IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOVEN FABRICS, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Woods Cook, of Bolton, in the County
of Lancaster, Muslin Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOVEN FABRICS, AND IN THE
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 21st December 1858, and dated the 30th July 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Woods
Cook at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 30th July 1853.
I, WILLIAM WOODS Cook, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOOVEN FABRICS,
AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
In manufacturing some kinds of figured woven fabrics (as quiltings,
for example,) both the fabric and the figure are perfect at one side or
the face; but on the other or back side, although the figure may be

page_text: perfect, the fabric will be imperfect on account of the long threads or
floats being loose on the surface, & on account of not being secured
by the picks; this defect, although apparently simple in itself, is of very
great importance because the fabric is not so durable, these loose
threads or floats being liable to be caught by the fingers in handling the
goods, and when broken the fabric becomes weakened. Now I find
by a new arrangement of the cards I can remedy this evil.
It is well known to all persons conversant with the process of weav-
ing fancy goods that the figure or pattern is made or produced by
means of perforated cards, which raise the warp threads according to
the pattern required; the holes in the cards being perforated or
arranged so as to correspond with the pattern.
Now by arranging the position of the cards so that the shuttle shall
pick-in all the loose threads so left by making the figure or pattern
I accomplish the desired object, without any further alterations in the
loom or the apparatus belonging thereto.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Woods Cook in .the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 30th January 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, a
William Woods Cook, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Muslin
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in 2
the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Woods Cook,
Her special licence that I, the said William Woods Cook, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Woods Cook, my executors, administrators, and assigns, 3

page_text: 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF WOVEN
FABRICS, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Woods Cook, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the sanie
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 Royal Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Woods Cook, 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 (that is to say):
My Invention consists of an improved method of manufacturing
certain descriptions of figured woven fabrics called toilettes, quilts,
quilted petticoats, or other similar kinds of quilted fabrics having what
are technically termed gauze or lined backs, which gauze back I pro-
duce without the application of presser heddles, extra cards, or extra
material or labour to what is required for such fabrics having loose
backs: The advantages of my improved mode of manufacturing these
fabrics consist of a greater simplicity in the apparatus required, a con-
siderable economy in the material and labour in its production, and its
greater durability; when made as upon the plan usually adopted for
manufacturing quiltings the fabric is imperfect on account of the
long threads or floats being loose on the surface of the back side.
because they are not secured by all the picks, so that these loose
threads or floats being liable to be caught by the fingers in handling
the goods are liable to be broken and the fabric weakened. In manu-
facturing the aforesaid fabrics on my improved plan, I use the common
calico loom, such as is ordinarily adopted for weaving plain fabrics, but
with the addition of two yarn beams. The warps are prepared in

page_text: the usual inanner as warps are now prepared for weaving quilts,
toilettes, and similar goods, namely, a face warp composed of 'two
parts,.
and a back warp of one part; the face warp being composed
of a finer number or counts of yarn than the back part. The warps
when warped are sized or starched in the ordinary manner. The har-
ness of the loom is the same as in the regular toilette or quilting looni,
namely, four plain heddles, with suitable jacks and lames, one jacquard
machine and mounting, and four treddles,-three treddles to work
the heddles, and one to work the jacquard machine and mounting.
The warps are wound on the beams in the ordinary manner for quilt-
ings or similar goods, the face warp having two parts of yarn put on
the beam, and the back warp one part put on the other beam. They
are also drawn into the heddles, mounting, and reed in the ordinary
manner, namely, two ends of the face warp drawn into the heddles, and
one end of the back warp drawn into the mounting; the same order
continued until the whole is drawn into the heddles and mounting, then
proceeding to draw into the reed in the usual manner, namely, two face
threads and one back thread drawn into each split of the reed. As the
preparations of the design and cutting the cards are of the utmost
importance in carrying out the principle of my Invention, I will now
proceed to explain the operation. In the accompanying design a, as
prepared for the card cutter, and intended for the production of what is
termed a welted or cord ground in the spaces dividing the figures. The
card cutter proceeds by cutting No. 1, card from No. 1, line in the
design lettered a, which is termed a cutter card, having all the red cut
in the design, and the white left, thus procceding through the design,
cutting every alternate card to the end, as 1, 3, 5, and so on; he then
cuts the 2, 4, 6, &c., leaving all the white and cutting the blue
throughout the design. In lacing the cards after being cut he pro-
ceeds in regular order 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, &c., to the last card in the
design. When laced and applied to the jacquard machine the weaver
proceeds as in the accompanying draught by raising at one time the
jacquard and mounting by the treddle a, and the heddles B, C, by the
treddle marked N° 1, and. casting the first pick of fine shoot across.

page_text: He then follows on with one fine shoot of weft by the treddle marked
No 2, raising the heddles D, and E, the jacquard machine being still
held up by the treddle a, then picks two shoots of fine weft with the
treddles marked 3, raising the heddles B, and C; and N° 4, raising the
heddles D, and E, having the jacquard machine down, then picks one
shoot of cord or lining weft with the treddle marked Nº 5, the jacquard
machine being still down, and returns the cord or lining weft on the
same treddle marked N° 6, having the jacquard machine raised by the
treddle a, which six shoots are continued through the parts intended to
have a lined or gause back.
The Drawing or designs B, and C, shew different grounds surround-
ing the figures, B; a seeded or plain ground, and C, a diamond one;
they are also shewn without the blue pricking, as in design a, which
may be filled in by the designer for the carl cutter's guidance, and for
the production of a gauze or lined back, or, should what is termed a
loose back be required, by the adoption of the samc principle as in the
designs B, and C, without the introduction of the blue pricking, and
leaving out in cutting from the design all the through white lines,
lacing only the remaining half 1, 3, 5, &c., &c., the same effect will be
obtained by half the quantity of cards to what is required by the prin-
ciple now in general use. When woven as a loose back, the jacquard
machine must be raised by the treddle a, whilst two shoots of fine weft
are thrown in with the heddles B, and C, by raising the treddles
marked Nos 1, and 2, the jacquard machine to be down whilst two
shoots of fine weft are thrown in by raising the heddles D, E, by the
treddles marked 3, and 4, then a shot of lining or stitching cord
thrown across and back again by raising the heddles B, C, D, and E,
by the treddle marked N° 5, having the jacquard machine still down.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said
Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I
desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the
exact details, as they may be varied or modified without departing from
the principle thereof. But I claim the manufacture of woven figured
fabrics suitable for toilettes, quilts, quilted petticoats, or similar pur-

page_text: poses as herein described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawing
or design, or any modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Woods Cook, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of January,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
WILLIAM WOODS COOK. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named William Woods
Cook in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
.Manchester.