CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF VELVETS, VELVETEENS, AND OTHER SIMILAR FABRICS
Year: 1848

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES
WILLIAM KESSELMEYER, of Manchester, Warehouseman, and THомAS MELLO-
DEW, of Oldham, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Second day of November, in the twelfth year of Her reign,
and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Charles William Kesselmeyer and Thomas Mellodew, Her especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that we, the said Charles William
Kesselmeyer and Thomas Mellodew, our exors, adñññors, and assigns, and such
others as we, the said Charles William Kesselmeyer and Thomas Mellodew,
our exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England
and Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of " CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF VELVETS, VELVETEENS, AND OTHER SIMILAR
FABRICS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that we, the
said Charles William Kesselmeyer and Thomas Mellodew, shall cause a
particular description of the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date

page_text: of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Charles William Kesselmeyer and Thomas Mellodew, do hereby declare the
nature of our 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 the Drawings hereto annexed (that is to say):-
Our Invention relates to the production of fabrics commonly known as
cotton tabby velvets, cotton Genoa velvets, and cotton velveteens; in the
manufacture and finishing cotton velvets, it has invariably been a point of the
greatest importance to produce an article resembling a silk velvet as much as
possible. In order to attain this end various means have been resorted to,
which have not answered the required purpose, inasmuch as the plush or pile
of a silk velvet is much deeper than that which has hitherto been produced in
cotton velvets, thereby giving the cotton velvet a flat and thin appearance
without richness of colour when compared with a silk velvet. Manufacturers
have long been aware of this defect, but have had no alternative to remedy it
but by making cotton velvets in a coarser "reed" (that is to say), by causing
the warp threads to be placed further asunder, which certainly will make the
pile rather deeper, but at the same time renders the fabric so coarse and
heavy as to be unlike the fine texture of a silk velvet. Now we have been
enabled to overcome this defect, and to produce great depth of pile in cotton
velvets with fineness of texture. In order fully to shew the nature of our
improvements, and before describing the method of carrying the same into
practical effect, we would premise that cotton velvets and velveteens, as hitherto
manufactured, have consisted of combinations of six warp threads with weft
threads, and such fabrics as hitherto manufactured and finished, have
been ordinarily distinguished as "tabby" or plain back cotton velvets and
"Genoa," or three-leaf twilled back cotton velvets and velveteens; such
fabrics, in order to allow of their being cut or ploughed up, must consist
of a close and firm back, in the formation of which every warp thread
is employed. Into every
alternate warp thread of this back there are
interwoven weft threads which float on the face and form a surface, between
which and the back a cutter's guide and knife can be introduced, so as to
cut open the floating weft threads, which afterwards form the plush or pile of
the cotton velvet. The constitution of cotton velvets, as hitherto manufactured,
will best be understood by reference to Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings,
Fig. 1 being a section of uncut cotton velvet magnified, shewing the manner in
which the weft threads, which form the face or pile of the old make of cotton

page_text: velvet, are interwoven with the warp threads, and from which it will be seen
that every float or weft thread always extends over five warp threads, and is
bound into the sixth, and that three different floats or weft threads are inter-
woven with the warp threads, the first being repeated after the third, after
which the repetition of the second and third follow, and so on in regular
succession, thus presenting a combination of six warp threads with the weft
threads. The manner in which this interweaving is carried out in the loom is
well understood amongst persons engaged in this manufacture.
Now our Invention consists in manufacturing the above description of
fabrics by means of combinations of eight, nine, or more warp threads, with
weft threads, thereby producing a deeper pile with a finer or more silky surface
than was produced by the combination of six warp threads with weft threads
from the same reed warp and weft, the back of the fabric still remaining
either plain or tabby, or three-leaf twilled, or Genoa. The warp is prepared
in the same manner as for the old make, as far as dressing or sizing and
winding on the yarn beam is concerned; but instead of drawing it into a set
of healds consisting of six shafts, we employ a greater number of shafts and
healds, according to the greater depth of the pile intended to be produced.
For the production of fabrics consisting of a combination of eight warp threads
with weft threads, we employ healds consisting of eight shafts, each shaft con-
taining individual healds or loops to the amount of one-eighth part of the whole
number of warp threads on the yarn beam, the drawing in into the healds
and reed is carried on from the left side to the right for power looms in the
same regular manner across the whole of the shafts, as in the manufacture of
cotton velvets; instead of employing eight shafts for producing the combination
of eight warp threads with the weft threads, the same may be produced by
using only seven, six, or even five shafts. The drawing in of the warp threads
into the healds will, however, in this case not be a straight "gait over," but
will vary in different ways, according to the number of shafts intended to be
employed in the manufacture, as is well understood by practical weavers. The
weaver's draft for manufacturing cotton tabby velvets of a combination of
eight warp threads with weft threads is given in Fig. 3, Sheet II., where it will
be found that, in employing eight shafts and a straight "gait over" drawing
in, the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth shafts are, by the revolutions of the
tappet, always either raised or lowered exactly at the same time and in the
same manner, and, consequently, the warp threads, which are drawn in into
the healds or loop holes on these shafts, are always lying in exactly the same
position during the process of weaving, being either raised or lowered together
at the same time and in the same manner. It is therefore possible by having

page_text: the healds or loop holes, which are spread or knit over these four shafts, all
mounted or knit on one shaft, to produce exactly the same-result; in which
case this one shaft. must contain four times as many healds or loop holes as
any one of the remaining four shafts, or exactly one half of the whole number
of warp threads, or else the healds or loop holes on the second, fourth, sixth,
and eighth shafts may be knit on two shafts, each shaft containing double the
number of healds or loop holes as any one of the remaining four shafts, or
else on two shafts, of which one contains the same number of healds, and the
second three times the number of healds knit on any one of the other four shafts;
in which case the same fabric can be produced by using six shafts. In the same
manner seven shafts may be employed by uniting the healds or loop holes of two
shafts out of the four which have been named, this one shaft containing in this
case double the number of healds or loop holes than any one of the remaining
six. Now all these various ways will produce the same result; "but the drawing
in into the healds must be varied to suit the number of shafts employed.
Although we have so far been describing the manner of drawing in into the
healds and reed, the former of which are knit or attached to shafts, which we
consider the most convenient way for our improvement, we have also to state
that it is not indispensably necessary to employ any shafts at all in the process,
but the warp threads may be raised or lowered by various other methods, as
for instance, by means of jacquard machines and other similar contrivances;
but in whatever way it is done, the warp threads must follow each other in the
same manner, as already laid down, and the sheds likewise must follow each other
in the same manner as will presently be shewn, whatever contrivances may be
used for raising or lowering the warp threads, and thus producing the successive
sheds. The drawing in of the warp on the yarn beam into the healds and
reed being completed, the whole are put into the loom and tightened up for
work in the same manner as at present practised in the manufacture of
cotton velvets. The number of pairs of jacks and treaddles and tappet plates
required must always be the same, as the number of shafts employed in drawing
in, as one pair of jacks, and one treaddle, and one tappet plate are always
wanted, in order to raise or lower one shaft by the revolving motion of the
tappet. Each of the eight tappet plates, used for weaving the improved cotton
tabby velvets which we are now describing, will have to be divided into ten
parts, or consist of ten divisions, each part having a
riser " or "sinker"
cast on, by means of which the shafts are either raised or lowered as may
be required, so that after a succession of ten sheds, the "gait over" of the
weft threads which are thrown into the sheds of the warp threads by the
shuttle will be complete, and all succeeding sheds will be mere repetitions of

page_text: the first ten, being produced exactly in the same manner.
The cotton tabby
velvets which we are now describing, and the manner in which the sheds will
have to follow each other, are exhibited in Figures 3 and 4, Sheet I., and
Fig. 8, Sheet II.
First. The first shed is opened out by raising the first, third, fifth, and
seventh shafts, and lowering the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth, into which
shed a weft thread is thrown by the shuttle, which thus interweaves the whole
of the warp threads with each other; this first weft thread is a binder or back
pick, and merely serves to form the back of the cloth and does not at all enter
into the production of the face intended for the plush or pile.
Second. The second shed is opened out by raising only the first shaft and
lowering all the rest, namely, the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and
eighth, into which shed a weft thread (represented by the scarlet line, a, Fig. 3)
is thrown by the shuttle which thus interweaves with every eighth warp
thread, namely, the first, ninth, seventeenth, and so on, across the whole
width of the piece, while this same weft thread floats over the second, third,
fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth warp threads of every "gait over ;" this
second weft thread is a weft float or face pick, being altogether used for the
formation of the face of the cloth intended to be cut open, in order to produce
the plush or pile.
Third. The third shed is opened out by raising only the fifth shaft and
lowering all the rest; namely, the first, second, third, fourth, sixth, seventh,
and eighth, into which shed a weft thread, represented by the crimson line C,
is thrown by the shuttle which thus interweaves only with every eighth warp
thread, namely, with the fifth, thirteenth, twenty-first, and so on, across the whole
width of the piece, while this same weft thread floats over the first, second,
third, fourth, sixth, seventh, and eighth warp threads of every "gait over;"
this face pick is likewise altogether used for the formation of the face of the
cloth intended to be cut open, in order to produce the plush or pile.
Fourth. The fourth shed is opened out by raising only the third shaft and
lowering all the rest, namely, the first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and
eighth, into which shed a weft thread (represented by the yellow line 6) is
thrown by the shuttle, which forms again a weft float or face pick, interweaving
only with every eighth warp thread, namely, the third, eleventh, nineteenth,
and so on, across the whole width of the piece, whilst this same weft thread
floats over the first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth warp
threads of every
gait over;" this face pick is likewise altogether used for
the formation of the face of the cloth intended to be cut open, in order to
produce the plush or pile.
66

page_text: Fifth. The fifth shed is opened out by raising only the seventh shaft and
lowering all the rest, namely, the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and
eighth, into which shed a weft thread (represented by the blue line f) is thrown
by the shuttle, which forms again a weft float or face pick interweaving only
with every eighth warp thread, namely, with the seventh, fifteenth, twenty-
third, and so on, across the whole width of the piece, whilst the same weft
thread floats over the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth warp
threads of every "gait over;" this face pick is likewise altogether used for the
formation of the face of the cloth intended to be cut open, in order to produce
the plush or pile.
Sixth. The sixth shed is opened out by raising the second, fourth, sixth,
and eighth shafts, and lowering the first, third, fifth, and seventh, and is
therefore just the reverse of the first shed; into this sixth shed a weft thread is
thrown by the shuttle, which thus interweaves the whole of the warp threads
with each other, and therefore constitutes a binder or back pick as it merely
serves to form the back of the cloth, and does not at all enter into the
production of the face intended for the plush or pile. The sixth shed being
exactly the reverse of the first shed, these two back piks in the first and sixth
sheds so completely interweave the whole of the warp threads with each other
that not one of them across the whole width of the piece remains loose or
unoccupied, thus forming the close and firm back which is necessary for the
production of a tabby cotton velvet.
Seventh. The seventh shed is opened out by raising only the first shaft and
lowering all the rest, namely, the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh,
and eighth; it is therefore in every respect equal to the second shed, and thus
produces a weft float or face pick bound into every eighth warp thread;
namely, into the first, ninth, seventeenth, and so on, across the whole width of
the piece, exactly the same as the first weft float in the second shed.
Eighth. The eighth shed is opened out by raising only the fifth shaft and
lowering all the rest, namely, the first, second, third, fourth, sixth, seventh,
and eighth; it is therefore in every respect equal to the third shed, and thus
produces a weft float or face pick bound into every eighth warp thread;
namely, into the fifth, thirteenth, twenty-first, and so on, across the whole width
of the piece, exactly the same as the second weft float in the third shed.
Ninth. The ninth shed is opened out by raising only the third shaft and
lowering all the rest; namely, the first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh,
and eighth; it is therefore in every respect equal to the fourth shed, and
thus produces a weft float or face pick bound into every eighth warp thread;
namely, into the third, eleventh, nineteenth, and so on, across the whole

page_text: width of the piece, exactly the same as the third weft float in the fourth
shed.
Tenth. The tenth shed is opened out by raising only the seventh shaft and
lowering all the rest, namely, the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth,
and eighth; it is therefore in every respect equal to the fifth shed, and
thus produces a weft float or face pick bound into every eighth warp
thread; namely, into the seventh, fifteenth, twenty-third, and so on, across
the whole width of the piece, exactly the same as the fourth weft float in
the fifth shed. All succeeding sheds are mere repetitions of the preceding
ten so that the proper pattern for weaving the improved cotton tabby
velvet, which we have been describing, consists of a combination of eight
warp threads interwoven with ten weft threads, as will be seen by referring
to Figures 1, 2, and 3, in Sheet II., in which Fig. 1 shews the formation
of the back of this description of improved cotton tabby velvets, leaving out
the weft floats or face picks; Fig. 2 shews the formation of the face of tho
same, leaving out the binders or back picks; and Fig. 3 shews the combination
of both the preceding, thus constituting the weaver's draft for weaving the
improved cotton tabby velvet, which we have been describing hitherto, and
shewn in Figures 3 and 4, Sheet I. It will be seen by examining these
Figures that for every back pick or binder, four different and distinct weft
floats or face picks are introduced into the manufacture of this description of
improved cotton tabby velvet, and that each of these weft floats or face picks,
in every instance, is floating over seven warp threads in the combination of
eight warp threads with weft threads in the manufacture of cotton velvets,
according to our Invention.
Although the above described method of carrying our Invention into
practice is the one which we have found most suitable, it will be obvious
that various alterations may be adopted, either in the way in which the
different and distinct weft floats follow each other in succession, or in
the manner in which they are interwoven with the warp threads. The
improved cotton tabby velvet having been woven must be cut; for this pur-
pose the cutter's knife and guide, hitherto usually employed in the manufacture
of cotton velvets, will require some alteration to adapt it to the new manu-
facture, and, as a general rule, we would observe that a narrow and rather high
guide, which has a tendency to lift up the weft floats, and thus to keep them
tight before the knife divides them, is the best adapted for the purpose. The
cutting, which is parallel with the warp threads, as in the old cotton tabby.
velvets, is begun at the far side of the piece, and by referring to Fig. 3, in
Sheet I, which is a section shewing the manner in which the weft threads.

page_text: which form the face are interwoven with the eight warp threads of the
improved cotton tabby velvets which we have been describing, there will be
seen four different and distinct races just above the blue spots or warp threads
1, 3, 5, and 7, into which races the cutter's guide and knife is introduced. In
cutting the first race, three out of every four weft floats are cut open, namely,
the yellow line b, the crimson line c, and the blue line f, the fourth, namely,
the scarlet line a, being bound round the back of the warp thread on which
the cutter's guide is running, so that this fourth weft float cannot be cut at the
same time. It will also be observed that when the cutter proceeds to intro-
duce his guide into the second race, he has only one weft float out of every
four left to cut open; namely, the scarlet line a, which is the one that was left
uncut when the knife and guide were running in the first race; the second
weft float, namely, the yellow line b, being bound round the back of the warp
thread on which the guide is running, as before stated, cannot be cut open;
and the third and fourth weft floats, namely, the crimson line c, and the blue
line f, having already been cut open at the time when the first race was cut,
cannot now be cut again, but are merely lifted up or opened by the guide and
knife when running down the second race. Every succeeding race will
resemble the second, as in every one the knife will only cut open one-fourth
part of the weft floats in the race and open out two other fourth.parts, while the
last fourth part lies at the back of the cloth, and, therefore, cannot be cut. It
being important that the pile should have a level surface, the weft floats should
be cut exactly in the middle between the warp threads by which they are
bound in; to accomplish which the cutter must hold the guide and knife in a
slanting direction towards himself during the process of cutting, so as to cut
the weft floats not on the top of the warp thread on which the guide is
running, but on the top of the second warp thread, which lies nearer to himself;
by this means the weft floats may be divided exactly in the middle, and thus a
level and solid surface of pile produced. The depth of the pile in this
description of improved cotton tabby velvets, when properly cut, is therefore
equal to the thickness and distance of three and a half warp threads, or two-
fifths deeper than the pile of the old make of cotton tabby velvets if made in
the same reed, as shewn in proportion by the sectional Figure 4, Sheet I.,
which represents this description of improved cotton tabby velvet with the pile
cut open. Although we have stated above that for every back pick or binder
four weft floats or face picks are introduced into the manufacture of this
description of improved cotton tabby velvet, we have to remark that it is not
absolutely necessary that such should be the case, but that the relative pro-
portions between the back picks or binders, and the face picks or weft floats,

page_text: may be varied according to the intention of the manufacturer of producing a
fabric with either a fuller or thinner back or face; in which case the tappet
plates must be divided in such a number of parts or sections that the tappet
in going round once will finish the "gait over" of the sheds or weft threads.
Having thus described the method of producing one of our improved cotton
tabby velvets, namely, consisting of combination of eight warp threads with
weft threads, we will now proceed to describe the method of producing another
description of improved cotton tabby velvets, namely, consisting of a combina-
tion of ten warp threads with weft threads. It will be unnecessary to repeat
all the minute particulars already stated, as the method of producing this
fabric very much resembles the method already described for producing a
combination of eight warp threads with weft threads, and we will merely state
those particulars in which they differ.
In the combination of ten warp threads with the weft threads, each face
pick extends or floats over nine warp threads, thus forming a proportionably
longer pile when cut open, as exhibited in Figures 5 and 6, Sheet I.
We use for this manufacture of cotton tabby velvets ten shafts, each con-
taining individual healds or loop holes to the amount of one-tenth part of the
whole number of warp threads on the yarn beam, though it is not exactly
necessary that ten shafts should be employed, but the same result may be
produced by using six, seven, eight, or nine shafts (which, however, will vary
in the number of individual healds or loop holes on each shaft), or even with-
out using any shafts, by substituting some other mechanical contrivance, which
has already been explained. If made with ten shafts the drawing in into the
healds and reed is carried on in a straight "gait over" across all ten shafts
similar to the last described mode, the "gait over" consisting of ten warp
threads instead of eight. The manner in which we weave this description of
improved cotton tabby velvet will be easily understood by the practical weaver
by referring to Fig. 1, Sheet III., from which, as also from Figures 5 and 6,
Sheet I., it will be seen that for every back pick or binder five different and
distinct weft floats or face picks are introduced into the manufacture, and that
cach of the weft floats or face picks is in every instance floating over nine
warp threads. It is, however, not absolutely necessary that five weft floats or
face picks should be introduced for every binder or back pick, but the relative
proportions between the back picks or binders and the face picks or weft
floats may again be varied to suit the intention of the manufacturer, as stated
before. In weaving this description of improved cotton tabby velvets various
alterations may be introduced, either in the way in which the different and
distinct weft floats follow each other in succession, or in the manner in which

page_text: they are interwoven with the warp threads, similar to those which have already
been stated when describing the combination of eight warp threads with the
weft threads. The cutting of this description of improved cotton tabby
velvets is done nearly in the same manner as already described, but it will be
obvious that as the weft floats increase in length, the cutter's guide, and
knife will have to be adapted to the new manufacture by the adoption of a
still higher guide. In introducing the guide and knife into the first race of
the improved cotton tabby velvet which we are now describing, the cutter cuts
open four out of every five weft floats, and the fifth being bound round the
back of the warp thread, on which the guide is running, cannot then be cut,
and in every succeeding race he is only cutting open one weft float out of
every five, opens out three other weft floats out of the five, and leaves the
fifth uncut, being always bound round the back of the warp thread on which
the guide is running, as will easily be seen by referring to Fig. 5, Sheet I, in
connection with what has before been already stated in reference to this subject.
The guide and knife must again be held in a slanting direction towards the
cutter so as to divide cach weft float exactly in the middle. The depth of the
pile in this description of improved cotton tabby velvet is equal to the thick-
ness and distance of four and a half warp threads, or four-fifths deeper than
the pile of the old cotton tabby velvet, if made in the same reed, as shewn in
the sectional Figure 6, Sheet I. If a still deeper pile be required, it can be
produced by a combination of twelve warp threads with the weft threads, as
exhibited in relative proportion in Fig. 7, Sheet I., uncut, and in Fig. 8, after
having been cut open; this last figure also representing a Genoa or three-leaf
twill back, from which it will be seen in connection with what has before been
stated, that the depth of the pile of this description of improved cotton
tabby velvet is equal to the thickness and distance of five and a half
warp threads, or one and one-fifth part deeper than the pile of the old
cotton tabby velvet, if made in the same reed. The various details already
stated, in reference to the combination of eight and ten warp threads
with the weft threads, will apply to this or any other combination of warp
threads with weft threads, for the purpose of producing our improvements
in velvets, velveteens, and similar fabrics. For the use of the practical
weaver it will be found sufficient here to refer to the accompanying weaver's
draft (see Fig. 2, Sheet III.), from which it will be seen that each of
the weft floats or face picks is every instance is floating over eleven warp
threads, and it will be obvious that various alterations may again be introduced
either in the relative proportions of the face picks or weft floats, and the back
picks or binders, or in the way in which the different and distinct weft floats

page_text: follow each other in succession, or in the manner in which they are inter-
woven with the warp threads. If the surface of any of our improved fabrics
should not be quite level on account of defective cutting, the piece may go
through a shearing machine, which will shear down the fibres which are too
long to the length of the shorter ones, and thus produce a level surface:
Many variations may be adopted in the manner in which the warp threads and
weft threads are laid together, such as binding in the weft floats with one, two,
three, or more warp threads, so as to produce similar fabrics. Also combina-
tions of a greater number of warp threads with the weft threads may be formed,
whereby a deeper pile may be produced than by any of those which we have been
describing.
Cotton Genoa velvets differ from cotton tabby velvets, mainly in the forma-
tion of the back of the cloth, which in the cotton tabby velvets is plain
or tabby, while in cotton Genoa velvets it is three-leaf twilled; it therefore
is obvious that the combinations of eight, nine, or more warp threads with
the weft threads may be employed, as well in connection with a three-leaf
twill back as with a tabby or plain back, and will only differ in the manner in
which the back of the fabric is formed, as will be well understood by practical
weavers. By substituting a three-leaf twill back for a tabby or plain back,
we produce improved cotton Genoa velvets with a pile varying in depth
according to the number of warp threads over which the weft threads or face
picks are made to float, and we have merely to refer the practical weaver to
the annexed weaver's drafts, Figures 3, 4, and 5, Sheet III., from which the
manner of drawing in and weaving will be easily perceived. Variations also
may be introduced either in the relative proportions of the face picks or weft
floats, and the back picks or binders, or in the way in which the different weft
floats follow each other in succession, or in the manner in which they are
interwoven with the warp threads.
Cotton velveteens likewise consist of a three-leaf twill back, into which
the weft floats, or face picks are interwoven in the same manner as in
weaving a cotton Genoa velvet; and our improvements are therefore
equally applicable to cotton velveteens as to cotton Genoa velvets, and are
carried out in the same manner, the weaver's drafts, Figures 3, 4, and 5,
Sheet III., being also those for drawing in and weaving cotton velveteens,
which are made in a coarser reed and of coarser warp and weft than cotton
Genoa velvets. Other descriptions of backs, besides a plain or tabby back,
and a three-leaf twill back, may be employed, provided such backs are made
sufficiently close and firm to retain the weft floats during the process of
cutting, and to fasten the plush or pile when finished. The greater depth of

page_text: the pile of our improved manufactures causes them to absorb more coloring
matter during the process of dyeing, which naturally gives them a peculiar
richness, fullness, or depth of colour; which therefore is another effect conse-
quent on our improvements, and contributes to the attainment of our object,
namely, producing a cotton velvet or velveteen resembling silk velvet or silk
plush as near as possible. A similar result will also be obtained by using
linen or flax, or a mixture of linen or flax and cotton, in the manufacture of
fabrics according to our Invention.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we do not claim
the exclusive use of the several methods of weaving, or of the apparatus herein
described or referred to, except when the same may be used in and for the
manufacture of velvets, velveteens, or other similar fabrics of cotton, linen,
or flax according to our said improvements, but we claim as our Invention the
manufacture of velvets, velveteens, or other similar fabrics of cotton, linen, or
flax, such fabrics consisting of combinations of eight, nine, or more warp
threads interwoven with the weft threads, as above described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles William Kesselmeyer and
Thomas Mellodew, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Second
day of May, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.