IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOVEN OR TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Woods Cook, of Bolton, in the
County of Lancaster, Muslin Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOVEN OR TEXTILE
FABRICS."
Sealed the 8th September 1853, and dated the 6th July 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Woods
Cook at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 6th July 1853.
I, WILLIAM WOODS Cooк, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOVEN OR TEXTILE
FABRICS" to be as follows:-
My Invention relates particularly to the mode or method of raising
stripes or surfaces of different width or dimensions, similar to the plaits
of shirt fronts, and which are applicable to the same and other pur-
poses. The said plaits, stripes, or surfaces are at present raised by the

page_text: weft threads being thrown in by a number of shuttles according to the
pattern desired to be raised; instead of which, I propose to form or
raise the pattern by the warp threads alone woven longitudinally, and
with one shuttle, instead of by the weft threads being woven across
with several shuttles; by this means I can maintain the same unifor-
mity of pattern through the whole piece, and by using only one shuttle
I effect an economy in the production, and require less skill in the
weaver. I effect this desirable object by merely introducing an addi-
tional number of warn threads through or in the same reed space
according to the pattern required. The number of the said warp
threads to-be increased or diminished- according to the required width
of the raised stripe or plait.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Woods Cook in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 31st December. 1853....
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM WOODS COOK, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Muslin
Manufacturer, send greeting.
11.
C
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of July, 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 Woods Cook, Her especial liccuce
that I, the said William Woods Cook, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, of such others as 1, the said William Woods Cook, my
executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time, agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all tiines 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 of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOVEN OR TEXTILE FABRICS," upon the

page_text: condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Woods Cook, by
an instrument in writing under iny hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manuer 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 Royal Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Woods Cook, 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):
My Invention consists of an improved method of manufacturing
certain descriptions of woven fabrics, which are. peculiarly adapted for
shirt or habit fronts, petticoats, or other similar purposes, such fabrics
having imitation stitched folds or fast. plaits, formed by the awari
threads longitudinally in the process of weaving. The advantages of
this my Invention are, firstly, the simplicity of the process over the
other modes of manufacturing similar fabrics, using only one shuttle,.
and dispensing with a number of treddles. Secondly, in enabling the
weaver to proceed regularly in weaving the entire piece of cloth, with-
out any risk of making imperfect patterns or irregular stitched folds or
plaits. Thirdly, in enabling the workman to produce a greater quan-
tity of cloth from a loom in a given time; and, fourthly, in facilitating
the process of bleaching and finishing, by which the goods can be
better and more evenly finished, and better got up by the laundress.
In carrying these my improvements into effect I use the ordinary.
calico loom, but with the addition of two or more yarn beans, the
number to be regulated according to the various modes of ornamenta-
tion which may be adopted according to the taste of the manufacturer.
The accompanying illustration, which I introduce for the more effectual
elucidation of the principle of my Invention, requires two yarn beams,
namely, a face beam and a back beam, the face beam.to be plain, and
the back beam to have flanges or list folds, arranged on it according to
the design or pattern required, and for receiving the lining threads of
the folds or plaits, as well as to confine them in a proper position

page_text: during the process of weaving. As the arrangement of the warps in
warping is of very great importance in carrying out my said improve-
ments, I will describe the process when two warps are used. The face
warp consists of the plain part, with the face and stitching parts of
the fold warped as one plain warp, of a suitable fineness of yarn for
shirt or habit fronts, or for the particular purpose required. The back
warp may be warped as a plain warp, composed of coarser yarn for
lining the folds or plaits, allowing extra ends for doubling in drawing
into the heddles and reed for the outside lining ends. When the
warps are sized they are wound on to the beams already described, the
face warp on the plain beam, the back warp on the beam with flanges
or listed divisions, to confine the lining threads in a proper position
according to the arrangement of the pattern. The warps are then
drawn into the heddles and reed according to the accompanying
draught and cording. up pattern, which draught requires fourteen
heddles, cight short counter marches, eight long counter marches, eight
jacks or heddle bearers, and six treddles; the heddles are lettered A,
B, &c. to N, and the treddles are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; the short
cords are marked on the draught. The first beddle, lettered A, is
placed to the front of the others, and in progressive order across the
sett, the fourteenth being the letter N, the first treddle No. 1, being on
the right side, and No. 6, on the opposite side; the others are in order
betwixt, as shewn in the draught and cording pattern. The stitching
heddies A, and B, are placed in front, the four plain heddles C, D, E,
and F, next the six face plait heddles, G, H, I, J, K, and L, follow, and
the lining heddles M, and N, to the back. The draught commences
with four plain dents, two ends in a dent or split of the reed, then four
dents face and lining for the imitation folds or fast plaits, having three
ends in the dent or spit of the reed for such face part, and one end in
the dent or split of the reed for such lining thread, except the outside
lining end, which should be three or four times the thickness of the
other lining threads, to give the plait or fold the appearance of a plait
or fold laid over and continued as described in the order, and shewn
by the accompanying draught and cording up pattern. The first shed

page_text: of the treddle No. 1, raises the heddles A, E, F, J, K, and L; No. 2,
treddle raises A, C, D, G, H, and I; No. 3, treddle raises A, E, F,
G, II, I, J, K, L, and N; No. 4, raises A, C, D, J, K, and L; No. 5,
raises B, E, F, G, H, and I; No. 6, raises B, C, D, G, H, I, J, K, L,
and M, which six sheds when shot with weft of a suitable fineness for
the required purpose stitch, face, and line the imitation stitched folds or
plaits, and continue in the same order through the piece with one
shuttle only. The above example is merely an illustration of the
principle, as the patterns desired may be varied and arranged according
to the taste of the manufacturer in the preparation of the heddles or
harness and warps. I would here suggest for the more perfect manu-
facture of the cloth, by the weaver, as it may frequently occur in the
arrangement of the patterns that there will be a large body of imita-
tion stitched folds or plaits introduced together, and alternate large
spaces of plain cloth, betwixt, which imitation stitched folds or plaits, if
allowed to continue folding on each other, without suitable packing in
such plain places, would cause one part to weave in advance of the
other, and so spoil the cloth. The packings I use are small strips of
fine card board, such as are used for the cards of the jacquard machine,
any old ones laid aside as otherwise worthless are sufficient for the
purpose, or, if more convenient, the occasional introduction of fine
heddle shafts, placed across the cloth beam in the progress of weaving,
will be sufficient to avoid any imperfections in the work.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said
Invention, and the manner of carrying the satne into practical effect,
I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to
the exact details herein set forth, as such may be varied or modified
without departing from the principle thereof; neither do I confine
myself to the one draught and one shuttle, as a great variety of
patterns or styles, &c., may be produced by the introduction of various
harness, and the jacquard machine in connection with such imitation
stitched folds or fast plaits. But I claim the manufacture of such
fabrics with imitation stitched folds or fast plaits, formed by the warp
threads longitudinally in the process of weaving, as herein described

page_text: and illustrated by the accompanying draught, and the application
of such fabrics to shirt or habit fronts, petticoats, or other similar
purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Woods Cook, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of Decem-
ber, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Signed, sealed, and delivered
by the within-named Wil-
liam Woods Cook in the.
presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
WILLIAM WOODS COOK. (L.S.)
Patent Agent,
Manchester.