A NOVEL FABRIC, BEING ELASTIC VELVET, AND IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN ITS MANUFACTURE
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "A NOVEL FABRIC, BEING ELASTIC VELVET, AND IMPROVED
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN ITS MANUFACTURE."—A
communication from abroad by Auguste Othon Petit, of Saint
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd November 1871.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "A NOVEL FABRIC, BEING ELASTIC
VELVET, AND IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN ITS MANU-
FACTURE," a communication to me from abroad by Auguste Othon Petit,
of Saint Etienne (Loire), France, to be as follows :-
The elastic velvet the subject of this Invention may be made in
double or in single piece. This fabric is essentially new in principle,

page_text: and the means employed in its manufacture differ as regards most of the
mechanical parts from those intended for the manufacture of elastic
fabrics of all kinds.
Not only has the manufacture of elastic velvet been hitherto
unthought of, but further it could not have been effected upon existing
looms.
Without entering here into complete details of the manufacture, the
explanation of which is reserved for the final Specification, I will never-
theless state that the manner in which are arranged the beams of
bottom nap ("poil de fond") and of gum constitute one of the integral
parts of this Invention.
The weaving of the elastic velvet is effected in the same way as that
of other fabrics, but where this Invention differs from the known means
is in the cutting ("découpage") and the winding-up of the double piece
velvet. This cutting is effected by means of a razor arrangement, and
in large widths of a system of planes actuated by the batten of the
loom.
The application of this system of planes and of a system of sharpening
stones set on the loom gives numerous advantages, amongst others
preserving greater freshness in the cut, the cutters being in contact with
the piece only at regular intervals, whereas previously the piece was
constantly rubbed by the razors, which always crushed the nap a little,
further, they rapidly became blunted and consequently often needed
resetting. The application of sharpening stones and the automatic
resetting gives a considerable saving of time.
The winding-up of the piece instead of taking place continually on
the same cylinder, which would lead to serious inconveniences, is
obtained by means of friction rollers drawing the piece along and then
leaving to to unroll freely.
Single piece velvet is manufactured on the same principles by apply-
ing in the arrangement of the loom modifications of the same kind
appropriate to this manufacture.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd May 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors;
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Gedge, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Gedge, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and 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 "A NOVEL FABRIC, BRING ELASTIC VELVET, AND IMPROVED
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN ITS MANUFACTURE,” a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Auguste Othon Petit, of Saint Etienne
(Loire), France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Edward Gedge, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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 I, the said William Edward Gedge, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :--
Elastic velvet may be made in double or in single pieces, and I will

page_text: "
1°. Manufacture of Elastic Velvet in Double Pieces.-Upon a bar
loom similar to those used to manufacture double-piece velvet ribbon is
arranged an elastic gum or india-rubber thread beam ("ensouple de
gomme "), placed for each piece at the back of the loom beneath the
nap or pile beam and the ground beam ("ensouples de poil et de fond "),
and as much as possible facing the passage of the hatten. This beam,
arranged in a way analogous to that employed in the ordinary looms for
weaving elastic webs for boots and shoes, is regulated by a system of
weighted levers permitting the gum or india-rubber, herein-after termed
the elastic threads ("fils de gomme"), which it carries to unroll
gradually drawn by the connecting bar operated by regulator actuated
directly by the bar in bar looms, and by a "telegraph' worked by the
feet of the weaver in whip or button looms (metiers à boutons ou
fouet"). These elastic threads, varying in number according to the
breadth of the piece to be woven, by the gradual unrolling of the elastic
thread beam separate upon a fixed band of silk placed towards the loom,
and which thus separates the threads that after being shorn or cut are to
form the top piece or face of the under piece. These threads then pass
either each of them into a horsehair heald or two at a time into a single
ground heald with mails ("lisse à maillons et de fond") working by two
pieces. This movement may be given indifferently according to the
nature of the loom by plates ("plateaux"), "raquettes," or other
mechanism. The elastic threads then pass through the reed of the
batten together with those of the nap and the ground, according to
the two methods of threading ("enfilage") herein-after described.
"
1°. Mode of Threading or Laying the Warp ("Enfilage") (without
Selvedge). At the first recd on the right of the slay are passed two
elastic threads termed "rives (edge of the cloth) with two ground
threads ("fils de fond"), these latter being either single or multiple for
the reason herein-after explained. At the second reed on the right are
passed successively beginning at the right, first, two elastic threads, then
two ground threads, then two nap or pile threads, then a single ground
thread, then two nap threads. At the third reed as well as in all the
succeeding ones up to the last reed on the left there are passed in the
same order two elastic threads, a single ground thread, two nap threads,
a single ground thread, and two nap threads. At the last reed on the
left are passed two elastic threads, two ground threads, and two gum
threads for the edge.

page_text: It will be evident from this arrangement (see Drawing No. 1 of the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings) that the second reed on the right
encloses in all nine threads instead of eight constituting the other
intermediary reeds. The object of this is to cause the intersection of the
two last nap threads by the two ground threads which precede them,
otherwise the nap of the right edge of the piece would not hold and
could be easily pulled out.
As to the arrangement of the other parts of the warp, ground and
nap, it remains, with the differences of threading above set forth,
identical with that employed in the manufacture of ordinary velvet, and
the movement of the heald boards ("planches de lisse ") is also identical
with that producing ordinary velvet, presenting no other divergence
than that resulting from the adjunction to the two ground boards
("planches de fond") and to the four nap boards of the two elastic
thread boards ("planches de gomme"), which beat at each stroke.
"Taffetas" rising and falling as if they were attached to each other.
It will be understood that if instead of putting two ground threads
between the two elastic threads and the two first nap threads on the
right of the piece three, four, or more are placed the requisite binding
will be still more firmly obtained; but it is considered that two ground
threads are necessary and sufficient. A greater number might it is true
be used as well on the left as on the right edge, but it is then to obtain
the shrinking of the edges of the piece in such a way as to accord with
the shrinking ("rentrée ") of the middle of the piece to give a very
flat fabric. Now according to the thickness of the elastic ("la gomme ”),
the fineness of the woof, the nature of the warp the workınan will be
obliged in order to obtain this result to put the ground threads of the
edges either single or double, three for one, and so on upon one edge
only or upon the two edges, and no invariable rules can be laid down for
these modifications.
2°. Method of Threading ("Enfilage") termed with Selvedge.--The
intersection or crossing of the two first nap threads on the right of
the piece may also be attained by suppressing a certain number of the
wound throuds
on
the right side and replacing them hv
9 selvedge

page_text: beam, which selvedge is made to interweave with the nap and the elastic
(la gomme") in lieu and place of the ground by means of two new heald
boards beating in counter time to those of the ground. This selvedge, to
which any desired breadth may be given, is interwoven with the last
right reed of the slay only, with the elastic ("la gomme ") forming
edge; in the following it interweaves at the same time with the nap and
the elastic, unless it is desired to leave at the edge a certain width of
selvedge without velvet, in which case one or several reeds ("dents") of
the slay ("peigne") may like the last have but one interweaving of
elastic with the said selvedge. With this mode of selvedge the thread-
ing may remain similar to that above described, Drawing No. 1, or if
desired the first reed on the right of the slay enclosing nap may have
instead of nine threads eight threads, like the other intermediate reeds,
because the binding ("enliage") of the nap is insured by the selvedge.
:
. Cutting and Winding up of the Piece.-The piece as it leaves the slay
of the batten receives by the two shuttles the woof, which completes the
fabric, and that in a precisely similar way as in the manufacture of
ordinary velvet. It then passes into a nipper q (see Drawing No. 2,
Fig. 1) and afterwards meets the cutter R fixed on the wooden
slide G, G', which moves on the support ("banquine") B, B', and which
is guided in this movement by steel guides I passing into the slots F, F¹.
This come-and-go movement of the cutter-carrying slide is given to it
by the batten by means of the mechanism Z. The piece having been
separated in two by the cutter R becomes two superposed pieces of
velvet, the upper of which passing above the cutter comes with the
nap or face ("côté du poil") side upon a glass bar V, V, (see Figures 1,
2, and 3, Drawing No. 2,) to descend from thence into the hole O of the
support B, B¹; whereas the under one after having passed beneath the
cutter comes with the cloth side or back (côté de la toile) upon
another glass bar V, V¹, to descend from thence, also by the hole O of
piece B, B', when glass guides 9 cause the two pieces to become
exactly superposed in passing together through the opening O of B, B¹,
to arrive upon the wooden roller A (Figures 2 and 3), which movable by
its axle y turning freely in the uprights M of the loom must follow and
facilitate the winding-up of the two pieces which then come beneath the
large cork jacket P fixed on the shaft y¹ by two wooden nippers with
adjusting screws u, compelling it to participate in the rotation of this

page_text: shaft, moved from front to back by a regulator analogous to those of
ordinary velvet looms and worked either by the bar or by the foot,
accordingly as the loom is a bar loom or a button loom. This rotary
movement draws the two pieces of velvet superposed the one against
the other on the side of their nap, and powerfully pressed against the
jacket P by the cloth side or back (" côté de la toile") of the top piece,
and forces them to pass between the jacket P and the small cork
pressure roller p, brought against P by the action of a weight of 6 lbs.
or thereabout placed at the end of the lever arm L. The two pieces
thus carried along by the rotary movement of P pass between P and p,
and then fall freely into the wooden box C. This system of rolling
permits with the slight pressure above set forth the overcoming of the
resistance arising from the elasticity of the elastic threads ("fils de
gomme") and the obtaining of a gradual unrolling of the fabric without
crushing the nap, which would happen if it were rolled upon itself, as
practised with ordinary india-rubber fabrics or if each of the two pieces
of velvet was rolled upon a separate roller, as in the manufacture of
ordinary velvet, where the traction of the elastic threads has not to be
overcome. It further avoids the use of the pin rollers used in the
manufacture of velvet, and which would here have the great defect of
pricking the elastic threads and deteriorating them.
To obtain pieces of from four to six inches in breadth, sizes required
for the manufacture of boots and shoes ("chaussures"), and of elastics
for boots and shoes, and in order to obtain a handsomer cut, the
5 mechanism of this loom undergoes the following modifications.
Description of the mechanism used for the manufacture of elastic
velvet fabrics in wide pieces for boots and shoes, et cetera, “chaussure.”
Instead of employing a loom of eight pieces as for waist bands, or of
twelve pieces as for garters, a loom is used of four pieces having a
passage ("passage") of from six to eight inches, set up and working
excepting as to dimensions precisely as the one above described, but
planes ("rabots") are substituted for the cutters ("rasoirs ") because it
has been found that cutters having to cut such large breadths of velvet
very rapidly become blunted, necessitating continual setting and con-
6 sequent loss of time; further the cutter in its come-and-go movement

page_text: :
remaining always between the two pieces rubs against the nap, always
slightly crushing it, particularly injuring colored velvets. These
defects are completely avoided by employing planes completely
traversing the piece at each stroke and sharpening themselves at the
end of each journey upon sharpening stones fixed on the support
("banquine") B, B¹. This system is therefore borrowed from that of
the Lyons piece velvet looms, but differs therefrom in that having
several pieces on the same loom there are as many planes as pieces, and
that they are operated differently to those on the Lyonnese looms, where
the workman by the aid of a treadle moved by the foot transmits the
motion by a telegraph" to the plane which passes from one end to
the other of the loom.
66
The system of this Invention will be understood by reference to
Figure 4 of Drawing No. 2, on which G, G¹, indicates a slotted iron bar
fixed on B, B', in which move the planes R, the ends of which rest
during their stroke upon an iron bar K, K', also fixed on B, B¹. The
plane R, which is here the first plane on the left, receives its movement,
which in the particular case has an amplitude of about thirteen inches,
by an iron connecting rod 6 joined to a mechanism Z (dit "petit-
homme "), which itself receives motion from the batten. The plane
crosses the fabric going from R to R', and at these two extreme ends of
its course it sharpens itself upon the stones h, h¹, fixed on the bar K, K',
and it transmits to the second left plane by another rod 6¹ the move-
ment which it receives from the batten. The second plane is connected
with the third, and this to the fourth by other rods b, so that the four
planes work simultaneously, crossing at each stroke the piece which they
are to cut, and sharpening themselves; the result being a fresher cut
and no loss of time for sharpening. As to the rolling-up of the
undoubled piece, it is effected exactly as in the loom for waist bands,
Figures 2 and 3 of Drawing No. 2. There are therefore no other
differences than those resulting from the cut.
2°. Manufacture of Elastic Velvet in Single Piece.-Behind a low
warp loom ("metier de basse-lisse"), such as employed in the manu-
facture of single piece velvet termed "Velours de Montagne" is placed
an elastic thread roller upon supports g, g¹, (see Drawing No. 5), then
behind and a little above this two nap beams, then a back or ground

page_text: beam, and lastly, quite at the back, two selvedge beams. The threads
of each of these beams are crossed and traverse the heald boards
("planches de lisse") in the following order :-The selvedge threads
pass through two heald boards, the furthest as regards the batten. The
ground or back threads are passed into a single heald board; then come
the nap or pile threads passed into two succeeding boards, and finally,
the elastic threads ("fils de gomme ") traversing a last heald board,
which is thus the nearest to the batten. These different threads pass
into their respective healds through small mails or eyes of glass,
excepting those for the elastic threads which are seated saddlewise in a
horsehair heald. They then all pass through the slay of the batten in
the order indicated by the threading or warp setting-up notation of
Drawing No. 3, and form the velvet fabric conformably to the setting
up and working notation given by the Drawing No. 4. The workwoman
passes by hand the planes or knives upon the treadle strokes Nos. 3
and 6, which respectively lift but one of the two nap boards and the
shuttle upon the cuts Nos. 1 and 2 and Nos. 4 and 5. The fabric thus
made then passes to the support ("banquine") B, B', and from thence
on the cloth or back side upon a wooden cylinder A of from 6 to 8
inches in diameter (see Drawing No. 5), connected with the rotary
motion of an iron axle or bar y, worked by a regulating arrangement R
similar to those of ordinary bar looms, which receives its motion by a
lever arm L, L', (see Drawing No. 4) placed beneath the treadles and
upon which each of the six treadles bears in lowering.
After having passed upon the cylinder A the piece goes under the
railway F, F¹, (Drawing No. 5) and returns upon itself, that is to say,
always bearing by the cloth side or back upon another wooden
cylinder A¹ of same diameter as that A, and which is movable by its
axle y¹ turning freely in two sockets; from thence the piece is taken into
a wooden nipper P, which powerfully nips it. This nipper slides in two
slots or slides of the railway F, F, following the backward and forward
movement given to it by two endless band chains h, h', in the links of
which enter the two iron stops r, r³, of the nipper. These two chains
gear with four wooden toothed plates p and p³, forming one with the
two cylinders A and A¹; the result being that the cylinder A set in
motion by the regulator communicates its rotary motion by means of
these two chains to the cylinder A', and draws horizontally from back to

page_text: front the nipper P along the railway F, F, and consequently the piece
of velvet thus obliged to unroll upon A, A¹, and to advance from A¹
towards A. Arrived at the end F¹ of the railway a second nipper P¹
similar to the first is placed at its end F, and in this nipper is fixed the
part of the piece situated above. The stops r, r¹, of this second nipper
are entered into the rings of the two chains, the working of the
loom is continued two or three strokes in order to obtain the proper
stretching of the piece by the nipper P¹, and then the nipper P¹ is
loosened and the entire part of the fabric between P and P¹ unstretches
or becomes free and is put into a box placed at the side of the loom;
then when the nipper P¹ has arrived on the railway at the end of its
journey the same operation is repeated, replacing the nipper P towards
the cylinder A', and so on. In this way the fabric never rubs on the nap
or face, and there is absolutely only the small part seized between the
nippers P and P¹ which is pressed; there is therefore no crushing
("mâchage") and all its freshness is preserved to the nap. In the
Drawing No. 5 the two nippers are shown placed on the railway at
each of its ends at the moment when having replaced the nipper P¹ the
nipper P is about to be released. On the Drawing that part of the
fabric which passes under the cylinders A and A¹ is more lightly colored
than that which passes over A¹
It will be observed that according to this Invention but one ground
or back board ("planche de fond ") is used, whereas in the manufacture
of every other kind of velvet two are used; the reason is, that the
elastic thread board ("planche de gomme ") is here made to work in
such a manner as to replace one of the two ground or back boards.
By this system of low warping ("basse-lissis") elastic fabrics may
be made in black or colored velvet, and by sufficiently increasing the
size of the loom of any dimensions.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, communicated to me as aforesaid, I would observe that
variation may be made in the details herein set forth while retaining
the essential features of the Invention; and and that I claim as secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, a novel fabric.

page_text: being elastic velvet, and the mechanism necessary to its manufacture,
substantially as herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of
May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-two.