IMPROVEMENTS IN SIZING LINEN AND OTHER YARNS FOR THE WEFT OF CARPETS, AND IN APPLIANCES THEREFOR."
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Graham Dobson, of Halifax, in the County of
York, Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIZING LINEN AND
OTHER YARNS FOR THE WEFT OF CARPETS, AND IN APPLIANCES THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Graham Dobson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th February 1877.
MATTHEW GRAHAM DOBSON, of Halifax, in the County of York, Manager. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SIZING LINEN AND OTHER YARNS FOR THE WEFT OF CARPETS, AND
IN APPLIANCES THEREFOR."
This Invention has for its object improvements in sizing linen and other yarns for
the weft of carpets.
At the present time it is usual to size the weft of carpets by winding it on
wooden bobbins, and then placing these bobbins in a steam heated vessel containing
hot size, in which they are allowed to soak; afterwards the yarn is wound from the
bobbins on to spools for the shuttle, and it is woven whilst still moist. This method
has several disadvantages; there is considerable waste of size from the necessity
there is to keep it heated for a long period, the bobbins suffer much from the
alternate wetting and drying to which they are exposed, the weft is very liable to
be soiled and then to injure the goods, and at commencing work there is considerable
delay before the weft can be ready for weaving.
To avoid these inconveniences the weft has heretofore in some cases been sized in
the process of winding the spools, the yarn as it passes to the spool to be wound
thereon being led through a trough containing the hot size. The waste of size and
other objections to this method of working are however such that the method is not
in very general use.
According to my Invention I take the yarn to form the weft in the skein or
hank, and having distended it on a swift, I give it a few turns in the hot size. I
then raise the swift out of the size, and by any known arrangement of driving
mechanism I cause it rapidly to rotate to throw off the excess of size, which is.
collected and again used; afterwards, I wind the yarn on to bobbins (which
tends to render it straight and even), and from the bobbins I wind the spools.

page_text: The method of removing the excess of size from the yarn may be varied, but that
above stated I believe to be the best. A main feature of the Invention however is
sizing the weft in the hank, then removing the superfluous size, and whilst they are
still moist winding the hanks as described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Matthew Graham Dobson, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th August 1877.
MATTHEW GRAHAM DOBSON, of Halifax, in the County of York, Manager. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SIZING LINEN AND OTHER YARNS FOR THE WEFT OF CARPETS, AND
IN APPLIANCES THEREFOR."
This Invention has for its object improvements in sizing linen and other yarns for
the weft of carpets.
At the present time it is usual to size the weft of carpets by winding it on
wooden bobbins, and then placing these bobbins in a steam heated vessel containing
hot size, in which they are allowed to soak. Afterwards the yarn is wound from
the bobbins on to spools for the shuttle, and it is woven whilst still moist. This
method has several disadvantages; there is considerable waste of size from the
necessity there is to keep it heated for a long period, the bobbins suffer much from
the alternate wetting and drying to which they are exposed, the weft is very liable
to be soiled and then to injure the goods, and at commencing work there is con-
siderable delay before the weft can be ready for weaving.
To avoid these inconveniences the weft has heretofore in some cases been sized
in the process of winding the spools, the yarn as it passes to the spool to be wound
thereon being led through a trough containing the hot size. The waste of size and
other objections to this method of working are however such that the method is not
in very general use.
According to my Invention I take the yarn to form the weft in the skein or
hank, and having distended it on a swift, I give it a few turns in the hot size, I
then raise the swift out of the size, and by any arrangement of driving mechanism I
cause it rapidly to rotate to throw off the excess of size, which is collected and again
used; afterwards, I wind the yarn on to bobbins (which tends to render it straight
and even), and from the bobbins I wind the spools.
The method of removing the excess of size from the yarn may be varied, but
that above stated I believe to be the best. A main feature of the Invention
however is sizing the weft in the hank, then removing the superfluous size, and
whilst they are still moist winding the hanks as described.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe more
fully the manner of performing the same.
Figure 1 is a front view partly in section, and Figures 2 and 3 are end views also
partly in section of a size bath, and apparatus in connection therewith for sizing
linen and other yarns in the manner above described. In these Figures A is the
bath for containing size; B, a steam chamber at the bottom for keeping the bath
heated; C is a hinged hood or covering enclosing a space above the bath; D is a
swift on which the skeins or hanks are distended; to allow of this the several arms
of the swift are made capable of extension. By preference I form each of them
telescopic, as shown at Figure 4, and with an enclosed coiled spring to force
outwards their outer extremities; D¹ are pin stops to keep together the two parts
of each arm.
When the skeins or banks have been placed on to the swift, the axes at the
ends of the swift are dropped into bearings E, E, at the two ends of the bath A,
so that a portion of the swift and of the skeins thereon is immersed in the size
in the bath; a toothed wheel G on the axis of the swift is also in gear with a

page_text: pinion H, which is driven from an axis I, upon which are fast and loose band pulleys
as shown. A slow revolving motion is then by this arrangement of driving
mechanism given to the swift. After a few turns have been given to the swift the
swift is raised out of the bath, and its axes are dropped into the bearings J; then
a friction driving wheel K, which is driven by a band and band pulley L, is by means
of a lever handle M brought into contact with a friction wheel N on the axis of the
swift. By this means a rapid revolving motion is imparted to the swift, and the
excess of size is thrown off from the yarn. During this time the cover C closes over
the space above the bath, as shown by the full lines at Figure 3. Afterwards the
cover is raised and thrown back into the position shown by the dotted lines in
Figure 3, so as to rest against the fixed arm O, and remain open; the swift is then
lifted out of its bearings, and taken away at the front of the machine. Afterwards
the yarn is taken off the swifts, and whilst still moist is wound on to bobbins, and
then on to the spools for the shuttles.
If desired, the yarns may be coloured at the same time that they are sized, by
adding colouring materials to the size in the bath.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
Sizing linen and other yarns in the hank, then removing the superfluous size, and
whilst they are still moist, winding the hanks as described, thereby preparing them
for use as the weft of carpets or such like fabrics in which the weft is woven in a
moist state.
I also claim sizing linen and other yarns, substantially in the manner and by the
aid of the appliances above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Graham Dobson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
MATTHEW GRAHAM DODSON. (L.S.)