IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RIBBED FABRICS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Herbert Openshaw Manufacturer and Charles
Henry Rothwell Mill Manager, both of Bury in the County of Lancaster
for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RIBBED
FABRICS.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Herbert Openshaw
and Charles Henry Rothwell at the Office of the Cominissioners of Patents
on the 8th February 1882.
CHARLES HERBERT OPENSHAW Manufacturer and CHARLES HENRY ROTHWELL
Mill Manager both of Bury in the County of Lancaster. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF RIBBED FABRICS.
These improvements relate to the weaving of the ribbed fabric known as
"cord." Instead of raising one or other of the two warp threads commonly called
face ends between each float of six or four as the case may be we raise one, fall one
and raise one again alternating this more or less frequently with the ordinary
system first referred to of raising one warp thread only. By our improved method
we obtain a very small subsidiary cord between each large cord or rib. This
subsidiary cord may also be formed by the rising or falling of more than three
warp ends but we prefer the arrangement described in which three warp ends are
employed. The subsidiary cord so formed remains uncut when the fabric is
finished and forins the centre of the pile, being covered up by the cut portion of
the fabric.
The face ends are, from the improved mode of treading subjected to a great strain
which causes the cord to exhibit a beautiful "cockle" appearance which may be
further improved by arranging the treading of the back so as to further increase
the strain on the face ends included in the subsidiary cord or rib.
The subsidiary cord also serves the purpose of holding the pile firinly when
cut and thus presents an advantage which cannot be obtained by the existing
methods.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Herbert Openshaw and Charles Henry Rothwell in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 8th August 1882.
CHARLES HERBERT OPENSHAW and CHARLES HENRY ROTHWELL
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RIBBED FABRICS.
"IMPROVE-
These improvements relate to the weaving of the ribbed fabrics known as
"cords." Instead of raising one or other of the two warp threads commonly
called face ends between each float of six or four as the case may be, we raise one,
fall one and raise one again alternating this more or less frequently with the
ordinary system first referred to of raising one warp thread only. By our
improved method we obtain a very small subsidiary cord between each large cord
or rib.
This subsidiary cord may also be formed by the rising or falling of more than
three warp ends but we prefer the arrangement described in which three warp
ends are employed. The subsidiary cord so formed remains uncut when the fabric
is finished and forms the centre of the pile, being covered up by the cut portion of
the fabric.
The face ends are from the improved mode of treading subjected to a great strain
which causes the cord to exhibit a beautiful "cockle" appearance_which_may_be
further improved by arranging the treading of the back so as to further increase
the strain on the face end included in the subsidiary cord or rib.
This subsidiary cord or rib also serves the purpose of holding the pile firmly
when cut and thus presents an advantage which cannot be obtained by the
existing methods.
And in order that this Invention may be more readily understood and carried
into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of diagrams illustrative of
the Invention reference being had to such diagrams and the numbers marked
thereon.
As shown in diagram No. 1 we introduce a third thread in addition to the two
tie or face threads and we rise and fall these threads alternately on the 8th 9th
and 10th shafts 2nd and 3rd picks, or on the 7th 8th and 9th shafts 2nd and 3rd
picks in diagram No. 2. On the first pick that forms the face (the second pick in
the diagrams) we raise two threads with a faller thread between and in the
succeeding pick we reverse this, that is to say, the two threads which were before
raised are now made to fall and the middle thread is raised, this occurring at
intervals of every three or more threads in the warp binds the weft after it has
floated over the requisite number of ends and forms the cord. By this means we
are enabled to produce a good cockle and appearance on the face and the weft
is inore firmly bound when cut while at the same time wo also produce a firmer
and stronger back.
Referring to the diagram
No. 1 is a cord 12 to the round of tappet 10 shafts 18 to gait over 12 and 14
intersections for the binder or ground picks with a twill back.
No. 2 can be woven with 7 or 9 shafts 9 or 18 to gait over 12 to the round 12
intersections and a twill back.
No. 3 can be woven with 6 or 9 shafts 9 or 18 to gait over 9 to the round and 12
intersections twill back.
No. is either a 8 or 9 shaft cord 18 to gait over 12 to the round 12 inter-
sections with a broken twill back.

page_text: No. 5 is woven with 9 shafts 18 of a gait over 9 to the round 14 intersections
twill back.
No. 6 can be woven with 7 or 9 shafts 18 to gait over 12 to round 12 and 16
intersections plain and ribbed back.
No. 7 can be woven with 6 or 9 shafts 18 to gait over 12 to round 12 and 16
intersections ribbed back.
•
No. 8 can be woven with 6 or 9 shafts, it is 18 to gait over 12 to the round 12
intersections and a ribbed back.
No. 9 is woven with 7 shafts 14 to gait over 12 to the round 12 intersections
with a rib back.
No. 10 is woven with 7 shafts 14 to gait over 9 to the round with 12 inter-
sections twill back.
No. 11 is woven with 7 shafts 14 to gait over 9 to the round 12 intersections
twilled back.
No. 12 is woven with 7 shafts 14 to gait over 12 to the round 12 intersections,
rib back the face ends in this cord are made to tread alternately and not as
in the other diagrams where two risers or two fallers come together as in No. 1
on the 10th shaft 4th and 5th pick where the thread rises twice in succession or
on the same shaft 9 and 10th pick where the thread falls twice in succession
and consequently is not bound so fast as by alternate picking shown in this
diagram.
Having now described the nature of our Invention together with the method in
which it may be carried into practical effect we wish it to be understood that we
do not limit ourselves to the precise details as the same may be varied without
departing from the Invention and what we claim is the method of weaving
ribbed pile fabrics substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the
accompanying diagrams.
In witness whereof I the said Charles Herbert Openshaw for and on behalf
of the said Charles Henry Rothwell and myself have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Fourth day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
CHARLES HERBERT OPENSHAW. (L.S.)