IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND MODE OF APPLYING ORNAMENTS TO WOVEN AND FELTED FABRICS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sims, of Trinity Street, Liverpool Road,
in the County of Middlesex, Engraver, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND MODE OF APPLYING ORNAMENTS
TO WOVEN AND FELTED FABRICS."
Sealed the 20th April 1869, and dated the 21st November 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sims at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
November 1868.
I, JOHN SIMS, of Trinity Street, Liverpool Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Engraver, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND MODE OF APPLYING ORNAMENTS
TO WOVEN AND FELTED FABRICS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to decorate garments and fabrics with
applied ornaments that will adhere firmly to and form as it were part
of the fabric to which the ornaments are applied. These ornaments will
take either the form of trimmings or continuous patterns, or of isolated

page_text: patterns or devices; I propose to form them of woven fabrics of various
colours and characters, and of one fabric or of two or more fabrics
combined. The trimmings or patterns I make of silk or other orna-
mental fabric coated at back with an elastic adhesive substance, which will
serve as an elastic cement when the trimmings or patterns are applied.
Upon the back of the fabric is laid a thin sheet of gutta percha or other
kindred gum, which by the application of damp heat and a moderate
pressure will cause the adhesion of the gutta percha to the woven fabric.
The compound fabric thus produced I cut up or stamp out into orna-
mental devices which are now to be applied to the ornamentation of
woven, felted, and other fabrics. The devices, whether trimmings or
detached ornaments, are laid in place upon the fabric or garment to be
ornamented, and then by the direct application of dry heat thereto the
gutta percha coating is caused to partially melt and fix the ornament to
the fabric.
In carrying out this Invention I propose to press the gutta percha on
the silk by steam heated boxes or rollers covered with flannel or other
good absorbent of water, by which means a damp heat is obtained.
This treatment causes the gutta percha to become "tackey" and adhere
to the silk or other ornamental fabric without running through and
injuring the surface. Dies, punches, or embossing rollers may be used.
to form the trimming out of the compound fabric, and heated irons
or heated rollers may be used to effect the attachment of the trimming
to the fabric or garment to be ornamented. I have said that I propose
to use different characters and colours of materials to form ornaments.
Thus silk, satin, velvet, and shorn and unshorn woollen cloth may be
used singly for plain ornaments, or in combination to produce ornaments
of a more complex character.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Sims in the Great Seal Patent Office on 30
the 21st May 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
STMs, of Trinity Street, Liverpool Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Engraver, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Sims, Her special licence that
I, the said John Sims, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others. as. I, the said John Sims, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should. at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during, the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the Unitod. Kingdom of Great Britain and Ircland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE AND MODE OF APPLYING ORNAMENTS TO WOVEN AND FELTED FABRICS,'
upon the condition. (amongst others) that I, the said John Sims, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing; under my, or.
their, or one-of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent...
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Sims, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to.
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto.
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
This Invention is designed: to decorato garments and fabrics with
applied ornaments that. will adhere firmly to and form as it were part.
of the fabric to which the ornaments are applied.. Heretofore attempts.
have been made to decorate garments and piece goods with applied.
ornaments, in contradistinction to ornament woven in or printed or
embroidered upon the goods, but the result. has been that such applied
ornament would fray or strip off, or if well attached would form stiff
patches or protruding masses, not at all consistent with the idea of:
a flowing garment or flexible fabric; moreover, the fabric would require.
to be prepared with a "resist" to receive the adhesive cement. To:
provide against these defects, and to simplify the manufacture of the
ornaments to be applied is the object of the present improvements...

page_text: From
The ornaments which I design to apply will take either the form of
trimmings or continuous patterns, or of isolated patterns or devices, and
I propose to form them of woven fabrics of various colours and characters
as taste and circumstances may dictate, and to use in their fabrication
either one such fabric or two or more of such fabrics combined. Having
decided upon the kind of fabric or fabrics to form in combination a
trimming or pattern, say for example white silk and black velvet, I take
any desired length of these ornamental fabrics and coat the same at
the back with an adhesive substance, which will become tacky by the
application of heat, but will have no tendency to run and discolor
the substance to which it is applied, and when dry will serve as an
elastic cement when the trimmings or patterns are in place. The
manner of coating the back of the fabrics is as follows:-Upon the
back of the extended silk or velvet I lay a thin sheet or film of gutta
percha, and by the application of damp heat and a moderate pressure
I cause it to adhere and form a cement backing to the woven fabric.
The gutta percha thus applied will have no tendency to penetrate to
the face of the woven fabric and so injure its appearance, which would
infallibly be the result if an adhesive solution were used.
compound fabrics thus produced I proceed to form the trimming or
design that I desire to apply to a garment or to curtains or other like
surfaces (that is to say) I cut up the backed silk or velvet, or stamp out
the same into pieces corresponding to parts of the ornamental device
desired to be reproduced. These I put together in their proper places,
and by the application of dry heat and slight pressure I cause the
adlierence of the overlying parts to the pieces which form the base of
the trimming or design. The devices, whether trimmings or detached
ornaments, thus formed will necessarily have a coating of the gutta
percha all over their back, and on being laid in place upon the fabric or
garment to be ornamented and subjected to a dry heat the gutta perchia
coating will be caused to partially melt and attach itself to the fabric
intended to receive the ornamentation, but no spreading of the adhesive
coating will take place, as but slight pressure is needed to obtain a
firm hold, whereas if india-rubber were used, as has been proposed, for
attaching ornaments, such a pressure would be required as would destroy
the appearance of a cut pile fabric, and the spreading of the cement
beyond the edges of the pattern would necessarily follow in securing
the attachment of the applied ornaments to the ground fabric.

page_text: In carrying out this Invention it is essential to use a damp heat for
effecting the adhesion of the gutta percha to the silk or other ornamental
fabric, and to this end I find it desirable to employ pressing boxes
covered with flannel or other good absorbent of water and heated inter-
nally by steam, which admits of a pretty uniform heat being obtained.
The flannel covering being kept moist by water a damp heat at a
uniform temperature will be easily maintained. The box will be pressed
by hand upon the overlying gutta percha, the pressure being light and
but shortly sustained. This treatment will cause the gutta percha to
become "tacky" and adhere to the silk or other ornamental' fabric
without melting, the effect of which if allowed to take place would be
that it would run through and injure the face of the coated fabric..
Dies, punches, or embossing rollers may be used if desired to form the
trimming out of the compound fabric, but hitherto I have preferred
the use of scissors for cutting up, say, the coated or compound silk fabric
into diamonds, stars, or other devices to form the base of the design,
and the coated velvet into strips, to form either borders to these devices
or to give lines of continuity to the pattern. To effect the attachment
of the trimming to the fabric or garment to be ornamented, I have in
general used heated flat irons which have been found very suitable for
the purpose. I have said that I propose to use different characters and
colours of materials to form ornaments. Thus silk, satin, velvet, and
shorn and unshorn woollen cloth may be used singly for plain ornaments
or in combination to produce ornaments of a more complex character,
which when applied will adhere firmly and will impart no displeasing
rigidity to the fabric or garment to which they may be applied. I may
here remark that trimmings produced according to my Invention will
be very suitable for forming borders to woollen petticoats, also to silk
and woollen dresses and for theatrical costumes and emblazonments. The
Invention will have a wide application.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of " Improvements
in the Manufacture and Mode of Applying Ornaments to Woven and
Felted Fabrics," and explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent I claim as a new manufacture, trimmings or ornaments
composed of silks, velvets, and othér ornamental fabrics backed with
sheet gutta percha in the manner described, and that whether such
prepared fabrics be used singly or in combination to form the trimmings

page_text: or ornaments; also ornamenting garments and piece goods by effecting
the adhesion thereto of trimmings or devices in the manner above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sims, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twentieth day of May, in the year of our. 5
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lanc.
JOHN SIMS. (L.S.)