A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OR METHODS OF MANU- PACTURING, PRODUCING, FORMING, OR FASHIONING ORNAMENTS OR ORNAMENTAL WORK OR FIGURES UPON OR APPLICABLE TO GAUZE, MUSLIN, AND NET, AND DIVERS KINDS OF CLOTH, STUFF, OR WOVEN TEXTURES, AND ALSO CERTAIN MACHINERY, TOOLS, IMPLEMENTS, OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN MANUFACTURING, PRODUCING, FORMING, FASHIONING, AND APPLYING SUCH ORNAMENTS OR ORNAMENTAL WORK
Year: 1837

page_text: HEATHCOAT, Esquire, of Tiverton, in the County of Devon, send greeting.
WHEREAS His late most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the
Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-seven, in the seventh year of His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Heathcoat, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said John Heathcoat, my executors, administrators.
and assigns, or such other person as I or they should agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of fourteen years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within that part of His said Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland called England, His Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and also in all His Colonies and Plantations abroad, the Invention of
which I am possessed of "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OR METHODS OF MANU-
PACTURING, PRODUCING, FORMING, OR FASHIONING ORNAMENTS OR ORNAMENTAL
WORK OR FIGURES UPON OR APPLICABLE TO GAUZE, MUSLIN, AND NET, AND DIVERS
KINDS OF CLOTH, STUFF, OR WOVEN TEXTURES, AND ALSO CERTAIN MACHINERY,
TOOLS, IMPLEMENTS, OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN MANUFACTURING, PRODUCING,
FORMING, FASHIONING, AND APPLYING SUCH ORNAMENTS OR ORNAMENTAL WORK;"
in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging me, the
said John Heathcoat, within the space of six calendar months, to be computed
from the date thereof, by an instrument under my hand and seal, particularly

page_text: to describe the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court
of Chancery, as in and by the said Letters Patent, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Heathcoat, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the Drawing hereunto annexed, and the following
description (that is to say):--
The first part of my Invention consists in a method or methods of manu-
facturing, producing, forming, or fashioning ornaments or ornamental work, or
figures composed of edgings, neiges, tattings, or narrow stripes of any other
suitable fabric, made to assume new forms and shapes by being put upon pins
arranged to receive the same in curves, angles, circles, or other figures. This
will be fully explained by the Drawings and description of the machinery
herein-after inserted; I do not, however, confine myself to that particular
system of machinery, but claim the method of forming or fashioning orna-
mental figures upon or by means of series of pins, whether the same be
arranged on a cylinder or on any flat or curved surface. And I further claim
the method of forming ornamental figures from neiges, edgings, tattings, or
other fabrics with indentations or spaces left at suitable places contrived for
and intended to facilitate the forming of curves and acute angles or turnings,
so as to permit the said edgings or other fabrics to assume the new shapes
required without being puckered or distorted. The indentation required for
producing one pattern, and the new form which is given to the edgings in that
particular design by putting them on the pins, as shewn at full size in Figure (3),
will sufficiently illustrate the nature of the Invention. And it will be evident,
that by varying the forms of arrangement of the pins with corresponding or
suitable indentations or spaces in the edgings, varieties of figures or patterns
may be produced.
The second part of my Invention consists in certain machinery, tools,
implements, or apparatus to be used in manufacturing, producing, forming,
fashioning, and applying such ornaments, ornamental work or figures.
Figure 1 in the Drawings hereunto annexed represents the side view or
elevation of the machine, composed of the large cylinder (A), and the small
cylinder (B), and their accessories mounted upon a frame (C). The rim of the
large cylinder is pierced with holes to receive the pins (a, a.) which holes are
made in curves or other figures, according to the pattern or design intended
to be produced, as will be more clearly seen in the plan Figure 2. These

page_text: pins are sustained by a curved plate (D), supported from the axis of cylinder
A, within or underneath the upper portion of the said cylinder rim (A), which
plate is so shaped (and kept stationary by the brace e), as to allow the pins to
be pressed back within the perforated cylinder (A), as they are successively
brought in contact with the small cylinder (B), by which means the borders,
sprigs, or other figures are liberated from the pins. As the cylinder revolves
the pins descend by their own weight, whereby the points again project from
the cylinder (A), and are kept by the curved plate (D). in that position: as
they move in succession towards the upper part of the circle, as. will be best
seen detached at Figure 4. Upon these pins the edgings or other texture
(which may be conveniently supplied from the bobbins I, I,) is put, and the
revolving of the cylinder (A) carries it forward towards the cylinder. (B),
which on. its part draws off the lace net or other fabric from the roller (H),
and bears it on the upper part of its surface towards the cylinder (A). The
surfaces of these two eylinders being moved simultaneously and equally (by
means of the wheels upon their respective axis working into each other), the
net and the edging or border are brought together and pressed closely between
them. Over the small cylinder the sizing roller (E) is made to press upou
the net, and the surface of the roller being formed according to the figure which
the edging assumes upon the cylinder (A), the cement is applied to the net
only where the edging will come upon it, when the pressure just alluded
to causes the edging to adhere to the sized net. The roller E) is supplied
with size or cement by a small roller (F), the under surface of which dips
into the trough containing the same; and as the rollers (E) and F), by
the wheels upon their respective axis, are connected, and in due proportion
with the cylinders (A) and (B), a proper supply of size is in succession
applied to those parts of the net or other fabric intended to receive the orna-
mental border or pattern. I find it convenient to cover the surface of the
roller (E) with woollen cloth or other suitable elastic substance which will
yield to any inequality of the material passing under it. (G) is a cylinder
to receive the lace; it is moved by a band passing over the cylinder (B),
which causes it to draw the lace therefrom, and to overcome any tendency
which it may have to adhere to the said cylinder (B). But to prevent the
lace from being stretched or elongated, and also the better to separate it from
the cylinder, I cause a number of threads of silk to pass over the cylinder (B),
under the net. These threads effectually strip the net or lace from the.
cylinder, and continue in contact with it until the whole operation is com- -
pleted, and are not separated from it until the lace is taken from the cylinder.
(G). Wet sponges (6, 6,) are made to press against each of the cylinders (A)..

page_text: and (B), to take off any size which may adhere to them. Motion is given to
the cylinder (B) (which by the train of wheels and the band communicates it
to the other cylinders and the roller) by a treadle acting upon the ratchet
wheel fixed upon its axis, or by any other suitable contrivance. (c) is a
spring, which by its action against the bearing of the cylinder (A) regulates
the pressure upon the net and border between the two cylinders. The letters
of reference denote the same parts in the several Figures. The trough which
contains the size or cement is regulated so as to allow a proper quantity to
adhere to the surface of the roller (F), the excess being retained by the
contact or pressure of the side of the trough against it. I find it useful to
pass the net or other fabric destined to receive the border alternately under
and over the wires (d), in order to keep it flat and moderately tight. Tension
cords and weights are likewise applied to the bobbin (K) and cylinder (G),
so as to give the required tension to the silk threads and finished work. For
the purpose of better exhibiting the several parts of the apparatus, I have left
out the work altogether in the plan Figure 2. It may be further useful to
add that the wet sponges (b, b,) are advantageously applied to the surfaces
of the cylinders (A) and (B) by the pressure of levers and springs. I have
used the terms edgings and borders; by the first is intended any suitable
stripes of woven or manufactured texture proper for being formed into figures
or patterns, and borders are meant to designate such edgings formed into
designs and attached to net, muslin, or other suitable texture. I have, for the
sake of more clearly describing the process, shewn an uninterrupted succession
of pattern or design, which I call borders; but it is evident that if alternate
intervals or spaces were left between portions of pattern, detached objects of
the nature of sprigs, groups, or bouquets may be produced, according to the
taste of the designer, and the consequent arrangement of the pins and the
roller by which the gum or size is applied to the net. If the object be to
produce imitation of Brussells lace or Honiton sprigs, the edging must be made
of such forms and materials as will, when formed and pressed into the proper
shapes, most nearly resemble the work made by the hand with bobbins or
needles, and the method of sewing them to the net, which is practised with
regard to the Brussells and Honiton sprigs, may be adopted, and also in
imitations of Chantilly and other blond laces, in case it should be deemed
necessary. The pins (one of which is shewn at full size at Figure 5) are
suitable where the edgings have holes or open places, by which it can be
readily put upon them, but in case the edging is of a close texture the pins
must. be smaller. I have used the general denomination of size or cement,
which may be made of various kinds of gum or other adhesive matters.
I

page_text: have found gum arabic dissolved in water, and of the consistence of thick
cream, to answer, but I do not claim any particular adhesive matter. I claim,
however, as appertaining to this part of my Invention, the application of size
to the net for the purpose of causing the adhesion of the edging by means of
rollers, and the application of the edging to the sized parts of the net by the
contact of or rather the pressure between the two cylinders. I also claim
the method of forming the figure by the cylinder with projecting pins, and the
application of the threads to detach the lace from the cylinder (B).
In witness whereof, I, the said John Heathcoat, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Third day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven.