IMPROVE- MENTS IN WASHING PRINTED AND PARTI-COLORED YARNS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Crossley, of Halifax, in the County
of York, Carpet Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WASHING PRINTED AND PARTI-COLORED YARNS."
Sealed the 30th June 1868, and dated the 17th January 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Crossley at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th January 1868.
I, JOSEPH CROSSLEY, of Halifax, in the County of York, Carpet
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING PRINTED AND PARTI-COLORED YARNS," to be
as follows:-
My improvements consist in a méthod of washing and cleansing
printed or parti-colored yarns used in weaving tapestry carpets and
other fabrics whereby to avoid as much as possible thé fouling of
the water used in the washing process, and thé consequent injury
arising therefrom to the more delicate tints and uncolored parts of
the yarns. In order to effect the object desired I lay the yarns
lengthwise and in a horizontal position after the colors have been

page_text: properly fixed or set upon suitable openwork or network supports
(and in some cases it may be that the frames upon which the yarns
may have been laid during the steaming process will answer the
purpose) and I direct on to the deeper or darker colored parts of the
'printed yarns a jet or jets of clean water so as to carry away at once
through the openwork supports the excess of coloring matter which
it is desired to get rid of and which thus escapes at once with the
waste water without injuring, soiling, or effecting prejudicially the
lighter colored parts of the yarns. After submitting the yarns to the
preliminary process just explained they are then carried to the ordinary
washing apparatus or machines as at present used, and the whole of
the yarn is then thoroughly washed and cleansed in the usual manner,
and by this means the water here used being kept much cleaner and
more free from dirt and coloring matter the delicate tints and uncolored
parts of the yarns are preserved from injury.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Crossley in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
CROSSLEY, of Halifax, in the County of York, Carpet Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Crossley, Her special licence,
that I, the said Joseph Crossley, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Crossley, 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 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 WASHING PRINTED AND PARTI-COLORED YARNS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Crossley, my executors or

page_text: 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 Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Crossley, 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 a method of washing and cleansing
printed or parti-colored yarns used in weaving tapestry carpets and other
fabrics whereby to avoid as much as possible the fouling of the water
used in the washing process and the consequent injury arising. therefrom
to the more delicate tints and uncolored parts of the yarns.
In order to effect the object desired I lay the yarns lengthwise and in a
horizontal position after the colours have been properly fixed or set upon
suitable openwork or network supports (and in some cases it may be
that the frames upon which the yarns may have been laid during the
steaming process will answer the purpose), and I direct on to the deeper
or darker colored parts of the printed yarns a jet or jets of clean water
so as to carry away at once through the openwork supports the excess of
coloring matter which it is desired to get rid of, and which thus escapes
at once with the waste water without injuring, soiling, or affecting
prejudicially the lighter colored parts of the yarns. After submitting the
yarns to the preliminary process just explained, they are then carried to
the ordinary washing apparatus or machines as at present used, and the
whole of the yarn is then thoroughly washed and cleansed in the usual
manner, and by this means the water here used being kept much cleaner
and more free from dirt and coloring matter, the delicate tints and
uncolored parts of the yarns are preserved from injury.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood
and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the manner in
which I prefer to conduct the operation. Having printed the warps in
5 the usual way and fixed the color upon the fibre by steaming as is now
practised, I take the printed yarn which is now in the form of long
skeins variously colored, and in place of washing out the excess of color
in the usual way and by which the lighter part of the yarns, are exposed

page_text: to discoloration from the dye which is washed out from the darker parts,
I lay the skeins on a wicker or openwork and with a hose I direct a
strong jet of water downwards upon the skeins and particularly on the
parts which are more deeply colored. The water takes up the color
from the parts of the yarn which are deeply colored, and carries it away
through the open supports without bringing it in contact with the lightly
colored parts. Afterwards I complete the washing in a stream of running
water in the usual way.
What I claim is the washing printed yarns by placing them on an
openwork surface and directing a stream of water through the yarns
and through the said openwork surfaces so as to carry away the color
from the darker parts of the yarn without bringing it in contact with
the lighter parts.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Crossley, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.