AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MAKING BANDS AND TACKLING TO BE USED IN DRIVING, TURNING, OR CARRYING MACHINERY
Year: 1838

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILTON.
Woop, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, dated the Twenty-sixth day of July, in the second year of
Her, reign, did, for, Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Wilton Wood, by special licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I,, the, said Wilton Wood, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, -or
such others as I, the said Walton Wood, my exors, admors, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England and Wales, the Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, including all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations
abroad, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MAKING BANDS AND
TACKLING TO BE USED IN DRIVING, TURNING, OR CARRYING MACHINERY;" in which
said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, that I, the said Wilton Wood,
shall cause a particular description of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of
Chancery, within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part, recited Letters Patent, as will more fully appear upon
reference to the same.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Wilton Wood, do hereby declare that the nature of my said, Invention consists

page_text: in the fabrication of improved bands and tackling of hemp, flax, and other
suitable fibrous substances that are capable of bearing a greater strain or
carrying a greater power, as well as being much cheaper than those commonly
used in driving machinery, and for all other purposes to which the same
may be applicable. And in further compliance with the said proviso, I will
now procced to describe "in what manner the same is to be performed "
with reference to the Drawings hereunto annexed:-
Figure 1, on Sheet A, represents a plan of my improved machine for sewing
the component parts of the bands together; Figures 2 to 9 represent portions
of a variety of my improved bands, drawn to a scale of about half the size
(lineal measure) that I usually make them; Figure 2 and 3 exhibit, both
edgeways and flatways, a band made according to my improved method;
it consists of an assemblage of sex (or any other convenient number)
of hempen or flaxen yarn stands, uniform in size, similar in the degree of
twist, and capable of sustaining an equal force of tension. These strands are
laid evenly side by side, each alternate strand being twisted in a reverse
direction to that of its adjoining one (as shewn at a, a, Figure 3,) to prevent
the tendency they would otherwise have of twisting round one another. To
givè increased stability to the band, and without materially impairing its
flexibility, I put on the outside or edges of it a rope, as shewn at b, b, of such
dimensions as will render the band when completed as flat and uniform in
thickness as is practicable. I combine the several strands and ropes together
by sewing or lacing them diamond-wise, as I will now proceed to explain, with
reference to the Drawing marked Figure 1 on Sheet A, which (as before
observed) exhibits a plan of my sewing machine. At c, c, is a frame con-
taining eight bobbins, four only of which are brought into view at d, d, d, d,
the other four being underneath; on these the strands a, a, and ropes b, b, are
wound preparatory to their being brought into contact and sewn or laced;
and in order to keep them at a uniform and proper tension, iron friction
straps e, e, e, e, loaded with weights f. f, f, f, are made to press upon small
drums g, g, g, g, attached to one end of each of the bobbins. The strands
and ropes are drawn through the sewing machine by their ends being first
attached to a convenient drag band, which passes over and underneath a
drum h, then over and under a drum i, and rising thence it is made fast to a
larger drum j, all which drums are mounted with suitably connecting geer in
a stout wooden frame 9.. It will now be obvious, that when the winches k, k,
are turned, the pinion 7 (which is on their axis) actuates the large wheel m on
the axis of the drum h; that this drum h, through the medium of its spur

page_text: wheel n, drives a similar wheel o on the axis of the drum i, and that the drum h,
by the agency of an endless band p, drives the large drum j. But the motion
of this mechanism is extremely slow, being only moved through the space of a
single stitch at a time whilst the sewing is going forward. Connected to the
frame q is the sewing table r, in the middle of which is fixed the sewing case s.
This is formed of stout plates of wrought iron, so as to form a shallow box or
channel, capable of being screwed up to the measurement inside of rather less
than the intended dimensions of the band to be formed therein. t, t, are
screws passing through fixed nuts, for forcing and holding in the narrow sides
of the sewing case; and at u, u, u, are screws fixed vertically in the side.
pièces and passing through slots in the upper plate, which is fastened down by
nuts, as shewn. In the narrow side pieces are made horizontal slot holes, of
sufficient length to complete a stitch, and of sufficient depth to allow the ends
of the needles and their cords or laces to pass freely through. At v, v¹, are
the needles, having eyes near their points for carrying the threads, the other
ends of the needles being fixed firmly in iron stocks w, w¹, that are made to
slide steadily through guide staples x, x, fixed to sectorial plates y, y'. These
plates are capable of being turned upon centres z, ¹, so as to present the
needles at any required angle, in which determined position the plates may be
fastened down by common screws, as shewn, or by set screws working through
circularly-curved slots. The needles are pushed through and drawn out of
the bands alternately by means of the levers 1, 11, whose fulcra are at 2; 2¹,
and which have slots at 3, 3¹; in those slots a stout pin underneath each of
the needle stocks take, enabling the levers to move the needles with their
stocks steadily to and fro in right lines. It is proper to notice in this place,
that owing to the powerfully compressed and confined state to which the
band is subjected, in order that it may be correctly laced through the centre
breadthwise, it is barely possible to push a proper needle charged with its
cord or lace through the same. To obviate this difficulty, and to admit of the
convenient application of powerful leverage to the needles (as shown), the
needles are pushed through without the sewing cord or lace, and when the eyes-
(which are at the fore ends of the needles) are sufficiently protruded beyond.
the outsides of the sewing case, the workmen, one of whom stands on each.
side of the frame at C and D, put the ends of the cords through the eyes; the
needles so charged are next drawn back by reverse strokes of the levers, the.
cords are then taken out of the eyes, and the men on the opposite sides pull.
through the entire length of each of the cords, drawing the stitches up as
tightly as possible. To clearly comprehend the preceeding, it is necessary to

page_text: state that two distinct cords or laces, marked' 4 and 5, are employed, one to
each needle. Supposing the man at C to have just forced his needle v through
the band and its case), the man at D then inserts the end of the cord 4
in the eye of it, as shewn in the Drawing, ready for the man at C' to pull
through; then the man at D forces his needle v' through the band, and the
man at C inserts the end of the cord 5 through its eye for the man at D
to pull through. The cords or laces being thus crossed, as represented by the
dotted lines, the handles k, k, are moved by the workman so far as to pull
the band through the sewing case the distance of one stitch, that is, the space
represented between v and 6; the operation is then continued, as already
explained, continually crossing the lacing which produces what I term the
diamond lacing, sufficiently represented in Figure 4, Sheet B, which is designed
to exhibit a section of a band made parallel to and midway between the two
broadsides. In this manner a band may be made of any desired length by
winding it on the drum j, provided a sufficient quantity of material has been
put on the bobbins. To make a band of any greater breadth or thickness,
the sewing cases must either be adjusted to the dimensions required, or
another one of a more suitable capacity be put in its place. According to the
number of strands, cords, or ropes which may be combined to form a band
there must be provided the same number of bobbins, and it will be proper to
observe that these bobbins should be so arranged and posited in a suitable
frame as not to cause the separate constituent parts of the band to diverge
from the sewing case, even so much as they are represented in the Drawing,
to prevent the external lines from being fretted against the edges of the case.
Having explained by reference to Figure 1 the process of sewing together the
band, represented in Figures 2, 3, and 4, I proceed to explain other modifi-
cations of the leading characteristics of my Invention by reference to the
Figures marked 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Figure 5 is intended to illustrate a portion of a
band possessing rather more flexibility, yet adequate firmness, where the liability
to chafe the edges of the bands is not so great as is supposed to be the case in
the first described, (the only difference being, that instead of having a rope at
each edge, I employ a strand made of marline cords, having about the same
degree of twist as the strands of yarn which fill up the intermediate space:
Figure 6 is designed to exhibit a piece of a band which I make for those
purposes wherein a rapid motion is required to be communicated. The whole
of this band is made of yarn strands, and the requisite firmness and tenacity
of the combination is acquired by my improved system of cross or diamond
lacing, shown in dotted lines. Figure 7 represents another band admirably

page_text: suited by its flexibility for rapid motion, but capable of. carrying: a. greater
power than the last mentioned; it is composed wholly: of. strands: made of
marline cords. Figure 8 is composed of alternate yarn strands and. ropes.
Figure 9. shows a band made entirely of. ropes, excepting, that there, are com-
bined with them two yarn strands for affording the means of inserting metallic
thimbles or tubes, the introduction of which into bands for driving machinery
is an important part of my Invention, and which I will now proceed more
particularly to specify. One of the principal defects of the bands heretofore
employed for driving machinery has been their liability of tearing away at the
lacing holes. To provide a remedy for this defect, I. make my bands either
partially or wholly of hempen, flaxen, or other. fibrous strands,, as, already
explained; but one of the advantages, not before noticed, that result from the
employment of these strands is the ready, and secure means they afford of
inserting between their twisted fibres the metallic tubes or thimbles (above
noticed), and as they require no cutting away of material for the purpose, the
strength of the band is not impaired thereby. Without confining myself to
any peculiar metallic substance or form for these tubes, I give the preferénce
to brass, and of a shape similar to those in the Drawing. Figure 10 shews
one of these thimbles; a, being a side view, and b, its rivetting collar; these
are shewn put together at a, b. Figure 11 shews a piece of band with the
thimbles inserted in the twist of the strands, to which they are further
secured by stitching across the row of strands; cords or laces are to be
passed through these thimbles and tied, after the manner shewn in Figures 2
and 3. In some cases I purpose strengthening the connection of the bands
by inserting screws, Figure 12, with countersink heads c through the
thimbles, and the securing the screws on the other side by countersunk nuts
d in such manner that both the heads and nuts shall lie below the general
surfaces of the bands, as represented in Figure 13. Figures 14 and 15
are intended to show a kind of double screw connected by a bar so as
to form together a kind of flat staple fastening for the ends of a band, the
extremities of the screws after passing through the thimbles to be secured by
countersunk nuts. Figure 16 nearly shews a thimble and its rivetting collar
of a larger size.
Those parts of my Invention which I believe to be quite original, and for
which I claim an exclusive privilege, are the following, namely, the fabrication
or bands of tackling for the purposes before named, combined of strands, cords,
and ropes, after the manner exemplified in Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9; the
employment of metallic tubes or thimbles for the tic cords or laces to pass

page_text: through, and the attachment of the ends of the bands by means of screws and
staples, in the manner shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Wilton Wood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of January, One thousand eight
hundred and thirty-nine.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-first day of January,
in the year of our Lord 1839, the aforesaid Wilton Wood came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-second day of January, in the year of our Lord One