Ar IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOKS FOR MAKING CLOTHS, SILKE, AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF WOOLLEN STUFFS OF VARIOUS BREADTHS
Year: 1825

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
MARTIN HANCHETT, of Crescent Place, Blackfriars, in the City of London,
and JOSEPH DELVALLE, of Whitecross Street, in the Parish of Saint Luke, in
the County of Middlesex, Esquires, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the sixth year of
His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said John Martin Hanchett and Joseph Delvalle, His especial licence
that we, the said John Martin Hanchett and Joseph Delvalle, our exors,
adñiors, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Martin Hanchett
and Joseph Delvalle, our exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time agree`
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the
Invention, communicated to us by a certain Foreigner residing abroad, of
"Ar IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOKS FOR MAKING CLOTHS, SILKE,
AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF WOOLLEN STUFFS OF VARIOUS BREADTHS;" in which
said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging us, the said John
Martin Hanchett and Joseph Delvalle, by an instrument in writing under
our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, particularly to
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and

page_text: immediately after the date of our herein-before in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Joseph Delvalle, do hereby declare that the nature of our said Inven-
tion (as communicated to us by a certain Foreigner rosiding abroad), and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the two Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed and
the following description thereof (that is to say):-
For effecting our first improvement, which regards the lay or batten of our
looms, we affix on each of the arms or levers of the said lay, near to the
middles of the said arms, a stud roller or a smooth pin, and we cause each of
the said rollers or pins constantly to roll or slide in curvilineally face grooved
cams, or curved guides similarly formed and fixed on the main or cam axis of
our said looms; and by these simple means we cause a reciprocating and more
perfectly regulatable motion of the said lay with its contained reed than here-
tofore has been accomplished in power looms, such regulation or adjustment of
motion applying either to the total range of motion given to the said lay and
reed, or else to the greater or less velocity or variable speed with which the
said lay and reed may be required to move in the different parts of their
course or range backwards and forwards; and the said lay and reed may even
be caused to stand still during a portion or portions of the time occupied in
making the said course, and either one or more beats or knockings up of the
said lay and reed may be given to one shoot or throw of the shuttle.
.
For effecting our second improvement, which regards the pecker or driver
of the shuttles of our said looms, wo affix on the pecker arm or lever, at about
one-fifth or one-sixth part of its length from its centre of motion, a stud roller,
or a smooth pin, or a slider; and we cause the said roller, pin, or slider, con-
stantly to roll or slide in the edge groove of a distorted pulley, or else in a
parrallel-sided groove, partly straight and partly curved, formed or sunk in the
circumference or edge of a solid circular wheel or pulley, affixed upon the said
main or cam axis, by which simple means we cause a reciprocating and more
perfectly regulatable motion of the said pecker, arm, or lever, than heretofore
has been usual in power looms.
For effecting our third improvement, which regards the heddles of our said
looms, instead of affixing the wipers or snails for depressing the heddle treadles
immediately upon the main axis, we affix such wipers upon a short tube
slipped on to and turning freely upon such main axis, affixing also on such
tube axis a pinion or small-toothed wheel, and causing this first pinion or

page_text: wheel to work into a second wheel, either equal or larger in size and number
of teeth in any required proportion. This second wheel we mount and fix on
a short axis, supported from the main framing of the loom. And we affix also
upon the same short axis a third wheel, and this last wheel we cause to work
into a fourth pinion or wheel bearing any required diminishing proportion as
to size to the said third wheel; and we affix such fourth pinion or wheel upon
the said main axis, by which simple means the said tube axis and the heddle
wipers mounted thereon may be made to revolve once for any required
number of revolutions of the said main axis, and so by merely changing two
or all of the said four wheels and pinions, may three, four, or any greater
number of heddle treadles be moved in proper relation with the motions of the
lay and the pecker arms which have been already mentioned herein. The
several Figures in each of the said two sheets of Drawings are delineated to
a scale of dimensions, which is drawn in each sheet; and the same or cor-
responding parts and things that are represented in more than one of the said
Figures are marked with the same letters of reference, and are similarly
named herein.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of one of our two heddle looms, supposing the
breast beams to be removed, and some small parts omitted for the sake of
clearness, which are better scen in the other Figures. Fig. 14 is an end
elevation, shewing the left-hand end of Fig. 1; and Fig. 16 is a transverse
section nearly on the line a, b, in Fig. 1, looking towards the left. In the
several Figures A is the first axis, receiving its motive force from á steam
engine or any adequate power communicated by means of a strap or band 1, ],
to the fast rigger or pulley B, B, which is firmly fixed upon the said first
axis (A), upon which said axis, and nearly touching the fast rigger (B), there
is also a loose rigger C, C, slipping freely round upon the said first axis (A),
the use of which said loose rigger, in suddenly stopping the motion of the loom
when required, will be further mentioned herein. Or, instead of a revolving
first axis (A), extending (as aforesaid) through the whole length of the loom,
we sometimes employ a a fixed stud axis, firmly yet adjustably screwed to the
end main frame of the loom, and in this case we attach together the wheel F
and the rigger (B), and cause them (as also the said loose rigger) to slip
freely round upon the said stud axis. D is the main axis or shaft which
carries the cams and wipers for setting in motion the loom. This main or
cam axis (D) receives its motion from the first axis (A), by means of a pair of
toothed wheels E and F, which are respectively fixed upon these axes. In
the Drawings the wheel E is represented as having double the diameter
and number of teeth pertaining to the wheel F, because in the two-

page_text: heddle loom, here represented, the main or cam axis (D) is intended
to make only one revolution for two turns of the first axis (A), (or of
the wheel F upon its stud axis, when such an one is employed), for fitting the
said main axis for receiving any of the several cams or curved guides, repre-
sented in Fig 10, 11, and 12. But in others of our said improved looms,
other toothed wheels of equal diameters and numbers of teeth on each
are to be substituted for the wheels E and F, in order that the said
main axis may revolve with equal speed as the said first axis (or as the
stud wheel F), and be fitted to receive upon it the circular excentric or
cam, Figure 6, or else an elliptical excentric or cam in place thereof.
Upon the main or cam axis (D) near to each of its extremities are affixed,
by means of wedges or else of tightening screws in bosses, the lay cams
or curved guides G, G, these being of the kind called face-grooved cams,
(that is to say) the curved guides or shapes intended to give variable
motion or speed are formed as grooves in the face of a cam wheel (and not
upon its edge). Figure 10 is a separate face view of this samo lay cam, in
which the form of its curved groove G, G, is carefully and correctly drawn,
the parts of the grooves between d and e being bounded by arcs of circles
struck from the centre of the main axis (D) in order that within these
considerable portions of the cam's revolution the lay may remain motionless to
allow times for the passages of the shuttle twice across broad pieces of cloth
or goods during one revolution of this cam, and this cam is also contracted in
its length in order that the lay, by not retreating or going far back from the
fell 18 or last thread of the weft, thrown and beat up, may admit of the warp
threads being opened at a large angle at the fell, in order to receive woollen yarn
(or other weft threads which may be ousy or rough) so close to the said fell, as
is essential to the making of a good selvedge to the cloth, and to facilitate the
beating up. Figure 11 is in like manner the separate face view of another
lay cam, in which no part of its groove G, G, is bounded by arcs of circles
struck from the said centre of the main axis (D), and consequently the lay
will always continue in motion, slowly retreating from and again advancing
towards the said fell whilst distant therefrom, and having its motion much
accelerated in approaching to the said fell in order to beat up smartly or
forcibly. Figure 12 is in like manner the separate face view of another lay
cam (and Fig. 13 its edge view) in which its groove in the parts thereof
between fand g are bounded by aros of circles struck from the said centre of
the main axis (D); the less considerable portions of these circular parts f to g,
as compared with these parts d, e, in Figure 10, will cause the lay to be here
stationary during a less portion of the cam's revolution, but this cam (Fig. 12)

page_text: being equally contracted in length with that in Fig. 10, the range or total
course of the lay in both Figures will correspond, but not so the rate and
manner of the lay's approach to the fell, which here will be rapid, and the
beating up very smart, and the fell also will be twice beat up by the lay
between each throw of the shuttle. Figure 6 is in like manner the separate
face view of another lay, cam, or circular excentric, in which no part of its
groove G, G, is bounded by arcs of circles struck from the said centre of the
main axis (D), and consequently the lay will be always in motion, because the
groove, although circular, has another and different centre from D. The
peculiar effect of this cam is, that the lay approaches to the said fell with a
decreasing speed like as with the crank, and a soft and easy beat up is given
to the said fell, such as some fabrics require like as in the last-mentioned
Figure (6). Circular excentric cams are sometimes used for moving the lay
of our said improved looms; we sometimes also use elliptical excentric cams
and sometimes oval cams for this purpose, but have not thought it requisite
to give a separate Figure thereof in our Drawings, except dotting in an oval
in Fig. 6, these last-mentioned lay cams being applicable to the weaving of
wide pieces of cloth or goods, Any of the above-mentioned lay cams at the
choice of the manufacturer, and any other varieties of cams grooved in a fit
and proper manner for the moving of the lay, may be used on the main axis
(D) in order to produce such different kinds or finenesses or widths of cloths or
stuffs as may be desired by the manufacturer, such lay cams to be affixed upon
the main axis (D) in pairs of similar ones in the situations G, G, near the ends
of the said axis, as is shown in Fig. 1. Upon the said main or cam axis (D), in
Figures 1 and 15, towards the middle part of its length, the pecker cam H, H,
is affixed by means of tightening screws, this cam being of the kind called an
edge-grooved cam, and has the form of a distorted pulley, as will more clearly
appear from the separate edge view thereof in Fig. 2, and the face view
thereof in Fig. 8, and the same is applicable to be used with the several lay
cams shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, or with any other double excentric cams,
that is, such as have their two half parts similar.
Figures 4 and 5 in like manner represent separate front and back edge
views of another pecker cam applicable to be used with the circular excentric
lay cam shown in Fig. 6, or with the elliptical or the oval excentric lay cams
herein-before described. Upon the said main or cam axis (D); towards the
middle parts of its length, there are also affixed, by means of bosses and
tightning screws, the two heddle cams I, I, such being of the kind called edge
cams or wipers, the exact forms of which cams are shewn in Fig. 15, and the
same are applicable to a two-heddle loom for the weaving of plain goods.

page_text: Fig. 7 is in like manner the separate face view of another heddle cam of tho
kind called a face-grooved cam, the lower halves of whose grooves are arcs of
circles struck from the said centre of the main axis (D), and is applicable to
be used with the lay cam shewn in Fig. 6, and with the pecker cam shewn in
Figs. 4 and 5, for the weaving of plain goods or with the lay cams shown in
Figs. 10, 11, and 12, for the weaving of tweeled goods in four-heddles looms.
But instead of using the last-described face-grooved cams, we sometimes fix
edgo cams or wipers, such as are shown in Figure 15, not immediately upon
the said main axis D, but upon a short tube J, J, in Figs. 8 and 9, slipped on
to the said main axis and turning freely thereon; and in order to cause (as is
done by the cardioidally grooved cam Fig. 7) the heddles to be only onco
depressed for two turns of the said main axis, we causo the tube axis (J) to
be turned by means of a toothed wheel K affixed thereon and working into a
wheel of equal size L, affixed upon the same short axis with another wheel M,
which works in a pinion N of only half the size, which is affixed by a
tightening screw on the said main axis (D), the said short axis of the wheels
L and M being supported on a forked arm attached by tightning screws to
the main side framing of the loom, as is shewn in the Figures. When occasions
require, we vary the proportions of theso tooth'd wheels (L and M) to their
respective pinions (K and N), so as to cause three, four, or any greater
number of turns of the tube axis to be made to one turn of the main axis
(D), as herein-before is mentioned. The manner in which tho edge cams or
wipers (I, I) press down alternately the heddle treadles (0, 0) and also the
manner in which these treadles through the medium of the marches 21 and
the top or heddle harness roller 22 (the ends of this roller being so much less
than the middle as to compensate for the different proportions of the parts of
the treadles O) move the lamms or barrs P, P, of the heddle leaves stretched
between them and carrying the thread eyes 12, will be sufficiently apparent
from inspecting Figures 1 and 15, but when, instead of these said edge or
wiper cams, the face-grooved cams (Fig. 7), or any other face-grooved cams,
are substituted, the said heddle treadles (0) must be contrived to move or
traverse before and very near to the faces of the said grooved cams (Fig. 7),
and from the said treadles short stud axes carrying smooth small sliders h
must project into the grooves of the said cams in order that the latter
may give the proper and duly regulated reciprocating motion to the said
treadles. When in addition to the two heddles represented in our Drawings
three, four, or any greater number of other heddles may be wanted to
effect particular kinds of weaving, we fix upon the tube axis J, J, in
Fig. 9, the cams, and provide the treadles and harness of such additional

page_text: beddles by the sides of those represented in our Drawings. For lessening the
number of cam wheels for these heddle cams (Fig. 7). we usually make
similarly formed grooves on each of their faces, and furnish each of such
double-grooved cams with two treadles, the rollers of one of which treadles
enters the said grooves at the top, and the other at the bottom of such
grooves. In Figures 1-and 15 Q is the pecker arm or lever centered at i, on
a stud from the side framing, and having adjustably fixed upon it by means of
a slot and tightning screw, the stud roller pin or slider R, which enters the
partly straight and partly curved groove H in the face of the pecker cam
(already described herein), and rolls or slides in such groove for giving the
fit and properly regulated reciprocating motions to the said pecker arm for
snatching or jerking forwards the peckers R,.R, by means of their cords, and
thereby causing the throws of the shuttle; the pecker cords may either pass
through the staples or eyes marked 1, 2,.or between two small rollers in their
places for lessening the friction and wear of the said cords in constantly
pecking or throwing the shuttle. In Figures 1, 14, & 15, S, S, are the
arms or levers of the lay; centered below. at m, m, to the framing of the
loom. n, n, are the stud rollers upon the said lay arms, working in the face
grooves G of the lay cams, and by means of which stud rollers motion is com-
municated to the said arms and to the lay, as already is mentioned herein.
T, T, T, is the lay or batten, affixed to and reciprocating backwards and
forwards on the upper ends of the lay arms (S) already described. U is the
reed or comb fixed in the lay (T), as is also the shuttle race V, V. The
shuttle boxes or troughs W, W, are affixed on the ends of and form prolon-
gations of the lay (T), and in their outer ends they contain the perkers, or
drivers (R, R, already described herein) sliding freely upon their wires above
the places or situations in which the shuttle alternately rests during the
beating up and making of the shed after each throw of the shuttle, the said
shuttle being omitted in the Drawings for avoiding confusion therein. In the
back of each of the shuttle boxes (W) there is a long slit or mortise provided
opposite to the resting place of the shuttle, in which slit the shuttle guard p is
freely mounted on its centre-pin q, and resting behind against the upper end
of the stop trigger r, s; each of these stop triggers is a short crooked lever,
affixed by their lower. ends to and turning upon the long stop axis a, 8, 3, 8:
(Fig. 1, mounted under the shuttle race V), as. their common centre of
motion. This stop axis (s) has affixed on it, nearly over both ends of the
main frame of the loom, the stop catches s, t, which are constantly pressed
down by the stop springs u, u, screwed fast to the lay. The operation and.
uses of which stop springs (u), axis (s), and triggers (r), are to be constantly

page_text: pressing the shuttle guards (p) into the spaces in the shuttle boxes necessary
for the resting therein of the shuttle, but which pressing inwards of the shuttlo
guard the shuttle prevents whenever it is in either of its resting places; but
when through any defective throw or accident the shuttle does not reach
its resting place, the shuttle guard being left to protrude partly into its place,
the said stop triggers (r), axis (s), and stop catches (t), by the operation
of the stop springs (u), depresses the said stop catch, and causes its
point at the left-hand end of the loom to strike first the edge y of the
clutch bar stop (this latter being a short arm affixed on the clutch bar w),
and having this edge before it, next both the points t, t, striko into the
notches on the tops of the stop pieces v, v, which are firmly screwed on
the end framings of the loom, and so effectually stop the lay's motion.
The clutch bar (w) has on its top a handle; it has also a slit or eye 4
through its middle and its lower part; is a steel spring always tending to
throw the handle and upper and middle parts of this clutch bar outwards or
from the loom; but whilst the clutch bar remains in the slightly-inclined
position, shewn in Fig. 1, this moving outward is prevented by a deep notch
or recess back in the stud piece, projecting from and screwed to the framing,
in which recess this clutch bar (w) is held and prevented from moving out-
wards, until the coming forwards (upon any accidental occasion) of the point t
of the stop catch, in its depressed state (as already has been mentioned),
throws the clutch bar (w) forwards, and out of this deep notch or recess, and
allows its spring (x) to carry it outwards, until it is again caught and retained
by a projecting part near the outer end of the said stud piece (-); and by this
change in the position of the said clutch bar, the main strap 1, 1, (by which
motion is conveyed to the loom, as already mentioned herein,) will have been
shifted from off the fast rigger B on to the loose rigger C, and so the loom
will be suddenly stopped by the mere failure of the shuttle in reaching its
accustomed resting place. The manner in which this shifting of the main
strap (1) is effected is shewn in Fig. 14, by the clutch fork arm 2, 2, centered
at 3 on a projecting stud, screwed to the main framing, passing at 4 loosely
through the slit or eye in the clutch bar (w), and carrying at its further end
the clutch fork 5, 5, which loosely embraces the said strap (11) between its
prongs, as the Drawings will explain. By applying his hand to the top of the
clutch bar, the weaver can at any instant either set the loom in motion, or be
can as easily stop it, in the manner already described. In Figures 1, 14, & 15,
X,X, is the end of the warp or yarn roller or beam, the two freely unwinding
of the yarn from which roller is prevented by the friction on its ends of three
or four turns of the strong tightning cords 6, 6, having the weight 7 appended

page_text: to one end of each cord, such weight consisting of several parts, the upper
ones of which parts may be taken away or added, as occasions may require a
less or greater degree of tension in the yarn. The other ends of these
tightning cords (6) are by the screw pins 8, 8, attached to the two ends of the
yarn tightning spring 9, 9, made of ash or other very elastic wood, increasing
in size from each end towards the middle, where this wooden spring is firmly
clasped by the cap 10, screwed on to the back framing of the loom, the use of
which tightning spring we have found very beneficial in securing an equal and
sufficient friction on both ends of the yarn beam by the aid of a much lighter
weight than has been usual. From the yarn roller (X), the warp passes
round the conducting roller 10, which is made adjustable in height by means
of slots and tightning screws, as shewn in the Drawings; and, in its further
progress through the loom, the warp is at 11, 11, separated into alternate
threads by the lease rods, and thence these alternate threads begin to diverge
to pass through the eyes (12) in the heddle leaves, and then again these
threads converge to the aforesaid fell (18), or the last thrown weft thread of
the cloth, which last thread the lay reeds (U) are represented in the act of
beating up. From the fell, the cloth or fabric woven passes over the breast
beam Y (the latter being sometimes formed as a roller, and made adjustable
in height by slots and tightning screws, as shown in the Drawings), and such
cloth is finally wound on the cloth roller or beam Z (the bearings of whose
axis are adjustable outwards by means of slots and tightning screws), in the
manner which now we will proceed to explain:-On one of the lay arms (S)
there is affixed the stud roller 14, adjustable means of a slot and tightning
screw, destined to lift up in a small degree the curved end of the cloth ratchet
lever tail 15, 15, contrary to the action of the spring 16, which constantly
tends to depress this lever. The hooked click 17 is jointed upon the cloth
ratchet lever (15), and its hook takes into the teeth of the ratchet wheel 18, 18,
fixed on the end of the cloth roller or beam (Z). By this means the action
of the spring 16, assisted by the beating up of the fell, rolls up the cloth as it
is woven; and in order to prevent the unrolling of the cloth whilst the said
hooked click (17) is disengaged from its ratchet at each receding of the lay
arm, two other hooked clicks 19 and 20 are provided, kept down by a spring,
and always tending to act at half-a-tooth distance in the same ratchet wheel.
Sometimes for the finer fabrics, instead of fixing the ☑th-roller ratchet
wheel (18) immediately upon the end of the cloth roller, we fixe a toothed
wheel upon the end of such roller working into a pinion, which has attached
to it the ratchet wheel; and to this more speedily moving ratchet wheel 18
we attach or apply the several clicks, lever, and apparatus marked 20 to 14,
which have already been described herein.

page_text: In the foregoing description of our said improved looms, we have, for the
purpose of explaining more fully our said improvements, mentioned and
described many parts and things which are already known and in use in power
looms, but to which said known parts and things singly and apart we lay no
claim of Invention or exclusive use, but only as these parts and things are
or may be combined and used in conjunction with and for the purposes of
carrying our said improvements into effect, in the manner herein-beforo
described or shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed; und we do hereby
expressly ascertain and limit our claims under the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent to the following particulars (that is to say) :-
First, to the working or moving of the arm of the lay, marked S, imme-
diately from the cam or cams G, provided or described for this purpose on the
main axis D of our said looms, as has been described herein and shewn in the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
Second, to the working or moving of the pecker arm Q immediately from
the pulley cam or other cams H, provided and described for this purpose on
the main axis D of our said looms, as has been shewn and described herein.
Third, to the combination of wheels and pinions and the tube axis, shewn in
Figures 8 and 9, for the purpose of working or moving several heddles in the
same loom, in the manner which has been described and shewn herein.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Delvalle, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-five.
FARRER.
JOSEPH (L.B.) DELVALLE.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-third day of September,
in the year of our Lord 1825, the aforesaid Joseph Delvalle came before our
said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and twenty-five.