CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WARPING, DRESSING, AND WEAVING TEXTILE MATERIALS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Markland, of Hyde, in the County of Chester,
Warp Dresser, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR WARPING, DRESSING, AND WEAVING TEXTILE MATERIALS."
Sealed the 22nd December 1854, and dated the 29th June 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Markland at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th June 1854.
I, THOMAS MARKLAND, of Hyde, in the County of Chester, Warp Dresser
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WARPING, DRESSING, AND WEAVING TEXTILE
MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
My Invention applies, first, to a certain portion of mechanism used in all
these operations, and consists in an expanding "reed," so constructed as to be
capable of adjustment to either the smallest or greatest number of dents per
inch required. In constructing my improved "reed," I perforate small holes
in two strips or bands of india-rubber or other clastic substance; one band I
employ as the top, the other as the bottom support of the wires or dents, which
constitute the reed; these wires I insert at each end into the holes already
pierced in the two elastic bands of rubber, and then mount them in a frame,
having at each end a vertical shaft, round which and fixed to it pass two strips
of any suitable material in connection with the india-rubber bands. At the

page_text: upper end of each vertical shaft is a small worm pinion, working in its respec-
tive right and left handed worm; these worms are carried on a longitudinal rod
running the entire length of the "reed," and are worked by hand, at pleasure.
The contraction of the bands of rubber limit the greatest quantity of wires in a
given space, and, by turning the longitudinal bar, the vertical shafts are caused
to revolve, and, by winding on the bands in connection with the india-rubber,
give to it a proportionate tension, and consequently widen the space between
each wire.
Secondly, my Invention applies only to the operation of weaving, and
consists in a novel and peculiar construction of "self-acting temple." The
'temple is for the purpose of keeping the cloth distended whilst being
woven, one being fixed at each side, so as to act on each selvage of the cloth.
My improved "temple" consists of a small roller, longitudinally subdivided
through the body of the roller, as well as through its axis, into several parts or
segments, in such a manner that their surfaces may accurately correspond, and
a lateral sliding motion may be given to each part or segment. The cheeks or
standards which hold the roller are each furnished on the inside with a small
piece of projecting metal as an eccentric, which in the revolution of the entire
roller (caused by the fabric passing over it) displaces or forces in a lateral
direction that segment or part of the roller to which it is opposed, and by such
continuous lateral shifting action a proper and equal distention of the fabric
is: maintained. The surfaces of the parts of the roller may be either supplied
with a series of rows of small pins or needle points, or otherwise roughened or
serrated, so as to hold the cloth as it passes over the "temples" sufficiently
tight, but without injury to the selvages of the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Markland in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th December 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
MARKLAND, of Hyde, in the County of Chester, Warp Dresser, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord
. One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her. heirs and successors, give and grant unto ine,
the said Thomas Markland, Her, especial licence that I, the said Thomas
.Markland, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Thomas Markland, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at

page_text: any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WARPING, DRESSING, AND WEAVING TEXTILE
MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas
Markland, by an instrument in writing under my hand and, seal, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said Thomas Markland, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
My Invention applies, first, to a certain portion of mechanism used or
employed in the operations of warping, dressing, and weaving textile materials,
and consists in an expanding or contracting "wraith" or "reed," so con-
structed as to be capable of adjustment to either the smallest or greatest
number of dents per inch required. In constructing the improved reed or
wraith, I perforate small holes in two strips or bands of india-rubber, or any
other elastic substance, (but in particular instances one band or strip is sufli-
cient) one band I employ as a top, the other as. the bottom support of the
wires or dents, which constitute the reed; these wires I insert at each end into
the holes already pierced in the two elastic bands of rubber or other elastic
material, and then mount them in a frame, having at each end a vertical shaft,
round which and fixed to it pass two strips of any suitable material in con-
nection with the indiá-rubber bands. At the upper end of each vertical shaft
is a small worm pinion, working in its respective right and left handed worm;
these worms are carried on a longitudinal rod running the entire length of the
"reed," and are worked by hand, at pleasure. The contraction of the bands of
rubber limit the greatest quantity of wires in a given space, and, by turning the
longitudinal bar, the vertical shafts are caused to revolve, and, by winding on
the bands in connection with the india-rubber, give to it a proportionate
tension, and consequently widen the space between each wire.
66
Secondly, my Invention applies only to the operation of weaving, and consists
in a novel and peculiar construction of self-acting temple." The " temple"
is for the purpose of keeping the cloth distended whilst being woven, one being
fixed on each side of the loom, so as to act on each selvage of the cloth.

page_text: My improved temple consists of a small roller, longitudinally subdivided
through the body of the roller, as well as through its axis, into several parts or
segments, in such a manner that their surfaces may accurately correspond, and
a lateral or sliding motion given to each part or segment. The cheeks or
standards which hold the roller are cach furnished on the inside with a small
piece of projecting metal as an excentric, which in the revolution of the entire
roller (caused by the fabric passing over it) displaces or forces in a lateral
direction that segment or part of the roller to which it is opposed, and by such
continuous lateral shifting action a proper and equal distention of the fabric is
maintained. The surfaces of the parts of the roller may be either supplied with
a series of rows of small pins or needle points, or otherwise roughened or
serrated, so as to hold the cloth as it passes over the "temples" sufficiently
tight, but without injury to the selvage of the same.
But in order that this Invention may be the better understood and explained
in detail, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings; Figs. 1 and 2
being made upon a scale of about one-third full size, and Figs. 3, 4, 5, being
full size.
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal elevation of the improved "wraith;" part
of the Figure being a section, shewing the elastic band or rubber, and the
method of securing the dents or wires; Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of Fig. 1,
(the expanding "reed" being similar in all parts, but of course with the
additional top rail or bar and its corresponding elastic material.) In piercing
the holes for the reception of the dents in the elastic material employed, it is
stretched to such a limit as it may at times be afterwards required to occupy;
by this means the greatest space required is between the holes; and of course,
when the rubber or elastic material is allowed to contract, the least space is
between the holes or dents, as shewn at a (Fig. 1), the dotted dent a* represent-
ing the distance to which those dents shown might be drawn out by causing
the rubber to expand or stretch. The material we prefer to employ generally
is that commonly known as vulcanized india-rubber. In Figs. 1 and 2, the
same letters of reference are placed on similar parts of the machinery or
apparatus. In the example shewn there is but one band of elastic material
employed (as in a "wraith"), but if desirable two may be employed (as in a
reed "), for the top and bottom of the dents, as before described. b represents
the handle by which the contraction and expansion of the clastic band is caused
by acting upon the right and left handed worm c, e*, and worm wheels d, dx;
these wheels in their turns cause the slotted vertical shafts c, e*, to revolve, and
to take on to them or release the bands ff*, to which each end of the elastic
material is secured. g and g* are two slotted metal plates, the slots serving as
66

page_text: guides for the dents h,j. j is a swinging rod or bar, by the elevation of which
the whole of the yarns may be thrown up from between the dents where
required. Such wraiths," as here described, are peculiarly applicable to
sizing, beaming, warping, and dressing machines, &c., and the "reeds," of
course, to looms for weaving, and, should it be desired, may be made, by aid of
the click wheel, shewn at k (Fig. 2), self-acting, as far as regards its gradual
contraction and expansion.
Figs. 3, 4, and 5 exhibit the second part of this Invention; Fig. 3
being a top or plan view of the self-acting "temple," with part of cover
removed; Fig. 4 representing a side or longitudinal elevation with the
cover raised; and Fig. 5 exhibits a cross section taken about the middle
of the temple. The temple delineated is a right-hand temple, but of course
a left-hand one is employed upon the opposite selvage of the fabric in the
loom. The same letters of reference refer to similar parts of the apparatus
in Figs. 8, 4, 5. Beneath the cover 1, and through the openings 1, 2, the
fabric passes, and is continuously drawn on to the cloth or work beam. The
action of this passage over the serrated or roughened roller m, m, is to cause
the whole of its compound portions to revolve, in consequence of the fabric
being pressed down upon it by the cover 2, which is confined at will by causing
a part revolution of the divided screw head n. o represents a hollow piece of
metal which receives the axis of the roller; the side of the piece of metal o
which meets the roller is cam formed, or as an inclined plane p, there being at
the opposite end of the roller a corresponding inclined plane g; it will now be
evident, that as the roller is caused to revolve by the passage of the fabric over
it, the inclined planes must necessarily cause each divisional part of the roller
to take a corresponding shifting and lateral movement according to the angle
of the plane. It will now be observed that this constant self-acting lateral
movement must have a continuous tendency always to keep the fabric equally
and properly stretched. r is a spring which counteracts any sudden obstruction
in the action of the loom.
Having now particularly described the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be <distinctly
understood that I claim,-
First, the novel application, employment, and use of an elastic or expanding
and contracting reed or wraith, constructed in the manner as herein particularly
described and set forth, and fully illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, for
the purposes of warping, beaming, sizing, or dressing, and weaving textile
materials.
And, secondly, I claim the novel and peculiar combination and arrangement

page_text: of the parts of mechanism shewn and described, and also their particular
adaptation to looms for weaving, for the purposes of acting as "temples" upon
the selvages or edges of textile materials, as herein also particularly set forth
and described, and exhibited at full size in the Drawing annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Markland, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of December, in the
year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
THOMAS MARKLAND. (LS.)