IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CARPETS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Gower Woodward, of Lesswels, near
Kidderminster, in the County of Worcester, for the Invention of
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Gower
Woodward at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 26th October 1858.
T, GEORGE GOWER WOODWARD, of Lesswels, near Kidderminster, in
the County of Worcester, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CARPETS" to be as
follows:-
My Invention in the manufacture of carpets consists of a novel
combination of threads of worsted or woollen yarn, "flax cotton," or a
mixture of linen, cotton, or silk yarn, to form the warp of pile fabrics
known as Brussels, tapestry, Wilton, and other carpets. The improve-
ments are also applicable to any piled, terry, or looped fabrics, figured

page_text: or woven of various colours in the manner of carpeting. I propose to
use the "self" or single coloured yarns combined with the printed or
parti-coloured yarns, thus having one or more warps of parti-coloured
combined with one or more warps of "self" or single coloured yarns. I
thus obtain a greater variety of colours, and can produce any pattern
desired, either with or without the use of the jacquard engine. The
yarns of the different colours required for the design intended to be
woven are to be wound upon bobbins or warp rollers in the order
in which they are to be used in producing the required woven design.
I propose to dye.or print the parti-coloured yarn. by direct immersion
so as to give it all the brilliancy & durability of "ingrained" colour by
allowing certain portions of the yarn to fall into trays containing the
dye or colouring matter, thus dyeing the yarn throughout of different
colours, the combination of which will produce the intended pattern or
design. The arrangement-of warps herein described does not interfere
with or alter the number of those warps composed of cotton or linen
termed "ground" and "stuffing warps," which form the body and
back of the carpet.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Gower Woodward in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 25th April 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
GEORGE GOWER WOODWARD, of Lesswels, near Kidderminster, in the
County of Worcester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Fer heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said George Gower Woodward,
Her special licence that I, the said George Gower Woodward, my.
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Gower Woodward, my executors, administrators, and assigns,

page_text: should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
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 CARPETS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Gower Woodward, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, 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 George Gower Woodward, do
hereby declare the nature of my 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:
Firstly, my Invention consists of a novel combination of threads of
worsted, woollen yarn, or flax cotton only, or a mixture of linen, cotton,
or silk yarns with worsted or woollen yarns,. to form the warp of pile
fabrics known as Brussels, tapestry, Wilton, and other carpets, appli-
cable also to any piled, terry, or looped fabrics figured or woven of
various colors in the manner of carpeting; viz., I use the "self" or
single colored yarns combined with parti-colored yarns, thus having
one or more warps of the parti-colored combined with one or more
warps of the self or single colored yarns, and I thus obtain an unlimited
number of colors, and can produce any pattern desired, either with or
without the use of the jacquard machine. The yarns of the different
colors required for the design intended to be woven are to be wound
upon bobbins or warp rollers in the order in which they are to be
used in producing the woven design.
Secondly, my Invention consists of a novel combination of yarns
made of the aforesaid mixture, either printed, colored, or dyed, of
various colors in different shades, with other yarus of a self or single
color.
.
Thirdly, my Invention consists in the use of the material called the

page_text: Patent Flax Cotton, and of any of the mixtures of wool, linen, cotton,
or silk yarns, for the manufacture of Brussels, tapestry, or other carpets
or piled fabric manufactured in the manner of carpeting.
Fourthly, my Invention consists in a mode of printing, dyeing, or
coloring the aforesaid yarns, and arranging the same previous to
weaving. I dye or print the parti-colored warps as well as the self-
colored ones by direct immersion so as to give them all the brilliancy
and durability of ingrained colors by allowing certain portions of the
yarn to fall into pans or small coppers containing the dye or coloring
matter, thus dyeing the yarn of different colors at stated intervals, the
combination and arrangement of which will produce the intended
design or pattern. The arrangement of the warps herein described
does not interfere with or alter the number of those warps composed of
cotton or linen termed "ground" and "stufling" warps, which form
the body and back of the carpet. The Figures of the accompanying
Drawing represent the principal portions of the apparatus I propose
to use for the purpose. The object is to give to parti-colored yarns
the depth, brilliancy, and durability of ingrained colors by immersing
certain portions of the yarn in vessels or coppers containing the
liquid dye or coloring matter, the combination of these parti-colored
with self-colored warps producing the pattern required when woven.
In the accompanying Drawing Figs. 1, to 6, represent different views
of one of the coppers or vessels for holding the dye or coloring
matter; the Figures are drawn to a scale two thirds of the real size,
but I do not confine myself to any particular size. Fig. 1, is an end
elevation; Fig. 2, a side view; Fig. 3, a side view with the lid closed;
and Fig. 4, a plan of the top. a, a, is a tin or other metallic vessel; in
the upper part of the sides are cut the openings b, b, which are closed
or covered when the lid c, is shut down by the flanges d, as shown by
dotted lines, Fig. 3. e, is in aperture in the lid to receive the dis-
placer f. Fig. 5, represents a front elevation, and Fig. 6, a plan of the
displacer. The lid c, when shut is kept down by the hook g, as long
as requisite for the perfect saturation of the yarn. The uncolored yarns
are first mounted on bobbins in the ordinary manner, and then warped
on to flanged or plain rollers, as shown by h, Figs. 7, 8 (which

page_text: represent a side elevation and plan of the apparatus); the ends are
carried to the rollers h', and attached thereto; the length of yarn
between the rollers is dyed by bringing the "coppers" containing the
different colors under the yarn, which passes through the openings in
the sides of the "copper." The lid is shut down and fastened; the
flanges d, press the yarn tightly at the sides of the copper, which
prevents the colour or dyeing material spreading beyond the width of the
copper. The displacer f, is placed in the aperture e, which causes the
fluid to rise above the yarns and thoroughly saturate them; a tray i,
is placed beneath each of the coppers to catch the small quantity of
coloring matter that may overflow when the displacer is within the
copper. A portion of the yarn having been saturated with colour, as
described, the displacer is taken out, the lid of the copper lifted, and the
copper removed; another containing the next colour or dye is brought
under the yarns, and so on throughout the length of the warp. To
facilitate the motion of the pans or coppers so that they may be readily
brought under the yarn, and removed therefrom, they are to be mounted
on a frame or holder, and so arranged as to be moved in and out by
means of slides. The coppers containing the different coloring matters
are to be heated by steam conveyed by pipes either into the coppers or
around them, as may be found most convenient in practice; but as the
particular method of heating does not form part of this Invention
I need not enter into any description thereof. In order that the
operator may readily ascertain and apply the proper colors to the yarn
an indicator is attached to some part of the apparatus; this may be a
strip of paper ruled in divisions and the particular colors to be used
marked thereon, as shown by k, Fig. 8, or it may be an endless
band travelling over rollers and marked in a similar manner.
the yarn between the rollers has been dyed it is to be passed on
through washing and drying pipes to the rollers h', and finally wound
on bobbins properly marked and set as the patterns require. The
rollers h, h', have ratchet wheels affixed to them l, l', which by means
of the detents m, m³, prevent the rollers turning while the yarn is
being dyed.
When
I am aware that a particular kind of carpet known as Albert

page_text: carpeting is manufactured, in which a warp or frame of more than
onc color is combined with other self colors; but it must be observed
that the parti-colored warp is only coloured in strips by being dipped at
random in any ordinary furnace, and is of one colour only in various
shades, as, for example, all green or red or drab. This shaded warp
can only be used in the ground portion of the figure, where it produces
a mottled appearance, and is not applicable to the production of any
diversity of design. Whereas in my Invention the parti-colored-warps
may be dyed in any number of colors or shades of colour, and these
warps may be raised in. weaving so as to form any required portion of
the figure. This distinguishes it also from carpeting made of spoiled
tapestry warps combined with self-coloured warps, the effect of which
is to produce a mottled ground composed of all shades of colour, but
which in no way mixes up with the figure portion of the pattern.
But I do not confine myself to dyeing in the warp, for, if desirable, the
skein may be dyed, the coloring and other processes being similar to
those previously mentioned. Either of these modes of coloring admits
of one or more threads being dyed, at the same time, thereby lessening
the cost of coloring very considerably, as twelve or more pieces can be
colored for the same cost as one piece.
-
Fifthly, I also use the ordinary printed tapestry warp in combination
with self colors, the other arrangements being the same.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and how it
is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise detail, as shown and described, so long as the
peculiar character of any part of my Invention is retained. But what
I claim is,.
.
Firstly, the novel combination of self and parti-colored warps com-
posed of the materials herein-before described for the manufacture
of Brussels, tapestry, and other carpets or fabrics made in the manner
of piled carpeting.
Secondly, I claim the dyeing or printing of these parti-colored
warps in various colors of different shades as. distinguished from the
ordinary mottled carpeting known as "Albert carpeting" or "spoiled
tapestry warps.".

page_text: Thirdly, I clam the application of the patent or ordinary flax cotton,
or any of the mixtures herein-before mentioned, or simply worsted or
woollen warps, in the manufacture of any make of piled or figured
carpeting.
Fourthly, I claim the mode herein-before set forth of dyeing or
coloring to produce these parti-colored warps.
Fifthly, I claim the mode of printing these parti-colored warps as in
the manner of tapestry, instead of ingraining them and combining
them with self-colored warps.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Gower Woodward, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
four.
GEORGE GOWER WOODWARD, (L.S.)
Lesswell, nr Kidderminster.