IMPROVEMENTS IN MAKING ALL WOVEN AND THREADY FABRICS WATERPROOF, AND IN FINISHING OR SURFACING FABRICS GENERALLY
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Beslay, of No. 11, Rue Menilmontant, in
Paris, in the Empire of France, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MAKING ALL WOVEN AND THREADY FABRICS WATERPROOF,
AND IN FINISHING OR SURFACING FABRICS GENERALLY."-A communication
by Etienne Guillaume, of No. 138, Rue Ménilmontant, Paris, afore-
said. Overseer.
Sealed the 18th November 1863, and dated the 22nd July 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Beslay at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
July 1863.
I, CHARLES BESLAY, of No. 11, Rue Menilmontant, in Paris, in the Empire
of France, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MAKING ALL WOVEN AND THREADY FABRICS WATERPROOP,
AND IN FINISHING OR SURFACING FABRICS GENERALLY," to be as follows:-
The means employed to the present time for rendering cloth impermeable to
water and other fluid are far from giving the degree of impermeability obtained
by my process which I desire to secure by Letters Patent. The ordinary
method of rendering woven fabrics impermeable consists in steeping them in
impermeable matters, or otherwise applying them to the cloth.
My process consists in appying the impermeable matters to the threads
before weaving them. It will be easily understood that if the threads com-
posing the fabric are impermeable they give a greater impermeable property

page_text: to the whole of the fabric. For applying the impermeable matters to the
threads I employ a dressing machine known and used in ordinary weaving
machines. It suffices to substitute the impermeable matter for the ordinary
dressing employed, the remaining operations being performed as in ordinary.
The principle of my Invention thus consists in the application of impermeable
matters to all kinds of threads, all chains or warps and weft used in weaving,
crossed or otherwise, to be used for impermeable tissues for awnings, tents,
sails of ships, buckets, fire and other hoses, and other articles in which water-
proof fabrics may be used with advantage. One or several layers or coats of
impermeable matter may be applied on the same fibre or thread, and I also
apply layers or coats of varnish on the threads, and which may also be applied
to the cloths or fabrics after being made if necessary. I also apply powdered
silk, flax, cotton, wool, and other similar material for producing tissues in
imitation of tissues of these various materials,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Beslay, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
January 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
BESLAY, of No. 11, Rue Menilmontant, in Paris, in the Empire of France,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Charles Beslay, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Beslay,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Charles Beslay, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MAKING ALL WOVEN AND THREADY FABRICS WATERPROOF, AND IN
FINISHING OR SURFACING FABRICS GENERALLY," a com". to me from abroad by
Etienne Guillaume, of No. 188, Rue Menilmontant, Paris, aforesaid, Over-
seer, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Beslay,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or

page_text: 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 Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Beslay, 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 (that is to say):-
The means employed to the present time for rendering cloth impervious to
water or other fluid are far from giving the degree of impermeability obtained
by my process which I desire to secure by Letters Patent. The ordinary
method of rendering woven fabrics impervious consists in steeping them in
impermeable matter, or by applying otherwise such matters to the cloth.
My process consists in applying the impermeable matters to the threads
before weaving them. It will be easily understood that if the threads com-
posing the fabric are impermeable they give great impermeable properties to
the whole of the fabric. For applying the impermeable matters to the threads
I employ a dressing machine known and used in ordinary looms for weaving.
It suffices to substitute the impermeable matter for the ordinary dressing
employed, the remaining operations being performed as in ordinary.
The principle of my Invention thus consists in the application of imper-
meable matters to all kinds of threads, chains, or warps and weft used in
weaving, or otherwise combined, to be used for impermeable tissues for
awnings, tents, sails of ships, buckets, fire and other hoses, and other purposes
in which waterproof fabrics may be used with advantage. One or several
coats or layers of impermeable matter may be applied on the same fibre or
thread, and I also apply coats or layers of varnish on the threads, which may
also be applied to the cloths or fabrics after being made if necessary. I also
apply powdered silk, flax, cotton, wool, and other similar material for pro-
ducing tissues in imitation of tissues of these various materials.
The impermeable matters may be applied on the threads either by means
of an ordinary dressing machine, or preferably by passing the threads through
an india-rubber draw plate or die in the following manner, viz. :—The
waterproofing matter (say, consisting of a solution of india-rubber or its
compounds) is placed in a suitable receptacle, into which the thread is intro-
duced at one side and is immersed in the matter, which adheres to it; after
which the thread passes out at the opposite side of the vessel through a die or
draw plate of india-rubber or other similar material, the hole or passage iu

page_text: which exerts an elastic pressure on the thread in order to equally and
uniformly distributo the waterproof coating on the threads, and remove all
superfluous matter. Threads or cords thus prepared readily serve for the
manufacture of ropes and cordage, which will possess great durability. Other
impermeable matter (such as gutta percha or its compounds) may be reduced
to à state of solution or pasty mass, and used for like purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Beslay, have hereunto set my
band and scal, this Twentieth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.