IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC FABRICS
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATON left by Archibald Turner at the Office
of the Commissoniers of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th September 1874.
I, ARCHIBALD TURNER, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester,
Elastic Web Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC FABRICS," to
be as follows :—
In the manufacture of what are known in the trade as terry elastic
fabrics (in which strands of india-rubber are woven into the fabric for
the purpose of imparting elasticity thereto), the non-elastic strands which
form the face and back of the fabric, have usually been woven in such a
manner that by the combination of the face warps by means of binding
threads with the warps which form the back of the fabric the rubber
strands are enclosed in separate tubes, in which they are to a certain
5 extent free to extend or contract, according to the thickness of the
rubber, the size of the tubes, and the variation of the tension to which
the fabric is subjected. This freedom of motion of the elastic strands in
their tubes gives rise to no inconvenience so long as the elastic strands
are held securely at both ends by sewing or otherwise, and they remain

page_text: unbroken, but should any of these strands be broken or cut, or be
loosened at their ends, they will immediately contract and run up in the
tubes, and thereby destroy the clasticity of the fabric. If however these
strands be tied down in the fabric at short intervals throughout their
length, they will be effectually prevented from running up in their
tubes, and yet their elasticity will not be materially interfered with. By
this means the inconveniences resulting from the breaking of the elastic
strands will be avoided, as should any elastic strand become accidentally
broken at even three or four places, all the other parts will be securely
⚫ held and therefore such parts will still retain their elasticity.
In carrying out my Invention the rubber strands are first secured by
passing into the upper shed of the fabric, and are there secured by the
ordinary warp and weft threads; then they are brought down to the
centre of the fabric and carried along straight and woven in for any
desired number of shots, after which the rubber strands are carried down
to the bottom shed of the fabric, where they are again secured by the
ordinary warp and weft threads, after which they are carried up to the
centre of the fabric, and continue in a straight line as before until they
are tied or secured a second time to the upper fabric, and so on, tying or
securing them alternately to the top and bottom fabrics. By weaving
the rubber strands in this manner it will be understood that instead of
their lying in a continuous straight line in the fabric as heretofore, they
are taken up or down out of the straight line every time they are secured
to the upper or lower fabrics.
As the object of the Invention is to so secure the rubber strands in the
fabric that they will be prevented from running up, and as this is
effectually done by bending them out of a straight line, it will be obvious
that this may be effected by securing them either in the upper or lower
shed alone. I however prefer to secure them to both sides of the fabric, as
already explained, as I find that a more even surface is produced and an
even balance of the tension is ensured, thereby preventing the fabric
from curling up.