IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE IN TWIST LACE MACHINES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Mallet and Cornclius Russell, of New
Basford, near Nottingham, Lace Manufacturers, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE IN TWIST LACE
MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Mallet and
Cornelius Russell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 9th April 1870.
We, HENRY MALLET and CORNELIUS RUSSELL, of New Basford, near
Nottingham, Lace Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE IN TWIST
LACE MACHINES," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to produce fine purls on the sides of
the pillars of the lace similar to those found in the hand-made lace
known as "pointe duchesse." We employ for this purpose extra warp
threads or draw threads, which we call "mesh threads," of such a
thickness that a thread lapped around them forms a loop of the size of

page_text: the purl required. These thick draw threads or mesh threads pass
straight down the pattern, so that they have no tendency to distort the
pillars. In the formation of the pillar to produce a purl the bobbin
thread (or threads) in the pillar is taken by the mesh thread at the
point where the purl is required, and is made to form a loop around it.
Frequently two, three, or more purls are required in different parts of
one inclined pillar, and then we use separate mesh threads for each of
the purls, so that a mesh thread only forms such purls as are required
to range from end to end of the finished work. By the use of mesh
threads we obtain purls different in appearance from those hitherto
produced on the machine, and which have been held out by lacing
threads. These lacing threads heretofore used are usually much smaller
in diameter than the purl loops they have to lace. Commonly two or
more lacing threads are used to lace cach purl, and one or both of these
is caused to pass in a zig-zag direction over the work, with the object of
drawing out the purl loop to a greater length than the thickness of the
lacing threads around which it passes. Also, where a purl has been laced
with a single lacing thread this lacing thread has passed over the lace
in a zig-zag course to draw out the purl to a greater length than the
thickness of the locking thread. By employing thick mesh threads to
make the purls the purls are not drawn out, nor is the pillar drawn from
its natural position or the position in which it would form if the mesh
thread were absent, and the size of the purl loop is neither more nor
less than is due to the diameter of the mesh thread on which the purling
bobbin or bobbins are lapped, When the work comes from the machine
the mesh threads are cut at short intervals and are drawn out.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Mallet and Cornelius Russell in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 7th October 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY 3
MALLET and CORNELIUS RUSSELL, of New Basford, near Nottingham,
Lace Manufacturers, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third year

page_text: of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto us, the said Henry Mallet and Cornelius Russell, Her special
licence that we, the said Henry Mallet and Cornclius Russell, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Henry Mallet and Cornelius Russell, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
LACE IN TWIST LACE MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Henry Mallet and Cornelius Russell, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands
and scals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should par-
ticularly 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 Henry Mallet and Cornelius
Russell, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to
say:
The object of this Invention is to produce fine purls on the sides of
the pillars of the lace similar to those found in the hand-made lace
known as "pointe duchesse." We employ for this purpose extra warp
threads or draw threads, which we call "mesh threads," of such a
thickness that a thread lapped around them forms a loop of the size of
the purl required. These thick draw threads or mesh threads pass
straight down the pattern, so that they have no tendency to distort the
pillars. In the formation of the pillar to produce a purl the bobbin
thread (or threads) in the pillar is taken by the mesh thread at the point
where the purl is required, and is made to form a loop around it.
Frequently two, three, or more purls are required in different parts of
one inclined pillar, and then we use separate mesh threads for each
of the purls, so that a mesh thread only forms such purls as are required
to range from end to end of the finished work. By the use of mesh
threads we obtain purls different in appearance from those hitherto

page_text: may cross the bobbin in the same direction on the same motion, or the
mesh thread may move in a contrary direction to the warp threads, also
the warp threads may remain stationary while the mesh thread crosses
the bobbin. The mesh thread may be either at the back or front of
the warps.
We have represented in Figure 2 a pillar consisting of two warp
threads and a bobbin thread, but the number of threads in the pillar
may be varied. When the work is complete and has been dressed in the
usual way the mesh threads are cut at places short distances apart, and
the pieces are drawn out, leaving the purl loops complete.
What we claim as improvements in the manufacture of lace in twist
lace machines is, the production of purl loops by means of mesh threads
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Henry Mallet and Cornelius
Russell, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixth day
of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy.