IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FACILITATING THE OPERATIONS OF RAISING, DRESSING, AND CROPPING THE PILE OF WOOLLEN AND SOME OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1834

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WALTON, of Sowerby Bridge, in the County of York, Cloth Dresser, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Fourteenth day of January, in the fourth year of His
reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Walton, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said James Walton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, tho said James Walton, my executors, adminis-
trators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR FACILITATING THE OPERATIONS OF RAISING, DRESSING, AND CROPPING THE PILE OF
WOOLLEN AND SOME OTHER FABRICS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso that I, the said James Walton, shall cause a particular description
of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within four calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Walton, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to
the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say:-
My Invention consists,―
First, in the application of a frame capable of turning on an axis to an
ordinary gig mill, whereby the cloth undergoing the operation of this
machinery may be made to enter and leave the same in an oblique or
diagonal direction, yet at the same time capable of having the extent of such
obliquity altered; and also capable of permitting the cloth to pass into the
gig mill straightways in the length of the cloth, whereby the cloth will be
subject to the action of the gig mill in a variety of directions, which
will materially facilitate the operation of raising the pile on woollen and other
cloths requiring such process. and thereby any inequality of the cards or teasels
in the gig mill will not always come in the same line of the cloth, but will
be varied, and thus cause a more equal effect of the gig mill; and also in
applying a similar frame to a cropping or shearing machine, whereby the cloth
is brought under the ledger blade in an oblique or diagonal direction.
Secondly, my Invention consists in the application of caoutchouc to one
or more of the divisions of a gig mill or brushing machine, in place of
cards, teasels, or brushes.
Thirdly, in the production of an uniform bed or surface by means of an air
and water or other fluid tight yet flexible tube or vessel, to be used in the
operations of raising, dressing, and cropping the pile of woollen and other
fabrics requiring those processes.
Fourthly, in the construction of an expanding frame for producing an even
surface or bed for facilitating the operation of cropping, raising, and dressing
the pile of cloths requiring that process.
But in order that my Invention may be most fully described and ascertained,
I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed, Figure 1 being a
front view of a gig mill; Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1; and Figure 3
is an end view with some of my improvements applied, there being various
parts removed in these Figures that the other parts may be more clearly
.

page_text: seen. In each of these Figures the same letters indicate similar parts. a, a,.
being the drums or cylinders of the gig mill for the reception of the cards.
or teasels ; is the framework which carries them. The axes of these drums
P
or cylinders turn in proper bearings in the framing b. On the shaft or axle c
of the under cylinder or drum a is affixed the driving pulley d which receives
motion from a strap or band from any first mover. On to the other end of
the axle c is affixed the pulley e, which, by means of a strap or band, drives
the pulley f affixed on the shaft g of the upper drum or cylinder of the gig
mill, by this means the two cylinders or drums are caused to revolve. On
to the other end of the axle g is affixed a bevelled toothed wheel h, which takes.
into and drives the toothed wheel i on the perpendicular shaft j, which turns
in bearings k, as shown in the Drawing. is a pulley affixed on the shaft j,
and is caused to turn by the revolution of the shaft g, and by means of a strap
or cord m, this pulley 7 drives the pullies and o on the shafts p and q, which
have proper bearings in the framing, as shewn in the Drawing, the pulley 24
being on the shaft p and the pulley o on the shaft q. On to the shaft p is affixed
a bevelled pinion r, which takes into and drives the bevelled toothed wheel s
affixed.on the axis t of the roller t, which roller turns in proper bearings in
the framing, and therefore, by the revolution of the pulley n, motion is com-
municated to the roller t. On the shaft is also a bevelled pinion r, which
takes into and drives the bevelled toothed wheel u affixed on the roller v, and.
thus this roller v receives motion by the revolution of the pulley o, as will be
hereafter fully described. W is a roller receiving motion by means of a strap
from the pulley v on the axis of the roller v to the pulley w on the axis of the
roller w; and a is another roller driven by the strap a by revolution of the
roller w.
The rollers y, y, and the bar are for producing suflicient resistanco-
and consequent tension to the cloth. A and B are the framings which carry
the rollers, by which the cloth is caused to pass through the gig mill, and.
these framings A and B (having trucks or wheels) are connected to the
framing C, as shown in the Drawing, the same are thus made capable of
turning on the axis at D, but at the same time it will be evident that the-
rollers which work the cloth through the gig mill will at all times be
parallel to each other, and consequently at all times draw the cloth evenly
from roller to roller, whether the same is passing through the gig mill at.
right angles to the axes of the cylinders or drums a, a, or in an oblique or
diagonal direction to those axes, and it is the application of the framing C
turning on an axis, and thus enabling the rollers (which work the cloth through
the gig mill) to be placed in an oblique or diagonal direction, or parallel
to the cylinders or drums a, a, and, consequently, enable the operator to pass

page_text: the cloth in an oblique direction, or at right angles to the axes of the drums a, a,
and thus more effectually bringing the gig mill to perform its operations.
Having described the first part of my Invention, I will proceed to describo
the manner of its action, which will be most readily traced by observing
the letters on the end view, Fig. 3 of the Drawing, where the pink line E, E,
represents the cloth, and the arrows indicate the direction in which it passes,
motion being given to the driving drum by a strap or band from any first
mover by this means the lower drum or cylinder a is caused to turn in tho
direction of the arrow, and by means of the pulleys and f being thereby
actuated, the upper cylinder a is caused to turn in the direction of the arrow,
and thus gives motion to the pulleys 1, n, o, and the various rollers for causing
the cloth to pass through the gig mill; and it will be evident that the
operator may from time to time vary the direction of the cloth in regard to its
passage through the mill, from a line at right angles to the axes of the drums
or cylinders a, a, to various degrees of obliquity, and thus will the cloth be
more thoroughly operated on by the gig mill.
Figure 4 is a plan, and Figure 5 an end elevation of a shearing machine,
having a frame C, which carries the parts which work the cloth through the
machine; the frame C turning on a fulcrum whereby the cloth may be
worked through the machine in an oblique direction, (1) being a bevelled
toothed wheel on the main shaft. This wheel (1) takes into and drives the
wheel (2) on the upright spindle (3), which turns in bearings or brasses (4,1.)
On the top of the upright spindle (3) there is affixed the pulley (5), and by
means of an endless strap or cord, this pulley drives the pulley (6, 6.)
on the spindles 7, 8, the spindle 8 having a screw which drives the
wheel (9) on the axis of the roller (10), by which the cloth is drawn
through the machine. It will not be necessary to describe the various parts
of the shearing machine, this machine not being varied other than by the
placing of the framing A, B, which carry the parts 10, 12, on the frame C,
whereby the cloth may be passed in an oblique or diagonal direction, and the
extent of each obliquity may be varied, and, if desired, the cloth may be made
to pass at right angles to the axis of the ledger blade.
will now proceed to describe, the second part of my Invention as relates to
the application of caoutchouc in the operation of dressing cloth. F, F, F.
Fig. 3, show three divisions of the cylinders a, a, covered with caoutchoue,
which will be found very efficacious in cleaning and laying the surface of the
pile on woollen and other cloths. The caoutchouc is stretched over a padded
or solid surface, as shown in the Figures, and is substituted in place of cards
or teasels, and this application is also applicable to brushing machines in like

page_text: manner as it is to gill mills. I have not thought it necessary to show
a brushing machine, as the application will be readily made to that machine,
all that is necessary is to remove some of the brushes, and substitute surfaces
of caoutchouc.
I will now describe the third part of my Invention, that of producing an
uniform bed or surface by means of an air and water tight yet flexible tube
or vessel; and I will first describe the same as applicable to a gig mill
for the purpose of keeping the cloth which is being operated on in contact
with the cylinders or drums a, a, and thus form an elastic resisting surface
to the same.
Figure 6 shows one of the beds separately, suitable to the gig mill
already described, and they are shown in their places (one to each of the
cylinders a, a,) in the Figures of the Drawing. N, N, shows a strong rectan-
gular frame either of wood or metal, having a stretched fabric O, which I
prefer to be of plush. This fabric is securely sewed at the two ends, and
thus forms an endless belt, which is drawn over the tube P and framing N.
The tube P is made of a water and air proof fabric, and I have found that
manufactured by Messrs. Mackintosh, and well known as patent waterproof
fabrics or cloths, to answer most effectually. This tube P lies along the whole
length of the frame N, and it will be seen that this tube may be distended
to any required extent, either by forcing air into it by means of a pump, or
in place of air it will be evident that water may be substituted. Q is a
pipe in connection with a pump, by which water, ar, or other suitable fluid
may be forced in, and thus produce a sufficient pressure within the tube P,
and stretch the fabric O tightly, producing an even clastic surface, which
will materially facilitate the operation of the gig mill by offering an even
yet elastic resisting surface, and capable of keeping the cloth evenly spread
in contact with the cylinders a, a. In some instances I attach a bag formed
of the water and air proof fabric above mentioned to the pipe Q. The whole
being filled with air, I can effect any required degree of pressure to the
tube P by placing weights on the bag to the desired extent; and in using
water I can carry the pipe Q to a height which will give sufficient pressure
to the tube P; but as cloths very much differ, and consequently require
different treatment, the pressure required, no precise rule can be laid down,
but the same will however be soon obtained in practice. The above description
of a bed or even surface, though described as applicable to a gig mill, will
also be equally useful when applied to a shearing machine for cropping the
pile off woollen and other fabrics requiring that process. It will be readily

page_text: understood that by the use of such a bed to a cropping or shearing machine,
having rotary spiral blades cutting on a ledger blade lying on the surface of
the bed, that in case of any inequality of the yarns of which the fabric is
composed coming to the blade, the bed would give way, and permit the same
to pass under the ledger blade without cutting a hole in the cloth. At the
same time the other part of the bed will retain its even surface, and force
the cloth evenly up against the ledger blade, and immediately after the knot
or inequality passing under the ledger blade, the whole surface of the bed will
again assume an even surface by the equalization of the pressure of the water
or air contained in the tube P.
But in applying this improvement to cropping or shearing machines, I
sometimes raise a longitudinal ridge under the ledger blade (see Fig. 7), in
preference to a plain surface. By this means the cloth which is undergoing
the operation of cropping forms an angle just at the edge of the ledger blade.
In order to accomplish this object, I make the fabric O fast on the frame N,
as before described, and place the air or water tube or vessel Pas shewn
in Fig 7, there being a support of wood or metal from end to end of the
framing N to support the air or water tube P.
Fig. 8 represents an arrangement of apparatus to produco an even sur-
face or bed applicable to gig mills or to cropping machines with rotary
spiral cutters. N, N, is a rectangular frame having metallic ears or loops R
by which the cloth O is made fast on each side, as shewn. This cloth I prefer
to be plush, though I do not confine inyself to that material. S, S, are two
stays to strengthen the frame N. T, T, are two bars capable of being mado
to approach or recede from each other by means of tho right and left hand
screws U, V, and thus produce the required tightness to the cloth 0; for it
will be evident that if the cloth O be drawn evenly over the frame N when
the bars T, T, are near to each other, the causing the bars (the edges of
which rise slightly over the frame N) to recede from each other by turning
the shaft W the cloth will be distended evenly and offer a smooth even surface
for the ledger blade or brushes or teazle rods to lie on, and yet will be
sufficiently elastic to allow of any inequality of the cloth to press it down at
that particular part; but the surface will immediately assume the smooth even
appearance when the inequality has passed.
Having now described my Invention, and the manner of combining and
using the same, I would have it understood that I lay no claim to any of the
parts of the ordinary gig mill shown in the Drawing, they being well
known. Nor do I claim the dressing of cloth in an oblique or diagonal.

page_text: direction, but only the means or frame herein described for producing that
effect. Nor do I claim the the cropping or shearing of cloth diagonally,
that having been very extensively used under a Patent granted to William
Davis in the year 1820, and about to expire, my improvement relating only
to the frame C, by which the cloth is caused to enter the cropping or
shearing machine in a diagonal direction, as above described. Nor do I claim
the application of an elastic or other surface to a gig mill for the purpose
of keeping the cloth in contact therewith, various contrivances for that
purpose having been before used. My Invention, as before stated, relating
only to the application of air or water, or other suitable fluid, in tubes or
vessels, for distending the surface of the bed, whether used in gig mill or
other operations of raising, dressing, and cropping the pile of woollen and
other cloths requiring such operations. But what I claim as my Invention or
improvements are,-
First, the application of the frame C, C, turning on an axis, whereby the
rollers which work the cloth through the gig mill are enabled to cause
the cloth to pass through the gig mill in an oblique direction, and capable
of having the extent of such obliquity varied from time to time during the
operation, as above described, and also in the application of the frame C to a
cropping or shearing machine, as above described.
Secondly, I claim the application of caoutchouc to one or more divisions
of a gig mill or brushing machine, as above described, for cleaning and
laying the fibres of the cloth more effectually.
Thirdly, the production of an uniform bed or surface by means of air and
water or other fluids tight yet flexible tube or vessel as above described, when
such improvements are used to facilitate the operations of raising, dressing,
and cropping the pile of woollen and some other fabrics, as above described.
And,
Fourthly, I claim the production of a bed or even surface, applicable to gig
mills and brushing machines, for raising and brushing, and also cropping or
shearing machines having spiral rotary cutters acting on a ledger blade, when
such bed or even surface is produced by means of bars T, T, made to recede
from each other by right and left hand screws, thereby distending or stretching
a fabric for that purpose, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Walton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-four.
JAMES (L.s.) WALTON.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventh day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-four, the aforesaid
James Walton came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and
acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Specification
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for that
Inrolled the Fourteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-four.