IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF LACE, LACE CURTAINS, AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE SAME,
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Wilson, of 74, Ilkestone Road, Radford, in the
County of Nottingham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF LACE, LACE CURTAINS, AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES, AND IN THE
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE SAME,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Wilson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th September 1877.
FRANCIS WILSON, of 74, Ilkestone Road, Radford, in the County of Nottingham,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE, LACE CURTAINS, AND SUCH LIKE
ARTICLES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE SAME.”
My improvements relate to the manufacture of lace, lace curtains, &c., and consist
in being able to apply a separate tension to each thread while it is at work in the
machine. It is usual to employ what is known in the trade as a main warp, which
is a beam or cylinder passing from end to end of the machine, and which contains
a great number of threads, instead of which I propose to use bobbins or spools
(doing away with the main warp), and winding each separate thread upon a
separate bobbin or spool; and by passing the threads through a sley in front of the
machine, then under and over moveable tension rods arranged to rise and fall in
slots, I can give any amount of tension required, according to the quality of work
I wish to produce, and when I require an extra tension or any particular thread
or threads I give such additional tension by weighting the bobbin or spool, and by
this means save what is known in the trade as "warping," and am also able to
produce a better quality of work.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Francis Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th March
1878.
"
FRANCIS WILSON, of 74, Ilkestone Road, Radford, in the County of Nottingham.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LACE, LACE CURTAINS, AND SUCH LIKE
ARTICLES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE SAME."
My said Invention is for an "Improvement in the Manufacture of Lace, Lace
Curtains, and such like Articles, and in the Machinery or Apparatus for Effecting the
same," and essentially consists in dispensing with the use of what is known in the
trade as a "main warp," which is a beam or cylinder passing from end to end of the
machine and which contains a great number of threads (according to the width and
gauge of the machine), instead of which I place at the back or front of the machine
an extra spool board or boards containing the requisite number of pins or wires, on
each of which I place a spool or bobbin of cotton or other material, the ends of
which I pass through a perforated sley underneath the machine, and then under
and over moveable tension rods, arranged to rise and fall in slots so as to give any
required tension to the threads; or, if more convenient, I attach the said tension
rods to a ratchet wheel at each end of the machine, the ratchet wheels being placed
on axles and made to revolve; the tension rods or rollers may be placed in any
position at various angles, and held there by means of stops or clawkers, so as to
give any amount of tension required, according to the quality of work I wish to
produce, and should I require an extra tension on any particular thread or threads
I give such additional tension by weighting the bobbin or spool, and by this means
produce a much better quality of work by being able to weight each thread
seperately, and I also save the trouble and expence of what is known in the trade
as warping."
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would have it distinctly
understood, that I no not confine myself to the precise arrangement herein expressed,
but what I claim as my Invention is, the doing away with the ordinary warp
beam and supplying in its place a number of spools or bobbins, whereby I secure
an independant action or tension on each separate thread in the lace machine.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Wilson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
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