IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATS
Year: 1848

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JAMES BARSHAM, of Stratford, in the County of Essex, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain, bearing date at Westminster, the First day of June, One thousand
cight hundred and forty-eight, in the eleventh year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William
James Barsham, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said William James Bar-
sham, my exors, admors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said William
James Barsham, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATS;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said William James Barsham,
should cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her 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
William James Barsham, do hereby declare that the nature of my said In-
vention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference

page_text: igures
structed according to my Invention. Figures 3 and 4 shew two sections of
the mat. Figure 5 shews one of the laths separately. Figure 6 shews
another lath, having a cord of cocoanut fibre (coir) wound round it; but other
fibre may be used, the object being to obtain a series of rows of fibres on end
between laths in such manner that on the laths being compressed and fixed
together a mat will be formed; and this I believe will be best accomplished
by winding a cord of fibres round laths, and after combining a series of laths
to cut the cords of fibres, as hereafter explained. Figure 7 show two
transverse sections of a lath, one wound round with a cord, the other not.
Figures 8 and 9 shew a longitudinal view and a section of an outside lath.
Figure 10 shews a strip of sheet metal for affixing the ends of the laths,
as shewn at Figures 1 and 2. Figures 11, 12, and 13, shew three views of
the metal, bent into shape ready to be applied and affixed as shown.
A number of the laths having been wound round with fibre, as before
mentioned, they are to be placed into the compressing machine shown by the
other Figures of the Drawings, and which I will now proceed to describe; but
I would observe, that the outermost laths, which have fibres wound round
them, are to be each fixed by nailing to an outside lath.
Figure 14 shews a plan of the compressing machine; Figure 15, part
of a transverse section thereof. Figure 16 shews a longitudinal section,
and Figure 17 shows an end view. a, a, are two screws, which are
put in motion by a winch handle b, having a cog wheel c fixed on
its axis, which takes into and gives motion to the cog wheels d, d, on
the ends of the screws. c is a bar across the machine, having affixed
thereto two screw nuts f, f, by which means the bar is moved by
the turning of the screws. 9 is a pressing frame, between which and the
table h the laths are placed and retained when being compressed. The frame g

page_text: is pressed on by the screw i, which acts on the hinged piece j, as shewn, the
hinged piece, when folded back as shewn by dotted lines, allowing the frame g
being lifted to introduce and remove the combined series of laths. The series
of laths having been placed into the machine, and the frame g pressed down
in such manner as to prevent the laths rising as they are pressed together, the
screws are to be put in motion, and the laths are to be forced closely
together, thus closely pressing the fibres between them. The fibres for a few
inches on each lath are to be cut at the outer ends of the laths (as shown by
the red dotted lines in Fig. 14); the metal binding is then to be fixed in its
place, and thus the whole will be combined together, and the same may
then be removed from the machine, and the fibres are to be cut along the
centre of the lath, and the best instrument for such purpose is the knife,
Figure 18, being the cutting edge, and y a surface which slides on the lath
as the cut is made. By this means a mat will be formed, consisting of rows of
fibres standing on end, and retained by means of laths; and it should be stated,
the same laths may be again and again used as the fibres are worn away.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the details as herein described, so long as the peculiar
character of my Invention be retained. But what I claim is, the mode
herein described of manufacturing mats.
In witness whereof, I, the said William James Barsham, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of December. in the year of