IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING NARROW FABRICS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph James Foot, of Spital Square, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING NARROW
FABRICS." A communication.
Sealed the 23rd September 1856, and dated the 26th June 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph James Foot at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th June 1856.
I
I, JOSEPH JAMES FOOT, of Spital Square, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEAVING
NARROW FABRICS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of those descriptions of narrow
fabrics which are woven many widths together in a piece, and in the manu-
facture of these descriptions of fabrics, fast edges have heretofore been made
at the places where the piece is to be cut apart, by drawing one of the warp
threads across the two warp threads which are next it every other time that
the shed is opened (or at other intervals). The ordinary method of drawing
these warp threads (called whip threads) across those next them has been by
the use of a leaf of headles having metal eyes or "mails," through each
of which one of the loops of a half leaf of headles passes, and through this
loop the whip thread passes. To the half leaf of headles a weight is attached,

page_text: which when the leaf of headles with the mails rises, draws the whip threads
across by keeping down for a time the loops of the half leaf of headles.
The following are the improvements on this process, which constitute this
Invention
First, in place of drawing the whip thread across two warp threads, or the
threads which pass through two eyes of the harness, it is drawn across four
warp threads, which pass through four eyes of the harness.
Secondly, the leaf of headles which carries the mails is dispensed with, and
the half leaf of headles, through the loops of which the threads pass, in place
of having a weight attached to it, receives motion directly by a treadle and
top lever. The loops of this half of headles are passed through glass beads,
not singly, as with the mails on the old principle, but with two loops passing
through each head, these two loops being the loops which work whip threads
to make edges on each side of one of the places where the piece is to be cut
apart. Each of the beads has an independent weight suspended from it, and
this weight, when the half leaf of headles is raised, causes the bead to slide
down the loops and draw the two. whip threads together across the warp
threads, and when the half leaf of headles is lowered, the bead slips back and
the whip threads return to their natural positions. Thus it will be seen, that
only one bead is required for two whip threads, whereas on the old principle a
mail was necessary for each whip thread. It will also be seen, that there is
an independent weight to each two whip threads, whereas on the old principle
one weight operated on all the whip threads.
Thirdly, in place of taking those warp threads which the whip threads cross
through the same headles as the rest of the warp, separate leaves of headles are
employed to work these warps, so that the shed of these warps may be opened
wider than the rest of the shed, to give greater freedom to the working of the
whip threads.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph James Foot in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th December 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
JAMES FOOT, of Spital Square, in the County of Middlesex, 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 fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said

page_text: Joseph James Foot, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph James Foot,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph
James Foot, 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
WEAVING NARROW FABRICS," a communication, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Joseph James Foot, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Joseph James Foot, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:
This Invention relates to the manufacture of those descriptions of narrow
fabrics which are woven many widths together in a piece, and in the manu-
facture of these descriptions of fabrics, fast edges have heretofore been made
at the places where the piece is to be cut apart, by drawing one of the warp
threads across the two warp threads which are next it, every other time that
the shed is opened, or at other intervals. The ordinary method of drawing
these warp threads (called whip threads) across those next them has been by
the use of a leaf of heddles having metal eyes or "mails," through each of
which one of the loops of a half leaf of heddles passes, and through this loop
the whip thread passes. To the half leaf of headles a weight is attached,
which, when the leaf of headles with the mails rises, draws the whip threads
across by keeping down for a time the loops of the half leaf of headles.
The following are the improvements on this process, which constitute this
Invention:-
First, in place of drawing the whip thread
threads which pass through two eyes of the
across two warp threads, or the
harness, it is drawn across four
warp threads, which pass through four eyes of the barness.
Secondly, the leaf of headles which carries the mails is dispensed with, and
the half leaf of headles, through the loops of which the threads pass, in place.
of having a weight attached to it, receives motion directly by a treadle and top
lever. The loops of this half leaf of headles are passed through glass beads,

page_text: not singly, as with the mails on the old principle, but with two loops passing
through each bead, these two loops being the loops which work whip threads
to make edges on each side of one of the places where the piece is to be cut
apart. Each of the beads has an independent weight suspended from it, and
this weight, when the half leaf of headles is raised, causes the bead to slide
down the loops and draw the two whip threads together across the warp
threads, and when the half leaf of headles is lowered, the bead slips back and
the whip threads return to their natural positions. Thus it will be seen, that
only one bead is required for two whip threads, whereas on the old principle
a mail was necessary for each whip thread. It will also be seen, that there is
an independent weight to each two whip threads, whereas on the old principle
one weight operated on all the whip threads.
Thirdly, in place of taking those warp threads which the whip threads cross
through the same headles as the rest of the warp, separate leaves of headles are
employed to work these warps, so that the shed of these warps may be opened
wider than the rest of the shed, to give greater freedom to the working of the
whip threads.
And in order that the said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figures 1 and 1 are Diagrams, illustrating the old method of making fast
edges to fabrics which are woven many widths together in a piece, and after-
wards cut apart.. a, a, are two whip threads; and b, b, are the outside warp
threads of two widths of fabric, across which the whip threads work; c, c, is
a leaf of headles, carrying the mails or eyes d, d; e is a half leaf of heddles,
carrying the loops f, through which the whip threads a, a, pass; this half leaf
of heddles has weights attached to it, and it is prevented from descending
lower than the position shown in Figure 1, by means of suspending cords.
Every other time that the shed is opened (or at other intervals) the leaf of
headles c, c, is drawn up, so as to raise the mails into the position shown in
Figure 1; and as the half leaf carrying the loops f is kept down by the
weight attached to it, the whip threads passing through these loops are drawn
across under the other warp threads to the top of the shed; the weft thread
then passes, and the headles c descend and permit the whip threads to return
to their natural positions, where they form part of the top of the next shed,
and the weft thread again passes under them, and thus the fast edge is
formed.

page_text: Figures 2 and 2 are Diagrams, showing the improved method of producing
a similar fast edge; Figure 3 is a Diagram of the work produced thereby.
a is a half leaf of headles, which receives motion from a treadle and top lever,
and carries loops b, through which the whip threads pass. On to the loops ba
glass bead c is threaded, and from each glass bead an independent weight d
is suspended; this weight is not sufficient when the loops hang loose, as in
Figure 2, to draw the whip threads out of their natural position, but when the
half leaf a is drawn up, as in Figure 2ª, then the bead c slides down the loops b
and draws the whip threads together; thus a similar edge is formed to that
already described; but it will be seen that the whip thread is drawn across
four warp threads, which pass through four separate eyes of the harness, in
place of across two warp threads, or the warp threads passing through two
eyes of the harness, as heretofore. The warp threads also, across which the
whip threads pass, are not threaded through the same harness as the other
warp threads, but through separate harness, receiving motion from the same
treadles as the other harness, but connected therewith, so that these warp
threads may be raised higher and sunk lower than the other warp threads;
thus the crossing of the threads is obtained with greater certainty than
beretofore.
Figures 4 and 4 are Diagrams, showing a method in which the old and the
new system may be combined together, so as to produce an arrangement
which is very superior to the old arrangement, although it is not considered
altogether so good as the new one already described. a is the leaf of headles,
carrying the eyes b, through each of which two loops c pass; these loops are
carried by the half leaf d, which has weights attached to it, as in Figures 1
and 1"; thus it will be seen that only one eye b, is used to produce two edges,
as in the improved arrangement, Figures 2 and 2ª.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph James Foot, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
B. GOBEY,
24, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane.
J. J. FOOT. (L.S.)