A CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENT IN THE ART OR PROCESS OF FLOCKING CLOTH
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Horatio Nelson Slater, of the State of Massachusetts, of
the United States of America, for the Invention of "A CERTAIN NEW AND
USEFUL IMPROVEMENT IN THE ART OR PROCESS OF FLOCKING CLOTH."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Horatio Nelson Slater at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, on the 4th January 1876.
HORATIO NELSON SLATER, of the State of Massachusetts, of the United States of
America. "A CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENT IN THE ART OR PROCESS
OF FLOCKING CLOTH,"
Heretofore in combining with cloth, flock, or very short wool in the process of
fulling the cloth, it has been customary to put the flock and the piece or pieces
of cloth into the fulling mill promiscuously. The flock being made thereby to
combine with the cloth in and by the process of fulling the cloth while being
carried on.
In this way both surfaces of the cloth or one only has been flocked.
Where but one surface has received the flock it has been customary to first double
or fold the cloth along its middle, and to sew it together at its ends as well as at its
lists or selvages. This having been done the cloth was introduced into the mill
and its ends duly connected, the flock also being placed in the mill, whereby it
had access to the outside surface of the cloth only, the inner surface being insulated
from the flock.
In carrying out my improvement I properly distribute or scatter upon the
surface to be flocked the necessary amount of the flock; after which I double or fold
the cloth along its middle longitudinally, and sew or otherwise properly connect the
edges, lists, or selvages together, so as to enclose the flock as it were within a bag
or tube of the cloth. I next pass the piece between the rolls of the fulling mill in
the usual way, and connect it together at its ends by sewing or otherwise, thereby
forming it into an endless bag or tube in which the flock is confined, then as well
as during the process of fulling it. In this way it will be perceived that the outside
surface of the cloth becomes completely insulated from the flock.
By my improvement I attain important advantages, for by it I am able not only
to accurately determine the amount of flock to be taken up by the cloth to obtain
any desirable weight per yard, but to save much if not all the waste of flock
гр.
71

page_text: incident to the old process herein-before mentioned. Furthermore, by my improve-
ment the flock becomes evenly distributed over and combined with the inner
surface of the cloth.
Another mode of insulating one surface of a piece of cloth may be effected by
sewing or affixing thereto another or like piece of cloth or a water or flock proof
sheet, the two being sewed or otherwise properly connected at their edges and ends,
and the flock being inserted within the bag thus formed.
I claim as my Invention the improvement substantially as described in the art of
flocking cloth by means of a fulling mill, such consisting in employing the flock
within a bag or tube composed as set forth in whole or in part of the cloth, and
subjecting such bag or tube and the flock therein to the action of such fulling mill,
all essentially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Horatio Nelson Slater, have hereto set my
hand and seal this Twentieth day of December 1875.