IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLE CLOTHS AND HORSE CLOTHING AND BLANKETS, AND IN PONCHOS OR OTHER COVERINGS FOR MAN AND BEAST
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLE CLOTHS AND
HORSE CLOTHING AND BLANKETS, AND IN PONCHOS OR OTHER COVERINGS FOR
MAN AND BEAST."-A communication from abroad by Robert Spencer,
of the City of New York, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 7th February 1871, and dated the 18th October 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 18th October 1870.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLE CLOTHS AND
HORSE CLOTHING AND BLANKETS, AND IN PONCHOS OR OTHER COVERINGS FOR MAN AND
BEAST," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel mode of manufacturing the above-
mentioned articles of felt instead of woven fabrics as is now usually the
case.
The Invention further relates to a mode of rendering such articles
waterproof.

page_text: The objects of the Invention are to effect an economy in the manu-
facture of the articles and at the same time to produce better and more
durable articles than heretofore. Saddle cloths have sometimes been
made of felted fabrics, but felts of considerable and even thickness
throughout have always been employed in order that the cloth should be
of sufficient strength throughout and of suitable thickness to form a pad
under the saddle.
The first improvement (as relates to saddle cloths) consists in making
these articles of a graduated thickness, that is to say, the part which
forms the pad (and is covered by the seat of the saddle) is made thick
by the introduction (during the manufacture of the fabric) of a stuffing
of cattle hair, shoddy, or other cheap material between the bats of
felt which form the outsides or surface of the fabric. The flaps or other
parts of the saddle cloth are made much thinner and lighter than
heretofore, and of course much thinner than the pad or central part, and
therefore there will be an economy of material. Saddle cloths made in
this manner will be much more comfortable in warm climates than the
ordinary ones, and less liable to gall or chafe the horse's back, as the
pad will be more elastic than heretofore. Horse blankets, and clothing,
ponchos, and other coverings for man or beast are also made of felted
fabrics, but in order to strengthen them, as they must necessarily be
made of a lighter material than the saddle cloths, and in order further-
more to render them waterproof, it is proposed to make these articles of
two thicknesses of thin felt, between which is placed a light open woven
or knitted fabric which is to be coated on both sides with a solution of
india-rubber or other waterproof material, and while this solution is in a
sticky state it should be laid on one sheet of felt and covered by the
other. The three ply fabric should then be submitted to pressure in
order that the three plies should be combined so as to form one compound
fabric. For horse blankets and some other articles which do not require
shaping to fit the body it will only be necessary to cut up the fabric into
the proper form and stitch or bind the edges, but for some of the articles
of horse clothing it may be necessary to shape the article by stretching
or straining it over a former or block while in a damp state. The fabric
thus made may be printed on both sides with different patterns so that
the article when made may be reversible.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th April 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 SADDLE CLOTHS AND HORSE CLOTHING AND BLANKETS, AND
IN PONCHOS OR OTHER COVERINGS FOR MAN AND BEAST," being a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Robert Spencer, of the City of New
York, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 William Edward Newton, 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 (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to a novel mode of manufacturing saddle cloths
and horse clothing, and also blankets, ponchos, or other coverings for
man and beast of felt instead of woven fabrics as is now usually the
case.

page_text: The Invention further relates to a mode of rendering suen
waterproof.
The objects of the Invention are to effect an economy in the manu-
facture of the articles and at the same time to produce better and more
durable articles than heretofore. Saddle cloths have sometimes been
nade of felted fabrics, but felts of considerable and even thickness
throughout have always been employed in order that the cloth should
be of sufficient strength throughout and of suitable thickness to form a
pad under the saddle.
The first improvement (as relates to saddle cloths) consists in making
these articles of a graduated thickness, that is to say, the part which
forms the pad (and is covered by the seat of the saddle) is made thick
by the introduction (during the manufacture of the fabric) of an addi-
tional quantity of material or of a stuffing of cattle hair, shoddy, or other
cheap material between the bats of felt which form the outsides or
surface of the fabric. The flaps or other parts of the saddle cloth are
made much thinner and lighter than heretofore, and of course much
thinner than the pad or central part, and therefore there will be an
economy of material in the manufacture. Saddle cloths made in this
manner will be much more comfortable in warm climates than the
ordinary ones, and less liable to gall or chafe the horse's back, as the
pad will be more elastic than heretofore in consequence of the increased
thickness of that part of the cloth which receives the saddle.
In carrying out my Invention I manufacture the felt in the manner
set forth in the Specification accompanying an application for Letters
Patent filed by me the Thirty-first day of December One thousand eight
hundred and seventy, for "Improvements in the Manufacture of Felted
Fabrics, and in the Machinery or Apparatus employed therein." In the
said Specification I have stated that the rollers employed in the felting
operation are hollowed out at the middle so as to admit of an additional
quantity of fibre being worked up at that part in order to thicken such
I would how-
part which forms the pad or part to receive the saddle.
ever observe that although it has been found in practice that the
graduated felted fabric may be made with facility and convenience in
the manner set forth in the Specification accompanying my application
for Letters Patent as aforesaid, I do not intend to limit myself to such
mode of manufacture. Horse blankets and clothing, ponchos, and other
coverings for man or beast are also made of felted fabrics, but they do

page_text: not require to be made of graduated thickness like the saddle cloths or
pads. In order, however, to strengthen them (as they must necessarily
be made of a lighter material than the saddle cloths, and in order
furthermore to render them waterproof) these articles are made of two
thicknesses of thin felt, between which is placed a light open woven or
knitted fabric, which is to be coated on both sides with a solution of
india-rubber or other waterproof material such as boiled oil or oxydized
oil, and while this solution (whatever it may be) is in a sticky state it
should be laid on one sheet of felt and covered by the other. The three-
ply fabric should then be submitted to pressure in order that the three
plies should be combined so as to form one compound fabric. If desired
the rollers, plates, or other devices employed for pressing these fabrics
together may be engraved so as to emboss any desired pattern on the
fabric. For horse blankets and some other articles (which do not
require shaping to fit the body) it will only be necessary to cut up the
fabric into the proper form and stitch or bind the edges, but for some
of the articles of horse clothing it may be necessary to shape the article
by stretching or straining it over a former or block while in a damp
state. As a modification of this mode of manufacturing horse clothing
or blankets the felting materials may be deposited on an openwork
woven or knitted fabric which by felting and fulling will be incor-
porated with the felting materials. When a sufficient quantity of wool
has been deposited on the openwork woven or knitted fabric, and the
felting operation has been completed for one side, the back of the
fabric may be coated with india-rubber solution, and a further quantity
of felting material may be deposited thereon and felted up and finished
in the usual manner so as to form the back of the fabric which will
thus be waterproof. In cases when a waterproof cloth is not required
two light felted fabrics (made by depositing the felting materials on a
light openwork woven or knitted fabric as above set forth) may be
placed back to back and united together by sewing or embroidering
thereon any desired pattern, and as the embroidering or sewing threads
will pass through the two fabrics the pattern will shew on both sides,
the compound fabric will therefore be reversible. The fabrics thus made
may be printed on one or both sides or embossed with any suitable
pattern according to the use for which the fabric or the article to be
made therefrom is to be employed.
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated
ained the

page_text: same into effect I claim, as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent as aforesaid,―
First. Making saddle cloths of felt of graduated thickness as herein
set forth.
Second. The mode or modes herein set forth of making horse clothing,
blankets, ponchos, or other coverings for man and beast of felted
fabrics.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.