Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1887
Complete Left, 19th May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 22nd June, 1888
We NORVAL WATSON HELME, RICHARD STOCKDALE and ROBERT NEWTON HELME
all of Halton Mills Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster Manufacturers do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The principal object of this invention is to produce by an improved process a
washable, woven fabric printed in various colors and suitable for use for upholstery
and other useful and decorative purposes.
In the first place we take a suitable woven material and we coat the surface thereof
with a washable non-absorbent composition or ground similar to that employed in the
manufacture of oil cloths, the last coating being of a suitable color or tint to form the
ground of the finished material required.
We then print the design or pattern upon this washable non-absorbent ground in
oil or varnish colors by a modification of the known process and machine employed
for printing calicoes and other similar fabrics.
For this purpose we employ copper or other rollers engraved with the desired
pattern or design in connection with plain cylindrical bed rollers. Several engraved
rollers may be arranged round one plain bed roller as in the process known as
cylinder printing or the requisite number of engraved rollers may be arranged in a
horizontal plane (or nearly so,) each one being provided with its corresponding plain
bed roller: We dispense however with the drying cylinders or steam chests usually
employed in connection with the printing machines and we dry the material by
passing it at once after printing into a suitable drying room.
For the purposes of our invention however we reverse the ordinary process, that is
to say we first print on the plain flat tints in the required colors by the first rollers
and afterwards print on the strong outlines and body of the pattern by the last
roller.

page_text: By our improved process we find that we can print a pattern of several colors in oil
or varnish from engraved rollers upon the washable non-absorbent (or only slightly
absorbent) ground, without smearing the colors and thereby produce an improved
effect not previously obtained, and at a less cost than hitherto being a washable fabric
of the nature of oil cloths printed in oil or varnish, colors with what are known
as "Cretonne" or other finely engraved patterns suitable for covering chairs, couches
ottomans and for other upholstery, also for other useful and decorative purposes.
Dated this 24th day of October 1887.
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicants.
1

page_text: Improvements in Printing upon Oil Baize, Leather Cloth, and other,
similar Non-absorbent Materials.
We NORVAL WATSON HELME, RICHARD STOCKDALE and ROBERT NEWTON HELME
all of Halton Mills Lancaster in the County of Lancaster Manufacturers do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The principal object of this invention is to produce by an improved process a
washable woven fabric of the nature of. oil cloths printed in various colors and suitable
for use for upholstery, and for other useful and decorative purposes.
In the first place we take a suitable woven material and coat the surface thereof
with a washable non-absorbent composition or ground similar to that employed in the
manufacture of oil cloths or cloth imitating leather, the last coating being of a
suitable color or tint to form the ground of the finished material required.
We then print the design or pattern upon this washable non-absorbent ground
in oil or varnish colors by a modification of the known processes and machines
employed for printing calicoes and other similar absorbent fabrics.
For this purpose we employ copper or other rollers engraved with the desired
pattern or design in connection with a plain cylindrical bed roller or rollers.
Several engraved rollers may be arranged round one plain bed roller (as in the
process known as cylinder printing) or the requisite number of engraved rollers may
be arranged in a horizontal plane (or nearly so) each one being provided with
its corresponding plain bed roller, but we prefer the first named arrangement.
We dispense however with the drying cylinders or steam chests usually employed
in connection with the printing machines and we dry the material by passing it
at once after printing into a suitable drying room.
For the purposes of our invention however we reverse and modify the ordinary
process used in calico printing that is to say we employ the first rollers all lightly
engraved to print the plain flat tints in the required colors, thus giving the
necessary tones of flat colors their respective positions (direction and shape) for the
final design and afterwards by the last roller printing on the strongly defined outline
and body of the pattern, thus producing and presenting a formed and completed
pattern in several colors.
We by preference dispense with the usual blanket or grey" and substitute
rotating carded, padded or plain rollers, for carrying away and delivering the printed
material into the drying rooms, but we retain a padding or jacket around the cylinder
or cylinders.
Owing to the elasticity and strength of the material to be printed upon we find it
necessary to increase the strength of the tension bars, and we are thus enabled
to put the requisite amount of tension on the piece to prevent it from swaying before
passing it over the drag roller, thus delivering the material straight and tight onto the
printing cylinder and thereby securing a better and more regular fit of the pattern.

page_text: By our improved process we find that we can print a pattern of several colors in oil
or varnish colors from engraved rollers with a plain cylinder bed or beds, upon the
washable non-absorbent (or only slightly absorbent) ground without smearing the
colors (as hitherto believed to be impracticable) and we can thereby produce a
superior and improved effect, not previously obtained on a fabric of the nature of oil
cloths printed in oil or varnish colors with what are known as "Cretonne " or other
finely engraved patterns suitable for covering chairs, tables, couches, ottomans, and for
other upholstery and useful and decorative purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is—
The improvements (substantially as hereinbefore described) for producing a pattern
in several colors upon a woven fabric rendered non-absorbent (or only slightly
absorbent) and of the nature of oil cloths or imitation leather cloths by printing in oil
or varnish colors with engraved copper or other rollers in connection with a plain
cylindrical bed roller or rollers.
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Anns Square, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicants.