G, G, a mechanism for elevating or springing the bar D upwards, and
next allowing or causing it to descend, so that the weaving threads may be
laid in the hooks of the arms G, G, as specified, the said mechanism being
a cam u' fixed on the driving shaft and made to rotate a spring v.
I also claim the combination of the loop spreaders w¹, w¹, with the hooked
arms G, G, and the draft hooks a², a², the same being to spread open the loops
in order that the draft hooks may correctly operate and catch on the loop
thread.
I also claim the shuttle slides, or mechanism for weaving the lease threads
into the harness threads of the top and bottom loops of the harness, in com-
bination with machinery for weaving the harness, substantially as described.
I also claim, in its combination with the shuttle slide 3 and the machinery
moving it upwards and downwards, the mechanism (or an equivalent therefore)
by which the cam is moved out of action with the spring bolt during
every other revolution of the cam pin, as stated, such mechanism being for the
purpose of weaving the lease thread into the upper half of the harness, in the
order and for the purpose as specified.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature and seal, this
Third day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five.
THOMAS CLEGG. (L.S.)