IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William McIlwraith, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Weaving Foreman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING."
Sealed the 18th March 1860, and dated the 20th September 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William M.Ilwraith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th September 1859.
I, WILLIAM MILWRAITH, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Weaving Foreman; do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to a novel system of or arrangements for weaving
various classes of fabrics, but especially woven, roved, or split harness, figured
muslins, by the agency of the "jacquard" or "simple" apparatus. In either
case the improvements are carried out in practice by adopting a peculiar mode
of tyeing or attaching the cords of the jacquard apparatus, or the lashes of the
simple to the harnesses, each harness representing one split of warp, one or
both threads of which split may be in the "mail."
In commencing to form the improved attachments No. 1, on the first
jacquard or simple cord, is tied to No: 1,.or the first harness cord. Then No. 2,

page_text: or the second jacquard or simple cord, is tied to or has attached to it No. 2
and 8 of the harness cords. No. 8, or the third jacquard or simple cord, is
then attached to No. 4, or the fourth harness cord. No. 4, or the fourth
jacquard or simple cord, is then tied to Nos. 5 and 6 of the harness cords.
This sequence of connection is carried out along the whole length of the tie, or
across the whole width of the fabric being woven. In this way the range or
weaving power of the jacquard or simple is increased by one-half as compared
with the ordinary arrangement, the expense of manufacture is reduced, and the
outline of the woven figure or design is accurately preserved, the ordinary
rough or irregular edges being entirely removed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William McIlwraith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th March 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MILWRAITH, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Weaving
Foreman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Mollwraith, Her special license that I, the said William
MoIlwraith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William M.Ilwraith, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William McIlwraith, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
'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 William M.Ilwraith, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to a novel system of or arrangements for weaving.
various classes of fabrics, but especially woven, roved, or split harness figured
muslins, by the agency of the "jacquard" or "simple" apparatus. In either.
case the improvements are carried out in practice by adopting a peculiar mode
of tyeing or attaching the cords of the jacquard apparatus or the lashes of the
simple to the harnesses, each harness representing one split of warp, one or
both threads of which split may be in the mail.
In commencing to form the improved attachments, No. 1, or the first
jacquard or simple cord, is tied to No. 1, or the first harness cord. Then,
No. 2, or the second jacquard or simple cord, is tied to or has attached to it
No. 2 and 3 of the harness cords. No. 3, or the third jacquard or simple cord,
is then attached to No. 4, or the fourth harness cord. No. 4, or the fourth
jacquard or simple cord, is then tied to Nós. 5 and 6 of the harness cords.
This sequence of connection is carried out along the whole length of the tie, or
across the whole width of the fabrio being woven. In this way the range or
weaving power of the jacquard or simple is increased one-half as compared
with the ordinary arrangement, the expense of manufacture is reduced, and
the outline of the woven figure or design is accurately preserved, the ordinary
rough or irregular edges being entirely removed.
And in order that my said Invention of improvements in weaving may be
properly understood, I shall now proceed to describe the nature of the said
improvements, with the aid of the accompanying Diagram or Figure for the
purpose of showing certain modifications under which my Invention may be,
judiciously carried out in practice, that is to say: -
The accompanying illustrative Figure represents an elevation of one
arrangement of the jacquard apparatus and harness for weaving figured
muslins or other similar fabrics according to my present improvement..
In this modification the wires A of the jacquard apparatus or lashes of the simple,
after passing through the perforated board B, are tied or otherwise connected
to the harness C. In the accompanying Diagram only eight of the cords A,
as being sufficient to show the sequential order of tying the harness thereto
throughout the whole series, and to make the arrangement clearer the cords A
as well as those which compose the harness C, are numbered consecutively.
The cords C are carried down through the perforations in the board D, and each
cord is furnished with a metallic eye or "mail" E, the extremity terminating.
in. weight to keep the cord properly extended. The harness is connected to
the jacquard needles or the cords of the "simple" in the following or

page_text: sequence: Number One needle or cord has tied to it the cords Numbers One
and Two of the harness C; Number Two needle or cord A is tied to Number
Three cord only of the harness; whilst Number Three needle or cord is attached
to Numbers Four and Five of the harness; Number Four needle or cord is
connected to the single cord Number Six of the harness; and the next needle
or cord Number Five has attached to it the cords Numbers Seven and Eight
of the harness; Number Six needle or cord has the single cord Nine tied to it,
Number Seven having the harness cords Ten and Eleven attached to it; the
series, as far as shown, being completed by the needle or cord, Number Eight
being connected to the harness cord Number Twelve. In this way the whole
of the harness is attached to the wires of the jacquard apparatus or to the cords
of the simple, each alternate wire or cord being attached to two cords of the
harness. Each cord of the harness represents one "split" of the warp, one or
both threads of which "split "ay be carried through the mails E of the
harness. Thus, by this system of tying or connecting the harness to the
figuring apparatus, an ornamental design or figure, which would require, by
the ordinary mode of tying, nine hundred cords, is accomplished by my
improved system with six hundred cords. In this way I effect a considerable
reduction in the cost of labour, and expense in fitting up the apparatus, whilst
the quality of the fabric produced is equal in all respects to that manufactured
under the ordinary mode.
Another and very important advantage attending this improved system is,
that the fineness of the outline of the figure is completely preserved, and the
coarseness so much objected to in what is. termed the two-mail system is
entirely obviated.
Another modification of my present improvements enables the weaver to
dispense with one-third of the harness ordinarily required for what is termed
"split" or two-thread harness. In this arrangement each alternate harness is
caused to operate upon two "splits" of warp; this is done by carrying double
the number of threads of warp through each alternate mail E of the harness.
By these means the weaver is enabled to effect a reduction of one-third of the
quantity of harness usually required, and without any sacrifice of appearance
in the fabric produced. In this manner figured or ornamental fabrics, but
more particularly those known as "roved" or "split " harness figured muslins
may, when woven by the more simple means herein-before described, be pro-
duced at a considerable reduction in the absolute preliminary cost as well as
the labour involved therein.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried

page_text: into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the system or mode of weaving figured or ornamental fabrics by means
of the figuring apparatus, arranged as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of arranging or connecting the harness for
weaving figured muslins and other generally similar fabrics to the wires of the
jacquard apparatus or the cords of the simple, so as to dispense with a large
proportion of the harness, without deterioration to the fabric produced, as
herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of arranging and reducing the quantity of
harness ordinarily required for weaving figured muslins and other similar
fabrics, by causing each alternate harness to operate upon two splits of warp,
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William McIlwraith, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of March, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty.