IMPROVEMENTS THE MANUFACTURE OF TWISTED AND WOVEN FABRICS, AND MACHINERY THEREFOR.
Year: 1882

page_text: IN
IN
LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
THE MANUFACTURE OF TWISTED AND WOVEN FABRICS, AND
MACHINERY THEREFOR.' A communication. from abroad by Alwill Urbahn,
of Paterson, in the County of Passaic and State of New Jersey (Machinist),
and Abraham Gould Jennings, of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings and State
of New York (Manufacturer), both in the United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th March 1882.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TWISTED AND
WOVEN FABRICS, AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR." A communication from
abroad by Alwill Urbahn, of Paterson, in the County of Passaic and State of New
Jersey (Machinist), and Abraham Gould Jennings, of Brooklyn, in the County of
Kings and State of New York (Manufacturer), both in the United States of
America.
This Invention relates to a new fabric that can be used for articles of wearing
apparel and otherwise in the arts wherever desired, and which excels by its strength
and also by its beauty of appearance known fabrics of equal cost, and the Invention
consists, first, in a new twisted braid or chenille like fabric, which is produced by
winding loosely around a core of cotton or other inexpensive material, silk yarn or
other expensive material, and tying the same on the core by thread or yarn
wound around the core and silk in opposite direction to that in which the silk is
wound. By this means a puffy braid like structure is obtained, which completely
conceals the inner inexpensive core, has great beauty combined with lightness,
discloses to the eye only the expensive binding of silk or its like, and is of great
advantage in the manufacture of ornamental cordings, braids, bindings, and also as
a surface covering of woven fabrics.
The Invention consists, secondly, in combining the twisted fabric above mentioned
D

page_text: with the ordinary warp and woof threads of a woven fabric in such a way as to
produce on the surface of the latter rows of the twisted fabric or chenille like
structure, which are tightly woven to the body, inseparable therefrom, and which
when brushed or combed by gig or other brushing apparatus that has sufficient
power to tear the fibres of silk, will produce a fur like surface on the fabric, so that
as a matter of fact a fabric can be made, having a covering of silky hair of suitable
colors and of suitable length, as beautiful, if not more beautiful, than any fur that
nature produces on animals.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the improved twisted
fabric; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of said fabric; Figure 3, a cross section
thereof; Figure 4 is a sectional diagram of a woven fabric, showing the improved
twisted fabric as an attachment; Figure 5 is a diagram of the loom, showing how
the improved twisted fabric is produced thereon; Figures 6 and 7 are diagrams
showing the fabric in top view; Figure 8 is a horizontal section of the machine
for making the twisted fabric; and Figure 9, an enlarged sectional diagram showing
a modification of the woven fabric; Figure 10 is a side view of the improved
machine for making twisted fabrics; Figure 11 is a plan view, partly in section, of
the same similar to Figure 8; Figure 12 is a vertical cross section on the line c, c,
Figure 13. (Figures 10, 11, and 12 are drawn on the same scale.) Figure 13 is
a vertical longitudinal central section of the main portion of the machine, showing
the parts of said portion on an enlarged scale; Figure 14 is a vertical cross section
through the inner portion of the tube guiding the core threads, this Figure being
on a still larger scale than Figure 13; Figure 15 is a longitudinal central section
of the fabric receiving tube and parts immediately adjoining thereto on a still
larger scale.
In the Drawing, with special reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3, is shown te
twisted fabric referred to. This twisted fabric is composed of a series of straight
inner threads a that are laid parallel to each other and constitute what I term the
core of the fabric. This core may be made of cotton threads or other comparatively
inexpensive material, although of course if desired they may be made of the
most expensive material; and instead of constructing this core a of threads or fibres
placed lengthwise, the core may itself be a thin cord of suitable substance or a
single coarse thread. Around this core a is loosely wound so as to produce loosely
projecting loops ba thread or yarn of silk, and this is held fast to the core by
another thread c that is drawn tightly around the core and around portions of the
silk thread or yarn, as more clearly indicated in Figure 2. It will be seen that
this binding or fastening thread c is wound around the core in opposite direction to
that in which the silk threads forming the loops bare wound, thus ensuring the
proper fastening of the silk threads to the core. The twisted fabric, which has been
thus far described, is in itself of great use in the arts. It is a structure resembling
chenille, with the difference of course that its loops are not opened by cutting or
otherwise, and with the further difference that its loops are tied onto the core in a
manner which makes them absolutely irremovable from the latter. This twisted
fabric so constructed is made on a machine, such as that indicated in Figure 8, and
which machine will be hereinafter described, or on any other analogous machine,
and when produced on such machine it is wound around spools that can be conveyed
to suitable places for use. When, however, the twisted fabric a, b, c, is to be used
in producing the surface of woven fabric, it is wound around small bobbins that are
fit to be placed into the shuttles of a loom. The woven fabric shown in Figures 6
and 7, and by section in Figure 4, of which the surface is wholly or partly of the
twisted fabric a, b, c, above described, is made as follows, to wit:-
10
The twisted fabric or braid takes in a loom the place of a shuttle thread, the
same loom having other common shuttle threads for the foundation of the fabric.
The same loom has two sets of warps d and e, as indicated at Figure 5. The one
set of warps e in connection with the shuttle threads of common structure serves,
to produce in the usual way the ordinary foundation of a common fabric, but at
proper intervals the heddles or harness of the loom will lift say one half of the
J

page_text: extra warp threads d and thus obtain an opening through which the shuttle
carrying the twisted fabric a, b, c, is thrown, and then such raised warp d is again
lowered and may become part of the lower warp until its turn again comes to be
raised. In practice it is found that by lifting a warp d for every four lifts of the
common warp e, the broader braided fabric a, b, c, will be properly placed in
contiguous rows on the surface of the fabric, but other proportions of spacing may
be employed.
It will be clear from Figure 4 of the Drawing and also from the foregoing
description that the braids or chenille like fabric a, b, c, is firmly fastened by the
warp threads d, and by them and the common shuttle threads that hold the latter
interwoven with the fabric itself, the said warp threads & that hold it fast being
entirely obscured from view in the ample folds of the silky surrounding of the
braid. When a fabric thus constituted has been finished it may be exposed to the
action of a gig or of a strong brush to tear the outer loops of the silky surrounding
of the braids and to brush them or comb them in one direction, thus producing the
fur like structure which is indicated in the lower part of Figure 7. Figure 9 shows
a diagram of a fabric having the same construction as that shown in Figure 4, with
the difference only that the braids a, b, c, are applied in Figure 9 to both sides
of the fabric, and not only to one side. In Figure 9 the letter d shows the warp
that holds the braidy structures a, b, c, to the fabric. The letter e represents the
ordinary warp and the letter f the ordinary shuttle thread. The same letters
apply to the fabric shown in Figure 4. Instead of placing the fabric a, b, c, in the
shuttle, it may be part of the warp, in which case but one shuttle thread would be
required.
The Invention also relates to a new machine for making the twisted fabric of
the kind above described. The object is to produce a machine which shall act
automatically to supply the core threads, to wind the silk envelope loosely around
the same, and to bind them with the binding thread, and which will operate to
feed the finished fabric in the proper ratio to a receiving spool and lay it thereon,
and also to provide for readily throwing the machine into and out of action, so
that convenient and practicable means for producing the twisted fabric above
referred to are thus placed at the disposal of an operator. In fact an operator will.
hardly be required at this machine, as it is entirely automatic, requiring only
attention to see that the spools of yaru for the various purposes are filled. The
Invention in this connection consists in the first place in combining the core
supplying spools with a receiving tube and with a spreading centre therein which
is so placed with reference to the silk supplying spool that the said silk will be
wound around the core while the latter embraces the central obstruction that
protrudes from said tube. This will leave the silk loose on the core as soon as the
latter is withdrawn from said obstruction.
The Invention also consists in combining the mechanisin already referred to
with the spool or spools that apply the binding thread, which spools are so placed
with reference to the central obstruction that they apply the binding thread to the
core threads after they have entirely or almost wholly left said obstruction, so that
thus the binding thread will tightly draw the core threads together and fasten
the silk threads thereto without in the least interfering with the looseness and
puffy character of the silk yarn that has previously been applied to the core.
The Invention also consists in other details of improvement that are hereinafter
more fully described.
In the accompanying Drawing, with reference to Figures 10 to 15, the letter A
represents a table or frame to which the frame B of the improved machine is
hinged or otherwise fastened at d. The frame B.carries in its lower part a
shaft C that carries a driving pulley ex. This driving pulley rests under the
weight of the frame B when said frame B is hinged to the table A on a driving
belt D that is placed around pulleys in the usual manner, and when this belt D is
moved it will of course revolve the pulley ex, and thus impart motion to all parts
of the machine. The frame B being hinged at d* rests with its whole weight on

page_text: the belt D, and thus ensures the proper transmission of power from said belt to the
pulley ex. Whenever the action of the machine is to be arrested, the operator has
only to swing the frame B back on its hinge d* off the belt D, whereupon all
operation will be arrested in the parts carried by the frame B. This arrangement
of hinged frame with actuating pulley resting on a long belt is advantageous
where series of machines having the construction indicated or analogous con-
struction are to be used in rows. All of the machines can be driven by one belt,
and any one of said machines can be instantly thrown out of action by simply
swinging it back on its hinge. When the frame B is not hinged to the table A,
but rigidly fastened thereto, the same result can be obtained by lifting the belt
with a tightening pulley against the pulley or pulleys ex of one or more such
machines. The pulley ex drives by another belt fx another pulley g which is hung
in the frame B. The pulley g turns around a tube / that is fixed in the frame of
the machine, as more clearly indicated in Figure 13. Another tube i is fixed in
the frame of the machine in line with the tube h, and the two tubes above
mentioned are near to each other, as shown in Figure 13; but are nevertheless out
of contact. Around the tube i is placed a revolving pulley j, which by a belt k
connects with a smaller pulley that is attached to the pulley ex. It will be seen
that the belt f* in Figure 10 is shown crossed and the belt k not, and it follows
that the pulley g is revolved in opposite direction to the pulley ), which is a
preferable arrangement. Moreover it will be noticed that the belt fx by passing
around a larger disc on the shaft C than does the belt is moved faster, so that
thus the pulley g is moved faster than said pulley j. Behind the tube h is
supported on the frame B a platform m carrying a series of posts onto which
spindles E are fitted. These spindles E, of which four are shown in Figure 11
(but any greater or less number may be used in their stead), are receptacles of
spools of common thread, such as coarse cotton thread. The threads a that are
unwound from the spools on E are passed into and through the tube h, which
at or near its inner end is partly closed by a notched or perforated disc n,
Figure 14, the notches or perforations of which are equi-distant from each other,
and preferably circumferential thereon, and through these notches or apertures
the several threads a pass in or before issuing from the inner end of the tube h.
Thus by means of this notched or perforated disc or equivalent guides in the tube h,
the threads a as they issue from said tube are held more or less apart from each
other. But said notched or perforated disc may be omitted in many cases.
The
pulley carries a frame F in which are hung one, two, or more spools G that
contain the silk thread or yarn b which is to be wound around the core a. In
front of the inner end of the tube h, and at the place where this silk thread or
enveloping yarn is wound around said core threads, there is within the latter a
wire obstruction or rod H, which rod I prefer to pass through the entire length of
the tube h and fasten near the outer end of said tube to the framing B, as indicated
in Figure 11. This wire H, which is more clearly shown in Figure 15, holds the
threads a apart after they have left the tube h, and prevents their contraction, and
hence the contraction of the core under the influence of the revolving enveloping
thread or threads b. After the thread has been wound onto the core, the latter
on its forward motion (it being necessary here to state that during the entire
operation the core threads and all the fabric, as it is being made, is moved forward
in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 13) passes preferably through a wire
loop I which is fastened to suitable standards and connected with the frame B, and
then on the other side of said wire loop I receives the binding thread or threads c.
This binding thread is taken from a spool or spools J that hang in a frame L which
connects with the pulley j. It follows that the binding thread c is wound in the
opposite direction around the core to that in which the thread q is wound, although
not necessarily so. The thread c should be wound around the fabric very tightly.
Where it is applied, the obstructing wire H is no longer within the core threads a;
or if it is yet within them at that place, it is tapered down to such a fine point as
to allow the thread c to contract the core threads to an extent greater than that at
I

page_text: which the silk thread b is applied. In order to ensure the tight binding of the
thread c, it is best to apply a frictional spring n against the spool J, as indicated
in Figures 12 and 13, or any other tension appliance may be used to the same
purpose.
The fabric being now completed is fed forward, passed around a friction roller o,
thence up around a drawing roller p (Figure 10), which is on a shaft M that is
driven from the shaft C, thence around another friction roller r and up to the
receiving spool N, which spool N also receives motion by a belt s from the shaft M.
In order to properly deposit the fabric upon the spool N there is suspended from
the framing B by a swivel or other flexible joint a rod O having a loop t, through
which loop the fabric is passed. The rod O by its weight bears against the side
of the spool, seeking to keep contact with that part of the spool which has the
smallest diameter, and in this endeavour it assists in applying the finished fabric
in regular and contiguous spirals around the spool N. In the Drawing is also
shown a weighted cord P, which connects with the upper part of the hinged
frame B, and helps to pull the same off the belt D as soon as an impetus is given
the frame B in the direction in which the said weight can become effective.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the saine, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is,-
1st. A twisted fabric constructed of an inner core a of an envelope of costly
yarn wound loosely around said core to form projecting loops b, and of the
binding thread c wound around the core and partly around said enveloping yarn,
but in opposite direction to the latter, substantially as specified.
2nd. A woven fabric constructed of a covering of twisted fabric a, b, c, and of
two sets of warp threads d, e, and ordinary shuttle threads f, all arranged so that
the said twisted fabric will be bound to the remainder of the fabric by the warp
threads d, substantially as described.
3rd. A woven fabric having its surface composed of twisted fabric a, b, c,
substantially as described, which twisted fabric is interwoven with the woven
fabric and adapted when brushed to produce imitation fur, substantially as herein
shown and described.
4th. In a machine for winding yarn or threads around a central core, the
combination of the frame B carrying the winding mechanism with its driving
shaft C having driving pulley ex, and with the hinge d* and supporting frame A,
all arranged so that the machine can be swung into gear onto a belt D and out of
gear off said belt, substantially as specified.
5th. The hinged frame B having driving shaft C, and adapted to hold the
pulley ex of said shaft on the driving belt D in combination with the counter-
weight P, substantially as specified.
6th. The combination of the core thread supplying spool or spools placed on
spindle or spindles E with the tube , enveloping thread supplying spool or
spools G, binding thread-supplying spool or spools J, and with mechanism for
revolving said spools G and J around the core, substantially as described.
7th. The combination of the core supplying device E with the tube h, core
spreading pin H, and with the spool or spools J, and mechanism for revolving said
spools around the core, substantially as described.
8th. The tube h having the notched or perforated disc n in combination
with the spool or spools on spindles E and spools G and J, and with mechanism
for revolving said spools Ġ and J, substantially such as herein shown and
described.
9th. In a machine for making spirally wound fabric, the combination of a spool
or spools for supplying the core threads with a spool or spools revolving around
the core threads and around their own axes for supplying the enveloping thread or
yarn, and with further spool or spools revolving in opposite direction to the
enveloping spools for supplying the binding thread, all arranged for operation
substantially as described.

page_text: 10th. The combination of the tubes h, i, that are in line but not in contact with
each other with the intervening loop I, inner wire H, and with the spools G and J;
and with mechanism substantially such as described for revolving said spools,
substantially as specified.
11th. The receiving spool N combined with the swivel rod O having eye or loop t,
substantially as described.
12th. In combination with revolving spools G and J, the mechanism, such as
described, for moving them around the inner core threads a, and mechanism for
feeding said core threads forward, substantially as described.
13th. The revolving spool or spools J and the revolving spool or spools G, and
mechanism for revolving the same, substantially as described, combined with the
tension device n* applied to the spool or spools J to ensure the tight binding of
the thread that is discharged from said spool or spools J, substantially as set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of March, A.D. 1882. .