IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CUT PILE FABRICS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Atherton, of Bradford, in the County of York,
Designer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
CUT PILE FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Atherton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th November 1880.
ROBERT ATHERTON, of Bradford, in the County of York, Designer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CUT PILE FABRICS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of cut pile
fabrics.
Three systems for the manufacture of cut pile fabrics exist at present:-1st. The
wire loom in which the pile is laid over a wire on the face of the cloth, the wire
having a sharpened edge which cuts the pile when withdrawn from the fabric.
2nd. The system of weaving two pieces with a pile working between them, and cut
by a knife whilst the fabric is weaving. 3rdly. The ordinary velveteen method
which works in an ordinary loom without knife or wire motion, the threads
intended for the pile being thrown on to the face of the fabric; the pile is then
produced by cutting up the face of the fabric by hand with extremely fine
knives.
The new process is a modification of this last. The great improvement consists
in throwing my cutting point to the back of the fabric, thus I can define it inore
exactly. I cut at the back instead of the face of the piece, and then by brushing
or otherwise raise the pile, which is loose at the cut ends, and bring it to the front.
By these means, in the case of plush and long pile articles, I am able to produce
perfect regularity and evenness of pile. This can be obtained upon the first two
systeins, but not upon the third or ordinary velveteen system. It will be seen
therefore that I am able by the new process to produce pile fabrics upon the
ordinary weaving loom without the expense of mounting machinery of special
construction.
The Invention enables me also to weave a great variety of fancy fabrics having
a cut pile which can only be produced upon the wire and two piece system by a
cumbersome and intricate appliance for letting off the pile warp, and on the
velveteen system at a great expense for cutting. The cutting also is largely
dependent upon the skill of the individual cutter, and the Invention will
cheapen the cutting very considerably; no special skill on the part of the cutter is
required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Atherton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th May
1881.
ROBERT ATHERTON, of Bradford, in the County of York, Designer.
MENTS IN THE Manufacture of CUT PILE FABRICS,"
"IMPROVE-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of cut pile
fabrics.
Three systems for the manufacture of cut pile fabrics exist at present:-1st.
The wire loom in which the pile is laid over a wire on the face of the cloth, the
wire having a sharpened edge which cuts the pile when withdrawn from the fabric.
2nd. The system of weaving two pieces with a pile working between them, and
cut by a knife whilst the fabric is weaving. 3rdly. The ordinary velveteen method
which works in an ordinary loom without knife or wire motion, the threads
intended for the pile being thrown on to the face of the fabric; the pile is then
produced by cutting up the face of the fabric by hand with extremely fine
knives.
The new process is a modification of this last. The great improvement consists
in throwing my cutting point to the back of the fabric, thus I can define it more
exactly. I cut at the back instead of the face of the piece, and then by brushing or
otherwise raise the pile, which is loose at the cut ends, and bring it to the front.
By these means, in the case of plush and long pile articles, I am able to produce
perfect regularity and evenness of pile. This can be obtained upon the first two
systems, but not upon the third or ordinary velveteen system.
It will be seen
therefore that I am able by the new process to produce pile fabrics upon the
ordinary weaving loom without the expense of mounting machinery of special
construction.
on the
The Invention enables me also to weave a great variety of fancy fabrics having
a cut pile, which can only be produced upon the wire and two piece system by a
cumbersome and intricate appliance for letting off the pile warp, and
velveteen system at a great expense for cutting. The cutting also is largely
dependent upon the skill of the individual cutter, and the Invention will cheapen
the cutting very considerably, no special skill on the part of the cutter being
required.
The annexed diagram shows the way in which the pile pick is woven in. The
dots indicate the warp threads of the fabric. A, A, are the cutting points at the
back of the fabric, and B, B, are the tieing points where the pile pick is interwoven
with the warp threads and made fast in the ground fabric.
To produce a pile fabric I use either a jacquard machine, heald engine, tappets,
or any other means for shedding my warp. The weft which forms the pile is made
fast by being interlaced with 3, 5, or more threads of warp; it is then floated on
the surface of the fabric over a greater or less number of warp threads according to
the length of pile desired; it is then taken between two threads of warp to the
back and floated under 3, 5, or more warp threads (according to the size of cutting
loop required), then brought again to the surface, and floated over the required
number of warp threads, then bound again by being interlaced.
The weft to form with the warp the ground of the cloth must be in distinct
picks, which may cither be taken from the same bobbin as is used for the pile, or
be put in off one or more different bobbins. The proportion of picks of ground
weft to pile weft depends upon the kind of fabric, and may vary from every
alternate pick to almost any other proportion. I have used 10 of pilo weft to 2 of
ground weft, and some goods might require even a larger proportion of pile weft

page_text: than this, whilst many goods with a very light pile can be produced with two picks
of ground weft and 2 of pile weft alternately.
The ground may be plain, twill, corded, or any make of cloth. The pile is formed
independently of it, and the only requirement is that it shall be firm enough to
hold the pile fast at the points where it binds down to the warp.
The cutting points are made to range with one another in lines running longi-
tudinally of the piece, so that they may be cut in the same way that velveteens
are usually cut, but it will be understood that there will be several lines of cutting
points in the interval between A and A on the diagram, for the cutting points of
differing picks do not all range on the same lines. The cutting points being at the
back in place of the face of the fabric does not affect the cutting operation when
performed by hand as velveteens are cut, but the small size and good definition of
the points resulting from forming them at the back of the fabric renders the cutting
operation one of less skill than it is at present.
Besides, the cutting points at the back of the fabric may be operated upon to
divide the loops by means which would be inadmissible as applied to the face of
the fabric.
Thus some qualities of pile weft can be divided by scratching or teazing, and
in some fabrics the division may be effected or facilitated by singeiug the back of
the fabric.
In some fancy kinds of weaving there may be irregular distances between one
cutting point and another. Fancy effects may be produced by making some of the
pile longer than the rest by floating it over some of the tyeing points, or by only
throwing floats and corresponding tyeing and cutting points on a portion of the
cloth, leaving the remainder of the cloth to weave satin or other kinds of
weave.
By means of my Invention I am able to make a great variety of fancy effects,
which could only be produced on the old style of weaving pile goods by great skill
on the part of the cutter; in my process the cutting is as simple for fancy designs
as for plain goods, as the knife has to travel straight up the cloth, and only cuts
where a loop has been thrown in the weaving to form the design.
After the cutting or dividing of the cutting points or loop, the pile can be raised
by brushing on the face of the fabric and by the treatment which is usual in
finishing velveteens.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim my improvements in
the manufacture of cut pile fabrics, according to which in the weaving the pile
shoot is made to pass to the back of the fabric, and forms there cutting points,
which also are there divided, setting the pile free to be raised on the face of the
fabric.
In witness whereof,. I, the said Robert Atherton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
Hundead and night
ROBERT ATHERTON. (L.S.).