IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR FINISHING OF TEXTILE BARRICS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Stevenson Buchanan, of Glasgow, in
the County of Lanark, North Britain, Finisher, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR FINISHING OF TEXTILE
BARRICS"
Sealed the 9th November 1853, and dated the 10th May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Stevenson
Buchanan at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 10th May 1858.
I, GEORGE STEVENSON BUCHANAN, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Finisher, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR FINISHING OF
TEXTILE FABRICS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the production of what is technically known
as the "elastic finish" on woven goods. The piece to be finished is
fastened by each selvage to a row of stenter pins, carried on a pair of
parallel endless chains, driven by drums in the usual way.

page_text: The fabric so stretched upon these pins is traversed forward into the
drying apartment, the chains being guided in channel rails, capable of
adjustment as to width. After entering the stove or drying apartment
theso rails are no longer continuous, but are in lengths, and articulated
in any convenient way, as, for example, by means of end segmental
toothed racks. Each rail is set on a central pin, carried by the sta-
tionary framing, so as to be capable of horizontal oscillation laterally
as regards the machine's length. As the fabric passes along over these
rails or vibrating guides, it is angled or broken by the vibratory tra-
verse of each rail, the requisite motion being given for this purpose by a
crank, or other convenient action, to the first rail in the length, when it
drives all the rest by means of the intermediate gearing. The oscillation
of each rail is, of course, in a direction the reverse to that of its neighbour,
all the rails being in one straight line at the centre of their movement,
whilst the line assumes a zig-zag form as the lateral oscillation pro-
ceeds. This movement is quite distinct from the direct forward move-
ment of the piece, so that the angling effect may be varied without
reference to the forward action. To compensate for the fabric taken
up by the zig-zag effect it is intended to set the action so that one half
of each chain shall be at its full angle, whilst the remaining half is
straight. In this machine the angling chains have one uniform rute
of progression forward when the fabric is being put on them, so that
it is much casier to be "put on " evenly, particularly in the case of
checked or striped goods, which are liable to distortion from uneven
setting. The angling motion is quite independant of the progressive
motion. The weft of the piece is kept in one uniform state of tension
during the finishing action, and every part of the cloth is constantly
being angled whilst subjected to the drying operation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Stevenson Buchanan in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 10th November 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1,
GEORGE STEVENSON BUCHANAN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Finisher, send greeting.
at
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said George Stevenson Buchanan, Her special
licence that I, the said George Stevenson Buchanan, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Stevenson Buchanan, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should
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 TREATMENT OR FINISHING OF
TEXTILE FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Stevenson Buchanan, 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 George Stevenson Buchanan, 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 accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
My said Invention relates to the production of what is technically

page_text: known as the "elastic finish on woven goods. The 'picce to be
finished is fastened by each selvage to a row of stenter pins, carried on
a pair of parallel endless chains, driven by drums in the usual way.
The fabric so stretched upon these pins is traversed forward into the
drying apartment, the chains being guided in channel rails, capable of
adjustment as to width. After entering the stove or drying apartment
these rails are no longer continuous, but are in lengths, and articulated
in any convenient way, as, for example, by means of end segmental
toothed racks. Each rail is set on a central pin, carried by the sta-
tionary framing, so as to be capable of horizontal oscillation laterally
as regards the machine's length. As the fabric passes along over these
rails or vibrating guides it is angled or broken by the vibratory tra
verse of each rail, the requisite motion being given for this purpose by
a crank, or other convenient action, to the first rail in the length,
when it drives all the rest by means of the intermediate gearing. The
oscillation of each rail is, of course, in a direction the reverse to that of
its neighbour, all the rails being in one straight line at the centre of
their movement, whilst the line assumes a zig-zag form as the lateral
oscillation proceeds. This movement is quite distinct from the direct
forward movement of the piece, so that the angling effect may be
varied without reference to the forward action. To compensate for the
fabric taken up by the zig-zag effect it is intended to set the action so
that one half of cach chain shall be at its full angle, whilst the remain-
ing half is straight. In this machine the angling chains have one
uniform rate of progression forward when the fabric is being "put on
then, so that it is much easier to be "put on "evenly, particularly in
case of checked or striped goods, which are liable to distortion from
uneven setting. The weft of the picce is kept in one uniform state of
tension during the finishing action, and every part of the cloth is con-
stantly being angled whilst subjected to the drying operation. And in
order that my said Invention may be properly understood I shall now
proceed to describe the several Figures upon the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto attached. Figure 1, on the Sheet of Drawings is a longitudinal
elevation of a finishing machine constructed according to my said

page_text: Invention. Figure 2, is a corresponding plan of the machine, the
central or intermediate portion of which is broken away, to avoid the
entire delineation of the machine, Figure 8, is an end elevation of
the machine, looking on the end at which the driving gear is placed.
Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, are detailed views on an enlarged scale of
portions of the endless chains and oscillating channel rails. Figure 4,
is an enlarged plan of one of the angling or breaking rails, as fitted
with its end segmental teeth, and a portion of the stenter chain.
Figure 5, is a vertical longitudinal section of the rail, with its stenter
belt, in clevation. Figure 6, is a transverse section of the rail corre-
sponding and Figure 7, is a half size side view of one of the chain or
belt links. The moving details of the machine are carried by two
distinct end frames, and an intermediate or body frame. The frame at
that end of the machine at which the driving power is applied, and
which is represented in my Sheet of Drawings as the left-hand end,
consists of the two inverted Y-shaped side standards A, bolted down
by foot flanges to the flooring, and the transverse casting B, which is
firmly bolted to the side standards, whilst the whole is additionally
stiffened by the transverse tie-bar C, upon which the non-vibrating.
ends of the channel rails rest. The frame at the opposite end of the
machine is precisely similar to the first, except that it is not bolted to
the flooring. Instead of this, the side standards A', have slides cast
upon them in place of foot flanges, so as to work in horizontal longi-
tudinal grooves D, formed in castings E, bolted to the flooring. This
arrangement permits the entire end frame to have slight movement
in the direction of the length of the machine, for the purposes of acco-
modating itself to the expansion and contraction of the endless chains,
and also to take up the slack when necessary. The requisite tension,
however, upon the end frame is maintained by a weight F, fixed on
the end of a lever, which is fast upon a rocking shaft G, carried in
suitable bearings bolted to projections formed on the sole plates. The
shaft G. carries at each end a short lever H, connected by a link to a
stud I, in the side of each standard A'; by means of these connections
the weight F, exerts a constant pressure upon the end frame, tending

page_text: to draw it outwards, or in the direction of the machine's length. The
machine receives its motion from the first motion shaft supported in
suitable bearings. This shaft carries a bevil pinion K, which gears with
a bevil wheel L, keyed upon the end of the transverse horizontal
shaft M, carried in bearings cast on the lower flanges of the side
standards A. The horizontal shaft M, has keyed upon it two bevil
pinions N, gearing with bevil pinions O, on the lower ends of two
vertical shafts P, Q. Onc, P, of these shafts is supported in upper and
lower bearings R, bolted to the transverse frame casting B; the
other Q, is supported in upper and lower bearings S, secured to the
casting B, by elongated bolt holes, so as to admit the shaft Q, to be
adjusted laterally, according to the width of the fabric under treatment.
On the upper ends of the vertical shafts P, Q, are keyed pulleys T,
formed with broad horizontal flanges, and serving to support and carry
round the two endless chains U. These chains are formed of a number
of cast-iron or other links, one of which is represented in Figure 7, on
a scale of half the actual size. This link consists of au oblong plate u,
one end of which is rounded off, as is shewn in Figures 2, and 4; and
on the under side of the plate a, are the projections b, c, by means of
which the links are jointed together. The rounded end of the plate ",
is formed into an eye to receive a pin d, which passes through an
eye in the projection c, of the adjacent link, through an eye in the
projection, thus forming a vertical hinge joint.
The spaces e,
between the hinges serve for the introduction of the teeth f. on the
peripheries of the pulleys T. by means of which the chains are drawn
along. Each link has riveted or screwed to it a strip of thin plate
copper or other metal g, fitted with a row of sharp points or stenter
pins, by means of which the fabric is held by its selvages whilst passing
through the machine, the line of teeth being in the line of the centres of
the chain joints. The endless chains are passed round a pair of s
pulleys T, at the right-hand end of the machine, similar to the
pulleys T, at the driving end, and keyed upon the vertical shafts P¹, Q'
carried in bearings R', S', the frame being bolted to the transverse
frame casting B, whilst the latter are capable of adjustment to suit

page_text: the width of the goods, as described in in reference to their counter parts
R, S, at the other end of the machine. The pulleys T", serve simply
to guide the endless chain, and are therefore without teeth, like thosef,
on the driving pulleys T. The intermediate or body frame of the
machine consists of a number of transverse standards V, bolted to the
flooring by foot flanges; one such frame being required for every jointed
rail. Only four of these standards are represented in the Drawings in
order to bring it within reasonable limits, but any number may be
employed to suit the required length of the framing. The whole series
are tied together on the outer or shifting side by a long bar W, bolted
to flanges cast upon cach standard, and on the other side by the
return rails, which are bolted to projections cast on each frame. The
endless chains slide along and are guided by channel rails, to each sec-
tional length of which an oscillating movement is given. The chain
coming round the pulley T', enters a fixed portion X, X, of the channel
rail, resting by its near end upon the tie-bar C', aud bolted by a flange Y,
at the other end to the first body standard V; and at this point, where the
chain has an uniform traverse, the cloth, after being starched or pre-
pared, is fastened on the stenter pins by a person on each side of the
machine. The next length Z, Z, of the channel guide is moveable
horizontally; its right-hand end having on the under side a short
spindle h, entered into eyes i, bolted to the standard. The next length
of the channel rail is of twice the length of Z, Z, and it is sup-
ported by a spindle K, in the middle of its length, which is entered into
eyes 1, bolted to the second body standard of the series. This portion of
the rail is represented on a larger scale in Figures 4, 5, and 6; Figure 4,
being a plan, Figure 5, a vertical longitudinal section, and Figure 6, a
vertical transverse section. This rail formed with a toothed segment
m, at either extremity, which gears with a similar toothed segment ",
on the end of the half length of rail Z, Z, on the one side, and on the
other with a toothed segment on the next length of rail, which is pre-
cisely similar to itself. The entire middle or body part of the machine
is made up of similar lengths of rail, cach supported by a central spindle
in eyes in a standard V. of the framing, except at the longitudinal

page_text: centre of the machine, where the central rails are in half lengths, each
half being carried on a separate spindle, so that the break of one half
of the machine may be independent of the other. A horizontal oscil-
lating movement is given to these lengths of rail in the following
manner-Upon the horizontal second motion shaft M, is keyed an
eccentric o, the rod, of which is jointed by an adjustable pin to the
lever end of a vertical lever g, carried upon a stud centre », stand-
ing out from the body standard V, nearest that end of the machine.
The upper end s, of the lever 7, is connected by a rod t, to short
levers, on every alternate rail spindle ³, so that at cach revo-
lution of the shaft M, the moveable lengths of rail are made to
perform a complete horizontal oscillation. By means of an inter-
mediate shaft and change wheels this motion may be varied to
suit particular goods being finished. The levers u, are only fitted to
the rail spindles on one side of the machine, but the rails on each side
are made to maintain their parallelism, and to oscillate in concert by
means of the links v, jointed to each pair of rail lengths. These links
are in two pieces, fixed together with a slot and thumbscrew w, to
allow of adjustment to suit the width of the fabric. The eyes in which
the spindles of the lengths of rail are carried are, likewise, on one side
of the machine, bolted by elongated holes to the body standards V, to
admit of similar adjustment to suit the width of the fabric. The
eccentric o, only acts upon the rail lengths, extending one half the
entire length of the machine. The other half of the rail-lengths are
made to oscillate by means of a second eccentric o', keyed on the
horizontal second motion shaft, thic rod p', of which is connected to the
lower end of the vertical lever q', centred upon the stud ", standing out
from the body frame standard. The upper ends, of the lever g', is
jointed to the rod t, passing to the further half of the machine, and
jointed to the lever u, formed upon each alternate spindle k, of the
oscillating rail lengths at that end of the machine. The two eccen-
trics o, and o¹, are so set with regard to each other on the shaft M, that
when one half of the rails are in their most oblique position the
remainder are straight. This arrangement avoids the great variation

page_text: which would take place in the tension of the chain were the lengths all
angled at one moment, and all straight the next. The endless chains
U, after traversing the whole of the oscillating rails, pass round the
pulleys T, at the driving end of the machine, and thence return along
the channel rails a, fixed upon the upper outer corners of the body
frame standards V. These rails a, are made to take a slight bend
inwards, along the narrow part of the machine, in order to save space.
The fabric to be treated is entered at the right-hand end of the
machine, being fed in and laid upon the stenter pins by hand or by
suitable mechanism, and the revolution of the pulleys T, draws the
endless chains U, in the direction of the arrows; the fabric travelling
along with them being subjected, during its traverse in the drying
chamber, to the right and left hand angling, breaking, finishing action
produced by the oscillation of the guide rails. Instead of feeding the
goods at this end of the machine, they may be supplied at the opposite
end, so that as the driving power is at that end, the slack of the chains
is constantly fed into the acting part of the machine, as a partial com-
pensation for the angling effect when the machine is working differen-
tially, or with oue part angling and the other part straight or more or
less angled. On reaching the driving or left-hand end of the machine
the fabric passes off round guide rollers, which lift it off the stenter pins,
or by other suitable means. I would also remark, that the arrangement
of the traversing end frame affords the means of stopping the machine
in case of serious drag or hold upon the chains in working. This is
done by connecting the traversing frame with the engaging apparatus
of the driving genring, so that the traverse of the frame may disconnect
the power from the machine. The piece of cloth y, at the left-hand
end of the machine is placed there to indicate the general angling
action of the finishing movement. This fragment of the fabric being
finished shows that as both lines of chains or angling belts are simul-
taneously angled in a continuous series of horizontal movements
dependent upon the amount of vibration given to the individual angling
rails, the warp of the piece stretched between the two lines of stenter
pins is angled in a precisely similar manner.
In this way the longi-

page_text: tudinal warp threads are continuously angled throughout the traverse of
the fabric, whilst the transverse weft threads, being unacted on laterally,
arc retained constantly at right angles to the longitudinal centre line of
the machine, or to the true longitudinal centre line of the piece. By
this arrangement the warp threads are caused to move or work freely
over the weft threads to produce the "clastic finish" by breaking up
the individual connections of the crossings of the threads.
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 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 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 therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent, is,—
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery,
apparatus, or means for finishing textile fabeies, as herein-before de-
scribed.
Second, the system or mode of finishing textile fabrics by means of
vibrating angling guide rails articulated together, or working in concert,
as herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of finishing textile fabrics by means of
articulated guides, giving a continuous angular breaking traverse to the
carrying chains or belts of the fabric.
Fourth, the system or mode of finishing textile fabrics by traversing
the carrying chains or belts of such fabrics through or over independent
vibrating guides.
Fifth, the system or mode of finishing textile fabrics, wherein the
transverse angling motion is independent of the forward carrying 3
movement.
Sixth, the system or mode of finishing textile fabrics by means of a
differential angling vibrating action; that is, with one portion of the
angling guides straight, whilst the other is angled.

page_text: Seventh, the system or mode of constructing finishing machines with
livided guides at the longitudinal centre, to allow of the differential
ngling action of the belts.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Stevenson Buchanan, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three
GEORGE STEVENSON BUCHANAN. (L.S.)