IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Sowden and Reuben Calvert Stephenson, of
Bradford, in the County of York, 'Machine Makers and Ironfounders,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 9th November 1866, and dated the 10th May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Sowden and Reuben
Calvert Stephenson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 10th May 1866.
We, DAVID SOWDEN and REUBEN CALVERT STEPHENSON, of Bradford, in the
County of York, Machine Makers and Ironfounders, do hereby declare the
nature of the said. Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to means of preventing breakage of the warp when
the shuttle stops in the shed, or does not pass properly into the box; and
heretofore means have been employed for this purpose known as the "stop-
rod motion," consisting of a drop catch hinged to the box, which when the
shuttle does not enter the box takes into a notch formed on the loom frame, and
stops the further movement of the lathe or batten in time to prevent breakage..
but when the shuttle enters the box properly it acts upon and lifts the catch
out of contact with the notch, and the loom proceeds. Sometimes this
apparatus gets out of order, and does not act as intended. Another means is
also employed for this purpose well known as the "loose-reed. motion," which.
consists in having the reed hinged so as to be capable of giving way or being
pushed out of place by the shuttle when it stops in the shed, and by which.
movement the strap guide is also knocked off to stop the action of the loom,

page_text: but which is not done sufficiently quick, as the loom continues to run on for
part of a revolution of the crank shaft by the momentum it has acquired after
the driving strap has been removed, and changing the shed whilst the shuttle
is in it, thereby breaking the warp threads. Now our improvements consist
in combining, adapting, or applying, and arranging these two motions to act
in concert, so that if the former fails to act the latter will act and react upon
the former, and thus cause it to stop the loom immediately.
The manner in which we carry this Invention into effect is as follows:-
We apply to or construct each loom with both stop rod and loose-reed
motions, and we connect the two motions by a lever or levers, so that when
a shuttle stops in the shed and as the loose reed is pushed out of place
thereby it operates upon the lever or levers, which depress the catches of the
stop rod into the notches on the framing, and thus stop the further action of
the loom.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,' filed
by the said David. Sowden and Reuben Calvert Stephenson in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, DAVID
SOWDEN and REUBEN CALVERT STEPHENSON, of Bradford, in the County of York,
Machine Makers and Ironfounders, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
David Sowden and Reuben Calvert Stephenson, Her special licence that
we, the said David Sowden and Reuben Calvert Stephenson, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said David Sowden
and Reuben Calvert Stephenson, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOOKS FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said David Sowden and Reuben Calvert Stephenson, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of our
or 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,

page_text: 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 David Sowden and Reuben Calvert
Stephenson, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement and accompanying Sheet of Drawings
(that is to say):-
:
This Invention relates to means of preventing breakage of the warp when
the shuttle stops in the shed, or does not pass properly into the box; and
heretofore nieans have been employed for this purpose known as the:" stop-
rod motion,” consisting of a drop catch hinged to the box, which when the
shuttle does not enter the box takes into a notch formed on or attached to
the loom frame, and stops the further movement of the lathe or batten in time
to prevent breakage, but when the shuttles enters the box properly it acts
upon and lifts the catch out of contact with the notch, and the loom proceeds;
sometimes, however, this apparatus gets out of order, and does act as
intended. Another means is also employed for this purpose well known as
the "loose-reed motion," which consists in having the reed hinged so as to
be capable of giving way or being pushed out of place by the shuttle when it
stops in the shed; the strap guide is also knocked off to stop the action of the
loom, but which is not done sufficiently quick, as the loom continues to run
on for part of a revolution of the crank shaft by the momentum it has acquired
after the driving strap has been removed, and changing the shed whilst the
shuttle is in it, thereby breaking the warp threads. Now our improvements
consist in combining and adapting or applying and arranging these two motions
to act in concert, so that if the former fails to act the latter will act and react
upon the former, and thus cause it to stop the loom immediately..
The manner in which we carry this Invention into effect is as follows:-
We apply to or construct each loom with both stop rod and loose-reed motions,
and we connect the two motions by a lever or levers, so that when a shuttle
stops in the shed, and as the loose reed is pushed out of place thereby (as
heretofore), it operates upon the lever or levers, which depress the catches of
the stop rod into the notches on the framing, and thus stop the further action
is the loom

page_text: rod motion (the construction and action of which is well known) shewn in
position to act clear of the notch or frog B, to which the brake rod C is
attached; D is one of the catches or levers of the ordinary loose-reed motion,
the construction and action thereof being also well known), which is shewn
in position to pass under the incline E, and thereby to press and lock the
.rod G against the lay or batten H in the usual manner; I is a lever
hinged to the lay with one end against the flap of the loose reed, and the
other against the lever J of the stop rod; this is shewn more clearly at
Fig. 2. It will be readily seen that if the stop rod should fail to act in the
usual manner by the catch A not dropping into the notch, if the shuttle does
not get into the box the loose reed will operate the lever I, which forces the
drop catch A to enter the notch, and thus ensure a stoppage of the movement
of 'the loom.
Having thus fully described the nature of our said Invention, and shewn by
the accompanying 'Drawings the manner in which the same is or may be
performed or carried into practical operation, we would have it distinctly
understood that we do not claim any of the mechanical parts when separately
considered, nor do we confine ourselves to the precise method of combining or
applying and arranging these two motions; but what we do claim is, the
.combining or applying and arranging the stop rod and the loose-reed motions
on one and the same loom, so that either or both may be brought into action
thereon.
In witness whereof, I, the said Reuben Calvert Stephenson, for and on
behalf of myself and the said David Sowden, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, One thousand eight :
hundred and sixty-six.
REUBEN CALVERT STEPHENSON. (L.B.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Reuben Calvert
Stephenson in the presence of
WM. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax.