IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED FABRICS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Blair, of Leicester, Machinist, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED FABRICS."
Sealed the 6th February 1857, and dated the 21st October 1850.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Blair at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st October 1856.
I, GEORGE BLAIR, of Leicester, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED FABRICS,"
to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to the production of a peculiar description of
looped fabrics by means of two distinct sets of looping threads, one set acting
maiuly to form one surface of the fabric, whilst the other set goes mainly to
form the other surface of the fabric, and whereby two sets of ribs or loop
whales are formed, back to back, by each set. of threads alternately crossing
the other, to form by their looping together the ribs or loop whales of the
opposite surface of the fabric.
I would state that I am aware that it is not new to produce looped fabrics
with similar ribs or whales on both sides thereof, but such ribs or whales are
not back to back, which constitutes one of the peculiarities of the fabric
according to my improvements. India-rubber, or other matters, as longi-
tudinal threads or strands, are introduced to be enclosed by the several threads
and between pairs of the double or compound loop whales or ribs.

page_text: Also to the double and peculiar intersections of the threads passing from
one compound loop whale to another, whereby great regularity and precision is
imparted to the successive layers of threads, which conceal the longitudinal
threads or strands.
Also the improvements relate to the employment, in the production of such
fabric and variations thereof, of two "machines" or separate sets of guides &
guide bars, each acting with a set of needles and presser.
. In some cases other guides or thread carriers are employed for the purpose
of introducing weft or inlay threads without looping, and these weft or inlay
threads are sometimes also employed as covering means to the india-rubber or
other matters to be covered when the looping threads serve simply to tie in
such weft threads and form the compound loop whales or ribs.
In some cases the longitudinal threads or strands are omitted when holding
instruments are employed to retain the work in position during the forming of
fresh loops.
When india-rubber is employed as, the longitudinal strands they serve to
give elasticity to the fabric, but such longitudinal strands may be of wire or of
other matters, and sometimes, when such longitudinal strands are omitted, one
"machine" alone operates, as in the production of other looped fabrics, to
produce various effects. The threads operated by each "machine" may pass
only through one set of guides, or be divided, as heretofore, into several series,
governed by several rows of guides, each row being carried by a separate bar
or bars.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Blair in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st April 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
BLAIR, of Leicester, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Blair, Her special licence that I, the said George Blair, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Blair, 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

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF LOOPED FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Blair, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Blair, do hereby declare"
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
The improvements relate to the production of a peculiar description of
looped fabrics by means of two distinct sets of looping threads, one set acting
mainly to form one surface of the fabric, whilst the other goes mainly to
form the other surface of the fabric, and whereby two sets of ribs or loop:
whales are formed back to back by each set of threads alternately crossing the
other to form by their looping together the ribs or loop whales of the opposite
surface of the fabric..
I would state that I am aware it is not new to produce looped fabrics with
similar ribs or whales on both sides thereof, but such rib or whales are not
back to back, which constitutes one of the peculiarities of the fabric according
to my improvements.
India-rubber, or other matters, as longitudinal threads or strands, are in-
troduced to be enclosed by the several threads and between pairs of the double
or compound loop whales or ribs.
Also the improvements relate to the double and peculiar intersections of the
threads passing from one compound loop whale to another, whereby great
regularity and precision are imparted to the successive layers of threads, which
conceal the longitudinal threads or strands.
Also the improvements relate to the employment, in the production of such
fabric and variations thereof, of two "machines" or separate sets of guides
and guide bars, each acting with a set of needles and a presser.
But that the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner I carry the
same into effect, may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe the
Drawings annexed.

page_text: Figure 1 shows a transverse section of apparatus arranged to carry out my
improvements; Figure 2, au end view, and Figure 3, a side view thereof;
Figure 4 shows a plan view of some of the parts, and Figure 5 shows some
of the parts full size. In each of these views the same letters indicate like
parts wherever they occur.
a, a, is the framing; and 6, the main or cam shaft, from which the prin-
cipal movements are obtained, and which has motion given to it by means
of the cross shaft c, which is operated by the crank handle c', (or it may
have a drum or pulley operated by a strap or band from a steam engine
or other power,) whilst the shaft c has also affixed upon it the pinion c³,
which takes into and drives the bevilled tooth wheel b', affixed upon the axis
or shaft 6; is a fly wheel upon the shaft or axis c to equalize its motion;
d are the guides on one side of the machine, and d* those on the other; each
set of which is affixed by their leads to a bar d', whilst these bars d are
similarly operated by the cam d' affixed upon the cam shaft 6, by the cam d
acting upon the trucks or bowls d³, carried one by each lever arm d'affixed
to the frames d, which turn upon centres of motion do, and are formed
suitably to receive and hold one the bar of guides d, and the other the bar of
guides d, with capability of adjustment therein, as shown, as well as for the
required endway motion for the lapping to be given to them. This endway
motion is given to the bar of guides d by means of the wheel d', and to the
bar d by means of the wheel d³, aided by springs do. The wheels d' and d
are affixed upon the cross shaft e, upon which is also affixed the tooth wheel e',
which is operated upon at intervals to cause it to move a distance of one tooth by
the wings e² of the wing wheel e affixed upon the main shaft or axis b. There
are 16 teeth in the wheel e' and four wings e³ to the wheel e, consequently
the axis e, by the arrangement shown, makes one revolution to every four
of the shaft b. The wheels d' and d, each acts upon the nib of an L,
lever do, which turns upon an axis of motion d", whilst its other end' is by
the connection d" attached to its guide bar to pull it in one direction, whilst a
spring d tends to pull it in the opposite direction. The threads to the
respective guides d and d* are supplied from rollers or beams ds, which are
weighted, as shown.
f and fare the needles. The needles f in forming the loopings act with
the guides d, and the needles f* with the guides d*. Each row of needles f
or f* is affixed to a bar f', one on each side of the frame, and each of these
bars f¹ is supported with capability of movement from and towards the centre
of the frame by their ends being formed into necks or axes, carrying trucks

page_text: or bowls f, which move in openings formed for them in the fixed plates f³,
whilst they have also steadying arms f* affixed to them, whose outer ends are
capable of sliding between the adjustable guides fo. The required to-and-fro
motion to each bar f¹ to enable the needles alternately to receive their
respective lappings of threads from the guides is effected by the cam f' acting
upon the trucks or bowls f', each carried by an arm fe from a spindle bar f⁹,
upon which are affixed arms f, which by links f" are connected on the
respective sides to the bars f. The lever arms f on each side of the frame
are borne towards the cam f by springs f¹3. The india-rubber or other
strands g are supplied from bobbins or rollers, in manner such as is well
understood when introducing such strands into various kinds of woven fabrics,
and they are guided in passing to the work by the rollers g¹ and the sley g², in
order that such strands may be correctly spaced. The sley g' is formed by a
series of instruments similar to guides, but bent somewhat outwards, whilst
through their eyes.is passed a wire g³, as shown, to prevent the strands coming
out from the spaces between these guides. The presser bar h acts with the
needles f, and the presser bar h* with the needles f*, whilst each presser bar
is attached to arms h', which are at their other ends affixed to shafts h², which
are supported at their ends with a capability of vibrating in the arms h³ pro-
jecting from the axis h', which is capable of turning in centres carried by the
nain framing, whilst it has also affixed to it the arm h³, the lower end of which
is by a stud connected to the link h, the other end of which is by a stud
connected to the upper end of the L lever h7, which turns upon the fixed stud h³,
and at its other end carries a truck or bowl h, which rests upon and is operated
by the cam h, to give the alternate descending motion to the presser bars to
bring them into position for "pressing" with their respective needles. In the
motions given by the cam 10 to the presser bars h, h*, those bars are guided
by sliding against the upright plates h", to which they are borne by springs h¹².
The work as produced is conducted down between the fixed but adjustable
bars i, i, to the work roller j, to which it is guided by the guide rollers 1, 1.
The guides for the selvage threads are affixed to bars k, k, k, k³, which are
capable of endway movement in the fixed plates k carried by the bars d',
whilst the necessary endway motion is given to them by means of the
wheels k, k, k, ks, affixed on the axis e, the wheel ³ acting upon one end of
an L lever ko, whose other end is by the connection attached to the guide
bar k, whilst the wheel ke acts by an L lever " in like manner upon the bar k¹;
the wheel k by the lever k¹³ upon the bar ³, and the wheel k³ by the lever k¹³
upon the bar . The parts are shewn just after the needles f have received a
lap by the laying on of threads from the guides d; those needles then recede

page_text: back, taking the threads thus laid on 'them under their beards, when the
presser h descends on the beards of those needles f to "press," and the pre-
viously formed work passes over those needles. And supposing the laying of
thread on to the needles f to have been effected by the movement of tho
guides d to the left, those guides d will now move to the right, in order that
the needles f* in coming forward may pass over the threads from the guides d
to the left. The presser h having pressed, recedes again, and the needles f *.
come forward to receive the lappings, which will now be effected by the
guides d* rising and moving to the right, to lay their threads to the right
hand of the needles f*; the guides d* descend, and the needles f* return,
taking the new lapping on them under their beards, when the presser *
descends upon the beards of the needles fx, in order that the work may pass
over the ends of those needles, and these guides d* move to the left, in order
that the needles f in rising may pass over the threads of those guides d* to the
right; the needles f come forward again to receive fresh "lappings" from the
guides d in like manner to what has been already described, except that the
guides d now lay their threads from left to right; and a like action in the
reverse direction will take place in respect of the instruments d* and f*, by
which not only will double or compound loop whales or ribs be produced
between the separate strands, and by the threads covering them, but those
threads will be caused doubly to intersect each other between the strands and
compound loop whales or ribs formed. When india-rubber or other strands
are employed, as shewn, the threads from the guides d thus operated will be
laid so as to cover such strands on the side next those guides, whilst the
threads laid by the guides d will cover such strands on the side next them,
and the threads in the spaces between the strands form compound loopings,
which on the side next the guides d will mainly consist of threads from the
guides d, and on the side next the guides d* of compound loopings mainly
from the guides d. This effect is obtained by the employment of a separate
set or separate sets of guides and parts acting as a "machine" to act with
each set of needles; and although I have shewn only one set of guides to act
with each set of needles, several sets may be employed, as is well understood.
In some cases other guides or thread carriers are employed for the purposo
of introducing weft or inlay threads without looping.
Figure 6 shews a section of the parts with a bar on each side for inlay
threads, according to this part of the improvements; 1, 1, being such bars,
and ,, the guides carried thereby. for such inlay threads. These bars
will have motion given to them to carry their inlay or weft throads across
the breadth of fabric being produced, or partially so, as may be desired, and

page_text: in place of having only one of such for each side several may be employed,
and sometimes these weft or inlay threads are also employed as covering
threads to the india-rubber or other matters to be covered, when the looping
threads serve simply to tie in such weft threads and to form the compound
5 loop whales or ribs; in which case, in place of each guide thread, as explained,
and as is ordinarily the case, working in connection with two needles, each
Joop thread would act only with one needle, and simply for the purpose of
tieing in the weft threads, or the looping threads may pass from whale to
whale when required. When india-rubber is employed to form the lon-
gitudinal stands they serve to give elasticity to the fabric, but such longitudinal
strands may be of wire or other matters, and sometimes stationary wires
may be used to form whales upon, as when india-rubber or other strands
are being covered; but these wires are so arranged that as the work moves
away produced it moves off these wires. The arrangement for doing this is
represented by Figure 7, and the operation in other respects would be the
same as explained in respect of Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. And sometimes. where
in the working such longitudinal strands are omitted, one set of instruments
d, f, or d, f, at such parts are omitted, whereby one "machine" alone
operates to produce variations, in effect and in manner such as in the pro-
duction of other looped fabrics, in which case holding instruments are
employed to retain the work in position during the formation of fresh loops.
m
This adaptation of the improvements is represented by the Figure 8.
are the hooked instruments, which are set in leads affixed to the bar m',
capable of an ascending and descending motion between the bars i, i, in their
motion, between which they are guided by the projecting pieces m³ from
the bar m², whilst the required ascending and descending motion is obtained
from the cam-m' affixed to the axis b acting upon the truck or bowl m³,
carried by a lever arm mo, of which there is one affixed at each end to the
rocking shaft m'. The arms m are also by pin joints m³ connected to the
arms m affixed to the bar m. The truck or bowl m³ is kept pressing
gainst the cam m by the spring m acting upon the arm m", affixed to
he rocking shaft m. Where such hooks are in operation only one set of
nstruments f and d or f* and d* are employed, and such books act simply
o hold the work in position during the formation of fresh loops, they rising
fter each formation of new loops to release the work for knocking over.
s already intimated, the threads operated by each "machine" may pass
aly through one set of guides, or be divided, as heretofore, into several series,
overned by several rows of guides, each row being carried by a separate bar
bars,

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise details shewn and described, so long as the
peculiar character of the improvements be retained; but what I claim
is, the so operating the threads in the manufacture of looped fabrics by
mechanical means as to produce in such fabrics compound looped whales or
ribs of the character referred to.
Also I claim the so operating the threads in manufacturing looped fabrics
by mechanical means as to obtain a double intersection of such of the threads
as pass from one double or compound loop whale or rib to another.
Also I claim the employment in machinery for the manufacture of looped
fabrics, where two sets of needles are used, of two "machines" or separate
sets of guides or thread carriers and guide bars, cach acting with a set of
needles and presser.
And also I claim the arranging, combining, and operating parts of machinery
for the manufacture of looped fabrics, in manner substantially as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Blair, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
JAMES MACKEW.
GEORGE BLAIR. (L.S.)