Improvements in the Manufacture of Velvet Piled Tapestry Carpets and Table Covers.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1891--Accepted, 7th Mar., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Velvet Piled Tapestry Carpets
and Table Covers.
I, WILLIAM MITCHELL, of Waterfoot, near Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Carpet Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates to the manufacture of what are known as "tapestry
carpets, and tapestry table covers with a cut velvet pile.
"
Hitherto these carpets and table covers have been produced in a tapestry loom
by first printing the pattern upon the warp before it is wound upon the warp beam;
and as the warp, in being woven in the tapestry loom, is drawn up by wires into
loops which are cut so as to form velvet pile, it is absolutely necessary that the
pattern should be printed upon the warp in a very greatly exaggerated or elongated
form, necessitating a special system of designing and very extended blocks, drums,
or other printing surfaces so that the process has been both difficult and costly
whilst the designs that could be produced were greatly limited and liable to
considerable imperfections.
Attempts have been made to produce printed piled fabrics by first weaving the
fabric in the white or undyed state and then printing upon the pile by blocks or
otherwise, but this process is inapplicable to printing velvet piled carpets or velvet
piled table covers as owing to the thickness and depth of the pile it would be
impossible to cause the color in all cases to penetrate uniformly through the whole
pile to the back or ground of the fabric and hence the lower portions of the pile
would still remain white or only faintly colored which would be objectionable and
produce an undesirable effect when the pile became crushed down or worn.
My invention is intended to remedy these objections and by its adoption I can
produce at a decreased cost a velvet piled tapestry carpet or table cover much
superior in appearance and durability to those at present in the market and
presenting novel artistic effects in regard to designs and colors which have not
hitherto been produced.
The invention consists principally in the combination for such purposes of the
processes of printing and dyeing.
In carrying out my invention I select from the design to be produced the lightest
color or shade in the pattern and I dye the whole of the face warp to this color
and shade before winding it onto the warp beam. I then proceed to weave and cut
the piled fabric in the tapestry loom in the ordinary manner whereby I produce a
self colored velvet piled carpet or table cover of the color or shade selected.
I then by means of suitable blocks, drums, or otherwise print onto the pile the
other colors and shades required to form the pattern and it will be found that the
effect produced will be very superior, inasmuch as the patterns (or designs) will be
characterized by a perfection hitherto unattainable in similar goods, while the more
artistic blending of the colors will produce a softness and richness of effect which
has not hitherto been attained upon such fabrics.
It will also be found that a dyed ground piled fabric, by reason of every fibre
being permeated with coloring matter is better prepared for the reception of the
various colors that have to be subsequently printed on to its surface, and it will be
found that these various colors are by the subsequent process of steaming, thoroughly
absorbed by the pile and that they penetrate through the pile even to the back of
the carpet or table cover, thereby guaranteeing that the colors will endure as long
as the fabric itself.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First. The improved method of manufacturing velvet piled tapestry carpets or
velvet piled tapestry table covers by first dyeing the face warp to a shade or color
corresponding with the lightest shade or color of the design to be produced, then
weaving and cutting the piled fabric with such dyed face warp in the tapestry
loom, and afterwards printing upon the cut pile surface thereof the remaining
shades and colors necessary to complete the pattern as hereinbefore described.
Secondly. I claim as a new manufacture a cut piled tapestry carpet or cut pile
tapestry table cover ornamented with a pattern or design produced by the com-
bination of dyeing and printing substantially as herein before particularly described.
Dated this 30th day of January 1891.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.