FAST-AND LOOSE-REED LOOMS.
One of the most important motions in the power loom is that by which the loom is stopped automatically when the shuttle is caught in the shed or for some reason does not enter the shuttle-box. A motion of this kind has always been considered necessary since the introduction of the power loom. If the shuttle be caught in the shed as the reed is beating up, it is obvious that great damage to the warp must result unless the loom is brought to a sudden stop or the reed thrown out. The oldest form of protector is the “stop rod.” In this the reed is fast, and if the shuttle is caught in the shed or flies out, the loom is brought to a sudden stop before beating up. [Fig. 67] will illustrate the principle of this motion. If the shuttle enters the box safely it presses back the swell S, which projects inside the box and is held there by a spring. As the swell is pressed back it raises the lever B above the frog F as the slay beats up. If the shuttle for any reason does not enter the box, the swell is not pressed back, and as the slay moves forward in beating up, the lever B catches the frog F, which is moved a little and applies the brake G, and also knocks off the loom handle H, which removes the belt on to the loose pulley. Before the application of the brake to this motion the frog was fixed to the framework of the loom, and it will easily be understood that the concussion caused many breakages. A stop rod protector was patented in 1791, but the brake was not applied until 1840 or thereabouts.
FIG. 67.
The loose reed is a better way of preventing damage to the warp by the shuttle being caught. If the shuttle is caught in the shed it throws out the reed and stops the loom. Its action will be understood from [Fig. 68]. A rod, C, runs underneath the shuttle-race at the back of the slay, and the finger B is fastened to it. The reed is held in position by a board, A, which is also connected to the rod C, as shown in the diagram. If the shuttle is caught in the shed, it presses back the reed and the board A, and lifts the finger B to the upper side of the frog F, and as the slay moves forward it throws the board A further back and the reed out at the bottom, and the lever H is brought into contact with the loom handle, and the loom is stopped. If the shuttle passes safely through the shed, the reed is not pressed back, and the finger F comes under the frog as the slay gets to the front of its stroke, and holds the reed comparatively fast. The disadvantage of the loose reed is that the reed is not sufficiently firm to put a large amount of weft into the cloth, but improvement is being made in this respect, and loose-reed looms are to-day made for weaving fabrics for which it was formerly necessary to have fast reeds.
FIG. 68.
The invention of the loose reed is generally attributed to Mr. James Bullough. It was invented about 1842.