IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE MECHANICAL CUTTING OR DIVIDING OF STRIPS OF CHENILLE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, G, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and
of 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE MECHANICAL CUTTING OR
DIVIDING OF STRIPS OF CHENILLE." A communication from abroad by
Monsieur Edmond Lepainteur, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th September 1881.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors,
6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and of 323, High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING
TO THE MECHANICAL CUTTING OR DIVIDING OF STRIPS OF CHENILLE." A com-
munication from abroad by Monsieur Edmond Lepainteur, of Paris, in the Republic
of France.
This Invention consists in a system of mechanically cutting, having important
advantages over the systems actually in use, both in regard to uniformity of product
and economy of manufacture.
It is well known that chenille made by weaving is obtained in the following
manner: Upon a conveniently arranged frame is disposed a series of threads
divided into groups, separated the ono from the other by a vacant space of the
required width. The result is that one obtains a band of tissue, which at regular
intervals is only composed of threads of weft. In cutting the tissue down the
middle of these intervals one obtains straight bands in which the threads of weft
stand out a certain length on each side.
These are carried to the twisting frame.
Cutting by the hand is long and costly, consequently mechanical cutting by
means of blades or discs maintained at the required distance by washers or distance

page_text: pieces has been tried. Atmospheric influences, the nature of the materials employed,
and other causes however bring about of necessity irregularities, which render the
product useless.
My system consists in providing the interval between two groups of threads with
a guide formed of two threads of some kind, which constitute a veritable inter-
mediate strand, and between which are made to pass the cutting blades of any
system in such manner as to assure regularity of cutting.
These guide threads like the other threads of the tissue can be made of any
kind of material. One can employ vegetable fibre or silk, waxed or otherwise, or
other material, but metalic wires are preferable as they answer better for the end
proposed.
They can be unwound like the ordinary warp in proportion to the advancement
of the tissue or web. This enables one to take out the entire piece from the loom
and then divide it in a special frame.
But it is moro convenient to effect the mechanical cutting of the chenille upon
the same loom. The guiding wires have then only a determinate length, a metre,
for example, and they are maintained at their two extremities in such manner as
to prevent their advancement during the manufacture of the tissue or web, yet at
the same time leaving them sufficient play to enable them to be moved conveniently
by the blades. In these circumstances they do not remain fast in the tissue, which is
made for a certain time corresponding to the time required to manufacture a few
centimetres, then they are disengaged naturally by the cutting, and the wires
slide longitudinally in the tissue in proportion as it advances to the roller on which
the finished web is wound.
The blades can be circular and revolving, mounted upon a common spindle and
actuated by convenient mechanism as the web advances, or they can be straight
blades or shears and moved at intervals by hand.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filod
by the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th March 1882.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors,
6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and of 323, High Holborn,
in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE
MECHANICAL CUTTING OR DIVIDING OF STRIPS OF CHENILLE." A com-
munication from abroad by Monsieur Edmond Lepainteur, of Paris, in the Republic
of France.
This Invention consists in a system of mechanically cutting chenille baving
important advantages over the systems actually in use, both in regard to uniformity
of product and economy of manufacture.
It is well known that chenille made by weaving is obtained in the following
manner:- -Upon a conveniently arranged frame is disposed a series of threads
divided into groups, separated the one from the other by a vacant space of the
required width. The result is that one obtains a band of tissue, which at regular
intervals is only composed of threads of weft. In cutting the tissue down the
middle of these intervals one obtains straight bands in which the threads of weft
stand out a certain length on each side.
These are carried to the twisting frame.
Cutting by the hand is long and costly, consequently mechanical cutting by
means of blades or discs maintained at the required distance by washers or distance
pieces has been tried. Atmospheric influences, the nature of the materials employed,
and other causes however bring about of necessity irregularities, which render the
product useless.
This system consists in providing the interval between two groups of threads with
a guide formed of two threads of some kind which constitute a veritable intermediato
strand and between which are made to pass the cutting blades of any system in
such manner as to assure regularity of cutting.
These guide threads like the other threads of the tissue can be male of any
kind of material. One can employ vegetable fibre or silk, waxed or otherwise, or
other material, but metallic wires are preferable as they answer better for the end
proposed.
They can be unwound like the ordinary warp in proportion to the advancement
of the tissue or web. This enables one to take out the entire piece from the loom
and then divide it in a special frame.
But it is more convenient to effect the mechanical cutting of the chenille upon
the loom itself. The guiding wires have then only a determinate length, a metre,
for example, and they are maintained at their two extremities in such manner as
to prevent their advancement during the manufacture of the tissue or web, yet at
the same time leaving them sufficient play to enable them to be moved conveniently
by the blades. In these circumstances they do not remain fast in the tissue, which
is made for a certain time corresponding to the time required to manufacture a few
centimetres, then they are disengaged naturally by the cutting, and the wires slido
longitudinally in the tissue in proportion as it advances to the roller on which the
finished web is wound.
The accompanying Drawing represents a specimen of the mode of application of
this system, from which its working and advantages may be easily understood.
a, a, are ordinary threads of warp; b, b, are threads of weft; c are the metallic
guide threads arranged like threads of warp, and between which are placed the

page_text: J
knives d. In the example shown in the Drawing these are circular revolving
blades mounted upon a common spindle and actuated by convenient mechanism;
they revolve between the two brass wires which guide them, or rather guide
the tissue as it advances to be cut. It will of course be understood that straight
blades could be employed having a reciprocating motion, or even moved by hand.
Having now described the Invention as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, what I claim under the Letters Patent is,―
The above described system of mechanically cutting chenille consisting of the
addition between the groups of warp threads ordinarily employed of two or more
special threads arranged like warp threads, and preferably of metal, between which
special threads are placed the cutters, the threads controlling and regulating their
action, the whole substantially as described and as shown in the example represented
in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
-