IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CARPETS AND OTHER
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Robertson Menzies, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Warehouseman, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CARPETS AND OTHER
"
Sealed the 26th February 1853, and dated the 1st October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Robertson
Menzies at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 1st October 1852.
I, ROBERT ROBERTSON MENZIES, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Warehouseman, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
CARPETS AND OTHER FABRICS" to be as follows, that is to say:
This Invention relates, in the first place, to the manufacture of
Kidderminster, or what are known in the trade as /, carpets, and
consists in the manufacture of a completely solid fabric to be used
instead of the ordinary Kidderminster, which is two ply or double,
opening like a purse. Such fabrics are woven according to the improved
plan by causing one half of the binding warp threads, or every alternate

page_text: thread in the line of binding warp, to be lifted both on the ground and
colour sides of the jacquard instead of on one side only, as is practised
in weaving the ordinary Kidderminster carpet. The other half of the
binding warp threads are worked by a pair of lifters, each being
alternately elevated during the weaving both of a ground and colour
weft. None of the binding warp threads are intended to shew, at least
to any extent, on the pattern surface, the figure or pattern being
entirely produced by the weft., The effect of this harness action is,
that when the jacquard raises any portion of the stuffing warp threads
the weft is shewn on the under or wrong side of the piece, and when
no stuffing warp is raised the weft appears on the right or top side.
And this occurs both with the ground and colour wefts.
The accompanying diagram, representing a vertical transverse section
through a jacquard apparatus and loom harness, exhibits the plan of the
heddles and the system of interweaving as adapted to an ordinary
Kidderminster loom. The jacquard A, is constructed in the usual
manner, and from the two eyes B, B, of each needle two tail cords C, C,
pass downwards and converge at D, where they are attached together.
From this point a single cord passes through the guide E, and has an
eye F, beneath, through which the linen body warp G, passes. H, H,
are the upper and lower sides of the shed of the binding warp worked
by the heddles of the lifters J, J. In this position of the shed a shot
of weft is thrown in, and then, before turning the pattern barrel K, the
comb L, is raised to carry up with it such of its line of the cords C, as
are within its reach from their needles, having entered pattern holes.
This movement lifts all those linen threads which have been left behind
after the previous lift of the comb M, which now descends, and a
second shot of weft is thrown in. The shed H, H, is then reversed
and the same action is repeated.
Another branch of the Invention relates to the manufacture of solid
Kidderminster carpets by first throwing in a ground and a colour weft
shot between the warp threads in the ordinary way. Then two of the
lifters, having respectively a ground and a colour thread, are raised
without the working of the jacquard, and a small thread is passed

page_text: through the shed to bind the two sides 'or plys together. Or it may
be accomplished by passing the small thread through the shed after
three ground and three colour weft threads are woven, or even after
every five, to suit the nature of the pattern.
Although this Invention has been herein-before. illustrated and de-
scribed in reference to the manufacture of carpeting, it is to be under-
stood that it is also applicable in the production of other classes of
goods in which a thickening is required as well as to figured goods,
and where the figure is produced by the weft. The warps may be of
any suitable material, but for the stuffing chain the cheapest material,
as linen or cotton, is to be preferred.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the. Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Robertson Menzies, in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 1st April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ROBERT ROBERTSON MENZIES, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Warehouseman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did; for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Robert Robertson Menzies, Her
special license that I, the said Robert Robertson Menzies, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert
Robertson Menzies, my executors, administrators, 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 CARPETS AND
OTHER FABRICS," upon the conditions (amongst others) that I, the said
Robert Robertson Menzies, by an instrument in writing under my

page_text: hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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.
1
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Robertson Menzies, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto attached, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
My said Invention relates in the first place to the manufacture of
what are technically known in the trade as "Kidderminster," or
"
"carpets, and consists in the weaving or production of a com-
pletely solid fabric for use, in place of the ordinary Kidderminster fabric,
which is two ply in substance, being double and capable of opening
like a purse. Such fabrics are woven according to my improved plan
by so arranging and working the weaving apparatus that the "stuffing
warp threads are governed and actuated by the jacquard mechanism.
The rest or the "binding" warp threads are worked by a pair of lifters
or heddles, each set or series of these threads being alternately elevated
or shed during the weaving both of a ground and face or color weft.
None of the binding warp threads are intended to show, at least to any
appreciable extent, on the pattern surface, the figure or pattern being
entirely produced by the interweaving of the weft. The effect of this
harness action is, that when the jacquard mechanism raises or sheds any
portion of the stuffing warp threads the weft is shewn on the under or
wrong side of the fabric. On the other hand, when no stuffing warp is
raised the weft appears on the right or top side of the picce, and this
occurs both with the ground and color wefts.
The Figure on my sheet of Drawings hereunto attached represents
a transverse vertical section of a portion of a jacquard apparatus and
loom harness, in illustration of my improved arrangement of the heddles
and the system of interweaving as adapted to an ordinary Kidderminster
loom. The jacquard apparatus situated at A, is constructed in the usual

page_text: manner, and from the two eyes B, B, of each horizontal pattern needle
two tail cords C, C, pass' downwards to a converging point D, where
they are connected together. From this point a single cord passes.
through the guide E, and has an eye F, formed upon it beneath, and
through this eye is passed the linen body warp G. The lines of the
upper and lower sides of the shed of the binding warp are indicated by
the threads H, H; these are worked by the heddles of the lifters J, J.
In this position of the shed a shot of weft is thrown in by the weaver,
and then, before turning the pattern barrel K, of the jacquard apparatus,
the lifting comb L, is raised to carry up, with it such of its line of one.
half of the cords C, as have been brought within its reach by the entry
of their corresponding needles into their pattern holes in the jacquard
barrel K. This movement lifts all those linen threads which have been
left behind after the previous lift of the opposite comb M, and this
latter comly now descends, and a second shot of weft is thrown in. The
shed H, H, is now reversed, and the same action is repeated. By this.
arrangement and action a solid carpet fabric of the kind which I have
herein-before generally described is produced.
Another branch of my Invention relates to the manufacture of solid
Kidderminster carpets by first throwing in a ground and a color weft
shot between the warp threads in the ordinary manner. Then two of
the lifters, respectively holding or carrying a ground and a color warp
thread, are alternately raised without any movement of the jacquard ap-
paratus, and a small weft thread is thrown in or passed through the shed
to bind the two sides or plies of the picce together. This completes
the interweaving action. The same effect may be attained by passing
the small weft thread through the shed after three ground and three
color weft threads have been woven in, or even after every five such
threads have been woven, to suit the nature of the pattern. It is also to
be understood that the warps may be of any suitable material, but for the
stuffing chain the cheapest material, as linen or cotton, is to be preferred.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or
restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had

page_text: occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made
therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of
my Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and there-
fore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent, is,
First, the general arrangement of the machinery, apparatus, or
means for the manufacture or production of solid carpet fabrics, as
herein-before described.
Second, the manufacture of solid fabrics of the Kidderminster carpet
class, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Robertson Menzies, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of March,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.