IMPROVEMENTS, IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOTH, AND IN PREPARING AND CLEANING WOOLLEN FLOCK."
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles. Weiss, of Huddersfield, Merchant, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS, IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOTH, AND IN
PREPARING AND CLEANING WOOLLEN FLOCK." Acommunication from abroad
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Weiss at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
123rd August 1860..
", "CHARLES WEISS; of 'Huddersfield, Merchant, do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOTH, AND
IN PREPARING AND CLEANING WOOLLEN-FLOCK," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of cloth,
and in preparing and cleaning woollen flock. In the nianufacture of woollen
cloth according to this,Invention, 'an open cloth, either entirely of wool, or it
"may be with'a warp of other material, is produced, and afterwards flock is
worked up into this fabric. In order to do this successfully it is requisite to
protect the face of the fabric during the process from receiving flock, as flock
would, in most cases, injure its appearance, and for this purpose the fabric is
doubled selvage to selvage, with the back of the fabric outside, and is sewn

page_text: up with the twine in such a manner that the twine may readily be drawn out
when the process is complete, or the face of the fabric may be protected in any
other convenient manner; the piece is also sewn end to end, and is then
placed between rollers, which press and rub the fabricas it travels continuously
between them. Those rollers are enclosed in a case, into which the flock is
thrown, and this being very light is kept constantly in motion by the move-
ment of the fabric and rollers. The particles of flock during this operation
adhere to the fabric and are felted and worked into it. This is usually done
while the fabric is quite dry, and for thin or very open fabrics it is important
that it should be so done in place of as is now practised in milling woollen
fabrics, moistening the fabric with soap and water, as when the fabric is open
the soap and water prevents it filling properly, and causes it to contract
rapidly. When the filling of the fabric has progressed to some extent,
however, soap and water is sprinkled on in order that the flock may be
completely felted in, the fabric is still kept in contact with flock until the
filling is complete.
In preparing and cleaning flock according to this Invention, a conical metal
case open at both ends is employed; the upper end of this case is larger than
the lower, and it is lined with sheet metal having projections punched upon it
like a grater. At the axis of the conical case is a shaft on which a truncated
coue is mounted, its smaller end is uppermost; this cone is also.covered with
metal having a grater-like surface. At the top of the machine is a hopper
into which the flock to be treated is placed, and from thence it descends into
the space between the case and the cone within it, and passes down between
the two, the passage between the case and the coneconstantly becoming more
contracted as the flock passes down, and until it is discharged at the lower
part of the case, there it falls into a fan chamber, and by the fan therein it is
blown out through a spout into a casing, within which it settles. The strength
of the blast employed is such that it will not carry on the sand and impurities
with which the flock is mixed, but leaves them in the spout, from which they
may be removed through a door provided for the purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Weiss in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd February 1861.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Charles Weiss, Her special licence that I, the said Charles
Weiss, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Charles Weiss, my 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 "IM.
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOTH, AND IN PREPARING AND CLEANING
WOOLLEN FLOCK," a communication to me from abroad by Frederick Samuel
Brittan, of Murray Street, New York, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles Weiss, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, 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 rext and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Weiss, 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 :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of cloth,
and in preparing and cleaning woollen flock. In the manufacture of woollen
cloth according to this Invention, an open cloth, either entirely of wool, or it
may be with a warp or weft of other material, is produced, and afterwards
flock is worked up into this fabric. In order to do this successfully it is
requisite to protect the face of the fabric during the process from receiving
flock, as flock would, in most cases, injure its appearance, and for this purpose
the fabric is doubled, selvage to selvage, with the back of the fabric outside,
and is sewn up with twine in such a manner that the twine may readily be
drawn out when the process is complete, or the face of the fabric may be
protected in any other convenient manner; the piece is also sewn end to end,
after being placed between rollers which press and rub the fabric as it travels
continuously between them. These rollers are enclosed in a case, into which
the flock is thrown, and this being very light is kept constantly in motion by
the movement of the fabric and rollers. The particles of flock during this

page_text: operation adhere to the fabric and are felted and worked into it. This is
usually done while the fabric is quite dry, and for thin or very open fabrics
it is important that it should be so done, in place of, as is now practised in
milling woollen fabrics, moistening the fabric with soap and water, as when
the fabric is open the soap and water prevents it filling properly, and causes
it to contract rapidly. When the filling of the fabric has progressed to some
extent, however, soap and water is sprinkled on in order that the flock may
be completely felted in the fabric, which is still kept in contact with flock until
the filling is complete.
In preparing and cleaning flock according to this Invention, a conical
metal case, open at both ends, is employed; the upper end of this case is
larger than the lower, and it is lined with sheet metal having projections
punched up on it, like a grater. At the axis of the conical case is a shaft ou
which a truncated cone is mounted, its smaller end is uppermost; this cone is
also covered with metal having a grater-like surface. At the top of the machine
is a hopper, into which the flock to be treated is placed, and from thence it
descends into the space between the case and the cone within it, and passes
down between the two, the passage between the case and the cone constantly
becoming more contracted as the flock passes down, and until it is discharged
at the lower part of the case, there it falls into a fan chamber, and by the fan
therein it is blown out through a spout into a casing, within which it settles.
The strength of the blast employed is such that it will not carry on the sand
and impurities with which the flock is mixed, but leaves them in the spout,
from which they may be removed through a door provided for the purpose.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a front elevation, partly opened in order to shew parts of
the interior construction and mechanism; Figure 2 is a back elevation, partly
in section; Figure 3 a side section, and Figure 4 is a side elevation.
By the Drawing it will be seen that the machinery is arranged in an
enclosed casing or chamber. In each of the Figures the same letters are used
to indicate the same parts. The Drawingshews a double machine, the case.or
chamber of which is divided by a central partition.
a, a, is a wooden frame lined so as to form a complete case or chamber
having openings 6, 61, with doors c, c', so as to admit the cloths or goods to be
put in and taken out of the machine, also so as to allow currents of air to pass
through to keep the goods cool,there being a great deal of heat created by the

page_text: friction of the cloths or goods passing between the perpendicular rollers A,A',
and the horizontal rollers B, B', and then over the roller C. The roller C is
secured to its proper place, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, a shaft & passes
through the roller C, which has bearings in the frame ate, e, Figures 1 and 4.
The perpendicular rollers A, A¹, are arranged to yield or separate by having
their upper bearings f,f,Figures 2 and 3, made to slide betweentwocrosspieces
9.g', so as to allow the pieces of cloth h,, to pass between them freely, as the
same become thicker and heavier, the spring is attached to the extreme
boxes of the perpendicular rollers by means of the pins j, j, in order to draw
the rollers towards each other notwithstanding the progressive increase of
thickness of the cloths h, h. These perpendicular rollers are to change the
position of the folds of the cloths or goods h, h, so as to allow the flock to have
a more copious diffusion over the same. The pairs of large horizontal rollers
B, B', are made of iron to give them weight that they may press the flock
into the goods or cloths, they are, however, covered on their circumferences
with wood, (shown at k, k, Figure 3,) as the wood does not mar or cut the
goods so much as bare iron rollers are apt to do. These rollers are closed at
their ends to prevent the flock from lodging on the inside. These rollers. press
upon the cloths or goods, so as to press or work in the flock, the upper one of
each pair of rollers B, B', has a yielding bearing guided by the standard m
with an arm or yoke lever nattached to guide bolts o, o¹, by means of elastic
springs of india-rubber p. 2. Figure 4, for the purpose of increasing the
pressure on the cloths. This mill is driven by the pulley or drum q attached
to the shaft r on which the lower rollers B, B', are fixed; t is a loose pulley
or drum for the purpose of receiving the strap or belt I from the fast pulley
or drum when the motion of the machine is to be stopped. The black arrows
indicate the direction of motion of each of the rollers A, A, and B, B', the
red arrows indicate the direction of motion of the goods, or cloths ','h, to be'
filled with flock and fulled. The fender boards n', n², are used to prevent the
cloths.from winding around the rollers B, B. The board n is also for the
purpose of guiding the cloths to the curved part of the bottom of the chamberE
which gives an easy motion to the cloth, and the flock down to the bottom of
the mill. The bumper board vis to prevent the cloth or goods from being'
thrown out by the centrifugal force of the rollers.B, B', when the doors.c','c','
are opened. The inclined plane w, w, is for the purpose of elevating the flock
by the drawing up of the cloths, so that a continual supply of flock-is carried
up to the roller. A piece of cloth as it comes from the loom is doubled from
end to end of. its length the face- being inside and the selvages are sewed'
together with soft twine by long running stitches. The cloth is then put in

page_text: In this
the mill, and the two ends of the piece of cloth are sewed together after being
put between the perpendicular and horizontal rollers A, A, B, B', and over
the roller C. The twine with which the selvages are sewed is not fastened
till the ends of the cloth are sewed, and in fastening the two ends of the selvage
twine, care should be taken not to draw them too tight, if the twine is drawn
too tight the sewing twine in the selvages will be liable to break.
manner both compartments of the mill are supplied with cloths. The rollers
C, A, A', and B, B', when put in motion will carry the cloths h, h, round and
round continuously, and the flocks of wool, preferring shearings of woollen
cloths, are shown by red dots in Figures 1 and 3, and they are thrown into the
mill at the door b, b'. The movement of the. cloths will keep the flock in
continual motion (as represented in Figure 3) round with the cloth, and as
less or more of the flock will settle on the inclined plane it will require to be
stirred up occasionally to be keep in motion. The flock and cloth in the mill
are both dry at starting, and from three quarters to one hour they are worked
dry; then a soap solution (which will be hereafter described) is applied, and
the same is to be of such strength as to start the grease and keep it. lively
during the process of fulling; it must also be put on very uniformly, the best
way is to put it on with a watering pot with a spoutat the outlet about an inch
or one and a fourth inches diameter. Care is always' to be taken.not to get
the cloths too wet with the soap solution, if they are too wet they will not
flock well. The cloths require to be wet to such an extent that a stiff pressure
of the thumb nail will raise the grease on the nail. After the soap is perfectly
uniform through the cloths more flock is to be added, the cloths are to be kept
running,and if they get too hot the mill must be stopped, and the cloths taken
out and allowed to cool. The heat of the cloths and of the flock may be
regulated by opening and shutting the doors c, c¹. Should the cloths work
dry a little more soap solution must be added, and this must be regulated by
the judgment of the fuller, who will quickly become practically acquainted with
the process. If the cloths are kept in good felting condition they will always
take the flock readily: If the cloths do not appear to become heavy enough
more flock must be added, and in order to get the cloths heavy, it is better to
use plenty of flock at the commencement. The cloths do not require handling
duringtheprocess,except they get too hot orget tangled in the mill in which cases
the cloths must be pulled out or be straightened. When complete the cloths
are to be taken out of the mill, the sewing is to be undone, and the cloths
shaken to remove the excess of flock. The cloths are then ready to be washed,
Care is to be taken that the pieces of cloth are not twisted in the mill as they
be injured, by wrinkles if they should become so twisted.
The soap
will
17.
..

page_text: solution preferred consists of about 70lbs. of what is termed oil soap; 20lbs.
white fullers soap, and 20lbs. soda ash; these are boiled throughly in water
and a little urine, so as to obtain the mixture thick enough, when cold to just
flow out of the spout of a watering pot, such as is above mentioned.
It may
be stated that cloths made with cotton warp and woollen weft will take up
more flock than cloths made of all wool. If cloths composed of warp and weft
of wool are flocked too much the flock will be found to make them tender, a
fuller after a little experience will readily judge the quantity of flock which
may be advantageously taken up by any particular class of weaving. It
should be remarked that it has been before proposed to apply flock to cloths
and then to full the same, and also to introduce flock with cloths into ordinary
fulling stocks, but not I believe in a manner capable of being put into
practice.
Having thus described the nature of the first part of the Invention I
would have it understood that I make no claim to any of the mecha-
nical parts separately; but what I claim is the combined machinery herein
described..
I also claim the sewing up the cloths, so as to exclude the flock from the
face surfaces thereof.
And, I also claim the working of the cloths dry for a time with dry flock
before applying moisture thereto.
I will now describe the second part of the Invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 5, which shews a vertical section of a flock grinder. A is an upright
shaft having a suitable step or bearing at bottom, and a bearing near the top
below the drum or pulley B. On the shaft is fixed a cone C of wood, or other
suitable material, covered with sheet metal made in the manner of a grater;
this cone revolves within a hollow cone D. made of wood or other suitable
material lined with sheet metal made or punched like a grater, and it is
between these roughed or grinding surfaces that the flocks are passed, at the
lower part of the shaft a fan H is fixed, which revolves in the chamber F,
which is surrounded with a cover or cylinder except at the outlet G. Air is
received into the fan in the centre at the opening below. There is a slide at I
to remove any heavy matters which fall there. In working, the flocks are
placed into the hopper E, so as to fill it and the space between the conical
surfaces of the machine. The inner cone, and consequently the fan, are caused
to revolve quickly, by which the flocks will be ground, that is they will be
opened out from the state in which they are commonly found matted or rolled

page_text: together in small balls, and as the flocks descend into the chamber F they will
be thrown off by the blades of the fan through the outlet to which the pipe G
is fixed and the flocks will be carried by the streams of air through such pipe
Ginto.a chamber or room where the flocks will subside and fall to the floor
there being suitable openings, and fine gratings at the upper part of the room
or chamber to allow the air to flow away.
Having thus described the nature of the second part of the Invention
I would have it understood that I do not claim the mechanical parts
separately; but what I claim is the combined machine herein described.
hand
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Weiss, have hereunto set my
and seal, this Eighteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
CHARLES WEISS. (L.s.)