IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COARSE TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Walker, of Newtownards, in the County
of Down, in Ireland, Flax Spinner and Manufacturer, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COARSE TEXTILE
FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Walker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd January 1872.
I, GEORGE WALKER, of Newtownards, in the County of Down, in
Ireland, Flax Spinner and Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COARSE
TEXTILE FABRICS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in manufacturing coarse cloths in the manner
herein-after described by using hay or straw or a mixture of hay and
straw for the weft with any strong material such as flax or flax tow, or
hemp, or jute yarn for the warp threads.

page_text: I select hay and straw which are suitable, those containing the
greatest quantity of tough fibre being the best adapted. I twist or
form such hay or straw or hay and straw by the ordinary method of
twisting or forming rope into ropes of such thickness as I wish to make
the fabric of. These ropes are placed in an ordinary loom and form the
weft of the fabric, and are interwoven with the warp in the usual way.
The material thus produced has in comparison with the materials hitherto
produced for the same purposes the advantages of greater cheapness,
superior strength and durability, lightness and elasticity.
It can be advantageously used for such purposes as the coarse fabrics
hitherto manufactured are or can be used for, such as for packing or
wrapping heavy or sharp edged or pointed goods, or for under carpets, or
floorcloths, and other purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th July 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WALKER, of Newtownards, in the County of Down, in Ireland, Flax
Spinner and Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Walker, Her special licence
that I, the said George Walker, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said George Walker, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 “IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF COARSE TEXTILE FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Walker, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands

page_text: and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain 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 George Walker, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :—
The said Invention relates to the manufacture of strong and coarse
cloths in the manner and for the purposes herein-after mentioned and
set forth.
It consists in using hay or straw or a mixture of hay and straw
treated as I shall presently describe for the weft interwoven with any
strong material such as flax or flax tow, or hemp, or jute yarn for the
warp threads. I generally employ flax tow for forming the warp
threads.
I select hay and straw which are suitable for the purpose, those con-
taining the greatest quantity of fine tough and long fibre being the best
› adapted, and I have found that mountain or meadow hay meets my
requirements better than other kinds.
I prefer to use hay or a mixture of hay and straw rather than straw
only, long and fine hay producing small weft and light cloth, while short
and coarse hay and straw make thicker and heavier cloth. I twist or
form such hay or straw or hay and straw by the ordinary method of
twisting or forming ropes, which it is unnecessary herein further to
describe, into ropes of such thickness as I wish to make the fabric of, and
I select the hay or straw or hay and straw accordingly. These ropes are
placed in an ordinary loom in order to form the weft of the fabric, and
) are interwoven with the warp in the usual way, which also it is un-
necessary herein further to describe.
In weaving these fabrics I have hitherto employed hand looms only,
but I do not mean to confine myself to the use of such looms, as I may
wish to employ power looms in manufacturing my said Invention.
5 The material produced as herein-before set forth and described has in
comparison with the materials hitherto produced for the same purposes

page_text: the advantages of greater cheapness, superior strength and durability,
and more lightness and elasticity. It can be advantageously used for
such purposes as the coarse fabrics hitherto manufactured are or can be
used for, such as for packing or wrapping heavy or sharp edged or pointed
goods, or for under carpets, or floorcloths, and other purposes.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed or produced, I would have it to be
understood that I do not claim the use of hay or straw or a mixture of
hay and straw, nor of flax or flax tow, or hemp or jute yarn, except when
the same are used and employed specially as herein described, nor do I
claim the machinery or processes by which hay or straw or hay and
straw are twisted or formed into rope, and interwoven with strong
materials as herein-before mentioned or described, nor any of the parts
of such machinery or processes, nor the use thereof or of any part
thereof in manufacturing the coarse textile fabrics produced by me, but
I claim the manufacture of coarse textile fabrics having the weft
formed as herein described.
In witness whercof, I, the said George Walker, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Nineteenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-two.
Signed and sealed in the
presence of
HUGH HYNDMAN,
Belfast,
Patent Agent & Solicitor.
GEO. WALKER. (L.S.)