IMPROVED MACHINERY POR PRINTING TEXTILE FABRICS, OIL CLOTHS, LEATHER, PAPER HANGINGS, AND OTHER SIMILAR FABRICS OR MATERIALS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Curtain, of Retreat Place, Homerton,
in the County of Middlesex, Carpet Designer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVED MACHINERY POR PRINTING TEXTILE FABRICS, OIL
CLOTHS, LEATHER, PAPER HANGINGS, AND OTHER SIMILAR FABRICS OR
MATERIALS."
Sealed the 12th December 1853, and dated the 18th August 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Curtain at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th August 1853.
I, WILLIAM CURTAIN, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for IMPROVED MACHINERY POR PRINTING TEXTILE FABRICS,
OIL CLOTHS, LEATHER, PAPER HANGINGS, AND OTHER SIMILAR FABRICS OR
MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention of improved machinery for printing
textile fabrics, oil cloths, leather, paper hangings, and other similar
fabrics or materials is to print complicated patterns composed of many
colors with greater facility and despatch than according to the plans
hitherto adopted. The machine whereby this is effected is composed
of three principal parts, viz. First, the series of blocks on which the

page_text: pattern is engraved or cut; second, the coloring apparatus whereby
the color is applied to the block; and, third, the press by which the
impression is transferred from the blocks to the material or fabric to be
printed. The blocks, of which there must be one to each color, are
mounted in a travelling frame, which is made to run on guides or rails
placed on each side of the machine, so that the blocks may be brought
one by one under the press in their proper order to produce the pattern.
The coloring apparatus consists of a suitable number of troughs
according to the number of colors to be printed. Each of these troughs
is provided underneath with a color roller, over which passes an endless
sheet or blanket, which receives the color and carries it into or across
the machine, and under the color blocks, which are mounted on pins
at their four corners, and are raised up from the surface of the color
cloths by means of coiled springs at each corner.
In order to supply
the blocks with color they are brought under rods or pistons, which
are made to descend at the proper moment, and press the blocks on to
the surface of the color troughs from which the blocks will rise imme-
diately the pressure is removed from their upper side. The cloth or
fabric to be printed is rolled on a beam or roller, and passed over a
table over which is suspended the platten or pressing surface, and
under which the blocks are successively brought, and when brought
into their proper place over the fabric the platten of the press is
made to descend, and force the block down on the fabric, and make
an impression thereon. The frame containing the blocks must then
be moved forward until a second block is brought under the platten,
which being made to descend a second time will produce a second
impression, and so on until all the blocks have been operated upon,
when the pattern on the fabric will be complete. The fabric is then
moved forward to bring a fresh surface under the press, and the
operations are renewed until the whole length of the fabric is completed.
The
bric is passed over a long cloth, and exposed to the air for some
time in order to dry the colors before the fabric is rolled upon the
work beam.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Curtain in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 18th February 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, 1
WILLIAM CURTAIN, of Retreat Place, Homerton, in the County of
Middlesex, Carpet Designer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Curtain, Her special license
that I, the said William Curtain, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Curtain, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, 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 "IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR PRINTING TEXTILE FABRICS, OIL CLOTHS, LEATHER, PAPER
HANGINGS, AND OTHER SIMILAR FABRICS OR MATERIALS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Curtain, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Curtain, 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, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
The object of this Invention of "Improved Machinery for Printing
Textile Fabrics, Oil Cloths, Leather, Paper Hangings, and other Similar

page_text: Fabrics or Materials," is to print complicated patterns composed of
many colours with greater facility and despatel than according to the
plans hitherto adopted. The machine whereby this is effected is
composed of three principal parts (viz'):-First, the series of blocks on
which the pattern is engraved or cut; second, the coloring apparatus
whereby the color is applied to the block; and, third, the press by
which the impression is transferred from the blocks to the material or
fabric to be printed. The blocks are mounted in a travelling frame,
which is made to run on guides or rails placed on each side of the
machine, so that the blocks may be brought one by one under the press
in their proper order to produce the pattern. The coloring apparatus
'consists of a suitable number of troughs according to the number of
colors to be printed, and each of these troughs is provided underneath
with a colour roller, over which passes an endless sheet or blanket,
which receives the colour from the colour roller, and carries it into or
across the machine, and under the colour blocks, which are mounted
on pins at their four corners, and are sustained by means of
'coiled springs at cach corner, which will also serve to raise the
blocks from the surface of the color cloths when the pressure is
removed. In order to supply the blocks with color they are brought
under rods or pistons, which are made to descend at the proper
moment, and press the blocks on to the surface of the color troughs,
from which the blocks will be raised by the force of the springs
immediately the pressure is removed from their upper side. The
cloth or fabric to be printed is rolled on a beam or roller, and passed
over a printing table, over which is suspended the platten or press-
ing surface, and under which the blocks are successively brought, and
when brought into their proper place over the fabric the platten of
the press is made to descend, and force the block down on the fabric,
and make an impression thereon. The frame containing the block
must then be moved forward until a second block is brought under the
platten, which being made to descend a second time will press the
printing block on to the surface of the fabric, and produce a second
impression thereon, and so on until all the blocks have been operated
upon, when the pattern. on the fabric will be complete. The fabric is

page_text: then moved forward the length of the pattern in order to bring a fresh
part of the surface under the press, and the operations are renewed until
the printing of the whole length of the fabric is completed. The fabric
is passed over a long cloth, and exposed to the air for some time in order
to dry the colours before the fabric is rolled up on the work beam.
Having briefly explained the general and principal features of my
improved apparatus, I will now proceed to describe more in detail the
construction, arrangement, and operation of the several parts.
In Sheets I. and II. of the accompanying Drawings I have shewn
various views of a machine suitably constructed and arranged for
printing Brussels or other carpets or fabrics of a somewhat similar
width. Fig. 1, is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2, is a plan
view; and Fig. 3, is a cross section taken verticaly in the line 1, 2, of
Fig. 1; Fig. 4, is a similar section, taken through the table in the
line 3, 4, of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5, is another section in the line 5, 6,
of the same Figure. A, A, indicates the main framing of the machine,
the upper rails A, of which are bevilled on both sides so as to enter
the grooves of the wheels B, of the carriages B, which carry the
printing blocks or "prints," as they are technically called. By
this means the printing block carriages are enabled to travel from
one end of the machine to the other on their rails or guides. The
troughs containing the colours are seen best in Fig. 3, at D, D, and
supply the printing surfaces of the blocks with colour by means of the
cylinders or rollers E, which work in the troughs D, in the usual
manner, and take up the colour therefrom, and deposit it upon the
endless sheets, aprons, or "sieves" F, which are passed round the
rollers G, G, mounted in bearings at each side of the machine. The
rollers G, are mounted in adjustable bearings, which can be slidden
in or out by means of adjusting screws (as shewn in Fig. 3,) in order to
keep the bands at a proper tension. Upon the axle of the rollers G, G,
are mounted toothed wheels H, II, (Figures 1, 2, and 3.) which gear
into the wheels I, I, upon the axles of the color rollers E, E. These
rollers E, and G, are driven by a pinion K, on the shaft J. This
pinion K, gears into the toothed wheel L, on the axle of the first of the

page_text: series of rollers G, so that by turning the shaft J, motion will be com-
municated simultaneously to the whole series of rollers and sheets or
aprons E, F, G, and G, from one end of the series to the other.
M, M, are tables, which, together with the endless sheets or aprons F,
form the sieve. These tables M, are mounted upon coiled or helical
springs N, near each of the four corners, and are prevented from
moving laterally by the pins, which pass through the springs and enter
holes or sockets in the corners of the blocks, so that when the latter
are pressed upon any part of the table or sieve M, with an uneven
force they will yield, and the surface of the table will suit itself to the
position of the printing block. Pressers or plungers by which the
printing blocks are pressed down upon the sieves to receive the colour
are shewn at 0, 0, (Figures 1, 2, and 3.) These plungers are con-
nected by rods P, P, to the arms Q, Q, of the shafts R, R, upon
the ends of which are toothed sectors S, S, that gear into the teeth
of the short racks T, on the horizontal bar U, which is connected to
the hand lever V, by the rod and arms W, W, W, and when it is
required to depress the plungers 0, 0, the attendant will merely have
to depress the hand lever V, which, through the agency of the rods and
levers W, W, W2, will cause the bar U, to move horizontally, and by
means of the racks and sectors will turn the shafts R, R, R, in the
direction of the arrow. By this means the rods P, P, will cause the
plungers to descend and press down the printing blocks upon the color
sieves to receive a fresh supply of colour. There are counter weights
X, X, upon the shafts R, which act as balance weights to the plungers
O, O. The printing table Y, is placed near the middle of the machine,
and upon this table the printing operation is performed. Z, is a
platten or presser, which is connected by the rods a, a, to excen-
trics b, b, on the shafts c, (see Fig. 4.) Upon the end of this shaft is
a pinion d, gearing into a toothed sector e, that is connected by a rod f,
to the hand lever g, by depressing which through the agency of the
several moving parts just mentioned the platten is caused to descend
and press down the printing block upon the fabric to be printed. A
counter weight h, is suspended from the pulley i, on the shaft c, and

page_text: corner.
draws up the platten Z, after it has been depressed, and causes the
other parts in connection therewith to return to their former positions,
as shewn in the Drawing. The printing blocks C, (which may be of
any suitable size) have four arms j, projecting from them at cach
These arms rest upon cross bars k, that are supported by
springs 7, of the carriage B*, and are prevented from moving laterally
by means of the pins m, projecting upwards from the carriage fram-
ing B, and which are made to enter holes in these arms. The
carriages with the printing blocks are made to travel upon the upper
rail A, of the framing by means of two long cords or bands n, and o,
one end of each of which is attached to short shafts p, mounted on the
first carriage, and the other end of the bands to similar shafts q, on the
last carriage of the train. These shafts are each provided with a pawl
and ratchet, and by being turned will bring the bands to their proper
tension. The bands are passed over pullies 1, at each end of the
framing, and once round a central or driving pulleys, and on giving
motion to these pullies 8, the bands n, and o, will cause the carriages
with the blocks to travel upon the rails A, of the framing from one
end of the machine to the other, and vice versa. The fabric to
be printed is wound upon the beam u, and passed over the printing
table Y, (as shewn by the red line in Fig. 6,) where it receives
the impression of the whole of the blocks, the number depending
upon the nature of the pattern required to be produced. It is
then moved onwards another distance equal to the length of a block,
when the blocks, having in the meantime received a fresh supply of
color, are successively brought under the platten Z, and by pressing
them down successively upon the fabric, as before, a repetition of the
pattern will be printed upon a fresh part of the piece, after which the
piece is gradually passed on and wound upon the roller v, as shown in
the Drawing. Upon one end of the axle of the roller v, is mounted a
bevil wheel w, which gears with another wheel w', on the shaft w², at
the other end of which is a bevil wheel gearing into the wheel w³, on
the shaft a. On the axle of the roller y, is mounted an index or
measuring wheel, which is prevented from turning by means of the
rod 1, catching into a notch on the periphery of the wheel z. This

page_text: rod is kept in an elevated position by the weighted treadle 2, below
so that when it is required to draw forward the cloth the attendant
must first depress the weighted treadle, which will withdraw the rod 1,
from the notch in the wheel ; he then, by means of the winch 3,
must turn the shaft æ, which by means of the bevil wheels w, w', &c.
gives motion to the take-up roller v, and thus draws the fabric for
ward. As it is desirable that the fabric after being printed should
become tolerably dry before it is wound upon the roller , it is neces-
sary for that purpose that it should travel some distance before it
arrives at that roller; but inasmuch as a long length of carpet when
submitted to much tension is liable to stretch, it will be found advi
sable to introduce a check roller y, midway between the take-up
roller v, and printing table Z. The action of this roller is as follows:-
Two weights 5, and 6, one being half the weight of the other, are
connected by a cord, which is passed once around the roller
when the fabric is drawn forward the roller Y, is prevented from turn-
ing until sufficient weight is put upon the fabric to raise the weight 5,
and the weight 6, by descending to the ground will cause the cord
to slacken and allow the roller y, to turn; and after a sufficient length
of cloth has been brought forward, and the tension upon the fabric
reduced, the weight 5, will again descend to its original position, and
prevent the roller from turning.
y, and
As the carriages are brought successively under the platten to be
pressed it is necessary that they should be secured in their true posi-
tion while the printing operation is being performed, and for this
purpose they are provided with two bolts 7, 7, which are allowed to
drop into notches 8, 8, in the side framing of the printing block car-
riages, and thereby retain the same in their true position for the pur-
pose above mentioned. 9, is a treadle which is connected by a rod 10,
to an arm 11, projecting from the shaft 12, and from this shaft project
two other arms which are in connection with the bolts 7, 7, so that
when an impression has been taken the attendant depresses the
treadle 9, and by the agency of the rods and levers 10, 11, 12, 13,
and 14, will raise the bolts 7, 7, from the notches in the carriage
frame, which will then be at liberty to move forward until another

page_text: carriage is brought in the same place, when the same locking operation
is repeated. The bolts are retained in an elevated position by an
arm 15, which keeps the treadle 9, in a depressed position, as shown in
the Drawing. Ratchet wheels 16, and 17, are placed upon the work
beam n, and also the take-up rollers t, to prevent any reverse movement
of the fabric. 18, is a blanket that is passed over the printing table for
the purpose of producing a soft surface for the prints to press upon.
The operation is as follows:-The troughs having been supplied with
colour, motion is communicated to the color roller E, in the manner
before described, and the endless cloths F, are thereby supplied with
color, and when they are brought over the sieves I, the printing blocks
are simultaneously pressed down upon the sieves and receive the
different colors therefrom; this having been done, the series of carriages
with the printing blocks are brought in succession under the platten of
the press, and pressed down upon the fabric, after which they are again
returned to the sieves to receive another supply of color, the fabric
being at the same time moved forward a distance equal to the length of
the pattern by the winch 3, before described, so as to bring up a fresh
portion of the fabric to be printed.
At Fig. 7, I have shewn a modification of apparatus for feeding and
carrying away the cloth as it becomes printed. In this case I use a
card or spiked roller a, the spikes or card teeth of which enter the
fabric as the roller a, is turned, and thereby draw forward the cloth off
the beam, and prevent it from shifting laterally out of its proper
course. The roller a, is. turned by the winch handle b, and when a
sufficient quantity of cloth has been drawn off the beam u, the wheel a,
is held in a stationary position by the bolt c, which acts in the same
manner as that described with reference to Fig. 1; the course of the
cloth is indicated by the red line, and will be readily traced in the
Drawing. The cloth is hung over rollers d, e, f, g, h, as there shown;
it is first passed over the whole of the rollers and attached to that
marked d, and as the printing proceeds the cloth is let down between
the rollers, as shewn in the Drawing. The object of this arrangement
of rollers is to prevent the necessity of the fabric being touched by the
hands until it is sufficiently dry to admit of so doing without risk of

page_text: injury thereto. A winch i, may be adapted to the spindles of each of
the rollers for the purpose of turning the same when it is required to
pass the cloth down between them.
Having now described my various improvements, and the best means
with which I am at present acquainted for carrying the same into effect,
I would observe, in conclusion, that I am aware that some of the
parts herein shewn and described have heretofore been employed for
similar purposes; I do not, therefore, mean or intend to claim such
parts taken separately, nor do I intend to confine myself rigidly to
the precise arrangement or construction of parts herein shewn and
described, as they may perhaps be varied without departing from
the nature and object of my improvements; but I claim as new and of
my Invention,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of parts herein
shewn and described, or any modification thereof, in which two or
more printing blocks mounted in suitable carriages are made to travel
along a railway for the purpose of bringing them above the colour
tables to receive a supply of colour, and successively beneath the
platten of a press, in order that impressions from such printing blocks
may be transferred to the fabric in succession until the whole pattern,
however complicated and elaborate, is completed.
Second, I claim the construction and mode of operating the appa-
ratus for supplying the impression surfaces of the printing blocks with
colour. I also claim the arrangement herein shewn, or any equivalent
mechanical contrivance, for bringing the colour apparatus of the
different blocks into action simultaneously.
Third, I claim connecting the frames of two or more printing blocks
together by suitable gearing, so that they may be brought simultaneously
into action for the purpose of supplying their impression surfaces with
the various colours required to complete the pattern.
Fourth, I claim the means herein shewn and described, or any equi-
valent contrivance, for stopping and holding the printing blocks in their
required position under the platten, so as to cause a perfect register of
the pattern when the impression is transferred to the fabric.
Fifth, I claim the mode shewn in Fig. 7, of passing the fabric when

page_text: printed out of the machine, and suspending it from rollers so that it s
may have time to dry previous to being rolled up.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Curtain, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
WILLIAM CURTAIN. (L.S.)