Improvements in the Manufacture of Machine Made Lace.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Machine Made Lace.
We, FREDERICK TOPHAM, of 1 Burn Street Waverley Street in the Town and
County of Nottingham, England, and HENRY GEORGE TOPHAM, and WILLIAM
TOPHAM, of 37 Rue Neuve, Calais, France, Manufacturers, 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 :-
Our invention enables us to produce the borders or edges around the tickings of
matted objects to such perfection as to be hardly distinguishable from those of
real lace.
Up to the present time such borders or edges of the tickings of matted objects in
machine made lace and more particularly in the tissue called "Platt" have been
defective, the defect consisting in the undue thickness of the borders or edges of
the tickings. Our meaning will be clear on reference to the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 accurately represents machine made lace as at present manufactured.
In Figure 2 real lace is shown. The delicacy and lightness of the borders or
edges of the tickings around the matted portion of the work strike out effectively.
By comparing the samples 1 and 2 it is easily recognisable that the great
superiority of the latter consists, mainly, in the delicacy, lightness, and neatness of
the borders or edges of the tickings, which in Figure 1 appear comparatively heavy
and formal.
The object and result of our invention is the producing of a new article on lace
machines in which the imperfection which has hitherto existed in machine made
lace as compared with real lace no longer appears and in which the borders or edges
of the tickings around the matted parts of the lace have as much lightness, neatness
and beauty as in real laces. Figure 3 shows a sample of lace made in accordance
with our invention; it is in the state in which it leaves the loom and has to be
clipped to prepare it for the market.
According to our invention we also produce a purl the pillar of which is produced
like the edges of tickings, without any undue thickness. The purl is seen upon the
lower edge of the sample represented by Figure 3.
Having thus described the object of our invention we now describe the means we
employ.
In order to avoid the production of the heavy edges of tickings, which is caused
by successive ties, we introduce a supplementary thread which is placed between
the warp threads so that the supplementary thread is covered back and front,
whatever may be the number of warp threads employed, although these may be
unequally divided back or front of the supplementary thread. These supple-
mentary threads previous to and after having been introduced into the mesh for
producing the said edges, can be worked either in the lace or clipped from it.
In order to make our invention clear and to show how we obtain the improve-
ment, we refer to a diagram annexed. This diagram is in eight sections or parts
and the explanation which we give of it will suffice, to any one competent in the
matter to produce lace in accordance with our invention.
The 1st section of the diagram shows the horizontal position A and B are warp
threads (threads A only are represented in the first section). CC are bobbin
threads. At the time of producing any given object or part of the design the
warp threads A which are to contribute to it instead of producing successive ties or
loops to form a link as in ordinary machine made laces simply twist with their
respective bobbins Cup to such time as warp thread or threads A-of each bobbin
ties or tie on E, which tie or ties with the assistance of the supplementary thread D,

page_text: shot through at the same time as the ties on E E are produced establish a complete
link and form without any apparent thickness, and with the required lightness and
neatness, the border or edge of tickings. The tickings are then produced by the
twisting of warps A and B with their respective bobbins C up to the time they
work into the inatting F. This portion of matting being complete the warps A
and B twist again with their respective bobbins C until such time as the warp
threads A shall again simultaneously tie or loop on E; and then these ties
together with the supplementary thread D, shot through at this moment, form the
edges of the tickings.
The second section of the diagram represents warps B which are used in the
production of the matting. These threads, like the threads A shown in the
1st section of the diagram, cover the supplementary threads both back and front.
The third section of the diagram represents the vertical side of a given object.
Here the supplementary thread D is seen working along a pillar G which pillar G
is composed of warps A. and B and bobbin C. The supplementary thread by its
position between the threads A and B by a simple move from right to left of
bobbin C, and vice versa, keeps the pillar apparently straight and helps in producing
without defect an edge to the tickings.
The 4th section of our diagram like section No. 2 represents the working of the
warp threads B.
The 5th section represents the work at the time of the formation of a curve.
The warps A instead of producing amongst themselves successive ties or loops for
the production of the edges of tickings (as in Platt etc.) simply tie on E E and the
supplementary thread D passing successively before and after each tie E under and
over the bobbin C forms a complete link by its position between warps A and B,
which cover it back and front, and so produces the edges of the tickings with the
neatness and lightness already explained.
The 6th section of the diagram again shows the working of the warp threads B.
The 7th section of the diagram relates to the formation of the purl. H represents
the purler it works with a corder K both being supplementary threads arranged
like the threads D in the previous sections, and being covered back and front by
warps A and B. L also is a supplementary thread. The corder K is in front of
the purler and the supplementary thread L is at the back of the purler. The
threads working in the manner indicated in the diagrain produce the purl and from
the fact of their position between warps A and B the purl is produced without
undue thickness; a defect which has hitherto existed in all machine made laces
with purls.
The 8th section of the diagram, shows as before the working of the warp
threads B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The method substantially as herein indicated of producing the borders or
edges of the tickings by the aid of supplementary threads D D.
2. The method substantially as herein indicated of producing the purl by means
of the purler and corder working between the warps A and B.
3. Machine made lace substantially as described in respect of the borders or
edges of the tickings or of the purling or both.
Dated this 1st day. of December 1893.
CARPMAEL &. Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.