IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELTED FABRICS AND WEARING APPAREL, AND OTHER ARTICLES FROM THE BAME
Year: 1868

page_text: TTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
--Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
FELTED FABRICS AND WEARING APPAREL, AND OTHER ARTICLES FROM THE
BAME." A communication from abroad by John Falconer; of the
City of New York, United States of America.
ealed the 16th March 1869, and dated the 23rd November 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
ou the 23rd November 1868.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE of
FELTED FABRICS AND WEARING APPAREL, AND OTHER ARTICLES FROM THE SAME,"
to be as follows:-
CA
The first part of this Invention relates to an improved method of
laying the fibres for bats,--felts,-waddings,-and-other similar goods so
[Price 8d.]

page_text: that they may be crossed and interlaced in all directions for the purpose
of causing them to adhere more firmly together, and thereby produce
fabrics of durable quality.
The fibres are formed into the bat by causing one sheet to be laid
transversely back and forth on another sheet. Or on the fabric being
built
up it is moved back and forth in the direction of its length past the
place of receiving on its surface the first-mentioned sheet.
By the first
plan the sheet is laid in a zig-zag course over the whole surface of the
fabric, which is thus built up to the desired thickness by the two sheets
being received in directions perpendicular to each other, thus interlacing
the fibres in all directions.
An arrangement of guiding and laying
rollers are operated from the carding machines (from which the sheets
are received) so as to lay the top sheet to and fro in a zig-zag direction.
If preferred the bat or fleece of fibres may be carried over a table trans-
versely to the fabric which is being built up. The bat is also moved
over the table by a system of feeding rollers that may be caused to feed
it first in one direction and then in the other, while the laying rollers
deliver thereon in the zig-zag manner the sheet received from the
direction perpendicular thereto.
The second part of the Invention consists in forming seamless articles
of wearing apparel and other articles from the fabric above described.
This fabric is especially adapted for this purpose by reason of the inter-
weaving of the fibres. The articles are first cut from the fabric into
suitable form, but considerably larger to compensate for shrinkage by
the subsequent fulling operation, which is of the ordinary kind. The
fabric is then combed or otherwise shaped on its cut edges, so as to be
bevilled or tapered at the edges in order to produce lap joints without
increasing the thickness, which edges are then capable by reason of the
aforesaid layings of the fibre of being lapped and felted together in a
jigger" or other felting apparatus, so as to unite the fabric in a secure
and permanent manner, presenting the same appearance on the surface
of the parts joined as in any other part, an inlayer or pattern of paper,
silk, muslin, or any suitable material cut in the form of the articles
required being laid between the parts covering all the surfaces which are
not to be united by the felting operation by which the said edges are
joined.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters l'atent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd May 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Edward. Newton, Her
special licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said William Edward
Newton, 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 vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELTED FABRICS AND WEARING APPAREL,
AND OTHER ARTICLES FROM THE SAME," being a communication to me from
abroad by John Falconer, of New York City, United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that 1, the said William Edward
Newton, 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 1, the said William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):-
The first part of this Invention relates to an improved method of
laying the fibre for bats, felts, waddings, and other similar goods so that

page_text: they may be crossed and interfaced in an airections for the pur
causing them to adhere more firmly together, and thereby ace
fabrics of durable quality.
The fibres are formed into the bat by causing one. sheet to bend
transversely back and forth on another, sheet.. Of or the fabric b
built up is moved back and forth in the direction of its length paste
place of receiving on its surface the first-mentioned sheet. By the t
plan the sheet is laid in a zig-zag course over the whole surface of the
fabric, which is thus built up to the desired thickness by the two sheets
being received in directions perpendicular to each other, so as to.
interlace the fibres in all directions."
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn an arrangement of
mechanism whereby the object of the Invention may be effected. It
will be seen that the mechanism consists of an arrangement of grinding
and laying rollers which are to be operated from the carding machines
from which the sheets are received; these rollers work over a table
placed transversely to the fabric which is being built up. The bat is
also moved over the table by a system of feeding rollers that may be
caused to feed it first in one direction its full length and then in the
other, while the laying rollers deliver in a zig-zag manner on to the table
the sheet received from the roller in the direction perpendicular to the
table.
The second part of the Invention consists in forming seamless articles
of wearing apparel and other articles from the fabric above described.
This fabric is especially adapted for this purpose by reason of the inter-
weaving of the fibres. The articles are first cut from the fabric into
suitable form, but considerably larger, so as to compensate for shrinkage
by the subsequent fulling operation, which is of the ordinary kind. The
fabric is then combed or otherwise shaped on its cut edges so as to be
bevilled or tapered at the edges, in order to produce lap joints without
increasing the thickness; these edges are then capable (by reason of the
aforesaid layings of the fibre) of being lapped and felted together in
a jigger or other felting apparatus, so as to unite the fabric in a
secure and permanent manner, and thus presenting the same appearance
on the surface of the parts joined as in any other part, an inlayer or
pattern of paper, silk, muslin, or any suitable material cut in the form of
the articles required being laid between the parts and covering all the

page_text: surfaces which are not to be united by the felting operation by which
the said edges are joined.
the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents a plan view of one
arrangement of mechanism for laying the fibres; Fig. 2 represents a
sectional 'elevation of the same.
In order to effect the laying of the fibre of bats, waddings, and other
Similar fabrics in a manner to effect the greatest possible interlacing and
Crossing of the fibres two carding machines are so arranged as to deliver
the sheets of bats or other fabric therefrom at right angles to each other,
the one which forms the basis of the desired fabric being carried in a
longitudinal direction by suitable guide rollers the distance required
for the length of the finished article and back again, continuing in
this to-and-fro motion until it is made sufficiently thick, while the
other is carried back and forth and laid on the surface of the first
transversely, assuming a zig-zag line thereon, the parts left uncovered
by the one passage of the first sheet being covered at the second passage
of the same; at the same time that the one sheet is thus laid on the
other pressing rollers are caused to press it down and combine the fibre
of the two sheets together. Or, if preferred, the laying rollers and tables
and the relative speed of the parts may be so arranged that the crossing
bat will be laid at an angle of forty-five degrees to the line or direction
the fabric that is being formed; in so doing the bat will cover
one-half of the table at the first course, and when the fabric is moved
back again to receive the crossing bat the latter will be laid exactly in
the spaces left by the first movement and at, right angles to the bat
which was laid at the first course; this will produce an even fabric of a
quality of equal elasticity in all directions. The fabric thus laid up may
be felted and matted together in the usual manner in order to condense
it and further unite the fibres, and when so united the fabric will be
especially adapted for forming seamless-articles, as before mentioned.
In Fig. 1 A represents a bat or sheet as, received from a carding
machine, which is caused by suitable feed or drawing rollers B to be
passed over the table C and thereby form the base of the fabric to he
built up; D represents a similar sheet received from a carding machine
ina.direction at right angles to the first by a system of drawing. and
grinding rollers E supported upon the jointed and movable arms F, and
delivered thence to the laying rollers G, G', which move to and fro across
the sheet A as it is moved at. right angles thereto, and thus will lay the

page_text: sheet D upon the other one A. The rollers G, G', are journalled in the
lower ends of the bifurcated arms H, which are pivotted to the sliding
blocks I, and are provided with sliding weights K at their upper ends.
The slides 1 are connected to the rack bars L, which have a to-and-fro
motion imparted to them by pinions on the shaft M arranged to be
operated alternately in either direction by the driving wheel N, which
gears into the loose wheels O and P, between which the sliding clutch Q
splined to the shaft M is caused to slide so as to change the connection
from one to the other by means of a crutched arm R secured to the
slide S, which derives motion from the shifting rod T. A bent portion T
of the rod T works in an inclined recess in the slide S. The shifting
rod T is moved by a projecting piece V on one of the slides I striking
against lugs W, W, on the rod T just previous to the end of its move-
ment in either direction, thereby stopping the shaft M and setting it into
motion in the opposite direction. The lugs W are provided with sliding
balance weights X to ensure the necessary movement of the rod T and
to hold it against the tendency of the wheels O and P to throw the
clutch out of connection with them. When the laying rollers are
moving to the right as represented in the Drawings it will be necessary
that the roller G should be brought into action, and when moving in the
opposite direction the other roller G', as will be readily understood, and
for this reason they are suspended on a pivot, as before mentioned, and
stops Y are provided on each side of the machine against which the
roller G or G' (or the arms supporting it), which may be in the elevated
position, will strike at the end of each movement, and is thereby turned
down into the position to become the acting roller on the return move-
ment, and the other one is thrown out of action. The weight K is
provided to insure the full movement (of the arms H) which is necessary
to effect these changes, and also to cause the necessary pressure of the
rollers G or G¹ on the fabric. When the sheet A has been passed in one
direction, as far as it is required that the length of the finished web shall
extend, the motion of the rollers B by which it is moved may be reversed
by any suitable means so as to carry it in the opposite direction and
double it on itself, care being taken that this change shall occur at such
a point (with reference to the sheet D) that the latter will be laid over
the angles left uncovered during the movement of the sheet A in the
first direction. In this manner the web may be built up to any thick-
ness required for the various uses to which it may be applied, so as to
produce a more durable fabric and at a great saving of time and expense,

page_text: as the product of two machines may he brought into one fabric at the
same time.
According to the second part of the Invention, from the bats thus
made and afterwards partially hardened by felting articles of wearing
apparel, such as skirts, corsets, cloaks, coats, and other like articles may
be manufactured, also crumb cloths, wide druggets, mats, and other
analogous articles, by cutting them into the necessary form in the same
manner as though they were cut out of cloth to be united by sewing,
except that they are cut larger to allow for the shrinkage due to felting
or fulling the same in. order to bring it to a close tight texture like felt
cloth. The edges of the parts to be united are then tapered off by
combing or otherwise, so that they will form lap joints without
increasing the thickness of the article at the joints; these edges are
then so lapped and temporarily fastened by pins or otherwise to facili-
tate the placing of the same under the hardener without disengaging
them. In layers or patterns of paper, silk, muslin, or any suitable
material cut in the form of the article required are laid between all parts
of the bats not required to be felted together; this is done when the bat
is partially felted to unite the seams preparatory to being placed in the
fulling mills, where it is felted or fulled down to the proper and
finished size.
In the case of crumb cloths, wide druggets, and other analogous
articles the edges are simply united in the above manner until they are
built up to the proper size. In uniting the edges of these latter articles
as well as skirts and things of like character the inlayers or patterns are
not required.
Having now described the Invention of improvements in the
manufacture of felted fabrics and wearing apparel, and other articles
from the same, and having explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I claim
as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,-
The improved method herein set forth of producing felted fabrics by
crossing and interlaying the fibre of hats and other similar fabrics by
laying one sheet transversely on the other (while the latter is being
moved forward) so as to receive the former in an angular course thereon,
as and for the purpose described.
The combination of the laying rollers G, G', with a table C and
mechanism for causing a bat or sheet of fabric A to be moved over the

page_text: same (as described) so as to cause one bat to be laid over another, as
herein set forth.
I claim as a new article of manufacture wearing apparel, crumby
cloths, mats, &c. formed from the improved fabric herein described and
having their edges united as set forth.
I also claim the improved method above described of forming seamless
articles of wearing apparel, crumb cloths, mats, wide druggets, and other
analogous articles.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-nine.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)