ILL USTRATED

CATALOGUE OF LOOMS,

CR0:l1PTON Lom! WORKS.

GEO. CROMPTON, Proprietor.

WORCESTER, MASS., U.S.A.

TO WOOLLEN :\tiD COTTOX ~IAN U FACTU RERS.

. FROM 1836, the last year of Jackson'! administration, to 1840, manu­facturing and trade generally were much depressed. Factories either failed or stopped. It was during this inauspicious period that WiHiam Crompton. a native of L:mcashire, Eng., came to the United States. He had acquired a knowledge of weaving by hand and power ; and :u mechanic, and superintendent of mills, he had the requisite experience to meet an emergency in mechanical affairs. Arriving at Tauntoll, Mass .. i n 1836, and entering the service of l\ lcssrs. Crocker and Richmond, cotton manufacturers, he was requested to weave a certain pattern of goods which the looms in the mill could not weave. He successfully in \'cnted a loom to weave it, for which a patent was issued to him Nov. 25. 1837. The condition of manufacturing clearly showed that the 100m could not then be introduced. He went to England, where a patent was granted to him, and the loom successfully introduced into the cotton manufacture. In 1839 he returned to the United States, and in 1840 in t roduced his invent ion into the tlIiddlcsex tlli lls of Lowell, Mass. Up to this t ime no fa ncy woollens had been woven in this country. No fancy cassimeres had been made in Europe, excepting those woven on hand­looms. Therefore, at the Middlesex Mills, fo r the first time in this country, or in the world, fancy cassimeres were woven by power, and in a more perfect manner than could be made by hand. The circumstances which brought Crompton into connection with the Middlesex Mills are s tated in unsolici ted le tters from Samuel Lawrence, Esq. (now deceased), the treasurer of the mills at that time, and from James Cook (now e ighty­seven yean of age), then the agent at the mills.

GlOaGK CaoKJITON, E.Q. My t/,,, .. Si,., - Having had a most agreeable acquaintance with your honored

father in the earl)' history of your famoul loom. and knowing it to have been a golden heirloom to you, I thought it would be interesting. u • matter of history in aUf induI-

4 To TVoollnl and COI/(m Afanttjadurers.

mal pursuits, that the circumstances of its becoming $0 distinguished in woollen fabrics be namlte<!. NOI a )'ard of fancy woollens had evcr been wo\'cn by power­loom in any country till done by your father at Ihe Middlesex Mills in Lo .... ell in 18;40. Your falher invented Ihis loom in Taunton, Mass., in 1837. took it to Eng­bnd the next year, where it was patented; and he filled one cotton mill there with them, and started it successfully, then returned to this country lale in 1839. Early in 1840 he was in Lowell with specimens in cotton fabrics of wbat his loom could do. AI that time I had charge of the Middlesex Corporation, and, upon seeing the specimens, remarked that woollen fabrics wefe only worn with plain surfaces, and his loom could not be used for them. 'Ibe cotton manufacturers of Lowell did not see it for their interest to change their fabri CS, and your father returned to Taunton. Within ten days after this interview, my early friend William B. Draper arrived io Boston from Paris (where he had lived fifteen yean), and came to pass the night at my house in Lowell. He had an o,'ereoat wo,"en in diamond figures of pat beauty. He s.aid he "s.aw it at an exposition in Paris; Bonjean and Son o{ Sedan were the manufacturers; and it was as sure to be popular:1..5 the sun was to rise." He gave me a sm:1I1 bit from inside the collar, and the same day I sent a man to Taunton for yOUT father. Both returned in a few days, bringing one of his original COllon looms, with which we experimented till its practicability for woollen fabrics was demon­strated. Your father continued with the Middlesex Corporation two years, and I saw him daily. He was modest and gentle, and impressed me with the belief that he was highly gined with genius. The attentions shown you at the last Imperial Exposition in Paris, by the leading woollen manufacturers of Europe, show that the services of your father and yourself are as highly appreciated abroad u at home •

. I remain ¥Ollt friend,

SI\MUEL LAWRENCE.

GEORCE CRO:o.!PTON, Esq. D~ar Sir,-The writer, now in his eighty.third year, in looking over a lot of

old samples, came across a piece of fancy-woven cloth, the 'lJuy first woven in this country by power j and the idea crossed his mind that it might be interesting to you to learn the beginning of this great revolution in the fabric now in use very generally in this country, to the extinction of the plain !a.brics formerly used 10 a great extent.

Vour father came to the MiddlC5ex Mills in this city, {rom Taunton, and repre­sented to the writer and Mr. Edward Winslow (now deceased), the machinist in the employ of the MiddlC5ex Company, that he had a loom at Taunton (or weaviog fancy cottons, which he thought might be applied to woollen fabrics. A cotton loom was sent (or by the Middlesex Company. Mr. Winslow and myself altered one ca.ssimere loom with the assistance of your father, who was a skilful me. chanic, by putting on Crompton's Patent. The experiment was an entire IUCCftI. The alteration was extended very lOOn to all the cassimere looms, and then to the

To Wool/ell and C OIIOll Alanu/aclurers.

broad loom~; 50 tlut the whole of the weaving_power of the mills W;1.5 in tlut direc­tion. The result W;l.5, that, during the thi rd year after. this company declared ;\ dividend of thi rty-three per cent. T his piece of cloth sent )'ou W;1.5 produced in the following m.lllner : the 100m, being only twenty.six .lIld a half or twenty-seven inches wide, was shrunk by fulling to twenty inches and a half, being very nearly in the same proportion as the cassimeres, as they were woven on looms thirty.six or thi rty.seven inches wide, and shrunk to twenty-seven or twenty-eight inches. The Crompton Looms have been 50 wonderfully improved by the experience, skill, and

ingenuity of the Ilresent owners, that the firlll looms would now hardly be recognized ; but the genn was there.

Respectfully yours, JAMES COOK.

The success of the Middlesex Mills in producing figu red woollens attracted the attention of manufacturers j and in 184 1 other mills adopted fancy looms made by Phelps and Bickford of \Vorcester, Mass., under a license from Crompton. Though the looms were now fairly in troduced, the low tariff which held from 1836 to 1850 was a great hinderance to the increase of manufactures: consequently the whole amount received during the fourteen-years' term of the patent on the loom was only four­teen thousand dollars. In 1849 William Crompton became mentally in capacitated fo r business; and his son George, now nearly of age, obtained an extension of his father's patent, and proceeded, with a partner, to manufacture the loom. Furbush and Crompton, the new firm, made nar· row looms from 1851 to 1857, when they brought out the fas f-opcrating broad fancy 100m with improvements in box-motion. Broad looms up to this period operated nt nbout forty-five picks. The new (18S7) broad looms, with twenty·four harnesses and three boxes at each end, reached the speed of eighty-five picks per minute. This was a great stride in pro­duction: no advance has been so great since then. T he narrow fancy cas­simere loom, with three boxes at each end, up to this t ime had not obtained a speed of eighty.five p icks per minute; but, with important improvements in the reverse motion, the simplification of devices fo r operating the lathes by means of the ordinary cranks, the use of the ord inary narrow shuttle, and the reduction of the size of the shed, made a fast, economical b road loom of eighty-five picks a possibility. One weaver could attend one broad loom as readily 3! one narrow: therefore broads at once came into favorite use, and the comparative exclusion of narrow looms was fore · seen. Furbush and Crompton buil t loom. till 18590 when the partnership was dissolved. T he patents granted t o and owned by the firm were in part for improvements in double revene motion of E. W , Brown's inven­tion, of which they were t he .ole owne rs. Said patents were by mutual

6 To l-Voollm flud (otlon Afmmjaclllrers.

agreement territorially divided,-the New-England States and State of New York to Crompton, and thc remainder of the country to Furbush; and by said agreement Furbush was debarred from making looms of any kind forever in (romuton's territory_

These improvements in drop-boxes practically con trolled the fancy loom trade during the life of the patents. There was a considerable degree of success in the Furbush and Crompton partnership, much improve· men! being made j but disaster by fire in 1854. and continual infringe­ment for the first six years, and the limited demand for looms, were the means of preventing any large accumulations: The infringement existed in the manufacture of looms by the Woonsocket Furnace Company of Woonsocket, R.I., under a patent to James Greenhalgh. In 18S7, at the Circuit Court in Boston, it was pronounced an infringement on William Crompton's patent of 1837, then on its extended term . It was somewhat of a barren victory, as the Crompton patent expired in 1858. Damages were paid by the defendant, and the infringement stopped. After the dissolution of the firm of Furbush and Crompton, George Crompton built new works, giving employment to about one hundred and fifty men; and at present about five hundred and fifty are employed. The war came on ; goods were needed, also more looms to meet the increasing demand . Crompton with his improved facilities was ready for this new situation. In the midst of this prosperity, Bickford, who had purchased the business of Phelps and Bickford, who had formerly made the loom under license of the elder Crompton, undertook to make fancy looms in exact imitation of Crompton's patented improvements, alleging that he (Bickford) invcnted them. The case was tried in Circuit Court, Boston, in November, 1862. Bickford was defeated, and mulcted in double damages on account of the daring infringement. On thc death of Ivlr. Bickford, which occurred the fOllowing year, his loom shop went out of existence, and the patterns of the business were sold to the Crompton Loom 'Works.

Soon after the suit with Bickford, experiments were made to utilize the good qualities of the Greenhalgh Loom, which proved successful, and were subsequently patented in January, 1866. This improvement was a combination of devices to operate the upright jacks in the Greenhalgh Loom. About this time the patent for this 100m was expiring, and Crompton made arrangements to own the extended term, if it should be granted. It was extended, and held as the exclusive property of the Works. This improved loom of 1866 was exhibited at the Paris Expo. sition, 1867, and attracted the earnest attention of the Continental manu­facturers. It was awarded a SILVER MEDAL, - the only recognition given to any loom for weaving woollens, notwithstanding seven different looms were in competition, from England, Belgium , France, Saxony, and P russia.

To ~Voollm and Cot/Olt JJfatm/aclul'en.

Loom makers n:!.med Duckworth and Sons of Mount Carmel, Conn., and later at Pittsfield, Mass., commenced to make looms with upright jacks. Suit was brought, and they desisted further infringement. The Duckworths finally stopped the building of looms, and their leading patents were sold to Crompton.

Nothing of special note then occurred till 1873, when Lucius J. Knowles came out with an "open-shed" fallcy 100m. Its leading feature was the drop-box motion, which was a combination of gears, cranks, and compound levers, which, under the control of the pattern chain, would bring any box of the series of four boxes at either end of the lathe. This principle had never been adopted by these Works on woollen looms (the old tappet with the reverse motion being in vogue, and satisfactory to the trade); but it had adopted and applied it to gingham looms as far back as 1867 and 1868, and in 1870 freely entered into the gingham loom, and has been made by the Works, by the thousand, from that time to this. The other improvements on the Knowles Loom, such as the pick-finding device, backward and forward pick-out, were invented at these "'orks before Knowles contrived and made his 100m. The \Vorks applied and operated by power this idea in 1874, and afterwards patented it in 1876; the ide:!. being to place a foot on a treadle, and reverse the pattern mechanism by power, while the lathe is motionless. The improved wool1en looms exhib­ited at the Centennial Exhibition, 1876, by these Works, were fitted with this improved pick-finder, and it contributed towards the basis of the Com­missioners' award, which was" For the BEST looms for weaving on shawls, cassimeres. and satinets, embracing original invention, ingenious con­struction. and excellent workmanship."

I n 1878 experiments commenced, which resulted in producing a move· ment which brings any of four boxes at each end of the lathe at pleasure. Whatever resemblance this may have to the Knowles Loom, it may be well to stale that the box-motion brought out by Knowles in 1873 was based partly on a patent gran ted to him in 1863, and partly on a patent granted to Horace Wyman, superintendent of the Crompton Loom \Vorks, in 1867; so that it may be said to be a combination of both. The improvements commenced in 1877 and 1878 were patented to Crompton in 1879 and 1880, together with improvements in the harness·motion. The 1863 patent of Knowles expired in February, 1880: this patent was for a three­box motion, while Crompton's was for a four·box motion with some devices taken from Knowles's expired 1863 patent.

The patent of 1867 to Wyman for improvements in looms already referred to was re-issued, and suit under it was brought against L. J. Knowles and Brother of Worcester. Mass., for infringement in building their woollen looms with compound leven, cranlu, connecting-rods. etc.,

8 To J-Vool!m mId Cot/on 1I1amifncl1tycrs.

whereby any of four boxes could be obt3ined. Testimony was first taken in the spring of 1877. and continued from time to time until the fall of 1880. The argument before the court was made in November, 1880. J udge Lowell gave his opinion and decision in May, 1881, dismissing the bill; when Crompton appealed from this decision to the Supreme Court of the United States, leaving the question still unsettled.

After the completion of the box-motion of 1880, and the new "close­shed" harness-motion connected with it, a mode of taking off the picking, and then finding the pick by the belt of the 100m, was added. The cylinder of the harness and drop.box was actuated by a ratchet-motion, as in the old Crompton" pump-motion" Loom. With very regular speed this worked very well; but under all circumstances it was defective. ~Iany looms were made before the ill defects in this movement were discovered. It has been remedied by the adoption of gearing, and the Gene\'a stop­motion, as in Crompton Looms made with upright jacks over ten years ago. By striking one lever the picking may be taken off, and by striking another lever the pattern cylinder carrying both harness and drop-box chains is reversed; the belt is moved on to the fast pulley, and the drop­boxes and harnesses are actuated, the pattern surfaces reversing, and the pick is found: when the picking is restored, and the shaft re-clutched, perfect weaving may be resumed. T he girths of the " 1880" loom (ex­cepting the breast.beam) are made of iron_

The driving-gearing has been moved forward so the driving-pulleys do not now project beyond the rear of the loom, - a matter of some impor­tance, as eight looms can now be placed in the same space formerly occu­pied by seven looms. The" 1880" loom as now made and perfected gives the highest satisfaction. Those who have of late adopted the" open-shed" loom made by Knowles, on account of the convenience, and increased range of pattern of its box-motion, now return to the good old" close­shed," when it can be had in union with a drop-box motion, which has no superior, such as now offered to manufacturers in the" 1880" loom.

Many years ago, in 1858 and 1859. these Works made quite a large number of looms (for those days) of the "open-shed" character; and some of them are in motion to-day_ Nine-tenths of them were, however, changed into" close-shed" for the reason that they made rough cloth, and in some cases could not weave the patterns put into them. One or two manufacturers repeated their orders for the" open-shed" before having an opportunity to discover the evils of the system. The" open-shed" looms of the presen t day have the same trouble : very often, where threads stitch from the back to the facc, and others lie chiefly on the face of the fabric, the stitching threads will take up yarn so much more than those wbicb are principally on the surface, that they will break, and the weaving

To TVool/m and Collolt lIfamifac/urers. 9

can no longcr procced until the warp is put into a "close-shed ,. loom, which, unlike the " open·shed," draws upon all the warp.thrcads equally at every pick It is universally admitted that the "close·shed" loom makes the smoother cloth.

In certain tests made recently between the Knowlcs "Opcn-shco" Loom and thc Crompton Im proved" 1880 Closc-shed" Loom on Moscow hea\'crs, and heavy goods of like charactcr, it was found that thc "close­shed" was the \·ictor, gaining over its competitor one yard in tcn, and making smoother cloth. The exact facts may be obtained upon applica­tion at any time. These \Vorks are ready to test its Improved" 1880" Loom against any and all comers within ran ge of its capacity (twenty­se\'cn harnesses and four boxes at each end), as to quality and quantity of cloth produced with cOI1\'eniencc and ease to the weaver. In referring to the capacity of the" 1880" loom, it is stated as twenty-seven harnesses: it was formerly twcnty-four harnesses. Many years ago, the central support being taken out of the chain cylinder, it enabled the use of twenty-fh'e jacks. Bya recent invention, without changing the cylinder, or the stand­ard length of the chain bars, or the grade of chain tubes and rollers, twenty-sevcn points of indication are established. and twenty-seven jacks and harnesses can be employed.

For those manufacturers having decided preference for the "open­shed" principle for twills and other goods where a low number of har­nesses arc used, the \Vorks have Pl!rchascd and improved the Faulkner "open-shed" motion, specially adapted for cotton-warp goods, either broad or narrow. This Faulkner motion combined with thc imprO\-ed " 1880" box-motion makes a very simple and light-running loom.

In 1868, soon after \Vyman's invention of the compound lever, crank and gear box-motion, the \Vorks commenced making gingham looms. The first order of magnitude came from the Renfrew !'IIanufacturing Company, in 1870, for three hundred and fifty looms . From that time to the present, this gingham loom has been considcred the leading loom by the first-class mills of the country, such as Renfrew Manufacturing Com­pany, Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, Lancaster Mills, Glasgow Company, Johnson Manufacturing Company, Whittenton Manufactu ring Company, Parkhill Manufacturing Company, Gloucester Gingham Mills, Bates Manufacturing Company, etC., and they show thcir appreciation by continuous orders. Many thousands are now in use. They arc built with {our, six, and eight boxes at one end, also fou r boxes at each end; speed, from one hund red and thirty-five to one hundred and fifty picks. T he boxes are moved up and down by an absolute movement, always beginning and ending their movements at certain points, producing an easy. smooth motion to the box : any shuttle-box can be brought into

10 To Wool/m {md Collo" Afamt/a&lurers.

position at any pick. The changeable box-motions are easily attached, and n:l\'c been applied in large numbers to all the common makes of cotton looms. such as Whit In, Mason, Lowell, Colvin, etc.

L..rge numbers of patent" New-England" dobbies of twenty.harness capacity, for light fancy cottons, have been applied to the Whittn, Mason, Lowell, and Colvin looms. These dabbies are governed by chain lags nod pins, making a cheap hut durable chain: the pins arc locked in the lags by a patent device. These dobbies will operate at from one hundred and fifty to one hundred and seventy picks per minute.

Silk looms of excellent design and operation, with patented spedal de­\'ices for particular adaptation to the wants of silk manufacturers, have lately been placed on the Paterson market, and give choice satisfaction. They are of different widths; fitted with twenty.harness dobbies, or adapted for the mounting of Jacquards. They arc made plain for single shuttle, or four and six boxes at one end, or four boxes at each end of the lathe.

The Works will exhibit a liberal assortment of woollen, gingham, and fancy cotton looms at the New·England Manufacturers' and Mechanics' I nstitute, at Boston for ,881, ALSO gingham and fancy cotton looms at the International Cotton Exhibition at Atlanta, Ga .• next October. Manufacturers are cordially in\'ited to critically examine into the merits of the several Crompton Looms as exhibited at these two important exhibitions,

It is confidently asserted, that, for variety of fancy looms, no concern can "ie with the Crompton Loom Works; and it is prepared to show that its different looms surpass in execution, product, and quality, any machines of their class.

The Works, now in business for thirty years, relying upon its reputa­tion for fair dealing, returns thanks for the favors it has reeeh'ed at the hands of its manufacturing patrons, and respectfully solicits that they may be continued.

WOIlCKSTEIt. MASs.,

Augult, , 881.

CROMPTON LOOM WORKS,

GEORGE CROMPTON, Pro/n't/or.

To lPool/en mId Co/lo" lJImmjadllyn-s. "

PLATE I.

IMPROVED " 1880" BROAD FANCY LOOM.

Tills is the fa\'orite loom of the \Vorks. It embodies all that is desira· ble in this class of looms. The framework is stronger than formerly. The driving-gearing has been brought forward, so the pulleys do not pro­ject beyond the rear of the loom: therefore eight looms can be placed in the same space as seven looms formerly occupied. Besides being more sightly, and less dangerous to the operative, it facilitates the insertion of warp beams.

The harness-motion is composed of upright levers whose jacks lie on the chain without the intervention of fingers. The lifter and depressor also form the eveners, and move in arcs formed from the centre of oscillation of the upright levers; and these le\'ers arc so moved, that the rear harnesses may have a greater range of motion than the front ones. The levers are notched as in the old loom. The lifter and depressor are made to pause when the shed is sprung, to facilitate the passage of the shuttle. T he chain cylinders of the harness and drop-box motions are mounted on the same shaft, and turned by a geared, intermittent movement from the pick. ing·shaft. This geared shaft is capable of being clutched or unclutched at will.

The drop· box movement derives its motion from the bottom shaft. Geared crank wheels are moved into contact with either of two intermit. tently moving gears, which cause the cranks to move from one extreme throw to the other, under the direction of the pattern chain. Connectors from the cranks move one or both of two levers of such unequal lengths, that one will move the series of boxes from one to the succeedi ng box, and the other lever move them through two spaces, and the action of both levers will move them through three spaces; viz. , from the firs t to the fourth. A pulley in the bight of a chain which is fastened to each of the levers is connected to the drop.box after passing under and over carrier pulleys. A similar series of mechanism, side by aide with that described,

12 To Woollen a.,d Cotton Mam,/actuYcrs.

operates the series of boxes at the other end of the 100m: so the series of each end is independent of the other, and anyone box of either series can be brought into line with the shuttle-race at any desired pick.

The chain indicates when and how the box shall move, and each indi­vidual box of each series will indicate the character of the chain; viz., No. I Box will have a special" set-up" of rollers and tubes on the chain, and No.2 Box will have its special "set-up," etc. Therefore, whenever it is necessary to find a lost pick, the shaft which works the pattern chains of the harness and drop-box motions may be unclutched and reclutched so as to reverse: the picking is then disconnected, and the belt moved on to the fast pulley, and worked pick by pick till the lost pick is discovered, and a true shed found, when correct weaving may be resumed.

A let·off motion, which is independent of friction, making perfect goods with greater certainty than the old friction plan, is a special feature of the H 1880" loom.

This 100m, introduced in I 880, is now in complete order, giving supe· rior satisfaction to the manufacturers who use it, most of whom have had experience with al l kinds of looms.

P LATE I.

IMPROVED " 1880" BROAD FANCY LOOM.

92 INCHES; 4 + 4 BOX; 27 HARNESSE S.

14 To Woollen a11d Collon Afanu(aclurers.

PLATE II.

GINGHAM LOOM.

Tills is the most popular gingham loom. Having only four boxes at one end, it v/orks with case in bringing anyone of the series into line with the race at a hundred and fifty picks or more peT minute, and is capable of doing all the ordinary work of a gingham mill. T he shuttle.box moves up and d ()fI)1I with a positive, absolute movement; whatever the range may be, the movement commences and ends always at certain points, thus obtaining all the time possible for the box movement. The combina­t ion of this positive movement up and down without the aid of friction, and the occupying of all the time possible, is original with these Works. T he public is cautioned against using such construction and combination without the consent of these \Vorks, as all infringement will be prosecuted.

CINCHAM LOOM.

TWO LEAF; 4 + J BOX.

PlATE II.

J6 To I-Voollen a1,d Col/on Afallujaduyff's.

PLATE III.

GINGHAM LOOM:.

Tills gingham loom has four Iioxes at each end, and the apparatus for working the boxes is a partial duplication of the devices {or working the 4 + I box. This loom has a stop-motion at each end between the selvage and the shuttle-box : so the loom can be stopped instantly when­ever the filling breaks. This loom operates at about a hundred and thirty. five picks per minute.

Large numbers of gingham looms have been made with six boxes at one end of the lathe. The principle of box 'movement is the same as that of Plate II J.; and, in order to obtain any of the boxes at will, an additional lever is mounted on the four-box lever. This six-box loom has proved popular, and has lately been strengthened in many of its working_parts. h will run without extra repairs at one hundred and forty picks or more per minute.

CINCHAM LOOM.

TWO LEAF; .. + .. BOX.

I PLATE III.

18 To Woollm a11d Coltrnt Afa1lt~/a(luy"s.

PLATE IV,

.. NEW·ENGLAND" DOBBY,

PLATE IV. represents the" New-England" dobby, patented to the Works. It has a capacity of twenty harnesses. It has a double lift, and the lower shed is formed and returned by springs. The chain is composed of wood lags with iro~ pins, the pins being secured firmly in their places by a neat patented device. This dobby is applicable to old as well as new looms. Thousands have been applied to Whitin, Mason, Colvin, Lowell, and many other makes of looms. It is a durable, rapid machine, and will operate at from one hundred and thirty to one hundred and seventy-five picks per minute. It gh'cs the highest satisfaction, and it is doubtful if in a single instance it has failed to meet the work it was expected to accomplish. The capacity of this dobby i. to be increased to nventy.four harnesses.

Pu.n tV.

"NEW-ENCLAND" DOBBY LOOM.

SINGLE SllUTTL&; 110 llA!{N&SSES.