Improvements in the Manufacture of Hand Made Mats, and in the Tool for Producing the same.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 1st Mar., 1894-Accepted, 7th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Hand Made Mats, and in the
Tool for Producing the same.
1 JOHN BUTLER, of Bootle in the County Palatine of Lancaster, Hatter, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
"
Improvements in the Manufacture of Hand Made Mats and in the Tool for
Producing the same " :-This my invention consists in a more expeditious means of
making pile-mats for hearth-rugs, floor coverings and other purposes. First I make
a tool having a handle like unto a joiners chisel or other suitable shape, into
which I insert two needles (for say making a floor mat) having long eyes (say) like
those of a packing needle but by preference having the eye formed a little further
from the end to allow of the part above the eye being formed into a sharp point.
These needles are (say) about two and a half inches long and driven into the
ferruled end of the handle about a quarter of an inch apart and parallel to each
other, having one projecting about one and three quarter inches and the other about
one quarter of an inch less.
I then take for the foundation of the mat (say) a piece of strong, course and
rather open canvas of the required size, stretch it on a frame, draw the required
design thereon. Then prepare the thrums or strips of cloth (from say, tailors
clippings) cut to the required length and width and pointed at each end from
one edge in an oblique direction.
Being now provided with improved tool, having stretched the foundation on the
frame and sketched my design thereon, I am now prepared to commence to make a
rug, which I do by taking the tool in one hand and inserting the points through the
canvas from below and then with the other taking one of the thrums of cloth, of
the colour required, and first insert one end into the eye of the short needle, and
draw the tool down, a short distance so as to hold the threaded end of the strip of
cloth in the eye of the short needle; then insert the other end of the thrum into the
open eye of the longer needle; then draw the tool down through the cloth, at the
same time slipping the fore-finger up the twin needles, so as to prevent the ends of
the thrum being withdrawn from the eyes of the needles until the loop of the thrum
is drawn close down on to the foundation, and so on until the completion of the
work, simply taking care to use the proper colored tufts to form the pattern
correctly.
Now it will be observed that the face of the mat is at the underside; and if
desired the back may be coated with varnish or other suitable drying fluid; or it
may be lined with any suitable fabric and if wished it may be padded with curled
hair or other soft elastic substance.
Fine quality mats, for various purposes may be made in the same way, by simply
using a finer tool of the same construction as the one herein before described and in
place of using strips of cloth using tufts of worsted, silk or other material for the
thrums, as will be readily understood.
TANT DITTI ED

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Hand Made Mats, and in the
Tool for Producing the same.
I JOHN BUTLER, of Bootle, in the County Palatine of Lancaster, Hatter and
Hosier, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention consists of a more expeditious means of making pile-mats, floor
coverings hearth rugs and for other purposes. Firstly. I make a tool having
a handle like unto a joiner's chisel or other suitable shape which handle I prefer to
fit with a cap-ferrule having a conical dome or truncated pyramidal shaped or other
suitable form perforated to receive two parallel needles which I drive into the
bandle. The needles have long eyes and when used for (say) the making of foot-
mats resemble those of a common straight packing needle but are formed with the
eye a little further from the end to allow of the part above the eye being formed
with a sharp point. These needles for such purposes are (say) about two and
a half inches long and driven into the ferruled end of the handle parallel to each
other and about (say) a quarter of an inch apart leaving one projecting about one
and three quarters of an inch and the other about a quarter of an inch less.
Being now provided with my improved tool, 1 stretch the foundation of my mat
which may be of canvas or other suitable material on a frame and sketch my
design thereon. Then having provided myself with the required tufts of cloth or
other materials of the length width and colours required I am now prepared to
commence to make a rug, which I do by taking the tool in one hand and inserting
the points of the twin needles through the foundation canvas from below and then
with the other hand I take one of the thrums of cloth or other material of the
colour required and first insert one end into the eye of the short needle then draw
down the tool a short distance so as to hold the threaded end of the thrum in the
eye of the short needle then I insert the other end of the thrum into the open eye
of the longer needle 1 then draw the tool down through the foundation cloth at the
same time slipping the thumb or fore finger up the twin needles, so as to prevent
the ends of the tuft being drawn from the eyes of the needles in the down stroke
until the loop of the thrum is drawn close down on to the foundation and so on
until the completion of the work, simply taking care to use the proper coloured
tufts to form the pattern correctly.
Now it will be observed that the face of the mat in the frame is on the underside
and the design was sketched on what is now the back of the rug.
Mats or rugs of a finer quality than the one herein before described may be
equally readily made by simply using a tool of the same construction having finer
needles and in place of using strips of cloth or other coarse tufts using thrums
of silk worsted or other suitable material or materials as will be readily
understood.
That this my said invention may be the more readily seen and understood I have
hereunto annexed drawings of so much of my invention as relates to the twin or
double needle tool as will enable those acquainted with the art to construct
the same.
Like letters marked thereon being used to denote similar parts in
the several diagrams.
Figure 1. is an elevation or side view of one of my improved twin needle tools
for use with bulky thrums seen with a conical capped ferrule.
Figure 2. is a like elevation of a similar too!, for use with less bulky tufts, fitted
with a truncated pyramidal ferrule.

page_text: Figure 3. is the side elevation of a like tool for finer work having dome shaped
capped ferrule.
A and B are the two needles inserted into C the handle.
Now I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
relative sizes and proportions of the several parts of the instrument as the same
may be considerably varied without departing from the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of iny said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is.
Firstly. The construction and use of the double or twin needle instrument
hereinbefore described and set forth or any mere modification of the same.
Secondly. The mode of combining the two needles with the handle as herein before
described and set forth.
Thirdly. Placing the eyed pointed end of one of the twin needles a little in
advance of the other substantially and for the purpose hereinbefore described and
set forth.
Lastly. The peculiar system for the making of hand made tufted mats or rugs as
hereinbefore fully described and set forth or any mere modification of the same.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand
Dated this Twenty-eighth day of February, One thousand eight hundred and
ninety-four
JOHN BUTLER.