Improvements in and Machinery or Apparatus for Mounting Hair, Fur, Feathers, Silk, Cotton, Mohair, Wool, or any other suitable Thread or Yarn upon Woven or Knitted Fabric, Skin, or other material.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application. 11th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 17th Feb., 1893—Accepted, 22nd Anr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Machinery or Apparatus for Mounting Hair,
Fur, Feathers, Silk, Cotton, Mohair, Wool, or any other suitable
Thread or Yarn upon Woven or Knitted Fabric, Skin, or other
material.
I, JOHN THEODORE TUSSAUD, of 53 Carlton Hill, Abbey Road, in the
County of London, Artist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Heretofore it has been proposed to mount fur, hair, wool and other fibre, feathers,
or the like, hereinafter for the purposes of this Specification termed “hair,” upon
an artificial skin or backing, the objects being to allow of the natural skin or pelt
(from which the hair has been removed) to be employed if desired for various
purposes; to enable the mounted production, i.e. the artificially backed hair, to be
used in or for the usual well known ways or purposes; and to make same flexible,
to wear well, and capable of being produced in any desired sized piece. Thus in
Specifications of British Patents 1634" and others, such a manufacture is proposed;
while in the year 1879, Specification of Patent No. 2455 describes weaving a.
fabric into the hair on a specially fitted power loom; and again in the year 1886 the
Specification of Patent No. 14414 granted to myself describes a mode and means
whereby the "hair" having been removed from the skin, is laid on a ribbon wound
upon a spool, from which ribbon the hair is afterwards delivered and laid closely in
a helical manner upon cemented fabric or mount carried upon a drum.
Now my present invention refers to improvements in mounting the hair, after its
removal from the skin, directly upon a cemented fabric or mount in a more easy
and certain manner than has hitherto been attained, and according to my invention,
the hair having been removed from the skin as aforesaid, is placed or worked cross-
ways, either by hand, when a regulating knife or straight edge may be used, or by
such a machine as is described in the Specification of my Patent before referred to,
dated November 8th, 1886, No. 14414 upon strips formed of metal, wood, or any
other suitable substance, of such a width, length, and thickness as the work may
require, taking care in placing or working the hair to make it overlap or protrude
beyond the edges of these strips in a manner sufficient to form or be utilized as
a root.
These strips with the layers of hair thus placed upon them are piled one on top of
the other, and are squeezed tightly together in a frame, thereby firmly gripping
the said layers of hair.
The frame with the slips therein is then turned, so that the edges of the slips
through which the ends of the hair protrude to form the roots are uppermost and
made level, and onto the protruding roots is spread a solution of india rubber, or
any other suitable adhesive substance, a coating of such adhesive substance also
being spread upon the fabric or mount which is to form a backing for the hair, to
take the place of the natural skin. In some cases two or more coatings may be
found necessary, either upon the roots or said backing; and the backing is then
placed upon the roots while the adhesive substance is still moist, technically known
as "tacky," and pressed down upon them and left to dry.
I find the indiarubber solution a suitable adhesive substance to secure the hair
to the mount or backing, although I do not strictly limit myself to such.
The backing may consist of any woven or knitted fabric or felt, or in some cases
dressed skins may be used.
After the adhesive substance is sufficiently dried or set, I remove the strips,
together with the hair and backing, from the frame, and take away the strips from

page_text: between the hair so fixed on the artificial backing, thus leaving the hair free, when
it may be combed, cleaned, or dre sed, and freed from any loose fur and made ready
for use, and for the ordinary purposes to which fur is or may be usually applied.
When it is desired to thicken or add to the "hair" during the mounting already
described, I introduce according to my invention a thread of any suitable material
into the hair by winding such thread around the said strips at such intervals and in
such quantity as may be required, and framing the said strips and treating them as
already described, the only difference being that when such thread is introduced or
worked by winding it round the strips, it is then necessary to cut such thread with
a knife or suitable cutting tool so as to release the slips, or to withdraw the slips
sideways..
The winding is or may be accomplished by placing the slips between two
revolving centres, while the bobbin is carried by a traveller, the speed of which is
regulated so as to lay the thread on the slips the required distances apart, motion
being communicated to the carriage by suitable gearing operating a screw on which
the traveller works, or the slips may be wound in any other suitable machine such
as by passing through a hollow shaft or mandril head with the bobbin carried by
flange or face plate to rotate round the strip.
The thread employed may be of cotton, wool, silk, mohair, or of any other
suitable fibre or material, or two or more kinds of thread combined secured to a
backing as before described, whereby an imitation fur or pile fabric may be
produced.
1 generally find it advantageous to use the strips in pairs, that is to say, two
slips placed together for each layer of fur or for each layer of thread wound upon
them so as to facilitate the removal of them or to form a guide for the knife edge
to cut the thread wound upon them, although I do not limit myself to such
arrangement of strips.
Dated this 11th day of August 1892.
BREWER & SON,
33, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Machinery or Apparatus for Mounting Hair,
Fur, Feathers, Silk, Cotton, Mohair, Wool, or any other suitable
Thread or Yarn upon Woven or Knitted Fabric, Skin, or other
material.
I, JOHN THEODORE TUSSAUD, of 53 Carlton Hill, Abbey Road, in the County
of London, Artist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
Heretofore it has been proposed to mount fur, hair, wool and other fibre, feathers,
or the like, bereinafter for the purposes of this Specification termed "hair," upon an
artificial skin or backing, the objects being to allow of the natural skin or pelt (from
which the hair has been removed) to be employed if desired for various purposes;
to enable the mounted production, i.e. the artificially backed hair, to be used in or
for the usual well known ways or purposes; and to make same flexible, to wear
well, and capable of being produced in any desired sized piece. Thus in
Specifications of British Patent No. 1634" and others, such a manufacture is
proposed, while in the year 1879, Specification of Patent No. 2455 describes
weaving a fabric into the hair on a specially fitted power. loom; and, again in the
year 1886 the Specification of Patent No. 14414 granted to myself describes a
Inode and means whereby the "hair" having been removed from the skin, is laid
on a ribbon wound upon a spool, from which ribbon the hair is afterwards delivered
and laid closely in a helical manner upon cemented fabric or mount carried upon a
drum.

page_text: Now my present invention refers to improvements in mounting hair, fur, or
feathers, after their removal from the skin, directly upon a cemented fabric or
mount in a more easy, economical, and certain manner than has hitherto been
attained; and also combining same or not, with silk, cotton, mohair, wool, or any
other suitable thread or yarn.
In order that my said invention may be readily understood, I will refer in
the course of the following description thereof to Figs. 1 to 19 of the accompanying
drawings.
According to my invention, the hair having been removed from the skin as
aforesaid, is placed, laid, or worked crossways or transversely upon strips or slips
hereafter called strips, formed of metal, wood, or any other suitable substance,
capable of serving as a temporary resting surface for the hair, of such a width,
length, and thickness as the work may require, always taking care in placing or
working the hair to make it overlap or protrude beyond the edges of these strips in
a manner sufficient to form or be utilized as a root. Such a strip of, say, metal, is
shewn in perspective view at Fig. 1, marked A, and it is upon such strips that. the
hair is laid as aforesaid. H represents hair laid thereon, with the ends somewhat
projecting beyond the longitudinal edges of the strip A. The hair H may be
placed in position upon the strips A by hand or by means of such a machine as is
described in the Specification of my Patent before referred to dated 8th November
1886 No. 14414. When this operation is effected by hand, a quantity of hair is
taken by the operator in one hand and laid upon the strip A in proper position;
and by means of a blade or straight edge, the required quantity of hair is separated
and held down by the straight edge on the edge of the table next and adjacent to
the edge of the strip A, while the remainder is drawn away and remains in the hand
of the operator and this process is repeated until the strip is covered from end
to end.
When a machine is employed similar to that described in my aforesaid Patent
Specification No. 14414, I place strips A upon a table, such for example as is
shewn by the diagram-elevation, and plan, at Figs. 2 and 3, where B is the table;
from this table B the strips A are advanced by hand or otherwise onto an
intermittently endless travelling tape carried by rollers n and o over a table m.
The table mand tape carrying the strip A is rocked towards the feed trough g
(shewn at Fig. 1 of the drawings of Specification No. 144148 aforesaid), and
receives the hair therefrom upon the strip A, the said hair being held thereto by
such a nipping blade and otherwise manipulated as described in the aforesaid
Specification No. 14416 and indicated at Fig. 2 of the drawings accompanying
this Specification. The hair thus held is then drawn from the trough by the
rocking of the frame in the reverse direction, when the nipping blade is raised,
and the tape and consequently the strip A lying thereon is traversed the distance,
say of the width of hair just laid thereon. The operation is repeated until the
strip is covered, when other following strips may be similarly treated.
These strips with the layers of hair thus placed upon them are piled one on top
of the other, care being taken not to disarrange the hair so placed on them, and
are squeezed tightly together in a frame thereby firmly gripping the said layers
of hair.
The construction of such a frame as I employ to receive the strips, and a
construction which I have found to act well in practice is shewn at Figs. 4 to 10 of
the drawings, Fig. 4 being a longitudinal elevation of the apparatus, Fig. 5 a left
hand end view, Figs. 6, 7 and 8 being respectively front elevation, end elevation,
and plan views of a cradle as hereafter described, Fig. 9 an elevation of a weight or
fixing bar, and Fig. 10 a vertical transverse sectional view drawn to a larger
scale than the previous figures to shew the position the strips occupy when in the
machine.
The frame Figs. 4 and 5 is for receiving a cradle shewn at
which latter the strips A are to be inserted. CC are the
of angle iron, which act as guides for the cradle, and held
Figs. 6, 7, 8, into
side frames, made
together by cross

page_text: stays CC. D is a vertically moving table which is carried in guides D'D' on
the cross stars C₁ C', and raised or lowered by the gear wheels E E, carried upon
the spindle E'. having the worm wheel E keyed thereon, which latter is operated
by a worm E' which receives motion from, say a handle E, which on being turned
causes the table D to move up or down as required.
Fig. 5 shews clearly the worm E' and worm wheel E. KK are supports for
the tables K K L L are handles for lifting the cradle Figs. 6, 7, 8, the
sides L' L' being conveniently made of angle iron and connected together by
two cross pieces L' L', having a long slot L cut down the middle so that when
the cradle is placed in the guides CC the table D may pass freely through the
slot L', thereby letting the cradle rest upon the cross support C shewn at Fig. 10.
Strips of wood L' are fixed inside the side frame L' by screws, so that by changing
these pieces L' the frame may be made suitable for carrying different widths of
strips A. D' is the false bottom of the table D to afford a surface for the strips to
rest on.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The cradle is placed into the guides C C
and rests upon the cross supports C2, Fig. 10; the tables K' K' are placed upon
the supports KK; the table D is then raised by means of the rack D* being
actuated by the gear wheel E operated from the handle E', to the same level as the
top of the tables K' K¹; a strip A is then placed upon the false bottom of the
table D, which is lowered so as to make the top of the strip A level with the top
of the tables K' K'; the hair H may then be placed upon the strip, by hand, as
aforesaid with reference to Fig. 1, or otherwise, and the next strip is placed on the
hair; the said tables K' K' are then slid back to allow the ends of the hair to pass
between the tables; the handle E is turned, and the top of the strip is lowered
level with the top of the tables K¹ K', and so on until the cradle is full or sufficient
quantity of hair is so worked. The weight or fixing bar L, Fig. 9, is then placed
upon the top strip and fastened to the cradle at each end thereof by means of bolts
or in any other convenient manner; the hair is now ready for applying to the fabric
as hereafter described.
The cradle or frame Figs. 6, 7 and 8, with the slips therein, is then turned sɔ
that the edges of the slips through which the ends of the hair protrude to form the
roots are uppermost (they may be levelled by cutting) and onto the protruding
roots is spread a solution of india rubber, or any other suitable adhesive substance,
a coating of such adhesive substance also being spread upon the fabric or mount
which is to form a backing for the hair to take the place of the natural skin. In
some cases two or more coatings may be found necessary, either upon the roots or
said backing according to the stubborness or thickness of the hair used; and the
backing is then placed upon the roots while the adhesive substance is still moist
(technically known as "tacky"), and pressed down upon them and left to dry.
I find the india rubber solution a suitable adhesive substance to secure the hair
to the mount or backing, although I do not strictly limit myself to such.
The backing may consist of any woven or knitted fabric or felt, or in some cases
dressed skins may be used.
After the adhesive substance is sufficiently dried or set, I remove the strips A
together with the hair H and the backing from the cradle and take away the strips
from between the hair so fixed on the artificial backing, thus leaving the hair free,
when it may be combed, cleaned, or dressed, and freed from any loose fur and
made ready for use, and for the ordinary purposes to which fur is or may be usually
applied.
To thicken or add to the hair, or for the purpose of making or producing new
pile surfaces or devices in imitation of fur during the mounting already described,
I introduce according to my invention a thread of any suitable material into the
hair by winding such thread around the said strips A at such intervals and in such
quantity as may be required, the thread being wound on the strips previously to
the hair being placed thereon; the said strips are then supplied with hair arranged
as before described, placed in the cradle and frame, Figs. 4 to 10, and treated as

page_text: already described the only difference being that when such thread is introduced or
worked by winding it round the strips, it is then necessary to cut such thread with
a knife or suitable cutting tool so as to form a cut pile and to release the slips
therefrom or to withdraw the slips A sideways. The hair laid on the strips A
should be longer than the pile of the yarn wound around the said strips, that is to
say the yarn may conveniently form the down or undergrowth, and the hair
the top growth. The winding of the thread upon the strips is or may be accom-
plished by placing the latter between two revolving centres, while the bobbin or
spool is traversed by a traveller, the speed of which is regulated so as to lay the
thread on the strips the required distances apart. A convenient construction of
such a machine is shewn at Figs. 11 to 13, Fig. 11 being a front view; Fig. 12 a
right hand end view, and Fig. 13 a transverse section on the line X Y of Fig. 11.
M M are two end frames connected by top and bottom pieces M₁ M' forming or
carrying the guides for a vertical sliding frame or carriage N carrying brackets N'
which latter support the spools N2. A Fig. 11, are the strips supported by
The hooks Pare-
hooks P P passing through apertures in the ends thereof.
carried by shanks which are free to revolve in bearing brackets P' affixed to one
end frame M; the shanks of the hooks P are provided with springs [so as to.
produce a tension between the two hooks and firmly hold the strips. The shanks
of the hooks P' are attached to spindles which latter pass through suitable bearing
brackets affixed to the right hand side frame M and are each provided with a spur
pinion P. These spur pinions P1 gear together, being driven through spur
wheel P carried by a stud axle from the side frame see Fig. 12. This wheel may be
driven by hand by handle P or otherwise, as found most convenient. R Figs. 11
and 12, is a spur wheel mounted upon one of the rotating spindles of the hooks P',.
and engaging a wheel R' keyed to the screw S, Figs. 11 and 13, which extends the
length of the machine and engages with a nut S, Fig. 13, fixed to the back of
the carriage N whereby the latter is traversed. The spools N* carried by
the brackets N are provided with suitable tension devices and guide arms N.
for the thread.
The rotation of the spur wheel P³ causes (through the gearing aforesaid) the
strips A to be revolved, while at the same time the threads, which have been
attached to, say, the right hand ends of the strips A, are wound round same, the
pitch of the screw S being such as to traverse the thread carrying carriages at a
proper rate of speed to lay the thread at the required pitch upon the said strips A..
Only the two upper spools are shewn at Fig. 13, but the brackets N' (four of
which are broken off) are all similarly constructed and fitted. Any desired number.
of strips may be wound according to the size of the machine made to take them.
When the strips are fully wound with thread or wound with so much thread as-
is required, the thread being severed the said strips may readily be removed from
the hooks or equivalent devices, the springs on the shanks of the hooks P
allowing for such removal.
The strips may be wound with thread by other suitable machinery, whereby for
example, the said strips are passed through a hollow shaft or mandril head, with
the bobbin carried by flange or face plate. A convenient construction of such a
inachine is shewn with reference to Figs. 14 to 18. Fig. 14 is a front elevation,.
partly in section Fig. 15. a right hand end elevation; Fig. 16 a plan of the feeding
device detached; Fig. 17 is an enlarged end view of the flange or face plate;.
Fig. 18 a side view of Fig. 17; and Fig. 19 is a detail view hereafter referred to.
In Figs. 14 and 15, T is a driving gear wheel keyed upon a shaft T' and gearing
into a pinion T' fixed upon the hollow mandril T', which is carried by two
bearings T T. The gear wheel T runs between the bearings T T', thereby
keeping the same in position and at the same time allowing the mandril to work
freely in the bearings T T. The flange T' of the hollow mandril T³ has mounted
upon it a spool carrier U, carrying a spool U₁, a guide U' and tension regulator Ú³,.
best seen at Figs. 17 and 18.
The gear wheel W on the shaft T' of Fig. 14 drives a gear wheel W' which is.

page_text: keyed to a shaft carrying a worm W2 which gears into the worm wheel W³ thereby
giving a slow motion to a feed roller W₁, both being keyed upon a shaft V.
VVV are tables for carrying the strips A guided in guides V* V*. The
roller W which may be covered with cloth or sheet rubber is held up to the
roller W by a spring which can be regulated by a screwed nut X, Fig. 19, into
which takes the shank of the arm carrying the roller W, so that by turning the
nut X the pressure between the rollers W W can be varied to give the necessary
gripping power for feeding the strips through the machine.
The action of the machine is as follows:-A strip is passed through the hollow
mandril T over the table V and between the feed rollers WW'; a second strip
is then temporarily fastened to the first, and so on, by which means the strips are
fed through the machine at a uniform pace.
Having started the strips, the end of the cotton or other material is fastened to
the beginning of the second strip, and as the strip is fed through the centre of the
mandril, the cotton on the spool U unwinds itself onto the strip A as the machine
revolves, the tension being regulated by the spring U³. The strip having been
wound with the cotton, passes onto the table Vs where it is separated by hand from
the following strip the broken or cut end being fastened to the end of the strip.
The strips after being thus "loaded" with thread are then treated and utilized in
the same manner as previously described when mounting "hair" alone, that is to
say, after being wound with thread, "hair" is arranged upon each of such thread
covered strips, with the ends or roots of the hair overhanging or protruding beyond
the strips, the said thread covered strips being placed one upon another with a
layer of hair interposed between each strip in the cradle and frame, Figs. 4 to 10.
A diagram view illustrating an arrangement of the strips is shewn at Fig. 20.
A is a strip, (the thickness of the latter being exaggerated in order to clearly
illustrate same), wound with thread indicated by the black line H** around such
strip; upon this strip A is a layer of hair H, and then is placed another thread-
wound strip A", and on the top of the latter another layer of hair H, and so on.
I find it advantageous to use the strips in pairs, that is to say, to employ two
strips placed together and then wound with thread as before described, as by the
employment of pairs of strips I am enabled to form a guide for the knife edge or
cutting tool to cut the thread wound upon them by passing it between them
although I do not limit myself to such arrangement, of strips. An example of
double strips is shewn at the upper part of Fig. 20, where A represents two strips
placed together, and the black line H2* represents the wound thread. H is the
hair as before.
The backing indicated at Fig. 20 by the letter Z having been cemented in
position shewn and allowed to dry, the threads on the outer edges opposite the
backing of the strips A" A are cut and the strips removed.
The thread wound upon the strips may be of cotton, wool, silk, mohair, or of
any other suitable fibre or material, or two or more kinds of thread combined, and
such thread may be mounted upon the backing as before described, without the
intermixture of hair.
By this means I produce a material in imitation of fur having an interposed
thread or series of threads combined with natural hair, the introduced threads
forming a ground or foundation whereby the material is thickened and various
imitations of natural furred skins can be or are produced of a very effective nature
and which may be varied as fancy or taste may dictate.
I am fully aware that it is not broadly new to mount fur, hair, wool, feathers or
the like, upon an artificial backing or skin, and I am aware that such hair has been
heretofore arranged upon a ribbon and laid thereby in a helical manner upon
cemented fabric; I am also aware that it is not new to employ spacing bars in the
manufacture of pile fabrics, over which bars the threads pass, and the loops s0
.formed afterwards cut; and I therefore do not claim such but what I do claim is.
1. The herein described method of mounting hair, fur, feathers, wool, or other

page_text: suitable fibre, herein termed "hair," upon woven or knitted fabric, skin, or other
artificial "backing," which consists in arranging the hair transversely upon strips A
or other suitable temporary resting surface, with the ends or roots of the hair.
overhanging such strips, then placing such covered strips one upon another in a
cradle calculated to hold the strips tightly together, and thereby firmly grip
the layers of hair, then turning the said cradle L L so that the edges of the strips
with the root end of the "hair" protruding therefrom are uppermost, and spreading
thereon adhesive matter such as india rubber solution, a similar coating being
applied to the "backing" placing the backing upon the protruding root ends of
the hair, pressing the backing thereon and allowing the adhesive matter to dry,
and afterwards removing the strips, as set forth.
2. In mounting hair, fur, feathers, wool etc. herein termed "bair," together with
silk, cotton, mohair, wool or any other suitable tbread or yarn, upon woven or
knitted fabric, skin or other artificial backing, as claimed in Claim 1, introducing
threads of any suitable material into the hair in order to thicken same or to form a
groundwork or undergrowth by winding such thread around the strips A at
intervals and quantity desired, the thread being wound on the strips previously to
the hair being placed thereon in the manner as stated in Claim 1, the adhesive
matter and backing being applied in a like manner and dried, and the threads
being then cut at the opposite edges of the strips and the latter withdrawn as
set forth.
3. Mounting silk, cotton, mohair, wool, or any other suitable thread or yarn
upon woven or knitted fabric, skin, or other artificial backing, by winding such
thread or yarn around the strips A at intervals and quantity desired, the adhesive
matter and backing being applied to one of the edges and when dry cut at the
opposite edges of the strips, the latter being then withdrawn, thus producing a
plush or pile fabric as set forth.
4. In apparatus for mounting hair, fur, thread, or yarn, herein termed "hair,"
upon woven or knitted fabric, skin or other artificial backing as claimed in Claim 1,
the combination of the strips A forming spacing pieces between which the hair is
located, a cradle for receiving the said strips A, having handles L, side parts L¹
and a base L² with aperture L', a framework CC forming guides to receive the
said cradle, a table D, adapted to pass through aperture L' in the cradle an
carried on the frame C C₁, racks D and toothed gearing for moving the table D
vertically and a weight L' to rest upon the strips when in the cradle and adapted
to be secured to the latter and retain the strips A in position as set forth.
5. In machinery for mounting hair, fur, thread, or yarn, herein termed "hair"
upon woven or knitted fabric, skin, or other artificial backing, the combination
with the strips A of apparatus for winding the latter with thread, having vertical
side frames M M, hooks or gripping devices P free to be revolved, and adapted to grip
one of the ends of the strips A, bearings P2 on frame M to carry gripping devices P
gripping devices P¹ adapted to grip the opposite ends of strips A, and gearing P* P
for revolving the said gripping devices P P1 and the strips A, a sliding carriage N,
guide M', and mechanism for traversing same therein, brackets N¹, spools N³ and
thread guides N mounted upon said traversed carriage N whereby thread is wound
upon the revolved strips A from the spools N' and laid evenly on the said strips
by the regular traversing motion of the spool carriage N as set forth.
6. In machinery for mounting hair, fur, thread or yarn, herein termed "hair,"
upon woven or knitted fabric, skin or other artificial backing, the combination with
the strips A of apparatus for winding the latter with thread, having a hollow
flanged mandril T To, through which the strips A. to be wound are passed, gearing
for rotating the said mandril T T³, spool U¹, tension device U and thread guide U
carried by the said rotating mandril for supplying thread to be wound upon the
strips A, tables V1 V2 V3 for supporting the strips A during their traverse through
the mandril, feed rollers W W for mechanically traversing the strips A through
the mandril, and gearing for rotating the rollers W W' at proper speed, whereby

page_text: thread is laid evenly and at required intervals upon the traversed strips A from the
revolving spool U₁ as set forth.
7. The combination with the strips A, winding apparatus for laying thread
-around such strips a cradle L L L for containing the thread covered strips A
and "hair" H superposed alternately, and a weighted or fixing bar cover L' for 5
securing the strips in the cradle during the cementing of the protruding ends of
the "hair" to the artificial backing as set forth.
SIL
1000
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicant.