IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS AND OTHER. FELTED GOODS AND FABRICS
Year: 1865

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS AND OTHER.
FELTED GOODS AND FABRICS."-A communication from abroad by Edwin
Dodd McCracken, of the City and State of New York, James McCracken,
and Charles Edward McCracken, of Bloomfield, in the State of New
Jersey, John Adams Southmayd, of Elizabeth, in the State of New
Jersey, and Robert Warner Southmayd, of the City of Philadelphia, in
the State of Pennsylvania, all in the United States of America.
Sealed the 14th November 1865, and dated the 26th June 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th June 1865.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery:
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
HATS AND OTHER FELTED GOODS AND FABRICS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to combine some cheap vegetable fibre that
will mix with wool or fur, and will incorporate with wool in the felting
process, so as to produce a perfect felt with great economy. With respect to
fur goods, the very high price of fur renders it very desirable to find some

page_text: cheaper material that could be mixed with it without deteriorating the quality
of the goods, but hitherto no vegetable fibre of suitable character has been
discovered, or has ever been successfully treated to render it practically
applicable to the purpose. The Inventor has discovered that the fibres of the
various reeds and canes, particularly those classified by botanists as "arundo"
and "bambusa," are applicable to the above purpose, and this Invention
consists in the use of such fibres in combination with fur or wool, or with both
fur and wool, in the manufacture of felt hats or other felted goods.
In carrying out this Invention the cane or reed is cut into pieces of con-
venient length for manipulation, and disintegrated either by the use of steami
or by subjecting it to the action of alkalies or acids, as is the common practice
for the disintegration of vegetable fibre, or by any other suitable means. It is
then bleached and further disintegrated by boiling in a solution of caustic alkali,
after which it is washed in clean water, and dried, and subjected to the action
of pickers, cards, or other machinery used for separating animal or vegetable
fibres. The fur and cane or reed fibres are mixed in a carding machine, and
then manufactured into felted goods in the usual manner. It has been found
by experiment that from 33. to 50 per cent. by weight of the cane or reed
fibre may be mixed with fur or wool without apparently impairing the quality
of the felt. It is probable that even a larger proportion of the cane or reed
fibre may be used, and of course as much smaller a proportion as is desired
may be used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd December 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
* WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and

page_text: at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
night 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 MANUFACTURE OF HATS AND OTHER FELTED GOODS AND
FABRICS," being a communication to him from abroad, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):-
:
The object of this Invention is to combine some cheap vegetable fibre that
will mix with wool or fur, and will incorporate with wool in the felting
process, so as to produce a perfect felt with great economy. With respect to
fur goods, the very high price of fur renders it very desirable to find some
cheaper material that could be mixed with it without deteriorating the quality
of the goods, but hitherto no vegetable fibre of suitable character has been
discovered, or has ever been successfully treated to render it practically
applicable to the purpose. The Inventor has discovered that the fibres of the
various reeds and canes, particularly those classified by botanists as "arundo'
and "bambusa," are applicable to the above purpose, and the present
Invention consists in the use of such fibres in combination with fur or
wool, or with both fur and wool, in the manufacture of felt hats or other
felted goods.
"
In carrying, out this Invention the cane or reed is cut into pieces of
convenient length for manipulation, and is disintegrated either by the use of
steam or by subjecting it to the action of alkalies or acids, as is the common
practice for the disintegration of vegetable fibre, or by any other suitable
means; it is then bleached and further disintegrated by boiling in a solution
of caustic alkali, either in an open. vessel without pressure, or in a close
boiler under pressure, after which it is washed in clean water, and dried in a
centrifugal machine, or by other means, and subjected to the action of pickers,
cards, or other machinery used for separating animal or vegetable fibres. The
mixture of the fibre with wool may be effected in a picker or carding machine,

page_text: and its mixture with fur may be effected in the manner practical in mixing
.fur of different kinds for felting. The fur and cane or reed fibres are mixed in
the carding machine, and then manufactured into felted goods in the usual
manner that fur is manufactured into such goods, and the mixture of wool
and cane or reed fibre may be manufactured in the same manner as wool felt.
The strength of the solution of caustic alkali in which the disintegrated fibre
is boiled may vary from 3° to 20° Beaumé, according to the color to which
the fibre is to be bleached for making lighter or darker-colored goods, and
according to the fineness of the fibre required, a stronger solution being
required to produce a lighter-colored and finer fibre, and a weaker solution
to produce a darker-colored and coarser fibre. The maximum strength above
mentioned is only necessary when it is desired to reduce the cane or reed to
its ultimate fibre. It has been found by experiment that from 33 to 50 per
.cent. by weight of the cane or reed fibre may be mixed with fur or wool
without apparently impairing the quality of the felt. It is probable that even
a larger proportion of the cane or reed fibre may be used, and of course as
much smaller a proportion as is desired may be used.
Having now described the Invention that has been communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I claim as the Invention' secured to me by
Letters Patent as aforesaid, the use of the fibre of cane or reed in combination
with wool or fur, or with both wool and fur, in the manufacture of felted
goods as herein deseribed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)