IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MEASURING AND BLOCKING WOOLLEN AND OTHER FABRICS."AL SPATION
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Belham, of Earl's Court, Leicester Square, in.
the County of Middlesex, and George Valentine, of 36, Gresham Street,
in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR MEASURING AND BLOCKING WOOLLEN AND OTHER FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Belham and
George Valentine at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 20th May 1864.
We, JAMES BELHAM, of Earl's Court, Leicester Square, in the County of
Middlesex, and GEORGE VALENTINE, of 36, Gresham Street, in the City of
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MEASURING AND BLOCKING WOOLLEN AND OTHER FABRICS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in machinery for the
purpose of measuring and blocking cloth or other fabrics, in a more perfect
manner than can be accomplished by machines hitherto constructed. The
machine consists of a wooden framework of a square form, supporting in bear-
ings a measuring roller. This roller is placed horizontally, and extends across
the top of the machine, it is covered with cloth or other fabric for the purpose
of preventing the slip of the material to be measured. The circumference of the
roller is thirty-seven inches, according to the custom of the trade in measuring

page_text: yards of cloth, and its shaft or axis is prolonged at one end beyond its bearing
and cut with a left-handed screw thread, for the purpose of taking into
corresponding recesses cut in the periphery of a brass indicating disc and
causing it to be turned by the motion of the roller. We proceed to explain
this indicator with special reference to the method of cutting the recesses to
correspond with the screw threads. The circular index is made of brass about
an inch or more in thickness, and about six inches in diameter, its periphery
being turned true and smooth; it is set in a central bearing contained by a slide
rest, notches or indents being first cut around it at distances equal or corre-
sponding to the edges of the screw threads on the shaft. The screw tap which
coincides with the screw on the roller shaft is then turned by the lathe and
made to cut indentations on the index, the slide forcing the disc gradually
against the screw tap. The disc rotates on its centre by the action of the
screw, and thus the female threads or indents are gradually cut on the index,
the surface of which is divided into 80 spaces representing 80 yards. The index
is ultimately set in a moveable or sliding frame at the side of the machine and in
gear with the screw shaft. The indicating point is a fixture, and is held by the
central pivot on which the indicator rotates. When a piece of cloth is to be
measured, the indicator is drawn in the slide slightly away from the screw and
brought to zero under the point, a spring then returns the index to the screen,
and the rolling may commence. The end of the roller is subdivided into
quarters or eighths of yards, so that any fractional measure over the yards de-
termined by the index may be apparent, a red strip or line is shewn across the
roller for the line of application of the end of the fabric to be measured; and a
band or friction break is applied to the other end of the shaft, so that by means
of a hand lever the roller may be stopped at the moment when the cloth or
other fabric has been entirely wound off and blocked. The fabric is placed at
the rear of the machine on a sliding frame or floor, and is then brought over
and under two or more friction rollers for the sake of tension before passing on
to the measuring roller. After this the cloth is brought on to the blocking
apparatus, set on a spindle with a revolving clutch, the other end of the block
being held by a centre tightening screw, the whole being supported by
projecting brackets from the front of the machine. The block is turned by a
driving pulley and strap by the medium of the clutch. The driving pulley is
allowed to run loose on the spindle as required, and is brought into gear by
means of a pin projecting from the boss, and by a sliding clutch on the spindle
actuated by a hand lever. This clutch has several apertures cut on its surface,
any one of which may receive the pin when the clutch is forced thereto, these

page_text: apertures consist of oval recesses terminating in circular holes for the purpose
of the more ready reception of the pin. The block is made of two nearly
flat plates of iron tapered from end to end in opposite directions in order that
they may be easily withdrawn from the cloth when blocked. The two portions
of the block enter each other at their ends by projections and sockets, so as
to fix them together; and the cloth passes over and under friction rollers
between the measuring roller and the block for the purpose of effecting a firm
or tight blocking. To maintain the central position of the fabric on the block
a circular guide with a set screw is adjusted on one of the upper friction
rollers between the measuring roller and block. When the whole of the cloth
is blocked, the block is removed by slacking the tightening screw. The
machine may be worked by hand by means of a crank handle if desired. The
several parts may be made of iron, brass, and wood, or other suitable material,
as may be found desirable, and the dimensions of the roller, the screw shaft,
and index may be varied to suit any description of work. The friction break
before mentioned may be made self-acting by means of projections on the
measuring roller acting upon a lever or other equivalent by the pressure of
the fabric, and thus remove the break from the shaft, and consequently, when
the cloth is wound off, releasing the projections which are governed by springs
and bringing the break into play.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Belham and George Valentine in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 19th November 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
BELHAM, of Earl's Court, Leicester Square, in the County of Middlesex, and
GEORGE VALENTINE, of 36, Gresham Street, in the City of Loudon, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said James Belham and George Valentine, Her special licence that
we, the said James Belham and George Valentine, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said James Belham and
George Valentine, our executors, administrators and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times thereafter

page_text: 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
MACHINERY FOR MEASURING AND BLOCKING WOOLLEN AND OTHER FABRICS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said James Belham and George
Valentine, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
our, 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 next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Belham and George Valentine,
do hereby declare the nature of our said 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 certain improvements in machinery for the
purpose of measuring and blocking cloth or other fabrics in a more perfect
manner than can be accomplished by machines hitherto constructed. The
machine consists of a wooden framework of a square form supporting in
bearings a measuring roller. This roller is placed horizontally, and extends
across the top of the machine; it is covered with cloth or other fabric for
the purposes of preventing the slip of the material to be measured. The
circumference of the roller is thirty-seven inches, according to the custom of
the trade in measuring yards of cloth, and its shaft or axis is prolonged at one
end beyond its bearing, and cut with a left-handed screw thread for the pur-
pose of taking into corresponding recesses cut in the periphery of a brass
indicating disc, and causing it to be turned by the motion of the roller. We
proceed to explain this indicator with special reference to the method of
cutting the recesses to correspond with the screw threads. The circular index
is made of brass, about an inch or more in thickness, and about six inches in
diameter, its periphery being turned true and smooth; it is set in a central
bearing contained by a slide rest, notches or indents being first cut around it
at distances equal or corresponding to the edges of the screw threads on the
shaft. The screw tap which coincides with the screw on the roller shaft is
then turned by the lathe, and made to cut indentations on the index, the
slide forcing the disc gradually against the screw tap. The-disc rotates on its
centre by the action of the screw and thus the female threads or indents are
gradually cut on the index, the surface of which is divided into eighty spaces
representing eighty yards. The index is ultimately set in a moveable or sliding

page_text: frame at the side of the machine and in gear with the screw shaft. The
indicating point is a fixture and is held by the central pivot on which the
indicator rotates. When a piece of cloth is to be measured the indicator is
drawn in the slide slightly away from the screw and brought to zero under
the point, a spring then returns the index to the screw and the rolling may
commence. The end of the roller is subdivided into quarters or eighths of yards,
so that
any fractional measure over the yards determined by the index may
be apparent. A red strip or line is shewn across the roller for the line of
application of the end of the fabric to be measured; and a band or friction
break is applied to the other end of the shaft, so that by means of a hand
lever the roller may be stopped at the moment when the cloth or fabric has
been entirely wound off and blocked. The fabric is placed at the rear of the
machine on a sliding frame or floor, and is then brought over or under two or
more friction rollers for the sake of tension before passing on to the measuring
roller. After this the cloth is brought on to the blocking apparatus set on a
spindle with a revolving clutch, the other end of the block being held by a
centre tightening screw, the whole being supported by projecting brackets
from the front of the machine. The block is turned by a driving pulley and
strap by the medium of the clutch. The driving pulley is allowed to run
loose on the spindle as required, and is brought into gear by means of a pin
projecting from the boss, and by a sliding clutch on the spindle actuated by a
hand lever. This clutch has several apertures cut on its surface, any one of
which may receive the pin when the clutch is forced thereto. These apertures
consist of oval recesses terminating in circular holes for the purpose of the
more ready reception of the pin. The block is made of two nearly flat plates
of iron tapered from end to end in opposite directions in order that they may
be easily withdrawn from the cloth when blocked. The two portions of the
block enter each other at their ends by projections and sockets, so as to fix
them together, and the cloth passes over and under friction rollers between the
measuring roller and the block for the purpose of effecting a firm or tight
blocking. To maintain the central position of the fabric on the block a
circular guide with a set screw is adjusted on one of the upper friction rollers
between the measuring roller and block. When the whole of the cloth is
blocked, the block is removed by slacking the tightening screw. The machine
may be worked by hand by means of a crank handle if desired. The several
parts may be made of iron, brass, and wood, or other suitable materials, as may
be found desirable, and the dimensions of the roller, the screw shaft, and
index may be varied to suit any description of work. The friction break

page_text: before mentioned may be made self-acting by means of projections on the
measuring roller acting upon a lever or other equivalent by the pressure of
the fabric, and thus remove the break from the shaft, and consequently, when
the cloth is wound off releasing the projections which are governed by springs
and bringing the break into play.
In order that our said Invention may be more completely understood we
annex a Sheet of Drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of
one of our machines, Figure 2 being a plan view of the same, similar letters
denote corresponding parts where such occur in each Drawing. It will be
seen that we have given an example of a machine to be worked by band
power, but of course it is evident that we can substitute a driving pulley for
the cranked handle to be actuated by a driving band and the revolving clutch
before mentioned. In like manner we may work the machine (especially for
light fabrics) by keying a fly wheel on the shaft and actuating the same by a
treddle motion.
a, a, are the standards and framework of the machine; b, the measuring
roller over which the cloth c passes; d, d, represent friction or tightening
rollers over and under which the cloth is drawn during the process of winding
in order to create the necessary tension; at d¹ a slide bolt is shewn, so that
any of the rollers may be made a fixture if an extra degree of tension be
required. e is the spit or block on which the cloth is wound; it is turned by
the shaft and cranked handle, as shewn. This compound block presents two
curvilinear surfaces, as shewn, varying in width according to the nature of the
material to be measured; but we employ spits or blocks of different forms to
this, one of which is shewn at Figures 3 and 3*, this is made of flat iron in
two portions tapering in reverse directions, the prongs or tongues f, f, at the
taper ends of each entering corresponding recesses (shewn in dotted lines) at
their wide ends so as to constitute a solid spit.
.
The object of these arrangements is to enable the spits to be easily with-
drawn from each end of the cloth after it is blocked. When the spits are
made narrow one tongue or projection on each in the centre will be found
sufficient.
Figure 4 shews a cross section of another form of block for light fabrics,
which it is desirable not to crease in the folds while blocking. The spit is
formed of flat bar iron with its edges guarded by curvilinear shields, so as to
afford a large bearing surface for the folding of the fabric. When using
wooden spits or.blocks in our machine we employ clutches shewn in Figures
5, 6, 7, 8.

page_text: Figure 5 is a side view, and Figure 6 a plan, of clutch suitable for the pur-
pose of receiving and holding the wooden spit at the end to be turned, and
Figures 7 and 8 are similar views of clutches for receiving the other ends of
the spit.
a is the tail of the clutch with a square head; and b, b, the two cheeks, which
are rivetted thereto in Figures 5 and 6, but are continuations in Figures 7 and 8,
and between which the wood is inserted; c is a blade wedge or knife edge for.
the purpose of preventing the ends of the wooden spit slipping sideways out
of the clutch mouths. In Figures 1 and 2, g is the indicator consisting of a
metal disc provided with a series of female threads or indentations, as before
described, in which the male screw h (being a continuation of the axis of the
measuring drum) gears and turns, the indicator leaving the indicating hand or
pointer a fixture. The hook bar and spring i serve to release the indicator or
worm wheel from the screw at the termination of the blocking, whereby the
indicator may be immediately reset to zero without the necessity of reversing
the action of the machine. The spring keeps the indicator in gear when the
hook is released. k is an ordinary friction break to stop the machine when
required; is the line of demarcation across the measuring drum before
mentioned; m, the sliding tray to hold the cloth or fabric; n, n, are brackets
or poppet heads to receive the shaft of the spit; o is a jointed cap which
swings on a pivot at the extremity of the bracket, and when turned upwards
allows the shaft to be lifted out with the fabric blocked and measured thereon.
In some cases we employ vertical poppet heads sliding on a horizontal bed
similar to a lathe bed in order to accommodate the various lengths of spits.
In some cases, such as for measuring carpets, we fix poppet heads or brackets
on both front and back of the machine, so as to support the spit or iron rod
inserted in the carpet roll from which it is to be wound on to the front or
opposite spit and measured therefrom.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we would remark in conclusion that we do
not limit ourselves to the exact details, limits, and configuration of parts we
have expressed and shewn, as the same may of course be varied or modified
without in any way departing from the nature and principle of our Invention,
we are aware that there is no novelty in measuring goods by passing them
over a rotating drum and exercising a tension by friction rollers, but what we
claim and desire to be secured to us by the herein in part recited Letters
Patent are,
Firstly, the indicator and its application, and the mode of actuating the same.

page_text: And, secondly, the arrangement, construction, and application of the spits or
blocks, and the poppet heads or brackets, each substantially as and for the
purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Belham and George Valentine,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventeenth day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-four.
Witness,
ALEX³. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
(LS.)
JAMES BELHAM.
GEORGE VALENTINE. (L.s.)