IMPROVEMENTS IN MAKING FABRICS FROM FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MOSES
POOLE, of the Patent Office, London, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Пler
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Gicat
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Second day of June,
in the ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successois,
give and grant unto me, the said Moses Poole, my exors, adiñiors, and
assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that
I, the said Moses Poole, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Moses Poole, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any
timo agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MAKING FABRICS FROM FIBROUS
MATERIALS," communicated to me by a certain Foreigner residing abroad,
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said
Moses Poole, shall cause a particular description of the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an
Instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and
by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Moses Poole, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say
This Invention consists of improvements in manufacturing felted fabrics of
wool alone, or combined with hair or other matters heretofore used when
making felted fabrics; and in order that the Invention may be most fully
understood and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means
pursued in performing the Invention. The manufacture of fabrics by simply
felting fibres together into sheets of varying sizes and lengths being well
known, it will not therefore be necessary to enter into any description of the
means resorted to for obtaining the necessary "bat" or sheet of fibres to be
felted, as the same form no part of the present Invention, the means used by
me being such as heretofore practised, and I would state, that the improve-
ments commence immediately on obtaining the requisite "bat" or sheet of
fibres, and the first process consists of causing the "bat" or sheet of fibres to
be placed between two surfaces of woven-fabric: I prefer-for-this purpose
strong linen fabrics. I would, however, here state that such placing of a
"bat" or sheet of fibres to be felted between cloths is not new in itself; it is
therefore not claimed, and the improvements constituting the Invention
commence with such enclosing of the "bat" or sheet of fibies between two
surfaces of woven fabric The "bat" or sheet of fibres between the woven
fabrics is to be folded several times, so as to become small enough to be acted
on by a machine. such as shewn at Figure 1, where, by being pressed and
rubbed between the surfaces a and b, the surface 6 being suspended on a
lever c in such manner that the pressure of the surface b (which I prefer to be of
wood) may be gradually allowed to descend on to the folded surfaces of fabric
containing the fibres to be felted, and a swinging or to and fro motion is to be
communicated to the surface b, lowering the surface 6 from time to time so that
it may press more heavily as the operation goes on. The surface a is hollow
below, and is heated by hot water, steam, or other convenient means, and the
surfaces of woven fabrics, having the "bat" or sheet of fibres between them,
are to be taken out from time to time, and opened out and refolded, taking
care that the folds come in different places, in order that all parts may be
caused to felt with uniformity. By this process and machinery very large
sheets or "bats" may be heated and operated on by comparatively small
surfaces b, and it is the repeated folding of the bat between woven fabrics, and

page_text: operating by a suitable surface b, which constitutes the peculiarity of the first pait
of the Invention. When the "bat" or sheet of fibres has made considerable
progress in felting, and may be handled freely without injury, and is capable
of enduring the next process, the sheet of partly felted fibres is to be taken
fiom between the surfaces of woven fabric, and wound on a roller with one
surface of woven fabric, so as to separate the successive layers of the "bat"
or sheet of fibics on the roller, and then again submitting to the operation
of a machine similar to that shewn at Figure 1. The rollers c' being placed
under the surface b, they will be caused to move by the movement of the
surface b, and the process of felting will then go on till completed, acidulated
water being used to facilitate the process of felting of the fibres. In cases
where the "bat" or sheet of fibre prepared by the first process, or by any
other means, so as to bring it to a state of forwardness as a felted fabric (in
place of using the machine Figure 1, with the rollers c³, c¹, as just described,
where the two pieces are being operated on at the same time), the machine
shewn at Figures 2, 3, and 4 is used, Figure 2 being a side view, Figure 3
a side section, and Figure 4 a plan of the machine. The machine consists of a
framing, having at its upper part two tables, or one divided into two parts,
and inclined towards the middle. The tables are shewn solid, but they may be
made of metal plates, with a space between them to allow hot water, or steam,
or other means of heating, which in cold weather will be found advantageous
to facilitate the process of felting. The rollers c, c, having the partly felted
fabric thercon, are to be placed into the machine, but without any woven
fabric, as the same will not be required, and then the partly felted fabric is to
be drawn slowly off the rollers c on to the rollers & by the working of the
machine, the felting process being produced by means of rollers o, p, which
are caused to move to and fro over the felted fabric as it proceeds from the
rollers c to the rollers s, acidulated water being used to aid the felting process,
as is well understood.
I will now describe the means used for giving motion to the various parts of
the machinery Motion is communicated to the main shaft a placed at the
lower part of the machine by any suitable power. e, f, are two excentrics on
the axis a, which by means of connecting rods g, h, give motion to the
axes k, l, to which arms m, m, n, n, are fixed, which give motion to the
connecting rods m³, m³, n³, n', which receive the axes of the rollers o, p
the axis a is a pinion b, which takes into a cog wheel b' on another shaft or
axis d, and at each end of which is a screw d', which takes into screw wheels
t and u, fixed upon the shafts t¹ and u¹, which are supported in bearings at the
sides of the machine. The shafts t¹ and u have also screws r, r³, fixed
On

page_text: thereon, which work into screw wheels s', fixed on the axes of the rollers s, so
as to turn the rollers & in the direction shewn by the arrows. In considering
the arrangements of the Drawing, it will be seen the movement of the fabric into
the machine should be made slowly, which is effected by the movement of the
screws. In some cases the fabric will have to be passed through the machine
more than once, and when the quantity of material to be worked is great
the axes of the rollers c, c, would be supported as shewn by dotted lines in
Figure 3. Although this machine shews a capability of acting upon two
pieces of felted cloth at once, it will be easily seen that it may be worked with
only one. When felting hat bodies and other small articles, machinery such
as I will now descube is employed. Figure 5 shows an end view of a
machine. Figure 6 is a plan of the same, with the upper part removed to
shew the interior. Figure 7 is a vertical section, and Figure 8 is a side
elevation of part of the apparatus. In each of these Figures the same letters
indicate the same parts a is a trough or vessel, around which are placed
revolving tables b, over which work rollers c, which are connected to the
rods d, d, to which motion is given by means of the cranks c² of the shafts c¹¹,
which move in bearings in the upright e. The cranks c³ are connected to the
rods f, and the rods f are connected to the arms mounted on the shafts g-placed
at the side of the machine. Motion is communicated to the shaft of the
pinion by any suitable power, and thence to the different parts of the
apparatus, in the following manner-The pinion h takes into a wheel 2, and
gives motion to its shaft i', on the end of which there is a bevilled wheel; which
moves fieely on the shaft i, except when it is made fast thereto by the clutch
box k, which is accomplished at certain times during the working of the
machinery in the following manner. The wheel i has a projecting piece
attached thereto, producing the effect of a cam surface. In the revolution of
the wheel i the surface ¹¹ comes in contact with a small roller l, placed upon
one end of the rod A, the roller is constantly boine towards the wheel 1 by
a sping on the rod , and the rod is joined to the lever m, one end of
which embraces part of the clutch box k. When the cam surface" comes in
contact with the roller 7 the parts of the clutch box will be brought together,
and the bevilled wheel j will have motion given to it. The wheel, takes into
and gives motion to the wheel n. Upon the lower part of the shaft of the
wheel is another wheel o, which actuates an endless chain, which chain
works over similar wheels to those marked o, mounted upon the shafts of tho
tables in such manner that when the shaft of the table o is driven, all the
tables b, b, are put in rotary motion, in which case the rollers c, which work
over the tables b, should be raised. For this purpose each rod d is connected to

page_text: a lever p by a cord p¹. All the levers p are connected together and mounted
upon two shafts
9, 7, placed above on each side of the apparatus. The ends of
the levers p which extend outside the apparatus are connected by rods or colds
to two shafts r, r, fixed to the ends of the levers s, the other ends are connected
with the levers t, t, which are connected by the ends to the cylinder or roller u.
This cylinder slides up and down between two guides v, and is embraced by the
lower end of the lever x, which has a slot formed at its lower part for that
purpose. The lever a is supported by an axis which allows of its oscillating.
The upper end has a slot through which passes the round end of the lever m.
By this arrangement the rollers c, c, may be raised at the moment or a little
before the tables 6 are put in motion. When the tables 6 are not in motion
the rollers c have two motions, the one across the tables and the other to turn
upon themselves, so as to produce a fiiction upon the fabric placed between
the rollers and the table. The circular motion is given to them by the surface
piessure, and the to and fio motion is communicated by means of the excen-
tries y, y, fixed upon the main shaft h¹, which transmits the motion to the
ollers c by means of the connecting 1od z, and rods f, f, and forked 1ods d
The water which facilitates the process of filtering is brought from suitable
boilers by means of tubes arranged to suit the convenience of the workman.
When using acidulated water in these processes I prefer that the water
should have mixed with it about part sulphuric acid, but other acid may
be used for the purposes of aiding to combine the fibres together. The
number of the tables used and other of the parts may be varied When this
machinery is used for felting hat bodies, it is preferred to enclose them
between woven fabrics, and to have a woven fabric in the interior of each
hat body.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, I would have it under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the details here shown, so long as the
peculiar character of either part be retained, but what I claim is,―
First, the mode of felting extensive "bats," or surfaces of fibres, by holding
the "bats" when between woven fabrics, and operating thereon by suitable
surfaces b, in Fig. 1, to produce the felting action to the fibres.
Secondly, I claim the mode of felting whereby the partly felted sheets of
fibies or bats being wound on rollers are acted on by a suitable surface 6 111
Fig. 1, in the manner herein described.
Thudly, I claim the mode of combining parts into a machine for felting,
described in respect to Figures 2, 3, and 4, whereby partly felted fabrics are
caused to move slowly over a table or surface, and to be acted on by
rollers, and,

page_text: Separate views of one of the tables
blof Figs 5,6,7&8) with a piece of
material for Hut body held thereon
by the waght strings &