IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPA- RATUS FOR SHRINKING TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Jamieson and Henry Collins, both of Salford,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPA-
RATUS FOR SHRINKING TEXTILE FABRICS."
Sealed the 11th May 1877, and dated the 14th March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Jamieson and Henry
Collins at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th March 1877.
EDWARD JAMIESON and HENRY COLLINS, both of Salford, in the County of Lan-
caster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR SHRINKING TEXTILE FABRICS."
The object of this Invention is the more effectual shrinking of woollen, cotton,
linen, and other textile fabrics, whereby the same shall be less liable to shrink after
being made up into garments than when treated in the ordinary manner.
Now this Invention consists in submitting such fabrics in the piece to the action
of steam in such a manner that the whole length of the piece shall be equally acted
upon by the steam, for which purpose we arrange an enclosed chamber with a series
of parallel laths or rods at the upper part, and over and between which laths or rods
the fabric is suspended loosely, so that when steam is admitted to such chamber,
either from any convenient steam supply or from a boiler placed within the steam
chamber, and heated by gas or otherwise, the steam finds ready and equal access to
all parts of the piece.
It will thus be apparent that in accordance with this Invention the whole piece,
being suspended loosely in the steam chamber, is free to shrink to any desired extent
under the direct action of the steam.
Upon removing such fabric from the steam chamber we at once roll it together
whilst in its heated state, and thus permit it to dry itself, after which it will be
found to be permanently and effectually shrunk.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Jamieson and Henry Collins in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th September 1877.
EDWARD JAMIESON and HENRY COLLINS, both of Salford, in the County of Lan-
caster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR SHRINKING TEXTILE FABRICS."
The object of this Invention is the more effectual shrinking of woollen, cotton,
linen, and other textile fabrics, whereby the same shall be less liable to shrink after
being made up into garments than when treated in the ordinary manner.
Now this Invention consists in submitting such fabrics in the piece to the action
of steam in such a manner that the whole length of the piece shall be equally acted
upon by the steam, for which purpose we arrange an enclosed chamber with a series
of parallel laths or rods at the upper part, and over and between which laths or rods
the fabric is suspended loosely, so that when steam is admitted to such chamber,
either from any convenient steam supply or from a boiler placed within the steam
chamber, and heated by gas or otherwise, the steam finds ready and equal access to
all parts of the piece.
And in order that this our said Invention may be the more readily seen and
understood, we have hereunto annexed a Drawing illustrating our improvements.
Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section, and Fig. 2 an end sectional view of our
improved apparatus for shrinking textile fabrics, and arranged in the outward form
of a shop counter or tailor's cutting-out table; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the steami
boiler and water cistern seen in Figs. 1 and 2.
In all the views, which are drawn to a scale of about 1'/, inches to the foot, the
same letters of reference are used to denote similar parts.
A is the counter top or table, and B the framework of the same, enclosing a
rectangular space C in the inside, which forms the steaming chamber. The
necessary supply of steam to this chamber may be introduced from the outside from
any convenient source, but for shop and general purposes we prefer to use the con-
struction of boiler shewn upon the Drawing, and which is conveniently disposed at
the far end of the chamber; this boiler D consists of a combustion chamber E sur-
rounded by a water space F, and communicating with a central tube or flue Gat
the front, through the upward extension E' of such combustion chamber, and at the
back through the tubes H and I, which each extend horizontally through the water
space, as seen in Fig. 3, and terminate in the central tube, thus materially increasing
the heating surface of the boiler.
The central flue G, after leaving the boiler, passes through the water supply
cistern J, and then opens into a purifying chamber K, which is provided with a per-
forated division L, upon which is laid a layer of vegetable charcoal through which
the products of combustion in passing are rendered innocuous, and in that state are
permitted to escape through the elbow M into the outer atinosphere. This boiler is
kept supplied with water from the supply cistern J through the pipe N, such supply
being regulated by the float O being connected to the lever P or handle of the
cock Q, and the height or level of such water in the boiler is indicated by the glass
water gauge tube R.
S is the steam pipe, which rises from the top of the boiler and then descends to
the bottom of the steam chamber C, where it extends along the whole length, as
illustrated, and is perforated so as to convey steam equally to all parts of the interior
of the steam chamber.
The boiler is by preference heated by Bunsen gas burners introduced into the
combustion chamber E, and which are accessible for lighting through the hinged
flap or door T.
The products of combustion follow the direction of the arrows, and owing to the
large extent of heating surface presented, the heat given off is almost entirely
absorbed before the products pass through the purifying chamber.
U, U, are rails running along the inside of the steaming chamber C, and near the

page_text: top, as seen more clearly in Fig. 2; these rails support a series of laths or rods V,
which are capable of sliding along the rails U, being guided thereon by having
transverse V grooves formed upon their under sides corresponing in shape with the
top of the rails. Over these laths or rods V the piece of cloth or other fabric
requiring to undergo the steaming and shrinking operation is looped or suspended,
as indicated by the dotted lines marked W.
X is a small fall-down door, through the opening of which the laths or rods
carrying the fabric are introduced and withdrawn.
By preference we lay the roll or piece of fabric upon the top of the table A, and
in course of unwinding hang the same in proportionate loops on to the laths or
rods V, which are thus introduced one after another and pushed forward along the
rails U into the chamber until the whole piece is suspended inside, when the door X
is closed, and the steam finds ready and equal access to all parts of the piece.
It will thus be apparent that in accordance with this Invention the whole piece,
being suspended loosely in the steam chamber, is free to shrink to its full extent
under the direct action of the steam.
Upon removing such fabric from the steam chamber we at once roll it together
whilst in its heated state, and thus permit it to dry itself, after which it will be
found to be permanently and effectually shrunk.
Although we have described our improvements as applied to a steaming chamber
having the outward form of a shop counter or cutting-out table, it should be under-
stood that we do not confine ourselves to this outward form, as it may vary according
to the situation in which the apparatus is required to be used.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this our said
Invention, together with the best methods with which we are acquainted for carrying
the same into practical effect, we wish it to be distinctly understood that we do not
confine ourselves to the precise details, relative proportions, or dimensions of the
various parts of the apparatus herein-before described and illustrated on the accom-
panying Drawing, as the same may be considerably varied without departing from
the Invention, and that we claim,-
1st. The method of shrinking textile fabrics in the piece, as herein-before described
and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
2nd. The general construction, combination, and arrangement of apparatus for
shrinking textile fabrics in the piece, as herein-before described and illustrated on
the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Jamieson, for and on behalf of myself
and the said Henry Collins, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 12th
day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and