A NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS POR STAINING OR DYEING VELVETS AND ALL OTHER WOVEN FABRICS, AND FOR PRODUCING DESIGNS AND FIGURES THEREON
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Carter Ramsden, of Smith House; Light-
cliffe, in the Parish of Halifax, in the County of York, Manufac-
turer, and James Marsland Tankard, of Bowling Hall, Bradford, in
the County aforesaid, Worsted Spinner, for the Invention of "A
NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS POR STAINING OR DYEING
VELVETS AND ALL OTHER WOVEN FABRICS, AND FOR PRODUCING DESIGNS AND
FIGURES THEREON."
Sealed the 27th May 1873, and dated the 30th November 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Carter Ramsden
and James Marsland Tankard at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 30th November 1872.
We, JOHN CARTER RAMSDEN, of Smith House, Lightcliffe, in the
Parish of Halifax, in the County of York, Manufacturer, and JAMES
MARSLAND TANKARD, of Bowling Hall, Bradford, in the County afore-
said, Worsted Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "A NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR STAINING OR
DYEING VELVETS AND ALL OTHER WOVEN FABRICS, AND FOR PRODUCING DESIGNS
AND FIGURES THEREON," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, first. to a new method and process of and

page_text: This class of goods or fabrics can by means of this process be either
stained or dyed either the whole piece one color or shade, of designs and
figures may be produced thereon.
The principle of this Invention is to stain or dye pile fabrics or other
similar goods by utilizing and applying for the purpose the different
gases and vapours which arise from the slow combustion, decomposition,
or distillation of the organic products of ligneous origin, or any other
combustible, either of animal or vegetable origin, from which the
different hydrocarbon gases and volatile productions can be evolved
during the process of slow combustion or distillation. Taking the com-
bustion of coal as a type, and which we prefer to use, it will be found
that when coals are thrown in thick layers upon the grate the previous
existing temperature for a time is greatly depressed, being absorbed in
part by the cold fuel and by the dispersion of its hygroscopic matter.
The portion of the air which traverses the fire is deoxidized by the
ignited fuel on the bars, and no oxygen for a considerable period can
come into contact with the mass which is laying upon that which is
burning, and the heated gases and vapours permeating from below cause
a distillatory change by which the whole of the available hydrogen,
together with a large per-centage of the carbon is expelled as hydrocarbon
gases and volatile vapours.
In the decomposition and distillation of coal a variety of gases and
oily volatile products are liberated, these gases and vapours are caused
to permeate amongst the pile threads and cause a complete change of
color without in any way injuring the pile, and most elaborate patterns
or designs can be produced thereon.
The mode of operation is somewhat as follows :—' -The gases and
vapours described we cause to pass into a receiver, when within which
condensation takes place and a colored deposit will be found upon the
fabric placed therein. The receiver can be charged and condensation
take place as often as may be found necessary or suitable for the fabrics
under process. One operation will be found to have produced a stain or
distinct change of color, a second operation will in like manner make
the fabric a shade darker, and so on. It will be readily seen that if
stencil plates or some similar contrivance are placed upon the fabric in
the receiver, the deposit upon condensation taking place will only effect
the fabric where the pattern is cut out of the plate, or patterns can be

page_text: placed upon the fabric, in which case the whole of the fabric will be
colored except where the patterns are; that portion of the fabric under
the patterns will retain the original color of the fabric. It will be
obvious that these receivers or condensers can be made of an infinite
variety of shapes. In some cases the receivers can be hollow cylinders
sufficiently long to enable a whole piece to be wound on at once; the
surface of the cylinder can be cut out to the pattern required, and the
piece of fabric can be wound on face downwards, the gases can then be
turned into the cylinder there to condense as often as is required, and it
will be found that the piece of fabric when taken from off the cylinder
will have the pattern printed thereon, or the piece of fabric can be
wound on to a cylinder face outwards, passed into a receiver; and allowed
there to remain the requisite length of time. In this case the whole
face of the piece will be operated upon irrespective of any pattern, or
patterns can be laid thereon; in all cases it will be found advisable to
cause the cylinders slowly to revolve. One fire or distilling apparatus
by a proper arrangement of pipes and doors or dampers will charge a
number of receivers, and the gases can either be forced in by pressure,
or a vacuum can be formed in the receivers to cause the gases and
vapours to rush in.
In the description of the method of and apparatus for the purposes
herein first recited, we have referred only to operations on velvets and
pile fabrics; it will however be evident that the staining and dyeing of
all other woven fabrics according to this Invention will or may be effected
by the same method and apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Carter Ramsden and James Marsland Tankard
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
O CARTER RAMSDEN, of Smith House, Lightcliffe, in the Parish of Halifax,
in the County of York, Manufacturer, and JAMES MARSLAND TANKARD,
of Bowling Hall, Bradford, in the County aforesaid, Worsted Spinner,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
5 Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of November, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said John Carter Ramsden and James Mars-
land Tankard, Her special licence that we, the said John Carter
Ramsden and James Marsland Tankard, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Carter Ramsden and
Jaines Marsland Tankard, our 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 "A NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR STAINING
OR DYEING VELVETS AND ALL OTHER WOVEN FABRICS, AND FOR PRODUCING DESIGNS
AND FIGURES THEREON," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said John Carter Ramsden and James Marsland Tankard, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 we, the said John Carter Ramsden and James
Marsland Tankard, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to a new method or process of and apparatus for
staining or dyeing velvets or other like pile fabrics.
This class of goods or fabrics can by means of this process be either
stained or dyed either the whole piece one colour or shade, or designs
and figures may be produced thereon.
The principle of this Invention is to stain or dye pile fabrics or other
similar goods by utilizing and applying for the purpose the different
which arise from the slow combustion, decomposition,
gases and vapours
or distillation of the organic products of ligneous origin, or any other
combustible either of animal or vegetable origin, from which the different
hydrocarbon gases and volatile productions can be evolved during the
process of slow combustion or distillation. Taking the combustion of

page_text: coal as a type, and which we prefer to use, it will be found that when
coals are thrown in thick layers upon the grate the previous existing
temperature for a time is greatly depressed, being absorbed in part by
the cold fuel and by the dispersion of its hygroscopic matter. The
portion of the air which traverses the fire is deoxidized by the ignited
fuel on the bars, and no oxygen for a considerable period can come into
contact with the mass which is laying upon that which is burning, and
the heated gases and vapours permeating from below cause a distillatory
change by which the whole of the available bydrogen together with a
large per-centage of the carbon is expelled as hydrocarbon gases and
volatile vapours.
In the decomposition and distillation of coal a variety of gases and
oily volatile products are liberated; these gases and vapours are caused
to permeate amongst the pile threads and cause a complete change of
colour without in any way injuring the pile, and most elaborate patterns.
or designs can be produced thereon.
The mode of operation is somewhat as follows:-The gases and
vapours described we cause to pass into a receiver, when within which
condensation takes place and a coloured deposit will be found upon the
fabric placed therein. The receiver can be charged and condensation
take places as often as may be found necessary or suitable for the fabrics
under process.
One operation will be found to have produced a stain or
distinct change of colour; a second operation will in like manner make
the fabric a shade darker, and so on. It will be readily seen that if
stencil plates or some similar contrivance are placed upon the fabric in
the receiver the deposit upon condensation taking place will only effect
the fabric where the pattern is cut out of the plate, or patterns can be
placed upon the fabric, in which case the whole of the fabric will be
coloured except where the patterns are; that portion of the fabric under
the patterns will retain the original colour of the fabric. It will be
obvious that these receivers or condensers can be made of an infinite
variety of shapes. In some cases the receivers can be hollow cylinders
sufficiently long to enable a whole piece to be wound on at once, or the
surface of the cylinder can be cut out to the pattern required, and the
piece of fabric can be wound on face downwards, the gases can then be
turned into the cylinder there to condense as often as is required, and it
will be found that the piece of fabric when taken from off the cylinder
will have the pattern printed thereon, or the piece of fabric can be wound

page_text: on to a cylinder face outwards, passed into a receiver and allowed there
to remain the requisite length of time. In this case the whole face of
the piece will be operated upon irrespective of any pattern, or patterns
can be laid thereon; in all cases it will be found advisable to cause the
cylinders slowly to revolve. One fire or distilling apparatus by a proper
arrangement of pipes and doors or dampers will charge a number of
receivers, and the gases can either be forced in by pressure or a
vacuum can be formed in the receivers to cause the gases and vapours
to rush in.
In the description of the method of and apparatus for the purposes
herein first recited we have referred only to operations on velvets and
pile fabrics; it will however be evident that the staining and dyeing of
all other woven fabrics according to this Invention will or may be effected
by the same method and apparatus.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this our said
Invention we would have it understood that what we claim is, the method
of and apparatus for staining or dyeing velvets and other woven fabrics,
and producing designs and figures thereon as by the means herein
fully described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Carter Ramsden, for and on
behalf of myself and the said James Marsland Tankard, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of May, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
Witness,
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Tasker & Brierley,
JOHN CARTER RAMSDEN. (L.S.)
Patent Agents,
Halifax, Bradford, & Blackburn.