IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Singleton, of Over Darwen, in the County of
Lancaster, Machinist, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR
WEAVING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Singleton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd September 1880.
.THOMAS SINGLETON, of Over Darwen, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
This Invention consists in several improved arrangements and combinations of
self-acting movements and contrivances for enabling the loom to be more automatic
than at present, thereby lessening to a great extent the wear and tear and cost of
supervision, and also obtaining a greater number of cuts or pieces in a given time.
My improvements relate, first, to the weighting motion of the loom, and consist in
various arrangements and contrivances in connection with the yarn beam, for the
purpose of maintaining the yarn at the desired tension during the shedding of the
warp and the beating up of the cloth. The ends of the yarn beam are held in
friction clips at the tops of arms or brackets bolted to a swing rail, having round
ends fitted to holes in bearings in the side frames of the loom, so that the rail and
arms can vibrate to and fro; and to the middle of the rail is bolted a bracket
carrying a tension spring and regulating screw. At the bottoms of the arms there
are projecting pins or bearings carrying regulating levers, each having at one end a
weight, and at the other end a board or plate in contact with the yarn on the yarn
beam; and on the projecting bearings there are slotted clips having spindles and
screws and nuts, in connection with the tops or binged halves of the friction clips
of the yarn beam, and at the bottom bowls in contact with cams formed in the
levers, the cams acting on the bowls so as to give a gradually decreasing pressure
on the friction clips and uniform tension to the yarn at all diameters of the yarn
on the yarn beam in a self acting manner. The screws at the tops of the slotted
clips are fitted to nuts in the centres of toothed wheels, to which can be geared and
ungeared toothed holders for holding the nuts steady after the friction clips have
been adjusted, the holders being held in levers having cams in contact with other
cams on the spindles of the screws, so that by turning the levers in one direction
Prins 1077

page_text: the friction clips are loosened to allow the yarn beam to be turned backwards and
forwards as required, the clips being tightened by turning back the levers to their
former adjusted positions.
The tension spring, which is regulated by the screw according to the number and
strength of the yarns, is for the purpose of enabling the yarn beam to have the
required oscillating movements for the shedding of the warp or yarns and the
beating up of the cloth, there being stops to limit the extent of the forward and
backward movements; and as the spring is simply compressed when the beam
moves forwards and exerts its elastic force to bring the beam back, the shedding
and beating up actions are effected without extra strain on the yarns, and when
desired, instead of having the back rest stationary, I cause it to oscillate with the
yarn beam by connecting the rest and vibrating arms together.
In another arrangement for weighting the yarn beam I use ordinary long levers
carrying weights, which are made gradually to approach the fulcrums of the levers
as the yarn on the yarn beam decreases in diameter, the short ends of the 1
levers being jointed to rods connected by adjusting screws and nuts to the tops or
hinged halves of the before mentioned friction clips. Or instead of the levers and
weights I use strong springs below projections on the vibrating arins.
The second part of my Invention consists in an improved arrangement of
mechanism for keeping the cloth on the cloth beam in contact with the taking-up
roller at all diameters of the cloth. I support each end or spindle of the cloth beam
on a bearing jointed to one end of a series of arms commonly called a Jacob's
ladder, the centre of the other end of the series being jointed to a bracket fixed or
cast to the cross rail of the loom frame, and the outer ends of the lower arms
jointed by other arms to a spindle having a screw and nut, and encircled by a
spring held at the top by an abutment. When the cloth commences winding on
the beam, the ladders, one at each end, are expanded to their fullest extent, the
springs keeping up the cloth in contact with the taking-up roller, and as the cloth
increases in diameter the ladders contract until the cloth beam is filled, and to
retain the ladders in their contracted positions for enabling the operative to take
out the cut or cloth from the cloth beam; each ladder is provided with a strut or
holder.
The third part of my Invention relates to loose reed looms, and consists in an
improved arrangement of mechanism for holding the reed steady at the time the
shuttle is driven from one shuttle box to the other. To the bottom of the slay I
attach a flat spring, having its outer end in contact with the locking lever, and this
spring is in contact with another flat spring also attached to the slay, the second
spring being linked to a leather strap or an iron rod, or a strip of steel held to a
stud or fixing near the bottom of the loom side, so that when the slay moves to and
fro a different tension is given to the strap, rod, or strip, thereby enabling the
reed to be slightly held during the greater part of its movement, and firmly held
when the shuttle is driven across the loom. Or for the same purpose I connect
one end of a strap to an arm projecting from the reed holder shaft, and after
passing it under a guide pulley, attach its other end to a spiral spring held by a
bracket fixed to the front rail of the loom; and I also use this latter arrangement
in a reversed position for easing the shuttle in fast reed looms.
It is well known that if the shuttle should be lodged in the shed it is important
that the reed case should be loosened to prevent damage, and for this purpose I
joint to the bottom of the slay a finger resting on a pin fixed to the locking lever
and supporting one of the before mentioned flat springs which hold the reed case,
the finger resting on the pin in such a manner that before damage can take place
the finger falls from the pin and the reed case becomes loose.
In order to protect the reed by preventing the locking of the reed case if the
shuttle should be lodged at either shuttle box end, I fix at each end of the breast
beam or temple a projecting finger, with which, as the slay comes forward the
shuttle comes in contact and moves back the reed case and reed in a self-acting
manner; and for the same purpose of protecting the reed I fix at each end of the

page_text: reed case a bracket or upright, which, as the stay comes forward and presses
against the lodged shuttle and causes the reed case and reed to move back without
damage; and to protect the weft fork lever if the shuttle should fly out, I fix a
guard on the breast beam.
The next part of my Invention consists of an improved self-acting brake adapted
for fast and loose reed looms. To the back of the brake lever which is jointed to
the loom side I joint one end of a short arm or lever jointed at its other end to a
short arm of a double lever working on a stud fixed to the loom side, the longer
arm being brought to the front and connected to a spiral spring, and this longer
arm and the spring handle or setting on rod are connected together by a band or
chain passed over a guide pulley. When the spring handle is moved back to set
on the loom it causes the band or chain to raise the long arm of the double lever
and take off the brake; but when the loom stops, and the spring handle comes
forward, the band or chain has no power to act, and the spiral spring pulls down
the long arm to push forward the short arms and press the brake lever with great
power against the front of the brake wheel and instantly stop the loom. Another
of my improvements consists in the arrangement and construction of a shuttle
guard for preventing the shuttle from entirely flying out of the middle of the
shed. To the front of the slay cap I link two arms or levers, to which a thin strip
of wood or other suitable material is jointed, and to the slay cap or to the strip one
or more springs are connected for allowing the strip to be pushed back for tho
weaver to draw yarns in, and be afterwards returned to its original position for
guarding the shuttle. Or I fix to the reed cap two brackets, each having a space
for the strip to move in, and a spring for keeping the strip forward and allowing it
to move back. My next improvement relates to shuttle guides used in the shuttle
boxes of the loom. Instead of the ordinary straight guides I employ for each box.
one or more revolving guides made of hard wood, or other material, cach guide
being formed as a disc, having a projecting pin or stud working in a bearing
placed in a vertical slot in the back of the box, so that the guide can be accurately
adjusted to the shuttle, and the bearing afterwards firmly fixed by screws or bolts.
In order to preserve the picker I fasten one end of a strip of leather or buffalo hide
to the back of the slay near the end and pass it over a spring and through a hole
in the back of the shuttle box to be fitted on the picker spindle, and afterwards
have its end secured to the spindle stud, so that it may act as a spring or
preserver.
Or I fasten to the stud bolt a piece of buffalo hide, which is also fastened to the
front of the slay, the picker spindle passing through the piece of hide, which acts as
a spring or preserver of the picker, and also prevents the shuttle from getting
between the shuttle box end and the temple.
Another improvement relates to the grate used in the weft stopping motion for
pushing the end of the weft to the weft fork. At present the grate is generally
fastened to the tongue of the shuttle box, which being acted upon by a strong
spring cannot allow the grate to give way easily when the shuttle is lodged in front
of it.
To remedy this defect I hinge the grate either to the reed cap or to the bottom
of the slay, and hold the grate to its place by a light spring. Or I connect the
grate by means of a light spring to the back of the tongue; or I fix the grate to
the reed case, thereby enabling the grate to be held as required, and give way
without breakage when the shuttle is lodged before it; and also to prevent the
grate being struck when picking from the opposite side of the loom.
I now describe an improved contrivance for stopping the loom when the shuttle
is lodged in front of the grate. To the weft fork holder I joint a double lever
having at the front end an arm with a prong at each side of the weft fork, and at
the back end an arm with an indented or notched end in connection with a spring.
When the shuttle is not lodged the spring keeps the notched arm out of the way
of the ordinary weft hammer, but when the shuttle is lodged it slightly raises the
front pronged arm and lowers the notched end at the back to be caught by the

page_text: hammer and stop the loom in the usual way. Another part of my Invention
consists in improved contrivances for checking the shuttle when it is driven into
the shuttle box. To the back of each box I fasten one end of a long spring,
connected by a screwed rod and nuts, or by a fast collar to the ordinary swell, the
other end of the spring being connected to the check strap behind the picker, and
also to another strap fastened to the end of the slay; and this combination of the
two straps with the spring so acts upon the swell as to check the shuttle in a most
efficient manner.
Another part of my Invention consists in an improved arrangement and com-
bination of parts for lubricating the picker spindles. To each end of the breast 1
beam I attach a small cistern containing oil or other lubricating matter, and connect
to each cistern an inclined tube having two holes, one for receiving a supply of oil,
and another at the front end for the delivery, and in the cistern there is a revolving
disc in contact with one end of an incline or spout, its other end being in contact
with the receiving hole of the tube. The disc is made to revolve at any required 1
speed to take up and deliver oil to the spout and tube, the oil passing onwards to
the front and forming a small globule on the outside; so that when the picker
spindle comes forward it touches the globule, and is thereby perfectly lubricated;
and below the tube there is a pipe or channel to return any droppings of oil back to
the cistern. I now describe various improved contrivances for attaching and 2
disconnecting the weighting ropes to the weighting levers of ordinary weighting
motions. In one arrangement I use for each lever a flat plate, having in it three
holes, and pass the end of the rope after it has been coiled round the ruffle of the
yarn beam, first downwards through one hole, then under one end of the weighting
lever, then upwards through a second hole in the plate, and finally downwards 2
through the third hole; and by means of this contrivance the rope can be slackened,
stretched, and tightened with ease and expedition. Or instead of the flat plate I
employ a metal semi-socket and plate with three holes, the socket being in contact
with the weighting lever, and the rope passed through the holes as before described
for the flat plate. Or I employ hooks or links having abutments and mounted a
with lockers, so that when the rope is passed between the locker and the abutment,
and the weight attached to the hook or link the rope is tightly held, but when the
weight is raised or lessened the rope is slack, and can be removed or stretched as
required.
Or I hook the locker to the end of the weighting lever and pass the rope between :
them and thereby obtain the same result as before.
My next improvement relates to the weighting ropes of the yarn beam, and
consists in making each rope with a central core of strong wire, one end of the
wire being hooked to the ordinary spring on the back rail of the loom, and the
other end to the weighting lever, and as the rope is coiled round the ruffle of
the yarn beam, the hempen exterior gives the friction and the wire the strength.
I now describe certain improved contrivances for attaching spiral or helical springs
to straps, rods, or studs used in connection with the picker rods or other parts of
the loom. In one arrangement a piece of metal is bent or cast at one end in the
form of a semi-circular ring, or the curved end of a staple, and at the other end
into two hooks, bent or cast inwards, which hooks are wound between the coils of
the wire of the springs to make the attachment, and unwound for the detachment.
My next improvements relate to picker spindle bearings, and consists in various
contrivances for effecting great economy in time and labour.
Instead of fitting the outer end of the spindle in the nipple of the casting at the
slay end as at present, I fit it into one of four holes in a circular collar held in a
circular hole in the casting by a square projection on the collar fitting a square hole in
the ordinary spring at the outer end of the slay, so that when one hole or bearing is
worn out a fresh hole can be quickly obtained by changing the collar to another
position.
The other or inner end of the picker spindle is also fitted to a hole in a four
holed collar fitted on a square part of a bolt, having a round part on which is

page_text: placed a disc of wood or other material to act as a revolving or stationary shuttle
guide, the bolt being fastened to the slay by a single nut; and for fastening the
picking band to the picker I pass one end of the band through a slot in a piece of
thick leather or buffalo hide, then through the slot in the picker, and, lastly, through
a second slot in the leather or hide to be fastened by a plug or pin passed through
the band.
Several of the mechanical contrivances and combinations before described
can be modified or varied in a number of ways without departing from the
principle or main feature of the contrivance; for example, although in my
description of an improved self acting brake, I have placed the brake lever in front
of the brake wheel, and jointed a short arm connected to it to a short arm of a
double lever, the longer arm being attached to a spring, I may place the brake
lever at the back of the brake wheel, or at an angle, and joint two short arms, one
connected to the brake lever, and the other jointed to the loom side by a rod to a
long lever attached to a spring, and I may here state that instead of working the
ordinary vibrating back rest of the loom by an eccentric from the crank shaft, I
simply cast or connect to it at each end a back lever linked to a spring, which
yields to allow the shedding of the warp, and pulls back for the beating up of the
cloth.
For attaching and disconnecting the weighting ropes to the weighting levers of
the ordinary weighting motions 1 employ, in addition to those before described,
two hooked links, each having at one side a semicircular, and at the other side a
vee-shaped recess, in order that the rope can be so bedded that when the strain is
on the rope is perpendicular with the centre of the hook, and for preventing the
wear of the end dents of the reed, I fix on the slay two small adjustable grates for
a few of the yarns at the selvage ends to pass through, thereby taking off the
excessive strain on the dents at the time of beating up the cloth. Or for the same
purpose I use a few steel wires attached at one end to the reed cap, and at the
other end to a spring connected to the bottom of the slay.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Singleton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
March 1881.
THOMAS SINGLETON, of Over Darwen, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist.
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
This Invention consists in several improved arrangements and combinations of
self acting movements and contrivances for enabling the loom to be more automatic
than at present, thereby lessening to a great extent the wear and tear, the cost of
supervision, and also obtaining a greater number of cuts or pieces in a given time.
My improvements relate, first, to the weighting motion of the loom, and consist ]
in certain mechanical contrivances in connection with the yarn beam, for the
purpose of maintaining the yarn at the desired tension during the shedding of the
warp, and the beating up of the cloth.
In one arrangement, shewn in the back and end views, Figures 1 and 2 (Sheet 1),
the ends a of the yarn beam are held in friction clips bat the tops of arms or
brackets c bolted to a swing rail d, having round ends fitted to holes in brackets e
bolted to the end frames of the loom, so that the rail and arins can vibrate to and
fro; and to the middle of the rail is bolted a bracket f, which is adjusted by a
tension spring and regulating screw and nut.
At the bottoms of the arms c there are projecting pins or bearings carrying
regulating levers g, each having at one end a weight h, and at the other end a
board or plate i in contact with the yarn on the yarn beam; and on the projecting
pins there are slotted clips & having spindles, and screws, and nuts in connection
with the tops or hinged halves of the friction clips of the yarn beam; and at the
bottom bowls in contact with cams formed in the levers g, the cams acting on the
bowls so as to give a gradually decreasing pressure on the friction clips and
uniform tension to the yarn at all diameters of the yarn on the yarn beam in
a self-acting manner, and one of the cams is shewn about full size in Figure 3.
The screws at the tops of tho slotted clips are fitted to nuts in the centres
of toothed wheels for adjusting the friction clips, as required; and these wheels
can be geared and ungeared to toothed blocks m placed in levers n connected to
the bosses of the wheels, there being at the bottoms of the bosses cams in contact
with other cams on the spindles of the screws.
When the friction clips are properly adjusted, the toothed blocks m are geared to
the toothed wheels & to prevent the friction from changing, and when the yarn
beam has to be turned backwards and forwards, the toothed blocks are removed
from the levers n, which are turned one way to enable the cams to loosen the
friction clips, and the reverse way to tighten them to their former adjusted
positions.
!
The tension spring is placed between the treadle guide o and the bracket fon a
screwed pin having its head behind the guide, and its front screwed end passed
through the bracket and mounted with a wheel nut p, and the tension spring,
which is regulated by the screw and nut according to the number and strength of
the yarns, is for the purpose of enabling the yarn beam to have the required
oscillating movements for the shedding of the warp or yarns, and the beating up of
the cloth, there being stops to limit the extent of the forward and backward
movements; and as the spring is simply compressed when the beam moves forward
and exerts its elastic force to bring the beam back, the shedding and beating up
actions are effected with little strain on the yarns, and when desired, instead of
having the back rest stationary, I cause it to oscillate with the yarn beam by
connecting the rest and vibrating arms together.

page_text: In another arrangement, shown in Figure 4, for weighting the yarn beam, I use
ordinary long levers ? carrying weights 8, which are shifted from time to time by
hand towards the fulcrums of the levers, as the yarn on the yarn bean decreases in
diameter; the levers near their fulcrums being in contact with linked rods t
connected by adjusting screws and nuts u to friction clips, similar to those shown
in Figures 1 and 2, and instead of shifting the weights by hand they may be
gradually moved inwards by any well known self acting motion used for the
purpose. Or instead of the levers and weights I use strong springs attached to
projections on the vibrating arms.
series
The second part of my Invention, represented in the front elevation Figure 5,
consists in improved arrangements of mechanism for keeping the cloth on the cloth
beam in contact with the taking up roller at all diameters of the cloth. I support
each end or spindle a of the cloth beam bon a bearing jointed to one end of
of arms c commonly called a Jacob's ladder, the centre of the other end of the series
being jointed to a bracket d fixed to the cross rail e of the loom frame; and the
outer ends of the lower arms are jointed by other arms f to a spindle g, encircled
by a spring held between an abutment i cast to the bracket d and a nut k on the
screw at the bottom of the spindle g, the screw and nut being used for regulating
the pressure required for different strengths of cloth.
When the cloth commences winding on the cloth beam, the ladders are expanded
to their fullest extent, the springs keeping up the cloth in contact with the taking
up roller m, and as the cloth increases in diameter, the ladders contract until the
cloth beam is filled, the springs by their contraction giving the required increasing
pressure until the cloth beam is filled, and to retain the ladders in their contracted
positions for enabling the operative to take out the cut or cloth from the cloth
beam, each ladder is provided with a strut or holder.
The third part of my Invention relates to loose reed looms, and consists in an
improved arrangement of mechanism, shewn in the end view Figure 6, for holding
the reed steady at the time the shuttle is being driven from one shuttle box to the
other. For this purpose I connect one end of strap o to an arm p projecting from
the reed holder shaft, and after passing it under a guide pulley g, attach its other
end to a spiral spring 7 held by a bracket and standard 8, 8, fixed to the front
rail t of the loom, so that when the slay moves to and fro, the reed is slightly held
during the greater part of its movement, and firmly held when the shuttle is driven
across the loom; and if the shuttle is lodged in the shed, the lever p is liberated
from the lever above it and leaves the reed case perfectly free; and I also use this
arrangement in a reversed position for easing the shuttle in fast reed looms.
In order to protect the reed by preventing the locking of the reed case if the
shuttle should be lodged at either shuttle box end, I fix at each end of the breast
beam or temple a projecting finger, with which as the slay comes forward the
shuttle comes in contact and moves back the reed case in a self-acting manner; and
for the same purpose of protecting the reed I fix at each end of the reed case a
bracket or upright, which, as the slay comes forward, presses against the lodged
shuttle, and causes the reed case and reed to move back without damage to the
reed, and to prevent damage to the weft fork lever if the shuttle should fly out I
fix a guard on the breast beam at the front of the lever.
The next part of my Invention consists of improved self-acting brakes adapted for
fast and loose reed looms, and one arrangement is shewn in Figures 7 and 8, Sheet 2.
To the back of the brake lever a, which is jointed to the loomside, I joint one end
of a short arm or lever b jointed at its other end to a short arm of a double lever
working on a stud fixed to the loom side, the longer arm c being brought to the
front and linked to a spiral spring d, and this longer arm and spring handle or
setting on rod e are connected together by a band or chain passed over a guide
pulley g. When the spring handle is moved back to set on the loom, it
causes the band or chain to raise the long arm of the double lever to take off the
brake, but when the loom stops, and the spring handle comes forward, the band or
chain has no power to act, and the spiral spring pulls down the long arm to push

page_text: forward the short arms, and press the brake lever a with great power against the
front of the brake wheel h and stop the loom as desired.
In another arrangement, shewn in Figure 9, I employ two brake levers k, k, one
at the front and the other at the back of the brake wheel l, and connect them by
two short arms m, m, and links n, n, to the rod o jointed to the ordinary frog p
used in fast reed looms, and the spring which moves back the frog and takes
off the brake levers is marked a.
Another of my improvements, shewn in the front and top views, Figures 10 and
11, consists in the arrangement and construction of a shuttle guard for preventing
the shuttle from flying entirely out of the shed. To the front of the slay cap p I
link two arms or levers q, to which a thin strip of wood or other suitable material
is jointed, and to the strip a spring 8 is connected for allowing the strip to be pushed
back for the weaver to draw yarns in, and be afterwards returned to its original
position for guarding the shuttle.
Or I fix to the slay cap two brackets, each having a space for the strip to move
in, and a spring for keeping the strip forward and allowing it to move back.
My next improvement relates to shuttle guides used in the shuttle boxes of the
loom, instead of the ordinary straight guides. I employ for each box one or more
revolving guides made of hard wood or other material, each guide being formed as a
disc, having a projecting pin or stud working in a bearing placed in a vertical slot
in the back of the box, so that the guide can be accurately adjusted to the shuttle,
and the bearing afterwards firmly fixed by screws or bolts. In the top view
Figure 12, drawn about full size, t represents one of the revolving discs; u, the pin
or stud of the disc; v, the bearing in which the stud works; and w, screws for
fastening the bearing to the back of the box.
Another part of my Invention, shewn in the top view, Figure 13, drawn about
quarter size, consists in improved contrivances for checking the shuttle when it is
driven into the shuttle box, and also for preserving the picker. To the back of each
box or sword arm I fasten one end of a leather strap u, and after placing it on a
rod b in contact with the ordinary swell c, connect its other end to the check
strap d, which is behind the picker and fastened to the front of the slay, and in
contact with the strap and rod. I employ a spring e fastened to the back of the
shuttle box or sword arm by the same bolt which fastens the strap a, and this
combination of the two straps with the spring so acts upon the swell as to check
the shuttle in a most efficient manner, and the thin part marked j is to obtain a
greater traverse of the picker.
To preserve the picker I fasten a piece of buffalo hide f to the stud bolt hand
also to the front of the slay, the picker spindle passing through the piece of hide,
which acts as a spring or preserver of the picker, and also prevents the shuttle from
getting between the shuttle box and the temple, and in another arrangement for
preserving the picker I connect to the strap a near the rod b another strap g, which
is fastened to the front of the slay after the picker spindle has been passed through
it, or I use the strap a only.
Another improvement relates to the grate used in the weft-stopping motion for
pushing the end of the weft to the weft fork. At present the grate is generally
fastened to the tongue of the shuttle box, which being acted upon by a strong
spring cannot allow the grate to give way easily when the shuttle is lodged in front
of it. To remedy this defect I connect the grate by means of a light spring to the
back of the tongue; or I fix the grate to the reed case, thereby enabling the grate
to be held as required, and give way without breakage when the shuttle is lodged
before it, and also prevent the grate from being struck when picking from the
opposite side of the loom.
I now describe an improved mechanical contrivance, shewn in Figure 14, drawn
about half size, for stopping the loom when the shuttle is lodged in the front of the
grate. To the weft fork holder i, I joint a double lever at the front end, a prong k
at each side of the weft fork, and at the back an arin having at the top a
projection, shewn by dotted lines, and in the middle another projection in contact

page_text: with a spring m, this projection being also shown by dotted lines. When the shuttle
is not lodged the spring keeps the notched arm out of the way of the ordinary weft
hammer, but when the shuttle is lodged, it slightly raises the front pronged arm
and lowers the projection at the back, to be caught by the hammer, and stop the
loom in the usual way.
In another arrangement for the same purpose, I employ a fork with two prongs,
one at each side of the weft fork, and working on its pin or fulcrum, and behind
the prongs there is a short arm or lever which can come in contact with a short
arm of a double lever working on a stud on the weft fork holder, and at the end of
the longer arm of the double lever there is a hook.
When the shuttle is lodged in front of the weft fork, and comes into contact
with it and the prongs, the arm at the back of the prongs raises the short arm of
the double lever and lowers its hooked end, which is caught by the 'weft hammer,
and the loom is stopped as before.
Another part of my Invention, shewn in the front and end views, Figures 15
and 16, consists in an improved arrangement and combination of parts for
lubricating the picker spindles. To each end of the breast beam I attach a small
cistern o containing oil or other lubricating matter, and connect to each cistern
an inclined tube p having two holes, one for receiving a supply of oil, and another
at the front end for the delivery, and in the cistern there is a worm wheel r in
contact with one end of an incline or spout, its other end being nearly in contact
with the receiving hole of the tube.
The wheel is made to revolve by a worm 8 at any required speed, to take up and
deliver oil to the spout and tube, the oil passing onwards to the front, and forming
a small globule on the outside, so that when the picker spindle t comes forward, it
touches the globule, and is thereby perfectly lubricated, and below the tube there is
a pipe or channel u to return any droppings of oil back to the cistern, and the
worm is turned by a band and pulley driven by a pulley on the shaft of the taking
up roller, or by the motion of the slay.
In another arrangement instead of the worm wheel, I employ a wick which
gradually supplies oil to the tube p by capillary attraction.
I now describe various improved contrivances for attaching and disconnecting
the weighting ropes to the weighting levers of ordinary weighting motions. In one
arrangement shewn in Figures 17 and 18,-
I use for each weighting lever a flat plate having in it three holes, and pass the
end of the rope after it has been coiled round the ruffle of the yarn beam first
downwards, then under one end of the lever, then upwards through a second hole,
and downwards through the third, and by means of this contrivance the rope-can
be slackened, stretched, and tightened with ease and expedition; or I use a plate
with two holes, as shewn in Figure 19, the rope being passed first through the
upper hole then through the lower one, and after the loop is formed, the end
of the rope is passed between the plate and the part of the rope between the
holes.
A modification of this contrivance is shewn in Figure 20, in which there is a
plate with three holes, two for the rope, and the third at the bottom to be linked
to the weighting lever.
In another arrangement, shewn at Figure 21, I place a locker on the weighting
lever, and pass the rope from the ruffle of the yarn beam under the upper part of
the locker, then under the lever, and afterwards bring it through two holes at the
bottom of the locker.
I modify this arrangement, as shewn in the section Figure 22, by placing a
locker on a straight weighting lever, and pass the rope from the ruffle between the
top of the lever and the upper part of the locker; the end of the rope being passed
through a hole at the back, and when desired I use a plate with four holes, two of
one size, and two of another, to suit different sizes of ropes; each pair of holes
having the rope passed through them as shewn in Figure 19.
My next improvement relates to the weighting ropes of the yarn beam, and

page_text: consists in making each rope with a central core of strong wire, one end of the wire
being hooked to the ordinary spring on the back rail of the loom, and the other end
to the weighting lover, and as the rope is coiled round the ruffle of the yarn beam,
the hempen exterior gives the friction, and the wire the strength.
I now describe an improved contrivance, shewn in Figure 23, for attaching spiral
springs to straps, rods, or studs used in connection with picker sticks and other
parts of the loom. I employ a piece of metal bent or cast at one end in the form of
a flat or curved end of a staple, and at the other end into two hooks bent or cast
inwards, which hooks are wound between the coils of the spring to make the
attachment, and unwound to make the detachment.
My next improvements relate to picker spindle bearings, and consist in various
contrivances for effecting great economy of time and labour.
Instead of fitting the outer end of the spindle in the nipple of the casting at the
end of the slay, as at present, I fit it into one of four holes in a circular or other
shaped collar, held in a corresponding hole in the casting by a square projection on
the collar, fitting a square hole in the ordinary spring at the outer end of the slay,
so that when one hole or bearing is worn out, a fresh hole can be quickly obtained
by changing the collar to another position, and in Figures 24, 25 and 26, a represents
the collar; b, the casting at the end of the slay, and o, the spring. The other or
inner end of the picker spindle is also fitted to a hole in a four holed collar, fitted
on a square part of a bolt having a round part on which is placed a disc of wood or
other material, to act as a revolving or stationary shuttle guide, the bolt being
fastened to the slay by a single nut, and in Figure 27 the bolt is marked d, the
shuttle guide e, and the four holed collar f; and the collar is shewn in position in
Figure 13. I also employ a collar having eight holes, four at each end, as shewn in
Figure 28, thereby making it capable of being reversed, and lasting double the time
of that shewn in Figure 27, but in this case there is no shuttle guide, and to assist
in preventing the bolt from shifting, each end of the collar has a recess for the
head of the bolt to abut against.
For preserving the end dents of the reed, I fix on the reed case or holder, two
or more adjustable grates for a few of the yarns at the selvage ends to pass through,
thereby taking off the excessive strain on the dents at the time of beating up the
cloth. Or for the same purpose I use a few steel wires attached at one end to
the reed cap, and at the other end to a spring connected to the bottom of the
slay.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Singleton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
Witness,
CHA. W. COLLINS,
Engineer,
Manchester.
THOMAS SINGLETON. (L.S.)