FILTHING AND SHAVING THE MERINO, PLAIN SATIN, AND MUSLIN OF WOOL
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean Charles Lefevre Lacroix, Merchant, of
Heutrégiville (Marne), in the Empire of France, for the Invention
of "FILTHING AND SHAVING THE MERINO, PLAIN SATIN, AND MUSLIN OF
WOOL."
Sealed the 5th December 1856, and dated the 23rd June 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean Charles Lefevre
Lacroix at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 23rd June 1856.
I, JEAN CHARLES LEFEVRE LACROIX, Merchant, of Heutrégiville (Marne),
in the Empire of France, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "FILTHING AND SHAVING THE MERINO, PLAIN SATIN, AND MUSLIN OF WOOL" to
be as follows:-
The Invention of Mr. Lefevre Lacroix is a machine of which the Drawings.
are presented, is a true machine, since it works mecanically. Its principal
agent is a stell wand, one of the faces of which represents a file worked in a
peculiar manner. The action of this file on the passing fabric produces the
finishing. Besides this, the machine has incontestable advantages, in working
results, over all other machines which have proceeded it. Thus the finishing is.
more regular, taking off less of the stuff, and not causing so much loss. Its
first merit is, that the machinery, instead of tearing and wearing out by rubbing

page_text: the knots, cuts or shaves them off. The appearance of the tissue after the
finishing is more satisfactory, and pleases the eye. In fine, the machine is easy
to direct; it can be moved by hydraulic power or any other; and its working
result is superior to that of any machine which exists for finishing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MACHINE.
A represents a beam of cast iron, seen in elevation in Figures No. 1 & 2,
and in Figure 8, whero the breadth is shewn; B represents the fly-wheel of
the machine, shewn in breadth; D, D', wooden rollers, on which are wound
up the pieces of stuff to be operated ou; E, E', E", E", E", iron bracing
connecting the two sides of the beam; ƒ, ƒ',ƒ", f'"', ƒ"", "", wooden cross
pieces, which carry steel blades, shaped in granite, shewn in Figure 3, in
breadth and length. The pieces of stuff are worked over the same cross pieces;
G, G', wooden cross pieces carried on iron supports, which serve to stretch
the pieces of stuff; H, cast-iron rull, which supports the above-mentioned
rods F; i, ', iron supports, which serve to guide the carriage by means of a
rod; J, J', iron supports, to carry the rollers which travel on the cross pieces
K, seen in elevation in the Figures 1 & 2; 0, geared pinion transmitting
the movement; P, large wheel in gear with the pinion O; R, cast-iron
support of the fly-wheel shaft; V, V, cast-iron supports fixed to the beam to
sustain the wooden rollers; X, iron winch fixed on the main shaft, represented
in Figures 2 & 3; Y, Z, iron shafts, carrying the geared wheels which work
the machine; T, T', iron excentrics, seen in Figure 3, which serve to move the
carriage & the men.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jean Charles Lefevre Lacroix in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th December 1856:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JEAN CHARLES
LEFEVRE LACROIX, Merchant, of Heutrégiville (Marne), send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of June, 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 Jean
Charles, Lefevre Lacroix, Her special licence that I, the said Jean Charles
Lefevre Lacroix, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as

page_text: I, the said Jean Charles Lefevre Lacroix, 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
"FILTHING AND SHAVING THE MERINO, PLAIN SATIN, AND MUSLIN OF WOOL,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jean Charles Lefevre
Lacroix, 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 saine 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 Jean Charles Lefevre Lacroix, 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 :-
At the commencement of the manufacture of merino tissues in France, the
finishing was done by means of hand pinchers, which gave it the name of
"pinching." It was continued in this manner during many years, but the increase
in the production of these tissues, and others similar to them, required that a
process which worked so slowly, and only gave imperfect results, inasmuch
that it allowed to remain the least prominent asperities, should be replaced.
First, pumice-stone was substituted, next glass paper. The first of these
agents had the grave inconveniences of producing an unequal workmanship, of
still being made by hand, of weakening a great deal the texture, of causing
lines in the colours, and often obliging them to be renewed. The other, the
glass paper, was too biting for such light stuffs, and left much to be desired.
The rubbing detached the glass from the paper, and thus required also a too
frequent renewal. Both being worked by hand, were very insufficient for the
quantity of work required. Next in order is David's comb, whose disadvantage
is that of having a comb armed with steel teeth, which necessarily penetrate
into the body of the stuff, tearing sometimes the threads, or disarranging the
texture. In consequence of this it causes waste, and by its manner of action
a noticeable loss in the weight of the stuff.
This Invention is a machine of which the Drawings presented is a true
machine, since it works mechanically. Its principal agent is a steel wand, one
of the faces of which represents a file worked in a peculiar manner.
action of this file on the passing fabric produces the finishing. Besides this
The

page_text: the machine has incontestable advantages, in working results, over all other
machines which have proceeded it, thus the finishing is more regular, taking
off less of the stuff, and not causing so much loss. Its first merit is, that the
machinery, instead of tearing and wearing out by rubbing the knots, cuts or
shaves them off. The appearance of the tissue after the finishing is more
satisfactory, and pleases the eye. In fine, the machine is easy to direct ; it
can be moved by hydraulic power, or any other, and its working result is
superior to that of any machine which exists for finishing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Charles Lefevre Lacroix, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fiththeen day of December, in 1
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
JEAN CHARLES LEFEVRE LACROIX. (L.S.)

page_text: h

page_text: System formed by a quantity of grib spreadon as thin board fustened,
at the level of the woul by a frame and fired by scrows.

page_text: J