IMPROVEMENTS IN FABRICS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Eugène Adolphe Lheureux, of Boulevard Saint Denis,
No. 1, at Paris, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FABRICS."
Sealed the 27th May 1879, and dated the 28th November 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Eugène Adolphe Lheureux
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th November 1878.
EUGÈNE ADOLPHE LHEUREUX, of Boulevard Saint Denis, No. 1, at Paris, Manu-
facturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FABRICS."
My Invention has for its object the fabrication of velvet from jute, flax, hemp, or
China grass for replacing those of wool, cotton, silk, goat's hair, or like materials
in their different applications to tapestries, decorations, upholstery, and other
purposes.
It comprises chiefly the novel application and use of jute, flax, hemp, or China
grass for the fabrication of velvets and the particular procedure of fabrication which
is employed for arriving at the results mentioned, as hereafter described.
The cheapness of the principal materials used and the beauty of the textures
obtained ensure for them considerable advantages over the velvets hitherto sold.
The fabrication of the new tissues is effected in the following manner :-
The two "camels," that is to say, the two supplementary warps, which outside
the foundation warp constitute the face of the tissue, undergo a special preparation
consisting in a particular sizing, the threads being first put into a tub with alum so
as to facilitate the sizing by a previous cleaning.
The sizing is composed of about 99 per cent. of fecula and 1 per cent. of tallow
or grease; when the threads are impregnated they are worked and dressed so as to
render them fit for weaving, which may be done either in the velvet loom of
eutrecht, that is to say, by hand, or by any other mechanical loom.

page_text: The particular arrangement of loom which I prefer to use for the jute and other
materials of the same family consists in a suitable proportionate number of threads
necessary for the foundation warp and for the supplementary warps, the same
proportion being employed for the plate as for the comb, so as to save the weakness
of the supplementary warps, and fabricate our velvets as readily as with the goat's
hair. If, for example, the foundation warp permits 600 threads in 60 centimeters
in breadth I take for this foundation warp a number of threads sufficiently strong
so that this warp contributes solidity to the supplementary warps which hold to
them as their stay.
These "camels" or supplementary warps are passed into a plate of 600 (for the
count of threads taken for example), and I make use of a comb with a count of
300, so as to put two spindle threads, that is to say, two foundation threads, into
each tooth of the comb.
It is indispensable for well regulating the tension of the rollers on their axes that
the inclination of, the threads tends normally to the axes of the pins.
The weaving being finished according to these conditions the velvet undergoes
the secondary operations as customary. It can be cut to the plane or to the pin,
dyed before or after the weaving, or remain its natural colour, trimmed with or
without embossing, and stamped in all styles.
The previous sizing is very favorable to the embossing, and may be made of any
other suitable composition besides that above described.
The proportionate numbers of the threads employed, as well as the mode of
embossing, stamping, and dyeing, can be varied at pleasure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Eugène Adolphe Lheureux in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th May 1879.
EUGENE ADOLPHE LHEUREUX, of Boulevard Saint Denis, No. 1, at Paris, Manu-
facturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FABRICS."
My Invention has for its object the fabrication of velvet from jute, flax, hemp, or
China grass for replacing those of wool, cotton, silk, goat's hair, or like material
in their different applications to tapestries, decorations, upholstery, and other
purposes.
It comprises chiefly the novel application and use of jute, flax, hemp, or China
grass for the fabrication of velvets and the particular process of manufacture which
is employed for arriving at the results mentioned, as hereafter described.
The cheapness of the principal materials used and the beauty of the textures
obtained ensure for them considerable advantages over the velvets hitherto sold.
The manufacture of the new tissues is effected in the following manner:-The
two "camels," that is to say, the two supplementary warps, which outside the
foundation warp constitute the face of the tissue, undergo a special preparation
consisting in a particular sizing, the threads being first put into a tub with alum so
as to facilitate the sizing by a prévious cleaning.
The sizing is composed of about 99 per cent. of fecula and 1 per cent. of tallow
or grease.
When the threads are impregnated they are worked and dressed so as
to render them fit for weaving, which may be done either in the velvet loom of
Utrecht, that is to say, by hand, or by any mechanical loom.
The particular arrangement of loom which I prefer to use for the jute and other
materials of the same family consists in a suitable proportionate number of threads
necessary for the foundation warp and for the supplementary warps, the same
proportion being employed for the plate as for the comb so as to save the weakness
of the supplementary warps, and manufacture our velvets as readily as with the
goat's hair. If, for example, the foundation warp permits 600 threads in 60 centi-
meters in breadth I take for this foundation warp a number of threads sufficiently
strong so that this warp contributes solidity to the supplementary warps which
hold to them as their stay.
"
These camels or supplementary warps are passed into a plate of 600 (for the
count of threads taken for example), and I make use of a comb with a count of 300
so as to put two spindle threads, that is to say, two foundation threads, into each
tooth of the comb.
It is indispensable for well regulating the tension of the rollers on their axis
that the inclination of the threads tends normally to the axis of the pins.
The weaving being finished according to these conditions the velvet undergoes
the secondary operations as customary. It can be cut to the plane or to the pin,
dyed before or after the weaving, or remaining its natural colour, trimmed with or
without embossing, and stamped in all styles.
The previous sizing is very favourable to the embossing, and may be made of
any other suitable composition besides that above described.
The proportionate number of the threads employed, as well as the mode of
embossing, stamping, and dyeing, can be varied at pleasure.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect,
I would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
1. The application and use of jute, flax, hemp, China grass, and other like
materials for the manufacture of velvets, substantially as hereinbefore described.
•

page_text: 2. The particular process of manufacture, substantially as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Eugène Adolphe Lheureux, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
Witness,
ALBERT CAHEN,
Civil Engineer,
of Boulevard Saint Denis, 1,
at Paris,
E. A. LHEUREUX. (L.S.)