Improvements in Weft Fork Motions for Looms.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 21st Dec., 1895-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1896
Improvements in Weft Fork Motions for Looms.
1, JOHN BENNETT of Withnell Mill, Withnell, near Chorley in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows, that is to say :-
The object of my invention is the construction of apparatus for the better
supporting and working of the weft fork hammer and sector lever upon looms,
thereby to avoid and lessen the wear and tear upon the stud carrying the same
when attached to the loom side.
My object being to place the combined attachment of the weft fork hammer and
boss of the sector lever betwixt centres similar to a lathe, thereby reducing the
friction to a minimum and tending to keep them in a more direct line with their
attachments.
The arrangement and attachment of sector levers (commonly called the grey
hound tail) with the weft fork hammer, is generally combined and carried upon a
stud attached to the loom side.
This attachment when far worn proves a source of trouble to the attendant,
owing to the undue wearing of the stud which supports them, thereby throwing
the weft fork hammer out of its true position and causing serious damage to weft
fork and its motion.
The wearing away of the stud also causes the sector lever to be displaced from
its true position with the cam upon the back shaft.
Owing to these defects the action of the weft fork is impeded, and at times made
inoperative.
To carry out my invention I dispense with the stud carrying the sector lever and
hammer and replace the stud by a fixing attached to the loom side, provided and
arranged with parallel rebates and longitudinal holes within and upon the fixing,
having in connection therewith two headstock brackets firmly secured to the
fixing.
The two headstock brackets have centres, made from either cast iron or steel
and firmly secured thereto, being when fixed upon the brackets opposite to each
other similar as to a lathes centres, the boss of the weft fork hammer being deeply
counter-sunk to receive the centres, and thereby held in a secure and central
position, full provision being made upon the bracket, so that the two headstocks
slide within the parallel rebates and thereby keep in a true and parallel line with
the boss of the weft fork hammer, sector lever and cam for working the same.
The headstock brackets are securely bolted to the fixing upon the loom side, the
adjustment of the centres being easily accomplished and regulated to suit the weft
fork and driving cam.
The weft fork holder is also provided with adjustable studs and screws whereby
the fork is held in a central position, being able to oscillate and move upon centres,
so as to be easily adjusted without renewing the pins, and to save the trouble of
removal from the holder.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1895.

page_text: I JOHN BENNETT of Withnell Mill Withnell near Chorley in the County of
Lancaster Mechanic do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is the construction of apparatus for the better
supporting and working of the weft fork hammer and sector lever upon looms, and
by such an arrangement of parts to reduce the friction to a minimum, and keep the
weft fork hammer and its attachments in a direct line with their accessories when
working.
The usual means hitherto employed for attaching the weft fork hammer to the
loom side is generally by a stud, secured by a nut in the ordinary manner, the boss
of the weft fork hammer being made to slide freely upon the stud, and oscillate
when actuated by the cam upon the back shaft of the loom.
This attachment when far worn, proves a source of trouble to the attendant,
owing to the weft fork hammer being thrown out of line with the weft fork,
making the same inoperative, and at times causing serious damage to the goods
under operation, the sector lever being also removed from its true position, with
the revolving cam upon the back shaft.
Now this invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement
of parts in the formation of the weft fork hammer, and the bracket which carries
the same, and is designed with the object of providing a better means and method
for supporting and regulating the weft fork hammer and sector lever with their
attachments.
It consists essentially of a bracket attached to the loom side, having raised and
rebated parts upon the upper side of the bracket, provision being made for
attaching two adjustable brackets thereto, each bracket being provided with pivot
ends, tapered and made to fit within corresponding recesses in the boss of the weft
fork hammer thus allowing an easy method for sustaining and oscillating the
hammer and sector lever when working.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which the apparatus is illustrated as attached to a loom when
working. The letters and figures of reference therein correspond with those in
the following statement.
Fig. 1. is a perspective elevation of the combined weft fork hammer and sector
lever.
"
Fig. 2. is an enlarged sectional elevation of the adjustable bracket and pivots.
Referring to Fig. 1. the bracket "a" is attached to the loom side, having
securely bolted thereto the two adjustable brackets 6 & 6', the bracket" a" having
longitudinal slot holes therein, by which the headstock brackets 6 & b¹, can be
adjusted and moved to any position in a parallel line with the fixing a. The
pivot ends e and care attached and secured to the adjustable brackets 6 and 6¹, the
pivots being cast in chills so as to harden the surface of them, thereby making them
durable and frictionless, the boss of the weft fork hammer d being also cast in chills
so that the tapered recesses o are made true to receive the pivots c and c¹.
The sector lever e is attached to the weft fork hammer à, being secured thereto
by bolt 9, the end of the sector lever e being actuated by cam f.
Fig. 2, is an enlarged sectional elevation of the adjustable brackets 6 and b¹, the
conical pivots c and c¹ being shown as attached to the boss of the weft fork
hammer d.
The action of my invention is as follows The cam f actuates the sector lever e
at each revolution, thereby causing the weft fork hammer d to move in a radial

page_text: line, in accordance with the action of the weft fork, the centres c & c¹ being so.
adjusted that the hammer d is kept in a true position & the wearing reduced to a
minimum.
The weft fork holder is also provided with adjustable studs and screws, whereby
the fork is held in a central position, being free to oscillate and move upon its
centres, so as to be easily adjusted without renewing the pins which carry the fork,
and thereby saving the trouble of removal from the holder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The application of conical pivots attached to adjustable bearings, as a means.
to move the weft fork hammer and sector lever into a position to suit the weft fork
and driving cam upon looms.
2. The peculiar attachment of the weft fork hammer and sector lever, betwixt
centres, as a means of reducing the friction in working the same.
3. The construction of a rebated fixing attached to the loom side, for sliding
and fixing in position adjustable brackets, that can be regulated to any desired
position.
4. Apparatus for working and sustaining the weft fork hammer and sector lever
upon looms, constructed and arranged in combination, substantially as described
and shown with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 of the drawings.
Dated this 21st day of December 1895.
JOHN BENNETT.