CERTAIN IMPS IN
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Greenwood, of Irwell Springs, near Bacup, in
the County of Lancaster, Turkey Red Dyer, and Robert Smith, of Bacup
aforesaid, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Greenwood and
Robert Smith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 13th April 1854.
We, JOHN GREENWOOD, of Irwell Springs, near Bacup, in the County of
Lancaster, Turkey Red Dyer, and ROBERT SMITH, of Bacup aforesaid, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN SIZEING, STIPPENING, AND FINISHING TEXTILE MATERIALS OR
FABRICS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in the novel application, employment, or use of the
flour or meal obtained from Indian corn or maize by grinding in these pro-
This flour or meal may either be employed alone, steeped, or mixed
with the mucilageneous of linseed or lintseed, that is, the seed of the common
flax, or mixed in any suitable or required proportions with any other sizeing or
stiffening matter, and may be so employed cither for yarns, warps, or piece
goods.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Greenwood and Robert Smith in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th October 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
GREENWOOD, of Irwell Springs, near Bacup, in the County of Lancaster,
Turkey Red Dyer, and ROBERT SMITH, of Bacup aforesaid, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John Greenwood and Robert Smith, 'Her especial lience that we, the said
John Greenwood and Robert Smith, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said John Greenwood and Robert Smith,
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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SIZEING,
STIFFENING, AND FINISHING TEXTILE MATERIALS OR FABRICS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said John Greenwood and Robert Smith, by an
instrument in writing under our hands and seals, 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 we, the said John Greenwood and Robert Smith, 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 (that is to say):-
Our improvements consist in the novel application, employment, or use of
Indian corn or maize which has been finely ground and dressed, for the purpose
of sizeing, stiffening, and finishing textile materials or fabrics; but in order that
our Invention may be better understood, and more readily carried into practical
effect we will now proceed to explain the method employed by us.
First, we take (for instance) two or three parts of the Indian corn or maize
flour, each containing about two hundred and forty pounds, more or
less, as
may be required, then add to the above proportion of Indian corn flour one

page_text: hundred and eighty gallons of water; this mixture must now be allowed to
stand or ferment for fourteen or fifteen days. If a small portion of size
(previously fermented) called "blending" be mixed with the flour and water,
it will materially expedite the process of fermentation. After this operation it
must be boiled, and then it may be put into the ordinary sizeing and stiffening
machines for use.
Secondly, we find that Indian corn or maize finely ground and dressed, as
before mentioned, may be advantageously used by being mixed with the
mucilage of linseed or lintseed (that is, the seed of the common flax); the pro-
portion of which we prefer is one gallon of linseed mucilage (containing half a
pound per gallon) to every twenty pounds of Indian corn flour or meal used;
these proportions may be added either before or after the operation of boiling,
as may be preferred.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, together with the
manner of carrying the same into practical effect, we would remark that we
claim as of our Invention the application, employment, or use of Indian corn
or maize finely ground and dressed for the purpose of sizeing, stiffening, and
finishing textile materials or fabrics; and also the use of Indian corn or maize
finely ground and dressed in combination with any other substances as com-
monly used, for sizeing, stiffening, &c., such as flour, linseed, mucilage, &c.;
and, in conclusion, we wish it to be distinctly understood that we do not
confine or limit ourselves to the above precise details or proportions specifically
named, as slight modifications or variations of these substances or compounds
will be equally efficacious for the purpose of sizeing, stiffening, and finishing
textile materials or fabrics.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Greenwood and Robert Smith,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twelfth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
JOHN GREENWOOD. (L.S.)"
ROBERT SMITH.
(L.S.)