IMPROVEMENTS IN PRE- PARING AND FINISHING TEXTILE FABRICS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Dickinson Edleston, of Halifax, in the County of
York, Dyer and Finisher, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRE-
PARING AND FINISHING TEXTILE FABRICS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 24th June 1859, and dated the 24th December 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Dickinson Edleston at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th December 1858.
I, DICKINSON EDLESTON, of Halifax, in the County of York, Dyer and
Finisher, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PREPARING AND FINISHING TEXTILE FABRICS, AND IN THE MEANS OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to folding or rigging, crabbing, and drying textile
fabrics, and the improvements consist :-
Firstly, in folding them in the wet state, or before the drying of such fabrics,
whereby we obtain a better "rig" in the finish.
Secondly, in crabbing by means of a series of cylinders, constructed and
arranged so as to have an increase of surface speed either by increase of
diameters respectively, or in the relative times of rotation; such cylinders
5 being immersed in hot water.

page_text: Thirdly, in the adaptation of such cylinders for the drying of textile fabrics
by having them made hollow, drawing away the hot water, and introducing
steam to the interiors thereof.
Fourthly, in combining the folding with the drying, in one process, by
passing the fabric at its middle over the edge of a pulley or curved plate
placed in a suitable position, by which the folding is effected; the fabric is
thence passed to the drying cylinders in the folded state, by which we obtain a
better finish with more facility and at less cost than heretofore.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Dickinson Edleston in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th June 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DICKINSON
EDLESTON, of Halifax, in the County of York, Dyer and Finisher, send
.greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Dickinson Edleston, Her special licence that I, the said Dickinson
Edleston, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Dickinson Edleston, 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
PREPARING AND FINISHING TEXTILE FABRICS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Dickinson Edleston, 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 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.
A
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Dickinson Edleston, 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) :-

page_text: This Invention relates to folding or "rigging," crabbing, and drying textile
fabrics, and the improvement consist :-
Firstly, in folding them in the wet state or before drying of such fabrics;
whereby I obtain a better "rig" in the finish..
Secondly, in crabbing by means of a series of cylinders, constructed and
arranged so as to have an increase of surface speed; either by increase of
diameters respectively, or in the relative times of rotation; such cylinders
being immersed in hot water.
Thirdly, in the adaptation of such cylinders for the drying of textile fabrics,
by having them made hollow, drawing away the hot water, and introducing
steam to the interior thereof.
Fourthly, in combining the folding or rigging with the drying in one process;
by passing the fabric at its middle over the edge of a pulley or curved plate
placed in a suitable position, by which the folding is effected; and the fabric
is then passed to the drying cylinders in the folded state, by which I obtain
a better finish with more facility and at less cost than heretofore.
The folding or rigging of textile fabrics according to this Invention is
performed by having a thin plate of metal or of other suitable material; with
the edge curved and smooth, fixed with its plane or side in an horizontal
position, and near to which is a frame with a slide, pedistal; or moveable
carriage for supporting a beam or roller, on which the fabric is wound in a
wet state; the axes of which roller are in a vertical position or at right angles
to the plane of the plate. The roller can be easily moved up and down on
the frame-by cord, pulley, and balance weight (or rack and pinion), so as to
regulate or adjust the said roller to the plate, or so as to maintain the middle
of the fabric in a line with the edge of the curved plate: The fabric, is then
passed over or along the edge of the. plate, the attendant folding it on each
side thereof, from which it passes to and is drawn forward by the drying
machine in the doubled or folded and wet state, whereby I obtain a better
finish than when "rigged" in the dry state as heretofore. The folding plate
may be of metal, glass, or other suitable material, and may be either a segment
of a circle fixed in a horizontal, vertical, or other suitable position, or it may
be a circular plate or pulley capable of rotating upon a fixed stud, and placed
in any suitable position, and the bean or roller placed at right angles thereto,
or at any other suitable angle or relative position, as most desirable.
The crabbing I effect by the employment of a series of hollow cylinders,
having an increase of surface speed either by a progressive increase in relative
diameters, which being geared together or driven so that each shall rotate in
equal times, and consequently produce a gradual increase of surface speed

page_text: from the first cylinder to the last, or by having the cylinders equal in diameter,
and geared so as to produce an increase in the times of rotation. The cylinders
are so arranged or the framing so constructed, forming a cistern, that they
can be immersed in hot water.
The fabrics are passed respectively over and under the series of cylinders,
and consequently through the hot water, by which and the increase of surface
speed the crabbing of fabrics is better done than by the use of squeezing
rollers, as heretofore employed.
The construction and arrangement of this machine admits of its ready con-
version into or adaptation for a drying machine, by drawing away the water
from the cistern in which the cylinders run, and introducing steam to the
interior of the cylinders.
Having thus fully described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed or carried into practice, I would have it
understood that I do not claim the increase surface speed in relation to drying
cylinders when produced by an increase in the relative times of rotation by
gear wheels of varying sizes, as I am aware such is not new; but what I do
claim and believe to be new within the realm is,―
Firstly, the "rigging" of fabrics in the wet state.
Secondly, crabbing by means of a series of cylinders running in hot water,
and to which an increase of surface speed is given.
Thirdly, the means of conversion or adaptation of such machines for drying
fabrics.
Fourthly, combining the folding or "rigging" with the drying in one
process, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Dickinson Edleston, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
DICKINSON EDLESTON. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Dickinson Edleston
in the presence of
W. TASKER, Patent Agent,
Halifax.