CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN WAH HARDING
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Crompton, of Farnworth, in the County of
Lancaster, Finisher, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
WAH HARDING
"
Sealed the 24th November 1857, and dated the 27th May 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Crompton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th May 1857.
I, HENRY CROMPTON, of Farnworth, in the County of Lancaster, Finisher,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING WOVEN FABRICS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates to stretching woven fabrics either previously or
subsequently to the process of finishing. The apparatus for effecting this
purpose consists in an arrangement of two or more pairs of rollers covered
with wire cards, or otherwise roughened, and sustained at each end of a
suitable framing; between these rollers are situated two wheels or discs
employed for stretching the fabric, which are placed or secured on diagonal
shafts, having bearings in the framing, the periphery of each being furnished
with cards, pins, or other holding substitutes. The fabric required to be
stretched is placed over and in contact with these rollers and discs, a weighted
roller being placed upon the fabric to retain it upon the discs, and motion

page_text: imparted to the first or delivering rollers; by this means the fabric will be
drawn through the machine, and thus cause the diagonally placed discs to
revolve by the contact of the progressing fabric, which will thereby.become
stretched or distended widthwise as it passes over them, and will be con-
siderably restored to its original width, as well as being much improved in
finish.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Crompton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th November 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
CROMPTON, of Farnworth, in the County of Lancaster, Finisher, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Crompton, Her especial license that I, the said Henry Crompton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Crompton, my 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
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING WOVEN FABRICS," upon the con-
dition, amongst others, that I," the said Henry Crompton, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain s
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 I, the said Henry Crompton, do hereby declare thes
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
My Invention relates to stretching woven fabrics either previously or
subsequently to the "process of finishing. The apparatus for effecting this s
purpose consists in an arrangement of two or more pairs of rollers covered

page_text: with wire cards, or otherwise roughened, and sustained at each end of a
suitable framing; between these rollers are situated two wheels or discs
employed for stretching the fabric, which are placed or secured on diagonal
shafts having bearings in the framing, the periphery of each disc being
furnished with cards, pins, or other holding substitutes. The fabric required
to be stretched is placed over and in contact with these rollers and discs, or
weighted roller or rollers being placed upon the fabric to retain it upon the
discs, and motion is imparted to the first or delivering rollers; by this means
the fabric will be drawn through the machine, and thus cause the diagonally
placed discs to revolve by contact of the progressing fabric, which will thereby
become stretched or distended widthwise as it passes over them, and will be
considerably restored to its original width, as well as being much improved
in-finish.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made upon a scale of
about four inches to a foot, and having similar letters of reference marked
upon corresponding parts of the apparatus throughout all the Figures shewn.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine, shewing the arrangement of top
rollers for keeping the fabric in contact with the card covered surfaces of the
dise; this Figure also shews the passage of the cloth or fabric through the
machine, and the method of folding the same by means of an ordinary vibrating
arm after the process of stretching; Fig. 2 is a front view of the same
machine, shewing the position of the discs employed for stretching; and
Fig. 8 is a horizontal plan view of the same, as seen from above.
In Fig. 1, a, a, is the framing of the apparatus, in which are supported the
discs b, b, which are mounted on the shafts c, c, and capable of adjustment to
any required angle by means of the screw and bevil or lathe gearing d, d',
the ends of the two shafts nearest the centre of the machine being secured,
the opposite ends being secured in moveable pedestals in connection with such
gearing, so that by sliding the pedestals to or from the centre of the machine,
a greater or less angle, and consequent tension of the cloth is obtained; the
said discs b, b, are also adjustable upon their shafts, in order to suit the various
widths of cloth. The fabric to be stretched in passing through the machine is
kept at a proper tension lengthwise by the rollers e, e, e, and the discs are
adjusted to the width of the fabric, so as to act upon the selvedges of such
cloth; then by means of the bevil gearing and screw, the discs are brought to
the required angle or diagonal line, which may be calculated to give a sufficient
stretch to the fabric widthwise, and the rollers f.f.f, bearing upon the semi-
circular rims g, g, are lowered upon the cloth by lowering the rims g by means

page_text: of the screw and gearing h, h', to retain the fabric in contact with the disc,
the centre of the fabric when in a dry state being supported by the bed or
curved plate i, and when to be stretched in a wet condition, by rollers. The
fabric is then drawn through the machine by the roller k, which is driven by
spur gearing, the passage of the fabric causing the discs b, b, to rotate, which,
being set on an angle or diagonally, stretch the selvedges of the fabric out-
wards, and as it is thus stretched, it passes over the roller l, and is folded by
means of the swinging arm m, as ordinarily employed for the purpose. When
a succeeding piece of cloth is to be passed through the machine, the rollers
fff, are raised by the rims g, g, in connection with the screw h, and the
discs are brought parallel to themselves and the line of cloth; the operation is
then conducted as before.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, together with the
method of performing the same, I would remark in conclusion, that I claim
the application, employment, and use of the adjustable discs for stretching
fabrics widthwise, in connection with the general arrangement and combination
of machinery as designed for that purpose, and herein-before described, set
forth, and fully illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Crompton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
HENRY CROMPTON. (L.B.)