IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOOLLEN AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHRISTOPHER
NICKELS, of York Road, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, send
greeting.
year
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-sixth day of
June, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, in the thirteenth of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Christopher Nickels, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Christopher
Nickels, my exors, admors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said
Christopher Nickels, my exors, adñors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOOLLEN AND OTHER FABRICS;"
in which said. Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Christopher
Nickels, should cause a particular description of the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High
Court of Chancery, within six calendar. months next and immediately after the
date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Christopher Nickels, do hereby declare, that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say:-
My Invention consists, first, of improvements in the manufacture of cut
piled fabrics, woven with woollen or other
yarn.
Secondly, my Invention consists of improvements in the manufacture of cut
and looped piled fabrics when woven weft is employed.
And thirdly, my Invention consists of a mode of weaving terry or cut
piled fabrics in warp machines.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me :-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 shew two end views of an ordinary loom, having parts
applied thereto in order to carry out the first part of my Invention;
Figure 3 shews a front view; and Fig. 4 a transverse section of the loom
and apparatus applied thereto; and it will facilitate the understanding of
this part of my Invention by stating that the object to be accomplished
is to take and retain up those parts of the warp which are to form the
cut pile, and to cut such parts by a suitable cutter, so that the weaving
and cutting will constantly succeed each other in the loom, as hereafter
explained. The loom being. of an ordinary construction, its parts and manner
of action will not require to be particularly described, and other arrangements
of looms may be employed so long as parts or apparatus be combined there-
with to operate in like manner to the apparatus or parts which will be here-
after explained as being applied to the loom shewn in the Drawings. There
is to be a back warp and a pile warp. according to the nature of the woollen
or other yarns to be employed for the pile, and the, object for which the fabric
is intended; in these respects my Invention does not vary from. other manu-
factures made by weaving when woollen and other yarns are used.
The Drawings shew the loom in a condition to weave plain cut pile fabrics,
supposing the pile warp be white, or only of one color, and it, is also in a
condition for weaving ornamental cut piled fabrics, if the, pile warp be a printed
or party-colored warp; all which is well understood when wires are used in
weaving cut and also uncut piled fabrics, and therefore the same separately
form no part of my improvements, this first part of my Invention consisting

page_text: of employing instruments to take and hold the pile warp and to cut the several
warp threads so held, in place of employing wires as heretofore, and cutting:
them out when making cut piled fabrics; and these improvements are equally"
applicable when a loom is fitted up to work with a pile warp composed of
numerous colors worked by jacquard or other means, as my Invention does
not interfere with the ordinary working of a loom beyond the application of
apparatus to take and hold and cut the pile brought up by the ordinary.
working of a loom. And it may be desirable to state that I am aware that
looms have before been made and others proposed wherein what is called
terry weaving or uncut pile fabrics have been made, and proposed to be made,
wherein no wires have been employed, but the pile warp has been taken and
held up by instruments, so as to produce uncut pile when making carpets and
other weavings, and such means of weaving are described in the Specifications
of Patents granted to Robert William Sievier, of Henrietta Street, Cavendish
Square, in the County of Middlesex,
And I mention these matters
in order that the improvements, constituting the first part of this my Invention,
may be the more readily understood. a is the pile warp, and 6' the warp for
the body or ground of the fabric, and the same are to be worked as if about
to make terry or cut pile fabrics by the use of wires, as is well understood;
but in place of using wires, the following apparatus is employed to take and
hold up the pile warp, and to cut the same from time to time, as I will now.
proceed to describe:-c is an axis, which receives motion from the main or
driving axis of the loom, as is shewn on this axis; cams are fixed which give,
motion at proper intervals to the parts of the apparatus which enter the pile.
warp when it is raised, and take the several warp threads thereof, and hold.
them till several picks of weft have been thrown into the successive sheds of
the warps, and then the cutter or knife is caused to cut such held threads of
the warp, which will allow of the holding instruments going into the pile warp
when it is again raised for that purpose.
.
Figure 5 shews a front view separately of the hooks and cutter for holding
and cutting the loops; Figure 5* shews a transverse section of Figure 4;
and Figure 6 shews part of a longitudinal view and transverse section of the
cutter separately, shewing how the cutter is caused to descend and cut the
threads when the cutter is moved lengthwise for that purpose. The cutter, it will
be seen, is capable of motion lengthwise, and is supported between the hooks
by the arms and rollers on the bar which carries the hooks, and the cutting
action is obtained by the form of the slots in the back of the cutter, when the
cam actuates the cutter lengthwise. The bar d, which carries the two rows of
hooks, is caused to rise and fall, and move on its axis by means of the cams, as

page_text: shewn, so that the hooks can advance by the bar d. moving on its axis, and
then dip into the pile warp to take them up, and by moving back on its axis,
hold the loops till several picks of weft have been made, when the cutter comes
into action and releases the hooks for the next operation. And I would
remark that the size of the loop-may be regulated by adjusting their position
to any required length when holding the loops above the fabric. The cams
shewn are for actuating the cutter for raising and lowering the hook bar, and
for causing it to shog and move on its axis.
I would state in respect of this part of my Invention that, although I have
been particular in describing the precise construction and arrangement of parts
for holding the pile warp threads, and also for cutting them, the same may be
varied in form and arrangement without departing from this part of my
Invention, which consists not so much in the form and arrangement of the
parts as in applying a suitable construction and arrangement of apparatus to
looms, so that parts thereof will take and hold the pile threads, and other
parts will cause such threads to be cut.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention, which consists of
improvements in the manufacture of woollen and other fabrics when woven
weft is employed:-Heretofore sucli wefts have been woven in such manner
that the warp has on each side of it the cut or raw ends of the weft projecting
on either side, and in chenille making, and in weaving with chenille as a weft,
the weft threads forming the chenille has protruded equally beyond the warp
on either side, and the same has been so woven as to twist or be twisted into a
cylindrical cord or fabric, which being used as a weft, the weft threads of the
chenille weaving become the pile on either side of the fabric woven therewith;
but of late years very beautiful fabrics have been woven by a Mr. Templeton,
under a Patent granted to him and another, wherein the cut ends of the weft
in weaving, similar in other respects to chenille weaving when used as weft
for further weavings, have both been caused to come to oue and the same
surface in place of the chenille weft being twisted, and thus causing the raw
ends of the weft in the first weaving coming on either side of the fabric woven
with such weft. Now, one part of my present improvements consists in the
manufacture of weft (whether plain or according to pattern) with only one raw
edge, the other edge being a good selvage, and so weaving with such weft tha
the cut edge thereof will come to one surface, and the other edge or selvage
of the weft will come to the other surface of the fabric. There are various
ways of weaving or making woven fabrics suitable for weft to be used according
to this part of my Invention; thus they may be woven in a loom such as i
used for weaving ribbons or other narrow goods, in which case the warps used

page_text: will be near the two selvages, leaving the intermediate space vacant of
warp, by which narrow fabrics will be woven, which will consist of two
good selvages, the intermediate part being weft; which narrow fabrics,
being divided in the middle, will each make two pieces of woven weft, each
such weft consisting of a good selvage at one edge, and the raw or cut ends
of the weft protruding on the other edge. Or, narrow fabrics consisting each
of a good selvage at one edge, and the cut ends of weft or yarn at the other
edge, may be produced by warp lace machines, or twist lace machines, as
was described in my former Patent, dated the Ninth day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, the only difference to be observed in
this case being that the fabrics are to be made narrow, suitable each for being
divided into two weft, by having the warp threads used only near the two edges
of each width of fabric, so that they may form tight selvages.
I would state in respect to this part of my Invention, that I do not confine
myself to the means, herein described, of producing woven' weft having one-
edge raw or cut, and the other a tight or good selvage. In using these woven
weft, the weaver will, if they be woven according to pattern, proceed as when
weaving with chenille weft, or as when with weft having two raw or cut
edges, taking care that the pattern is kept correct; in this case, however, the
woven weft having only one raw or cut edge, the same will be brought to the
same surface, unless for any particular fabric requiring to be alike on both
sides, then the cut pile will alternately be introduced with the cut edge of the
weft up and down.
Another improvement, in this class of weaving, consists in weaving with
weft woven with one or two purled edges, the purled edge or edges of the first
weaving coming to the surfaces of the fabrics woven therewith, and producing
looped or terry piled fabrics. The weft for carrying out this part of my
Invention may be woven in warp machines or twist lace machines, or in a
loom using warp and shuttle; supposing warp machines, or twist lace machines
be used, then narrow breadths of fabric would be produced with a purled
edge or edges; if with one edge purled the other edge should be with a good
selvage; but when with two purled edges, the warps used will be down the
middle of each breadth of fabric, and when using a loom working with warp
and shuttle, then the purled edge may be produced by the same means as
purled edged ribbons have been heretofore made, and the purling may be at
one selvage or both, all which is well understood, and such means of weaving
narrow fabrics, with purled edges separately, forms no part of Invention,
and the means of doing so may be varied, this improvement consisting in the
my

page_text: employment of such fabrics having purled edges as weft, when weaving other
fabrics, the weaving being carried on when using such weft with purled edges
in a similar manner to that above explained when using chenille and other
woven weft having cut or raw edges.
Another improvement in the manufacture of this class of cut or looped piled
fabrics, consists of employing gutta percha as a means of holding the parts of
the weft from coming loose or being drawn out. In carrying out this part
of my Invention, whether weaving the fabric which is to be cut up into weft
in looms or warp machines, or in twist lace machines, I introduce one or more
warp threads of gutta percha with the other warp employed, and then before
cutting such fabric into its several parts each to form a weft, I heat the gutta
percha threads by passing the fabric through between two rollers suitably
heated, and so as to cause the gutta percha threads to adhere to the weft
threads, and thus when the fabric is cut up, the gutta percha will hold the
weft securely. The woven weft thus obtained is then to be woven into fabrics
as above explained in respect to other woven weft. I would, however, here
remark that I am aware that threads of gutta percha have before been woven
into fabrics with other material and then subjected to heat; I do not therefore
claim the so using gutta percha, but only the employment of the same in weft
used in the making of terry or cut piled fabrics.
I will now describe the third part of my Invention, which consists of laying
in draw wires or instruments to make a pile on one surface of such fabrics,
whereby I am enabled to produce either cut pile or uncut pile. For this
purpose I prefer to use wire, but rods of other material or even smooth cords
may be used for this purpose, which, being woven into the fabrics transversely,
are to be afterwards drawn or cut out according as terry or cut pile is desired
to be produced. The construction and working of warp machinery being well
understood it will not be necessary to enter into a description thereof, and it
will only be necessary to state that the wires or rods used are to be introduced
under the needles from time to time, working uncut courses between suc-
ceeding wires, as if laying in a transverse thread, which has heretofore been
done for introducing india-rubber and other threads transversely of the fabrics,
and as is well understood, and the looping of the warp threads on the needles
is to be as heretofore, and then the wires are to be drawn out or cut out, as
when weaving carpets or velvet in looms, or the instruments or wires may have
a cutting end, so that in withdrawing them they may cut their way out, as
shewn at Figure 7.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in

page_text: which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the details herein described, so long as the peculiar
character of any part of my Invention be retained; but what I claim is,-
First, the mode of weaving cut piled fabrics, herein described.
Secondly, I claim the improvements, herein explained, for manufacturing
piled fabrics when woven weft is employed.
And, thirdly, I claim the mode of weaving piled fabrics in warp machines,
herein described.
In, witness whereof, I, the said Christopher Nickels, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-fourth day of December,
in the year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid Christopher Nickels came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
'written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.