Improved Appliance or Apparatus for Stretching Fabrics and Preventing Creases therein.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Appliance or Apparatus for Stretching Fabrics and
Preventing Creases therein.
1, FREDERICK WHOWELL, of the firm of Charles Whowell, Two Brooks Bleach
Works, Tottington, near Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Bleachers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Heretofore in machinery used in certain stages of the manufacture of cotton,
woollen, silk and other similar fabrics but more particularly in the finishing stages
thereof it has been customary among other appliances or apparatus to use a roller
or bar turned or formed with serrations or corrugations upon the surface thereof
which comes into contact with the fabric for the purpose of stretching it. These
serrations or corrugations have been formed at an uniform angle in opposite
directions from the centre of the roller or bar to a line at right angles to the
longitudinal axis of the roller or bar and along the whole length thereof leaving in
the middle of the roller or bar a V-shaped piece. In the case of fine and delicate
fabrics and to a certain extent in fabrics of a heavier class this V-shaped piece is
very objectionable on account of the sudden stretch that is given to the fabrics at
the middle resulting frequently in the splitting of the fabrics. And, moreover, in
this class of roller or bar the cloth is unevenly stretched towards the selvages or
near those points is not stretched at all on account of the uniformity of pitch of the
serrations or corrugations.
To obviate these defects I make use of a bar or bars whose surface or surfaces
is or are cut with serrations or corrugations that gradually increase in angularity
from the centre of the bar to each end thereof in opposite directions to a line
taken at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the bar."
In carrying out my invention I construct the bar or bars of suitable length
according to the width of cloth to be stretched and form one or more of its or their
surfaces more or less convex and on this surface or surfaces are formed serrations
or corrugations resembling in section what is known as a "buttress" screw thread
though any other section which will have the most effect in drawing or stretching
the cloth may be employed. These serrations or corrugations extend in opposite
directions from the centre of the bar towards each end thereof and increase in
angularity from such centre to each end to a line taken at right angles to the
longitudinal axis of the bar. I mount the bar on brackets or on the frame work of
the machine or machines in connection with which these stretching appliances are
used but at present, however, I prefer to mount the bar on a bed of wood which
has its edge rounded off at the side where the cloth is to enter on to the bar or
instead of rounding off the edge of the wood a glass or metallic rod may be affixed
thereto.
One or more bars may be used in connection with each machine and in some
cases I prefer to employ several bars the first one of which would have its serrations
arranged to only stretch the fabric a slight amount whilst the next bar would
have its serrations or corrugations at the centre of the bar at the same angle as the
serrations or corrugations at the ends of the preceding bar and so on to the number
of bars required to effectually stretch the cloth.
When using a number of bars I mount them at some distance from each other
with some of them inverted so that the cloth can be made to pass over one and
under the next this arrangement permitting the cloth to be led in any direction at
will whilst the stretching is proceeding.
The bars may be made of any suitable material and of any size according to the
circumstances and by their use I consider that the cloth will be more uniformly

page_text: stretched and as a consequence creases avoided and the threads straightened more
effectually.
Dated this 2nd day of smil 1901
"W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Per. W. H. T.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Appliance or Apparatus for Stretching Fabrics and
Preventing Creases therein.
1, FREDERICK WHOWELL, of the firm of Charles Whowell, Two Brooks Bleach
Works, Tottington, near Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Eleachers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
- performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
In machinery employed during certain stages in the manufacture of cotton,
woollen, silk, or other fabrics, but more particularly in the finishing, after bleaching
or dyeing, it is customary to use a rail or roller on the surface of which are formed
serrations or corrugations inclined in opposite directions from the centre, with
which the fabric comes in contact for the purpose of being stretched as it passes
into or out of the machine. These serrations or corrugations have hitherto been
formed parallel to each other and at an uniform inclination or angle to the
transverse axis of the rail forming in the centre a V shaped piece. This formation
of rail gives to the cloth an unequal strain, a sudden stretch being given to the
centre of the cloth over the V shaped piece of considerable extent, whilst towards
the selvages or edges there is little or no stretching of the cloth as the serrations
only take up what has been stretched from the centre; for fine or delicate fabrics
this is very objectionable, frequently resulting in splitting the piece.
This invention consists essentially of a bar in the form of a rail or roller, the
serrations of which are set at a gradually increasing inclination or angle as they
recede from the centre towards the ends so that whatever the cloth is stretched on
one serration or tooth the next serration or tooth takes up the extra width and
stretches an equal or corresponding quantity besides.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
as an example a rail slightly curved on one surface is shown.
Fig. 1. Plan.
Fig. 2. End elevation.
Fig. 3. Longitudinal sectional elevation.
The rail A is made of the ordinary length to correspond with the width of the
cloth to be stretched or the width of the machine to which it is to be applied and
preferably convex on the upper surface.
I form on the upper surface a number of serrations or teeth a preferably
resembling in section what is known as a "buttress screw thread though any
other section which will present an edge which will have a grip upon the fabric
may be employed. The serrations or teeth a run straight in the centre of the rail
and the angle at which each succeeding one is set-relatively to the transverse
axis increases as they travel from the centre and approach the ends. This gives
to the fabric or cloth a gradual and even tension all the way across as it passes
over the rail each serration or tooth taking up the extra width stretched out or
imparted by the preceding one and at the same time stretches the portion of the
cloth which comes in contact with it.
Instead of a rail, a roller may be used with the serrations in the form of a screw
thread gradually increasing in pitch from a straight line in the centre to a wide
pitch at each end.
I mount the rail or roller on the frame of the machine in connection with which

page_text: these stretching appliances are used but at present I prefer to mount it on a bed of
wood which has its edge rounded off at the side from which the cloth enters ou to
the bar or instead of rounding off the edge of the wood a glass or metallic rod may
be affixed thereto.
One or more rails or rollers may be used in connection with each machine, and
in some cases I may employ several, the first one of which would have its serrations
arranged to stretch the fabric a slight amount only, whilst the serrations in each
succeeding one would be arranged to increase the stretching.
When using a number of bars I mount them at some distance from each other
with some of them inverted so that the cloth can be made to pass over one and
under the next, this arrangement permitting the cloth to be led in any direction at
will whilst the stretching is proceeding.
The bars may be made of any suitable material and of any size according to the
circumstance and by their use I consider that the cloth will be more uniformly
stretched and as a consequence creases avoided and the threads straightened more
effectually.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood
that I am well aware that serrated rails or spirally grooved rollers have been used
for stretching fabrics, but what I claim is :-
A rail, bar or roller for stretching or removing creases from fabrics having the
serrations set at a gradually increasing angle as they recede from the centre towards
the ends substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 29th day of December 1891
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.