IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wood, of Monkhill House, Pontefract, in
the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
April 1854.
J, WILLIAM WOOD, of Monkhill House, Pontefract, in the County of York,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CUT PILE FABRICS" to be as
follows:-
In the manufacture of cut pile fabrics, such as carpets and others, where
pile wires are used and actuated by mechanical means, the cutting open of the
loops formed over such wires to form velvet or cut pile is effected by a cutting
edge formed on or affixed to one end of each of such wires.
Thus, supposing the line a, b, Fig. 1, to represent a portion of the upper
surface of a pile wire, the cutting edge inclines therefrom in the direction of
from 6 to c; then when the fabric is produced with the pile loops over the

page_text: wire, and the wire is drawn through those loops in the direction of the arrow,
the loops are cut in an upward or outward direction, which is in some cases
objectionable, especially when manufacturing silk velvet.
And my improvement consists in forming the cutting edge at an acute
angle (or approximating thereto) to the wire, as indicated by the Diagram,
Thi
where the line a, b, represents the top surface of the wire, and from 6 to c the
cutting edge; by which arrangement it will be seen that when the wire is
drawn in the direction of the arrow, the loops will be cut in an inward or
downward direction, in place of outward or upward, as heretofore.
I prefer forming the end of the pile wire into a slit groove or socket, with
the cutting blade inside of and rising from it, so that the loops, being pressed
into the groove, are cut on their upper surface or with a downward cut. The
cutting blade may be made so as to be removeable from the slit or socket, for
the purpose of renewal or sharpening; or it may be fastened with a pin or
rivet, as a closing penknife blade in its handle, & capable of being set to the
angle desired.
Or the cutting blade may be fixed to the side of the pile wire, which at that
part may have a sharp edge, when the loops at the withdrawal of the wire
will be between and severed by an upper and a lower cutting edge.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Wood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
October 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WOOD, of Monkbill House, Pontefract, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Wood, Her special licence that I, the said William Wood, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Wood, 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

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CUT PILE FABRICS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Wood, 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 Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Wood, 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 thereof (that is to say):-
In the manufacture of cut pile fabrics, such as carpets and others, where
pile wires are used and actuated by mechanical means, the cutting open of
the loops formed over such wires to form velvet or cut pile is generally
effected by a cutting edge formed on or affixed to one end of each of such
wires.
Thus, supposing the line a, b, Diagram Figure 1, of the Drawing annexed,
to represent a portion of the upper surface of a pile wire, the cutting edge
inclines therefrom in the direction of from 6 to c; then when the fabric is pro-
duced with the pile loops over the wire, and the wire is drawn through those
loops in the direction of the arrow, the loops are cut in an upward or outward
direction, which is in some cases objectionable, especially when manufacturing
silk velvet.
And my improvements consist in forming the cutting edge at an acute
angle (or approximating thereto) to the wire, as indicated by the Diagram,

page_text: wire is drawn in the direction of the arrow, the loops will be cut in an
inward or downward direction, in place of outward or upward, as heretofore.
Figure 3 shows the end of a wire with an arrangement of cutting blade b, c,
applied thereto, according to my Invention.
I prefer in carrying out my Invention to form the end of the pile wire into
a slit groove or socket, with the cutting blade inside of and rising from it, so
that, the loops being pressed into the groove, are cut on their upper surface or
with a downward cut. The cutting blade may, if desired, be made, so as to be
removable from the slit or socket, for the purpose of renewal or sharpening
its edge, or it may be fastened with a pin or rivet, as a closing penknife blade
in its handle, and be capable of being turned back to facilitate sharpening,
and of being set to the angle desired for cutting.
Or the cutting blade may be fixed to the side of the pile wire, which at that
part may have a sharp edge, when the loops at the withdrawal of the wire will
be between and be severed by an upper and a lower cutting edge.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to any peculiar arrangement of parts
for carrying the same into effect, so long as the peculiarity in the action of the
cutters be retained, as herein explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
Patent Agent,
73, Chancery Lane,
London.
WILLIAM WOOD. (L.S.)