630. Boult, A. J., [Lindsay, H.]. Jan. 9. Looms, regulating weft tension apart from shuttles in.-In looms, especially those adapted to weave wire cloth, mechanism is provided for stretching the wire weft after it has been laid in the shed and before it is beaten up by the reed. Two arms P, p<1> are secured above the entrance to each shuttle box, and are spaced a short distance apart. The ends of the arm P are secured to the front and the back of the box, and the arm P' extends parallel to a straight portion p<1> of the arm P and has one end free. A finger p<8> extends downwards between the arms P, P', and rests normally in a recess in an extended bottom plate in the shuttle box. The finger p<8> is secured in a block fixed to the end of a lever p<3>, which is pivoted on a fixed stud p<5> and is normally pressed downwards by a spring P<6>. At the left side of the loom, the lever p<3> is connected by a link q and a spring to a lever loosely mounted on a rock-shaft, and the latter lever is connected by a link to a cam-actuated lever ; while the lever p<3> at the right side of the loom is similarly connected to a lever keyed to the rock-shaft, which is rocked at the proper time by a lever, a link, and another cam-actuated lever. As the shuttle enters either shuttle box, the finger p<8> at that side of the loom is raised by the action of its cam actuated lever, so that the weft passing over the finger is drawn up between the arms P, P' and is thereby stretched. The lower end of an arm R, which is pivoted on a pin r carried by the lay, is normally held in a rearward position by a spring r<1> ; but when the lay moves forwards, a flexible connexion r<3> between the upper end of the arm R and the frame A causes the lower end of the arm R to be moved forwards, so that it gives a further stretch to the weft and knocks it from the ends of the arm p<1> and the finger p<8>. Loom shedding-motions.-The heald frames are connected by links to arms on a rock-shaft, which is oscillated through suitable mechanism by cams on the tappet-shaft. Loom shuttle-races.-The shuttle-race is carried by arms projecting forwards from a rock-shaft mounted at the rear of the lay, and is held normally in a lowered position by the action of a spring on an arm secured to the rock-shaft. When the lay is in its rearward position, this arm is moved forwards by a roller on a fixed arm, so that the shuttle-race is raised to support the shuttle. Loom picking-motions. - The picking-sticks are pivoted on the upper part of the lay, and are forced inwards by leaf-springs acting on their cranked upper ends. To each of these cranked ends is connected a cord attached to a guided slide-bar, which is connected by a cord to a cam-actuated lever. When this lever is depressed, the slide-bar is pulled down until it is held by a gravity latch, so that the corresponding picking-stick is set in an operative position. As the lay moves back, it acts on the gravity latch and releases the slide-bar, thus allowing the leaf-spring to operate the picking-stick. Looms, checking shuttles in ; shuttle-relief motions ; shuttle boxes.-The front and rear plates h<1>, h<2> of. the shuttle boxes have projecting flanges h<4> h<3>, which serve to keep the picker H<3> in the box. A swell is pivoted in a slot in the rear plate of each box, and is pressed inwards by a spring-pressed arm on a rock-shaft mounted at the back of the box. When a heald frame is raised, a pin thereon acts on an arm on a rock-shaft to raise a trip-arm on the shaft, so that, as the lay moves back, the trip-arm strikes a downwardly-extending arm on the rock-shaft at the back of one of the shuttle boxes, and the shuttle in the box is relieved from the pressure of the swell. Loom stop-motions ; stopping and starting mechanism.-If the shuttle fails to enter either box, the loom is stopped in the manner described in Specification No. 630A, A.D. 1907. The swells act through arms k<1> on the stop-rod K, which is provided with daggers k<2>, k'. When the dagger k<2> is not raised, it strikes an abutment l on a sliding rod L, as the lay beats up, so that the rod L is moved forwards against the action of a spring, and its rear end is disengaged from a notch in a rod M. This rod is thereupon moved down by a spring, and acts upon a lever on an horizontal shaft, so that another lever on the shaft disengages a clutch and stops the loom. A lever at the front of the horizontal shaft carries at its upper end an horizontal bar, by means of which the loom may be stopped by hand. When the abutment l strikes a fixed stop, the dagger k<4> strikes a stop l<2>, whereby the lay is prevented from being strained.