IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ORNAMENTAL FABRICS SUITABLE FOR BOOKBINDING AND OTHER USES, AND IN MACHINES EMPLOYED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Walton, of Haughton Dale, Denton, near
Manchester, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF ORNAMENTAL FABRICS SUITABLE FOR BOOKBINDING AND OTHER USES, AND IN
MACHINES EMPLOYED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE,"
Sealed the 20th January 1860, and dated the 4th August 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Walton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th August 1859.
1, FREDERICK WALTON, of Haughton Dale, Denton, near Mauchester, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF ORNAMENTAL FABRICS SUITABLE FOR BOOKBINDING AND
USES, AND IN MACHINES EMPLOYED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the inanufacture of
ornamental fabrics suitable for bookbinding and other uses, aud in machines
employed in such manufacture. For this purpose a woven fabric or a strong
paper is coated on its surface with an elastic composition of such a nature
that when it sets it may leave thefabric sufficiently pliable. This composition
is applied in a stiff state, so as well to fill the pores of the fabric, and it is
mixed with pigments to bring it to the color of the ornamental fabric desired;
afterwards a surface of thin paper of the same color is applied to the compo-
sition; and lastly, the compound fabric is varnished and embossed, the
varnish being applied for the purpose of giving to the fabric'a surface suitable
TD 27

page_text: for receiving the embossing, and also to harden and waterproof the surface.
In some cases I print on the surface of the composition applied to the woven
fabric, and cover the designs so printed on the composition with thin paper,
which is rendered transparent by the varnish afterwards applied to it, or the
designs may be printed on the thin paper applied over the compositions. In
place of thin paper, thin fibrous webs, formed by cementing together thin
layers of fibre, inay in some cases be employed. The varnish may, if it be
preferred, be applied after the fabric has been embossed; or for the manu-
facture of some descriptions of fabrics the embossing may be omitted.
In manufacturing fabrics such as above described, I employ a machine
consisting of a pair of rollers, round one of which the sheet of woven fabric
or strong paper to form the base of the ornamental fabric is passed, and
round the other the sheet of thin paper or the fibrous web to form the face of
the said fabric. Between these two rollers the composition is fed, so that
there issues from the rollers a compound fabric, consisting of the woven
fabric or strong paper foundation cemented by the composition to the face of
thin paper or fibrous web. Inimediately in advance of the rollers a rotatory
brush applies varnish to the face of the fabric, which then passes over a
drying cylinder to the embossing or calendering rollers. Or, in place of this
arrangement, the foundation and face fabrics may be made to pass the one
round one of the embossing or calendering rollers, and the other round the
other, the composition being fed in between the two rollers. When this
arrangement is employed, the face fabric is coated with varnish before it is
brought in contact with the composition; with this exception, the entire
process is effected by the embossing or calendering rollers, and the fabric
passes away from them in a finished state.
Another part of my Invention applies to the manufacture of glaxed fabrics
such as are commonly used for bookbinding, and also for hangings and fur-
niture. These fabrics, as heretofore manufactured, are liable to be damaged
by moisture, which destroys the glaze; to obviate this I coat such fabrics
with a waterproof varnish applied over the stiffening material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Walton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th February 1860.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Frederick Walton, Her specialjlicence that I, the said Frederick Walton, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick
Walton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time aud at 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
THE MANUFACTURE OF ORNAMENTAL FABRICS SUITABLE FOR BOOKBINDING AND OTHER
USES, AND IN MACHINES EMPLOYED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Frederick Walton, 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 performed,
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 Frederick Walton, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of orna-
mental fabrics suitable for bookbinding and other uses, and in machines
employed in such manufacture. For this purpose a woven fabric or a strong
paper is coated on its surface with a plastic composition of such a nature that
when it sets it may leave the fabric sufficiently pliable. This composition is
applied in a stiff state, so as well to fill the pores of the fabric, and it is mixed
with pigments to bring it to the color of the ornamental fabric desired;
afterwards a surface of thin paper of the same color is applied to the compo-
sition; and lastly, the compound fabric is varnished and embossed, the
varnish being applied for the purpose ofgiving to the fabrica surface suitable
for receiving the embossing, and also to harden and waterproof the surface.
The fabric I usually employ as the base of the fabric is an ordinary stout
calico, and the composition I consider most suitable for the purpose is
composed in the following manner :-Two pounds weight of india-rubber is
dissolved in one gallon of naptha, and there is mixed therewith 5 lbs. of fibre.

page_text: The fibre most suited for the purpose is what is known as fustian-cutter's flock.
This is mixed with the india-rubber solution by means of suitable mixing
apparatus; and there is also added to the composition a pigment or pigments,
or coloring matter, such as are usually employed for coloring india-rubber,
in order to bring the composition as nearly as may be to the color the fabric
is to have when finished. The thin paper employed to form the surface of the
fabric should be unsized, and of the color which it is desired to give to the
surface of the fabric.
a
In order to produce a fabric from these materials it is preferred to employ :
machine consisting of a pair of rollers, round one of which there is passed the
sheet of woven fabric or strong paper to form the base of the ornamental
fabric, and round the other the sheet of paper or the fibrous web to form the
face of the said fabric. Between these two rollers the composition is fed, so
that there issues from the rollers a compound fabric, consisting of the woven
fabric or strong paper foundation cemented by the composition to the face of
thin paper or fibrous web. This fabric passes over a drying cylinder to the
embossing calendering rollers.
The annexed Drawing shows a machine such as above described. a and b
are two rollers, of which the upper one a is carried in fixed bearings on the
frame C₁ aud the lower roller bis carried in bearings 61, which are capable of
sliding in guides in the frame. The bearings are each supported in the
guides by a screw d, and by these screws the surface of the roller b may be set
up to any required distance from that of the roller a. e and are two smaller
rollers, the distances of which from the roller a is also capable of adjustment
by screws. is a small drum, on which the thin paper to form the surface of
the fabric is wound. h is a sheet of calico or stout paper, which is led to the
machine from a roller overhead. In the space between the roller a and the
roller e the composition is placed as is shown at and guards, not shown
in the Drawing,are provided to prevent the escape of the composition at the ends
of the rollers. The roller a is driven at a surface speed of about six feet per
minute, and by the motion of this roller and the fabric over it the composition
is drawn down in a sheet between the two rollers; the roller serves to
equalize the thickness of the sheet of composition. This sheet, with the fabric ḥ,
and the paper from the small drum g, pass between the rollers a and b, and
the whole is, thus made into one fabric, which then passes away round the
roller j to the drum k. This drum is kept heated by steam admitted to its
interior through its axes, which are hollow. I is an embossing roller; its
surface has formed on it the pattern which it is desired to produce on the
fabric, the raised and depressed parts of the pattern being, however, reversed

page_text: on the roller; this roller is driven at the same surface speed as the roller a,
or it
may be very slightly in excess of this speed, so as to keep the fabric
tightly strained as it passes from the rollers a and b to the steam drum. mis
a small roller, round which the fabric is led as it passes from the machine.
Varnish is afterwards applied to the surface of the fabric, either by means of a
revolving brush, or as, on the whole, I prefer by hand. Any varnish which
produces a hard, flexible, and transparent film may be employed for this
purpose; copal and amber are suitable. If it is desired to obtain a very
sharp embossing, I substitute a plain roller for the roller 1, and afterwards,
when the coating of varnish is hard, I pass the fabric through embossing
rollers, which are warned, but should not be hot enough to soften the varnish.
In some cases I omit the embossing of the fabric.
In place of the arrangement of the machinery above described, the foundation
and face fabrics may be made to pass the one round one of the embossing or
calendering rollers, and the other round the other, the composition being fed
in between the two rollers. When this arrangement is employed the face
fabric is by preference coated with varnish before it is brought in contact with
the composition. Care should, however, be taken to prevent the varnish
penetrating to the back of the paper, which would render it difficult to make
it adhere to the composition. With this exception, the entire process is
effected by the embossing or calendering rollers, and the fabric passes away
from them in a finished state. In place of thin paper, thin fibrous webs,
formed by cementing together thin layers of fibre, may in some cases be
employed. A thin layer of fibre, such as a very thin bath or fleece from a
carding engine, cemented together by resinous cement, may be employed in
this manner, but paper is much preferable.
What I claim is the manufacture of ornamental fabrics suitable for book-
binding and other uses in the manner and by the compound processes herein
described, and also the arrangement of machinery for this purpose as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Walton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixtv.
FREDERICK WALTON. (L.S.)