AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF BANDS OR STRIPS FOR CRINOLINES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Waide Reynolds, of Smethwick, in the
County of Stafford, Crinoline Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF BANDS OR STRIPS FOR CRINOLINES."
Sealed the 8th April 1864, and dated the 10th October 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Waide Reynolds
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 10th October 1863.
I, GEORGE WAIDE REYNOLDS, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford,
Crinoline Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF BANDS OR STRIPS FOR CRINOLINES," to be as
follows:-
In preparing strips of steel for conversion into crinolines it has been usual
to cover them with cotton plaiting, the strands of cotton being sufficiently
thick to hide the steel. It has also been proposed as a cheaper operation
to cover the steel with paper. This, however, has the disadvantage of
producing a rustling sound when the crinolines made of such covered bands
are worn, it also presents some disadvantage in coupling the ends of the bands.
In order, however, to secure to some extent the advantage of the paper-
covered strips or bands, I propose to cover them after Loft's patent method
(No. 829, 1862), and to lay an open plaited covering over this paper covering,
availing myself of the colour of the paper for producing the effect of a thick
cotton covering, while the paper serves effectually to prevent the edges of the
strips from cutting the cotton plaiting. By this means I am enabled with
a small expenditure of cotton to obtain as good a result as if the steel bands
were thickly plaited with cotton.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Waide Reynolds in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th April 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WAIDE REYNOLDS, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Crinoline a
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said George Waide Reynolds, Her special license that I, the said
George Waide Reynolds, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said George Waide Reynolds, 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 "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF BANDS OR STRIPS
FOR CRINOLINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Waide Reynolds, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Waide Reynolds, 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 Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
In preparing strips of steel for conversion into crinolines it has been usual
to cover them with cotton plaiting, the cotton threads being laid around the
strips sufficiently close to hide the steel. It has also been proposed as a
cheaper operation to cover the steel with paper. This latter plan, however,
has this disadvantage, viz., that crinolines made from such paper-covered steel
bands will, when worn, produce a rustling sound. Those bands also present
some disadvantage in the coupling of their ends, and when the steel breaks
the broken ends are at once free and dangerous, which is not the case with
steel strips having a plaited covering. In order, however, to secure to some

page_text: extent the economical advantage of the paper-covered strips or bands, I
propose to employ a compound covering, which will combine to some extent
the advantages of both plans, and have the saine sightly appearance without
being so costly as the close cotton plaiting. To this end I first cover the
strips of crinoline steel with white or other suitably toned paper in any well
known or approved manner, preferring, however, the method described in the
Specification of Mr. Loft's Patent, dated Twenty-fifth March One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-two (No. 829). Over the steel strips so carried with
paper, I apply an open plaited covering, using for that purpose the ordinary
plaiting or braiding machinery, availing myself of the colour of the paper for
producing the effect of a thick cotton covering, while the paper serves
effectually to prevent the edges of the strips from cutting the cotton plaiting.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn on an enlarged scale at Fig. 1
a strip of steel coated with paper, the edges being lapped to ensure a complete
covering of the metal; and at Fig. 2 I have shewn the paper-covered strip
with the open plaited covering applied thereto.
By this combined means of covering metal bands or strips I am enabled, with
a small expenditure of cotton, to obtain as good a result as if the steel bands
were thickly plaited with cotton, and also to produce the plaiting with great
expedition.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "An Improved Manu-
facture of Bands or Strips for Crinolines," and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above
in part recited Letters Patent I claim, applying to bands or strips of metal a
compound covering in the manner and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Waide Reynolds, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
GEORGE WAIDE REYNOLDS. (L.S.)