IMPROVEMENTS IN FINISHING OR SHEARING TEXTILE FABRICS AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson of the Liverpool and London
Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the County
of Lancaster, Civil Engineer for an Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN FINISHING
OR SHEARING TEXTILE FABRICS AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR
"
a communication from abroad by Dwight Clinton Sumner of Worcester in the
county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, one of the United States of
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th April 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster Civil
Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN FINISHING OR SHEARING TEXTILE FABRICS AND
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR a communication to me from abroad by
Dwight Clinton Sumner of Worcester in the county of Worcester and State of
Mass[a]chusetts one of the United States of America
"
The object of this invention is to produce new effects in the ornamentation of
pile fabrics and to provide means for cutting or shearing transverse lines inter-
secting lines, broken or alternating checks, diagonal checks, diaper and basket work
patterns, fretts flower figures and intermitting fancy patterns of various kinds in a
simple and rapid manner. and the invention consists first in improvements in the
construction of shearing mechanism whereby it is adapted for shearing ornamental
patterns of a different class from those heretofore produced-second in a shearing
cylinder or revolver the cutting sections whereof are formed as independently
supported teeth or short sections, Third in the construction of shearing cylinders
with teeth or small cutting sections that can be removed or rearranged for varying
the pattern produced thereby Fourth in the arrangement of the cutting teeth of a
shearing cylinder in a manner to shear intermeshing check ornaments, Fifth in
a shear revolver adapted for producing transverse lines or ribbed ornament on the
fabrics. sixth, in a fabric ornamented in the peculiar class of patterns hereinafter
described

page_text: Heretofore fabrics have been ornamented by shearing longitudinal stripes by
means of notched blades, and with zig zag longitudinal stripes by means of vibrated
notched blades; also diagonals and herring-bone longitudinal stripes have been
formed by mechanism invented by the said Dwight Clinton Sumner (see English
Letters Patent N° 836 of 1880) but so far as I am aware no way has heretofore
been devised for practically shearing or producing transversely ribbed surfaces,
checks flower figures, diapers, basket work or similar patterns by the simple action
of a revolver and ledger blade operating in conjunction with a plain cloth rest over
which the fabric is passed with a regular and constant movement.
In the construction of this shearing mechanism a body or revolving cylinder of
suitable size is drilled with a series of small holes in its peripheral surface or
through its shell and in said holes are set small teeth pins or cutting sections
formed and supported independently of each other and placed in such relation
about the cylindrical surface as will produce the desired pattern upon the cloth
when the cylinder is revolved in connection with the ledger blade in the shearing
machine.
The revolver cylinder may be made with a solid body, or be formed of a shell of
pipe mounted on a central shaft or supported with discs or plates at the end, or if
desired the shell could be formed of bars or lags screwed to the discs and turned
off smooth on the exterior. The cylinder is perforated or drilled with small holes
in which the shanks of the teeth or cutting studs are secured by driving them
firmly into the holes; or by screwing them in the holes being tapped and the stud
shanks screw threaded; or by passing the studs through the holes upsetting their
end, fitting screw nuts thereon or fastening them in any suitable manner.
After the teeth are inserted their outer ends are ground off bringing all to a
uniform cylindrical curve and to give them sharp cutting edges to shear across the
ledger blade.
The teeth may be made from wire or steel rods flattened or formed with curved
square or other contour at the cutting edge or as small studs with squared tops, or
they can be made as short blades provided with two or more shanks the shanks
being located so as to fit into adjacent holes of the cylinder shell for supporting
the blade. between them. This revolver is mounted in an ordinary shearing
machine and operated in connection with a plain ledger blade its teeth acting in
conjunction with said ledger blade to shear the nap fibres of the fabric and produce
an ornament corresponding to the order or arrangement in which the teeth are
located in the cylinder, as said fabric is drawn over the edge of a supporting rest
by the action of the feeding mechanism which latter may be similar to that of
ordinary shearing machines
When it is desired to change the pattern on the revolver the teeth can be
removed from the shell and relocated therein, or the surface of the cylinder may
be turned off and reset with new teeth in proper order to form the desired pattern.
For forming flowers, figures or diaper patterns the cutting teeth are arranged in
groups somewhat corresponding to the shape of the desired figure but elongated
in the circumferential direction about the cylinder
For producing designs composed of oppositely directed intersecting or inter-
mitting lines, broken checks or alternately cross marked plaids, commonly called
basket patterns the cutting portions of the blades or teeth are arranged or disposed
about the cylinder with series of narrow isolated cutting points or sections
developed in rows or groups of rows at intervals on the revolver and running in
a circumferential direction but only partially around the cylinder; the said rows,
or groups of rows, being stopped off, interrupted or offset by broader blade sections
interposed at occasional intervals on the peripheral across said rows and at such
distances from each other as to produce transverse cuts or lines on the fabric when
such long blade sections come in contact with the ledger blade. The circum-
ferentially disposed rows of cutters produce lines longitudinally of the fabric; the
two series of lines being intermittent or oppositely intersecting each other.
The respective rows or groups of rows of cutting points being placed inter-

page_text: mediate and alternating with the sets of long blade sections at regular intervals
thereby alternates the lateral and longitudinal cuts so as to produce the broken
checks, plaid or basket pattern
For producing designs composed of longitudinal lines or stripes with intervening
transverse lines or checks the revolver is made with series of narrow isolated
cutting portions or teeth located at intervals of its length and arranged in circum-
ferential rows or circles, or circles completely around the cylinder said cutters
standing sufficiently close together to act with the ledger blade for shearing a clear
and continuous line in the pile of the fabric in a longitudinal direction of the
piece.
Within the intervening spaces between these circumferential rows are placed
occasional broader blade sections ranging longitudinally or nearly so with the axis
of the cylinder and placed only at long intervals of the circle, or for instance with
but from one to three such blade in the circumference. The blade sections act
with the ledger blade to make the occasional cuts or check lines
A single blade placed longitudinally across the cylinder in the line of its axis
will produce a transversely ribbed surface on the piece of cloth. the ribs or furrows
extending in a direction laterally or nearly so of the fabric.
The invention is not confined to the precise arrangement of cutters in the
eylinder described but may include any arrangement of cutters for producing
checks and transverse lines, whether the revolver is made with pins, teeth, long
blades notched, or in other manner, where similar result is effected by the action
of the revolver substantially as herein explained.
The diameter of the cylinder may be such as will give a circumference corre-
sponding to the requirements of the design to be executed or so as to contain the
requisite number of teeth for cutting the pattern figures once or more at each
revolution of the cylinder The length which the pattern occupies in its develop-
ment upon the fabric can be varied accordingly as the speed of the revolving
cylinder bears relation to the speed at which the fabric is moved forward past the
ledger blade in the process of shearing.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th October 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Civil
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN FINISHING OR SHEARING TEXTILE FABRICS AND
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR."--A communication from abroad by Dwight
Clinton Sumner of Worcester, in the county of Worcester and state of Massachusetts,
one of the United States of America.
The object of this invention is to produce new effects in the ornamentation of
pile fabrics and to provide means for cutting or shearing transverse lines, inter-
secting lines, broken or alternating checks, diagonal checks, diaper and basket
work patterns, fretts, flower figures, and intermitting fancy patterns of various
kinds in a simple and rapid manner, and the invention consists first in improve-
ments in the construction of shearing mechanism whereby it is adapted for
shearing ornamental patterns of a different class from those heretofore produced.
Second, in a shearing cylinder or revolver the cutting sections whereof are formed
as independently supported teeth or short sections. Third, in the construction of
shearing cylinders with teeth or small cutting sections that can be removed or
rearranged for varying the pattern produced thereby. Fourth, in the arrangement
of the cutting teeth of a shearing cylinder in a manner to shear intermeshing check
ornaments. Fifth, in a shear revolver adapted for producing transverse lines or
ribbed ornament on the fabrics. Sixth, in a fabric ornamented in the peculiar
class of patterns hereinafter described.
Heretofore fabrics have been ornamented by shearing longitudinal stripes by
means of notched blades, and with zig-zag longitudinal stripes by means of
vibrated notched blades; also diagonals and herring-bone longitudinal stripes have
been formed by mechanism invented by the said Dwight Clinton Summer [sic] (see
English Letters Patent N° 836 of 1880), but so far as I am aware no way has
heretofore been devised for practically shearing or producing transversely ribbed
surfaces, checks, flower figures, diapers, basket work or similar patterns by the
simple action of a revolver and ledger blade operating in conjunction with a plain
cloth rest, over which the fabric is passed with a regular and constant movement.
In the construction of this shearing mechanism a body or revolving cylinder of
suitable size is drilled with a series of small holes in its peripheral surface or
through its shell, and in said holes are set small teeth, pins, or cutting sections
formed and supported independently of each other and placed in such relation
about the cylindrical surface as will produce the desired pattern upon the cloth
when the cylinder is revolved in connection with the ledger-blade in the shearing
machine.
The particular features of this construction, its adaptation and mode of operation,
is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter more fully explained.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 represents a transverse vertical section through the cloth-rest, ledger-
blade and shearing-revolver of a shearing machine, constructed in accordance with
this invention.
Fig. 2 is a side view of a portion of a shear-revolver illustrating this invention.
Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 represent some of the forms in which the cutting teeth may
be made for use in the shearing mechanism,

page_text: Figs. 7, 8, and 9 show other forms of cutting teeth or sections of wider proportion
and for similar purposes.
Fig. 10 shows a fabric pattern or design that may be produced with a shearing'
machine using revolver such as shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 11 shows a shearing machine cylinder with cutting edges or sections.
arranged in the peculiar order or system of developement for producing a class of
alternating checks or basket patterns, three modifications of styles being shown at
different portions of the cylinder.
Fig. 12 is a cross section of Fig. 11 taken at line u, u.
Fig. 13 is a cross section of Fig. 11 taken at line v, v.
Figs. 14, 15, and 16 show the fabric produced by the shear-revolver Fig. 11 in
the three modifications illustrated.
Fig. 17 shows a shear-revolver with cutters arranged in the order or system
for producing a class of patterns composed of longitudinal lines or stripes with
intervening transverse lines or checks, two modifications of this class being shown
on the cylinder.
Fig. 18 is a cross section of Fig. 17 taken at line w, w.
Fig. 19 is a cross section of Fig. 17 taken at line x, œ.
Figs. 20 and 21 are samples of fabric produced by the shear-revolver Fig. 17 in
the two modifications illustrated.
Fig. 22 shows a single blade shear-revolver for producing lateral stripes or lines.
Fig. 23 is a cross section of Fig. 22 taken at line y, y.`
'
Fig. 24 is a sample of fabric produced by the shear-revolver Fig. 22.
J
The revolver cylinder A may be made with a solid body, or be formed of a shell
of pipe mounted on a central shaft A', or having the necessary journals a, a,
provided with discs or plates B, for supporting the shell A; or if desired the shell
could be formed of bars or lags screwed to the discs B, and turned off smooth on
the exterior. The shell A is perforated or drilled with small holes C in which the
shanks of the teeth or cutting studs D are secured by driving them firmly into the
holes C, or by screwing them in, the holes being tapped and the stud shanks screw-
threaded; or by passing the studs through the holes, upsetting their end, fitting
screw nuts thereon, or. fastening them in any suitable manner.
After the teeth are inserted, their outer ends are ground off, bringing all to a
uniform cylindrical curve and to give them sharp cutting edges to shear across the
ledger-blade.
..
>
The teeth D may be made from wire or steel rods flattened or formed as indicated
in either Figs. 3, 5 and 6, or as small studs with squared tops as shown in Figs. 4
and.8, or they can be made as short blades, provided with two or more shanks, as
in Figs. 7 and 9, the shanks being located so as to fit into adjacent holes of the
cylinder shell for supporting the blade between them. This revolver is mounted
in an ordinary shearing machine and operated in connection with a plain ledger-
blade, its teeth D acting in conjunction with said ledger-blade to shear the nap
fibres of the fabric and produce an ornament corresponding to the order or
arrangement in which the teeth are located in the cylinder, as said fabric is drawn
over the edge of the supporting rest E by the action of the feeding mechanism,
which latter may be similar to that of ordinary shearing machines, and is not
therefore herein shown. When it is desired to change the pattern on the revolver,
the teeth d can be removed from the shell and relocated therein, or the surface of
the cylinder may be turned off and reset with new teeth in proper order to form
the desired pattern.
For forming flowers, figures, or diaper patterns, the cutting teeth are arranged in
groups somewhat corresponding to the shape of the desired figure, but elongated in
the circumferential direction about the cylinder.
The arrangement of teeth or cutters illustrated in Fig. 2 would produce a pattern
similar to Fig. 10, the diagonal sides of the check being sheared by the inclined
rows of cutters d, and the centre figures by the groups of cutting teeth at b...
j

page_text: For producing fabric patterns of the class shown in Figs. 14, 15 and. 16, or
designs composed of oppositely directed intersecting or intermitting lines broken
checks, or alternately cross marked plaids, commonly called basket patterns, the
cutting portions of the blades or teeth are arranged or disposed about the cylinder
A in the peculiar order illustrated in Figs. 11, 12 and 13, namely, with serieś of
narrow isolated cutting points or sections developed in rows f, or groups of rows at
intervals on the revolver and running in a circumferential direction but only
partially around the cylinder; the said rows f, or groups of rows, being stopped off,
interrupted or offset by broader blade sections h, .interposed at occasional intervals
on the periphery across said rows f, and at such distances from each other as to
produce transverse cuts or lines i on the fabric when such long blade sections come
in contact with the ledger-blade F. The circumferentially disposed rows of
cutters produce lines e longitudinally of the fabric, the two series of lines i and e
being intermittent or oppositely intersecting each other, as illustrated.
t
The respective rows; or groups of rows f of cutting points being placed inter-
mediate and alternating with the sets of long blade sections h at regular intervals,
thereby alternates the lateral and longitudinal cuts i and e, so as to produce the
broken checks, plaid or basket pattern of the nature illustrated, see Figs. 14, 15
and 16
.
These three styles of fabric pattern show the modifications incident to arranging
the cutters fin groups or single rows, and in using one or three interposed broad
blade sections h intercepting said circumferential rows. Groups of three circum-
ferentially disposed rows f, alternating with three longitudinally disposed cutters h,
produce the fabric, Fig, 14, slowing a uniform check of three transverse lines
intermitting with three longitudinal lines. While single rows of circumferentially
disposed cutters and single longitudinal blade sections produce the fabric Fig. 16,
and again, two rows of circumferentially disposed cutters intercepted by a single
longitudinal blade section h and off setting alternately at semi-circumferential
positions at intervals of the length of the revolver, produces the fabric Fig. 15.
Each of these modifications is attained by the system or order of arrangement
embracing a row of narrow cutting points f partially around the cylinder, inter-
cepted by spaces in which are occasional long blade sections h.
For producing fabric patterns of the class shown in Figs. 20 and 21, or designs
composed of longitudinal lines or stripes with intervening transverse lines or
checks, the revolver is made with series of narrow isolated cutting portions or teeth
located at intervals of its length and arranged in circumferential rows or circles m,
or circles completely around the cylinder A, said cutters standing sufficiently close
together to act with the ledger-blade for shearing a clear and continuous line n in
the pile of the fabric in a longitudinal direction of the piece. Within the inter-
vening spaces between these circumferential rows m, are placed occasional broader
blade sections o ranging longitudinally or nearly so with the axis of the cylinder
and placed only at long intervals of the circle, or for instance with but from one to
three such blades in the circumference (see Fig. 18). The blade sections o act with
the ledger-blade to make the occasional cuts or check lines p.
The modifications shown are with single rows m of cutting teeth at invervals
and the blades o offsetting or opposite plain spaces in the several intervals, to
produce a check like Fig. 20, and with double rows m of cutting teeth between
each interval and with the blade sections o ranging in line with each other in the
several intervals, to produce a pattern of fabric like Fig. 21.
The rows of cutting teeth if disposed in planes directly perpendicular to the axis
will shear straight lines on the fabric, but if disposed in planes slightly inclined to
the axis of the cylinder, the lines will be slightly wavy as at 8, Fig. 21.
The fabric patterns herein shown and described are produced by the simple
revolution of a revolver, constructed as shown and described, in combination with
a plain ledger-blade F, and with the fabric moved forward at regular speed over a
plain rest or support bar E.

page_text: For producing a fabric having a regular transversely ribbed surface or with
sheared lines extending in transverse direction across the piece, the revolver or
shearing cylinder, is made with a single blade r, as in Figs. 22 and 23. A revolver
of this form running in connection with a plain ledger-blade F produces the fabric
Fig. 24.
The invention is not confined to the precise arrangements of cutters in the
cylinder described, but may include any arrangement of cutters for producing
checks and transverse lines, whether the revolver is made with pins, teeth, long
blades notched, or in other manner, where similar result is effected by the action of
the revolver, substantially as herein explained.
The diameter of the cylinder A may be such as will give a circumference
corresponding to the requirements of the design to be executed, or so as to contain
the requisite number of teeth for cutting the pattern figures once or more at each
revolution of the cylinder. The length which the pattern occupies in its
developement upon the fabric can be varied accordingly as the speed of the
revolving cylinder bears relation to the speed at which the fabric G is moved
forward past the ledger-blade F in the process of shearing.
Having now described the invention as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, I wish it to be understood that what I desire to be secured by
Letters Patent is :-
1st. A revolver or cylinder for cloth shearing machines, having cutting-teeth or
sections formed as independent pins or studs separately supported in the periphery
of a cylindrical body or shell, substantially as set forth.
2nd. In a cloth shearing machine, a revolver or cylinder having cutting teeth or
sections formed as independent studs separately supported in the periphery of a
cylindrical body, in pattern or ornamental order, and adapted to be individually
removed and reset or rearranged in different order for changing the design,
substantially as set forth.
3rd. In a cloth shearing machine, the combination with a ledger-blade and cloth-
support, of a revolver having cutting teeth or sections independently set into the
body cylinder and disposed so as to produce or shear ornamental figures, diapers,
or fancy patterns, substantially as set forth.
4th. In a cloth shearing machine, a shearing revolver having series of narrow
cutting teeth or blade sections disposed in circumferential rows or groups of rows
extending partially around the cylinder and intermitted or off-set on the remaining
portions of the peripheral circle by long blade sections interposed at occasional
positions, substantially as described.
5th. In a cloth shearing machine, a shearing revolver or cylinder having at
intervals alternating series of narrow cutting sections, points, or teeth, arranged in
rows or groups of rows extending in a circumferential direction partially around
the cylinder, with longer blade sections interposed at occasional positions of the
peripheral circle to intercept or off-set said rows of narrow cutters in the order
described, whereby oppositely directed intermitting lines or checks are produced
upon the fabric, substantially as shown and described.
6th. In a cloth shearing machine, a revolver or shear cylinder having series of
isolated cutting points or teeth disposed in circumferential rows or circles around
the cylinder at intervals of its length, and occasional longer blade sections located
in the intervals between said rows of narrow cutters, whereby continuous longi-
tudinal stripes or lines with transverse intersecting lines are produced or sheared
upon the fabric, as set forth.
7th. In a cloth shearing machine, a revolver or shearing cylinder having a single
longitudinally arranged blade, in combination with a ledger-blade and a clot-
support, substantially as set forth and for the purpose stated.
8th. A fabric having its surface ornamented by a series of sheared ribs or furrows
extending in a direction laterally or nearly so of the fabric, substantially as
described.

page_text: 9th. A fabric having its surface ornamented by a series of sheared lines or furrows
extending in a direction laterally or nearly so of the piece, and interspersed with a
series of lines or figures off-setting or intermitting with said lateral lines,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty fourth day of October in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.