IMPROVEMENTS IN FIBROUS PADS OR BATS FOR SURGICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
and Co, Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIBROUS PADS OR BATS FOR SURGICAL AND OTHER
PURPOSES," Communicated to him from abroad by Darius Goff, of Pawtucket,
Rhode Island, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th February 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings, London, IMPROVEMENTS IN FIBROUS PADS OR BATS
FOR SURGICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES [A communication to him from abroad
by Darius Goff, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States of America.]
"
»
These improvements relate to pads or batting composed of fibrous matter which
may be varied in its character according to the purposes to which the pads or
batting are to be particularly applied. As, for instance, if the goods are to be
employed for surgical and hospital uses, or for catamenial bandages, the fibrous
matter should be fine, soft, delicate, and specially absorbent of fluids, and cotton
is well suited therefor if all oily matter, whether it be foreign or natural to the
fibre, has been removed therefrom, as for instance by the use of naphtha, alkalies,
or other chemical agents well known to be suitable for rendering fibrous matter
specially absorbent. If on the other hand, the goods are to be used as "filling
in the manufacture of clothing, fur goods, bustles, or like articles the fibrous matter
is preferably coarse and elastic, and when natural or foreign oily matters are
unduly present in such fibre, it is sometimes desirable to extract them for the
purpose of rendering said fibre more elastic or springy; and in this connection
wool, hair, or cotton fibre may be used advantageously, either separately or com-
bined, Of whatever nature the fibre may be, it must when used in accordance
with my invention be susceptible of development in the form of a carded sliver or
slivers, the sectional dimensions of the sliver being varied according to the uses to
which the pads or bats are to be applied, and the present invention, broadly

page_text: conside, consists in a pad or bat composed of a sliver of carded fibrous matter,
and a seamless braided jacket enclosing the same. A subordinate portion of my
invention consists of a length of sliver of carded fibrous matter enclosed in a
seamless braided jacket, having its strands extended beyond the fibrous matter for
affording strings by which the pad or bat may be secured in position when in use,
said strings serving as belts, cords, or straps, which can be tied or knotted.
Another portion of the said invention is limited to the special character of the
fibrous matter employed, and consists of a carded sliver of fibre specially treated
with reference to developing its absorbent qualities, (and which I hereinafter term
absorbent fibre) enclosed within a seamless braided jacket whether with or without
extensions of said jacket to serve as strings.
In carrying the said invention into practice, longitudinal strands are incorporated
with the sliver or laid thereon beneath the braided jacket, or they may be inter-
braided with the strands of the jacket. The pad or bat is sometimes put up in
considerable lengths and coiled into rolls for market, and when such is desired in
short lengths for use it is cut from the roll. When large bulk is desired, two or
more of the pads or bats are massed side by side, and slightly twisted. When
used for bustles several of the bats are massed, the braided jacket strings serving
as a ready means for securing the same to the waist. When used as a bandage for
wounds, or as a catamenial pad in lieu of the usual napkin, the short lengths with
the braided strings are preferably used, the latter enabling them to be readily
Eecured in the position required.
The pad or bat in either of the forms, when composed of the absorbent fibre,
may be cut transversely in proper bulk for insertion into wounds or for dressing
sores; or the fibre may be readily pulled therefrom in small quantities as when
required by dentists, the braided jacket maintaining the fibre in a neat and
convenient condition for ready use, and obviating the waste usually incident to
keeping such fibre in mass or bulk. In manufacturing my pads or bats in con-
siderable lengths and to be put up in rolls or coils, the sliver of fibre is continuously
passed through a braiding machine, the strands for the jacket being laid under
very light tension, so as to not unduly compress the fibre, and the number of
strands being such as to render the jacket sufficiently close to properly confine the
mass of fibre, but to also leave the latter practically exposed. In making the
absorptive pads in their best form, especially for use as catamenial bandages, I
prefer, in accordance with another feature of my invention, to incorporate with the
sliver of fibre, or with the braided jacket, a few longitudinal strands of soft yarn
which cause the pads to better retain their shape, in preventing them from that
lateral contraction which is incident to longitudinal expansion, and such pads are
also preferably slightly flattened, or oval in cross section, instead of cylindrical.
In some cases the braiding machine is first run for awhile to afford the requisite
length of a string or tie; then the end of a sliver is inserted and enclosed by the
jacket until the requisite length of pad is obtained, whereupon the sliver is parted,
and the intermediate connecting string or tie is then braided, and so on with more
sliver, the pads or bats being thus delivered from the machine in shape to be
conveniently put up for market, with or without separation.
I am aware that short cotton waste (such as sweepings or flyings,) has heretofore
been enclosed in small loosely woven bags, and also in flat sheets confined between
loosely woven fabrics in order to utilize such waste in wiping machinery, but such
waste is obviously unsuited for my purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st July 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, IMPROVEMENTS IN FIBROUS PADS OR BATS
FOR SURGICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES."-A communication to me from abroad by
Darius Goff, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States of America,
This invention relates to pads or batting, composed of fibrous material which
may be varied in character according to the purposes to which the said pads or
batting are to be particularly applied. As, for instance, if the goods are to be
employed for surgical and hospital uses, or for catamenial bandages, the fibrous
matter should be fine, soft, delicate and specially absorbent of fluids, and cotton
is well suited therefor if all oily matter, whether it be foreign or natural to the
fibre, has been removed therefrom, as for instance, by the use of naphtha, alkalies,
or other chemical agents well known to be suitable for rendering fibrous matters
specially absorbent. If on the other hand, the goods are to be used as filling
in the manufacture of clothing, fur goods, bustles or like articles, the fibrous matter
is preferably coarse and elastic, and, when natural or foreign oily matters are
unduly present in such fibre, it is sometimes desirable to extract them for the
purpose of rendering the said fibre more elastic or springy; and in this connection
wool, hair, or cotton fibre may be used advantageously, either separately or
combined.
"
"
Of whatever nature the fibre may be, it must, when used in accordance with this
invention, be susceptible of development in the form of a carded sliver or slivers,
the sectional dimensions of the sliver being varied according to the uses to which
the pads or bats are to be applied, and the present invention comprises a pad or
bat composed of a sliver of carded fibrous matter, and a seamless braided jacket
enclosing the same; it also comprises a length of sliver of carded fibrous matter
enclosed in a seamless braided jacket, having its strands extended beyond the
fibrous matter for affording strings by which the pad or bat may be secured in
position when in use, the said strings serving as belts, cords, or straps, which can
be tied or knotted. Another part of the said invention relates to the special
character of the fibrous matter employed, and comprises a carded sliver of fibre
specially treated with reference to developing its absorbent qualities and which I
hereinafter term absorbent fibre, enclosed within a seamless braided jacket, whether
with or without, extensions of the said jacket, to serve as strings.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 shows a short length of a sliver of fibrous matter enclosed in a seamless
braided jacket according to this invention
Figure 2 shows several pads or bats each composed of a short length of sliver of
fibrous matter, enclosed within a seamless braided jacket, the extended strands
of the latter serving as links or cords which connect the series of pads or bats
together.
Figure 3 shows one of the pads disconnected, and having a knot in the cord
adjacent to each end of the pad, as is desirable in most cases.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the
drawing
A indicates a sliver of fibrous matter, B the seamless braided jacket and C the
extensions of the strands of the said braided jacket.
Longitudinal strands a are incorporated with the sliver or laid thereon beneath
he braided jacket, or they may be interbraided with the strands of the jacket,
The pad or bat is sometimes put up in considerable lengths and coiled into rolls

page_text: for the market, and when such is desired in short lengths for use it is cut from the
roll. When large bulk is desired, two or more of the pads or bats are massed side
by side, and slightly twisted. When used for bustles several of the bats are massed,
the braided jacket strings serving as a ready means for securing the same to the
waist. When used as a bandage for wounds, or as a catamenia! pad in lieu of the
usual napkin, the short lengths with the braided strings are preferably used, the
latter enabling them to be readily secured in the position required.
The pad or bat in either of the forms, when composed of the absorbent fibre, may
be cut transversely, in proper bulk for insertion into wounds or for dressing sores;
or the fibre may be readily pulled therefrom in small quantities, as when required
by dentists, the braided jacket inaintaining the fibre in a neat and convenient
condition for ready use, and obviating the waste usually incident to keeping such
fibre in mass or bulk.
In manufacturing the improved pads or bats of the form shown in Figure 1 in
considerable lengths to be put up in rolls or coils, the sliver of fibre is continuously
passed through a braiding machine, the strands for the jacket being laid under very
light tension, so as to not unduly compress the fibre, and the number of strands
being such as to render the jacket sufficiently close to properly confine the mass of
fibre, but to also leave the latter practically exposed. In making the absorptive
pads in their best form, especially for use as catamenial bandages, I prefer in
accordance with another part of this invention to incorporate with the sliver of
fibre, or with the braided jacket, a few longitudinal strands of soft yarn, which
cause the pads to better retain their shape by preventing them from that lateral
contraction which is incident to longitudinal expansion, such pads are preferably
slightly flattened or oval in cross section, instead of cylindrical.
In making the bats or pads shown in Figure 2, the braiding machine is first run
for a short time to afford the requisite length of material for a string or tie; then
the end of a sliver is inserted, and enclosed by the jacket until the requisite length
of pad is obtained, whereupon the sliver is parted, and the intermediate connecting
string or tie is braided, and so on with more sliver, the pads or bats being thus
delivered from the machine in shape to be conveniently put up for the market, with
or without separation.
I am aware that short cotton waste (such as sweepings or flyings,) has heretofore
been enclosed in small loosely woven bags, and also in flat sheets confined between
loosely woven fabrics in order to utilize such waste in wiping machinery, but such
waste is obviously unsuited for the purposes of this invention
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent and the manner of performing the same I wish it under-
stood that I Claim :-
First A fibrous bat or pad composed of a sliver of carded fibrous material and
a seamless braided jacket, substantially as described.
Second. A fibrous bat or pad composed of a sliver of carded fibrous material,
and a seamless braided jacket with the strands thereof extended beyond the sliver
to form strings or ties, substantially as described.
Third. A fibrous bat or pad composed of a sliver of carded and specially absorbent
fibrous inatter, and a seamless braided jacket, substantially as described
Fourth. A fibrous bat or pad composed of a sliver of carded fibre, a series of
longitudinal strands on or within the said sliver, and a loosely braided seamless
jacket, substantially as described.
In Witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this thirty first day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
TIM DORT LAKE 101