CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO LOOMS FOR THE PURPOSE OF WEAVING WOOLLEN, COTTON, SILK, AND OTHER CLOTHS
Year: 1828

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
SCHOLEFIELD, of the Parish of Leeds, in the County of York, Mechanic, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth
did, by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Thirteenth day of March, One thousand eight
hundred and twenty-eight, in the ninth year of His reign, give and grant
unto me, the said George Scholefield, His special licence that I, the said
George Scholefield, my exors, admors, and assigns, and such others as I, the
said George Scholefield, my exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the terms
of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO LOOMS FOR THE
PURPOSE OF WEAVING WOOLLEN, COTTON, SILK, AND OTHER CLOTHS;" in which
said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that I, the said George
Scholefield, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled
in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said 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
George Scholefield, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,

page_text: and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is described and
ascertained as follows, that is to say:-
A (Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing) is the framework of the machine, made
of cast iron; B, the batten, which is made of wood, and constructed in the
usual way, with the addition of the weights C, adjustable on the levers (a), for
the purpose of giving more or less effect to the reeds. The levers (a) aro
firmly fixed through the top of the batten, and the said weights operate more
or less powerful, in proportion to their distance from the batten. (b) is the
fulcrum on which the batten is suspended, working with chisel edges in groves
on the top of the skrews (c), the said skrews having a nut on the upper and
under side of the frame, and are adjustable in chase mortices. D is the
roller, which delivers or measures out the warp. E is a pressure roller,
suspended by the levers (d) and the weights (e), thus giving a considerable
pressure between the rollers D and E. These said rollers are covered with a
coarse kind of woollen cloth, in order to render the surfaces somewhat elastic.
F is the roller, which contains the warp. This roller is frictioned in a slight
degree by the cord and weight (f), sufficiently retarded to keep the warp
straight between the rollers E and F. G is the breast beam, over which the
cloth passes to the roller II, which takes it up as it is woven, being put in
motion by the strap (9) from the action of the delivering roller D. h is a
beat-iron bar bolt, which skrews the frame A together. The levers or jacks
(i) are suspended in the cast-iron frame A, A, which is double, having flanges
on the bottom, on which rests the fulcrums of the levers i. These fulcrums
may be slided to the most convenient point of suspension in the frame A, A.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the frame A, A. The heddles or geers
I are attached with cords to the jacks in the usual way. The lower ends of
the heddles are also fixed to the levers or lams (k), in the usual way, and
to the lams are attached to the treadles (7). Above the treadles, and within
the frame, is placed a horrizontal shaft (m), shewn by the dotted lines in
Figure 1st, behind the frame A. This shaft extends a little beyond the
centre of the loom, and is there supported by an eye-bolt, which is fixed in the
frame A at 1. The other bearing of this shaft is in the end of the frame at
(n). On the end of the shaft m is fixed an endless skrew or worm (n), which
works in the brass wheel (o), at the lower end of the diagonal shaft p, on the
upper end of which is a pinion of sixteen teeth working in the bevil wheel K,
which contains two hundred teeth, and is fixed to the end of the delivering
rollor D. As it is necessary to have wheels of different sizes at (o), according
to the quality of cloth made, the diagonal shaft p is supported by a cast-iron
frame running parrallel with it, the upper end of which encompasses the

page_text: gudgeon of the delivering roller D. At the lower end is a projection, in*
which is a slot and setting skrew at (4); for the purpose of raising or lowering
the diagonal shaft, to compensate for the different sizes of the worm wheels:
(o), which must contain as many teeth as there are threads of weft wanted in
one inch of cloth, that is, a wheel, of 60 teeth gives 60 threads per inch, a
wheel of 20 teeth 20 threads, &c. &c. I have all my speed wheels: marked
with the number of teeth they contain. On the shaft m, and exactly in the;
centre of the loom is, a hollow pulley or catch box (2), the construction of
which is seen at Figure 8... The interior part (2) contains, two teeth or stops,
and is fixed firmly to the: shaft m. The, exterior part of the pulley, which
holds the falling catch and spring (3), is mado to run loose, on the shaft (m):
From this it will be seen that the shaft (m) can only be, propeled, in the direc-
tion of the dart, the pully being loose in the reverse. direction. On the
horrizontal shaft (m) are fixed, in opposite directions, two eccentrics. or
tumblers (r) (one on each side of the catch box), the rims of which work in
groves made in the friction pullies (s), and these friction pullies are suspended
in the treddles. To the inside of the breast beam G, and in the middle
of its length, is fixed the iron frame L, supporting a small wood pully
at (t). To the bottom of the batten.at.: (u) is fixed a leather strap (v).
of one inch broad, which passes. over. the pully(t), and is, made fast
to the hollow pully (7). . A .coiled, wire spring (w) is fixed to the end of
the frame L at (t); to.the lower end of this spring is attached a cord, which
connects it to the hollow pully, on the opposite side and direction to that ion
which the strap (v) is fixed. To the ends of the lams K are fixed the rods
(2), which extend upwards to the levers y; seen at Figure 2. These : levers
are adjustable by the chase mortices in the frame A (which bears their
fulcrums), and. the skrews, which are seen at the bottom of the rods. The
right-angled levers (=) are fixed to the sides of the batten, one arm of which
passes through the batten, and enters the ends of the levers M at-5; the
fulcrums, of the levers M. are at: 6. * are rotative self-acting temples; in tho
circumference of which, and near the lower edge, is, a number of metal points.
projecting, outward. The temples are mounted on arbours fixed with skrew:
bolts to the breast beam G. The bolt holes. are elongated to admit adjust-
ment.
A bent wire is fixed at (7), to conduct the lists or edges of the cloth..
to the metal points. A catch lever is placed at 8, which acts alternately..
against the two projections of a plate which is .fixed on. the shaft in. To
prevent the gyrating force moving the eccentrics too far, it is delivered by the
batten and small cord to which it is;attached........
The above is a description of my loom for the purpose of weaving by hand.
As a power loom I have a further improvement, namely, that of stopping the

page_text: loom when the thread of weft breaks, or when the bobbin is empty. The
power looms now in use have a well-known method of stopping when the
shuttle does not arrive at its destination, or when it does not box. My plan,
therefore, prevents the shuttle boxing when the thread is broke, or when the
bobbin wants replenishing. It is done as follows:-In the back side of the
shuttle, and between the end of the bobbin and the pully or wire, over which
the thread passes to the eye of the shuttle, is placed a small right-angled lever,
supported at the angular point in the side of the shuttle, one arm of the lever
downward. The horizontal arm has in the extreme end of it an eye, through
which the thread of weft passes. So long as the thread continues whole the
tightness of it keeps the lever in its square position, but the moment it breaks it
becomes slack, letting the horrizontal arm of the lever (which is supported by
the thread) fall, consequently forcing the lower end of the lever out of the
side of the shuttle, which has an opening made in it for that purpose. This
lever, projecting outwards, catches a stop at the end of the reed, which stop
arrests its progress. As the weft is always slack on the return of the shuttle
from the box, the stops in the ends of the reeds are made wedgewise, so that
they can only act upon the lever in the shuttle when it is entering the box,
and not on its return from the box. I apply steam to woollen or worsted
warps for such other warps as require moisture during the operation of
weaving). It is conveyed to the threads by a copper tube, finely preforated, and
placed across the loom, under the warp, and near to the heddles. I weave
two (or more) narrow pieces in one loom at the same time, and with the
same number of shuttles as pieces; the only difference to the one explained is,
that an extra shuttlo box is placed in the middle of the batten (when for 2
pieces), as also a lever for throwing the shuttle, which lever has a double
action, namely, that of throwing right and left. The pieces must both be of
the same quality. In order to put the machine in operation (which is done
by the motion of the batten only), let the batten be in the direction of the
dotted lines, that is, with the reed or slay against the cloth. The shed or
warp is then open, ready to admit the passing of the shuttle. On the batten
being forced backward the upper end of the lever comes in contact with the
lever y (which at that time is stationary); the lower end of the lever consc-
quently receives a downward motion, carrying with it the short end of the
lever M at 5. Thus a rapid motion is given to the long end of the lever M,
and to it is attached the picker, which propels the shuttle across the warp
with considerable force; and as the lever y at the left hand of the loom is
kept clear of the lever by the motion of the lam K, the shuttle enters the
box without opposition, save that of a flat spring, which prevents its
rebounding. On the motion of the batten towards the cloth the strap V turns
~

page_text: the shaft m half-way round, which, carrying the eccentrics, changes the
treadles, and with them the position of the levers y (which operate upon the
levers M, and throws the shuttle).
At the same time the endless skrew
which is on the end of the shaft m turns the worm whcel o, and delivers out a
portion of the warp by the roller D, which, being connected to the roller H
by the strap g, a portion of the piece is also taken up. The use of the spring
w is to bring the exterior part of the hollow pully back (after it has gone
half-way round) to its former position. On the motion of the batten towards
the cloth the hollow pully q is fast, and consequently moves the shaft m. On
the reverse motion of the batten the pully 9 is loose, and is drawn back by the
spring w until the catch (3) in the pully falls over one of the stops in the
interior part of the pully (2), when it is again ready to move the shaft m
forward. As many blows can be given with the batten to one thread of weft
as are required, without delivering the warp. Two portions of warp cannot be
delivered to one thread of weft. The shuttle must pass through the shed
before the warp can be delivered a second time; neither will the shuttle
travel unless it has its proper shed, that is, two threads of weft cannot be laid
in the same place. Thus, the oscillation of the batten gives a rotatory motion
to the horizontal shaft m, and works all the other parts of the loom with the
utmost mechanical precision.
The advantages of my looms are,-
1st, any person may work them, they only requiring the batten being put
backward and forward with the hand.
2nd, the cloth made by them is of the most even texture, the same number
of threads being put into every inch.
3rd, the length of the shed and motion of the batten is always the same.
4th, the temples are always at the required distance from the reed.
5th, when a master or foreman affixes a proper speed wheel at (0), the
workman is compeled to make a good piece.
6th, the most perfect work is done by them in a cottage by hand, or power
may be immediately applied to them in a mill.
7th, all looms now in use can be altered to the above plans at a trifling
expence.
I claim as my own Invention,-
1st, the method of putting the same given number of threads of weft into
every inch of cloth.
2nd, the construction and application of the self-acting rotatory temples.
3rd, the method of weaving two or more cloths in the same loom at the same
time, and with perfect edges or lists.

page_text: 4th, the application of all the working parts of a common loon to the motion
of the batten only.
5th, the application of steam to all such warps as require moisture during
the operation of weaving.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Scholefield, have hereunto set!
my hand and seal, the Ninth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight.
GEORGE SCHOLEFIELD. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered, by the
above-named George Scholefield, in
my presence, the obliterations in
the fourth and fifth lines from the
bottom, and marked with my initials,
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Ninth day of September, in the
year of our Lord 1828, the aforesaid George Scholefield came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to tho
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.