IMPROVEMENTS IN MANUFACTURING HOSIERY GOODS."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William John Dann, of the Town & County of the Town
of Nottingham, Hosiery Manufacturer, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN
MANUFACTURING HOSIERY GOODS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William John Dann at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th January 1876.
WILLIAM JOHN DANN, of the Town & County of the Town of Nottingham,
Hosiery Manufacturer. " IMPROVEMENTS IN MANUFACTURING HOSIERY GOODS.'
Firstly. Heretofore in making up shirts and vests the fabric has been turned up
inside and stitched down to form a fold or hem. Instead of so doing I propose to
form a welt at that part while the fabric is being made on the circular machine;
to effect which I stop the machine, and lift off the usual presser or pressers
employed to each thread feeding guide, and substitute therefore a cut presser wheel
or wheels, and make a number of courses to form a ribbed or tucked welt, then
replacing the usual presser or pressers, again make the requisite length of fabric, and
repeat the changing. Welts so formed will lie flat, and not curl up, and to make
the web secure at such welts it is placed upon a machine and turned off by hand or
power.
Secondly. When making drawers or pantaloons upon a circular machine I employ
a tuck presser or pressers as a means of obtaining a greater width round the hips
and part of the thigh, the remaining part of the thigh and leg being plain work,
except the portion at the knee or ankle, which usually is formed by what is called
a ribbed.top. Such part I form with a welt, employing the same means as before
described.
Thirdly. When making hose or half-hose I employ a tuck presser in forming the
top, thereby dispensing with the double part in the welt or the ribbed top usually
employed. In each case the web is made secure by turning off, as before stated, or
else by means of an extra feeding wheel placed near the clearing wheel to supply an
extra thread to secure the loops.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the condition of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said William John Dann in the Great Seal Patent Office, on the 7th
July 1876.
WILLIAM JOHN DANN, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham,
Hosiery Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MANUFACTURING HOSIERY GOODS."
Heretofore in making up shirts and vests the fabric has been turned up inside
and stitched down to form a fold or hem. Instead of so doing I propose to form a
welt at that part while the fabric, is being made on the circular machine; to effect
which I stop the machine and lift off the usual presser or pressers employed to cach
thread feeding guide, and substitute therefor a cut presser wheel or wheels, and
make a number of coarses to form a ribbed or tucked welt; then replacing the
usual presser or pressers again make the requisite length of fabric, and repeat the
changing. Welts so formed will lie flat, and not curl up, and to make the web
secure at such welts it is placed upon a machine, and turned off by hand or
power.
When making drawers or pantaloons upon a circular machine I employ a tuck
presser or pressers as a means of obtaining a greater width round the hips and part
of the thigh, the remaining part of the thigh and leg being plain work, except the
portion of the knee or ankle, which usually is formed by what is called a rib top.
Such part I form with a welt, employing the same means as before described.
When making hose or half-hose I employ a tuck presser in forming the top;
thereby dispensing with the double part in the welt or the ribbed top usually
employed. In each case the web is made secure by turning off, as before stated, or
else by means of an extra feeding wheel placed near the clearing wheel to supply
an extra thread to secure the loops.
In making up shirts of any quality or gauge, either in cotton, merino, worsted,
cashmere, spun silk, or silk, or any other yarn, I make the bodies on a circular
machine without a seam or with a mock seam, or a blind seam so called, by leaving
a needle out of the circle; and to form a welt I put on one cut presser wheel in
addition to the usual wheels, or one cut presser wheel to each feeder.
I do not confine myself to any particular cut of presser, as I may employ either
a one and one, two and two, or a one and two, two and three, or other combination,
as may be required. On a frame where three feeders are used a fancy tuck is
produced by any of the above pressers by using two plain and one cut, or one plain
and two cut. In any and all cases I rely upon producing a welt that is free from
the objectionable present system of turning over the web and forming a hem, and
to secure the web from roving I employ a mitre wheel to run in an independent
thread through the loops of the plain work, which makes it fast; or, instead of
using a mitre wheel I run the shirt body upon either a hand or power driven
turning off machine, turn it off, and thus produce a better finish.
When making drawers or pantaloons on the circular machine I employ a cut
presser either at starting at the waist, or make a piece of plain work, and then use
a cut presser, which will give more width to the web and a greater size round the
hips, the remainder of the thigh and leg being plain work, except at the knee in
drawers and at the ankle in pantaloons, when I again employ the cut presser, and
fasten off the web, as before stated.
When making stockings I employ a cut presser for forming a welt, and finish as
before stated for shirts, and also using a cut presser down to the widest portion of
the calf, or a little lower if required. I thus get a greater width in the leg, and the
remaining part of the leg and ankle being plain work the stocking will fit as close
and well as a regular wrought hose.
When making half-hose or three-quarter hose, or children's socks, I employ a cut
presser to form a rib in the place of the so-called Derby ribbed top, thereby saving

page_text: expense. In each case the web is made secure by the mitre wheel or by turning off,
as before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William John Dann, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Nottingham.
WILLIAM JOHN DANN. (L.S.)