IMPROVEMENTS IN WARPING AND WEAVING MACHINERY
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS: PATENT to Colin Mather and William Rossetter, of Salford,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WARPING AND WEAVING MACHINERY."
Sealed the 20th August 1869, and dated the 8th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Colin Mather and
William Rossetter at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 8th March 1869...
We, COLIN MATHER and WILLIAM ROSSETTER, of Salford, in the
County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WARPING AND WEAVING MACHINERY," to be as
follows:-
The first part of our improvements relate to warping machines having
self-acting stopping motions for stopping the machine when one or more
of the warp threads break, and consists in further improvements upon
an Invention for which Letters Patent were granted to William
Rossetter, entitled Improvements in Warping or Beaming Machines
Otho 7 1868 No 3061

page_text: In self-stopping warping machines the warp threads pass through eyes
of arms used as detectors and commonly called levers, and when the
threads are entire they support the arms, but when a thread is broken or
absent its corresponding arm drops and stops the movement of an
oscillating bar or bars, and leads to the stoppage of the machine.
Our improvements relate, first, to the arms which are supported by the
warp threads, and consist in making them of improved shapes out of
flat wire or sheet metal.
To form one description of arrangement of arms we take for each arm
a piece of flat wire or sheet metal and punch at one end a hole and a
slot, and then bend this end of the flat wire first downwards to form a
projection for arresting oscillating or reciprocating bars, and then upwards
for enabling the hole to be used as an eye for the warp thread to pass
through, the slot being for the purpose of enabling the operative to
thread the eye without the use of a reed hook. The other end of the
flat wire or sheet metal is bent in the form of a circle for enabling it to
be placed on a supporting wire stretched across the machine, or it is bent
as a segment somewhat greater than a semicircle, and then its extreme
end is turned backwards.
In the former Patent before mentioned there is a description of
stationary wires stretched across the machine against which levers sup-
ported by the warp threads are held when the threads are entire, and
these wires keep the threads so near the levers that the fluke is con-
tinuously cleared away. In connection with these wires, and also the
supporting wires of the detector arms, we now employ one or more
steadying plates fixed to the front comb holder or to brackets fixed to
the stationary shaft which carries the beam holders, and for supporting
these wires we employ metal plates fixed to the frame ends and having
holes for receiving the wires. When desired, instead of the ordinary
oscillating bars which are arrested by the falling of an arm or lever when
there is breakage or absence of a warp thread, we use reciprocating bars
formed by indenting or corrugating sheet metal and worked by a lever
having vibrating motion imparted to it by connecting it to an excentric
or crank on the back roller shaft of the machine. Or we work the
oscillating or reciprocating bars from the drum shaft of the machine in
the following manner:-We fix to the shaft or fix or cast to the double
catch wheel a toothed wheel and gear it by a toothed chain to a smaller
toothed wheel working on a stud fixed to one of the frame sides, and

page_text: baving an adjustable crank pin, which is connected by a rod to the lever which
works the oscillating or reciprocating bars, to which more or less movement
can be given by adjusting the position of the said crank pin.
In the Patent before mentioned there is a description of sliding bars with
hooks for holding the ends of one or more falling rods or rollers which are
raised high enough to be held by the hooks by the tension of the warp, we
now employ a lever at each side of the machine for lifting the falling rods
or rollers off the warp threads when the machine is running forwards, aud
on the rod or bar to which the levers are fixed we place a roller for the
warp threads to run against, and the roller revolves when the warp
threads work on it.
The second part of our Invention consists in various improvements
applicable to all descriptions of power looms used for weaving, and also for
further improvements upon an Invention for which Letters Patent were
granted to William Rossetter, entitled Improvements in Looms for Weaving,
dated October 13, 1866, No. 2654.
In looms in general for checking the shuttle when it enters the shuttle
box at each end of the slay we employ for each box a metal bar having
fixed to it a strip of leather or india-rubber resting on the top of the back
board,and at the ends of the metal bar there are holes through which is passed
the fly spindle. When the shuttle strikes the picker the bar is moved back
and the check is given by the weight of the bar and friction of the leather
or.india-rubber on the top of the back board, and when the pick is given
the picker returns, the bar to its original position.
Our next improvement relates to the yarn beam of looms and consists
in improved modes of giving a gradually decreasing resistance to the
yarn beam for the purpose of maintaining the yarn at a uniform tension
and letting it off equally at all diameters of the yarn on the beam. To
one of the side frames of the loom is fixed a bracket carrying a pair of
clams lined with leather, india-rubber, or other friction material and one
end of the yarn beam is encircled by these clams. Between the lower
clam and the bracket there is a wedge and spring or. cam, the spring
being, either metallic or formed of india-rubber or any other elastic sub-
stance. At one end of the wedge or cam there is a screw encircled by a
ratchet wheel having its central part formed as a nut which fits the
screw, and on the boss of the wheel there is a lever with a small catch
or more fingers
for acting on the teeth of the ratchet wheel by one
or projections on one of the flanges of the beam, which at each revolu

page_text: tion causes the finger or fingers to act on the lever and catch and turn the
ratchet wheel one or more teeth, which draws out the wedge or cam from
the spring on which the step rests, and thus causes less friction on the yarn
beam, and as the yarn decreases in diameter the continuous revolutions of
the beam cause the screw and wedge or cam to be more and more drawn
out and give a gradually decreasing friction to the yarn beam, and thereby
maintaining the yarn at an uniform tension and letting it off equally,
and when desired we modify the foregoing arrangement by connecting the
lined clams and the wedge or cam to a strong spring fixed to the back
rail or side frame.
In all descriptions of looms for letting on the break lever and taking
it off the break wheel we employ the following improved contrivance :-
To the spring handle is fixed an arm or bracket having two projections
and a recess, and when the loom is stopped one end of the break lever
enters the recess for enabling the other end of the lever to act on the
break wheel. When before the loom is set on the break is required to
be taken off the front end of the lever is lifted and placed on one of the
projections, and when the loom is set on the lever is held on by the other
projection.
The object of the Invention for which the Letters Patent before mentioned
were granted is to change self-actingly the shuttle in which the weft is
broken or absent for another shuttle with the weft ready for weaving with-
out stopping the loom, by means of certain arrangements of mechanism and
apparatus. In the Specification of that Invention it is stated that part of
the improvements consist in the employment of a creeper or plain table aud
box on the breast beam or loom side opposite to the front of the slay for
holding a number of shuttles with weft, ready for being self-actingly
placed on the end of the slay when breakage or absence of weft takes
place, aud at the front of each table or frame of the creeper there are pro-
jections, which fit corresponding recesses in the slay, for forming a bridge
or continuous surface for the shuttles to travel on from the creeper or table
to the shuttle box on the slay, or recesses in and projections on are formed
in both the slay and the table, or the projections are formed on the slay and
the recesses in the table or frame.
In another part of the Specification the box on the table is called a
case, in the front of which there is a space for the passage of the shuttle
and to slots at the back for the passage of arms used for pushing the

page_text: shutile off the table on to the slay, which arms form part of compound
levers jointed to a bracket fixed to the table. In our present improve-
ments we employ the top arms of the compound levers for carrying a
shuttle to the slay. To the underside of the arms a metal plate is either
fixed or so connected that it can be made to slide and be kept in its
position by means of springs, and in the shuttle guard there are recesses
for the arms to enter when a change of shuttle takes place, and instead
of using sliding shuttle guards we place a small slide on a stationary bar,
which slide rises by the action of the shuttle itself when it is going on to
the slay and afterwards falls by its own weight or is pressed down by springs
to act as a guard. We also employ a hinged shuttle guard having at the
front a lip so that when the fresh shuttle is being pushed on the slay it
passes under the lip and raises the hinged guard, which afterwards falls by
its own weight or is acted upon by a spring. Or we dispense with the lip
on the hinged guard and raise the guard when required by means of a
stud which slides in a hole in the slay or in guides at the front of the
slay. Or we form the guard as a double lever for enabling one end to
be acted upon for the purpose of raising the other, and the motions
being obtained by levers on a rod and tube extending across the loom and
carrying a lever, to the top of which is connected the weft fork holder,
as described in the former Specification before mentioned, and these
hinged shuttle guards can be employed. at the end of the loom where the
shuttle is removed from the slay. Hitherto in this description of looms
when a shuttle is entered at one end of the slay and removed from the
other end it is only when the fresh shuttle has arrived from the delivery
end of the slay that there is weft to act on the weft fork, and therefore
a rod or wire has been used to act on the fork when a change of shuttles
has taken place. For attaining the same object without the use of sub-
stituted weft we fix an upright pin to the temple or to a bracket fixed to
the breast beam, and form a passage under one end of the hinged shuttle
guards, or under one end of the stationary bar carrying the small slide
which acts as a shuttle guard. To this pin we attach the end or ends of
weft in the shuttle or shuttles on the table, and when a shuttle is pushed
on to the slay the weft passes through the passage under one or other of
the guards and acts on the weft fork when the slay comes forward and
performs the work of the substitute weft. The self-supplying shuttle
looms up to the present time have only been employed for weaving with
weit of one color, and our next improvements are for the purpose of
enabling weft of various colors to be woven, and thereby weave figured

page_text: or fancy fabrics. In this arrangement we use shuttles having different
colors of weft and cause the loom to be stopped when there is a breakage
or absence of weft by means of an ordinary weft stopping motion at the
end of the slay opposite to that where the shuttles are supplied. For
changing the shuttles after any required number of picks have been
given we employ near the case which holds the shuttles a ratchet
wheel working on a stud in a bracket fixed to the breast.beam and
worked by a catch connected to the slay. The bracket carries a spring
pin or lever actuated by projections on the ratchet wheel, and the spring
pin or lever when acted upon depresses a catch on the lever connected
to the rod or tube before mentioned, which extends across the loom, and
when the catch is depressed it is caught by a sector hammer, and a
change of shuttle with weft of another color takes place, and as the
ratchet wheel is turned by the catch on the slay another projection
arrives to depress the spring or lever and another change of shuttle
takes place and so on. The changes of the shuttles are regulated
according to the design or pattern by means of different numbers of
projections on the ratchet wheel and for cloth that requires a stripe of a
different color after a great number of picks of one color we use a worm
and worm wheel for working the ratchet wheel, and if a number of
stripes should be wanted the worm is thrown out of gear and the ratchet
wheel worked from the slay as before.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Colin Mather and William Rossetter in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 8th September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, COLIN
MATHER and WILLIAM ROSSETTER, of Salford, in the County of Lan-
caster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Colin Mather and William Rossetter,
Her special license that we, the said Colin Mather and William
Rossetter, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as

page_text: we, the said Colin Mather and William Rossetter, our executors, adini-
nistrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN WARPING AND
WEAVING MACHINERY," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said Colin Mather and William Rossetter, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Colin Mather and William
Rossetter, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement (that is to say) :-
The first part of our Invention relates to warping machines having
self-stopping motions for stopping the machine when one or more of the
warp threads break, and consists in further improvements upon an
Invention for which Letters, Patent were granted to William Rossetter,
entitled Improvements in Warping or Beaming Machines, bearing
date the Seventh October One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight,
No. 3061; and the second part of our Invention consists in various
improvements applicable to all descriptions of power looms used for
weaving, and also for further improvements upon an Invention for which
Letters Patent were granted to William Rossetter, entitled Improve-.
ments in Looms for Weaving, bearing date the Thirteenth October
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, No. 2654.
The manner in which our Invention is to be performed will be clearly
understood by the following particular description thereof, reference
being had to the accompanying five Sheets of Drawings, and to the letters
of reference marked thereon.
Figures 1 and 2, Sheet are front and end elevations of a warping.
or beaming machine provided with some of our improvements;
Figure 3, a plan; and Figures 4 and 5 transverse views of part of the
same.

page_text: Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, Sheet 1, and
Figures 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23, Sheet 2, are various views of some of
the improvements and some of the parts detached. Figures 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, 22, and 23 are drawn to a scale of two inches to the foot, and all
the other Figures to about full size, and in all the Figures similar letters
refer to similar parts.
a, represents the frame sides of the machine in whole or in part;
b, the warp beam on which the warp is wound; c, the drum which gives
revolving motion to the warp beam; d, the drum shaft; e, the back or
measuring roller; f, the front roller; 7, the back comb; h, the front
combi, the strap fork; k, the stopping and setting on rods; 1, the
spring handle; m, the warp threads, n, the measuring apparatus; and
o, bobbins with yarn for piecing broken ends. In some self-stopping
warping machines the warp threads pass through eyes of arms commonly
called levers, and when the threads are entire they support the arms,
but when a thread is broken or absent its corresponding arm drops and
stops the movement of an oscillating bar or bars, and leads to the
stoppage of the machine.
Our first improvement relates to the arms which are supported by the
warp threads, and consists in making them of improved shapes out of
flat wire or sheet metal. To form one description of arm shewn in
the front, side, top, and back views, Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12, we take
a piece of flat wire or sheet metal q, Figure 8, and punch at one end
a slit r, and at the other end a hole s, and slot t, and this end is bent
downwards and upwards as at u, Figure 10, to form a projection for
arresting oscillating or reciprocating bars, and for allowing the holes,
Figures 9 and 10, to be used as an eye for the warp to pass through,
the slott being for the purpose of enabling the operative to thread the
eye without the use of a reed hook. The flat wire is then bent forwards
and backwards in a circular form as at v, Figure 10, and then upwards
as at w, Figures 10 and 12, the circular part for enabling the completed
arms to be placed on supporting wires stretched across the machine, and
the slits at the back for the threads to pass through as well as through
the eyes to keep the arms parallel with each other, and the completed
arms are marked u, w, and the supporting wires x in Figures 3, 18, 19,
20, and 21. We make some arms a little more than a semicircle at the
parts where they are carried by the wires as shewn at 2, Figure 13, for
the purpose of enabling arms to be placed ou the wires x, if required,

page_text: when the said wires are fastened to the side frames of the machine,
and when desired we extend the arm at the back as shewn at a',
Figure 14.
We also form the arms out of round wire with three or
four coils where they are carried by the supporting wires a, and Figures
15, 16, and 17 are front, side, and back views of one of these arms,
61 being the coiled part, cl the part supported by the thread,
and d the part for keeping the arm square with the supporting
wire.
In the former Patent before mentioned there is a description of
stationary wires stretched across the machine against which levers or
arms supported by the warp threads are held when the threads are
entire, and these wires keep the threads so near the levers or arms that
the fluke is continuously cleared away. We use these wires for holding
our improved arms but employ in connection with them and the wires
on which the arms are supported one or more steadying plates fixed to
the front comb holder or to brackets fixed to the stationary shaft which
carries the beam holders, and for supporting these wires we employ metal
plates fixed to the frame ends and having holes for receiving the wires.
In Figures 3, 18, 19, 20, and 21, el represents the wires against. which
the arms, u, w, are held by the threads; a, the wires which support the
arms; f, Figures 2, 3, 18, and 20, the plates to which both sets of wires
are fixed, and g¹, Figure 22, a steadying plate having recesses fitted on
all the wires.
Our next improvement consists in substituting for the ordinary
oscillating bars which are arrested by the falling of a pin or arm when
there is breakage or absence of a warp thread reciprocating bars formed
by iudenting or corrugating sheet metal, and worked in a straight line
in a horizontal or slightly angular direction by a lever having vibrating
motion imparted to it by means of an eccentric or crank on the back
roller shaft of the machine. The indented or corrugated bars are shewn
at 1, Figures 1, 5, 18, 19, and 21, and to them are brazed, soldered, or
rivetted blocks j¹ which ride on rollers k¹ working on pins in brackets /',
fixed to the stationary rod m¹, Figure 1, and to the bars are brazed,
soldered, or rivetted other blocks n¹, Figures 1 and 19, having one or two
projections o against which work bowls p' on levers q¹, fix to the
ordinary oscillating shaft r, to one end of which is fixed the lever »',
Figures 1, 2, and 4. On the back roller shaft we fix a disc with an
adjustable crank pin to which is jointed the rod t, Figure 4, having near

page_text: its front end a recess fitting a pin on the lever st, and at its extreme end
a hook for acting on the spring handle l, and the lever s1, shaft r³,
levers q', and reciprocating bars h' are worked in one direction by the
crank and rod, and in the reverse direction by a spring, or by a lever
and weight. When the machine is working and there is no breakage or
absence of warp the bars h reciprocate below the arms u, w, the crank
giving the backward movement and the spring or weight the forward
one, but when a thread breaks or is absent its corresponding arm falls
and arrests the motion of the reciprocating bars h¹, shaft, and lever s¹,
thereby causing the recessed part of the rod to be shifted from the pin
on the lever, and allow its front end to descend behind the top of the
spring handle which is pulled out of its detent when the rod moves
back and causes the stoppage of the machine as described in the former
Patent before mentioned. Or we work the ordinary oscillating bars and
our improved reciprocating bars from the drum shaft of the machine in
the following manner-We fix to the drum shaft d, Figures 1 and 2
a toothed wheel v¹ and gear it by a toothed chain o¹ to a smaller toothed
wheel ad, working on a stud fixed to one of the frame sides. The toothed
wheel a³ carries an adjustable crank pin to which is jointed the rod y¹ for
acting on the lever s¹ and giving backward motion to the oscillating
or reciprocating bars, the forward movement of which is effected by
a spring or by a lever and weight, and more or less movement can be
given to the bars by varying the position of the crank pin.
In Figure 7 we represent another mechanical contrivance at the end
of the rod t¹ for acting on the spring handle 7 when there is breakage or
absence of thread. The end of the rod has a hook and a slot which is
passed over the ordinary pin on the lever s¹, and on the spring haudle
there is a weighted lever having in the middle a projection, and at one
end the hook z and the bottom of the lever s¹ vibrates to and fro on this
lever; when there is no breakage or absence of thread the bottom of the
lever s¹ as it vibrates acts on the projection and depresses the hook z¹
below the hook on the rod t¹ and there is no action on the spring handle,
but when the lever s¹ is stationary the hook on the rod t¹ catches the
hook and pulls the spring handle out of its detent and causes the
stoppage of the machine.
In the Specification of the Patent before mentioned there is a
description of sliding bars with hooks for holding the ends of a falling
rod or roller which is raised high enough to be held by the hooks by the

page_text: tension of the warp. We now employ a lever a², Figure 23, at each side
of the machine for assisting the pivots of the falling rod to enter the
hooks, and on the rod 63 to which the levers are fixed there is a roller for
the warp threads to run against, and the roller revolves when the warp
threads work on it.
In another arrangement shewn in Figures 5, 18, 19, and 20, we make
the warp itself the means of causing the rod or roller to be fairly held
by the hooks at both ends. When the machine is stopped a handle d² at
each end, Figures 1, 2, and 19, is turned and causes the lever f2 to bring
back the bar g2 to release the pivot 2 from the hook 2, and the rod
or roller fails to take up the slack, and the bar is pressed forward
by the spring m³. When the ends or end are pieced and the machine
set on the rod or roller rises as the slack is taken up, and at each
end the pivot acts upon an incline n² and sends back the bar for
the pivot to pass, and then the spring m² pushes forwards the bar and
hook which holds the rod or roller to take its weight off the threads.
In Figures 1 and 2 we shew an improved catch o² for the catch
wheel p2. The catch has at the back a weighted arm 22 which keeps the
front end out of gear with the teeth of the wheel unless overpowered,
and at the part 22 there is a double incline s2, Figure 6, and to the spring
handle is fixed the arm 2 carrying the knuckle jointed finger u².
When the machine is working the weighted part of the catch keeps its
other end out of the teeth of the ratchet wheel, but when the spring.
handle moves inwards the finger acts upon the first incline and causes
the catch to hold the catch wheel, and the moment the drum is reversed
the catch is loosened from the teeth of the ratchet wheel and is lifted up
by its weighted end.
The second part of our Invention consists in various improvements
applicable to all descriptions of power looms used for weaving, and also
for further improvements upon an Invention for which Letters Patent
were granted to William Rossetter, entitled Improvements in Looms
for Weaving, bearing date the Thirteenth day of October One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-six, No. 2654, which improvements are repre-
sented in Sheets 3, 4, and 5.
In Sheet 3, Figure 1 is a front elevation; Fig. 2, a plan; and Figs. 3
and 4, eud elevations, drawn to a scale of two inches to the foot of the
main parts of an overpick loom provided with some of our improve-
ments.

page_text: In Sheet 4, Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 are
views of detached parts and modifications thereof; and Figures 18
and 19 are end views representing the remaining part of our improve-
ments.
And in Sheet 5, Figure 20 is a front elevation, and Figures 21 and 22
end elevations of our improved hinged shuttle guards applied to an
underpick loom.
In the various Figures a represents one or both of the side frames of
the loom in whole or in part; b, the breast beam; c, the crank shaft ;
d, the tappet shaft; e, the slay or batten; f, the sword arms; g, the
yarn beam; h, the spring handle; and i, j, the pickers driven by the
overpick picking sticks k. For checking the shuttle when it enters the
shuttle box at each end of the slay we employ for each shuttle box a
metal bar, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 14, and 15, having fixed to it a strip of
leather or india-rubber resting on the top of the back board m, and at
the ends of the metal bar there are holes through which is passed the fly
spindle n. When the shuttle strikes the picker the bar is moved back
and the check to the shuttle is given by the weight of the bar and
friction of the leather or india-rubber on the top of the backboard,
and when the pick is given the picker returns the bar to its original
position.
Our next improvement relates to the yarn beam of looms and consists
in improved modes of giving a gradually decreasing resistance to the
yarn beam for the purpose of maintaining the yarn at a uniform tension
and letting it off equally at all diameters of the yarn on the beam. To
one of the side frames of the loom is fixed a bracket o, Figures 2 and 3,
carrying a pair of hinged clams p, q, r, the parts q, r, being lined with
leather, india-rubber, or other friction material, and one end of the yarn
beam is encircled by these clams which are held together by a bolt or
screw s. Between the upper clam q and the part p there is an india-
rubber or metal spring t and a wedge u having at one end a screw v
encircled by a ratchet wheel w with its central part formed as a nut
fitting the screw, and on the boss of the wheel there is a lever x with
a small catch y for acting on the teeth of the ratchet wheel, the lever
being moved one way by one or more fingers or projections z on one of
the flanges of the yarn beam, and the reverse way by its own weight.
At each revolution of the yarn beam the finger or fingers act on the
lever and catch which turns the ratchet wheel one or more teeth in

page_text: order to draw out to a minimum extent the wedge u from the spring t
and cause less pressure to be exerted on the clams, and less friction on
the yarn beam, and as the yarn decreases in diameter the continuous
revolutions of the beam cause the screw and wedge to be more and more
drawn out, and give a gradually decreasing friction to the yarn beam,
thereby maintaining the yarn at a uniform tension and letting it off
equally. In some cases a cam may be used instead of the wedge u.
In another arrangement shewn in Figures 16 and 17 we form the
clams with lugs a¹, b¹, and pass through them a screw c¹ having a
head d', between which and the lug 61 there is a strong spiral spring e¹.
On the screw there is a ratchet wheel f¹ with a central nut, and on
the boss of the wheel there is a lever and catch g' which are moved in
one direction by one or more fingers h¹ on the adjacent flange of the
yarn beam as it revolves, and in the reverse direction by a spring k¹.
When the yarn beam is full the spring e¹ exerts its full pressure on the
clams for giving the maximum amount of friction to the yarn beam, but
as the yarn gradually decreases in diameter the turning of the ratchet
wheel moves the screw c¹ so as to lengthen the distance between its
head d and the lug 6' and gradually reduce the pressure of the spring e¹ and
the friction of the clams.
For letting the break lever on to the break wheel and taking it off
we employ the following improved contrivance :-To the spring handle h,
Figure 1, is fixed an arm or bracket having two projections m¹, n¹, a
recess o³, and an incline p¹; and when the loom is stopped the front
end q, Figures 1 and 4, of the break lever enters the recess o¹ for
enabling the other end of the break lever to act on the break wheel s.
When the loom is set on the end is taken off the break wheel by the
end q' riding up the incline p' and then resting on the projection n¹, but
if before the loom is set on the break is required to be taken off to work the
loom by hand the end q¹ of the break lever is lifted by hand out of the recess
and placed on the projection m¹.
The object of the Invention for which the Letters Patent before
mentioned were granted is to change self-actingly the shuttle in which
the weft is broken or absent for another shuttle with the weft ready
for weaving without stopping the loom, by means of certain arrange-
ments of mechanism and apparatus, the fresh shuttle being supplied at
one end of the slay and the deficient shuttle ejected at the other end of
the slay.
In the Specification of that Invention it is stated that part

page_text: of the improvements consist in the employment of a creeper or plain
table and box on the breast beam or loom side opposite the front of the
Blay for holding a number of shuttles with weft ready for being self.
actingly placed at the end of the slay when breakage or absence of weft
takes place, and at the front of each table or frame of the creeper there
are projections, which fit corresponding recesses in the slay, for forming
a bridge or continuous surface for the shuttles to travel on from the
creeper or table to the shuttle box on the slay, or recesses are formed in
and projections on both the slay and table.
:
In another part of the Specification the box on the table is called a
case, in the front of which there is a space for the passage of the shuttle
and two slots at the back for the passage of arms used for pushing the
shuttle off the table on to the slay, which arms form part of compound
levers jointed to a bracket fixed to the table.
In our present improvements we also employ the top arms of the
compound levers for carrying a shuttle to the slay. To the under side of
the arms a metal plate having projecting ends is either fixed or so con-
nected that it can be made to slide and be kept in its position by means
of springs, and in the shuttle guard there are recesses for the arms to
enter when a change of shuttle takes place.
In Figure 12, Sheet 4, t¹ represents a plain table to which is fixed a
bracket x carrying a compound lever formed with one bottom arm v¹ and
two top arms w¹. The shuttle ¹ is. placed on the plate y¹ linked to the
two arms w¹ which have slots at the top to allow them to vibrate and the
plate slides to and fro on the table t¹. Or we modify this arrangement
by placing the shuttle on slides working in the plate, there being recesses
in the fly plate for the front of the slides.
In Figure 13, Sheet 4, the slides a³ are fitted in grooves in the plate b²
and have at the back a cross bar in contact with a spring. When the
plate is pushed forwards and the slay advances the ends of the slides,
abut against the ends of the recesses in the fly plate, and when the plate
and stay still further approach each other the plate. moves on the slides
and pushes the shuttle on the fly plate forming the bottom of the shuttle
box, and when the plate 62 returns the spring places the slides in their
original positions for holding a fresh shuttle.
Our next improvement consists in employing a hinged shuttle guard
having at the front a lip, so that when the fresh shuttle is being pushed
on the slay it passes under the lip and raises the hinged guard, which

page_text: afterwards falls by its own weight or is assisted by a spring. This guard is
shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7, in which d² represents the guard and e²
the lip. Or we dispense with the lip on the hinged guard and raise the
guard when required by means of a rod which slides in a hole in the slay
or in guides at the front of the slay. This guard is shewn in Figures 1
2, 3, and 4, in which 2 represents the guard having a projecting pin
resting on the rod 92 which passes through the slay and is prevented
from falling by a pin or collar resting on the top of the slay, and the
socket or bearing in which the stud or axis of each shuttle guard works is
bored diagonally in order that when turned more or less round the other
end of the guard will be nearer to or farther from the back board of the
shuttle box. In another of our improved guards we place a small lipped
slide on a stationary bar which slide rises by the action of the shuttle
when it is going on to the slay and afterwards falls by its own weight to
act as a guard, and one end of the bar is formed to act as a guard. This
arrangement is shewn in the front and end views, Figures 8 and 9, in
which represents the stationary bar and the lipped slide to which a
spring can be applied when desired. This guard is only used at the supply
side of the loom, but the two arrangements of hinged guards can be em-
ployed at both the supply and ejection ends, and applied to self-supplying
looms in which a number of fresh shuttles are placed in a case and pushed
off one by one by a pusher.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3 we represent a shuttle holder for holding a
number of shuttles one upon another, the bottom one being pushed on
the slay under the lipped shuttle guard by the compound lever vl, w³,
and the mechanical movements for working it and the levers shewn
in Figures 12 and 13 are the same. To the ordinary weft fork holder j
is connected the lever k³ fixed to the rod or tube 12 extending across the
loom underneath the breast beam and carrying at one end the bent
lever m2, n2; and at the other end the levers o2, p2, which levers are raised
when on account of breakage or absence of weft the ordinary sector
hammer q2, catches the hook of. the weft fork 2, and on the stop rod p³
there is an arm 12 carrying a bowl 5. For ejecting the shuttle with
broken or spent weft there is at the ejection end a T-headed pin.
The said pin is marked u², v², and works in a bracket carrying the
double lever w2, 2, and to the pin is fixed a stud having a notch in which
is placed one end of the flat spring y³, the other end of which is fixed to
its adjacent' sword arm or back board. The top arın 2 is linked to the

page_text: pin, the head of which projects into the shuttle box 22 and is used as a
swell and pusher off, and at this end of the loom there is a plate or
table a³ having near each end a spring b³, Figures 1 and 2. When
there is breakage or absence of weft it is detected when the shuttle is
returning to the weft fork end, and after the shuttle has again been
driven across the slay the sector hammer catches the hook of the weft
fork and gives motion to the weft fork holder and lever k², the effect
of which is to turn the rod or tube 12 and raise the levers m², n2, 02, p².
As the slay advances the bowl 5 will ride on the part 2 and raise
the arm t, the front end of which comes in contact with the arm vi
of the compound lever and cause the top arms w¹ to carry the shuttle
forwards and raise the shuttle guard d² by acting on its inclined lip 2,
and when the plate and slay approach each other the projecting ends of
the plate enter recesses in the fly plate to allow the shuttle to be delivered
into the shuttle box c³, and when the slay makes its backward movement
the compound lever and parts connected with it are returned to their
original backward positions by the spiral spring d³, Figure 1. The shuttle
with the broken or absent weft is ejected at the other end of the slay
on to the plain table a³ by the head of the T-headed pin shortly after or
at the same time the fresh shuttle is supplied. The shuttle guard f2
is raised by the rod 92 riding on the inclined part f³ of the lever p', and
the bottom arm of the double lever w², x2, comes in contact with the
finger go fixed to the lever o², which causes the arm 2 to move backwards
and the top arm w² and T-headed pin forwards, so as to push the shuttle
under the raised guard on to the table as below the springs 63, by which
it is slightly held until forced further back by the next shuttle as it
is being placed on the table, and when the slay goes back the rod
leaves the inclined parts of the lever p² to allow the shuttle guard to
descend and act as a guard, and the spring y takes back the T-headed
pin and the head v² acts as a swell. When there is another breakage
or absence of weft another fresh shuttle is placed on the slay and the
deficient shuttle ejected as before and so on. In some cases we dispense
with the T-headed pin for pushing off the shuttle after the shuttle guard
is raised and allow it to be ejected into a box or on to a table by the
momentum of the shuttle and slay. For preventing the picker i from
obstructing the shuttle in its passage from the shuttle holder to its
working position on the slay, there is on the top of the picker a pro-
jection, Figures 1 and 2, and a two-armed lever h³, ³, working on a
stud fixed to a bracket at the back of the slay, there being on the stud

page_text: a spiral spring 13 for moving the top of the lever in one direction.
When there is no change of shuttle the top 3 of the lever is held in its
forward position out of the way of the projection on the picker, as seen
in Figures 1, 2, and 3, by the spring P, but when a change is required
and motion given to the rod or tube the lever m², n³, is raised as
before described, and as the slay comes forward the tail end of the
lever comes in contact with a curved end of the lever m², n³, shewn in
Figure 2, and causes the top end h² to be turned back and strike the
projection g³ and keep the picker ; out of the way of the shuttle as it
is entering the shuttle box c³, and when the slay goes back the spring (3
returns the top of the lever to its original forward position. Hitherto
in self-supplying shuttle looms when a shuttle is supplied at one end of
the slay and ejected at the other end it is only when the fresh shuttle
has arrived from the ejection end that there is weft to act on the weft
fork, and therefore a rod 'or wire moved by mechanical means has been
used to act on the weft fork when a change of shuttles has taken place
in order to prevent unnecessary changing. For attaining the same
result without the use of the rod or wire we fix on all descriptions of
self-supplying shuttle looms an upright pin m³ on the temple box n³,
Figures 1, 2, 10, and 11, or on a bracket fixed to the breast beam, and
form a passage o³ under one end of the hinged shuttle guard at the
supply end, or under a passage p³ at the end of the stationary bar h²,
Figures 8 and 9, carrying the small slide which acts as a shuttle guard,
'and to the shuttle holder we fix the guide finger q³. To this pin m³ we
attach the end or ends 73 of weft in the shuttle or shuttles, and when a
shuttle is carried or pushed on the slay the weft passes through the
passage o³ or p³, and is then guided by the finger 23 to the front of the
weft fork, on which it acts to raise its hooked end, when the slay comes
forwards and performs the work of real weft. A piece of india-rubber
tubing is placed on the pin m³ to cause the ends to adhere, and a
knife is fixed to the temple box to cut off the ends of weft as they
advance to the temple by the winding on of the cloth.
The self-supplying looms have hitherto only been employed for
weaving with weft of one color, and our next improvements. are for the
purpose of enabling weft of various colors to be woven, and thereby
weave checked, striped, and fancy fabrics. For this purpose we use
shuttles having different colors of weft and cause the loom to be stopped

page_text: acted upon by a
when there is breakage or absence of weft by means of an ordinary
weft stopping motion at the end of the slay opposite to that where the
shuttles are supplied. For changing the shuttles after any required
number of picks have been given, we employ near the shuttle holder,
Figures 10 and 11, a ratchet wheel working on a stud in a bracket m
fixed to the breast beam b, and turned by a catch n
pin connected to the slay e, and to the ratchet wheel is held a pattern
wheel o' having projections 2. The shuttles are supplied and ejected
in the same manner as before described for weft of a single color, but
instead of changing when a weft thread breaks, the change takes place
when a certain number of picks have been given and when there is
breakage or absence of weft the loom is stopped by means of the
ordinary weft motion. The lever ², rod or tube 12, and levers connected
with it are similar to those shewn on Sheet 3, but we substitute for the
weft fork with it hook the double lever s, t, in line with the sector
hammer and having its part & in contact with the projections q* on
the pattern wheel of. When the loom is working the catch n' at each
forward movement.
of the slay turns the ratchet wheel one or more
teeth, and the pattern wheel in the same proportion, and after a certain
time the parts drops into a recess between two projections, and the
part d' is depressed and caught by the sector hammer, and a change of
shuttle with weft of another color takes place, and as the ratchet wheel 14
is turned by the catch on the slay another recess arrives for allowing
the parts to rise and the part to be depressed and be caught by the
sector hammer, to cause another change of shuttle with weft of another
color, and so on. The changes of the shuttle are regulated according
to the design or pattern by means of different numbers of projections
and recesses, and for cloth that requires a stripe of a different color, after
a great number of picks of one color, we use a worm and worm wheel
for working the pattern and ratchet wheels, and then, when the ordinary
stripes are wanted, the worm is thrown out of gear and the ratchet
wheel worked by the catch n acted upon by a pin connected to the

page_text: weft ready for weaving without stopping the loom. The main difference
between this loom and the one shewn on Sheet 3 consists in the picking
sticks and modes of working them, but as they are of the ordinary
construction no description of them is required, and the self-acting
mechanism and parts connected with it are similar to those shewn in
Sheet 3. The shuttles filled with weft are placed in the shuttle
holder v, Figure 21, on the plain table u, and are pushed one by one
as required into the shuttle box 6' at that end of the slay by the top
arm of the compound lever d, e, which is worked one way by an
arm on the stop rod g' and the other way by a spiral spring fl
The weft fork holder is connected to the lever .m fixed to the rod n,
carrying at one end the lever p and at the other end the levers q, r,
which levers are raised when the rod n is turned back by the sector
hammer s seizing the hook of the weft fork t and bringing back the
lever m when there is breakage or absence of weft. At the supply end
there is a hinged shuttle guard which rises when the shuttle enters the
shuttle box and falls by its own weight or is assisted by the spring n², and
at the ejection end there is a hinged shuttle guard o¹. The shuttle is
ejected by the head of a T-headed pin moved outwards by the lever u¹, v
when the arm ¹ comes in contact with the stud c² on the lever q, the
hinged guard o' being raised by the rod p³ riding on the incline q' on
the lever 1. There is a pin on the temple box at the supply side or on a
bracket fixed to the breast beam and a guiding finger on the shuttle
holder, and the ends of weft from the shuttles in the shuttle holder are
attached to the pin, and when a fresh shuttle is pushed in the shuttle
box 6 the weft passes through the passage at the end of the guard and
is guided by the guiding finger in front of the weft fork and acts as
real weft.
'
The action of the several parts are similar to those before described
as shewn in Sheet 3, a fresh shuttle being supplied after each breakage or
absence of weft, and the empty shuttle ejected, the self-acting
operations continuing as long as there is a supply of shuttles
and the loom at work.
In warping or beaming machines having self-stopping motions,
we claim,-
warp
Firstly. The improved shapes of the arms which are supported by the
threads as herein described and shewn in Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
16, and 17, Sheet 2, and the modes of constructing them..

page_text: Secondly. The metal plates for carrying the wires which hold the arms,
and the wires against which the arms are held by the threads as herein
described and shewn in Figures 2 and 3, Sheet 1, and Figures 18 and 20,
Sheet 2, and also the intermediate plate or plates for steadying the same,
as shewn in Figure 22, Sheet 2.
Thirdly. The use of the reciprocating bars as herein described and shewn
in Figures 1 and 5, Sheet 1, and Figures 18, 19, and 21, Sheet 2, moved
in a straight line, either horizontally or at an angle, on antifiiction rollers,
or in guides instead of the ordinary oscillating bars.
Fourthly. The use of the adjustable crank pin for regulating the to-and-
fro motion of the reciprocating bars as shewn in Figures 2, 4, and 7,
Sheet 1, and the application of the same to the ordinary oscillating
bars.
Fifthly: The improved modes of lifting the falling rod or roller to be held
by the hooks on the sliding bars, as herein described and shewn in Figure
19, 20, and 23, Sheet 2.
Sixthly. In all descriptions of looms for weaving, the employment on
each back board of a metal bar, as herein described and shewn in
Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 3, and Figures 14 and 15, Sheet 4, lined with
leather or other friction material for checking the shuttle at each end of
the slay.
Seventhly. The improved letting-off motions herein described and shewn
in Figures 2 and 3, Sheet 3, and Figures 16 and 17, Sheet 4.
Eighthly. The improved bracket, as herein described and shewn in
Figure 1, on the spring handle for letting on the break lever to the break
wheel and taking it off.
Ninthly. In under and over pick self-supplying shuttle looms, the im-
proved modes of carrying a shuttle to the slay, the improved lipped shuttle
guards, the piu on the temple box or bracket for holding the ends of weft
which act as real weft in connection with the improved combination of
self-acting machinery for supplying a fresh shuttle after each breakage or
absence of weft without stopping the loom, as herein described and illustrated
in the various Figures.

page_text: shuttle looms, as herein described and shewn in Figures 18 and 19,
Sheet 4, for supplying the loom with shuttles containing different colors
of weft in the weaving of checked, striped, and fancy fabrics.
In witness whereof, we, the said Colin Mather and William Rossetter
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventh day of September
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
COLIN MATHER.
(L,.S.)
WILLIAM ROSSETTER. (L.s)