Improvements in the Process of Cutting or Producing Designs on the Face of Loop or Pile Fabrics of Mohair, Wool, Cotton, or other Material.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1896-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Process of Cutting or Producing Designs on
the Face of Loop or Pile Fabrics of Mohair, Wool, Cotton, or
other Material.
1, JOSEPH LOWDEN, of Burley Bridge Mills, Kirkstall Road, Leeds, in the
County of York, Dyer and Finisher, 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 :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in the method of and apparatus
for cutting or producing designs upon fabrics.
Letters Patent were granted to me in 1888 numbered 11801, in which specifi-
cation I set forth the means for producing a design in bas relief by first tracing.
the design upon an endless web say of cotton, or other material, and stitching the
same with a raised stitch or stitching on to the tracery of the design, a cord or braid
either flat or round; and also the apparatus for cutting the outline of such design
upon the fabric.
The surface of the stitching raised the surface of the fabric, so that on passing
the fabric under cutters, the portions of the fabric raised by the stitches or cords
were cut away, thus producing a design in outline. This method did not in practice
prove to be useful, but I have since. discovered that by using flat pattern
Burfaces instead of raised outlines, valuable results may be achieved and entirely.
new effects produced.
According to my present invention a flat pattern surface corresponding to the
design is first cut out by hand or otherwise in flexible rubber, or flexible rubber
backed by cotton or canvas, or a combination of rubber and woven fabric.
The pattern surface when cut is fixed upon a flexible endless web made of rubber
backed by cotton or canvas, or a combination of rubber and woven fabric, or woven
fabric only. The thickness of the rubber or other material which forms the
The endless web
design, is varied in each case according to circumstances.
with the design in relief upon it may also be produced by casting the same in
the form of a strip of endless rubber or otherwise with the design standing in relief
upon it, or the design may be cast separately and afterwards attached to the web.
The pattern surface may be arranged so that either the body, say of a "fleur de
lis" is cut, or, the ground surrounding the "fleur de lis," is cut, leaving the figure
uncut as may be desired. According to my former specification, the outline only
of such "fleur de lis" would be produced.
Fig. 1 shows a portion of a pattern surface in which the "fleur de lis" itself
is cut away as stippled. In Fig. 2 I have cut away the ground as stippled and left
the "fleur de lis" uncut.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the machine showing the endless web in
position.
In what is known as pile loop fabrics, I am enabled to produce novel effects
inasmuch as, after the projecting surface of such fabric is subjected to the cutting
as is herein described, the fabric so cut takes two different shades when dyed in
the same bath, or the fabric can be cut after dyeing with the same result. This
result can be obtained otherwise only by weaving. Also in plush fabrics I am
enabled to produce novel effects by dyeing the whole fabric, say a brown, it is then
tip dyed," that is to say the tips of the plush only dyed, say a black. The
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page_text: fabric is thien cut by my new process in any design, the result being a. Brown
design on a black ground!. These: fabrics I do. not claim in this specification
as they are the subject of another application for a patent by me of even date
herewith.
The length.of.the web upon which the design is cut, or the: circumference of
the cylinder when the design is cast thereon, varies according to the length and
nature of the design; for fabrics the design. repeats itself, but for a hearth rug the
design is complete in itself for the rug, and the length of the rug settles the
circumference of the endless web or cylinder.
The endless, web with the design: upon. it is passed-under a. tension roller, which
is detachable for the purpose, and over a cutting bed which is also detachable for
the purpose. The distance between the centre of the tension roller and the
cutting, bed varies according to the diameter of the design when in cylindrical form.
Such distance is regulated by carrying the tension roller upon journal blocks on
each. side of the machine, through each of which a screw-passes capable of regulation
by hand wheel, in order to ensure the proper distance between the tension roller
and the cutting bed.
The drawing roller and the tension roller, although the centres vary in distance
from one another, as the length of the design web; they must run at the same speed.
This is accomplished' by passing a pitch chain round a pitch chain pulley secured
on the tension roller spindle and one on the drawing roller spindle, also around' a
loose pitch chain pulley carried on a suitable bracket.
The last mentioned pulley is capable of regulation as to tension; by a screw passing
through the boss of the stud carrying the pitch chain pulley operated by hand wheel
or its equivalent.
The frame A. cutting knife G. and bed' H. are of the ordinary construction and
mounted somewhat in the ordinary manner: The endless web J with the design
upon it; is passed! round the tension roller C and cutting bed* H. The pile
fabric-K. upon which it is intended to cut the design; is fed to the machine in the
direction of the arrow and passes over the cutting bed H. along, with and at the
same surface speed as the design, whereupon it is subjected to the cutting operation
by tlie rotating Knife G. in the ordinary manner.
In order that any length of design may be used; I support the tension roller C
in suitable bearings D: mounted'in a slide M. secured to or forming part of the
frame A. at each end of the machine, and' by the operation of hand wheel N. the
screw 0, one at each side of the machine revolve through the respective
bearings D; the roller Craising or lowering to suit the length of the design
placed thereon.
The main or first motion shaft U. is driven in any convenient' manner; and' by
means of intermediary gearing;.motion is iinparted' to the shaft of the drawing
roller Pupon which is secured a chain wheel Q a similar wheellQ" being secured
on the shaft supporting the tension roller C¹, and' by means of the pitch chain R.
passing round the chain wheels Q. Q-guide pulley. S. and tension chain wheel T,
the same surface speed is imparted' to the roller Cas that of the drawing roller P,
whereby the endless web J. supporting the design; and' the fabric K. travel at one
and the same speed!
The chain wheel T is supported' by a boss U through which passes the
screw V. by operating the latter by a key or its equivalent, the said wheel T. may
be raised or lowered' as desired to suit the length of the endless web J. and position
of tension roller C'.
Having: now particularly, described and ascertained the: nature of this inven
tion, and in what. manner the same is: to: be performed, I declare that what I
claim.is:
1. The hereinbefore described process of producing loop or pile fabrics: with
figured surfaces by cutting the pile or loop in contact with a flat pattern surface
substantially as described

page_text: 2. The herein before described process of producing loop or pile fabrics with
figured surfaces by cutting out either the pattern or the ground in sheet rubber
or its equivalent and attaching the flat pattern surface so produced to a flexible.
web, or by casting a flat pattern surface, and afterwards cutting the loop pile in
contact with such flat pattern surface, substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 30th day of July 1896.
JOHN WAUGH,
Agent.