IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR FILLING OR STARCHING WOVEN FABRICS 6
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Lewis Livsey, of Bury, in the County
of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR FILLING OR STARCHING WOVEN FABRICS
6
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Lewis Livsey
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 2nd April 1870.
I, THOMAS LEWIS LIVSEY, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR 'FILLING OR STARCHING WOVEN
FABRICS MADE FROM COTTON, FLAX, OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be as
follows:-
"
This Invention relates to machinery or apparatus employed for
filling" or starching woven fabrics, the object of the said Invention
being to apply the filling or starch to one side of the fabric only, leaving
the threads uncovered on the other surface.

page_text: "
Hitherto the "filling or starch has been applied to the fabric by
means of a pair of calendering rollers or bowls, which forced the filling
or starch completely through the fabric, covering the threads on both
sides, and the pressure of these rollers flattened the threads and injured
the appearance of the surface of the cloth.
In my improved apparatus I dispense with the use of calendering
bowls and employ only one roller, which revolves in the trough or vessel
containing the starch or filling in connection with a series of revolving
brushes for smoothing the surface and with steam chests or pipes for
drying the starch or filling.
The cloth or fabric under operation first passes over a tension bar or
rail and then over the edge of the trough and downwards, under, and
partly round the roller, one side of the cloth being exposed to the starch
or filling in the trough or vessel takes up a sufficient quantity thereof,
the said quantity being regulated by a "doctor" plate, which presses
against the surface of the cloth as it leaves the trough and prevents it
from taking up too much of the starch or filling, the latter being also
kept constantly agitated by a revolving beater mounted inside the trough.
The cloth then passes between the upper surface of the roller and a
revolving brush, which moves in the same direction, but faster than the
cloth and brushes, or smoothes the surface. The cloth next passes over
a series of similar revolving brushes, beneath which are arranged steam
chests or pipes for drying the starch or filling whilst it is being
brushed, and it is then delivered in a dry finished state by means of any
convenient arrangement of folding or "plaiting down" machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Lewis Livsey in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 1st October 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
LEWIS LIVSEY, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and

page_text: grant unto me, the said Thomas Lewis Livsey, Her special licence that
I, the said Thomas Lewis Livsey, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Lewis Livsey, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR 'FILLING '
OR STARCHING WOVEN FABRICS MADE FROM COTTON, FLAX, OR OTHER FIBROUS
SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Thomas Lewis Livscy, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Thomas Lewis Livsey, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to
say):-
This Invention relates to machinery or apparatus employed for filling
or starching woven fabrics, the object of the said Invention being to
apply the filling or starch to one side of the fabric only, leaving the
threads uncovered on the other surface.
Hitherto the filling or starch has been applied to the fabric by means
of a pair of calendering rollers or bowls, which forced the filling or
starch completely through the fabric, covering the threads on both sides,
and the pressure of these rollers flattened the threads and injured the
appearance of the surface of the cloth.
In my improved apparatus I dispense with the use of calendering
bowls and employ only one roller, which revolves in the trough or vessel
containing the starch or filling in connection with a series of revolving
brushes for smoothing the surface, and with steam chests or pipes for
drying the starch or filling.
The cloth or fabric under operation first passes over a tension bar or
rail, and then over the edge of the trough and downwards under and

page_text: partly round the roller, one side of the cloth being exposed to the starch
or filling in, the trough or vessel takes up a sufficient quantity thereof,
the said quantity being regulated by a "doctor" plate which presses
against the surface of the cloth as it leaves the trough in contact with
the roller and prevents it from taking up too much of the starch or
filling, the latter being also kept constantly agitated by a revolving
beater mounted inside the trough. The cloth then passes between the
upper surface of the roller and a revolving brush which moves in the
same direction but faster than the cloth and brushes, or smooths the
surface. The cloth next passes over a series of similar revolving brushes 1
and fans beneath which are arranged steam chests or pipes for drying
the starch or filling whilst it is being brushed, and it is then delivered
in a dry finished state by means of any convenient arrangement of
folding or "plaiting down" machine.
Such being the nature of object of my said Invention for "Improve- 1
ments in Machinery or Apparatus to be Employed for 'Filling' or
Starching Woven Fabrics made from Cotton, Flax, or other Fibrous
Substances," I will now proceed to describe more in detail the manner
in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood I have a
hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding
with those in the following explanation thereof.
In the annexed Drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the machine;
Fig. 2 is a front view of the same, and Fig. 3 a partial end view.
a, a, is the main framing of the machine supporting in suitable bearings
the roller b, b, revolving in the trough c, c, which contains the starch or
other filling material; d, d, is the tension bar or rail over which the
cloth passes and then inside the edge of the trough c, c, and round the
roller b, b, one side of the cloth being in close contact with the roller
and the other exposed to the starch or filling material in the trough,
so that it takes up the requisite quantity as it passes through the trough;
c, e, is a revolving beater or agitator for keeping the starch or filling
material in constant movement and forcing it against the cloth; f,f, is
a "doctor plate" pressing against the surface of the cloth whilst it is
in contact with the roller and adjustable by means of springs and
levers f*, f*, so as to regulate the quantity of filling material taken up
by the cloth and smooth the surface of the same; g, g, is a revolving
ๆ

page_text: brush moving in the same direction as the roller b, b, but at a quicker
speed, so as to brush and smooth the surface; h, h, are a series of
revolving brushes and fans in contact with which the cloth then passes,
and i, i, are steam chests or pipes placed beneath the same. This series
of revolving brushes and fans and steam chests or pipes extends to a
sufficient length to complete the finishing and drying of the fabric before
it arrives at the folding or plaiting down" machine which may be of
the ordinary or any other suitable construction; Fig. 3 shows the
gearing for driving the agitator and the lever and spring for giving
pressure to the doctor plate.
66
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that
I claim as my Invention, the general construction and arrangement of
the machine as shown on the Drawings and herein-before described.
And especially I claim the use in such machines of a single roller
revolving in a trough and carrying the cloth through the starch or filling
material in connection with a revolving brush and a doctor plate acting
on the surface of the cloth whilst it is in close contact with the roller.
I also claim the revolving beater or agitator in the trough, and the
series of revolving fans and brushes in combination with the steam
chests or pipes for finishing and drying the fabric.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Lewis Livsey, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Twenty-seventh day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witnessed by
GEORGE DAVIES, C.E.,
Office for Patents,
Manchester.
THOMAS LEWIS LIVSEY. (L.S.)