IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PILE AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wood, of Monkhill, near Pontefract, in the
County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF PILE AND OTHER FABRICS."
Sealed the 22nd February 1856, and dated the 24th August 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
August 1855.
I, WILLIAM WOOD, of Monkhill, near Pontefract, in the County of York,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF PILE AND OTHER FABRICS" to be as follows:-
The improvements relate, firstly, to sizing and dressing, by brushing &
smoothing, mohair and other pile warps or yarns, in order to lay the loose hairs
or fibres, and prevent their catching or locking together in the crossing of the
threads for the sheds, in weaving pile fabrics.
Secondly, to wetting or damping the yarns, especially those for the warps,
whilst being woven into velvet or other pile fabrics, at or near the point where
in the weaving cloth is produced. For this purpose, I employ a rotating or
other brush, suitably moistened, and capable of penetrating amongst, and
thereby moistening the yarns. Also, to the application of heat to the water

page_text: or other liquid used in wetting or lamping such yarns during the process of
weaving pile & other fabrics. "Also, to steaming such yarns during the
process of weaving pile and other fabrics, particularly at or near the point
where the cloth is produced.
Thirdly, to using for the pile warps of pile fabrics single spun threads of
mohair, worsted, or cotton, instead of doubled threads, as is usually the
practice. In carrying out this part of the improvements, I prefer to dress or
prepare the single yarns by sizing and brushing before weaving.
Fourthly, to raising up one-half of the pile warp threads at a time to form a
shed when weaving silk, worsted, or cotton velvet, or cut-pile carpeting, in
order to avoid a striped appearance of the face of the fabric.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance-of-the conditions-of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Wood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd February 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WOOD, of Monkbill, near Pontefract, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS ller most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for IIerself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Wood, Her special licence that I, the said William Wood, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Wood, 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 THE
MANUFACTURE OF PILE AND OTHER FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Wood, 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 Office within six calendar mouths next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Wood, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by, the following,
statement thereof, that is to say:
The improvements relate, firstly;; to sizing and, dressing, by brushing, and
smoothing, mohair and other pile warps, or yarus, in order to lay the loose.
hairs or fibres, and prevent their catching or locking together in the crossing
of the threads for the sheds, in weaving pile fabrics. Ileretofore, to the best
of my belief, when weaving pile fabrics the-mohair and other pile warps have
been used without being. previously sized and dressed, and it is found that the
loose fibres projecting from the threads when thus used, by looping with each.
other, prevent the proper opening of the shed, and thereby impede the; proper:
insertion of the wire and the passage of the shuttle; and I have found that;
by subjecting the pile warp yarns to a sizing process, and then brushing, and
thereby smoothing the same as they come from the size, the otherwise loose!
fibres are laid.close to and longitudinally of the threads, whereby such threads:
by the smoothness produced to their surfaces, cross each other freely, and
perfect sheds are obtained for the wire and the shuttle.
.
Secondly, the improvements relate to wetting or damping the yarns, espe
cially those for the warps, whilst being woven into. velvet or other pile fabrics,>-
at or near the point wherein the weaving cloth is produced. In the weavingi
of mohair and other yarns in the manufacture of piled fabrics, I find thes
closing together: cf the fabric at the point where cloth is produced to be much
facilitated if the threads of warp are wet' or damp, especially when dressed'
pile warps are used.. To effect this, I by preference employ a rotating or other;
brush, suitably supplied with moisture, and carried by brackets from the lay,
swords or arms; and moving with them, so that when the lay is at the back,.or
furthest from the cloth, the bristles of the brush.used may penetrate amongst
the warp threads, and moisten them; and when the beat-up takes place; the
brush, by coming forward with the, batten,, will be brought into contact with
the surface of a brush or roller, revolving in a trough of water or other liquid,"
frem which it will receive a fresh supply of moisture. I prefer that the water
or other liquid be kept heated by steam or other suitable means, as I find that!
the water or other liquid employed then more readily penetrates the, fibre, and
is more effective in softening it. Another mode of producing this. moistened;
and softened effect whilst weaving pile and other fabrics is by applying a per-
forated or slit pipe to the baiten in lieu of the brush, and allowing steam to
escape therefrom'amongst the warp threads at the time the lay, is at the back.
In order to admit of such pipe moving with the batten in the beat-up; I:
conduct the steam thereto by means of a tube of vulcanized india-rubber, or
other suitable material, and the admission of steam to such pipe at the time

page_text: desired, and the shutting it off therefrom, is governed by a tap or valve,
operated by studs or projections at cach to and fro motion of the batten.
Thirdly, the improvements relate to using for the pile warps of pile fabrics
single spun threads of mohair, worsted, or cotton, instead of doubled threads,
as is usually the practice.
Ileretofore it has been customary to use for the pile warps of pile fabrics
threads composed of two or more single yarns twisted together, thereby
involving the cost of spinning the single yarns as fine again, or thereabouts, as
they are ultimately used, when the two are afterwards twisted into one
thread, and also the cost of such twisting together or doubling; thus, supposing
the size of thread desired is that known as N° 20%, if that thread. is composed
of two threads, each of them must first be spun to N° 40' or thereabout, and
by being then twisted together they produce the size desired, whereas if the
threads are used single they need only be spun to N° 20%. And I find that
by thus using single in place of double spun yarn for the pile warp, a much
softer and fuller appearance is obtained to the pile surface, especially to cut-
pile or velvet fabrics, than when double spun yarn is employed. In carrying
out this part of the improvements, I prefer to dress or prepare the single yarns
by sizing and brushing before weaving, as mentioned under the first head of
the Invention.
Fourthly, the improvements relate to raising up one-half of the pile warp
threads at a time to form a shed when weaving silk, worsted, or cotton velvet,
or cut-pile carpeting, in order to avoid a striped appearance of the face of
the fabric.
Heretofore when using silk or cotton in the production of velvet, or worsted.
in the production of cut-pile carpeting, it has been usual to raise up the whole
of the pile warps required to form a complete row of loops across the fabric
at one operation, and (where wires are used) over each wire, whereby the loops
formed have been in rows from selvage to selvage of the fabric, and a striped
appearance is thereby produced; but I have found that by raising up only one
half of such pile warps at a time over each wire (when wires are used), that is,
one-half over one wire and the other half over the next wire, the transverse
rows or stripes are broken, and a much more even and regular appearance is
produced on the surface of the fabric.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the means
which I adopt in carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood
that what I claim is,-
First, the sizing and dressing, by brushing and smoothing, mohair and other
pile warps or yarns used in weaving pile fabrics, as explained.

page_text: Secondly, claim, in the weaving of velvet and other pile fabrics, the
application of moisture to the yarns at or near the point where cloth is
produced. Also, I claim the application of heat to the water or other liquid
thus used in wetting or damping the yarns employed in the weaving of velvet
and other pile fabrics. Also, I claim the employment of steam as the
means of effecting the desired moistening and softening to the yarn used in
the manufacture of pile and other fabrics at or near the point where in weaving
cloth is produced.
Thirdly, I claim the using for the pile warps of pile fabrics single spun
threads of mohair, worsted, or cotton, instead of doubled threads, as explained.
Fourthly, I claim, when weaving silk, worsted, or cotton, velvet, or cut-pile
carpeting, the raising up of only one-half of the pile warp threads at a time to
form a row of loops, as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES, Patent Agent,
73, Chancery Lane, London.
WILLIAM WOOD. (L.S.)