IMPROVEMENTS IN FRAMES OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATS OF HEMP OR OTHER SUITABLE MATERIAL
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edwin Dodgeon at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th
September 1871.
I, EDWIN DODGEON, of Wilsden, near Bingley, in the County of York,
Opérative Weaver, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FRAMES OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATS OF HEMP OR
OTHER SUITABLE MATERIAL," to be as follows:-
-
This. Invention relates to improvements in frames or apparatus for
making mats of hemp or other suitable material, by the employment of
which the time occupied in manufacturing the mats is considerably
reduced.
The frames or apparatuses hitherto used in this manufacture are mainly
constructed as follows:-To two upright wooden posts, usually reared
against the wall, when in work, is attached a cross beam, also of wood,
containing iron pegs hammered therein, to the right-hand peg of which
the warp is first tied or otherwise suitably fastened, and is then carried
up and down towards the left and attached at the lower part of the
apparatus to a second similar pegged cross beam at any peg, according
to the number of threads or cords required for the size of the mat being

page_text: made. Between these two upright posts and the warp is also placed a
board for the purpose of keeping the hemp or other material in its
place, being passed between the threads or cords of the warp while the
mat is being hammered and kept in its place by two cords.
This Invention consists chiefly in adding thereto at the upper part of
the back of the posts two pieces of wood, in each of which is screwed a
bent iron and pulley to carry a cord, which latter has at one end a
weight and at its other end is connected to a board longer than that
used in the old frame, and projecting sideways from the posts; the
advantage of this being that the time saved by not having to twist the
cords as in the old way. The weight on each cord is prevented from
working against the wall by suitable projections of wood, suitably
attached to the back of the posts. To the back of the lengthened board is
bolted or otherwise suitably attached at each side of the machine a piece
of wood, used to keep the said lengthened board in its place, which
wood has attached thereto an iron plate to keep it from wearing, and
also an iron bent at the bottom and top, which is used to keep a cross
iron-pegged piece of wood in a certain desired place. This pegged piece
of wood is used to strike down the weft, and is worked by taking hold
thereof with both hands and sliding it off the iron, and is then struck
down. Another bent iron is attached to the front of the lengthened
board, and keeps the double bent iron in its place. A piece (or pieces)
of wood' is (or are) fastened to the pegged wood, and is (or are) used to
guide the same. There is also fastened at right angles thereto a flat piece
of iron which rests against the double bent iron.
It may here be mentioned that by employing the additional pegged
wood instead of the mat makers" hammer in making (say) a No. 1 mat
with thirty-six cords for the warp there is a gain of from 25 to 30
minutes in the time occupied in manufacture.