IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING OR MACHINE THREADS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Frederick Dawson, of Bradford, in the County of
York, Worsted Spinner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING OR
MACHINE THREADS."
Sealed the 15th February 1878, and dated the 5th October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Frederick Dawson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th October 1877.
GEORGE FREDERICK DAWSON, of Bradford, in the County of York, Worsted
Spinner. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING OR MACHINE THREADS."
My Invention consists in the production of a sewing or machine thread made
from China grass, whereby thread is produced of great strength, which has a lustrous
appearance, at a comparatively less cost, and in appearance possessing a close
resemblance to thread made from silk.
In the process of producing flax thread, the fibre is prepared by gilling, and spun
thro' water with the gum in it, whereas in my improvement the fibre is manipu-
lated in an entirely different manner.
The gum is extracted before any process of preparing or spinning is resorted to.
I also comb the fibre instead of the usual mode of gilling, by which processes a
white or bleached yarn is produced from the frame direct on to the bobbin, thus
avoiding the necessity, as in the case of flax thread, of bleaching in the yarn, a
process which makes the thread tender.
By extraction of the gum in the first instance I am enabled to attain finer shade
in colour, the dyes having in all cases a white ground to unite with; the yarn is
also more perfect in roundness, more even in thickness, more lustrous, better colour,
and stronger than that hitherto produced out of rhea or China grass, in consequence
of the presence of the gum necessitating the process of gilling, a treatment which
could not give to the yarn the regularity attained by combing.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Frederick Dawson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th April 1878.
GEORGE FREDERICK DAWSON, of Bradford, in the County of York, Worsted
Spinner. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING AND MACHINE THREAD."
My Invention consists in the production of a sewing or machine thread made
from ramie fibre or China grass, whereby thread is produced of great strength,
which has a lustrous appearance at a comparatively less cost, and in appearance
possessing a close resemblance to thread made from silk.
In the process of producing flax thread, the fibre is prepared by gilling, and spun
through water with the gum in the fibre, whereas in my improvement the fibre is
manipulated in an entirely different manner.
Instead of the usual mode of gilling, the gum is extracted from the fibre before
any process of preparing or spinning is resorted to. I comb the fibre and pass the
same through gill roving machines, similar to the treatment of silk, and then spin
the fibre on frames used for worsted, after which the thread is twisted into two or
three fold, according to the strength required, and passed through a polishing
machine in order to lay the loose fibres close to the body of the thread; by manipu-
lating the yarn in the manner described, a white or bleached yarn is produced from
the frame on to the bobbin, thus avoiding the necessity, as in the case of flax thread,
of bleaching the fibre after it has been prepared and spun into yarn, a process which
makes the thread tender.
By the extraction of the gum from the fibre before it is manipulated upon by the
spinning machinery, I am enabled to obtain finer shades in color, the dyes having
in all cases a white bleached ground to unite with. The yarn manufactured by my
process is more perfect in roundness, more even in thickness, more lustrous, a
better color, and stronger than that hitherto produced out of ramie fibre or China
grass, in consequence of the presence of gum in the fibre which necessitates the
process of gilling, a treatment which could not give to the yarn the same regularity
in roundness and thickness I am enabled to attain by the extraction of the gum and
combing the fibre.
I claim as my Invention the manufacturing of sewing thread made from ramie
fibre or China grass, substantially in the manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Frederick Dawson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Signed and sealed in the
presence of
JOHN WAUGH,
29, Tyrrel Street,
Bradford,
Yorks.
GEORGE FREDERICK DAWSON. (L.S.)