IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CUT PILE FABRICS AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson of 47, Lincolns Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF CUT PILE FABRICS AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN " communicated to him from Louis Théophile Lepage a person resident
at Brenot (Aisne) in the Republic of France
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th April 1883.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CUT PILE FABRICS AND
IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN a communication to me by Louis
Théophilo Lepage a person resident at Brenot (Aisne) in the Republic of France
"
This Invention relates to the manufacture of all classes of plushes plain or
figured velvets and the like the improvement being obtained by combining with an
ordinary loom an apparatus provided with Cutters for cutting the threads to form
the velvet pile as hereinafter described
Means are provided for adjusting the space between the Cutters and for varying
the number of threads cut whereby facility is afforded for producing a large variety
of designs and fabrics
The cutting apparatus is arranged immediately beneath the fabric and the Cloth
Beam and is provided with a shaft carrying a series of circular cutters This shaft
is provided with means for rotating it which may consist of a small grooved pulley
at one extremity over which is passed a cord attached to the cord of a treadle whose
motion is connected with that of the lay of the loom―The other extremity of the
shaft is provided with a screw thread for the reception of a pressing nut employed
to retain the Cutters in position. The Centres or bearings of the shaft are carried
by brackets attached to a transverse bar arranged parallel with the shaft and
attached to the frame of the loom This bar also carries a plate provided with a
71

page_text: series of grooves closely arranged so as to constitute a species of comb firmnly
supported by a bracket and screws. In the grooves of this plate are laid wires
which wires are continued immediately beneath the fabric through the comb of the
lay and terminate near the warp beam
These wires thus form a kind of sheet which separates the fabric from the cutters
and under certain conditions dependent on the nature of the fabric the said wires
draw down loops of the weft threads and present them to the cutters-Each cutter
is placed between two consecutive wires and projects slightly above the sheet of
wires to an extent that may be adjusted according to circumstances-This adjust-
ment is effected by means of screws and when the cutter shaft is in the required
position it is fixed by set screws:
The wires engaged with the grooved plate or comb pass between the said plate
and the brackets supporting the plate and are carried round screws fixed to the bar
each screw being capable of holding several wires-The extremities of the wires
extending towards the back of the loom are carried over a beam and terminate in
india rubber cords provided with weights in order to impart a regular and
unvarying tension to the wires but at the same time allowing them to partake of
the movements incidental to the weaving. The wires may however be secured and
their tension adjusted in any other convenient manner. The said wires aro operated
in a similar manner to warp threads
In order that the brackets retaining the grooved plate may not fray or chafe the
fabric which passes over them the corners of the brackets are provided with glass
Cylinders which support the fabric
When it is desired to cut the weft thread, the wires are operated in such a
manner that each thread at the parts to be cut is caused to pass under two or more
wires (according to the length of the pile or tuft)-The wires are then moved in
such a manner as to draw down loops of the weft thread to present them to the
cutters which cut them between the wires-Thus without making any alteration
in the ordinary working of the loom it is rendered possible by shooting the weft
thread over any desired number of wires to produce all kinds of plush fabrics or
plain or figured velvets and the like at the same time that the fabric is woven
(instead of cutting the pile after the fabric has been made as in the ordinary
arrangement) The cutters may be arranged in groups of any desired number upon
the shaft being hold apart by means of collars or washers-Designs of any desired
description may thus be produced by means of this apparatus.
It is evident that the apparatus may be arranged to cut warp threads by directing
the threads that are to be cut in such a manner as to cause them to engage with
the wires provided for the purpose of drawing out loops of thread and presenting
such loops to the action of the cutters-These cut threads then form the pile of the
fabric each of the said threads being attached at one or more points to the foundation
or back of the fabric

page_text: 5
SPECIFICATION. in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th October 1883.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CUT PILE FABRICS AND
IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN a communication to me from Louis
Théophile Lepage a person resident at Brenot (Aisne) in the Republic of France
"
This Invention relates to the manufacture of cut pile fabrics such as plushes,
plain or figured velvets and the like, the improvement being obtained by combining
with an ordinary loom, an apparatus provided with cutters arranged and operating
as hereinafter described for the purpose of cutting the pile threads which are
presented to the cutters by wires as hereinafter described. In the apparatus
constructed according to this Invention means are provided for adjusting the space
between the cutters and for varying the number of threads cut whereby facility is
afforded for producing a large variety of designs and classes or kinds of fabrics.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed Sheet of drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is an elevation partly in section of a
cutting apparatus constructed according to this Invention.
Figure 2 is a plan and figure 3 is a transverse Section of the same shewing the
lay of the loom in Section.
Figure 4 is a diagram shewing the mode of presenting the pile threads to the
cutters.
The said apparatus is or may be combined with a loom of any suitable con-
struction such as is ordinarily employed for weaving pile fabrics, the said apparatus
being arranged immediately beneath the fabric so as to act upon the pile threads
in concert with the weaving mechanism which is not shewn in full in the drawing
as it forms no part of the present Invention. The weft of the fabric indicated at S,
figures 3 and 4, is acted upon by a lay A. (Figure 3,) in the usual manner and may
be wound upon an ordinary cloth beam not shewn in the drawing. The cutting
apparatus which acts upon the fabric between the lay and the beam is provided
with a shaft B, carrying a series of circular cutters C. The said Shaft B turns
upon adjustable points or centres D and E and is provided at one extremity with
a small grooved pulley F, over which is passed a cord G operated by suitable
means, preferably by connection with the actuating parts of the lay A. The other
oxtremity of the Shaft B, is provided with a screw thread for the reception of a
pinching nut H employed to retain the cutters C in position upon the Shaft B.
The points or centres D and E are carried by brackets D' E' attached to a bar J
of angle iron arranged parallel with the Shaft B and fixed to the sido frames of
the loom. These brackets D' E' slide in suitable grooves so as to adinit of their
being adjusted in a vertical direction by means of screws M and are also provided
with pinching screws N, which serve to prevent them from shifting accidentally
when so adjusted.-The bar J, also carries a plate I, having a bevelled edge
provided with a series of grooves closely arranged so as to constitute a species of
comb firmly supported and fixed by brackets K and pinching screws L-In tho
grooves of this plate are laid wires R of iron or other suitable material carried
immediately beneath the fabric S through the comb of the lay A, being connected

page_text: near the warp beam to elastic cords attached to counter weights or other suitable
contrivance for regulating and maintaining the tension of the said wires, and
enabling them to accommodate themselves to the position of the fabric.
These wires thus form a kind of sheet separating the ground of the fabric from
the cutters, and when operated by suitable mechanism, timed in accordance with
the effects to be produced, draw down loops a, of the weft threads and present
them to the cutters C.-Each cutter is placed between two consecutive wires and
projects slightly above the sheet of wires sufficiently to enable it to sever the loops,
being adjusted and fixed in position by means of the screws M. and N.
The wires R, being carried over the grooved plate or comb I, pass between the
said plate and the brackets K, and are twisted round screws P, fixed to the bar J,
each screw being capable of holding several wires.
The ground or cloth is supported by cylinders V, of Glass (or the like) which
prevent it from rubbing against the edges or corners of the brackets K.
When the loom is at work, the wires R, are operated in a similar manner to the
warp threads, that is to say, they are alternately placed above or below the shuttle
race, and in order to cause a weft thread to be formed into any desired number of
loops and presented to the cutters, it is simply necessary to operate the wires in
such a manner as to cause the threads that are to be cut to shoot under a suitable
pair of wires or combination of wires according to the length of the pile or tuft
and the nature of the design.-The wires are then moved in such a manner as to
drag down loops a, of the weft or pile threads and present them to the cutters C,
which cut the said threads between the wires.-This will be readily understood by
reference to figure 4-Thus without making any alteration in the ordinary
working of the loom it is rendered possible by shooting the weft thread over any
desired number of wires arranged as herein before described to produce all kinds of
plush fabrics or plain or figured velvets and the like at the same time that the
fabric is woven (instead of as usual cutting the pile after the fabric has been
made.) The cutters may be arranged in groups of any desired number upon the
shaft being held apart by means of collars or washers acting as distance pieces.
Designs of any desired description may thus be produced by means of this
apparatus.
It is evident that by a modification of this arrangement the apparatus may be
caused to cut the warp threads by causing the threads that are to be cut to engage
with wires which draw out loops of thread and present them to cutters as herein-
before described. For this purpose the mechanism of the loom is arranged to
draw or shift the warp threads or the wires from right to left, and vice versa
alternately as is well understood Any combination of the warp threads may
thus be laid across or caused to pass under the wires which subsequently draw
down loops of these threads and cause them to be cut by the knives. These cut
threads then form the pile of the fabric, each of the said threads being attached at
one or more points to the foundation or ground of the fabric in the usual manner.
The fabric manufactured by means of apparatus constructed according to this
Invention is designated "corporal" fabric.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is :-
First, In the manufacture of cut pile fabrics, cutting the pile threads in the
loom by means of revolving cutters acting upon loops of the pile threads, the said
loops being formed substantially as herein before described.
Second, The combination with looms for weaving pile fabrics, of the wires R,
and cutters C, for the purpose of cutting weft or pile threads of the said fabrics,
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: Third, The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the apparatus, as
and for the purpose hereinbefore described, and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
In witness whereof I the said John Henry Johnson have to this my.
Specification set my hand and seal this first day of September One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
J. HENRY JOHNSON (L.S.)