Improvements in Stiffening Fabrics.
Year: 1897

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stiffening Fabrics.
A communication by EDWARD KIRK WARREN, of Three Oaks, Michigan, in the
United States of America, Manufacturer.
I, GEORGE CECIL DYMOND, M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the
County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in woven stiffening fabrics, and it
relates partially to a specific construction. It has been found that hair, and par-
ticularly cattle hair such as forms the brush of the tail, can be utilised by this
invention to great advantage.
The objects of this invention are to produce a stiffening fabric in which stiffen-
ing fibre or hair is utilised in the warp or weft in such a manner that they are
securely retained in position, and further objects definitely appearing in the
detailed description.
These objects are accomplished by the devices and means described in the follow-
ing specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,
Figure 1 is a view of the improved fabric showing the stiffening strands extend-
ing in one direction only and may be utilised either as warp or weft.
Figure 2 is a view of the stiffening fabric in which the strands are utilised
both as warp and weft.
Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view showing one of the stiffening strands
removed from the fabric and showing its construction.
Figure 4 is a view of a structure in which the longitudinal flexible textile
thread is omitted from the strand, showing the structure where the longitudinal
thread is not necessary.
In drawings similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the
several views.
The fabric is made up of a warp and weft woven together in the usual form,
in either the warp or weft or both are placed strands A which are made up of
lengths of stiff hair, i, as horse hair or a coarse hair from other animals, as from
the bush of a cow's tail, or other resilient fibre, which has its ends suitably
waxed and is then placed upon the longitudinal strands n and is secured thereto
by a wrapping thread m wound spirally around the whole. When this strand
is placed in the woven fabric the threads crossing over the same engage it between
the spirals of the wrapping thread m and hold the same securely in place so that
it can not be drawn out or ravelled out. It will be noticed that in an attempt
to remove the stiffening strands by pulling, the cross threads engage the wrap-
ping threads m and moving them will cause the diameter of the circle, described

page_text: by these threads, to be reduced on either one side or the other which will clamp
the stiffening fibres securely and prevent their removal.
Where the strands are properly waxed or have their meeting ends overlapping
the longitudinal flexible textile thread n may be omitted from the strands and
the stiffening fibres be secured together by the spiral wrapping thread m and
where the fibre is comparatively long hair or is roughened, such as the fibres of
the quills of feathers, which are stripped from the plumage, split open, the pith
ground off the enamel or quill portion split into fibres and assembled into a cord
by means of the wrapping thread, which latter can be omitted and the strands
will be operative, though not nearly as good as the strands having the longitudinal
thread therein.
It is desirable to state in this connection that in the production of the fabric it
is immaterial in what direction the threads are woven together so long as they
cross over the strands as here shown and engage upon the corrugations formed
by the spiral wrappings thread m, and that any attempt to remove the strands
will be prevented by cross strands or threads engaging the wrapping thread m
and causing it to contract upon the fibres of the strands as indicated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. A woven stiffening fabric composed of warp and weft threads, one at least
of which shall contain resilient strands formed of a continuous longitudinal thread
with hairs distributed along the same and having overlapping meeting ends, and
a wrapping thread binding said hairs to the longitudinal thread, as specified.
2. A woven stiffening fabric having a warp and weft one of which at least shall
contain strands made up of stiff resilient fibres having overlapping ends, retained
together by a closely wrapping thread wound thereon, as specified.
3. A woven stiffening fabric having a warp and weft one of which at least shall
contain strands made up of waxed hairs having overlapping ends retained together
by a closely wrapping thread wound thereon as specified.
Dated this 19th day of August 1897