IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRINTING WOVEN OR TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cockcroft, of New Accrington, in the County
of Lancaster, Machine Printer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRINTING WOVEN OR TEXTILE FABRICS AND
Sealed the 27th February 1855, and dated the 28th December 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Cockcroft at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th
December 1854.
I, JOHN COCKCROFT, of New Accrington, in the County of Lancaster,
Machine Printer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRINTING WOVEN OR TEXTILE
FABRICS AND YARNS," to be as follows:-
Instead of the woollen or macintosh blanket and calico, hitherto used in
machine printing, I propose merely to use a calico or similar fabric in two or
more folds, which I accomplish by a peculiar arrangement of the calico on a
roller, from which it passes to the machine, so as to form several folds, which
will be understood by reference to the accompanying outline Drawing, in
which A represents the roller upon which the calico has been previously
wound, which follows the course indicated upon the plan, and forms itself into
any number of folds required. In this way it advances to and round the
cylinder, the under fold forming a perfect substitute for the woollen blanket,
and the surface fold answering the purpose of the calico, hitherto used in
conjunction with the blanket or macintosh, and delivers itself at the point B.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Cockcroft in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
June 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
COCKCROFT, of New Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Printer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of December, 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 me, the said John Cockcroft, Her special licence that I, the said John
Cockcroft, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Cockcroft, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRINTING WOVEN OR TEXTILE FABRICS
AND YARNS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Cockcroft, 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 immediately
after the date of the said Royal Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Cockcroft, do hereby declare the
nature of the 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 (that is to say):-
My Invention consists of a peculiar arrangement and application of the
calico or grey piece, by which I am enabled to dispense with the endless
woollen mackintosh or cotton blanket, as now generally used in printing calico
and other fabrics, and thus lessen very materially the power required to drive
the machine, as well as give an easier and better fit to the pattern printing, not
having to contend with the bulk and elasticity of the blanket.
This arrangement will be clearly understood by reference to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings and the Figures of reference thereon, in which the Diagram
represents. a side view of a six-color printing machine, with my improved
arrangement of the calico in five folds

page_text: No. 1 is the grey roller from which the calico runs singly to the machine,
following the course indicated upon the plan, passing over the steam cylinder
No. 2; and may be thus made to form itself into two, three, four, or any
number of folds required, and in this way advance to and round the cylinder
when printing, the under folds forming a perfect substitute for the woollen or
mackintosh blanket, and the surface fold answering as the grey piece, now
generally used, which as it passes away winds round at No. 3. No. 4
No. 4 repre-
sents the draw rollers, to conduct the dirty fold away during the process of
printing; No. 5, the stretching rollers, with levers to tighten or slacken the
folds as may be required; No. 6, the balancing roller, to prevent any dragging
of the grey folds; No. 7, the roller from which the cloth to be printed runs
and delivers itself in the usual way; No. 9, the scrimp rails, over which the
folds pass separately immediately before touching the printing cylinder;
No. 10, a regulator, by which the folds are kept in order; No. 11 are roller
and lever, by which means I can piece up the grey without stopping the
machine.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I desire it to be
distinctly understood that I claim the peculiar arrangement and application of
the calico or grey piece in folds as a substitute for the woollen or mackintosh
blanket hitherto used in printing textile fabrics by machine, as such improve-
ment is herein described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Cockcroft, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named John Cockcroft, in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
JOHN COCKCROFT. (L.S.)
Manchester.