IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC FABRICS OR GARMENTS
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Samuel Shaw Brown at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th November
1862.
I, SAMUEL SHAW BROWN, of Ellesmere Works, Runcorn, in the County of
Chester, Manufacturer of Elastic Fabrics, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC FABRICS
OR GARMENTS," to be as follows:-
I move the face of the framework knitting machine over its arch, then lay
a thread of cotton, silk, or other material (supplied from beneath) across the
needles, and fix an ordinary jack or point machine to work in front of the
frame; I then lay the points of the jack or point machine across every
alternate needle, press the points down so as to cover the beards of the said
needles, drawing the jacks and sinking the frame so as to divide the loops
made by the jacks, and bring the work to the needle beards, throwing the face
of the frame upwards and backwards, after which I raise the points so as to
enable the india-rubber or elastic thread to be drawn between the loops on
the points and the loops on the needles; I then lay the elastic thread
between the loops on the points and the loops on the needles, after which
I bring the sinkers to the needle heads, and then over the arch. Whilst
going over the arch I remove the loops from the points, placing them
upon the needles which the points pressed down, whilst the jacks were
drawn, or upon the adjoining needle when a change of pattern is required;
I then remove the points from the sinkers, and place the frame ready
for forming another set of loops in the following manner:-I supply a

page_text: thread of silk or other suitable material to produce the best side or outer
surface of the fabric or garment, and place the said thread across the needles,
then draw the jacks and sink the frame face at the back of the needles to
divide the loops and bring them to the needle heads, throwing the framework
upwards and backwards, and leaving the thread in the needle heads; I now
press down with the needle presser all the needle beards, and bring the back
loops to the needle heads, moving the frame so as to bring the sinkers over
the arch and be ready to form another set of loops. The set of movements
first described for laying in the elastic thread must now be repeated and
followed by the movements just described, and each set of movements worked
alternately throughout the process of manufacturing the fabric or garment.
When a less quantity of elastic thread is required the movements last described
may be worked twice or more times, whilst the first described movements are
worked once, but the best fabric is produced when the said movements are
worked alternately.
By the aforesaid Invention I produce an elastic fabric or garment by
combining threads of india-rubber or elastic material with threads of cotton,
silk, flax, or other material in or upon the stocking frame, or any other
machine used for knitting hosiery to which a jack or point machine may be
used, working the different kinds of materials so that each surface of fabric or
garment shall be composed of a different kind or quality of material, thus
enabling me to have the best material on the outside of the fabric or garment,
and the inferior material on the inside.