IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING AND DRYING WOVEN FABRICS
Year: 1852

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME OR BE MADE
KNOWN, I, JAMES FLETCHER, of Leyland, near Preston, in the County of
Lancaster, Bleacher, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-ninth day of April, in the fifteenth year of Her reign, and
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said James
Fletcher, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial license, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said James Fletcher, my exors, admors, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said James Fletcher, my exors, admors, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within that part of Her
Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her
Dominion of Wales, and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, my Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING AND DRYING
WOVEN FABRICS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I,
the said James Fletcher, shall cause a particular description or instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, of the nature of my said Invention, and in

page_text: what manner the same is to be performed or carried into practical effect, to
be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next immediately after the date of the said herein in part recited
Letters Patent, as, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.
I
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso I, the said
James Fletcher, do hereby declare the nature and particulars of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed and carried
into practical effect, are particularly described and set forth in and by this
description of Specification, reference being had to the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, in which the same letters of reference are used to denote similar
part or parts where different views or diagrams are shown. My Invention
relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for stretching and drying
woven fabrics, after they have been bleached, dyed, or undergone any process
which causes a necessity for drying and stretching them, which two process.
accomplish with my improved machine by one operation, and in much less
time than by the ordinary methods now in use. This machine consists of a
large drum or cylinder, or drums or cylinders, constructed of tin, brass, iron,
or other suitable metal, and made perfectly steam or air tight when required,
and into which I admit steam or hot air to heat it to the necessary degree of
heat, either by fans or other motive power for the distribution of the same,
to dry the goods which have been previously bleached, dyed, or undergone
any process by which they have become saturated with any kind of liquid
or moisture, and consequently require drying. I fix or place the goods to
be dried round the drum or cylinder, or drums or cylinders, which revolve for
for the purpose.
It is also well known to all persons conversant with
this branch of business, that it is very desirable to keep the goods stretched
out to certain widths during the operation of drying, or it will be necessary to do
it afterwards, which will entail a loss of time, and consequently an additional
expense. To accomplish this object I fix or attach on the face of the said
drum or cylinder, or drums or cylinders, at convenient distances from each
other to suit the widths of the cloth or material to be stretched, two rings
made of copper, or other suitable metal or material, with pins or projections
on one edge of them, which perforate the cloth or material, and keep it in its
place on the surface of the heated drum or cylinder, or drums or cylinders.
I make these two rings with a sufficient number of joints, to allow them to
contract when receiving the cloth, and to expand to any required width during
the process of drying. I also attach two other rings nearer the outer edge of

page_text: the face of the drum or cylinder, or drums or cylinders, which I call guide
rings, bent in a suitable form to regulate the contraction and expansion of the
first-mentioned rings, to which the cloth is attached by means of the pins.
These two rings are connected by a number of slides attached to the drum or
cylinder, which slides adjust the position of the rings to allow of the necessary
contraction and expansion. To these guide rings I attach two circular frames
made of iron or other suitable metal or material, connected by stays with a
number of regulating screws, by which this part of the apparatus is adjusted.
Outside of this apparatus I arrange a wire, cord, or other similar contrivance
to press against, and keep the cloth, fabric, or material in contact with the
periphery of the said apparatus, and as it leaves the said drum or cylinder, or
drums or cylinders, I cause it to pass over two or more smaller steam cylinders,
as experience may prove necessary, for the more perfectly and quickly drying
it. In the annexed Sheet of Drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation
of my improved machine or apparatus; and Figure 2, a front elevation of the
A is the drum or cylinder to be heated by steam or hot air. B, the
cloth entering on the cylinder, and fixed on the pins by means of the roller
C; D, the two rings round the cylinder, with the pins a fixed in one edge,
as shewn by the dots, and joints b, to allow for contraction and expansion.
E, guide rings bent to a suitable form. F, slides attached to the drum or
cylinder, and which connect the said rings D and E. G, the circular frames.
H, the regulating screws connected to the guide rings E, for adjusting them.
I is the cloth leaving the drum or cylinder. J, additional steam cylinder.
K, conducting rollers; and L, the wire, cord, or other apparatus or contrivance,
adjusted by the guide rollers M, to keep the material in constant contact
with the periphery of the apparatus.
same.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner in
which the same is to be carried into practical operation, I would have it to be
distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein
described and shewn in the Drawings, as they may be varied and modified, and
still retain my principle. But I claim the arrangement of the rings, pins, and
slides on the drum or cylinder, as herein described and illustrated, or any
modification of them.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Fletcher, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-two.
JAMES (L.S.) FLETCHER.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-sixth day of October,
in the year of our Lord 1852, the aforesaid James Fletcher came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.