IMPROVEMENTS IN FULLING, STRETCHING, DRYING, AND DRESSING GOODS MANUFACTURED OF WOOL, COTTON, SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, ALEXANDER
ALLIOTT, of Lenton, in the County of Nottingham, Bleacher, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Nineteenth day of February, in the seventh year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alexander Alliott, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Alexander Alliott, my
exors, admors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Alexander Alliott,
my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
that part of Her Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
called England, Her Dominion of Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FULLING, STRETCHING, DRYING, AND
DRESSING GOODS MANUFACTURED OF WOOL, COTTON, SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, that
I, the said Alexander Alliott, shall cause a particular description of the nature
of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 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
Alexander Alliott, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascer-
tained in and by the following Specification thereof, reference being had to the
Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, marked A and B, that is to say,
so much of the said Invention as relates to improvements in stretching,
drying, and dressing goods represented in the Drawings on Sheet A, and
first herein-after described.
Figure 1 is an end elevation of a machine embodying the said improve-
ments; Figure 2 is a front or longitudinal elevation thereof, chiefly in
section; and Figure 3, a top plan. In Figures 1 and 2 the machine is
represented as charged with goods, which are, for example sake, supposed
to be lace; and Figure 3 shews the machine in the state in which it is
before the lace is introduced. A, A, are two side standards, within which
the rest of the machine is supported; B is the main shaft or axis, which has
its bearings in the standards A, A. Towards the two ends this axis is screw-
threaded, at one end with a right-handed thread, and at the other with a left-
handed thread; C, C, are two tubes through which the shaft B is passed.
The tube C¹ slides within the tube C2, the former having a fillet d on the
inside, which takes into a groove e on the top of the latter, and both tubes
have on the inside, at those parts where they come in contact with the screw
parts of the axis, corresponding right and left-handed screw threads, so that by
passing the one tube more or less within the other their joint length may be
varied according to the width of the goods to be stretched, dried, and dressed;
D, D, are two coupling boxes with feathers and grooves (one shewn in gearing
the other out of gearing) fixed to the shaft, one at each end, by means of
which when the tubes are adjusted to any desired width they are kept fixed in
that position to the shaft; E, E, are two circular fanners, which are keyed on
to the tubes C1, C2, one at each end. A plan of one of these fanners is given
separately in Figure 4. The vanes a, a, must be uniformly curved inwards,
but those of the one fan must be inclined in a direction the reverse of those of
the other fan, so that both may serve when in rotation to draw the air into the
interior of the machine; F, F, are two flat circular plates, which are secured
by bolts and nuts to the outer rings of the fanners, and revolve with them in
the same plane; G, G, are two smaller circular plates or rings, which are
attached by means of bolts and nuts to the inner faces of the large plates
or rings F, F, but at a little distance from them. Each of both the large
and small plates is perforated with a series of holes, so that a line drawn
continuously through them would form a spiral, and those of the small

page_text: plates correspond exactly with those of the larger plates opposite to them (see
Figure 1); I, I, are rods, which are passed loosely through the corresponding
holes in the large and small plates, so as to have a little play therein; and I³, 1³,
two flat spiral coils attached to the ends of these rods, so that the coil I' is on
the outside of the large plate or ring F, and the coil I³ on the inside of the
smaller plate or ring G. On those parts of the rods I, I, which are between
the outer spiral coil I' and the ring F there are helical springs h, h, which
are compressed as the spiral coils I, I³, are protruded, in manner afterwards
described, and as soon as the protruding pressure is removed, spring back into
their original position, and bring back with them the portion of the coil with
which they are immediately connected. The spiral coil Is is armed on its inner
face with a number of hooks k, k, (as shewn separately in Figure 5) for the
purpose of laying hold of the goods; L, L, are two L-shaped frames, attached
to the standards A, A, at top, the vertical bars of which carry two loose pulleys
0, 0, grooved on their peripheries, by means of which the spiral coils are
pressed continuously forward on rotation being given to the axis B and plates
F and G, as afterwards explained; M is a shaft with a right-handed screw at
one end and a left-handed screw at the other, which is passed from side
to side through corresponding screw-threaded orifices in the top rails of the
frames L, L, and turns at its two extremities in bearings in the standards A, A.
By means of this screwed shaft the pulleys O, O, are fixed in such vertical
planes as to come exactly in contact with the spiral coils (which planes vary
of course with the width to which the tubes C', C2, are adjusted); the lower
horizontal rails of the frame L, L, being left free to move forwards and back-
wards to any desired extent through their bearings in the standards A, A.
P is a handle by which the shaft M is turned round; R is a third horizontal
shaft, which is suspended from two vertical slide rods r, r, which are weighted
at top to nearly an equality with the weight of the shaft, but are free to
move up and down when acted upon by any preponderating pressure.
These rods move through eye bolts attached to rings s, s, which are move-
able sideways along the top cross bar of the machine by means of four
small grooved rollers t, t, which project from the back of the rings, and slide
upon fillets raised on the top and bottom faces of the top bar. This shaft R
consists of three parts or pieces, namely, of a solid centre piec, the two ends
of which slide into two tubular end pieces, so that the shaft may be extended
or shortened, to correspond with the extension or shortening of the tubes
C, C. v, v, are helical springs, wound round the ends of the solid centre piece,
which assist by their outward pressure to keep it in its place within the
tubular end pieces; these end pieces are not tubular all through, but near

page_text: to their outer extremities becomes, solid, and then terminate, in two forks w, w.
S, S, are short axes, the inner ends, of which are inserted between the forks.
The lower ends of the vertical slide rods, are passed through the forked
extremities of the tubular ends of the shaft. R, and through the short axes
within them, after which the slide, rods and short, axes, are made fast to one.
another by means of cross pins y, y; the outer ends of these short axes carry
two loose toothed reels T, T, (by which the goods are. first received on to the
machine,). and within these, two guide pulleys, V, V. Separate, views. of one
set of these reels and pulleys, and of the end of the, carrying shaft. R, to which
they are attached, are given on an enlarged scale in Figures 6 and 7. W, W,
are handles, attached to the slide rods r, 7, by means of which the reels T, T;
can occasionally have a little obliquity given to them, when by so doing the
proper delivery of the goods to the machine. can be facilitated; X is a handle,
by which the main shaft B is turned during the stretching part of the process,
herein-after described; and Y, Y, drums, by which motion is communicated to
it. from a steam engine or any other first mover; Z, Z, are doors, by which cold
air is admitted into the interior of the machine through the openings in the
fanners, and through which doors also access is had to the coupling boxes
D, D, when they are required to be put in or out of gear; Z2, Z3, are pipes
for the introduction of heated air from a common flue Z³ after the cold air
has been shut off, as afterwards explained. The top of the horizontal portion of
the pipes Z3, Z, is divided into three parts, on the middle one of which, the
other two parts. slide to and fix, so that they may also accommodate themselves
to the varying width given to the frame. z, z, are valves for letting on, and
shutting off the heated air.
Figures 8 and 9 are front views of the apparatus by which goods are
delivered to the machine, which has been_now herein-before described.. A2, A3,
are two toothed wheels (the end of one of which is seen in Figure 1),
which are keyed to two short axes a², a², at any desired point, which axes
are attached by swivel joints to a common shaft B; C, C, are quadrant-
shaped pieces firmly attached to the bearings D³, D2, of the common shaft B²,
which have curved slots in them 2, 62, through which the pins are passed
by which the short axes are fixed in the position assigned to them, so that
the extent to which, these can deviate from a level with the common, shaft,
is. necessarily limited, to the range of these, slots; E², E. (Figure 9), are
tension bars, the ends of which are seen also in Figure 1.
The manner in which the machine is worked is as follows:-After the lace
(supposing that, as before, to be the description of goods to be operated upon)
has been starched, as usual, it is, then drawn over and between the tension

page_text: bars E, E, and next over the toothed wheels A2, A3, which lay hold of it by the
selvages or outer edges, as clearly shewn in Figure 1; the tubes C', C, are then
adjusted to a width corresponding to the width of the piece of goods, and
made fast in that position on the axis by the coupling boxes D, D, the sus-
pended bar with its appendages is also pulled down as far as the dotted line
cs, c³, Figure 2, and the cold-air doors are opened, and the hot-air valves
closed; the piece of goods is then carried under the two teethed. reels T, T,
from which it is carried to and made fast to a spring bar or strap. F, F³, the
ends of which are passed through the circular plates F, F, and G, G,. at a
point just below the spiral coils I, I. The attachment of the lace to the
spring bar or strap F is effected by winding round the latter a spiral wire, to
which are attached a number of projecting hooks, that lay hold of the lace in
a similar manner as the hooks of the spiral coils I³; the pulleys O, O, are then
adjusted by means of the screwed shaft M to such a distance from the side
standards, A, A, that, supposing the spiral, coils I, I³, to be brought in contact
with, them, they will fall into the grooves on their peripheries, and be thereby
forced inwards to the utmost extent allowed by the helical spring rods I, I ;
the main shaft. B is now caused to revolve by means of the handle X, and as
this shaft revolves, the pulleys O,. O, force continuously forward the spiral coils
I, I, rising as they do so on the vertical rods, which serve as their axes, while,
the teeth on the face of the coil I³ catch hold of the selvages or outer edges
of the piece of goods, till. the whole, of the coils have been traversed, and the
lace is wound in a series of circumvolutions, corresponding with the number of
coils, in the spirals.. The suspended. shaft R,, which carries at its extremities.
the reels T, T, and guide pulleys V, V, is lifted at the same time progressively.
upwards by the pressure of the goods, the. workman giving occasionally, by
means of the, handle W, W, a degree of obliquity to the shaft, when by so doing
the delivery of the goods on to the hooks of the coil I³ can be. facilitated.
The whole of the piece of goods having been now wound upon the machine,
the pulleys O, O, delivery reels T,. T, and guide pulleys V, V, are moved out
of the way, and the tubes C¹, C2, made free to move round on the main shaft
B, by throwing the coupling boxes D,.D, out of gear; the shaft B is then once
more turned, the frame being held fast from revolving in the meanwhile, when,
the right and left-handed screws thereon working into the threads. on the,interior.
of the tubes C, C, cause these tubes to be extended, and the lace to be. thereby.
stretched in, the width to any extent. desired; the lace is. then made fast by the
end last wound on the frame to a strap or band, stretched across the machine,
furnished with hooks to catch hold of the lace; after this, the tubes C, C²,, are
made fast by means of the coupling boxes D, D, and a quick whirling motion

page_text: given by connecting the drums Y, Y, with a steam engine or other first mover
to the shaft B, and all the pieces then connected with it, that is to say, the
shaft tubes C', C, the fanners E, E, the plates F, G, the spiral coils I³, 1³, with
their connecting rods I, and the piece of goods hooked to the spiral coils. As
soon as by the centrifugal action thence arising the piece of goods assume a
perfectly straight position, as indicated by the lines c³, c, in Figure 2, the
cold-air doors Z, Z, are closed, and the valves z, z, of the hot-air pipes Z², Z²,
are opened, and the heated air admitted through the openings in the fanners into
the space within the goods, which are thereby dried and dressed with great
rapidity and with the most perfect equality. Much of the efficiency of the
machine depends on attention being paid to the admission of the hot air
exactly at the proper time, for if the hot air be admitted before the goods are
in a perfectly straight position, then the middle parts are dried before the
whole piece has attained an equal degree of extension, as the degree of rapidity
to be given to the frame must depend on the length and weight of the piece of
goods stretched upon it; a pair of differential pulleys, such as shewn in
Figure 10, is interposed between the first mover and the drum Y, Y, so that
the workman can, by applying a guide thereto, regulate the degree of speed at
pleasure. The goods may be dried and dressed by means of the cold air alone
combined with the centrifugal action, but much more slowly than when hot air
is introduced, in manner before described. And though it has been assumed
in the preceding description that the piece of goods is of equal length with the
spiral coils, and that the winding process can be stopped at any point of the
coils, it is further proper to observe, that, though the machine is adapted to
other sorts of fine and light fabrics as well as lace, it is not suited for and is
not intended to be used for the stretching, drying, and dressing of heavy goods.
My improvements in fulling, which I proceed next to describe, are embodied
in the machine represented in Sheet B of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a top plan of the machine, with a part of the upper covering
removed in order to shew the interior construction; and Figure 2 a sectional
elevation. A, A, are two circular rings, which are connected vertically by
means of four columns a³, a³; B is a revolving shaft, which is stepped at
bottom in a boss b, cast in the upper face of the longitudinal cross bar a', and
at top, where it is slightly tapered, turns in a brass of a similar taper form,
fitted into the centre boss of the part A2, next to be described. A³ is a three-
rmed piece, the centre boss of which contains, as just described, the brass
bearing of the top end of the shaft B; two of its arms are attached at a, a,
by hinges to the upper surface of the top ring A, and the third is secured to
the same upper surface at a³ by a sliding bolt. By removing the bolt at a³,

page_text: this piece A³ can be thrown completely back on its hinges in order to make
room for the removal of the lid of the drum C, which is made fast by sliding
bolts to the revolving shaft B. The central part c of this drum consists of solid
wood, round which is an open space D for the reception of the goods to be
fulled. C² is a double ring piece, connected by radiating cross bars, (the whole
cast of iron in one piece,) which is firmly bolted to the bottom of the solid part
C of the drum, and extends beyond it all round; C³ is a double ring piece,
similar to C, which forms a covering or lid to the drum at top, and is secured
thereto when the machine is at work by means of sliding bolts c. Wooden
linings and care attached to the inner facings of the iron castings C² and
C³ forming a continuation outwards of the central part C of the drum, so as the
goods may nowhere come in contact with metallic surfaces. The casting C
and C³ terminate on the outside in angle pieces p, p. The periphery of the
drum consists of a chain or series of wooden bars connected at the top and
bottom by hinges, in the manner shewn in the uncovered part of Figure 1, and
also in sectional elevation of a portion of the chain given separately in Figure 3,
which bar chain is inserted loosely round the open space D, being prevented
from falling out by the angle pieces p, p.
L is a bevil wheel attached to the
bottom of the drum, which, being connected by suitable gearing with a steam
engine or other first mover, imparts a rotatory motion to the drum. From the
drum frame there projects at one side the two frames a³ and a', which carry two
pressure pulleys E' and E², by means of which the bar chain is pressed inwards
against the goods as the drum revolves, in the manner shewn in the uncovered
portion of Figure 1. An end or front view of these frames is given separately
in Figure 4; M is the shaft which carries the pullies E¹, E. This shaft
rotates in bearings in the projecting frames a³, a, and it is moved nearer to or
farther from the drum by the means next to be described. The rails F¹, F³,
in the ends of which the shaft M has its bearings, have screw threads turned
on them; and on these rails working into the screw threads are two screwed
nuts H1, H2, toothed on their peripheries; G1, G2, are two endless screws, which
work into the teeth of the screwed nuts H', H, and are moved together by
means of the handle I, and the connecting wheels K², K².
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare, as regards the machine for
stretching, drying, and dressing, first herein-before. described, that I do not
lay claim to any of the parts of which it consists as new, individually and
separately considered, the same having been all before employed for the like or
other purposes, though not collectively combined and applied in the same
manner; but that what I claim is,--

page_text: Firstly, the said machine, in the general arrangement and combination of
parts of which the same consists, when employed for the purpose of dressing
lace goods, as a new and improved means of effecting such dressing.
And, secondly, the employment of centrifugal action in combination with
currents of hot or cold air, for the purpose of stretching and drying goods when
employed in manner or by means of a machine of the construction before
described.
And I declare, in respect of the fulling machine, secondly herein-before
described, that I do not claim any of the parts thereof, individually and
separately considered, as new, except as is herein-after excepted; and that
what I claim is,―
First, the said machine in the general arrangement and combination of
parts of which the same consists.
And, second, the employment for fulling purposes, in manner before described,
of a drum, having a periphery formed of a chain of bars, which is continuously
pressed inwards at one side against the goods by means of pressure pulleys
adjustable to any required distance from the said drum.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this Nineteenth