Improvements relating to the Measurement of Cloth and other Fabrics, and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 13th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Measurement of Cloth and other
Fabrics, and to Apparatus therefor.
I, FRIEDRICH CARL STEPHAN, of Crimmitschau, in the Empire of Germany,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In most of the processes hitherto employed for measuring cloth or other fabrics
by hand or by means of mechanical appliances for the purpose of ascertaining
and checking the length of such material an accurately divided measuring band.
or tape has been used which was rolled up with the fabric requiring to be
measured, so that the length of its unrolled part indicated at the same time the
length of the measured fabric.
These processes however were defective in that the measurement obtained was
Dot quite accurate as the measuring tape or band being placed only on one side of
the material was liable to become shifted when rolled up, thus causing inaccuracies
in the measurement.
According to my improved process, a measuring band or tape furnished with a
continuous row of figures is inserted between the folds of the cloth or other fabric
which is arranged in double layers, so that by these means a reliable measurement
of the separate lengths which are sold or cut off can be obtained.
The apparatus used for carrying the improved process into practice consists of a
flat case which contains the measuring tape or band made of strong paper, linen or
other suitable material and provided with divisions and a continuously increasing
row or sequence of figures. The band is wound upon a roller which can easily
turn on a pin or axis. A slot is formed in the front and narrow side of the box
and serves to guide the tape or band which slides to and fro through the same. To
protect the roller, the metal strips may be placed upon the box and serve to a
certain extent as a cover for the same.
This flat box with its measuring tape is introduced between the two layers of
material. As is well known rolls of cloth are so arranged for sale that they are
not folded or rolled along their whole width but are rolled in half widths so that
on one side is the fold or pleat and on the other the two edges or selvedges of the
fabric. The measuring box is introduced from the open side between the two
cloth layers in such a manner as to reach or nearly reach the pleat on the other
side. To facilitate this manipulation the box is loosely held between the two
layers of cloth by means of a long stick or handle. This stick is firmly fixed
by a screw staple upon the measuring counter or table or secured thereto in any
other manner, the said stick being placed obliquely across the material to prevent
the measuring tape from moving to any appreciable extent from its original position
between the cloth layers.
This oblique position of the box has also another purpose that is to say, to
facilitate the work of the operator who forms a roll with the cloth so that he may
roll it straight which he can do by taking care that the pleat always bears against
the edge or corner of the box while the cloth is moved along. At the same
time the formation of creases in the cloth is avoided while the box and the
stock or handle effectually prevent the lower cloth layer from bulging. Before
rolling up, the measuring tape or band is placed at the proper end upon the front
edge of the cloth, and the rolling is commenced. The said tape is drawn from the
box automatically and simultaneously with the cloth and remains between the two
cloth layers. When the end of the cloth is reached the corresponding mark of
the measuring tape will forthwith indicate the exact length unrolled the length of

page_text: any piece cut off can be thus immediately ascertained and hence the sale of the
material can be accurately controlled.
Dated this 8th day of June 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Measurement of Cloth and other
Fabrics, and to Apparatus therefor.
I, FRIEDRICH CARL STEPHAN, of Crimmitschau, in the Empire of Germany,
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 :-
In most of the processes hitherto employed for measuring cloth or other fabrics
by hand or by means of mechanical appliances, for the purpose of ascertaining
and checking the length of such material an accurately divided measuring band
or tape has been used which was rolled up with the fabric requiring to be
measured so that the length of its unrolled part indicated at the same time, the
lengths of the measured fabric.
These processes however were defective in that the measurement obtained was
not quite accurate, as the measuring tape or band being placed only on one side of
the material was liable to become shifted when rolled up thus causing inaccuracies
in the measurement.
According to my improved process, a measuring band or tape furnished
with a continuous row of figures is inserted between the folds of the cloth
or other fabric which is arranged in double layers so that by these means
a reliable measurement of the separate lengths which are sold or cut off can
be obtained.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
The apparatus used for carrying the improved process into practice consists of a
flat case A which contains the measuring tape or band b made of strong paper,
linen or other suitable material and provided with divisions and a continuously
increasing row or sequence of figures. The band is wound upon a roller c which
can easily turn on a pin or axis d. A slot formed in the front and narrow side
of the box and serves to guide the tape or band which slides to and fro through
the same.
To protect the roller the metal strip f may be placed upon the box
and serve to a certain extent as a cover for the same.
This flat box with its measuring tape is introduced between the two layers
of material as clearly shown in Figure 2. As is well known rolls of cloth are so
arranged for sale that they are not folded or rolled along their whole width but
are rolled in half widths so that on one side is the fold or pleat g and on the other
the two edges or selvedges hh of the fabric Figure 3.1 The measuring box is
introduced from the open side hh between the two cloth layers in such a
manner as to reach or nearly reach the pleat 9 on the other side. To facilitate
this manipulation the box is loosely held between the two layers of cloth 1 by
means of a long stick or handle i. This stick i is firmly fixed by a screw staple k
upon the measuring counter or table m or secured thereto in any other manner,
the said stick being placed obliquely across the material to prevent the measuring
tape from moving to any appreciable extent from its original position between the
cloth layers.
This oblique position of the box has also another purpose, that is to say to
facilitate the work of the operator who stands at B forms a roll C with the cloth
so that he may roll it straight which he can do by taking care that the pleat g
always bears against the edge or corner of the box, while the cloth is moved along

page_text: from D to B. At the same time the formation of creases in the cloth is avoided
while the box A and the stick or handle i effectively prevent the lower cloth
layer from bulging. Before rolling up, the measuring tape or band 6 is placed
at the proper end upon the front edge of the cloth, and the rolling is commenced.
The said tape is drawn from the box automatically and simultaneously with the
cloth and remains between the two cloth layers. When the end of the cloth is
reached the corresponding mark of the measuring tape will forthwith indicate the
exact length unrolled; the length of any piece cut off can be thus immediately.
ascertained and hence the sale of the material can be accurately controlled.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:―
1. A process for measuring the length and controlling the sale of cloth and
other fabrics consisting in inserting a wound up measuring tape between the two
double layers of the fabric and rolling this tape up with the fabric.
2. For the purpose of carrying out the process indicated in Claim 1, an apparatus
consisting of a flat box A containing the rolled up measuring tape b and introduced
between the two layers of material by means of a stick or handle which holds it.
there, this box allowing the tape to be suitably paid out of a slot while the material
is being rolled up.
Dated this 13th day of August 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.