IMPROVEMENTS IN FIGURING AND ORNAMENTING WOVEN FABRICS, AND IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
WOOD, of the Firm of Thomas Bury and Company, Dyers, Calenderers, and
Finishers, Adelphi Works, Salford, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster,
the Eleventh day of December, in the fourteenth year of Her reign, and in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and, fifty, did give and
grant unto me, the said Peter Wood, my exors, adiñiors, and assigns, Her
especial license, full power, solė privilege aud authority, that I, the said
Peter Wood, my exors, adñiórs, and assigns, and such others as I, the said
Peter Wood, my exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times hereafter 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, and also in Her Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney,
Sark, and Man, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad,
my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIGURING AND ORNAMENTING WOVEN
FABRICS, AND IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso that I, the said Peter Wood, shall 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 enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar

page_text: months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Peter Wood, do hereby declare that the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly set forth,
described, and ascertained in and by the following description or Specification,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to improvements in printing, staining, figuring, and
ornamenting woven fabrics by the use of precipitated or otherwise finely-
divided metals. And in order that the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, may be distinctly set forth and understood, I
will first explain the manner or method by which finely-divided metals have
hitherto been used for this purpose. In employing finely-divided metals
hitherto it has been usual to apply glair size or other adhesive substance
to the particular part of the surface of the material desired to be covered
by the metal, then laying on the leaf metal, or dusting or sprinkling
the powdered metal by hand upon the parts to which the adhesive sub-
stances have been so applied, and then removing the excess of the powdered
metal not adhering to the surface by means of a brush; but, according to
my Invention, instead of applying the metal in sheets or dust to an ad-
hesive substance or surface, I use the metals in a precipitate or finely-divided
state, mixed with any of the varieties of common starch or other like thicken-
ing, in about the following proportions, that is to say:-I take about six
pounds of starch and dissolve it in about six gallons of water, with about
three ounces of beeswax added to it. I then raise the said mixture to a
temperature sufficient to melt the wax, the whole of which must be kept well.
stirred. I then add to the said mixture about twenty-eight pounds of finely-
divided or precipitated metal, and continue the stirring till it is equally distri-
buted throughout the entire mass, so that when it assumes the appearance of
a thick coloured paste it is fit for use, and may be used as in the ordinary
method of using colouring matters in the different processes of calico printing;
or the said paste may be applied by my improved machine or apparatus shewn
in the annexed Drawings, and herein-after described. If it be desired only to
cover one surface of the fabric or material to be ornamented, the mixture or
preparation aforesaid may be applied to such surface with a brush or any other
suitable apparatus; but if both sides of the fabric or material are to be orna-
mented, they must be drawn through the mixture or preparation, and any
superfluity or excess of the said mixture must be carefully removed.

page_text: The fabric or material, after being printed, figured, or ornamented with the
metallic mixture aforesaid, is to be finished. This I accomplish by calender-
ing or embossing the fabric or material in the usual maner by the ordinary
calendering or embossing machine; the pressure and friction of the said
machines upon the fabric or material printed or ornamented with the metallic
mixture aforesaid bring out the metallic particles in full brilliance. But if the
formation or composition of the material to be ornamented is of such a nature
as not to admit of the use of the calendering or embossing machine, the
metallic lustre or brilliance may be developed by pressure and friction applied
by any of the ordinary or usual methods. The fabrics or materials having
been figured or ornamented as already described, I employ the ordinary
legging and drying machines to take off the gloss or lustre from the fabrics or
materials so figured or ornamented by the aforesaid processes, without taking
the gloss or lustre off the parts of the surfaces so figured or ornamented with
the metals.
I will now proceed to describe the part of my said Invention which relates
to the machinery or apparatus for applying the said mixture or preparation of
metals in a precipitate or finely-divided state, mixed with starch or other
thickening, to the fabrics or materials as aforesaid, the said machinery or
apparatus being also adapted for applying the metals in a pulverized state,
or in a state of dust, instead of by hand as hitherto. The said machinery or
apparatus will be clearly understood by reference to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, in which the same letters of reference are used to refer to the same
parts where different views are shewn.
Figs. 1, 2, and 3, shew my improved machine or apparatus for printing
surfaces with metals. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the said machine or
apparatus; Fig. 2, an end elevation; and Fig. 3, a longitudinal elevation
thereof. a represents the drying cylinder. a', stands or conductors to supply the
drying cylinders with steam. b, guide rollers. c, a circular brush to brush off
the surplus metal from the fabric when printed upon. d, a beater roller to keep
the fabric in contact with the brushes. e, a circular brush to brush the metal
through the perforated cylinder f, and to add an additional quantity of metal
to the figured surface when necessary. 9, a hopper to receive the metal.
h, drawers to receive the surplus metal. i, frame. j, pullies to drive the
drying cylinders, beater, and brushes. k, spur wheels to drive the drying
cylinders. 1, a presser roller. m, printing roller. n, levers to press the
printing roller against the presser roller. o, rollers to carry the endless
sheet p to feed the printing roller with colour and metal. 7, a trough for
holding the aforesaid mixture of metals and thickening.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said improvements, and the
arrangements for carrying the same into practical effect, I desire it to be
distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein
mentioned, as such may be varied according to the peculiar circumstances of
each case, for the purposes of carrying out my Invention. But what I claim
as the Invention for which the said Letters Patent were granted is,―
Firstly, the figuring and ornamenting woven fabrics by the use of metals in
a precipitate or finely-divided state, mixed with starch or other thickening
matter, and the finishing such surfaces as above described. And,
Secondly, I claim the machinery or apparatus constructed and applied in the
manner and for the purposes above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Wood, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
dod and fifter one
Enrolled the Eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-one.