A MACHINE OR MACHINES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GOLD AND SILVER TWIST, SILK, COTTON, OR THREAD, TWISTED LACE NET SIMILAR TO AND RESEMBLING THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE AND NORTHAMPTON- SHIRE LACE, AS MADE BY THE HAND WITH BOBBINS ON PILLOWS, AND FOR MAKING IRON, BRASS, OR COPPER WIRE NET
Year: 1811

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MOORE, of No. 51, Newington Causeway, in the Parish of Saint Mary
Newington, in the County of Surry, Lace Net Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the First day of May, in the fifty-first year of His reign, did,
for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
Moore, His especial licence, that I, the said John Moore, my exors, adiiors,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Moore, my exors, adiñiors.
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also within all His Majesty's Colonies
and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "A MACHINE OR MACHINES FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF GOLD AND SILVER TWIST, SILK, COTTON, OR THREAD, TWISTED
LACE NET SIMILAR TO AND RESEMBLING THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE AND NORTHAMPTON-
SHIRE LACE, AS MADE BY THE HAND WITH BOBBINS ON PILLOWS, AND FOR MAKING
IRON, BRASS, OR COPPER WIRE NET;" in which said Letters Patent there is con-
tained a proviso obliging me, the said John Moore, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, and to cause the same to be enrolled in His Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within two calendar months next and immediately after the
fate of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Moore, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, is described and ascertained
in the Plan or Drawings signed by me, and hereunto annexed, and the follow-
ing explanation thereof, that is to say:
In the first place, in order to render the machinery, and the operation of the
several parts thereof, more clearly understood, I do premise that as the art of
making the twisted lace or net aforesaid doth consist in-passing the threads
which compose the fabric, aud run lengthwise through the same) over or under
cach other sideways in the manner of a twist, or other contexture, by means of
bobbins or other well-known contrivances, I do produce the same or the
like effect by the machinery berein-after described, which is represented in
Figure 1 in the Drawings hereunto annexed, abstracted from the other parti-
culars of my said Invention, and that in all the other Figures of the said
Drawings I have, as nearly as could be done, represented the same parts by
the same letters of the alphabet or numerical figures.
a, a, denotes a bar called the lower point bar, having a row of flat steel points
fixed upwards therein, and the whole being immoveably connected with the
framing of the aparatus. b, b, denotes a row of small flat pieces of steel called
catches, having each an hole at the end b, in which threads are severally tyed,
and the thicker part at the other end, which makes it practicable to dispose
the said catches all along between the points without their being liable to be
drawn forward by the pull of the threads. is a roller to which the other ends
of the threads are fastened. g represents a bar of the same description, called
the upper point bar, being fitted up with exactly the same number of similar
points as those of the lower bar. The upper bar is so disposed in the machinery
that it can be raised or lowered so as to come very fairly and close down with
the points thereof, opposed to those of the lower point bar, either behind or
before the same; and the said upper point bar is also so disposed as to be
capable of a side motion or shogg, by means of which the points thereof may
be brought down either to the same points or. to other points on the right or
left, as the nature of the work may require. c, c, d, e, represents a compound
bar or piece called the point machine, in which a row of lat points is fixed
corresponding in position with those of the point bar, but only half. the number
and nearly horizontal; but in Figure 3 the point machine is turned down for
the sake of perspicuity. These last-mentioned points of the point machine are
capable of being brought forward either above or below the catches, and ther
depressed or raised so as to move every second catch; (that is to say) they
will lift a catch and leave a catch alternately; and in the compound structure

page_text: of. the point machine one half of the points are fixed in the piece d and the
other in the piece e, the latter of which being drawn back by means of two
springs which lay under the leads, when occasion may require, will leave the
point machine with only half its former number of points in a state for actual
work. And I do declare that the number of points to be brought into actual
work from the point machine may be still more differently varied, according to
the nature of the fabric intended to be made. When the upper point bar is
down, those catches which may happen to be therein may not only in part or
in whole be depressed by the point machine into the lower point bar, but the
whole of them may be depressed at once by a slider affixed to the upper point
bar for that purpose, and herein-after shewn. h represents a bar across the
threads, called the lower letting bar, the same being provided with a row of
upright pins of steel or other fit metal, amounting to half the number of the
points in one of the point bars, and at double the distance asunder, so that
the said pins when up do divide the threads into pairs or two threads between
cach pin. This netting bar is capable of being raised and lowered clear of the
threads. i is another nitting bar of the same description in all respects, and,
by the construction of the machine, capable of being pressed down to the
threads at some distance from h towards g, and of being afterwards moved
along so as to press against h.
These things being premised, it will be easy to understand the process,
which is as follows:-Let the catches of all the trades be put regularly between
the points of the lower point bar, and put the lower netting bar between every
two threads, as in the Figure, lower the upper point bar, and with the point
machine raise a regular number of the catches into the upper point bar, raise
the upper point bar and shogg it two points to the left, and lower the catches.
again, and raise others. By this means the adjacent threads will have made
half a turn round each other, and by repeating the process the half turn will
become a whole turn, and a number of turns or twists may be thus effected.
When this is done, raise the upper point bar with half the threads connected
with it, or any other number, according to the system of work or nature of the
pattern, and the twist will run towards h; then lower i at a distance before h
towards g, and when between the threads draw i close to h, and it will drive
the twist together; depress g again, and make; another twist by the same
means, but not between the same pairs of threads, after having previously
carried h to its first place before i, and then raise i to its first place, this
second twist will run home like the former upon raising g, and the second
depression of i will confine it as before. And in this manner, with the varieties
of proceeding or working which an attention to the construction of the whole

page_text: machinery will clearly indicate, the work may be carried from one end of the
threads to the other, and the piece of lace will be accordingly compleated.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the machine, with most of its parts, in
which a variety of apparatus is combined for working the motions before
described with accuracy and speed. And in the Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 various
parts are more clearly developed by the respective positions thereof; and with
regard to the absolute sizes of the machines these may be varied very much,
according to the work intended to be done; but every useful purpose of a
scale may be answered by considering the Figures 3, 4, and 5 as one tenth
part of the actual size.
The machine is supported on a long rectangular frame, having at the one
end the point bars, viz', a, a, which is fixed, and g, which moves up and down
by rollers against the guiders w, w, and is sustained by the counterpoises 2, 2,
acting by cords over the pullies 1, 1. The point machine d, e, Fig. 6, and
shewn in Fig. 4, is capable of being moved by the handle m, by means of the
joints n and p, between appropriate stops; and the position of its points as to
right and left is regulated by the bearing screws of the shogging wheel 20,
which is moved by hand between one shift and another of the catches. The
upper joint bar g, g, is seen particularly in Fig. 3, capable of being moved up
and down, and having its sliding arms 27 confined, with sufficient room for the
shogg between the screws of the shogging wheels y, y, which, like those of 20,
are previously adjusted to produce the intended effect (one of the said wheels
is taken off in Fig. 2, for the sake of perspicuity). Every time the upper point
bar descends, its spring detents a, r, pass the faces of the wheels y, y, without
moving them, because these have ratchet teeth corresponding with the
.number of the screws; but when the upper point bar rises again, the said
detents move the shogging wheels one tooth, and, consequently, do alter the
situation of the interval between the ends of the screws of those wheels, and
confine the bar in a state of readiness for its succeeding descent. And as it is
necessary that the points of the upper point bar should be disposed close
behind those of the lower point bar, towards the eyes of the catches, whenever
any of the catches are to be transferred upwards, and also that the said points
should be disposed close before those of the lower point bar on the opposite
side whenever the catches are to be transferred downwards, there is sufficient
room allowed for the arms 27, 27, to be pressed forward or backward, as these
occasions may respectively demand. Z, Figs. 2 and 3, is a handle for moving
a long sliding bar represented at r, in Fig. 6, which, when required, does, by
its descent, push all the catches out of the upper point bar, but which, when
at rest, is kept up by the back spring t. s is a pendant bar below the points

page_text: of
9,
which serves to secure the catches from accidentally falling out. 3, 3, 3,
are wheels in the back of the machine, which are pulled round by the string
29 connected with 1. They serve to draw a small rod between the opening of
the threads when f, f, rises, and the said rod comes back again by the reaction
of the pullies 3, 3, whenever that bar descends. The said cross rod is of use to
separate the threads more effectually, and enable the twist to run forward.
The roller k is attached to a carriage 9, 9, 9, which supports the netting bars
and other apparatus, and runs along the frame upon small wheels, and is kept
in its straight course or direction by rollers bearing against the frame sideways,
or by a ledge or groove, or other proper contrivance of the like nature. The
said carriage tends to recede from the point bar frame, in consequence of the
pull of the counterweight 5 (Fig. 2), transmitted by the pullies 4 through the
chains 6, which are lengthened as occasion may require by adding a link on
each side; but the said carriage is prevented from receding by the pins of the
netting bars which are engaged in the lace. 8, 8, are cords passed round /,
which produce a tension of the threads in the contrary direction.. There
is no counterpose apparent between 7 and 7; but the action on those
pullies is produced by a cord 34, which passes from the pully 7 a to the
pulley 24; and this last has a light counterpoise, represented at 30 in
Fig. 3; but the principal action is effected by putting the right foot on
the treddle 23, which is connected with the pulley 24 by a ratchet wheel, and
renders it more easy to withdraw either of the netting bars out of the work
at the time when this is required to be done. 10 represents a lever for raising
the upper netting bar by the treddle 22 (see Fig. 4 and 5). The said netting
bar, when the treddle is pressed, descends by sliding along the guides 11 till it
comes to the notch, at which place its bearing pin passes through that notch,
and the bar falls forward into the work, but not closely home till the work-
man, by pulling at the handle (which has a joint), draws the string 25
(Fig. 2), and by means of the lever 26, 26, presses the upper netting bar
from him against the lower netting bar, until the said upper bar lodges itself
in the notch 13, Fig. 4. 14 represents a steadying bar through which the
lace passes to the roller k, and the threads are thereby prevented from being
disturbed by the action of the netting bars (see Fig. 4 and the separate part
of Fig. 5). 12 shews regulation stops for limitting the movement of 10. 17
is the lever by which the lower netting pin bar is moved by the treddle 21; and
18 is its limitting stop. And the said lower netting bar is kept to its bearing
by its counterweight 16, which does not prevent its receding when i is pressed
forward as aforesaid, so that when h again returns, the points of i are situated
Letween h and the roller k. 19, 19, are springs which give the lower netting

page_text: bar a natural tendency to ascend, in the same manner as gravity causes the
descent of the upper netting bar. The rise of the treddles is facilitated by
springs, and the pressure of the sliding or shogging part of the point machine
against the wheel 20 is effected in the same manner. 24, Fig. 2, shews an
apparatus of which two elevations are given in Figs. 7 and 8. The upper
netting bar in its motion passes the screw 35, and receives a shogg out and
home upon an inclined face; and by a reaction spring at the other end, and
by the same motion, a click is made to act upon the small shogging wheel 36,
and moves it a quarter turn; and as the said wheel has two screws in its face,
it prevents the shogg from returning every other strok, and, consequently,
makes the action of the netting bars correspond with that of the catches. 31
represents a small bar or wire to be applied to the point machine, so that 32
may constitute the extreme point to the left, and 33 may oppose. itself to a
long screw in the wheel 20, which, acting upon 35, raises 32 out of the way at
the time of that shift, which forms the proper selvidge or border of the work;
and in case more breadths of lace than one should be set up in the machine
and worked at the same time, it will be requisite that there should be as many
of the points 32 duly situated as there are selvidges. From the general course
of action herein-before described with regard to Fig. 1, it will be understood
that at the commencement of the work the carriage and the point bar frame
will be at the greatest distance from each other, and that as the work proceeds
the lace or net will be wound upon the roller k, and the carriage will advance
to its nearest possible situation; that the length of the work will be governed by
the length of the frame or run of the carriage; (that is to say) the lace or net
will be nearly as long as the frame, or if the threads be twice as long, and the
work be began at the middle of the thread, the other half of the thread may
be also woven by reversing the roller k, and attaching the unwrought ends of
the point bar by catches previously or subsequently tied to those ends.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Moore, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eleven.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-seventh day of June,
in the year of our Lord 1811, the aforesaid John Moore came before our
said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was, stampt according
to the tenor of the Statutes made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand aight hundred and eleven
Inrolled the Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand sight hundred and eleven