IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NUMERICAL MARKING OF PIECE GOODS AND OTHER MATERIALS AND FABRICS SOLD by Length, and IN APPARATUS THEREFORʼ
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Mitchell Torrance, of the Firm of Miller, Son,
and Torrance, of Cannon Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NUMERICAL MARKING OF PIECE GOODS AND OTHER
MATERIALS AND FABRICS SOLD by Length, and IN APPARATUS THEREFORʼ
"
Sealed the 12th May 1876, and dated the 8th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Mitchell Torrance at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th February 1876.
88
ANDREW MITCHELL TORRANCE, of the Firm of Miller, Son, and Torrance, of
Cannon Strect, in the City of London. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NUMERICAL
MARKING OF PIECE GOODS AND OTHER MATERIALS AND FABRICS SOLD BY LENGTH,
AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
The objects of this Invention are to ensure accuracy of measurement to the
manufacturer, the seller, and the consumer; also to facilitate the operation of selling
cut lengths to the general public; and generally to facilitate the measuring and
cutting up of piece goods and other materials and fabrics sold by length. The
numbers of yards (or other measure) being according to this my Invention marked
consecutively on the "piece," the lowest number, that is 1, being inside when the
piece is folded or rolled up, and the highest number outside, the total length of a
piece or remainder of a picce may be seen at a glance, which is of special advantage
to the dealer for stock keeping and stock taking.
My Invention is as follows:-I measure and mark piece goods and other
materials and fabrics sold by length in suitable or current length measures, such as
yards, and when required parts of yards. This may be done by hand or by
machinery by printing on, or by perforating, or by weaving into the fabric or
material, or by any suitable mode or modes of marking fabrics or inaterials.
For calico and inany other fabrics or materials I prefer to employ a printing or
marking ink which will disappear in the washing.
For the purpose of feeding the fabric or material to or into the printing or
perforating apparatus a revolving or other suitable feeding apparatus may be
employed.
For cmbroidery or other flat trimmings a long table with feeding roller at one
end and a similar taking-off roller at the opposite end may be advantageously
employed, the length or lengths of fabric being stretched between the two rollers
and the table marked in the desired divisions, when numbers denoting the length
[Price Gdl

page_text: in yards can be consecutively printed on or perforated by a numbering, printing, or
perforating apparatus by hand or otherwise.
I prefer to mark the fabrics or materials, as aforesaid, before they leave the place
of manufacture.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Andrew Mitchell Torrance in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th August 1876.
"
ANDREW MITCHELL TORRANCE, of the Firm of Miller, Son, and Torrance, of
Cannon Street, in the City of London. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NUMERICAL
MARKING OF PIECE GOODS AND OTHER MATERIALS AND FABRICS SOLD BY LENGTII,
AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
The objects of this Invention are to ensure accuracy of measurement to the
manufacturer, the seller, and the consumer; also to facilitate the operation of selling
cut lengths to the general public; and generally to facilitate the measuring and
cutting up of piece goods and other materials and fabrics sold by length. The
numbers of yards (or other measure) being according to this my Invention marked
consecutively on the piece," the lowest number, that is 1, being inside when the
piece is folded or rolled up, and the highest number outside, the total length of a
piece or remainder of a piece may be seen at a glance, which is of special advantage
to the dealer for stock keeping and stock taking.
"
My Invention is as follows:-I measure and mark piece goods and other
materials and fabrics sold by length in suitable or current length measures, such
as yards, and when required parts of yards. This may be done by hand, or by
machinery, by printing on,. or by perforating, or by weaving into the fabric or
material, or by any suitable. mode or modes of marking fabrics or materials.
1
For calico and many other fabrics or materials I prefer to employ a printing or
marking ink which will disappear in the washing.
For the purpose of feeding the fabric or material to or into the printing or
perforating apparatus a revolving or other suitable feeding apparatus may be
employed.
For embroidery or other flat trimmings a long table with feeding roller at one
end and a similar taking-off roller at the opposite end may be advantageously
employed, the length or lengths of fabric being stretched between the two rollers,
and the table marked in the desired divisions, when the numbers denoting the
length in yards can be consecutively printed or perforated by a numbering,
printing, or perforating apparatus by hand or otherwise. Or a plain table without
rollers may be employed, the embroidery, insertion, lace, or other flat trimmings or
other material sold by length being placed thereon by hand and shifted piece by
piece when marked.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of such a table appliance; Figure 2, a plan of
same; and Figure 3, a vertical cross section.
A is the table, which may be of any ordinary or other construction, and for
many purposes suitably be made of a length of, say, nine yards. This table is at
every yard (or other current length measure) fitted with a flat ruler B. These
rulers are hinged to the table A at one end, and at the other or outer end provided
each with a peg or steady pin which fits into a corresponding hole in the table,
or any other suitable means may be provided for retaining the rulers in their exact
required position.
The mode of using this table is as follows:-The rulers having all been raised, as
shewn in dotted lines at Figure 3, the lace or other trimming or material is placed
lengthwise on the table A, leaving, if desired, a short end over at the starting or
front end of the table, the left-hand side, as shewn here. According to the width
of the article or material to be marked and the width of the table one length is

page_text: placed thereon, or two or more lengths, side by side. The rulers B are then folded
down on the trimmings, which are kept properly stretched and fairly straight, and
the pegs b on the rulers B being put into their holes in the table A the trimmings
are kept flat and straight thereby. The marker then takes hold of a so-called
numeroteur trouillet," which is a well-known numbering appliance consisting of
one or more discs formed circumferentially with types, the discs being fastened in a
frame fitted with a handle, the discs being also made to shift round by depressing a
knob passing through the handle. The operator then successively stamps the
trimmings one by one along the thin right-hand edge of the first ruler B¹ with the
number 1. By depressing the aforesaid knob the operator thereupon shifts the
marking disc of the numeroteur to number 2, and then marks the trimmings along
the right-hand edge of the ruler B with the number 2. He then by depressing
the knob changes the disc to number 3, marks the trimmings along the right-hand
edge of ruler B³, and so on till number 9 has been marked along the last
ruler B. The trimmings are then shifted for further marking, as required.
I may mention that for short pieces of lace I find it advantageous to sew them
together lengthwise, placing them close together side by side.
I prefer to cover the table with leather, or at least with leather strips, where the
rulers are placed, and the marking takes place, as shewn here.
Instead of the numerotcur here referred to any other suitable numbering machine
or appliance may be used. Thus, for instance, a separate stamp of any ordinary
construction may be used to mark each number, the operator having used the stamp
marked 1, he puts it down, takes up the stamp marked 2, and having used it,
he puts that down, and takes up the stamp marked 3, and so on as required.
The material may, as here described with reference to the Drawing, be
stationary on a table or other surface, and the marking apparatus movable along
rails or other guides, and the movement or shifting of the marking apparatus may
be either by machinery, or by hand, or marking apparatus may be applied, in
which discs fitted with the required number types are automatically shifted in
position in accordance with the length of path traversed by a wheel or other
revolving appliance fitted to the marking apparatus.
I prefer to mark the fabrics or materials, as aforesaid, before they leave the place
of manufacture.
For woven pattern fabrics the marking may be done in and by weaving.
I prefer to mark goods at or near one or both edges thereof, or on such a place as
the marking shall least interfere with the subsequent use of the material.
Lace trimming and similar articles I prefer to mark along the plain edge thereof.
I am aware that it has been proposed to attach a slip of paper to one edge of
lengths of materials sold by length, the yards being marked consecutively on such
slip of paper, and that a Patent was applied for and Provisional Protection granted
to Edward Morgan, dated 4th March 1871, for the same, and I therefore do not
claim this mode as forming part of my Invention.
And having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of this my Invention
and modes of carrying the same into effect, I declare that I claim,
Firstly. Numerically and consecutively marking piece goods and other materials
or fabrics sold by length, with the number of yards or other measures thereon or
therein, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Secondly. The apparatus herein-before described or any modification thereof for
numerically and consecutively marking piece goods and other materials or fabrics
sold by length.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Mitchell Torrance, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
A. M. TORRANCE. (L.S.)