IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LENO CURTAINS, BLINDS, AND SIMILAR FABRICS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William McFarlane and Andrew McPherson, both of New-
milns, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LENO CURTAINS, BLINDS, AND SIMILAR
FABRICS."
Sealed the 23rd June 1876, and dated the 30th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William McFarlane and
Andrew McPherson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th
March 1876.
«
WILLIAM MCFARLANE and ANDREW MCPHERSON, both of Newmilns, in the
County of Ayr, North Britain. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LENO
CURTAINS, BLINDS, AND SIMILAR FABRICS."
This Invention, which relates to improvements in the manufacture of leno cur-
tains, blinds, and similar fabrics, has for its object more especially to tie or lock in
the ends of those portions of the weft or rove which constitute the flowering or
figuring of the cloth, so as to prevent the flowering or figuring from fraying out and
becoming destroyed. It also has for its object to throw all the flowering or figuring
to one side of the cloth, and in general to produce a stronger leno fabric than is at
present obtained.
Under one method or modification of arranging a loom to produce cloth in which
the objects herein-before mentioned are effected four leaves of heddles or healds are
used, one half of the warp passing through two of the leaves, the other half of the
warp passing through the other two leaves. In addition to the four leaves of
heddles or healds four "doup" leaves are used, through which the warp also passes,
the four leaves of heddles or healds first mentioned being positive in their action,
and serving the purpose of guides for the action of the "doup" leaves.
In addition to the arrangements now set forth a full set of jacquard harness is em-
ployed through which the whole of the warp threads are passed, the harness being
situated behind the leaves of heddles and "doups." When the loom, arranged as de-
scribed, is in operation the heddles shed the warp in such manner that the warp
threads are by the action of the leaves of "doups" twisted up over and under each
[Price 201

page_text: shed of the weft, thus not only tying it in at each shot for the ground, but also tying
in each one, two, three, or more of the shots which constitute the flowering, so that
the flowering is more firmly secured in or on to the ground than in leno cloth as
hitherto constructed.
The shedding of those portions of the warp for the figuring or flowering is pro-
duced by the full harness and jacquard machine, the cards being so punched as to
throw up the figuring or flowering to one side of the cloth only; thus in finishing
the fabric the floating portions of the weft have to be cut from one side of the cloth
only.
Ünder another modification of weaving leno cloth, in which the objects herein-
before mentioned are effected, two leaves of heddles or healds are employed, and
one "doup" leaf, the "doups" being east on a separate leaf in front of the two
leaves of heddles or healds. The whole of the warp threads are passed through the
heddles or healds, but one half only through the "doups." A jacquard machine is
also applied to the loom, the needles of which are tied to the half harness, which is
all that is employed with the two leaves and "doup" herein-before mentioned, and
by the use of the half harness one half of the cards only is necessary in working, as
compared to what are required under the arrangement herein first described. Two
warp. threads are passed through each mail of the half harness. With the loom
arranged according to this second modification the two leaves of heddles or healds
act alternately and oppositely upon each warp thread, so that whilst it is pulled
down at one point it is pulled up at another point at each shed; thus after the weft
or rove shot is made, the shed being reversed becomes twisted over it by the action of
the "doup," which thereby ties it in its place both in the ground as well as in the
figuring or flowering portions of the weft. The figuring or flowering is produced by
the action of the half harness, operated by the jacquard machine.
It is to be understood that the improvements in weaving herein-before described
may be carried out both on hand looins and power looms.