IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ORNAMENTING FABRICS AND OTHER SURFACES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Drysdale Malcolm, of 47, Leicester Square,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ORNAMENTING
FABRICS AND OTHER SURFACES."
Sealed the 6th July 1858, and dated the 6th January '1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Drysdale Malcolm
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th January 1858.
I, JAMES DRYSDALE MALCOLM, of 47, Leicester Square, do hereby declare
the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ORNAMENTING
FABRICS AND OTHER SURFACES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in applying various substances in a
finely divided state, such as flocks of various colours, finely divided cork, plain
or dyed, bronze powders, colours, or other matters of an analogous character,
to the surfaces of fabrics on which an adhesive substance is applied, or which¹
are themselves of an adhesive nature, such adhesive character being used for
the purpose of causing such finely divided matter to adhere thereto. As
instances of the fabrics to which I allude, I may mention india-rubber or
gutta percha fabrics of various kinds, cloth, silk, and paper coated with
india-rubber, gutta percha, or adhesive resins, gums, or varnishes, and mate-
rials for carpetings of various kinds on which an adhesive coating is applied
for receiving a surface of an ornamental character: "
The principal on which I proceed in my new method is that of cells, con-"
structed and arranged according to the desired pattern of ornament required; '

page_text: such cells being of sufficient depth to hold a considerable quantity of the mate-
rials to be applied to such adhesive surfaces, and being separated from each other
by thin partitions and sharp edges, so that not only shall the different colored
materials, or the materials of different character enclosed within such cells, be
applied to such adhesive surfaces in such a manner as to give to all the por-
tions of such adhesive surfaces as are intended to be colored, ornamented, or
otherwise covered with the materials with which the cells are filled, the requi-
site covering of such colours or materials in the desired pattern at one and the
same operation, the edge of one colour or material exactly meeting or joining
on to the other, but also that a considerable number of such patterns, or a
considerable length of a continuous pattern, shall be made, ornamented, or
coloured without the necessity of recharging the cells for each continuous
repetition of such pattern.
For a continuous pattern I prefer to construct a cylinder, on the outer:
cylindrical surface of which are sharp edges of tin, steel, or other suitable
material, arranged according to the required pattern, these sharp edges being
the terminal edges of the cells in which the materials for ornamentation are
to be placed. This cylinder is to be arranged with its axis in a horizontal
position on a proper framework, so as to be capable of rotatory motion. An
endless band, of not less than the same width as the cylinder, and completely
enclosing it tightly for about three-fourths or thereabouts of the lower part of
its circumference, is also arranged so as to prevent the materials in the cells
from falling out from the under surface of the cylinder.
After all the cells have been charged with the requisite materials, the end
of the piece of cloth, paper, india-rubber, or other fabric covered with such
adhesive surface (which may be applied to it either separately or by apparatus
connected with the, same framework as that by which the cylinder is sup-
ported) is to be introduced, so as that the adhesive surface shall be presented.
to the sharp edges of the cells on the cylinder. A rotary motion being given
to the cylinder, the fabric will be drawn in between the endless band and the
cylinder, and as it passes beneath the cylinder on its way round, the materials
with which the cells are charged will fall successively upon such portions of
the adhesive surface as are opposite to the mouths of such cells, and portions
of such materials will be retained upon the fabric by virtue of the adhesive
character of its surface; as it ascends upon the opposite side of the circum-
ference of the cylinder, the loose material will fall back again into the cells,
ready to be deposited upon the next circumference of the fabric to be operated
upon. Where a single complete pattern of small extent, such as a table cover
or rug, or still smaller articles, are required, a box of the requisite dimensions

page_text: may be employed, divided into cells with sharp edges, as before mentioned,
and the cells being charged, a piece of fabric with its adhesive surface is laid
upon the upper surface of the cells, and after being tightly fixed down upon
them, the box is inverted, and the materials will, as in the other case, fall
upon and a portion of them adhere to the adhesive surface; the box being
again turned, the loose material will fall back into the cells, and be ready for
the reception of another piece of the fabric. The materials thus used for
ornamenting various fabrics and surfaces are applied to the adhesive surfaces
in a state of powder or fine division.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Drysdale Malcolm in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th July 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
DRYSDALE MALCOLM, of 47, Leicester Square, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Drysdale Malcolm, Her special licence that I; the said James
Drysdale Malcolm, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said James Drysdale Malcolm, 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 APPARATUS FOR ORNAMENTING FABRICS AND
OTHER SURFACES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
James Drysdale Malcolm, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Drysdale Malcolm, do hereby
declare the 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 statement thereof, that is to say :-

page_text: My Invention relates to improvements in applying various substances in a
finely divided state, such as flocks of various colors, finely divided cork, plain
or dyed, bronze powders, colours, or other matters of an analogous character,
to the surfaces of fabrics on which an adhesive substance is applied, or which
are themselves of an adhesive nature, such adhesive character being used
for the purpose of causing such finely divided matter to adhere thereto.
As instances of the fabric to which I allude, I may mention india-rubber
or gutta percha fabrics of various kinds, cloth, silk, and paper coated with
india-rubber, gutta percha, or adhesive resins, gums, or varnishes, and
materials for carpetings of various kinds on which an adhesive coating is
applied for receiving a surface of an ornamental character.
The principle on which i proceed in my new method is that of cells
constructed and arranged according to the desired pattern of ornament
required, such cells being of sufficient depth to hold a considerable quan-
tity of the materials to be applied to such adhesive surfaces, and being
separated from each other by thin partitions and sharp edges, so that not only
shall the different colored materials, or the materials of different character,
enclosed within such cells be applied to such adhesive surfaces in such a
manner as to give to all the portions of such adhesive surfaces as are intended
to be colored, ornamented, or otherwise covered with the materials with which
the cells are filled, the requisite covering of such colours or materials in
the desired pattern at one and the same operation, the edge of one colour or
material exactly meeting or joining ou to the other, but also that a con-
siderable number of such patterns, or a considerable length of a continuous
pattern, shall be made ornament or coloured without the necessity of recharging
the cells for each continuous repetition of such pattern. For a continuous
pattern, I prefer to construct a cylinder, on the outer cylindrical surface
of which are sharp edges of metal or other suitable material, arranged
according to the required pattern, these sharp edges being the terminal edges
of the cells in which the materials for ornamentation are to be placed. This
cylinder is to be arranged with its axis in a horizontal position on a proper
framework,so as to be capable of rotatory motion. An endless band, of not less
than the same width as the cylinder, and completely enclosing it tightly for
about three-fourths or thereabouts of the lower part. of its circumference, by
being passed over rollers adjusted for the purpose, is also arranged so as
to prevent the materials in the cells from falling out from the under surface
of the cylinder. After all the cells have been charged with the requisite
materials, the end of the piece of cloth, paper, india-rubber, or other fabric
covered with such adhesive surface (which may be applied to it either sepa-

page_text: rately or by apparatus connected with the same framework as that by which
the cylinder is supported) is to be introduced, so as that the adhesive surface
shall be presented to the sharp edges of the cells on the cylinder. A rotatory
motion being given to the cylinder, the fabric will be drawn in between the
endless band and the cylinder, and as it passes beneath the cylinder on its
way round,the materials with which the cells are charged will fall successively
upon such portions of the adhesive surface as are opposite to the mouths
of such cells, and portions of such materials will be retained upon the
fabric by virtue of the adhesive character of its surface; as it ascends upon
the opposite side of the circumference of the cylinder the loose material
will fall back again into the cells, ready to be deposited upon the next
circumference of the fabric to be operated upon. Where a single complete
pattern of small extent, such as a table cover, a rug, or still smallerarticles,
are required, a box of the requisite dimensions may be employed, divided into
cells with sharp edges, so as to form the required pattern, as before men-
tioned, and the cells being charged or filled, a piece of fabric with its
adhesive surface downwards is laid upon the upper surface of such cells, and
after being tightly fixed down upon them, the box is inverted and the
materials will, as in the other case, fall upon and a portion of them adhere
to the adhesive surface; the box being again turned, the loose material will
fall back into the cells and be ready for the reception of another piece of the
fabric. The materials thus used for ornamenting the various fabrics and sur-
.faces are applied to the adhesive surfaces in a state of powder or fine division.
!
I find it advantageous to shake the box last described several times in every
direction before the adhesive surfaced material is removed,so that the adhesive
matter may collect upon its surface as much as it can take up of the finely
divided matter contained in the cells, and where the pattern and consequently
the box is a large one, mechanical arrangements evident to every mechanician
can be adopted to accomplish this otherwise than by hand; but I prefer the
cylindrical process first described; and in order to procure that the largest
possible quantity of finely divided matter shall adhere to the adhesive sur-
face, I find it convenient to adapt a soft pad or beater to the lowest part of the
circumference of the revolving cylinder, such pad or beater being attached to
a bar with a balance weight at its opposite end, sufficient, under ordinary
circumstances, to keep it in contact with such lower surface of the cylinder,
but playing freely on a pivot, so that any suitable gearing attached to the
cylinder or to the source of its motive power may draw such pad or beater
away from the surface at suitable intervals, and allow it by its release to fall
back or beat against the said lower surface, so as to "jerk" the materials

page_text: with which the cells are filled up from the adhesive surface in contact with
them, and per contra allowing them to fall back again successively, so that
the same effect may be produced as in the shaking recommended in the case
of the box, and similar to the effect which would be produced by a continual
slapping or beating with the lower part of the circumference of the cylinder,
which latter plan with the hand, although introduced as an illustration only,
may in some cases be adopted with advantage. As the piece of fabric, having
so acquired a coating of such finely divided materials, emerges from the
opposite side of the cylinder from that at which it entered, I pass it between
pressure rollers, so as to press the materials well into or upon the adhesive
surface, and in some cases I find it advantageous to submit the fabric so
oruamented or covered to a second outer coating of the adhesive material,
or to a solvent thereof, so as to cause the various particles to adhere the more
strongly to each other and to the fabric, and to pass it again between pressure
rollers to ensure extra adhesion, and an analogous process can of course
be adopted where necessary with the "box" method secondly described.
What I claim as my Invention is, the application of various substances
in a finely divided state to adhesive surfaces prepared to receive them, in
the manner and by the apparatus herein-before described or in any other
analogous manner. And I claim also the arrangement of the cylinder
consisting of cells with an endless band attached, as before described, for
the application of such finely divided substances, or for the application either
.to adhesive or any other fabrics of any other matters in which such
cylindrical cellular arrangement can be used.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Drysdale Malcolm, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
HENRY WILLIAM CARPMAEL.
JAS. D. MALCOLM. (L.S.)