Improvements in the Manufacture of Plush or Cut Pile Fabrics.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Plush or Cut Pile Fabrics.
I, JACQUES LEWISOHN, of Johanniterstrasse, No. 15, Berlin, (Germany) Gentleman,
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:-
This Invention relates to a process of making plush or cut pile fabrics which differs
essentially from the mode of manufacture heretofore employed inasmuch as the nap or
pile is produced without being woven into a back or supporting fabric, the fibres of
the said pile being connected together by means of a layer or film of adhesive material
which may itself form the back or ground or the medium of connecting the pile to a
backing of ordinary woven fabric.
The Invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The material from which the pile of the plush is to be made (whether in the form of
threads, fibres, or ribbons) is wound on cores in the form of flat plates or strips of
uniform width corresponding to the intended length of the pile, which are placed with
their broad faces in juxtaposition and clamped firmly together in a suitable press in
which they stand up edgewise their upper edges, over which the material to form the
pile is wound, together forming an approximately level surface. Upon this surface a
layer or film of adhesive material, such as caoutchouc, is spread to which a thin fabric
may be caused to adhere to strengthen it and form a backing. The material to form
the pile is then cut along the opposite edges of the cores which then fall out and the
plush is finished.
The plush material may either be wound on pairs of plates or laths of any suitable
substance (for instance of cardboard, wood, iron ribbon, bands, or sheets, etc.) as shewn
in figures 3, 4, and 5, of the annexed sheet of drawings, either by hand or with a
reeling machine, suitably adapted for the purpose.
Figures 1 and 2 shew a number of pairs of plates p wound as above, squeezed or
pressed together on a bed or table a between the pressing cheeks bb by means of
screws or other means. To prevent those near the middle from rising with the
pressure, they are held down by clamps d d applied over their ends, the clamps
engaging under the bed or table and being drawn down by screws e e.
The upper
side of the series of plates thus wound and pressed together, is as above mentioned,
coated or covered with an adhesive substance (caoutchouc) whereby the threads, fibres,
bands, etc. to form the pile, are united together.

page_text: The operation of cutting the material to form the pile, is effected by passing a knife
along and between the lower or opposite edges of each pair of plates.
When the adhesive substance is dry, a thin fabric may be caused to adhere upon it,
the root ends of the pile being thereby more securely fastened.
When the pairs of plates are made of iron bands or strips, each pair of strips is
soldered together along one longitudinal edge, the knife for cutting the pile being
passed between them at the opposite edge.
Instead of pairs of plates as above described, single plates may be employed, pro-
vided throughout their length witli a groove along one edge, as in figure 8, through
which the knife for cutting the pile is guided. Further, the plates may cach be
provided at their ends with upwardly directed knives which cut through the threads
of the pile when the plates are being drawn out.
Instead of winding the plush material upon the plates, as in figures 3, 4, 5, it may
be brought upon a warp beam f (figure 6) and conducted to the above mentioned
pressing table where the warp threads are led in a zig-zag direction alternately over
and under and between plates or pairs of plates, as clearly shewn in figures 6 and 8,
the plates being placed in succession on the table and alternately under and over the
pile threads etc., as they come from the beam f, so as to cause them to assume the
desired zig-zag direction. When thus arranged and clamped as before described,
the upper side of the whole mass or series is coated with an adhesive substance to
which a fabric is caused to adhere, whereby the bends of the threads which are upper-
most in the press are united to the fabric. Or the fabric may be dispensed with, if a
suitable adhesive substance be used, as before mentioned. The lower bends of the
threads are then cut through in the manner herein-above described and the plush is
finished.
It will be seen from the drawing that it will be preferable to incline the table,
shewn in figures 6 and 7, in order that the plates when juxtaposed shall remain
in correct position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The herein described process of making plush without a ground fabric which
consists in winding the material (such as threads, ribbons, etc.) to form the nap
or pile upon mandrels or cores (formed of pairs of plates or bands or single
grooved plates) clamping them with their flat sides together in a press, and whilst
so pressed applying to the surface formed by their evenly lying upper edges a
layer of adhesive substance (india-rubber) to form a ground texture for uniting
the pile and finally cutting the loops at the opposide edges of the plates.
2. The modification of the process specified in the first claiming clause, which
consists in applying a backing of fabric to the adhesive coating as and for the
purpose specified.
3. The modification of the process specified in the first claiming clause which
consists in carrying the material to form the plush or pile from a warp beam
alternately under and over the cores or plates in a zig-zag direction and applying
a layer of adhesive substance and a backing of fabric, as specified.
Dated this 9th day of October 1888.
J. LEWISOHN.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.