IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Watson Burton, of Leeds, in the County of
York. Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
Sealed the 9th June 1868, and dated the 10th December 1867:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Watson Burton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th December 1867.
I, JOHN WATSON BURTON, of Leeds, in the County of York, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TREATMENT OF FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN APPARATUS USED THEREIN," to be as
follows:-
The object of my present Invention is to effect improvements upon the
improvements described in my former Patents, dated 25th April 1866
(No. 1160), and 26th April 1867 (No. 1207).
My improvements consist in treating felted cloths and the like fabrics in
the manner and for the purpose I treat woollen cloths as described in my
aforesaid Patents by means of ammonia either in a cold state or by pressure
and expansion for the purpose of softening, strengthening or facing such
fabrics, either before or after milling or raising, and to produce a permanent
face or Instre upon felted fabrics and the like fibrous materials I prefer to use
dry steam, the fabrics being dry also by preference, to fix the lustre or face by
[Price 8d.1

page_text: whatsoever means such lustre or face may have been previously produced on
such fabrics, and by the like means I fix the face or lustre upon other fibrous
materials not felted when such fibrous materials have been previously or
subsequently treated with ammonia, and this treatment is also applicable to
silk, alpaca, mohair, worsted, and other fibrous materials requiring the like
treatment..
My further improvements in treating felted cloths and the like fabrics in
the manner and for the purpose I treat my "Leeds alpaca cloth" to give
such felted fabrics by means of embossing or piling the appearance of a woven
cord or ribbed fabric, as described in my aforesaid Patent of April 26th,
1867, No. 1207, and these improvements .consist in. giving to felted fabrics
the appearance of a woven cord or rib by means of crimping, cutting,
embossing, piling, or otherwise treating their surfaces in imitation of a woven,
diagonal, vertical, or horizontal cord, rib, or pile. Printed and dyed felted
carpets and cloths I treat in the like manner to produce on their surfaces an
imitation of a Brussels, tapestry and other carpets and the like materials, and
also to break up the printed, dyed, or mixture surfaces of such felted and
other fabrics requiring the like treatment.
In order to effect further improvements in felted cloths to adapt them for
finishing with a plain, piled, cut, or embossed face, and also to improve their
appearance and substance I partially mill them, and then raise a nap on the
face, and again mill them up to the required length and width, and sometimes
I treat felted fabrics in the usual manner woollen cloths are treated when in
the white or grey balk state by raising and boiling, or I solidify and soften
without boiling, as herein-before described, previous to dyeing them, thereby
producing a solid, firm, soft and rich cloth-like appearance, and in the like
manner I treat dyed felted cloth for the like purpose.
My further improvements consist in using and adapting the wool known as
2 carmuc wool," preferring to cleanse such wool by means of my process for
cleansing wools, as described in my aforesaid Patent, for the purpose of fabri-
cating felted.cloths, felted carpeis, felted petticoats, and the like fibrous
materials which I call carunc or Russian cloths, and I also use such wool for
other purposes, chiefly for making warps, either alone, or I mix such wool with
other suitable wools or woollen waste, but I prefer to use for this purpose
alpaca, mohair, or wool recovered from rags, such warps and also warps made
from recovered alpaca and mohair only I use as a substitute for cotton warps
in woollen cloths, and I prefer to weave the cloth when such warps are used
so that the warps shall form either the back or face of the cloth as may be
desired, but the carmuc wool may also be used either alone or mixed with

page_text: other fibrous materials for weft purposes in making cloths to be finished with
a plain, shaggy, piled, cut, or embossed face, and which I call "Siberian
cloths."
In making felted cloths my improvements consist in oiling the fibrous
materials before carding or scribbling, and converting such oil into soap by
bringing the greasy sliver as it leaves the card into contact with soap or alkali
for this purpose previous to felting them, and my further improvement in
felting consists in producing a ribbed, waved, or otherwise uneven surface
upon the fabric in the process of manufacture, so that when the felt is finished
it shall resemble fabrics that have been woven, or be like the skins of animals,
by the usual means adopted with fibrous materials not felted.
The embossing apparatus heretofore used for embossing woollen cloth not
being suited to felted fabrics my improvement consists in making or adapting
the embossing parts of such apparatus so that they shall produce a deeper crimp
line or impression on the felted or other thick fabric, and, in consequence
produce a more permanent embossing or crimping, and I sometimes use
ammonia to facilitate the embossing or crimping powers of such apparatus.
My improvements in apparatus for drying carmuc wools and other wools
requiring the like treatment consists in placing rows of copper piping over
the swifts in my Patent wool drying apparatus, as described in my aforesaid
Patents and immediately under the cover or casing of the wool-drying
machine to impart greater heat and to facilitate the drying of the wools and
other fibrous materials requiring the like treatment.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Watson Burton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WATSON BURTON, of Leeds. in the County of York, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said. John Watson Burton, Her special licence that I, the said
John Watson Burton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Watson Burton, my executors, administrators, and

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN APPARATUS
USED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Watson
Burton, 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 Oflice within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Watson Burton, 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:-
My improvements.consist in treating felted fibrous materials with ammonia
in the manner and for the purpose described in my Patent, dated 25th April,
1866, No. 1160, but I also treat. felted fibrous materials by means of steam
when such fibrous materials are in a dry state in the manner herein-after
described for embossing, and my object in using steam in this manner is to
fix the face or lustre obtained by boiling or pressing and also to give firmness,
strength, and durability, and a cloth-like appearance to felted fibrous
inaterials, thereby adapting such improved felts for the purpose of fabricating
woollen cloth, braids, and trimmings in substitution for the ordinary woven
braids and trimmings, but I also use the ordinary finished woven cloths in
plain and fancy colours for this purpose either plain or embossed, as herein-after
described.
My improvements relate further to the embossing of felted fibrous materials
known as plain felt cloth, table covers, carpets, and the like felted fibrous
materials (whether such materials have been dyed, printed, or dyed and
printed combined), by means of the embossing apparatus herein-after
described, and such improvements are intended to produce on the surface of
such fibrous materials an imitation of a woven cord or rib by embossing in
imitation of a woven horizontal, diagonal, or vertical cord or rib, and also to
produce by such embossing apparatus designs and patterns in imitation of
woven fibrous materials usually produced by means of the jacquard and
other looms.
My improvements in treating felted carpets and the like fibrous materials

page_text: consists in embossing them by means of the embossing apparatus herein-after
described, so as to give such felted carpets the appearance of a woven rib or
cord in imitation of a Brussels, tapestry, and the like woven carpets, and in
the like manner I emboss the printed surfaces of fibrous materials to break
up such printed surfaces, thereby effecting improvements in their appearance
by giving them a better effect. In the like manner and for the like purpose [
emboss by means of the apparatus herein-after described Kidderminster,
Scotch, and other carpets and druggets requiring the like treatment. By
means of the embossing apparatus herein-after described I effect other
improvements in treating fibrous materials, viz., after dyeing or printing
felted fibrous materials 1 emboss them in ribs, cords, or designs suited to the
fabrication of borders for carpets. By using such borders I avoid the cutting
of carpets to fit floors when their widths are disproportionate to the size of
such floors, and by making these borders of various widths 1 adapt them for
all widths of carpets and to all sizes of floors, and such improved fibrous
materials are intended to be ornamental as well as useful.
My improvements further consist in embossing printed or dyed felted cloths
and other suitable cloths in ribs, squares, or other designs in imitation of
needlework, the cloth so embossed being suitable for upholsterers' purposes
and for other like purposes.
I also emboss by the like apparatus plain,
printed, or dyed felted and other suitable fibrous materials not felted to
produce on their surfaces an imitation of ordinary woven, plain, or figured
braids and trimmings which cut into suitable widths for braid and trimming
purposes, and sometimes emboss such fibrous materials in vertical lines or
stripes to cut by, and when cut to form embossed selvages suitable for such
improved woollen cloth, braids, and trimmings. This manner of embossing is
also applicable for embossing silks, velvets, and the like fibrous materials. to
give imitations upon their surfaces of figured woven fibrous materials, and also
to form embossed cut selvages suited for such fibrous materials requiring the
like treatment.
My improvements in treating fibrous materials by means of the embossing
apparatus herein-after described are also suited for the treatment of woollen
and worsted fibrous materials known as "Spanish stripes." "alpacas," and
"stuffs," but I do not claim the application of my said improvements to other
woven woollen & worsted materials than those herein named. In embossing
the fibrous materials previously referred to Inse embossing cloths herein-
after described so made that the ribs, cords, and designs on their surfaces I
make and vary so as to give suitable imitations of woven cords, ribs, and
designs peculiar to this class of textile manufacture.

page_text: Figure of the accompanying Drawing shews a sectional view of the
arrangement by which I propose to. effect the embossing. Passing the
material A through the drag rollers a. a. it is then passed over the roller B,
upon which is wrapped the embossing sheet b. As the roller B revolves the
embossing sheet b is unfolded and travels along with the fibrous materials A
over the tension beam (and the two become wound together upon the
perforated roller D. Figure 2 shews an end elevation of the roller D-having
a friction roller in contignity working upon a fulcrum on the weighted
lever d', the object of this lever being by the pressure to cause a deeper
indentation if required. The roller D being sufficiently filled is now covered
over completely with a cotton or other cloth and is then removed from the
machine (the framework of which is not shown in Figure 1 as it presents no
especial feature of novelty). The said roller is now placed in the vertical
cylinder E, Figure 3, by means of suitable lifting tackle and its lower end is
permitted to rest upon the nozzle e of the steam pipe f; the lid which
swings on a hinge at the back of the cylinder is now closed and securely
passing through the bar i, such bar in turn
fastened by means of the screw
being connected with the lugs on the cylinder E. The steam is now
admitted through the pipe into the perforated roller D, the upper end of
which is closed, and it then permeates through the roll of fibrous material k
(thereby effecting in conjunction with the embossing cloth the embossing of
the fibrous material), and is then suffered to pass through the discharge
pipe. In some cases prefer to produce a vacuum in the cylinder for the
purpose of better effecting the desired result. After the material under
treatment has been sufliciently embossed the lid is opened and the roller D
with the roll is removed back again to its previous position shewn in
Figure 1. I then unwind the roll and cause the embossing cloth b to
return over the tension beam Con to its own roller B and the embossed
material is allowed to fall upon the floor. The embossing cloth. I prefer to
use for this purpose consists of a woven cotton or linen fabric, but other
materials may be used suited to produce the required indentation or embossing
when steam or other like expansive bodies are used for this purpose, and in
weaving such embossing cloths I produce a diagonal, vertical, or horizontal
rib or cord or other suitable designs or patterns on their surfaces suited for
producing indentations or embossing.
My improvements refer also to the treatment of felted fibrous materials to
give them a solid, firm, and cloth-like handle and appearance, and to effect

page_text: this not only adopt the process described in my Patent of April 26th, 1867,
No. 1207, for raising and milling felted cloth to assist the embossing of felts,
but I sometimes only partially mill, then raise a nap on the face and will the
fibrous materials up to the required length and width; but I find that I can
better produce these improvements in felts by piercing the face and back of
such cloths by means of fine needles (instead of raising) so made that they shall
push or pull the fibres throngh the fabrics from the face to the back and
from the back to the face by means of slits, hooks, or roughness on their sides,
thereby causing an interlacing or weaving of the fibres. The surfaces of felts
when so treated are specially suited for embossing whether printed or dyed.
To give firmness and solidity to felted fibrous materials I also blow them with
steam (the dryest and sharpest 1 can obtain) in the manner herein-before
described for embossing when the fibrous materials are in a dry state, thereby
diminishing their tendency to shrink or stretch, and in the like manuer and
for the like purpose I blow with steam. Scotch, Kiddermiter, and other like
carpets and druggets.
And my further improvements consist in increasing the drying powers of
my apparatus for drying and cleansing fibrous materials described in my
aforesaid Patents. effect such improvements by placing heating surfaces
consisting of piping. or pans over one or more swifts, and I prefer to elevate
the casing to extend the heated circuit through which the wool travels in the
machine, and sometimes I heat the air drawn into the apparatus by preference
at the open spaces of the casing at the ends of the swifts by means of flues
so constructed that the air drawn through them shall become heated by
any suitable means when such species of enclosed willey consists of one or
more swifts.
In witness whereof, 1, the said John Watson Burton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand cight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness.
P. H. SHARP,
Patent Agent.
Leeds.
JOHN WATSON BURTON. (L.S.)