IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING PILE FABRICS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Norton, of Kirkburton, in the County of
York, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING
PILE FABRICS."
Sealed the 22nd February 1856, and dated the 8th December 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Norton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
December 1855..
I, WILLIAM NORTON, of Kirkburton, in the County of York, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WEAVING PILE FABRICS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the weaving or manufacturing of double cloth
from two destined foundation warps and a separate pile warp, which latter is
worked into both foundations or bodies of the double fabric, so that, when the
intermediate pile yarn so worked in is cut in two, it forms a pile surface for
each fabric. Instead of using slips of metal or other means for keeping the
formation warps at their proper distance asunder, & thus measure the requisite
length of pile warp, the present Invention comprehends a plan of effecting the
required end by the disposition of the foundation warp beams. Supposing
the reed action to be horizontal, the beams for the upper foundation warp are
disposed at a considerable distance above the level of the breast beam, whilst

page_text: the beams for the lower foundation warp are similarly situated at a con-
siderable distance below the level of the breast beam. The angle at which
the beam threads work under this arrangement causes the two foundations to
be woven at the proper distance apart. To enable the weaver to produce
double pile goods on this system with varying lengths of face pile, what is
termed a double-dent reed is adopted. This reed is composed of double-storied
dents, or dents with a central partition between them, and it is used in a
common strong power loom, the shuttle race of which is fitted up for two
shuttles to work across the piece, one above the other. The lower shuttle
works along the ordinary race, but the upper one works in connection with
the double-dent reed. A cross iron rod is fitted up in the loom framing, close
to the breast beam, and round this rod are passed a set of metal wires which
are carried forward for some distance behind the reed, being thence passed
through the upper split of each double dent, and after passing round the rod,
the wires are each carried back through the lower split of the reed, and thence
passed a considerable distance beyond to the starting end of the wire, and
the two ends are then joined. To this junction of the wire there is attached
a small piece of cord, the other end of which is attached to a yarn beam,
weighted so as to put a severe strain upon the wire. The wires passing
through the upper split of the reed act as the race for the upper shuttle, and
these are also available for a knife to work through between the top and
bottom wires. This knife is actuated by a crank or other movement from the
loom, and serves to sever the pile as it is woven. When severed, the length
of pile comes out as regulated by the length of the division in the split
dent. The pile yarn works in the open reed between the double split dents
of the reed, spaces being left for this purpose. Part of the foundation warp
works through the same spaces along with the pile yarn, & the rest of the
foundation warp works through the double split reed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters 'Patent, filed
by the said William Norton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th June 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
NORTON, of Kirkburton, in the County of York, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of

page_text: Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Norton, Her special license that I, the said William
Norton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Norton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
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
WEAVING PILE FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Norton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 I, the said William Norton, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to the weaving or manufacturing of double cloth
from two distinct foundation warps and a separate pile warp, which latter is
worked into both foundations or bodies of the double fabric, so that, when the
intermediate pile yarn so worked in is cut in two, it forms a pile surface for
each fabric. Instead of using slips of metal or other means for keeping
the foundation warps at their proper distance asunder, and thus measuring the
requisite length of pile warp, the present Invention comprehends a plan of
effecting the required end by the disposition of the foundation warp beams.
Supposing the reed action to be horizontal, the beams for the upper foundation
warp are disposed at a considerable distance above the level of the breast
beam, whilst the beams for the lower foundation warp are similarly situated at
a considerable distance below the level of the breast beam. The angle at
which the warp threads work, under this arrangement, causes the two foun-
dations to be woven at the proper distance apart. To enable the weaver 'to
produce double pile goods on this system with varying lengths of face pile,
what is termed a "double-dent reed" is adopted. This reed is composed of
double storied dents, or dents with a central partition between them, and it is
used in a common strong power or hand loom; the shuttle race of which is
fitted up for two shuttles to work across the piece, one above the other. The
lower shuttle works along the ordinary race, but the upper one works in con-

page_text: nection with the double dent reed. A iron rod is fitted up in the loom
framing, close and parallel to the breast beam, and round this rod are passed
a set of metal wires which are carried forward for some distance behind the
reed, being thence passed through the upper split of each double dent, and after
passing round the rod, the wires are each carried back through the lower split
of the reed, and thence passed a considerable distance beyond to the starting
end of the wire, and the two ends are then joined. To this junction of the
wire there is attached a small piece of cord, the other end of which is attached
to a beam, weighted so as to put a severe strain upon the wire. The wires
passing through the upper split of the reed act as the race for the upper
shuttle, and they are also available for a knife to work through between the
top and bottom wires. This knife is actuated by a crank or other movement
from the loom, and serves to sever the pile as it is woven. When severed,
the length of pile comes out as regulated by the length of the division in the
split dent. The pile yarn works in the open reed between the double split
dents of the reed, spaces being left for this purpose. Part of the foundation
warp works through the same spaces along with the pile yarn, and the rest of
the foundation warp works through the double split part of the reed.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I have
hereunto appended, and shall now proceed to describe, a Sheet of explanatory
Drawings, shewing the mode of working out my Invention in practice.
Figure 1 on the said Sheet of Drawings is a sectional diagram of portions
of a loom arranged for weaving a duplex fabric to be afterwards cut so as to
form two separate pile surface pieces. Five warp beams A, B, C, D, E, are
used, the two uppermost beams A, B, carrying the foundation warps for the
upper cloth, whilst the two lowermost beams D, E, carry the foundation warps
for the lower cloth. The central beam C carries the warps, which go to form
the pile surface of the finished fabric. The upper foundation warp beams
A, B, are set considerably above the level at which the weaving action takes
place, and the lower foundation warp beams D, E, are set a corresponding
distance below that level, so that the lines of warp F and G approach the
reed H in directions reversely inclined thereto, and these warps being held at
a suitable tension tend to separate from each other at the weaving line. This
separating action is limited by the binding action of the wefts, and by the tension
of the pattern or surface warp I from the beam C, and the two fabrics are
in consequence kept at a distance asunder, determined by the combined action
of the several tensional strains, and by the amount of inclination of the lines
of warp F, G, as determined by the positions of the beams A, B, D, E. This
distance between the two fabrics of course determines the length of the pile.

page_text: The upper foundation warps F are actuated by the heddles 1, 2, and the lower
foundation warps G are actuated by the heddles 3, 4. The pattern or surface
warps I are worked by three heddles 5, 6, 7, and in addition to these aro
passed through heddles 8, 9, 10, which are connected to weights by cords
passing over pulleys, and which take up the slack of such of the warp threads
as may not be worked by any of the heddles 5, 6, 7, at any particular shed.
Figure 2 is a weaver's diagram, showing the connection and succession of the
treadle movements, and the reed drafting in one modification of the weaving
routine, as adapted for my system of weaving. The horizontal lines show the
lines of warp, and are lettered to correspond to the warp beams represented in
Figure 1. The vertical lines 1 to 12 indicate the treadle movements, the
mark o signifying a falling shed, and the mark X a rising shed. Thus, the ver-
tical line 1 shows that at the first treadle movement the warp from the beam B
is depressed, whilst one of the three lines of warp from the beam C is raised:
The lines C are introduced to show the action of the compensating heddles
8, 9, 10. The vertical lines at J indicate the manner in which the warps are
to be drawn through the reed, as will be understood by the practical weaver.
Figures 3 and 4 are longitudinal sections of the fabric, as woven, according
to the arrangements just described or referred to. In both Figures the
round dots represent the same weft shots. In Figure 3, the blue lines show
the weaving of the foundation warps separate and distinct for each fabric; and
in Figure 3 the red and dotted lines show the weaving of the pattern or
surface warps into both upper and lower fabrics, so as when cut to form a cut
pile surface to each fabric. Figure 5, on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
attached, is a sectional diagram of portions of a loom, as arranged according
to another portion of my said Invention for producing duplex fabrics to be
afterwards cut into two distinct fabrics with cut pile surfaces. The foundation
warps are in this instance carried upon two single beams A, B, the pattern or
surface warps being carried upon the beam C. The upper foundation warps
D are actuated by the heddles 1, 2, and the lower foundation warps E ard
actuated by the heddles 3, 4, whilst the pattern or surface warps F are actuated
by the heddles 5, 6, 7, 8. At some distance behind compensating heddles 9.
10, are arranged to act on the pattern or surface warps F for the purpose of
taking-up the slack of such warp threads as are not acted upon by any of the
heddles 5, 6, 7, 8, at any particular shed. The length of the pile of the woven
double fabric G is determined by the distance between the upper and lower
cloths, and in this instance this distance is regulated and rendered uniform by
the action of a peculiarity in the reed Hand of certain wires I, which I shall
proceed to describe. Figure 6 is a face view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion

page_text: of a reed, as constructed with the peculiarity just referred to, which consists
of a bridge or filling-up piece J with which each pair of splits or dents is
fitted at about the centre of its length. These filling-up pieces correspond
in depth to the distance which is to be placed between the upper and lower
cloths. The dents being thus connected in pairs, there is alternately a clear
space and a bridged space between the dents, as taken in succession along the
reed. A wire I (Figure 5) is passed through each bridged space above the
bridge J forward, nearly as far as the beam K, where it is bent round a strong
metal bar L, passing across the loom between the two fabrics and fixed to the
side frame pieces of the loom. The wire I returns along below the bar L,
through each bridged space in the reed, and below each bridge to a roller M,
behind which it is joined to its other end and to a cord N. The several wires
I arranged in this manner across the loom and connected to separate cords N,
so as to be capable of individual tightening. The cords N pass back to a
beam. O, and are made fast thereon by means of screws P, in the manner
shewn in Figure 7, which is an elevation of a portion of the beam O, as
drawn to an enlarged scale. In this Figure the alternate rows of screws Pare
represented with the cords N as yet unattached to them; to shew more clearly
the oblique arrangement for getting the cords sufficiently close together. The
cords N are severally brought to a uniform tension by means of the screws P,
and a weight or spring is then applied to the roller O to act on the entire
mass. The wires I are woven into the duplex fabric, and keep the two
cloths at a uniform distance asunder. The two cloths are cut asunder imme-
diately in advance of the line where the weaving action takes place, and
behind the bar L, which passing through between the upper and lower cloth
would prevent the fabric from passing onward, were it not severed. The
cutting knife is at Q, immediately behind the bar L. It is represented in
edge view and in plan, and as drawn to an enlarged scale, in Figures 8 and 9.
It is a flat blade Q, fitted with a slightly-inclined knife edge, and is made to
reciprocate by means of a cord R' passing round a pulley to a lever S, con-
nected to a treadle or any other convenient reciprocating part of the loom.
After each pull of the cord R, the knife is drawn back by the action of a
spring T. The knife Q lies between and is guided by the wires I, so as to
cut the pile accurately and evenly along the centre line of its depth. The
cutting action separates the upper from the lower cloth, and they pass onwards
above and below the bar L, round the roller U, and round separate taking-up
rollers V, which are geared together, so as to act with equal strain of both
cloths: There are several ways of constructing the reed or reed dents so as
to answer the purposes of my Invention, that is, so as to guide and determine

page_text: the distance apart of the wires I, by which the length of pile and distance
apart of the two cloths are regulated. According to one plan, each dent of
the reed is arranged as shown in edge and side view, in Figures 10 and 11
on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto attached. A fine wire W attached to one
end of the dent X is passed through a hole near the centre thereof, and then
back through another hole a little beyond the centre thereof; after which it
is carried to the opposite end of the dent and fastened. In this manner two
loops are formed, through which the wires J are passed, the distance between
the two perforations near the centre of the dent corresponding to the distance
asunder of the wires I. According to another plan, the dent is notched at
points corresponding to the positions of the central perforations shown in
Figure 11, and a strip of narrow flat wire attached to the dent at each end is
bent into the notches, so as to form the loops, just as is done by the wire W,
as shown in Figures 10 and 11. According to another plan, the separating
piece for separating and guiding the wires I, is a metal eye or "mail," similar
to that used, in certain kinds of heddles. This mail is held in the reed by
wires, which form loops through which the wires.I are passed. These mails,
with their holding wires, are placed behind the regular dents of the reed at
regular intervals, in which are formed at every two, three, or more dents
immediately in front of the mails. Figures 12 and 13 are views, at right
angles to each other, of portions of a reed made in this way. The regular
dents of the reed are.at. X, whilst what may be termed the mail dents Y are
behind them. The wires I are passed above and below the mails, through the
loops formed by the wires which support the mails. According to another
modification, the wires. I and piece J in the reed for separating them is dis-
pensed with, and a single deep thin wire is used in their place. The reed is
formed like that represented in Figures 12 and 13, but without the mails, that
is to say, with a number of narrow dents, placed two together behind the
regular dents at intervals, for the purpose of guiding the deep thin wire just
mentioned, and of separating it from the sheds. This deep thin wire is
represented in Figure 14. It is tapered towards the end a, which is attached
to a cord N like the wires I in Figure 5; the cords N being attached to
the. beam O for the purpose of stretching the wire, as in a modification
described previously. The other end 6 of the wire a, b, is passed through
the narrow guide dents of the reed, so as to reach about the position of
the bar L in Figure 5. The ends 6 of the several wires are perforated, so
as to be strung upon a strong wire, which is passed across the loom to stretch
the wires a, b; and a slit c is formed near the end of each of the wires a, b,
through which slit the knife. Q (Figures 5, 8, and 9,) is passed and works:

page_text: The wires a, b, are thus woven into the duplex fabric, and keep the upper and
lower cloths at a uniform distance asunder until the two cloths are severed by
the knife edge, after which one cloth passes above the cross holding wire, and
the other below it. In conjunction with the arrangements represented in
Figures 5 to 14, on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto attached, it is intended to
employ two shuttles, passing to and fro simultaneously, one above the wires I or
a, b, and the other below these wires. The usual race upon the loom lathe will
answer for the lower shuttle, whilst the upper shuttle will run and be sup-
ported upon the wires I or a, b, as upon a race. Figure 15 is a weaver's
diagram, showing the connection' and succession of the treadle movements
and the reed drafting in one modification of the weaving routine, as suited to
the arrangements represented in Figures 5 to 14 on the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto attached. The horizontal lines are numbered to correspond to the
heddles, and are also marked with the letters of the several warp beams to
which they belong. The vertical lines 1 to 8 indicate the treddle movements,
the mark o signifying a falling shed, and the mark X a rising shed. The
vertical lines at d indicate the manner in which the warps are to be drawn
through a common dent reed, whilst the vertical lines at e show how the warps
are to be drawn through my improved double dent reed, as will be well under-
stood by the practical weaver. Figures 16 and 17 are sections of the duplex
fabric, the round dots in each Figure representing the same series of weft
shots, whilst the weaving of the foundation warps is shown in the former, and
that of the pattern or surface warps in the latter.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,--
First, the application and use, in looms for weaving duplex pile fabrics to
be cut into two distinct fabrics, of any of the herein-before described modifica-
tions of double dent" reed, which guides and regulates the distance apart
of certain wires contrived for the purpose of determining the distance apart of
the cloths composing the duplex fabric, and of guiding or acting as a race for
the upper shuttle, as berein-before described.
Second, the application and use, in looms for weaving duplex pile fabrics, of
wires stretched by a beam at the back part of the loon, and passing thence

page_text: through the reed above and below, separating pieces therein for guiding them,
and determining their distance asunder to a transverse bar between the cloths
composing the duplex fabric, such wires determining the distance asunder of
the two cloths, and guiding or acting as a race for the upper shuttle, as herein-
before described.
Third, the application and use, in looms for weaving duplex pile fabrics, of
thin deep wires, formed and arranged in the manner herein-before inore par-
ticularly described in reference to Figure 15 on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Norton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-six.
WILLIAM NORTON. (L.S.)