IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FABRICS MADE BY LACE MACHINERY
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHRISTOPHER
NICKELS, of York Road, Lambeth, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Eleventh day of February, in the sixth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Christopher
Nickels, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Christopher Nickels, my exors, adñors, and assigns, or such others as.
I, the said Christopher Nickels, my exors, adññors, 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, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FABRICS MADE BY LACE
MACHINERY;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the
said Christopher Nickels, shall cause a particular description of the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, wiil more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said Chris-
topher Nickels, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the

page_text: manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to
say):-
My Invention relates to the manufucture of fabrics in warp-lace and twist-
lace machines, each piece of fabric being composed of plaited fabric and
unplaited fabric combined together in the same pièce, thus producing varied
fabrics of a very novel character. And, in order that my Invention may be most
fully understood, I will proceed to explain the best means I am acquainted
with for performing the said Invention. The construction of what are called
warp-lace machines and twist-lace machines being well understood, it will not
be necessary to enter into a particular -description thereof in this my Specifi-
cation; all that will be necessary, in order to the workman carrying out my
Invention, will be to give a description of the peculiar fabrics which are to be
produced, together with the means of working the descriptions of machines
above mentioned; and I will first describe the Invention as applied to warp-
lace machines. In making warp-lace fabrics, according to my Invention, the
warp threads are to be divided into sets; and in such mamer that the sets may
be worked up at different speeds; and in such manner that the parts of the
piece of fabric produced by those sets of warp threads? which are worked up
quickest shall be caused to be formed into plaits transversely of the fabric by
those parts of the fabric which are produced by the warpathreads which are,
for the time being, worked up with the least speed; and;-whatever-may.be
the variation of the means of working the machinery, the above-described
peculiarity will be retained......
-
Figure 1 represents a piece of fabric constituting my Invention, the parts
a, a, being produced by the sets of threads which; for the time being are being
delivered and worked up with the slower speed, and constitute the unplaited
portions of the combined fabric; and b, by represent the parts of the combined
fabric which are produced by means of the sets of warp threads which are, for
the time being, worked up with the greater speed, the length of fabric-produced
by the sets of warp threads b, b, being longer 'infa given time than what are
produced by the sets of warp threads a; by these means the parts of the com
bined fabric at b; b, will be plaited into smaller or larger-plaits according to the
difference of the speeds of working up of the different sets of warp-threads;
and the width of the unplaited parts of the fabric and of the 'plaited parts of the
combined fabric may be varied according to taste, and each of those parts of the
fabric may be made of any of the various characters of interlooping which this
description of machinery is known to be capable of making, according to the

page_text: varied order in which the various warp threads are looped together, in forming
warp fabrics,in warp-lace machines, and which, as the same are well under-
stood, it will not be necessary, here further to notice.
In carrying out the Invention, I prefer to cause those warp threads
which are to compose the parts a, a, of the fabric to be warped on to
one beam, and to be worked or lapped over the needles by the guides of one
or more: warp bars, according to the character of warp-lace fabric which is
intended to be produced, there being one warp thread to each needle used in
producing the parts a, a, of the combined fabric; and I weight this beam more
than the beam on which the warp thread for producing the parts b, b, of the
combined fabric are warped, or. I otherwise govern the unequal unwinding of
the warp threads (as is well understood) which go to make the different parts
a, a,and.b,b, though I believe that difference in weighting the warp beams is
the best means for accomplishing this end; and I-cause the, warp threads
which make theiparts b, b, to, be lapped on to the needles by the guides of one
or, more guide-bars, according to the description of fabric intended to be made;
and a very simple mode of working out my Invention is to cause the sets of
warp threads which go to make the parts a, a, to lap or loop over only one
needle; and to, cause the sets of warp. threads which go to make the parts of
the combined fabric b, b, to loop or lap over two needles; the cuts of wheels
which govern the movements of the guide-bars for the sets of threads a. and b
being formed accordingly, as is well understood. By this arrangement the
lengths of fabric:produced by the sets of warp threads at a, a, will be shorter
than: the parts of the fabric b, b; and as this difference is constant in the
pro-
duction of the parts.a and b, the parts b will be caused to go up into plaits by
the parts.a, a, in proportion to the difference of the lengths of those fabrics.
And it will be. evident that if, after working some time: as described, the order in
which the sets of warp, threads a and b were reversed, and the part b be worked
up slower than the sets:a, then the plaited parts for a time would be made under
the unplaited parts, the cut of wheels and other parts being arranged for
working warp threads; a in the same manner as those at b. had, been previously
working, and those at 6 in the same manner in which those at a had been
working; and this alternating from one state of working may be resorted to
from. time to time, or the unplaited. parts of the fabric may be in continued
stripes down the combined fabric, and between other continued 'stripes of
plaited parts of the fabric; and if the width of fabric, be intended to be
divided. into. breadths, then suitable lacing threads will be used to lace the
selvages of the breadths together, as is well understood; and by having such
lacing threads down the parts b, the selvage of each breadth will be composed.

page_text: of plaited or frilled edges, and by using extra guides and threads the parts of
the combined fabric or either of them may have gymp or other ornamental
threads introduced therein, as is well understood when making fabrics in warp-
lace machines. In carrying out this mode of working it is better to use what
is called a tuck presser, so that the work may be continued being produced on
the needles b, b, for the plaits, whilst from the loops not being pressed off the
needles which produce the parts a, a, those parts will be shorter than the
parts b, b. When I desire to have plaits produced all across the fabric produced
in a warp-lace machine, then I use two sets of warps, each set having as
many threads as there are needles, each set of threads being warped on a
different beam or beams, so that they may be differently weighted or other-
wise governed in giving off their warp, as is well understood when working
to produce other results; and I cause each set of warp threads to be lapped
by the guides of one or more guide-bars, according to the character of fabric
each set of warp threads are to make; and I cause those threads which are
worked up slower than the other set to be worked by the lower guide-bar or
bars, and I cause thein to remain out of action during the time the other set
of warp threads are making a length of fabric sufficient for one plait. I then
relieve the fabric which has been made of the weight, and then I cause the
other sets of warp threads to rise and lap on the needles, and thus raise the
part of the fabric to which the set of threads are attached up to the needles,
and then again allow the weight to bear upon the fabric, and then for several
courses of looping I cause both sets of warp threads to work together
in producing a fabric, and then again I put the one set of warp threads out of
work, and produce another length of fabric sufficient for the next plait, and so
on from time to time. By this arrangement the fabric produced will be formed
with plaits across more or less close together, depending on the workman, and
the character of the fabric will depend on the order of lapping the various warp
threads. It will be evident that by this mode of working the combined fabric
may be composed of stripes, the stripes of the unplaited parts of the fabric
being composed of a single thread to each needle worked, when the two sets
(that is, two threads to each needle) are working opposite the other parts
of the fabric, by having what is called a tuck presser in spaces of proper
widths, and capable of pressing at those needles where the longer lengths of
fabric are being produced, so that there will for a time be no work produced on
the needles in the spaces where the unplaited parts of the combined fabric are
produced, till the lengths of fabric, such as b, b, at Figure 2, are such as to be
proper for a p'ait in each length or stripe b; then the two sets of warp threads
and warp threads at a, a, will for a time work on the needles, and the press e

page_text: arranged to press on all the needles, thus. producing a combination of the stripes
a, a, of unplaited fabric, and a short length of unplaited fabric in the stripes
b, b, between the succeeding plaits in those stripes, or there may be two threads
to each needle making the parts a, a, they working only at such time as the
two threads are working to produce the parts b, b; and in case it be desired to
alternate this mode. of working at the spaces a and b, then the tuck presser
and other parts of the machinery will be varied to produce the effect desired by
the workman.
I will now describe my Invention, so far as it relates to fabrics produced in
twist-lace machines. And I would here remark, that as twist-lace machines
are well known, and in common use, it will only be necessary to explain such
variations in the working thereof as will enable a workman readily to carry out
this.part of my Invention. In making fabrics according to my Invention, the
same character of dividing the warp into sets is to be observed, and the giving
off thereof is to be regulated by weights or other convenient means, so that one
set which goes to make the unplaited parts of the fabric may be slower than the
sets of warp threads which go to make the plaited parts of the combined fabric.
Thus supposing a fabric similar to Figure 1 be intended to be produced in a
twist-lace machine, in such case the warp. threads of the parts a, a, will be
given off slower than those which work to produce the parts b, b, of the fabric,
and the bobbin or carriage threads which respectively work therewith will have
the springs stronger at the parts a than at the parts b, and the fabric produced
will be either straight down net, or the carriages will traverse only to the
extent of the widths of the respective parts a, a, and b, b, and then turn again,
similar to the manner of making breadths, excepting that all parts will be
combined together into one fabric, or several breadths of fabric, each breadth
composed of parts a and 6. The parts a and b are to be composed of any of
the varied characters of lace or fabric usually produced in twist-lace machines.
In this manner may combined fabrics be produced (whether in breadths or in
the whole width of the machine), composed of parts of plaited fabric and part
of unplaited fabric in stripes, the plaiting depending on the difference of speeds
at which the sets are worked up; or other modes may be resorted to for
producing similar combined fabrics in twist-lace machines; thus, if the machine
be arranged with pushers or driving bars or blades, so as to select sets of
carriages 6 to work for some time, opposite those places in the fabric till a
length of fabric is produced suitable for making a plait at each stripe b, the
carriages opposite the parts a, a, remaining stationary during such time, and
the winding up of the work on to the work roller will be stopped during the
time that the sets of warp threads and carriages are only producing the parts

page_text: b, b, but will continue to wind up during the time that all the carriages are at
work, for a short time, in the ordinary manner of such machines, producing a
continuation of the plaited parts of the combined fabric, and also a short
length of unplaited fabric between each two succeeding plaits of the parts b, b.
In working according to this arrangement the sets of warps will not require to
be differently weighted, nor the strength of the springs of the bobbins varied
to produce the parts a and b. I would remark that I have found it desirable,
in order to restrain the elasticity of lace near the margines where the plaited
joins the unplaited parts of the fabric, and for this purpose I introduce taping
tlireads or other extra threads, as is well understood in making lace..
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise means herein described, provided combined
fabrics, composed partly of plaited and partly of unplaited fabrics, be produced
in lace machines, by dividing the warp threads into sets, and causing the lace
machinery to be so worked as to use up the sets of warp threads at different
speeds, as above explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christopher Nickels, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fant

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHRISTOPHER
NICKELS, of York Road, Lambeth, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Eleventh day of February, in the sixth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Christopher
Nickels, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Christopher Nickels, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Christopher Nickels, my exors, admors, 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, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FABRICS MADE BY LACE
MACHINERY;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the
said Christopher Nickels, shall cause a particular description of the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner, the same is to be performed, to be
inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, wiil more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said Chris-
topher Nickels, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the

page_text: manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascertained
in and by the following statement.thereof, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to
say):-
My Invention relates to the manufucture of fabrics in warp-lace and twist-
lace machines, each piece of fabric being composed of plaited fabric and
unplaited fabric combined together in the same piece, thus producing varied
fabrics of a very novel character. And, in order that my Invention may be most
fully understood,. I will proceed to explain the best means I am acquainted
with for performing the said Invention. The construction of what are called
warp-lace machines and twist-lace machines being well understood, it will not
be necessary to enter into a particular description thereof in this my Specifi-
cation; all that will be necessary, in order to the workman carrying out my
Invention, will be to give a description-of the-peculiar fabrics which are to be
produced, together with the means of working the descriptions of machines
above mentioned; and I will first describe the Invention as applied to warp-
lace machines. In making warp-lace fabrics, according to my Invention, the
warp threads are to be divided into-sets; and-in such manner that the sets may
be worked up at different speeds; 'and in such manner that the parts of the
piece of fabric 'produced by those sets of warp threads which are worked up
quickest shall be caused to be formed into plaits transversely of the fabric by
those parts of the fabric which are produced by the warp threads which are,
for the time being, worked 'up with the least speed; and, whatever may be
the variation of the means of working the machinery, thet above-described
peculiarity will be retained:
Figure 1 represents a piece of fabric constituting my Invention, the parts
a; a, being produced by the sets of threads which, for the time being, are being
delivered and worked up with the slower speed, and constitute the unplaited
portions of the combined-fabric;-and-b, b; represent the parts of the combined
fabric which are produced by means of the sets of warp threads which are, for
the time being, worked up with the greater speed, the length of fabric produced
by the sets of warp threads b, b, being longer in a given time thani what are
produced by the sets of warp threads a;- by these means the parts of the com-
bined fabric at b; b, will be plaited into smaller or larger plaits according to the
difference of the speeds of working up of the different 'sets of warp threads;
and the width of the unplaited parts of the 'fabric and of the plaited parts of the
combined fabric may be varied according to taste, and cach of those parts of the
fabric may be made of any of the various characters of interlooping which this
description of machinery is known to be capable of making, according to the

page_text: varied order. in which the various warp threads are looped together in forming
warp fabrics,in warp-lace machines, and which, as the same are well. under-
stood, it will not be necessary. here further to-notice.
In carrying out the Invention, I prefer to cause those warp threads
which are-to.compose the parts. a, a, of. the fabric to be warped on.to
one beam, and to be worked-or lapped over the needles by. the guides of one
or more, warp bars; according to the character of warp-lace fabric which is
intended to be produced, there being one warp thread to each needle used in
producing the parts a, a, of the combined fabric; and I weight this beam more:
than the-beam on which the warp.thread for producing. the parts b, b, of the
combined fabric are warped, or. I otherwise govern the unequal unwinding of
the warp threads (as is well understood) which go to make the different parts
a, a, and b, b, though I believe that difference in. weighting the warp beams is
the best means for accomplishing this end; and-I-cause the warp threads
which make the parts b, b, to be lapped on-to the needles by the guides of one
or more guide-bars; according to the description of fabric intended to be made;
and a very simple mode of working out my Invention is to cause the sets of:
warp threads which go to make the parts a, a, to lap or loop over only one.
needle; and to cause the sets of warpathreads, which go. to make the parts of
the combined fabric b, b; to loop or lap over two needles; the cuts of wheels
which govern the movements of the-guide-bars for the sets of threads a and b
being formed accordingly, as is well understood. By this arrangement the.
lengths of fabric produced by the sets of warp threads at a, a, will be shorter
than the parts of the fabric b, b; and as this difference is constant in the pro-
duction, of the parts a and b, the parts will be caused to go up into plaits by
the parts, a; a; in proportion to the difference of the lengths of those fabrics.
And it will be evident that if, after working some time as described, the order in
which, the sets of warp threads a and b were-reversed and the part b.be worked
up.slower than the sets a, then the plaited parts for a time would be made under
the unplaited parts, the cut of wheels and other parts being arranged for
working warp threads. a in the same manner as those at b had been previously
working, and, those at bin the same manner in which those at a had been
working; and this alternating from one state of working 'may be resorted to
from time to tinie, or the unplaited parts of the fabric may be in continued
stripes down the, combined fabric, and between other continued stripes of
plaited parts of the fabric; and if the width of fabric be. intended to be
divided into breadths, then suitable lacing threads, will be used to lace. the
selvages of the breadths together, as is well understood; and by having such
lacing threads:down the parts b, the selvage of each breadth will be composed.

page_text: of plaited or frilled edges, and by using extra guides and threads the parts of
the combined fabric or either of them may have gymp or other ornamental
threads introduced therein, as is well understood when making fabrics in warp-
lace machines. In carrying out this mode of working it is better to use what
is called a tuck presser, so that the work may be continued being produced on
the needles b, b, for. the plaits, whilst from the loops not being pressed off the
needles which produce the parts a, a, those parts will be shorter than the
parts b, b. When I desire to have plaits produced all across the fabric produced
in a warp-lace machine, then I use two sets of warps, each set having as
many threads as there are needles, each set of threads being warped on a
different beam or beams, so that they may be differently weighted or other-
wise governed in giving off their warp, as is well understood when working
to produce other results; and I cause each set of warp threads to be lapped
by the guides of one or more guide-bars, according to the character of fabric
each set of warp threads are to make; and I cause those threads which are
worked up slower than the other set to be worked by the lower guide-bar or
bars, and I cause them to remain out of action during the time the other set
of warp threads are making a length of fabric sufficient for one plait. I then
relieve the fabric which has been made of the weight, and then I cause the
other sets of warp threads to rise and lap on the needles, and thus raise the
part of the fabric to which the set of threads are attached up to the needles,
and then again allow the weight to bear upon the fabric, and then for several
courses of looping I cause both sets of warp threads to work together
in producing a fabric, and then again I put the one set of warp threads out of
work, and produce another length of fabric sufficient for the next plait, and so
on from time to time. By this arrangement the fabric produced will be formed
with plaits across more or less close together, depending on the workman, and
the character of the fabric will depend on the order of lapping the various warp
threads. It will be evident that by this mode of working the combined fabric
may be composed of stripes, the stripes of the unplaited parts of the fabric
being composed of a single thread to each needle worked, when the two sets
(that is, two threads to each needle) are working opposite the other parts
of. the fabric, by having what is called a tuck presser in spaces of proper
widths, and capable of pressing at those needles where the longer lengths of
fabric are being produced, so that there will for a time be no work produced on
the needles in the spaces where the unplaited parts of the combined fabric are
produced, till the lengths of fabric, such as b, b, at Figure 2, are such as to be
proper for a p'ait in each length or stripe b; then the two sets of warp threads
and warp-threads at a, a, will for a time work on the needles, and the presse

page_text: arranged to press on all the needles, thus producing a combination of the stripes
a, a, of unplaited fabric, and a short length of unplaited fabric in the stripes
b, b, between the succeeding plaits in those stripes, or there may be two threads
to each needle making the parts a, a, they working only at such time as the
two threads are working to produce the parts b, b; and in case it be desired to
alternate this mode of working at the spaces a and b, then the tuck presser
and other parts of the machinery will be varied to produce the effect desired by
the workman.
I will now describe my Invention, so far as it relates to fabrics produced in
twist-lace machines. And I would here remark, that as twist-lace machines
are well known, and in common use, it will only be necessary to explain such
variations in the working thereof as will enable a workman readily to carry out
this part of my Invention. In making fabrics according to my Invention, the
same character of dividing the warp into sets is to be observed, and the giving
off thereof is to be regulated by weights or other convenient means, so that one
set which goes to make the unplaited parts of the fabric may be slower than the
sets of warp threads which go to make the plaited parts of the combined fabric.
Thus supposing a fabric similar to Figure 1 be intended to be produced in a
twist-lace machine, in such case the warp threads of the parts a, a, will be
given off slower than those which work to produce the parts b, b, of the fabric,
and the bobbin or carriage threads which respectively work therewith will have
the springs stronger at the parts a than at the parts b, and the fabric produced
will be either straight down net, or the carriages will traverse only to the
extent of the widths of the respective parts a, a, and b, b, and then turn again,
similar to the manner of making breadths, excepting that all parts will be
combined together into one fabric, or several breadths of fabric, each breadth
composed of parts a and b. The parts a and b are to be composed of any of
the varied characters of lace or fabric usually produced in twist-lace machines.
In this manner may combined fabrics be produced (whether in breadths or in
the whole width of the machine), composed of parts of plaited fabric and part
of unplaited fabric in stripes, the plaiting depending on the difference of speeds
at which the sets are worked up; or other modes may be resorted to for
producing similar combined fabrics in twist-lace machines; thus, if the machine
be arranged with pushers or driving bars or blades, so as to select sets of
carriages b to work for some time opposite those places in the fabric till a
length of fabric is produced suitable for making a plait at each stripe b, the
carriages opposite the parts a, a, remaining stationary during such time, and
the winding up of the work on to the work roller will be stopped during the
time that the sets of warp threads and carriages are only producing the parts

page_text: b, b, but will continue to wind up during the time that all the carriages are at
work, for a short time, in the ordinary manner of such machines, producing a
continuation of the plaited parts of the combined fabric, and also a short
length of unplaited fabric between each two succeeding plaits of the parts b, b.
In working according to this arrangement the sets of warps will not require to
be differently weighted, nor the strength of the springs of the bobbins varied
to produce the parts a and b. I would remark that I have found it desirable,
in order to restrain the elasticity of lace near the margines where the plaited
joins the unplaited parts of tlic. fabric, and for this purpose I introduce taping
threads or other extra threads, as is well understood in making lace.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood' that I do
not confine myself to the precise means herein described, provided combined
fabrics, composed partly of plaited and partly of unplaited fabrics, be produced
in lace machines, by dividing the warp threads into sets, and causing the lace
machinery to be so worked as to use up the sets of warp threads at different
speeds, as above explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christopher Nickels, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-three.