IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF ORNAMENTAL FABRICS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Maclean, junior, and Thomas Finlayson, both
of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Manufacturers, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF
ORNAMENTAL FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Maclean and
Thomas Finlayson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 18th May. 1854.
We, JOHN MACLEAN, junior, and THOMAS FINLAYSON, both of Glasgow, in
the County of Lanark, North Britain, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR
PRODUCTION OF ORNAMENTAL FABRICS" to bo as follows:-
This Invention relates to a system or mode of producing ornamental colored
designs upon warps to be afterwards woven up into piece goods, and consists.
more particularly in the employment of apparatus or means for producing such:
designs by means of discharging agents acting upon a dye or color previously
imparted to the yarn. In one modification of the apparatus used, the warp
prepared as for the loom is delivered from a roller at one end of the machine,
and passes between a pair of relief-impressing-or-printing rollers, which are
supplied with the discharging agent employed from troughs by means of feed
rollers. These rollers are geared together, and their pattern surfaces are exact
counterparts of cach other, and the discharging agent is applied on both sides

page_text: of the warp as it passes between the rollers. The warp thence passes to the
washing tank, which is divided into several compartments, being guided
through these sections by rollers. The partitions of the tank are made of
regularly increasing heights, so that the water flows from one into the other,
its current being opposed to the direction of traverse of the warp. The
water enters at the last compartment, and a row of jets is made to play
upon the warps issuing therefrom. The warp next passes between a pair of
compressing rollers, which deprive it of a great portion of its moisture; it
thence passes round a number of hollow cylinders heated by steam, and, being
thereby thoroughly dried, is wound up on a beam, ready for being transferred
to the loom. The printing and compressing rollers and drying cylinders, as
well as the roller which convoys the warp to the taking-up beam, and upon
which the latter rests, are driven by connected gearing, so as to pass the warp
through the machine with a uniform tension. The washing tank is made to
travel on rails, so that its distance from the printing rollers can be altered for
the regulation of the time of exposure of the warp to the action of the
discharging agent before it enters the water. The discharging agent preferred
to be used in this process is a mixture of sulphuric acid and nitric acid, diluted
with water and thickened with fine pipe-clay; and where this agent is used, the
printing surfaces may be of gutta percha or other material capable of resisting
the action of the acids. It is, however, obvious that other discharging agents
may be used. An arrangement is provided in the apparatus for treating warps
intended to be woven into scarfs or similar goods in such a manner as to leave
the fringe portion untouched by the discharging agent. This is effected by a
cam movement, so geared with the driving mechanism as to lift the upper
printing roller for a short time as each length of scarf is printed; in this way,
as long as the upper roller is elevated, the warp remains untouched by the
discharging agent, being guided on each side in such a nanner as to pass
clear over the lower roller when not pressed down upon it by the upper one.
An apparatus for starching the yarns may be interposed between the washing
trough and the drying cylinders, so that where this starching process is needed
it may be applied before the yarns leave the machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Maclean and Thomas Finlayson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 17th November 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JoпN
MACLEAN, junior, and THOMAS FINLAYSON, both of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said John Maclean, junior, and Thomas Finlayson, Her special license that we,
the said John Maclean, junior, and Thomas Finlayson, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Maclean, junior, and
Thomas Finlayson, 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 THE
MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF ORNAMENTAL FABRICS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said John Maclean, junior, and Thomas
Finlayson, by an instrument in writing under our hand and seal, 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 John Maclean, junior, and Thomas.
Finlayson, 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 accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say:-
Our said Invention relates to a system or mode of producing ornamental
coloured designs upon yarns or warps to be afterwards woven up into piece
goods, and consists more particularly in the employment of apparatus or means
for producing such designs by means of discharging agents acting upon a dye
or color previously imparted to the yarn. In one modification of the appa-
ratus used, the warp prepared as for the loom is delivered from a roller at one
end of the machine, and passes between a pair of relief impressing or printing

page_text: rollers, which are supplied with the discharging agent employed from troughs
by means of feed rollers. Theso rollers are geared together, and their pattern
surfaces are exact counterparts of each other, and the discharging agent is
applied on both sides of the warp as it passes through or between the rollers.
The warp thence passes to the washing tank, which is divided into several
compartments, being guided through these sections by rollers. The partitions
of the tank are made of regularly increasing heights, so that the water flows
from one into the other, its current being opposed to the direction of traverse
of the warp. The water enters at the last compartment, and a row of jets is
made to play upon the warp issuing therefrom. The warp next passes between
1 pair of compressing rollers, which deprive it of a great-portion of its moisture;
it thence passes round a number of hollow cylinders heated by steam, and,
being thereby thoroughly dried, it is wound upon a beam, ready for being
transferred to the loom. The printing and compressing rollers and drying
cylinders, as well as the roller which conveys the warp to the taking-up beam,
and upon which the latter rests, are driven by connected gearing,. so as to pass
the warp through the machine with a uniform tension. The washing tank is
made to travel on rails, so that its distance from the printing rollers can be
altered for the regulation of the time of exposure of the warp to the action of
the discharging agent before it enters the water. The discharging agent pre-
ferred to be used in this process is a mixture of sulphuric acid and nitric acid,
diluted with water and thickened with fine pipe-clay; and where this agent is
used, the printing surfaces may be composed of gutta percha or other material
capable of resisting the action of the acids. It is, however, obvious that other
discharging agents may be used. An arrangement is provided, in the apparatus
for treating warps intended to be woven into scarfs or similar goods, in such a
manner as to leave the fringe portion untouched by the discharging agent. This
is effected by a cam movement, so geared with the driving mechanism as to lift
the upper printing roller for a short time as each length of scarf is printed;
in this way, as long as the upper roller is elevated the warp remains untouched,
by the discharging agent being guided on each side in such a manner as to
pass clear over the lower roller when not pressed down upon it by the upper
one. An apparatus for starching the yarns may be interposed between the
washing trough and the drying cylinders, so that where this starching process
is needed it may be applied before the yarns leave the machine.
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood, we
shall now proceed to describe the several explanatory Figures on the two
Sheets of Drawings hereunto attached. Figure 1, on Sheet 1 of the Drawings,
is a side elevation of that portion of the improved machinery by which

page_text: the discharging agent is imprinted upon the fabric; and Figure 2, on
the same Sheet, is a plan corresponding; warp yarn being shown as under-
going the necessary ornamental treatment in both views. Figure 3, on
Shect 2 of the Drawings, is a side elevation in continuation of Figure 1
on Sheet 1, and shewing the starching and drying apparatus. Figure 4,
on Sheet 2 of the Drawings, is a vertical longitudinal section of the com-
bined range of machinery, drawn to a smaller scale. Figure 5, on the same
Sheet, is an clevation of one of the printing rollers, shewing a portion of the
raised pattern upon it; and Figure 6, also on the same Sheet, represents a
portion of the warp, with the pattern produced upon it by the discharging
process. The combined range of machinery comprehends four distinct sets of
apparatus; namely, that at A, for imprinting the discharging agent upon the
warp; the washing trough at B; the starching apparatus at C; and the drying
cylinders and beaming details at D. The several moving details are driven by
a horizontal shaft E, running along the entire range at the side of the machine,
and supported at various points by brackets F fixed to the several frames. This
shaft has keyed upon it a spur wheel G, in gear with a spur pinion H,
upon a parallel shaft I, which last carries a bevil wheel J in gear with a bevil
wheel K on a vertical shaft, which transmits the motive power from any suit-
able prime mover, disengaging gear being provided in the usual manner. The
printing details at A are carried in a frame, consisting of cast-iron side standards
L, connected by transverse tie-rods M. At the back of this frame are brackets
for carrying the roller N, upon which the coloured warp is first beamed, being
arranged precisely as if ready for the loom. The warp is drawn off this roller
by a pair of nipping rollers O, compressed by weighted levers P, and it passes
thence between the printing rollers Q. The spindles of these rollers revolve in
bearings carried in vertical slots in the side standards L, and the spindle R of
the lower roller is extended on one side to receive a bevil wheel S, which is
driven by a bevil wheel T on the main driving shaft E, the spindles of both
rollers having spur wheels U fixed upon them, by means of which they are driven
in concert. The device to be printed is produced in relief on the two printing
rollers Q, as represented in Figure 5, the printing surface being composed of
gutta percha or other suitable material capable of resisting the acidulous
discharging agent employed. . The printing surfaces of the two rollers are exact
copies of each other, and their surface velocity coinciding with the rate of
traverse of the warp V, they apply the discharging agent on both sides of the
latter, the two impressions coinciding at all points. The nipping rollers O, by
which the warp is drawn off the roller N, are geared together, and are driven
by an intermediate spur wheel W, which is in gear with a spur wheel on the
૧.

page_text: spindle of the lower roller Q on the further side of the machine. The printing
rollers Q are supplied with the discharging agent by feed rollers X, one placed
at the side of the upper printing roller, and the other immediately below the
lower printing roller; and these feed rollers are geared with the printing
rollers, and revolve in troughs Y, filled with the discharging agent. The
spindle R of the lower printing roller has fast upon it a small pinion Z, in gear
with a large spur wheel a, carried by a stud pin upon the framing. This spur
wheel carries a segmental scroll piece b, which as it comes round acts upon a
small roller, carried by a pin on a vertical rod c, jointed at its upper end to a
lever d, fast upon a transverso horizontal spindle e. This spindle is carried in
bracket eyes fixed to the tops of the side standards L, and has fixed upon it
two short levers f, capable of lifting the upper printing roller Q, by means of
the screwed rods g fixed to its bearings. Immediately in front of the printing
rollers is a fluted guide roller h, and the level of this roller and of the nipping
rollers O is such as to guide the warp V just clear of the lower printing roller
when not pressed down upon it by the upper printing roller, so that the warp
will be clear of both printing rollers when the upper one is lifted off it. Hence
it follows, that when the scroll piece b comes round and depressed the rod c,
the warp will pass on a limited distance without being printed. These
unprinted intervals are intended to form the fringe portion of scarfs and
similar goods. The lever d is formed with a handle, to enable the attendant
to put the printing rollers out of contact with the warp at pleasure. The
warp V, having the device duly imprinted upon it at A, passes on to the
washing apparatus at B. This consists of a wooden tank, mounted on
wheels i, to admit of its distanco from the printing mechanism being altered,
to suit the length of time during which the warp should be exposed to the
acidulous discharging agent previous to being immersed in the water. The
tank is divided into three compartments by transverse partitions j, and it
is provided with a series of guide rollers k, over and under which the warp
is passed in a circuitous course, being drawn through by a pair of nipping
rollers at the exit end of the tank. These rollers serve at the same
time to express the greater portion of the water from the warp, and for this
purpose they are powerfully pressed together by weighted levers an, which act
upon the spindles of the upper roller by means of the connecting brackets n.
The levers m vibrate on pins carried by small brackets o bolted to the end of
the tank, and they are connected by rods p to short levers q, carried by a
transverse shaft r, upon which a hand levers is fixed, these details serving for
removing the pressure from the rollers, and for lifting up the upper one for
the introduction of the warp. The drawing and nipping rollers are driven by

page_text: a bevil wheel t, fast upon the driving shaft E, this bevil wheel gearing with a
bevil wheel u on the lengthened spindle of the lower roller. The tank B is
supplied with a constant current of pure water by the perforated pipe v, the
jets of water meeting the warp V as it finally issues from the tank, whilst the
general current of the water through the compartments of the tank is opposed
to the traverse of the warp. From the washing tank the warp V passes
onwards to the starching apparatus at C. Various arrangements of starching
apparatus may be employed; our Invention, so far as regards this point,
merely consisting in combining starching mechanism in the general routine or
range of apparatus, so that the warp may leave it finished and ready for the
loom. In the starching apparatus represented in the Drawings, the warp V is
passed between a pair of rollers w, the lower one of which is supplied with the
starch or other composition employed by a feed roller æ, immediately below it,
and revolving in a trough y containing the starch. The lower roller wis
driven by a bevil wheel on the driving shaft E, the bevil wheel gearing
with a bevil wheel 1 on its extended spindle, and the upper roller w and
feed roller & are connected to and driven by the lower roller w by means of
the
spur wheels 2. Weighted levers 3 are arranged to act on the bearings of
the top roller, to regulate the quantity of starch passing between the rollers and
imparted to the warp. As the warp passes on in its course it is subjected to
two pairs of brushes 4 and 5, which are driven by belts from pulleys on a
transverse shaft 6 at the lower part of the framing, this shaft being itself
driven by a belt from a large pulley 7, fast on the spindle of the lower starch-
ing roller w. The warp V is guided over a roller 8 in advance of the
brushes 5, and passes thence to the drying and take-up apparatus at D. The
drying details consist of a number of steam-heated metal cylinders 9, mounted
upon a substantial cast-iron framing 10. The cylinders 9 all revolve on hollow
trunnions 11, which communicate with passages 12, cast in the framing. Tho
steam enters by the pipe 13, and after circulating through the upper cylinders,
passes
down by the bent pipe 14 at the back of the framing to the lower
part thereof, and circulates through the lower tier of cylinders, the products
of condensation being drawn off by the pipe 15 at the lower front end of the
framing. The three lower cylinders are driven by bevil wheels 16 upon the
shaft E, whilst the upper cylinders revolvo by the contact of the warp as it
passes over them. The warp V is passed in a zigzag course round the drying
cylinders in the direction of the arrows, and after passing over a guide roller
17, at the top of the front end of the framing, it is wound up on the beaming
roller 18. This take-up roller is carried in a pair of slotted brackets 19, and
rests upon a cylinder 20, upon which it is pressed down by the weighted
it

page_text: levers 21, these levers bearing upon its spindles by means of the forks 22.
The cylinder or roller 20 is driven by a bevil wheel 23, fast on the driving
shaft E and in gear with a bevil wheel 24, fast on its spindle. Two narrow
strips of edging carried on a roller 25 are wound up along with the warp, to
insure the proper building-up of the edges of the latter. Thus the warp, after
undergoing.the several processes of discharging, washing, starching, and drying,
is beamed on the roller 18, in a dry and finished state, and it may be at once
transferred to the loom and woven up, the pattern' being preserved throughout
exactly in the form in which it is originally produced by the discharge printing,
with the exception of the slight contraction which it undergoes in the subse-
quent weaving process. When a "chain" or length of warp is entirely passed
through the printing apparatus at A, a second chain is attached to it and
drawn through in continuation; or if it is not intended to operate upon-a
second chain immediately; a piece of cloth is attached to the end of the
printed. chain, and drawn through the portions B, C, D, of the apparatus.
This cloth may be drawn off a roller, at 26 at the back of the tank B, and it is
of sufficient length to extend thence to the beaming roller 18, so that the
printed chain can be detached from it at that point, whilst a fresh chain can
be attached to its other end when the apparatus is again put in operation, and
thus all trouble in passing the warp along its complex circuitous course will be
avoided.
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 carried
into effect, we may observe, in conclusion, that we do not confine or restrict
ourselves to the preciso details or arrangements which we have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without devi-
ating from the principles or main features of our Invention; but what we
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to us by the herein-beforo in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery, apparatus, or
means to be employed in the manufacture or production of ornamental fabrics,
as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of producing ornamental fabrics by imprinting
a discharging agent upon a coloured warp, previously beamed in a fit state for
the loom, as herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of producing ornamental fabrics by means of a
coloured warp, which, having been beamed in readiness for the loom, is in this
state passed through apparatus for printing a discharging agent upon it, the
warp thence passing successively through washing, starching, and drying.

page_text: apparatus, or through some of them, and being finally wound upon a roller in
a finished state ready for the loom, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the application and use in treating beamed warps for the manu-
facture of ornamental fabrics of a discharging agent, consisting of a mixture
of sulphuric acid and nitric acid, diluted with water and thickened with pipe-
clay, as herein-before described.
Fifth, the application and use in apparatus for printing upon beamed warps
of a self-acting cam or other movement, for taking the printing rollers out of
contact with the warp at determined intervals, so as to leave portions of the
warp unacted upon, as for the fringes of scarfs and similar goods, as herein-
before described.
Sixth, the application and use in connection with apparatus for printing a
discharging agent upon warps of a moveable washing tank, capable of being
set at various distances from the printing apparatus, so as to regulate the
time of exposure of the warp to the action of the acid prior to entering the
washing tank, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Maclean, junior, and Thomas
Finlayson, have liereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day
of November, in the year of our Lord Oue thousand eight hundred
and fifty four.
JOHN M'LEAN, JUN.
(L.8.)
THOMAS FINLAYSON. (L.S.)