Improvements in or relating to Loose Reed and Picking Mechanism of Looms.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 14th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Loose Reed and Picking Mechanism
of Looms.
I WILLIAM BIRTWISTLE of 18 Patten Street Colne in the County of
Lancaster, Loom Tackler, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be
as follows:-
These improvements refer to an invention for which Letters Patent No. 6697
were granted to me on the 1st day of May, 1890, and relate first to means for
stopping the loom when the shuttle shall fail to enter the shuttle box and secondly
to means for preventing damage being done to the picker by diminishing the
force with which the picker comes in contact with the stud on the end of the loom
spindle.
The first part of my invention consists in mounting a finger or arm on the end
of the thrash rod designed to come in contact with a lever mounted on the
loom side for operating the fork handle when the shuttle fails to enter the shuttle
box.
This finger falls short of the lever so long as it is in its normal position but
immediately the shuttle gets out of its course and the thrash rod is consequently
caused to turn a fraction of a revolution the finger is raised and coming in contact
with the lever stops the loom.
The lever is mounted at one end on a stud on the loom side whilst its other end
is free and bears against the fork handle for stopping and starting the loom.
To ensure of the finger on the thrash rod doing its work more effectually when
in its raised position I sometimes employ a catch suspended in front of the shuttle
box and cranked at its lower extremity to catch and retain the finger until
released by the attendant when restarting the loom.
The second part of my invention consists in providing the picker rod with a
spring blade which comes in contact with a similar spring blade on the loom side
so that as the picker rod operates the picker the two blades coming in contact with
each other check and diminish the force with which the picker strikes the stud on
the loom spindle and so prevent damage being done to the picker as aforesaid.
The improved diminishing arrangement is equally applicable to other classes of
looms.
Dated thin 15th 1
1001
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Loose Reed and Picking Mechanism
of Looms.
I, WILLIAM BIRTWISTLE of 18 Patten Street, Colne, in the County of
Lancaster, Loom Tackler, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
These improvements refer to an invention for which Letters Patent No. 6697
were granted to me on the First day of May 1890 and relate first to means for
automatically stopping the loom when the shuttle fails to enter the shuttle box and

page_text: secondly to means for preventing damage being done to the picker as it comes in
contact with the end of the stud on the loom spindle.
On the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is an end view Fig. 2 a side view and
Fig. 3 a plan of so much of a loom as is necessary to make the first part of my
invention clear; Figs. 4 and 5 are front and side views of the picker shaft with
the second part of my improvements shewn applied thereto.
The first part of my invention consists of a finger or arm A mounted on the
thrash rod B designed to come in contact with the lever C for operating the fork
handle D for stopping and starting the loom when the shuttle fails to enter the
shuttle box and the reed flies open but which arm falls short of the lever C so long
as the shuttle runs true and the reed remains closed.
The lever C is mounted at one end on the stud E whilst its other end is free and
bears directly against the fork handle D or against the lever G and which lever
is provided with a curve faced block H which serves to hold the finger or arm A.
in a raised position as soon as the point of such finger beats up against it.
The thrash rod B serves to keep the reed closed so long as the shuttle runs
true by means of curved arms under the action of a spring but immediately the
shuttle fails to enter the shuttle box such rod turns a fraction of a revolution by
reason of the reed being forced open and in so doing simultaneously causes the
finger A to assume a horizontal position and strike the block H causing the free
'end of the lever C to come in contact with the lever G knocking the fork handle D
away from its abutment I and so doing stopping the loom.
In knocking the fork handle away from its abutment the lever G lets fall a
catch J connected by the brake lever K with the brake shoe L causing the latter
to come into play with the wheel M.
To ensure of the finger A doing its work most effectually when in its raised
position I employ a swivelling latch N (see Fig. 8) suspended from the pin N in
front of the shuttle box O with a crank or shoulder P formed in it which is of
sufficient weight to swivel and catch under the finger A when such finger is raised
by the thrash rod and retain the same whilst it strikes the block H and until it
is released by the attendant when restarting the loom. I sometimes employ a
finger and catch separate from the finger A.
In some cases the lever C is provided with an adjustable crank Q (see Fig. 7)
free to slide up and down in a slot and secured by the nut Q.
The second part of my invention consists of a steel spring blade R affixed to the
loom side S and a finger T (see Figs. 4, 5 & 6) mounted on the picker shaft U
which is slightly bent as illustrated and which latter is so set as to come in contact
with the spring blade directly the picker rod has expended sufficient force to
operate the picker and thus act as a cushion and serve to check and diminish the
force with which the picker strikes the stud on the end of the loom spindle in
throwing the shuttle.
In my Provisional Specification I describe the spring blade as coming in contact
with the picker rod but I have found that a separate finger on the picker shaft is
much more preferable.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In loose reed looms the use and employment of a finger or arm A mounted
on the thrash rod B in combination with a lever C (with or without curved
block H) mounted and operating substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
2nd. In loose reed looms the use and employment of a swivelling catch N
mounted and operating substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described
and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
3rd. In loose reed looms the use and employment of a spring blade in combina-

page_text: tion with a finger on the picker shaft mounted and operating substantially as and
for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 16th day of February 1892.
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the Applicant.