IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NETS FOR LADIES' HAIR
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Billyeald, of Nottingham, Manufacturer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NETS
FOR LADIES' HAIR,"
Sealed the 18th August 1869, and dated the 16th February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas. Billyeald
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th February 1869.
I, THOMAS BILLYBALD, of Nottingham, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF NETS FOR LADIES' HAIR," to be as follows:-
The object of the Invention is to give greater finish and neatness
to the appearance of nets for ladies' hair. Such nets are now to a large
extent made from fabric produced in warp lace machinery, but owing.
to the portions to form the nets being out to the desired size from pieces
of considerable size raw edges are formed, giving an unfinished appearance
to the nets produced.

page_text: According to my improvements I form the fabric in breadths corre-
sponding with the width of the desired nets, the respective breadths
being united during manufacture by lacing or connecting threads.
Transverse lines may also be applied to define the size in that direction.
By these means when separated into breadths and then to the lengths
desired the elastic is introduced into the edges thereof, and a more
finished appearance will be obtained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Billyeald in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BILLYEALD, of Nottingham, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas Billyeald, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Billyeald, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Billyeald, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others
from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF NETS FOR LADIES" HAIR," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Billyeald, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly 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 Thomas Billyeald, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
The object of the Invention is to give greater finish and neatness
to the appearance of nets for ladies' hair. Such nets are now to a large
extent made from fabric produced in warp lace machinery, but owing to
the portions to form the nets being cut to the desired size from pieces
of a considerably larger size raw edges are formed, giving an unfinished
appearance to the nets produced.
According to my improvements I form the fabric in breadths corre-
sponding with the width of the desired nets, the respective breadths
being united during manufacture by lacing or connecting threads.
Transverse lines may also be applied to define the size in that direction.
Various methods may be adopted in carrying out my improvements.
In making nets on warp lace machinery some nets are made in which
the same thread laps on the same needle every time of pressing; some
nets are also made in which the threads lap at different times on'
different needles to be pressed alternately, depending on the number
of courses used in forming each row of holes. Either of these methods
of forming the net I adopt, but others may be employed if desired.
A mode which I have adopted for dividing such net fabric into
breadths with fast selvages is as follows:-I will suppose the machine
to be arranged to make plain net with two guide bars and two half
sets of threads, one half being set in one guide bar and the other
half in the other guide bar. At those parts where I require a division
between two breadths of fabric or to form selvages I take out a thread
from one bar and remove the needle which the thread would otherwise
lap and be pressed upon when making what is called the pillar. I also
use an extra guide bar, in guides carried by which I work at each division
or breadth two extra threads, one on each selvage needle, to keep on
the stitch and make a clear fast selvage. At what is called the tie ups
I. lap the extra threads over two needles for two courses in each tie
in order to keep on the stitch and give strength to the tie, also the
better to enable it to sustain the elastic when that is put in. This extra
guide bar may, if desired, be worked to tie up less frequently than
every hole of the selvages to make a larger hole for the elastic on the
edge.

page_text: A method I have adopted for working in the draw or lacing thread
is as follows:-I put one in each empty guide, that is to say, the one
from which the net threads were removed, and then at every revolution
or repeat of the pattern wheels, or other pattern surface, whichever way
the net is formed, it hanks or connects in first the selvage pillar on
one side and then that on the other. These connecting threads may
be easily drawn out as required when the work is completed; such
connecting thread may be put in by the aid of another bar to work
independently if desired. The selvages may also be formed by putting
extra threads in the net bars and the draw or connecting thread as
described. When fabric thus produced has been separated into breadths,
and then into the lengths desired, and the elastic is introduced into the
edges thereof, a more finished appearance to the nets will be obtained.
Having thus described my Invention I would have it understood that
what I claim is, the manufacture of nets for ladies' hair from fabric
produced in breadths equal to the width or length of the intended net
in warp lace machinery, such breadths being united during manufacture
by lacing or connecting threads, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Billyeald, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
THOMAS BILLYEALD. (L.S.)