AN IMPROVED MODE OF APPLYING THE DOWN AND PLUMAGE OF BIRDS OF ALL KINDS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF SPUN OR WOVEN GOODS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Victor Marlin, Merchant, of Rue des Bons
Enfants, Paris, France; for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF
APPLYING THE DOWN AND PLUMAGE OF BIRDS OF ALL KINDS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF SPUN OR WOVEN GOODS."
Sealed the 15th May 1874, and dated the 24th November 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Victor Marlin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th November 1873.
I, VICTOR MARLIN, Merchant, of Rue des Bons Enfants, Paris,.
France, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED MODE OF APPLYING THE DOWN AND PLUMAGE OF BIRDS OF ALL KINDS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF SPUN OR WOVEN GOODS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to introduce the down and plumage of
all kinds of birds in the manufacture of woolen, cloth, and other spun.
and woven fabrics, preference being given to down, on account of its:
better binding qualities. It is employed alone or in conjunction with.
other matters, more or less felting, such as wool, beaver, goat, or-rabbit

page_text: hair. This mixture of substances, when spun or woven produces a stuff
or tissue, which, for quality and appearance is superior to that of the
actual product, especially when the down of aquatic birds is employed.
.
The modus operandi is as follows:-The down is pasted and then
dried, after which it is greased with animal oil by preference to
facilitate spinning. The object of the oil being to preserve and nourish
the feather it is indispensable that it should remain therein some days
before being spun.
.
The down is mixed with wool, Cashmere, vigonia or Spanish wool.
These matters are carded separately, and placed on a mattress on the
spinning machine to insure the uniformity of the mixture, and prevent
any obstacles in spinning.
Downs require less labour in spinning, as they are merely placed in
rolls before twisting. The grease is extracted with soap or carbonate.
The subsequent operations of fulling, ornamenting the stuff, getting up,
and dyeing are readily performed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Victor Marlin in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, VICTOR
MARLIN, Merchant, of Rue des Bons Enfants, Paris, France, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Victor Marlin, Her special licence
that I, the said Victor Marlin, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I; the said Victor Marlin, 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.

page_text: Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF APPLYING THE DOWN AND PLUMAGE OF BIRDS OF ALL KINDS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SPUN OR WOVEN GOODS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Victor Marlin, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 per-
formed, 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
- זז.
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF APPLYING THE DOWN AND PLUMAGE OF BIRDS OF ALL KINDS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SPUN OR WOVEN GOODS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Victor Marlin, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 per-.
formed, 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 Victor Marlin, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
The principle of this Invention is the application of the down of all
kinds of birds, whether domestic or wild; 1st, in the manufacture of
smooth or velvety cloths; 2nd, as woof in the manufacture of fur faced
cloths for muffs, coverlets, and so on.
For both these applications the down is previously submitted to paste
diluted with water, then drained off, so as to remain simply moist. In
this state the ribbon or roll of down can be formed, nevertheless the
addition of a certain proportion of oil is favorable to working.
First Application.-The treatment to which the down is subjected in its
application to drapery is as follows, with this observation, that in all
cases the less the down is worked or handled the finer is its appearance,
and the higher and more solid is its nature. All machinery is dispensed
with, excepting that for forming the ribbon or roll, and which has a
speed of from 50 to 60 turns a minute, as the roll should be made
gently.
Mixture of Wool with Down.-To form the thread the down is mixed
by preference with shear wool, flock, vigonia, or waste arising more parti-
cularly from Australian wool. This matter, added in the proportion of
25 to 30 per cent., should be fine, short, and soft, so that in nature it
may approach as much as possible that of the down; besides it is carded
separately, and placed on cushions on the spinning machine to facilitate
the regularity of the mixture, and conduce to a fine spinning,

page_text: Fulling. In order that the down should remain within the cloth
the latter must be fulled cold, and closed or otherwise, and scoured
with very cold water. To produce the opposite effect, that is to say,
so that the down appears on the stuff, and constitutes articles for ladies,
it is necessary to full the cloth in a fulling machine well closed, and
to preserve a sap always hot; and as little pressure as possible must be
exercised. The loss of cloth in fulling throughout the length, and
according to the quantity of wool introduced in the woof of the down,
should be from 25 to 30 per cent., so that there is nothing above the
stuff but the down. The wool being heavier remains within the
cloth.
Scouring. When the stuff is fulled it is scoured or cleansed in the
fulling machine by aid of hot water, and gradually reaching to cold.
By this means a naturally velveted cloth is produced.
Second Application.--In the application of down to fur faced cloth
the spinning operation should be limited to the rolls, and is effected by
aid of a hollow tube, in which the workman places the roll to introduce
it in the warp. To give solidity to the woof of down it is advisable to
place two or three threads of combed and twisted wool between each
roll.
Fulling. This operation should take place in a closed fulling machine,
so that the heat does not escape. The down is fulled very rapidly on
the breadth, on account of the absence of torsion of the down on the
one hand, and the absence of wool in the woof on the other hand.
When the fur faced cloth has lost 40 to 50 per cent. on the length,
with the object of making the down well appear, small quantities of hot
water are introduced till the stuff is completely cooled down.
-
·Scouring. After fulling the scouring or cleansing is commenced in
the fulling machine, progressively adding cold water, so that the down
is not too rapidly affected. The scouring is then completed in the
ordinary washing trough with the aid of soap or otherwise. After this
operation the down presents itself sufficiently that one blow of the stick
suffices to make it rise; it is then shorn to equalize it.
Dyeing. The operations of dyeing are similar for the two appli-
cations of the down here described. It is merely necessary to mention
that the down of aquatic birds should remain longer in the trough than

page_text: that of domestic birds, say from 4 to 6 hours for delicate or clear colours,
and 20 to 30 hours for deep shades.
Means of Preventing its becoming Plushy.-The cloth or furred cloth
is mounted on a linen warp of about 1000 threads, about 55 centimètres
broad, and in combed and twisted thread from 60 to 70,000 mètres the
kilogramme. This combination of woolen goods added to the rest of
some duration, of the stuff after being finished, suffices to produce a
complete disappearance of the plush, besides it only attains to light clear
shades, the dark ones being exempt from it.
Finally, the down should be placed in a perfectly dry place, and
completely closed in bags; they can be preserved for years, and kept
free from insect by a little powdered cloves, or other preservative.
En resumé. I claim the application of the down of all birds in the
manufacture of woolen drapery, velvet faced cloths, woolen and fur
faced or lined goods, not restricting myself to any particular process or
mixture, to produce a perfect manufacture of the stuff, whether woolen
goods and plain cloths, or for fur faced or lined or velvety, the whole
being spun or simply felted. I reserve to myself also-1st, the right of
substituting any other binding property than paste; 2d, the use and
sole and single employment of down by aid of a machine appropriated
to the preceeding applications; 3rd, to spin either with a woolen thread
or other matter in the manufacture of the article for men's clothing, in
which case the down remains within the cloth; and, 4th, to prepare the
down by previously submitting it to a vapour bath.
In witness whereof, I, the said Victor Marlin, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of May, in the year of our
Load One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four