IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ORNAMENTAL SINGLE MECHLIN LACE IN TWIST LACE MACHINES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Butler, of Nottingham, Lace Manu-
facturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF ORNAMENTAL SINGLE MECHLIN LACE IN TWIST LACE MACHINES."
Sealed the 19th February 1875, and dated the 1st September 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Butler at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st September 1874.
I, SAMUEL BUTLER, of Nottingham, Lace Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
Manufacture of ORNAMENTAL SINGLE MECHLIN LACE IN TWIST LACE MACHINES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
ornamental single Mechlin lace in twist lace machines.
For the manufacture of lace in twist lace machines, single thread
Mcchlins with one warp thread to one carriage thread have heretofore

page_text: been produced, the angles or sides of the meshes being formed partly
by single threads only. Such lace has been ornamented by means of
extra ornamenting warp threads.
According to my Invention in order to obtain a better ornamental
effect I employ one extra warp thread to each carriage thread, so far as
may be necessary to be used in the ornamental part of the pattern, and
more than one extra thread may be used if necessary to each carriage.
These extra warp threads are in addition to the warp and bobbin
thread which forms the single Mechlin groundwork. I cause such
extra warp threads to weave or twist with the bobbin and warp
thread above mentioned for the purpose of forming the ornamental
part of the pattern.
When the extra warp threads are not required for producing the
ornament I cause them to be worked outside of the single Mechlin
groundwork, so that they may be clipped, or cut away, or drawn out
where they are not required after the fabric leaves the machine.
These extra threads are worked by the machine and jacquard in the
usual way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Butler in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th February 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
BUTLER, of Nottingham, Lace Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Butler, Her special license
that I, the said Samuel Butler, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Butler, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF ORNAMENTAL SINGLE MECHLIN LACE IN TWIST LACE
MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Samuel
Butler, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Butler, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
ornamental single Mechlin lace in twist lace machines.
In the manufacture of lace in twist lace machines single thread
Mechlins with one warp thread -to one carriage thread have heretofore
been produced, the angles or sides of the meshes being formed partly by
single threads only. Such lace has been ornamented by means of extra
ornamenting warp threads.
According to my Invention in order to obtain a better ornamental
effect I employ one extra warp thread to each carriage thread, so far as
may be necessary to be used, in the ornamental part of the pattern.
More than one extra thread may be used if necessary to each carriage.
These extra warp threads are in addition to the warp and bobbin thread
which forms the single Mechlin groundwork. I cause such extra warp
threads to weave or twist with the bobbin and warp thread above
mentioned for the purpose of forming the ornamental part of the
pattern.
When the extra warp threads are not required for producing the
ornament, I cause them to be worked outside of the single Mechlin
groundwork, so that they may be clipped, or cut away, or drawn out
where they are not required after the fabric leaves the machine.

page_text: The diagram annexed illustrates the method in which ornamental
single Mechlin lace is manufactured according to my Invention. It
represents a portion of the fabric highly magnified and before it has
been finished by clipping away the second or ornamenting warp
threads.
The black lines a represent the bobbin threads, and the brown lines b
the warp threads, which by twisting with the bobbin threads produce
the plain ground.
The red lines c represent the second ornamenting warp threads,
one to each bobbin. These are brought into operation when it is
desired to produce in the midst of the single warp and bobbin ground
a portion of fabric such as requires two warps to a bobbin for its
production.
The threads a and b are fine threads of even thickness, and the
threads c which I use, although still fine threads, should be double the
thickness of the threads a and b, so that one thread c may correspond
to the cord resulting from the twisting together of the threads a
and b.
In addition to the threads shewn on the diagram I use other threads.
known as gimps, and lead them about over the face of the fabric,
forming with them such lines and curves as the taste of the designer
may direct.
The portions of the threads c, marked 1-1 in the diagram, are those
which are clipped away after the fabric is removed from the machine,
they here stand detached from the fabric at the front or at the back,
and they simply remain inoperative in the machine whilst these portions
of the fabric are being produced.
The warp threads are actuated by warp bars in the usual way, the
bars carrying the threads c, c, being either behind or in front of those
carrying the threads b.
What I claim is the manufacture of ornamental single Mechlin lace
in twist lace machines with two warp threads to each bobbin, in the

page_text: parts where ornamental fabric is to be produced in the midst of the
ground fabric, one of the warp threads of each bobbin remaining
out of use when ground fabric is being made, substantially as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Butler, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.