IMPROVEMENTS IN BEETLING OR FINISHING TEXTILE FABRICS, AND IN/THE MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Ferguson, of Holme Head Works, near
Carlisle, in the County of Cumberland; Bleacher; Dyer, and Finisher,
and William Lattimer, of Holme Head Works aforesaid, Manager, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BEETLING OR FINISHING TEXTILE
FABRICS, AND IN/THE MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 30th August 1864, and dated the 30th March 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Ferguson and
William Lattimer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 30th March 1864.
We, ROBERT FERGUSON, of Holme Head Works, near Carlisle, in the County
of Cumberland, Bleacher, Dyer, and Finisher, and WILLIAM LATTIMER, of
Holme Head Works, aforesaid, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BEETLING OR FINISHING TEXTILE FABRICS,
AND IN THE MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to a certain improved system or construction of
machinery or apparatus used for the purpose of "beetling or finishing woven
fabrics," and consist's, firstly, in the employment of only one line of wipers
upon the periphery of the wiper beam' in lieu of two or more as hitherto used;
this arrangement enables a greater increase in the velocity of the "fallers" or
"beetles," and in consequence, a greater number of blows on the cloth upon
the "cloth beam" in any given period of time. It is preferred to make this

page_text: single line of wipers in the usual stepped form, but it may also be made in
parts, which under some conditions may be found advantageous.
The second part of this Invention consists in the peculiarity in the form or
shape of the outer points or extremities of the aforesaid wipers, or that portion
of them which acts upon the "tappets" of the " beetles," whereby the "beetles"
are lifted in a more direct manner, and with a much less amount of friction,
both upon the guides and upon the faces of the tappets.
The third part of this Invention consists of a self-acting stripping and rolling
on motion for taking the cloth off the cloth beams of "beetling" machines, and
also for refilling them. This arrangement consists of a loose roller or rollers,
npon which the cloth has been previously rolled when it is used for filling
the "cloth beams," or an empty roller when used for taking the cloth off the
cloth beam, and driven by the friction of its surfaces, or of the surface of
the cloth it contains against the surface of the cloth upon the "cloth beam."
This stripping roller may be used in conjunction with a spreading or stretching
roller of the ordinary construction when found desirable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Ferguson and William Lattimer in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 29th September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
FERGUSON, of Holme Head Works, near Carlisle, in the County of Cumberland,
Bleacher, Dyer, and Finisher, and WILLIAM LATTIMER, of Holme Head Works,.
aforesaid, Manager, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Robert Ferguson and William Lattimer, Her special license that we, the
said Robert Ferguson and William Lattimer, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Robert Ferguson and William Lattimer,
our executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN BEETLING OR
FINISHING TEXTILE FABRICS, AND IN THE MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR MEANS

page_text: EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Robert Ferguson & William Lattimer, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal
of one of them, 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 we, the said Robert Ferguson and William
Lattimer, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say :-
Our said Invention relates to an improved system or construction of
machinery or apparatus used for the purpose of "beetling or finishing
woven fabrics," and consists, firstly, in the employment of only one line of
wipers upon the periphery of the wiper beam, in lieu of two or more as
hitherto used; this arrangement enables a greater increase in the velocity of
the "fallers" or "beetles;" and in consequence, a greater number of blows on
the cloth upon the "cloth beam" in any given period of time. It is preferred
to make this single line of wipers in the usual stepped form, but it may also.
be made in parts, which under some conditions may be found advantageous.
The second part of this Invention consists in the peculiarity in the form or
shape of the outer points or extremities of the aforesaid wipers, or that portion
5 of them which acts upon the "tappets" of the " beetles," whereby the "beetles"
are lifted in a more direct manner, and with a much less amount of friction
upon both the guides and faces of the tappets:
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood, we shall
now proceed to describe the system, mode, or manuer under which the same
is or may be used or carried into effect, reference being had to the several
Figures upon the explanatory Sheet of Drawings which we have hereunto
appended for the purpose of more completely elucidating the same, and in the
several Figures, of which similar parts are indicated by corresponding letters
of reference, that is to say:-
Figure 1 represents an end view of a portion of our improved beetling
machinery; Figure 2 represents a longitudinal elevation of the same, corres-
ponding to Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 represent in end view and front
elevation respectively, one of our wipers, in which views there are shown 3
wipers a, b, and c, attached to one wiper boss d, whilst in Figures 5 and 6

page_text: there are shown also in end view and side elevation, a similar boss d, but in
contradistinction to Figures 3 and 4, with only one wipere attached thereto.
On referring again to Figures 1 and 2, the framework A is made by preference
of cast iron, the end or main frames of which, more particularly seen in
Figure 1, are also, constructed, by preference, after the form therein shown,
and these are connected longitudinally and partly supported by means of the
framework B and B¹ secured at each end, by.. bolts passing through them, and
the bracket C on the frames, A, the principal support being. given to the
framing, by the tie bolts D and E. In the two longitudinal frames, marked; B,
longitudinal parallel openings, are made in a slightly inclined direction, of a
width suitable to allow the fallers, or beetles F. and F to move up and down
in freely, the inclined position of the beetles F. and: F being more particularly.
seen in the end view, Figure 1. The beetles may be made of either wood.or
iron, or any other suitable material. On each side of the framing A there.are
fixed, by bolts or otherwise, the plummer blocks G, fitted with suitable bearings,
and in these revolve the shafts H and H carrying the series of wipers I, by
which the beetles or fallers are raised and permitted to fall freely upon the
cloth wound upon the beam J, situated immediately below them, and the
position of which is more particularly seen in the end view, Figure 1. The
cloth beam J is fitted at each end with journals, which revolve freely. in the
plummer blocks K fixed in the framing of the machine by suitable bolts. The
speed at which the cloth beam J rotates may be regulated at will, either by.
means of a set of change wheels situated between the prime mover.and the
shaft carrying the pinion L, or the speed may be varied by means of a pair of
cone pulleys; these two latter arrangements are not shown in the Drawings.
On one end of the shaft H a bevel or mitre wheel N is placed, and gears into
a corresponding pinion fitted with a cone or other friction clutch, by which the
entire mechanism is put in motion or stopped. The pulleys M and M². are
merely to communicate motion by a strap to the cloth beam for winding.on:
and off the cloth.
The chief feature of our Invention is the adoption and application of the.
single wiper in lieu of two or three wipers, as hitherto, employed. By the:
introduction of the single wiper an increased velocity of the "fallers or
"beetles" is obtained.
"
Another important feature in our said Invention is the construction. and
formation of the wiper, the form of the head of which is. that of an arc of a.
circle, whose diameter is equal to the projection of the tappet from the
"beetle," which as it lifts the "beetle" does so with less friction than other
tappets hitherto made use of.

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or practically
carried into effect, we would observe in conclusion that we do not confine or
restrict ourselves to the precise details or arrangements herein-before described
and referred to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating
from the true principles and main features of our said Invention; but what
we consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, the general arrangement and construction of beetling machinery or
apparatus, as herein-before described, or any mere modification thereof.
Second, the arrangement and construction of wipers, to be used for lifting
the beetles, substantially as herein-before described, or any mere modification
thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lattimer, on behalf of the said
Robert Ferguson, and of myself, have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this Twenty-first day of September One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-four.
WILLIAM LATTIMER. (L.B.)