IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR FINISHING OF TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1856

page_text: application for Letters Patent was not given within the time prescribed
by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Hamilton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st September
1856.
I, GEORGE HAMILTON, of Blackland Mill, Paisley, in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, Bleacher, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR FINISHING OF TEXTILE FABRICS," to be
as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to improved mechanical arrangements or means for
imparting what is known as the "elastic finish" to textile fabrics, by which
arrangements the required result is obtained in a more efficient manner and
with less labor than has hitherto been the case. The present Invention is
also applicable to certain classes of goods for which the finishing machines
hitherto in use are unsuitable.
The finishing effect is produced by working the threads of the fabric over
each other whilst the fabric is drying, after being treated with starch or other
suitable composition, and in this manner, whilst the composition stiffens the
threads, they are prevented from adhering together. In finishing machines
hitherto in use the effect has been produced to the best of my knowledge by
working the weft threads transversely, or from side to side across the piece,
which is held in the machine by stenter hooks taking into the two selvedges.
According to the present Invention, however, the piece or portion of a piece
of goods is held by its ends, and the warp threads are worked longitudinally,

page_text: or the long way of the fabric. In one modification of apparatus for carrying
this system into effect, a horizontal shaft, of a length corresponding to the
length of fabric to be operated upon, is fitted up in suitable bearings. At or
near each end of this shaft are fitted two discs or collars, capable of being set
at an angle as regards the shaft, and upon each disc or collar is a loose ring
or annular disc capable of revolving thereupon. To the two rings at each
end are jointed a number of laths or narrow pieces of wood, or other
suitable material, arranged round the discs so as to form a species of drum.
These laths are fitted with stenter hooks, by means of which the fabric
is fixed upon the apparatus. The fabric is stretched along above the shaft,
and is fixed at each end upon the stenter hooks upon the lath drums; the
discs upon the shaft are then fixed at an angle to the shaft and parallel
to each other, and the shaft is set in motion. The lath drums do not
revolve being held in any convenient manner, but the rotation of the inclined
discs causes the laths to be individually traversed back and forwards longi-
tudinally as regards the cloth, and by this means the warp threads of
the fabric are worked back and forwards, so as to produce the required
finishing effect. One end of the shaft or one of the lath drums is made to
shift longitudinally, so as to stretch the fabric longitudinally, or so as to adapt
itself to various lengths of fabric. Loose discs may be placed at intervals
along the shaft to sustain and distend the fabric, these discs being placed
loosely upon collars capable of being set to the same angle as the collars of
the lath drums, so that the discs may work with the cloth, being, however,
prevented from revolving like the lath drums. It is intended to make the
lath drums and distending discs of such a diameter that the fabric will not
pass quite round them. It is also intended to use two grooved rollers for
breadthening or stretching the fabric across its width. These rollers lie
parallel with the main shaft, and act upon the fabric just within each selvedge,
being driven in opposite directions in any convenient manner, and the distend-
ing discs being cut away to allow of the rollers extending pass them. Instead
of fixing the fabric upon the lath drums by means of stenter hooks, it may be
secured thereon by means of clamping pieces, and instead of causing the shaft
to revolve whilst the lath drums and fabric do not revolve, the shaft or
angled collars may be stationary whilst the lath drums and fabric revolve.