IMPROVE- MENTS IN ORNAMENTAL SHEARING OF PILED FABRICS AND APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel of No 28 Southampton Buildings
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ORNAMENTAL SHEARING OF PILED FABRICS AND APPARATUS FOR
THAT PURPOSE" communicated to him from abroad by the firm of Ed. de
Montagnac et Fils of Paris France
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th November 1882.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTAL SHEARING OF PILED
FABRICS AND APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE [communicated to him from
abroad by the firm of Ed. de Montagnac et Fils of Paris France]
"
"
Woollen and other textile fabrics are subjected among other operations to that
of shearing, having for its object to cut to a uniform length the fibres or filaments
previously raised thereon. This operation is of great importance in the manufacture
of velvets more particularly those made according to the well known "Montagnac"
process. Up to the present time the machines employed for this operation called
longitudinal or transverse shearing machines, are arranged to effect a perfectly
regular and uniform shearing. In the transverse shearing machines the speed of
travel of the fabric on the table between the cutter cylinder and the fixed blade,
and the speed of the cutter cylinder are so calculated that no part of the fabric can
pass without being acted upon over its entire width except the salvages. Some-
times perforated plates have been interposed between the fabric and the shearing
blades, but this can only produce continuous longitudinal streaks on its surface.
This invention consists in so applying perforated plates and combining their move-
ment with that of the fabric as to produce novel ornamental effects in the following
various ways. By giving the fabric as it travels onwards subject to the shearing
action a to and fro movement transversely whilst a perforated plate remains
stationary interposed between the fabric and the cutters, the surface of the fabric
[Price 6d 1

page_text: is made to present zig zag or undulating streaks. The reciprocating motion of the
fabric for this purpose may be most conveniently produced by mounting in slides
the table over which the fabric passes, and causing it to reciprocate by means
of a revolving crank, eccentric or cam driven by gearing from the shearing
cylinder.
Again by giving the perforated plate a continuous transverse movement to the
one hand a series of diagonal streaks inclined one way can be produced, and by a
succeeding operation a series of streaks inclined the other way can be produced, the
two sets of diagonal streaks crossing each other as a chequered pattern. The per-
forated plate, which is a thin flexible strip, is for this purpose attached to an endless
chain moved by gearing from the shearing mechanism.
The transverse motion of the fabric or of the perforated plate instead of being
continuous may be intermittent, and thus patterns are produced shewing separate
spots on the fabric
Finally the fabric and the perforated plate may both be moved transversely
either with reciprocating continuous or intermittent motions, and thus a variety of
effects can be produced, which may be farther varied by altering the velocity of the
shearing cylinder relatively to that of the table or of the perforated plate.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th May
1883.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in
the county of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTAL SHEARING OF PILED
FABRICS AND APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE " A communication to me from
abroad by the firm of Ed. de Montagnac et fils of Paris, France.
Woollen and other textile fabrics are subjected, among other operations, to that
of shearing, having for its object to cut to a uniform length the fibres or filaments
previously raised thereon. This operation is of great importance in the manufacture
of velvets, more particularly those according to the well known Montagnac
process. Up to the present time, the machines employed for this operation, called
longitudinal or transverse shearing machines, are arranged to effect a perfectly
regular and uniform shearing. In the transverse shearing machines the speed of
travel of the fabric on the table between the cutter cylinder and the fixed blade,
and the speed of the cutter cylinder are so calculated that no part of the fabric can
pass without being acted upon over its entire width except the selvages. Some-
times, perforated plates have been interposed between the fabric and the shearing
blades, but this can only produce continuous longitudinal streaks on its surface.
This invention consists in so applying perforated plates and combining their move-
ment with that of the fabric as to produce novel ornamental effects in the following
various ways. By giving the fabric, as it travels onward, subject to the shearing
action, a to and fro movement transversely whilst a perforated plate remains
stationary interposed between the fabric and the cutters, the surface of the fabric
is made to present zig-zag or undulating streaks as indicated at A A' on the accom-
panying drawing. The reciprocating motion of the fabric for this purpose may be
most conveniently produced by mounting in slides the table over which the fabric
passes, and causing it to reciprocate by means of a revolving crank, eccentric or cam
driven by gearing from the shearing cylinder.
Again, by giving the perforated plate a continuous transverse movement to the
one hand, a series of diagonal streaks inclined one way can be produced, and by a
succeeding operation a series of streaks inclined the other way can be produced, the
two sets of diagonal streaks crossing each other as a chequered pattern as indicated
at B B' on the drawings. The perforated plate which is a thin flexible strip, is for
this purpose attached to an endless chain moved by gearing from the shearing
mechanism. The transverse motion of the fabric or of the perforated plate, instead
of being continuous, may be intermittent, and thus patterns are produced shewing
separate spots on the fabric as indicated at C.
Finally, the fabric and the perforated plate may both be moved transversely,
either with reciprocating, continuous or intermittent motions, and thus a variety of
effects can be produced which may be farther varied by altering the velocity of the
shearing cylinder relatively to that of the table or of the perforated plate,
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
On the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figs 1, 2 and 3 shew in side view,
front view and plan the arrangement of apparatus for obtaining undulated or
serpentine designs, as before described. In the usual arrangement, the table a
which supports the fabric is fixed in position by a rack, after being adjusted
according to the size of the fabric and the margins to be left. The fabric, bearing
against the stop of the table, slides between the fixed blade b and the cutter
cylinder c which cut the pile of the fabric. According to the present invention, the

page_text: table a has a transverse to-and fro motion imparted to it, for which purpose it is
connected to a rod d having a stud e engaging with the helical groove of a cylinder
or cam f revolving underneath the table and mounted on a shaft g rotated by a
chain and chain wheel hi from the driving shaft of the machine, or it may be
driven by band. Between the fabric and the cutter cylinder care interposed the
perforated plates 7, formed of copper bands having small longitudinal openings, and
secured to two canvas bands m and n attached to wood laths provided with points
and fixed, the one to the cutter block b, and the other to the framing k of the
machine. The solid parts of the plates or bands protect the parts of the fabric
which they cover from the action of the cutters, which only operate on those
portions left exposed by the apertures. As the fabric with the table have a lateral
to and fro motion imparted to them while the fabric, at the same time, travels
along, it follows that undulated or serpentine designs will be cut thereon, as at
A A¹, these designs being capable of great variation, according to the speed of
travel and size and configuration of the openings of the plate.
Figs 4, 5 and 6 shew the arrangement of apparatus for producing the diagonal
or crossed designs before described. For imparting the requisite motion to the
perforated metal band / it is attached to a pitch chain r, by means of which it is
moved first in one direction and then in the other, either continuously or inter-
mittently. The chain gears with a pitch wheel S on a shaft driven from the driving
shaft of the machine either by a pitch chain or otherwise.
By this motion of the perforated band, certain parts of the fabric are protected
in continuous lines from the action of the cutters, producing the diagonal designs
shewn at B. If, after causing the band to travel from right to left, it is made to
travel from left to right, opposite diagonal lines will be produced, resulting in a
crossed design as at B. For producing intermittent or spotted designs, as at C, the
to and fro motion of the table is dispensed with, the speed of the cutter cylinder
being merely reduced at intervals for this purpose.
Having thus described the nature of the said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, I
claim―
First Producing sheared designs on piled fabrics by imparting to the fabrio and
the table supporting the same a lateral to and fro motion as the fabric travels
beneath the cutters, a perforated metal plate being at the same time interposed
between the cutters and the fabric substantially as herein described.
Second: Producing sheared designs on piled fabrics by imparting to a perforated
plate, interposed between the fabric and the cutters, a transverse motion, as the
fabric travels in a longitudinal direction beneath it, substantially as herein
described.
Third: Producing intermittent or spotted sheared designs on piled fabrics by
varying the speed of the cutter cylinder, in combination with the use of a perforated
metal plate interposed between the cutters and the fabric substantially as herein
described.
Fourth The construction of machinery or apparatus for producing sheared
designs on piled fabrics combined and operating as herein described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
In Witness whereof I the said Charles Denton Abel have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty eighth day of May in the year of our Lord, one
thousand, eight hundred and eighty three.