AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF FUR- LIKE FABRIC FROM FEATHERS, AND APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1885

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF FUR-
LIKE FABRIC FROM FEATHERS, AND APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
This invention has for its object to produce a fur-like material from feathers.
For this purpose, the feathers are placed side by side and one upon the other
between two upright. combs situated very near together, so that the quills of the
feathers only are situated between the combs, the beards thereof projecting to
the right and to left on each side of the combs. The combs having been thus
closely filled with the feathers, the beards are firmly nipped at a point close up
to the combs between the jaws of a clamping instrument, whereupon they are cut
through close up to the comb by a knife.
The exposed cut ends of the closely compressed feather beards are then coated
with caoutchouc solution or other suitable cement and are then applied to a strip
of fabric also coated with the cementing material, which to facilitate the adhesion
is first wetted with a solvent such as benzine. The combs are by preference of a
length corresponding to the width required for the strip of material to be produced,
and a number of strips of the feather material are cemented transversely and closely
together to the strip of material, so that a strip of fur like fabric of any desired
dimensions can thus be produced, which only requires to undergo a shearing process
after being prepared as described to render it fit for use.
The apparatus for carrying out the above manufacture is shewn on the accom-
panying drawing, in which fig 1 shews a cross section, fig. 2 a front view and fig.
a plan. A A are the vertical combs which may be kept the requisite distance
apart by means of a strip of wood placed between them, and which are then secured
between two metal rails B B fixed to a table. Or the combs may each be attached

page_text: to one of the rails, and these be then adjusted in position to insure the required
distance apart of the combs by means of adjusting screws C C and fixing
screws D D.
The rails BB rest along their entire length upon a wooden table which is carried
either by a stand F or by any other convenient support. The rails B have projec-
tions bb at their ends which fit under two plates c c secured to other plates & d
which are in their turn fixed to the table E.
HH are the clamping instruments by means of which the feathers G¹ G¹ are
firuly compressed. The instrument is shewn open at H and closed down upon the
feathers at H, the closing being effected by means of a screw K pivotted at M to
the one jaw near the hinge L and having a thumb nut K¹ acting on the other jaw.
The separation of the jaws is effected by a spring as shewn. Fig. 4 shews in
plan a series of strips of the feather material produced as above described cemented
closely side by side to the strip of fabric.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1, The improved manufacture of fur-like fabric from feathers, wherein the
feathers, being packed in a comb with their beards projecting on one side thereof,
have their beards nipped between a clamping instrument, in which condition they
are separated from their quills and are cemented to a fabric or foundation,
substantially as herein described.
2, In the manufacture of fur like trimming from feathers as set forth in tho
preceding claim, the method of packing the feathers in two combs situated close
together so that the quills of the feathers are situated between the combs and the
beards project on either side thereof and then nipping the latter between the jaws
of a clamping device, substantially as herein described.
3, The method of separating the beards of the feathers, held as set forth in the
preceding claim, from their quills by cutting them close up against the combs by
means of a knife or other cutting instrument.
4, The method of cementing a series of strips of feather material produced as
berein described closely side by side to a strip of fabric or foundation for producing
a strip of fur-like fabric of any desired length.
5, The construction of apparatus for producing a fur-like fabric from feathers,
consisting of two upright combs placed side by side with a narrow space between
them into which combs the feathers are packed, and clamping devices for nipping
the feather beards while being held by the combs substantially as herein described.