IMPROVEMENTS IN JACQUARD APPARATUS, AND IN THE PATTERN SURFACES OF SUCH APPARATUS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN JACQUARD
APPARATUS, AND IN THE PATTERN SURFACES OF SUCH APPARATUS." -A con-
munication
Sealed the 2nd March 1858, and dated 10th September 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
September 1857.
1, WILLIAM CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, En-
gineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN JACQUARD APPARATUS, AND IN THE PATTERN SURFACES OF SUCH APPARATUS," to
be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to produce a substitute for the ordinary
cards of jacquard apparatus, which, as well understood, are pierced cards united
by lacing, forming a chain of cards; as a substitute for this chain of cards I
render paper waterproof by means of a suitable preparation, this paper is
pierced like the ordinary cardboard, is continuous, and being quite flexible
obviates any necessity for laced joints to effect continuity of the pattern, which
gives rise to economy in the cost, and in the weight of substance employed.
The difficulties in the use of paper for this purpose are of various kinds :-
First, the clearness and perfection of the piercing is difficult to obtain on
a body of such slight material as paper.
Secondly, the hygrometrical action of the air, which contracts or extends this

page_text: substance whilst the pierced cylinder remains unaltered, which deranges the
piercing even in ordinary cards.
Thirdly, the difficulty in applying the paper to the pierced cylinder.
Fourthly and lastly, the pressure of the needles on the pattern surface,
which sometimes pierces the cards of the ordinary jacquard apparatus.
The means employed by the Inventor in order to overcome these difficulties
constitute the features of this Invention, he therefore claims the exclusive
privilege of the use of these means, either in combination or singly, in the
application of paper as a substitute for the cards of the jacquard apparatus.
The means thus determined are,-
.
Firstly, in order to obtain the neatness of piercing, I substitute for the ordi-
nary punches, punches having the form of a double bevilled cutting edge.
Secondly, in order to avoid the hygrometrical action of the air, I cover the
paper, either during or after its manufacture, with a waterproof coating, such
as india-rubber dissolved in its solvents having that property, or any other
resinous matter dissolved in oils or essences, with the addition of a little wax,
in order to make it adhere; this coating is deposited uniformly or otherwise.
This coated paper may be covered with bands of a double thickness of paper
where the driving pegs of the cylinder enter it.
Thirdly, in order to apply the paper against the pierced cylinder, I employ
a small board superposed on the cylinder; this small board has grooves or
recesses corresponding with pedonnes or driving pegs; it is held against the
cylinder by springs which are strong enough to hold it, but nevertheless suffi-
ciently elastic so as not to offer too great a resistance to the movement of the
cylinder, the paper is thus held between the small board and cylinder, and
cannot ascend when this latter presses it against the needles.
Fourthly, in order that the pressure of the needles on the paper shall be as
little as possible, yet at the same time sufficient for the purpose, I employ a
case or tube to enclose the spring or elastic presser of the needles. This tube
encloses the spiral or elastic spring; it is closed at the end to which the needle
is applied, and open at the other extremity, and has two longitudinal slots
serving to pass the pin which holds the spring, this tubes slides freely on the
spring. By the use of these tubes the springs need have only just sufficient
force to sustain the needle without being such as to damage the card or paper,
as in its case it cannot be deflected or bent, while the ordinary springs with-
out cases or parts to keep them straight must have sufficient resistance of
themselves to prevent their bending or doubling up, this resistance is the
cause of a rapid deterioration of the pattern cards, and an obstacle to the use
of paper.

page_text: These various improvements, used either in combination or separately, con-
stitute this Invention, and permit of the application of paper to all kinds of
jacquard apparatus by the addition of the small board for its application to
the perforated cylinder, and the substitution of eucased elastics or springs for
ordinary elastics or springs.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, .filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th March 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, .send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and all times. thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN JACQUARD
APPARATUS, AND IN THE PATTERN SURFACES OF SUCH. APPARATUS," a communi-
cation, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Clark,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office. within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
The object of this Invention is to produce a substitute for the ordinary
cards of jacquard apparatus, which, as well understood, are pierced cards united

page_text: by lacing, forming a chain of cards; as a substitute for this chain of cards I
render paper waterproof by means of a suitable preparation, this paper is
pierced like the ordinary cardboard, is continuous, and being quite flexible
obviates any necessity for laced joints to effect continuity of the pattern, which
gives rise to economy in the cost of manufacture, and in the weight of the
substance employed.
The difficulties in the use of paper for this purpose are of various kinds :-
First, the clearness and perfection of the piercing is difficult to obtain on a
body of such slight material as paper.
Secondly, the hygrometrical action of the air contracts or extends this
substance, while the pierced cylinder remains unaltered, which deranges the
piercing even in ordinary cards.
Thirdly, the difficulty in applying the paper to the pierced cylinder.
Fourthly and lastly, the pressure of the needles on the pattern surfaces,
which sometimes pierce the cards of the ordinary jacquard apparatus.
The means employed, according to this Invention, in order to overcome
these difficulties constitute the features of improvement. The means employed
are,―
First, in order to obtain the requisite neatness of piercing, instead of the
ordinary punches, I substitute punches having the form of a double bevilled
cutting edge, represented in Fig. 1 of the Drawings annexed.
Secondly, in order to prevent the hygrometrical action of the air, I cover
the paper, either during or after its manufacture, with a waterproof coating,
such as india-rubber dissolved in its solvents having that property, or any other
resinous matter dissolved in oils or essences, with the addition of a little wax,
in order to make it adhere; this coating is deposited uniformly or otherwise.
This coated paper may be covered with bands or strips of a double thickness
of paper at the place where the driving pegs of the cylinder enter it.
Thirdly, in order to apply the paper against the pierced cylinder, I employ
a small board a, superposed on the cylinder, as represented in the Figures 2
& 3 of the Drawings; this small board has grooves or recesses correspond-
ing with the pedonnes or driving pegs b; it is held against the cylinder by
springs c, c, which are strong enough to hold it, but nevertheless sufficiently
elastic so as not to offer too great a resistance to the movement of the cylinder;
the paper is thus held between the small board a and cylinder d, and cannot
ascend when the latter presses it against the needles o.
Fourthly, in order that the pressure of the needles on the paper shall be as
slight as possible, yet at the same time sufficient for the purpose, I employ a
case or tube to enclose the spring or elastic presser of the needles. This tube

page_text: p encloses the spiral or elastic spring r, it is closed at the end to which the
needle o is applied, and open at the other extremity, and has two longitudinal
slots s, serving to pass the cross pin which pin retains the spring; this tube
slides freely on the spring. By the use of these tubes the spring r need have
only just sufficient force to sustain the needle without being such as to damage
the card or paper, as in its case it cannot be deflected or bent, while the
ordinary springs without cases or parts to keep them straight must have
sufficient resistance of themselves to prevent their bending or doubling up,
this resistance is the cause of a rapid deterioration of the pattern cards and an
obstacle to the use of paper.
These various improvements, which may be used either in combination or
separately, constitute this Invention, and permit of the application of paper to
all kinds of jacquard apparatus, by the addition of the small board for its
application to the perforated cylinder, and the substitution of encased elastics
or springs for ordinary elastics or springs.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that I claim, as the Invention to be secured by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent,-
First, the use of endless paper, rendered hydrofugous or waterproof,
applied to jacquard apparatus, as herein-before described.
Secondly, the use of punches having a double bevilled cutting edge for
piercing the paper pattern surfaces of jacquard apparatus, as represented in
the Drawings, & herein-before described.
Thirdly, the mode herein-before described of applying the paper against the
cylinder, and producing the effects herein-before mentioned.
Fourthly, the mode herein-before described of effectuating the pressure of
the needles applied against the pattern surfaces, and producing the effects
herein-before mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
W. G. E. SWINNOCK.
W. CLARK. (L.S.)