IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF PLAIN AND FIGURED FABRICS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henderson, of Lasswade, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF PLAIN AND FIGURED FABRICS."
Sealed the 16th June 1857, and dated the 25th March 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henderson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th March 1857.
I, JOHN HENDERSON, of Lasswade, in the County of Mid Lothian, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF PLAIN AND FIGURED
FABRICS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to a certain extent to an Invention for which English
Letters Patent for "Improvements in the Manufacture or Production of Plain
and Figured Fabrics," bearing date on or about the Sixteenth day of December,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, were granted to Frederick William
Norton. Mr. Norton's arrangement the printed pattern warp threads were
laid over foundation warp threads by a system of cross weaving, so as to
produce a full or close covered warp surface on the fabric; but according to the
present improvements the foundation warp threads are dispensed with, their
place being supplied by stationary longitudinal wires or cords, such wires

page_text: or cords being fixed behind the healds or heddles, and passed through them
and also through the dents of the reed. The surface pattern warp threads are
wrought by the cross weaving action of the heals or heddles over and over the
fixed wires or cords by the binding weft. As the cloth is woven it is gradually
drawn off the wires, and thus a soft and elastic looped surface is produced. If
a velvet pile fabric is wanted, the stationary wires are formed with a cutting
edge, so that as the newly woven cloth is drawn off the wires the loops are
severed and the pile completed. By introducing stuffing and fine chains
behind the pile a heavy fabric suitable for carpeting can be made.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henderson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th September 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, JOHN
HENDERSON, of Lasswade, in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Henderson, Her special license that I, the said John Henderson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Henderson, my executors, administrators, or 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 OR PRODUCTION OF PLAIN AND FIGURED FABRICS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Henderson, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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 John Henderson, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to a certain extent to an Invention for which
English Letters Patent for "Improvements in the Manufacture or Production
of Plain and Figured Fabrics," bearing date on or about the Sixteenth day of
December, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, were granted to
Frederick William Norton. In Mr. Norton's arrangement the printed
pattern warp threads were laid over foundation warp threads by a system of
cross weaving, so as to produce a full or close covered warp surface on the
fabric; but according to the present improvements the foundation warp threads
are dispensed with, their place being supplied by stationary longitudinal wires
or cords, such wires or cords being fixed behind the healds or heddles, and
passed through them and also through the dents of the reed. The surface
pattern warp threads are wrought by the cross weaving action of the healds
or heddles over and over the fixed wires or cords by the binding weft. As the
cloth is woven it is gradually drawn off the wires, and thus a soft and elastic
looped surface is produced. If a velvet pile fabric is wanted the stationary
wires are formed with a cutting edge, so that as the newly woven cloth is
drawn off the wires the loops are severed and the pile completed. By intro-
ducing stuffing and fine chains behind the pile a heavy fabric suitable for
carpeting can be made.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now. proceed to describe the several illustrative Figures on the explanatory
Sheet of Drawings, which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of show-
ing certain modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously
carried out in practice.
In the Specification of Letters Patent granted to Frederick William
Norton, and bearing date on or about the Sixteenth day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, for Improvements in the Manufacture
or Production of Plain and Figured Fabrics, are described certain novel
modes of weaving.
The principle feature in this Invention consists in producing corded fabrics
by a peculiar system of cross weaving; that is to say, the surface of the fabric
is composed of warp threads, which are crossed over from side to side of
foundation warp threads, these last forming the body of the fabric. The
surface warp threads are bound in upon either side of the foundation warps
by means of the weft, a shot being thrown in each time that the surface warp
is carried to cross the foundation warp threads. The crossing of the surface
warp threads is effected by means of a cross heddle working in conjunction

page_text: with the heddle mounting of the loom. The cross heddle has a ring or "mail"
in it, through which the surface warp thread is passed; there are consequently
as many rings or mails in the entire heddle as there are foundation warps to
be covered. It follows, therefore, that in this kind of woven goods the cord-
ing runs longitudinally with the fabric, in contradistinction to the ordinary
corded fabrics, in which the cord runs from selvage to selvage.
In the improvements comprehended under this present Invention the
surface warp threads are crossed to and fro over stationary wires in lieu of the
foundation warp threads, before referred to. The fabric as it is woven is
slipped off the ends of the stationary wires by the motion of the take-up
roller or beam. The surface of the fabric woven by these means presents a
series of closely set loops, and if printed yarns are used the design is brought
out with great brilliancy and effect. The body of the fabric may be composed
of warps, the thickness of which must be regulated by the nature of the
fabric to be produced. These body warps are interwoven with the binding
wefts, as will be herein-after explained. If the fabric is to have a cut-pile
surface resembling velvet, then the loops of the surface warps are cut through
whilst the operation of weaving goes on. This is effected by making the ends
of the stationary wires which pass through the loops of the surface warps
with cutting edges, so as to cut the loops successively as the fabric is drawn
off the wires.
In the illustrative Drawing accompanying and forming a part of this
Specification the system or mode of producing the looped and cut-pile surface
fabrics are fully delineated.
Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of a tapestry loom having my
improvements for the manufacture of plain and figured fabrics applied thereto.
Figures 2 to 5 are transverse vertical sections of the heddles and other
portions of the weaving mechanism, to show the different positions of the
heddles in producing the looped fabrics; Figures 6 to 11 are transverse
vertical sections, showing the position of the beddles in the manufacture of the
cut-pile or velvet surface fabric. Figure 12 is an enlarged view of part of one
of the loop-forming wires or needles, and the mode of holding or retaining it
in a secondary reed. Figure 13 is a corresponding view of one of the cutting
wires for producing the velvet-pile fabric; and Figure 14 is a plan of a
portion of looped fabric, to show the course of the threads, or system of inter-
weaving the surface and body warps, and binding them by means of the weft.
Under the modification shown in my illustrative Drawing, the loom is actuated
by hand, and the wood framing A and the lathe B are of the ordinary kind.
According to this arrangement, the fabric that is being woven consists of a

page_text: upon the beam or roller H:
thick body warp interwoven with two binding warps, whilst the surface is
formed of worsted or woollen yarns bound in with the body warps by means
of the weft. The body warp C is wound upon the beam or roller D, and the
binding warps E are wound upon the rollers F. The plain or printed yarn G
which forms the surface of the fabric, is wound
The warps C and E are passed individually through the mails or eyes of the
heddles I, J, K, and the woollen warp G is passed through the mail or eye of
the heedle L. The number of mails or eyes in the heddles must correspond
with the number of warps in the width of the fabric. The mails or eyes of
the heddle L are drawn down upon each side of the body warps alternately by
the action of the heddles M and N, which are looped above the mails of the
heddle L, so that when either of the heddles M or N is depressed by the
weaving action, it draws down the eye of the heddle L, which carries with it
the surface yarn. In order to produce a looped surface fabric, a wire is inter-
posed between the body warp and the surface yarn, the height of the loop
being regulated by the thickness of the intervening wire. The series of wires
are kept in their relative positions by means of a secondary reed, which is
mounted upon a cast-iron frame O, bolted to the rails of the side framing of
the loom. This secondary reed P is supported below and laterally by a clasp
rail cast on the frame O, and at the upper part by a moveable rail Q, which
slides between the flanges of the vertical end pieces of the frame O, to which
it is secured by bolts or pins. Each of the loop-forming wires R is made
with an eye at one end, which is passed between the dents of the secondary
reed P, and secured in its proper position by a wire, which is passed through
the series of eyes on each side of the reed P. The wires R are passed
between the heddles M and N through the dents of the ordinary reed in the
lathe B, and rest upon the breast beam of the loom. In the enlarged view,
Figure 12, the mode of securing the eyes of the wires R in the dents of the
reed P is clearly shown; the retaining wires S are passed through the whole
scries of wires, from one end of the reed P to the other. Figure 12 also
shows the successive formation of the loops upon the end of each wire. The
warps C and E pass in a horizontal or nearly horizontal direction below
the reed P, then through the eyes of the heddles I, J, K, between the heddles
M and N, and through the dents of the actual beating-up or weaving reed.
The number of the stationary wires R corresponds to the number of the body
warps C, and each of the wires rest upon the warp below it, as shown in
Figures 12, 13, and 14. The woollen yarn or surface warp G is carried from
its beam or roller H over the secondary reed P, through the eyes of the
heddle L, and the dents of the ordinary reed to the take-up roller. A tensional

page_text: roller T is fitted in a bracket U bolted to the frame O; this roller serves to
keep the warp G at an uniform angle throughout the operation of weaving,
however much the diameter of the warp roller FI may vary by the consumption
of the yarn G. In Figure 1 the heddles are shown in their normal position, or
at zero, when no shed is made. The first movement towards the formation of
a loop is shown in Figure 2, in which the heddle K has been lifted by the
treadle or lever, thereby raising one of the binding warps E and forming a shed.
At the same time the heddle M has been depressed, drawing down the heddlo
Land yarn G upon one side of the wire R, and the heddle I -depresses the
body warp C; a shot of weft is now thrown in along the race below the needles
R, which keeps down the warp E, and binds in the yarn G. The next move-
ment of the heddles is shown in Figure 3, in which the heddle J is depressed,
and the other binding warp E is drawn down, whilst the other heddles
are raised. In this position of the heddles a shot of weft is thrown in, which
binds in the binding warp E, and as the weft passes below the body warp C
it binds that in also. The next movement of the heddles is to effect the
crossing of the surface warp G to the opposite side of the wire R and body
warp C, and to form a shed by lifting the binding warp E that was raised in
the first movement, as in Figure 1. The heddle J, Figure 4, is now raised,
and the heddles I and K. depressed, whilst the heddle L and surface warp G
is carried down upon the opposite side of the wire and body warp C by tho
depression of the heddles N and I. The shot of weft now thrown in binds
the surface warp G and the binding warp E upon the second side of the body
warp C. The fourth and last movement in the formation of the looped
fabrics consists in interweaving the second binding warp at the back of the
fabric, as was done on the other side of the body warp C in the movement
shown in Figure 3. This last movement of the heddles is shown in Figure 5,
in which the heddle K and its binding warp E are depressed; the weft shot
weaves in the warp E and passes beneath the body warp C, serving to bind it
in and form a plain cloth back to the fabric. As the fabric is woven the
loops are drawn off the wires by the action of the spiked take-up roller,
whence it may be carried to and wound upon a roller or beam V. In the
fabrics woven according to the modification of the improvements herein-
before described, the threads which form the body warp run throughout the
length of the fabric, and do not cross any of the other threads, the binding
in of the body warp being effected by the binding warps E, which lie parallel
to and between each of the body warps, and are crossed at every second shot
of weft; the crossing of the weft X being effected first uppon the upper side
of the body warp C and then upon the under side, as is shown in the Plan,

page_text: Figure 14, at Y, where the cloth is represented as not beaten up. Under
the modification of these improvements, in which the fabrics have a cut-pile,
or velvet surface, the stationary wires R are made with a cutting edge at
their ends, which are made wider than the other part, as shown at W in
Figure 13. By this means the loops are cut through as they are successively
drawn off the wires. In order to prevent the short pieces of cut wool from
being drawn out, the shedding action is modified from that herein-before
described in reference to the looped surface fabric. In Figure 6 the surface
warp G is depressed on one side of the body warp, and one of the binding
warps E is raised to form the shed. A shot of weft is thrown through the
shed, and the next movement is to reverse the position of the binding warps,
and throw a shot of weft through the second shed thus formed. The second
position of the heddles is shown in Figure 7, in which the heddle J is raised
and the heddle K depressed, thus reversing the position of the binding warps,
and by means of the second shot of weft securely binding in the surface
warp G. The next shedding action depresses the binding warp E, as shown
in Figure 8, in order to bind in the body warp at the back of the fabric.
The fourth position of the heddles is shown in Figure 9, in which the surface
warp is depressed upon the other or opposite side of the body warp. After
the shot of weft has been thrown the binding warps are reversed, as shown
in Figure 10, and a second shot thrown to bind in the warp G. The last
motion of the heddles is shown in Figure 11, and weaves in the binding warp
at the back of the fabric, as before described. In this last modification of
weaving, two shots of weft are thrown in each time the surface warp is crossed
over the wires, thereby securing the worsted or woollen yarn more firmly, to
prevent the short pieces of cut wool from being drawn out of the fabric.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion
to describe or refer, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my Invention; but what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the system or mode of manufacturing or producing plain and figured
fabrics, as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of weaving or producing looped pile fabrics in
which the loops are produced by crossing the surface or pattern yarns over
a series of stationary wires, as herein-before described.

page_text: Third, the application and use of a secondary reed and series of stationary
wires in the manufacture or production of plain or figured fabrics, as herein-
before described.
Fourth, the system or mode of weaving or producing cut-pile fabrics by
means of a series of stationary wires having cutting edges and fixed in
a secondary reed, as herein-before described.
Fifth, the system or mode of weaving or producing looped and cut pile
fabrics of any texture wherein the surface is formed by crossing the plain
or figured surface warp over a series of stationary wires, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henderson, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Twelfth day of September, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-seven.
JOHN HENDERSON. (L.S.)