IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE AND FINISHING OF TEXTILE FABRICS."
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Whitehead, junior, of Elton, near Bury, in the
County of Lancaster, and Robert Kay Whitehead, of the same Place,
Bleachers and Dyers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE AND FINISHING OF TEXTILE FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Whitehead and
Robert Kay Whitehead, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 27th July 1855.
We, the said JOHN WHITEHEAD, junior, and ROBERT KAY WHITEHEAD, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE AND FINISHING OF TEXTILE FABRICS" to be as follows:-
Our Invention refers, firstly, to such fabrics as are woven after the manner
of fustians, and consists in producing a ribbed surface thereon, which ribs may
extend over the entire piece of cloth, or may be formed in stripes or other
devices. The fabric thus woven is peculiarly applicable to that description
of finished goods for which provisional protection has been granted to us,
bearing date May 28th, 1855.
Another part of our improvements relates to the finishing of cut and other

page_text: woven fabrics, and consists in causing one portion thereof to constitute a bed
or surface against which another portion is caused to travel. During this
operation heat may be applied, if desired, by the use of steam chests or other
apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Whitehead and Robert Kay Whitehead in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 26th January 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JoшN
WHITEHEAD, junior, of Elton, near Bury, in the County of Lancaster, and
ROBERT KAY WHITEHEAD, of the same Place, Bleachers and Dyers, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John Whitehead, junior, and Robert Kay Whitehead, Her especial license
that we, the said John Whitehead, junior, and Robert Kay Whitebead, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John
Whitehead, junior, and Robert Kay Whitehead, our executors, administrators,
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 United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND FINISHING OF TEXTILE
FABRICS," upon the condition, amongst others, that we, the said John White-
head, junior, and Robert Kay Whitehead, by an instrument in writing under
our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, should par-
ticularly 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 imme-
diately-after-the-date-of-the-said-Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Whitehead, junior, do hereby
declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
-

page_text: extent.
Our Invention refers, firstly, to such fabrics as are woven after the manner
of fustians, and consists in producing a ribbed surface thereon. The method
of interweaving the threads to gain this effect may be varied to a considerable
In order, however, to illustrate this part of our improvements, we
have on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings given three Diagrams, which
are weavers' drafts for producing the desired fabric, and which will be readily
understood by competent persons. In Nos. 1 and 2, six shafts are employed
to form the required fabric. the warps being drawn two in a dent. In No. 3,
a similar effect will be produced by drawing one in a dent. We have above
stated that our Invention refers to fabrics woven after the manner of fustians,
under which term we include velvets, velveteens, and other goods which are
usually classified with them. The ribbed surface may extend over the entire
piece of cloth, or may be formed in stripes or other devices. Goods manufac-
tured in this manner are particularly applicable to that description of finished
fabric for which Letters Patent have been granted to us, bearing date the
Twenty-eighth day of May, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, the
Specification of which Patent was duly filed, the ribbed surface being raised
or dressed as therein described; but in this instance a fabric of the fustian
character will be the result.
Another part of our Invention relates to the finishing of cut and other
woven fabrics, and consists in causing one portion thereof to constitute a bed
or surface against which another portion is caused to travel. In order to
explain a method of accomplishing this, we will refer to Figs. 1 and 2 of the
accompanying Drawings; the former being a side elevation, and the latter a
plan view, of the machine constructed for the purpose. The piece of goods to
be finished passes from any suitable situation over and under rails a, b; from
thence it passes over rollers c, d, on to a cylinder e covered with wire cords.
This cylinder, being caused to revolve by any ordinary means, will draw the
cloth onward through the machine, according to the arrows, so that one face
will rub against another as they meet upon the periphery of the roller c. The
goods when delivered by the cylinder e may be wound into a roll, or treated
in any other usual manner. The roller e is mounted in bearings f, capable of
sliding to and fro in the framework. Within these bearings are screws g,
mounted in nuts h, and provided with pinions i, in gear with which are pinions k,
affixed to a transverse shaft . This shaft also carries a worm wheel m, capable
of being turned by a worm n upon a shaft o. By turning this shaft, therefore,
the bearings f, and with them the roller c, may be caused to move backward
in order to introduce the piece of cloth, after which the desired amount of

page_text: tension may be gained by turning the screws in the other direction. If it be
desired to apply heat to the fabric during the process of finishing, the rollers
c, d, or the rails a, b, may be formed hollow, and steam communicated thereto.
The cloths thus to be treated may be operated upon in the dry or wet state,
and gum or other mucilaginous substance may be proviously applied to them,
if desired.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner
of carrying the same into effect, we desire it to be understood that we claim,
as secured to us under the above in part recited Letters Patent,-
Firstly, as applied to the aforesaid description of woven goods, the production
wholly or in part of a ribbed surface thereon, whether such surface be used as
-woven, or finished according to the method for which Letters Patent were
granted to us as aforesaid.
Secondly, as applied to the finishing of cut, raised, or other woven fabrics,
we claim the use of one portion thereof as a bed or surface against which
another portion is caused to travel.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Whitehead, junior, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
JNO. WHITEHEAD, JN. (L.S.)