Year: 1897

page_text: A communication from JULES RICHARD, of Elbeuf, in the Republic of France,
Manufacturer.
I. ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Hitherto the operation of unglossing or damping fabrics has been effected by
causing steam to pass through the fabric. To this end steam from any desired
source has been admitted to a cylinder, vessel, or table provided with holes affording
passages to said steam. The fabric to be treated was placed on the said cylinder,
vessel, or table so as to receive the damping action of the moisture issuing through
the holes of said cylinder, vessel or table.
The result is a shrinking of the fabric which, in most cases, is insufficient as it
does not correspond to the maximum amount of shrinking to be obtained in order
to prevent the inconvenience of subsequent shrinking caused by manipulations to
which the fabric may be subjected either during use or during the making of it
into articles of dress."
As a result of numerous experiments my correspondent has succceeded in avoiding
this drawback by means of a process forming the subject of the present appli-
cation.
This process chiefly consists in previously wetting the fabric so as to give it a
suitable degree of dampness depending on its texture, said degree of dampness
being regulated if necessary by the simple operation of hanging it up to dry.
The fabric thus damped is passed over a table, vessel or cylinder with a surface
which (unlike in the old processes) is unperforated, and is heated inside to the
desired temperature in any suitable manner, by steam or otherwise, as this heating
has no other purpose except to obtain the desired dry heat without any production
of steam from the heating device.
The contact of the fabric with the dry and hot surface thus constructed results
in a sudden vapourizing of the water with which said fabric has been previously
impregnated, and consequently a much superior shrinking than that obtained by
the old processes. The shrinking in this new process may be considered maximum
and corresponding to any shrinking that the fabric could experience in the use
or in consequence of different manipulations, and ironing in the course of being
made up into a dress.
This maximum shrinking thus obtained without felting the fabric makes this

page_text: latter very elastic and supple, which results cannot be obtained by former known
processes.
Dated this 25th day of November 1897
BOULT & WADE
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to the Treatment or Finishing of Woven
and other Fabrics.
A communication from JULES RICHARD, of Elbeuf, in the Republic of France,
Manufacturer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and ir.
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
Hitherto the finishing operation having for its object to cause fabrics to shrink,
(decatissage) has been effected by forcing steam through the fabrics. For this
purpose the steam coming from any suitable generator was led into a cylinder or
table provided with perforations through which the steam could pass, the fabrio
to be treated being passed over said cylinder or frame so as to be exposed to the
action of the steam escaping through the perforations in the cylinder or table.
The result was a shrinkage of the fabric, which was generally insufficient, as this
treatment did not effect the maximum amount of shrinkage required to be obtained,
in order to avoid the drawbacks of further shrinkage of the material produced by
subsequent actions or manipulations, either in wear, or when being made up into
articles of dress, etc.
My correspondent made numerous experiments and researches in order to avoid
this serious drawback, and discovered the new process hereinafter described, and
forming the subject of the present application, which process consists in subjecting
the damp fabric to an energetic dry heat, in contradistinction to a moist heat,
such as steam, as hitherto employed. It has been found by experiment that the
vapourisation of the moisture in the fabrics when subjected to moist steam heat
has not been sufficiently energetic, whereas by employing hot air or a closed heated
drum ... perfectly dry heat, the rapid vapourisation of the moisture for the per-
fect shrinkage of the material is attained."
The process consists chiefly in previously moistening or damping the fabric to
be treated, so as to give it a suitable degree of dampness, depending on its texture,
said degree of dampness being regulated when necessary by the simple process of
airing, in order to reduce the dampness of the fabric to the condition required.
The fabric thus moistened is passed over a closed table or cylinder, which cylin-
der is heated, in its interior, to the desired temperature by steam, or by any other
desired means, said heating serving only to attain the desired dry heat, without
the production of steam from the part thus heated.
Upon the contact of the fabric with the dry and hot table or cylinder the water
with which said fabric has been previously impregnated, is suddenly vapourised
by the dry heat of the walls of the heated chamber the result of which is a shrink-
age of the fabric considerably greater than that attained by the ordinary processes,
and corresponding to that which the fabric might have undergone during wear
or in consequence of the different operations to which it is subjected during the
making of it into say, an article of dress; for instance when being ironed, etc.

page_text: This maximum shrinkage thus obtained without fulling the fabric, give the latter
an elasticity and suppleness such as cannot be obtained by the hitherto known pro-
cesses.
It is evident that if said fabric contains naturally or through storage etc., suf-
ficient moisture for the necessary shrinkage to be attained, it will be useless and
unnecessary to further moisten it, and such fabric may be brought directly to
the hot and dry table or cylinder in order to subject it to the finishing operation,
according to this new and improved process.
It is deemed advisable to mention this, as it often happens that pieces of fabric
become more or less charged in the stores or in other ways, with a certain amount
of moisture which, in some cases, may be considered sufficient for obtaining the
desired shrinkage, by applying the essential operation according to the present
invention, that is to say by passing the fabric over a hot and dry table, cylinder
or vessel.
The desired moistening of the fabric to be treated can also be attained, instead
of dipping it, and airing it afterwards, for the purpose of regulating the degree
of dampness, by sprinkling it by means of any suitable atomizers or sprayers. Or
this damping may also be effected by means of steam injected into the fabric, the
maximum shrinkage of the fabric being then obtained by submitting said fabric
to the sudden vapourization of the moisture contained in it, by the contact of a
hot and dry table or surface, which is the essential feature of the process according
to the present invention.
It is evident that the described finishing process, having the object of attaining
the maximum shrinkage of the fabric, is applicable for all kinds of fabrics which
can stand it, such for instance as felts, linings, tick, flannel, pure woollen or mixed
fabrics etc., etc.
The old construction and arrangement of perforated tables or cylinders may be
used, if desired, or any other arrangement which can be used in combination with
the introduction of hot and dry air (instead of steam as in the old processes) said
introduction of hot dry air giving to the table or cylinder, the dry heat and desired
temperature, part of said heated dry air passing through the perforations and acting
on the fabric for the purpose of causing the sudden vapourization characterising
the improved process according to the present invention."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The method of finishing fabrics for the purpose of effecting the maximum
amount of shrinkage of said fabrics consisting in passing the fabrics to be treated
in a moistened or damp condition over a dry heated table, cylinder or surface for
the purpose of obtaining the maximum amount of shrinkage of the fibres by the
sudden vapourization of the moisture contained in the fabric substantially as
described.
2. The method of finishing fabrics for the purpose of effecting the maximum
amount of shrinkage of said fabrics consisting in passing the fabric to be treated,
in a moistened or damp condition over a beated perforated table or cylinder or
surface for the purpose of obtaining the maximum amount of shrinkage of the
fibres by the sudden vapourization of the moisture contained in the fabric, the
table cylinder or surface being heated by means of hot air which can pass through
its perforations and act upon the fabric to be treated substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of December 1897.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.