IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING, SWISSING,' AND FINISHING MUSLINS OR OTHER SIMILAR FABRICS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Walmsley Knowles and George Green,
both of Tong, near Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
STRETCHING, SWISSING,' AND FINISHING MUSLINS OR OTHER SIMILAR
FABRICS."
Sealed the 27th July 1869, and dated the 4th February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Walmsley
Knowles and George Green at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 4th February 1869.
We ROBERT WALMSLEY KNOWLES and GEORGE GREEN, both of
Tong, near Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the
nature of the said. Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING,. 'SWISSING, AND FINISHING MUSLINS OR OTHER
BERHAR FABRIOS,” to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates to machinery or apparatus employed for giving
what is called the "Swiss finish" to muslins or other similar fabrics,
which finish is produced by stretching the fabric transversly whilst
being dried and at the same time pulling the warp threads alternately

page_text: into diagonal positions so as to break up the starch or other stiffening
matter between the threads and impart an elastic finish to the goods.
This process has been hitherto chiefly effected by hand, but certain
machines have also been used wherein the selvages of the fabric were
held by pins attached to endless belts or chains to which an alternate {
progressive motion was imparted by mechanical means, so that each
selvage was alternately advanced and stopped, so as to have the effect of
stretching and pulling the warp threads diagonally whilst the fabric was
being dried by means of a series of steam pipes.
Our Invention consists in imparting to the endless chains or belts
which carry the pins for holding the selvages of the muslin or other
fabric a continuous progressive motion, but alternately fast and slow
(being quick at one side whilst it is slow on the other, and vice versa),
which we effect by the following means:-Instead of driving the pulleys
round which the chains or belts pass by means of gearing which is
alternately thrown into and out of gear, which is liable to get out
of order, and is expensive and objectionable on various other grounds,
we drive the said pulleys by means of a pair of elliptical spur wheels
at or near each end of a shaft, the said wheels being so placed
that their longer axes are at right angles to each other. This shaft
is driven by a constant motion and the wheels are always in gear,
the effect being that the chains or belts carrying the selvages of the
fabric are always advancing, but each selvage is carried alternately faster
than the other, and hence the warp threads are drawn into alternate
diagonal positions whilst the fabric is being dried, and by these means
the desired elastic or "Swiss" finish is imparted thereto.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Walmsley Knowles and George Green in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT 3
WALMSLEY KNOWLES and GEORGE GREEN, both of Tong, near Bolton,
in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the 3

page_text: thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Robert Walmsley Knowles and
George Green, Her special license that we, the said Robert Walmsley
Knowles and George Green, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Robert Walmsley Knowles and George
Green, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING,
'SWISSING,' AND FINISHING MUSLINS," upon the condition (amongst others).
that we, the said Robert Walmsley Knowles and George Green, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our,
or one of our or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 I, the said Robert Walmsley Knowles, 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 and accompanying Drawings (that
is to say):-
Our Invention relates to machinery or apparatus employed for giving
what is called the "Swiss finish" to muslins or other similar fabrics,
which finish is produced by stretching the fabric transversely whilst
being dried and at the same time pulling the warp threads alternately
into diagonal positions so as to break up the starch or other stiffening
matter between the threads and impart an elastic finish to the goods.
This process has been hitherto chiefly effected by hand, but certain
machines have also been used wherein the selvedges of the fabric were
held by pins attached to endless belts or chains to which an alternate
progressive motion was imparted by mechanical means, so that each
selvedge was alternately. advanced and stopped, so as to have the effect
of stretching and pulling the warp threads diagonally whilst the fabric
was being dried by means of a series of steam pipes.
Our Invention consists in imparting to the endless chains or belts

page_text: which carry the pins for holding the selvedges of the muslin or other
fabric a continuous progressive motion, but alternately fast and slow
(being quick at one side whilst it is slow on the other (and vice versa),
which we effect by the following means:-Instead of driving the pulleys
round which the chains or bolts pass by means of gearing which is
alternately thrown into and out of gear, which is liable to get out of order,
and is expensive and objectionable on various other grounds, we drive
the said pulleys by means of a pair of elliptical or excentric spur wheels
at or near each end of a shaft. This shaft is driven by a constant motion
and the wheels are always in gear, the effect being that the chains or
belts carrying the selvedges of the fabric are always advancing, but each
selvedge is carried alternately faster than the other, and hence the warp
threads are drawn into alternate diagonal positions whilst the fabric
is being dried, and by these means the desired elastic or "Swiss " finish
is imparted thereto..
Such being the nature and object of our said Invention for "Improve-
ments in Machinery or Apparatus for Stretching, 'Swissing,' and Finishing
Muslins," we will now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in
which the same is to be or may be performed and carried into practical
effect; and in order that the same may be clearly understood we have
annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with Figures and letters of reference corresponding
with those in the following explanation thereof :-
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawing represents a face view of the pulley
shaft and driving gear at one end of a "swissing" machine; and
Fig. 2 is a side view of the driving wheels.
manner.
a, a, is the pulley shaft; at or near each end of this shaft is mounted
a pulley b, b, placed loosely on the shaft but attached by its boss or
otherwise to its respective toothed wheel c, c. These toothed wheels
are driven by a similar pair of wheels d, d, keyed fast on the driving
shaft e, e, to which a constant motion is imparted in any convenient
Over the pulleys b, b, pass the endless chains or belts f,f,
carrying the tenter pins for holding the selvedges of the muslin or
other similar fabric to be operated on. It will be seen upon referring
to the Drawing that the toothed wheels c, c, and d, d, d, are slightly
oval or elliptical, and that they are also mounted excentrically in
opposite positions on their respective shafts, from which it follows that
whilst a constant progressive motion is imparted from the driving

page_text: shaft e, e, to the pulleys b, b, and their chains or belts ff, at the same
time (in consequence of the peculiar form of the wheels) this motion is
alternately fast and slow, being fast on one side of the machine whilst
it is slow on the other, and vice versa, the effect being (as before stated)
that each selvedge is carried alternately faster than the other, and hence
the warp threads are drawn into alternate diagonal positions whilst the
fabric is being dried, and thus the desired elastic or "Swiss" finish
is imparted to the goods.
Fig. 8 shows another form of wheels which would produce the same
effect. These wheels it will be perceived are simply elliptical or oval, but
not excentric, and are so placed on their shafts that their longer axes are
at right angles to each other.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, we wish it to be understood
that we claim as our Invention, driving the chain or belt pulleys of
"Swissing "machines by means of elliptical or excentric spur wheels
or other analogous mechanical movement, operating substantially
in the manner and for the purposes herein-before more particularly set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Walmsley Knowles, on
behalf of myself and the said George Green, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
5
ROBT. WALMSLEY KNOWLES. (L.S.)
Witnessed by
GEORGE DAVIES, C.E.,
Office for Patents,
Manchester.