Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM JENNINGS, of the Elms, Sherwood Nottingham, Nottinghamshire,
Lace Dresser do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the finishing of lace and it has for its object the
improvement of the treatment of such goods during the finishing process whereby
a superior and distinctive finish is imparted to the lace.
Hitherto it has been usual after the lace has been dressed and taken from the
drying frame to pass it in a dry state through calendering rolls in a well known
manner. The finish produced by this method is somewhat rough by not being
perfectly flattened and it is the aim of this Invention to produce a finish which
imparts a silky lustre to cotton goods, and a smooth and pleasant feeling to the
touch by perfectly flattening the lace. To obtain this finish it is necessary that
previous to passing through the calender, the lace be subjected to the action of
damp or moisture so as to soften the stiffening matter in the lace either in the form
of fine spray produced by water whether mechanically agitated or otherwise or by
steam and allowing the lace to remain some time until the moisture acquired, has
permeated or become diffused throughout the lace before calendering. It is abso-
futely necessary that the moisture be brought into contact thoroughly with every
part of the dressed fabric. This is somewhat difficult to obtain as by the peculiar
hard nature of the lace after dressing caused by the starch it is difficult to cause
wet or moisture to adhere, equally when such moisture is applied by contact with
a damp surface alone. The perfect absorption of moisture causes the softening or
amelioration of the starch or stiffening material in the lace and on passing the lace
through the calender the lace is found after such treatment to be perfectly smooth
the fibre being more easily and more perfectly flattened which flattened condition
it retains. By employing this process there is no liability of the lace being cut or
damaged as is frequently the case with dry fabrics by reason of the hardness of the
starch when passed through calenders having any irregularity or roughness upon
their surface.
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page_text: I, WILLIAM JENNINGS of The Elms, Sherwood, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire,
Lace Dresser 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 the finishing of lace and it has for its object the
improvement of the treatment of such goods during the finishing process whereby
a superior and distinctive finish is imparted to the lace.
Hitherto it has been usual after the lace has been dressed (that is stiffened,
stretched and dried) and taken from the drying frame to pass it in a dry state
through calendering bowls or rollers in a well known manner. The finish produced
by this method is somewhat imperfectly flat, rough, and uneven and it is the aim
of this Invention to produce a finish which imparts a silky lustre to the lace, a
higher degree of smoothness and elasticity, a much more dense appearance to the
pattern, and a fuller feel to the touch by more perfectly flattening the lace and at
the same time reducing the risk of damage through the starch or other stiffening
material being crushed by the calender in a moist instead of a dry state as is done
at the present time. To obtain this superior finish it is necessary that previous to
passing through the calender the lace be subjected to the action of damp or
moisture so as to soften the stiffening matter in the lace, either in the form of
fine spray produced by water whether mechanically agitated or otherwise, or by
steam or by contact with damped surfaces with or without pressure and allowing
the lace to remain some time until the moisture acquired has permeated or become
diffused throughout the lace before calendering. It is absolutely necessary that
the moisture be brought into contact thoroughly with every part of the dressed
lace. By preference in damping the lace I employ an arrangement of a roller
covered with bristles rapidly rotated in a trough of water, the amount of spray
permitted to act upon the lace being regulated by means of inclined boards in a
well known manner. The lace is passed by means of suitable rollers, over this
damping trough thence to a large roller, upon which the lace is wound and upon
which it remains for a shorter or longer period according to the quality of the lace
and until the lace is what may be termed "conditioned" that is thoroughly per-
meated by the moisture. This perfect absorption of the moisture causes the
softening or amelioration of the starch or stiffening material in the lace and on
passing it through the calender it is found after such treatment to be perfectly
smooth and bright, the fibre being more easily and more perfectly flattened when
in this moist state and which condition it permanently retains. By employing the
foregoing process there is no liability of the lace being cut, damaged or rendered
"tender," as is frequently the case, at present by reason of the hardened nature of
the lace caused by the starch when such lace is passed through calenders and
more especially when the surface contact of the rollers or bowls are not perfect
throughout.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The "conditioning" or treatment of lace after dressing and before calendering
by means of vapour or sprays of water whether produced by mechanically agitated
water or otherwise or by steam or by contact with damp surfaces, with or without
pressure substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Twelfth dex of Jenny 1886