IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR HOLDING FABRICS IN STRETCHING AND FINISHING APPARATUS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHERWISE HOLDING FABRICS DISTENDED."
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Heywood, of Hill House, in the County of
York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR HOLDING
FABRICS IN STRETCHING AND FINISHING APPARATUS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHERWISE HOLDING FABRICS DISTENDED."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Heywood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th
May 1864.
I, EDWIN HEYWOOD, of Hill House, Halifax, in the County of York, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS
FOR HOLDING FABRICS IN STRETCHING AND FINISHING APPARATUS, WHICH IMPROVE-
MENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHERWISE HOLDING FABRICS DISTENDED," to be as
follows:-
In apparatus for stretching and finishing various fabrics, the fabric under
operation has to be firmly held at the selvages, and my improvements relate
to means for effecting this holding, and so that the fabric may be progressivėly
taken hold of and released in its traverse under operation.
For this purpose I cause the two edges of the fabric to be taken hold of
progressively by series of nippers, which are formed each by a pair of jaws,
one of which turns upon an axis or centre of motion, or is capable of sliding

page_text: towards the other for the grip. The axis or line of motion of this moving
jaw is situated opposite or nearly vertical to the line of grip at the point of
contact of the nipping surfaces, and the inclination of the stationary jaw is
tangential to a point in a circle struck from the axis of the moving jaw, and
passing through the point of grip, whereby the holding effect is in proportion
to the pull exerted by the fabric held. Weighted or it may be spring pressure
acts with a tendency to bring the moveable jaws into position for the grip,
and releasers act to release them at the times desired; pairs of jaws similarly
arranged are otherwise applicable to holding fabric distended. When formed
with a thumbscrew or other means of attachment they may be used by ladies
in holding their work.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edwin Heywood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the.
5th November 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
HEYWOOD, of Hill House, Halifax, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edwin Heywood, Her special license that I, the said Edwin Heywood,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edwin Heywood, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MEANS FOR HOLDING FABRICS IN STRETCHING AND FINISHING APPARATUS, WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHERWISE HOLDING FABRICS DISTENDED,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edwin Heywood, 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 months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin Heywood, do hereby declare
he 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
tatement thereof, that is to say :-
In apparatus for stretching and finishing various, fabrics, the fabric under
operation has to be firmly held at the selvages, and my improvements relate
to means for effecting this holding, and so that the fabric may be progressively
aken hold of and released in its traverse under operation. For this purpose
I cause the two edges of the fabric to be taken hold of progressively by series
of nippers, which are formed each by a pair of jaws, one of which turns upon
an axis or centre of motion, or is capable of sliding towards the other for the
grip. The axis or line of motion of this moving jaw is situated opposite or
nearly vertical to the line of grip, at the point of contact of the nipping surfaces,
and the inclination of the stationary jaw is tangential to a point in a circle
struck from the axis of the moving jaw and passing through the point of grip,
whereby the holding effect is in proportion to the pull exerted by the fabric
held. Weighted or it may be spring pressure acts with a tendency to bring
the moveable jaws into position for the grip, and releasers act to release them
at the times, desired.
But that the Invention may be better understood I will by the aid of the.
accompanying Drawings, proceed more fully to describe the same.
: 4
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews by plan view parts of one end of stretching and finishing
apparatus arranged according to my Invention. Figure 2 shews a section of
the same..
a, a, a, are a series of nippers, each of which, is formed with a pair of jaws
(1) (2). The jaw (1) is capable of turning upon the axis of motion (3)
carried by the standard (4) formed on the part to which the lower jaw (2) is
fixed. The nippers are formed at their upper and lower ends (5) (5) to
pass into grooves or recesses 61, formed in the stationary frames b, b, and they
have motion given to them in these grooves by means of wheels c, the teeth
of which embrace the bodies of them between the parts (5) (5), and in their
b¹
grooves
_ rotation give motion to the series of them by pushing them along the
During their motion in these grooves these nippers are kept in correct
5 position in relation to each other by the shape of their end pieces (5) (5)
corresponding with that of the grooves b'; the wheels c are affixed to shafts or
axes supported by suitable bearings, which I have not thought it necessary
to show, and having motion given to them from a steam engine, or other

page_text: suitable power. The position of the fabric as held between the nipping
surfaces (1) (2). is indicated by the red line in Figure 2, and it will be seen
that each of the moveable jaws (1) is formed with an elongated tail (6) the
weight of which is to give the necessary tendency to its closing on the other
nipping surface or jaw. Just in advance of the point where the fabric is to
be taken hold of by these nipping surfaces a bar d with an inclined surface
comes under the tails (6) opening the jaws (1) in succession, as indicated
by dotted lines. The axis 4, or line of motion of this moving jaw, is situated, as
shown, opposite or nearly vertical to the line of grip at the point of contact of
the nipping surfaces, and the inclination of the stationary jaw (2) is tangential
to a point in a circle struck from the axis of the moving jaw and passing
through the point of grip, whereby the holding effect is in proportion to the pull
exerted by the fabric held. Figure 3 shews a modification in which several
nipping surfaces (1) are applied to the same surface (2). Figures 4 and 5
shew a side and front view of nippers, with a variation in the form of the
tail piece. Figure 6 shews parts of the modification drawn to a larger scale.
Pairs of jaws similarly arranged are otherwise applicable to holding fabric
distended. When formed with a thumbscrew or other means of attachment they
may be used by ladies in holding their work.
Having thus described my improvements and means which I adopt in carrying
the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise arrangements shewn and described, as these may be varied, but
what I claim is, the application to apparatus for stretching and finishing, and
otherwise holding fabrics of nipping surfaces arranged and operating in
manner substantially as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Heywood have hereunto set
y hand and seal, this Third day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
EDWIN HEYWOOD.; (L.S.).