IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF PATTERNS UPON VELVETS AND OTHER PILED FABRICS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Dugald Scott of Manchester in the County of Lancaster
66
for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF PATTERNS
UPON VELVETS AND OTHER PILED FABRICS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Dugald Scott at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th December 1883.
DUGALD SCOTT of Manchester in the County of Lancaster
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PRODUCTION OF PATTERNS UPON VELVETS AND OTHER PILED FABRICS
"
"
or
" Embossed
This invention is designed to produce what are known as
Stamped" patterns upon plain velvets or other cut or looped pile fabrics, the
object of the invention being not only to emboss or stamp the pattern. or design
required but to shorten or remove, certain portions of the pile from the fabric so
that the pattern when produced shall be much more permanent that if the pile
were merely pressed or stamped down in the usual manner.
According to this invention I take a piece of plain cut or looped pile velvet, or
other piled fabric, and I stamp or emboss the pattern or design thereon (by pressure)
by means of rollers or blocks carved or engraved in relief in the ordinary manner,
with this exception, that the projecting parts of the said rollers or blocks must
correspond with those parts of the design which are intended eventually to form
the raised or highest portion of the pattern, which is exactly the reverse of the
usual method.
By these means I press down or lay the pile on those parts which are to form
the pattern, leaving the pile standing on those parts only which are to form the
ground.
In some cases I find it sufficient to stamp or press the pile down simply either
with or without the application of heat as may be found preferable; in other cases
I steam or damp the fabric before stamping or embossing, so that the starch or
adhesive dressing material which has been used in the weaving of the cloth shall
cause the fibres of the pile to adhere to each other, and to the back of the cloth
(when pressed down by the rollers or blocks) more firmly than they would

page_text: In cases where the amount of adhesive material in the cloth is not sufficient for
this purpose I apply an additional quantity thereof to the cloth in any suitable
manner, previously to embossing or stamping the same.
Having thus effectually laid the pile in those parts which are eventually to form
the piled pattern, I dry the piece (if necessary) and then pass the same through a
shearing machine which shears off the standing portion of the pile as closely to
the back of the fabric as may be desired without interfering with the laid portions
which are to form the pattern.
I now raise the pile again of those portions of the fabric forming the pattern (by
steaming brushing or otherwise) and I thus produce a raised pile pattern with a
short pile ground.
In some cases I brush out the short pile from the back leaving the bare ground
with the velvet pile pattern, which being larger will not brush out from the back
so readily as the shorn pile of the ground, and I prefer to do this before raising
the pattern pile as the latter is less liable to be brushed out when in its pressed or
laid state than when it has been raised again.
When operating thus upon what is known as a "fast pile" velvet or velveteen,
the short pile of the ground part of the design is merely drawn through to the
back, and is not entirely removed from the cloth, unless it is desired to remove it
entirely, in which case this short pile may be sheared off at the back or otherwise
removed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Dugald Scott in the Patent Office on the 27th June 1884.
DUGALD SCOTT of Manchester in the County of Lancaster IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PRODUCTION OF PATTERNS UPON VELVETS AND OTHER PILED FABRICS
This invention is designed to produce what are known as "Embossed" or
"stamped" patterns upon plain velvets or other cut or looped pile fabrics, the
object of the invention being not only to emboss or stamp the pattern or design
required, but to shorten or remove certain portions of the pile from the fabric, so
that the pattern when produced shall be much more permanent than if the pile
were merely pressed or stamped down in the usual manner.
According to this invention I take a piece of plain cut pile velvet or of looped
pile velvet in its uncut state, or other suitable piled fabric, and I stamp or emboss
the pattern or design thereon (by pressure, preferably on the back) by means of
rollers or blocks, carved or engraved in relief in the ordinary manner, with this
exception, that the projecting parts of the said rollers or blocks must correspond
with those parts of the design which are intended eventually to form the raised
or highest portion of the pattern; which is exactly the reverse of the usual
method.
By these means I press down or lay the pile on those parts which are to form
the pattern leaving the pile standing on those parts only which are to form the
ground.
In some cases it may be sufficient to stamp or press the pile down simply either
with or without the application of heat, as may be found preferable; in other cases
the fabric may be steamed or damped before stamping or embossing, so that the
starch or adhesive dressing material, which has been used in the weaving or dressing
of the cloth, shall cause the laid fibres of the pile to adhere to each other, and to
the back of the cloth (when pressed down by the rollers or blocks) more firmly
than they would otherwise do.
In some cases however the amount of adhesive material in the cloth is not
sufficient for this purpose, and I then apply an additional quantity thereof to the
cloth in any convenient manner Or if the adhesive material in the fabric should
not be suitable for this purpose I wash the same out of the cloth entirely, and I
rub over the pile with wax, soap, or other suitable substance or composition before
embossing or stamping the same.
Having thus effectually laid the pile in those parts which are eventually to form
the piled pattern I dry the piece (if necessary) and then pass the same through a
shearing or cropping machine which shears off the standing portion of the pile as
closely to the back of the fabric as may be desired, without interfering with the
laid portions which are to form the raised pattern.
I now raise the pile again on those portions of the fabric forming the pattern (by
steaming, brushing, or otherwise) and I thus produce a raised pile pattern, with a
short pile ground.
In some cases I brush out the short pile from the back, leaving the bare ground
with the velvet pile pattern, which being longer will not brush out from the
back so readily as the shorn pile of the ground, and I prefer to do this before
raising the pattern pile, as the latter is less liable to be brushed out, when in its
pressed or faid state than when it has been raised again. When operating thus
upon what is known as a "fast pile" velvet or velveteen, the short pile of the
ground part of the design is merely drawn through to the back of the fabric by

page_text: the brushing process, and is not entirely removed thereby from the cloth, unless it
is desired to remove it entirely, in which case this short pile may be sheared off at
the back or otherwise removed.
Having now described the nature of my said invention together with the manner
in which the same is to be performed or carried into practical effect I wish it to be
understood that I claim as my invention the production of patterns, upon plain cut
pile velvet (or upon plain looped pile velvet uncut) by first stamping, embossing
or pressing down those portions of the pile which are intended to remain and form
the figure and then passing the fabric in this partially laid or stamped state through
a shearing or cropping machine, so as to shorten the other, or ground portion of
the pile (whether this short ground pile is afterwards brushed out or otherwise
removed from the back, or allowed to remain in the fabric) and finally
re-raising the portion of the pile which had been laid, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
In witness whereof I the said Dugald Scott have hereunto set my hand and seal
this twenty sixth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty four
DUGALD SCOTT,
(L.S.)