AN IMPROVED MODE OF DRYING FLAX, Tow, HEMP, SILK, COTTON, AND OTHER YARN IN THE PROCESS OF DRESSING, WARPING, SIZEING, BEAMING, AND PREPARING YARN FOR WEAVING
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Wilks Lord, of Leeds, in the County of
York, Consulting Machinist and General Commission Agent, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF DRYING FLAX, Tow, HEMP, SILK,
COTTON, AND OTHER YARN IN THE PROCESS OF DRESSING, WARPING, SIZEING,
BEAMING, AND PREPARING YARN FOR WEAVING."
Sealed the 7th April 1857, and dated the 27th December 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Wilks Lord at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th December 1856.
I, THOMAS WILES LORD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Consulting
Machinist and General Commission Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF DRYING FLAX, Tow, HEMP, SILK,
COTTON, AND OTHER YARN IN THE PROCESS OF DRESSING, WARPING, SIZEING,
BEAMING, AND PREPARING YARN FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
My improvement consists in placing between the sizeing trough and the
winding-on frame and below the warp or yarn a steam chest, (preferably tra-
versed by a number of open tubes,) whilst a box connected with an exhausting
fan is placed over the steam chest at such distance as just to allow the warp or
yarn to pass between the steam chest and the box. The fau being set in motion
creates a current of air through the warp or yarns on their passage to the
winding-on beam, whilst the air in its passage over or through the steam chest
becomes heated. Instead of placing the fan on the top of the box, it may be
placed below the steam chest, and employed to draw the air through it,
instead of drawing the air through the steam chest, as above described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Wilks Lord in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th June 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WILKS LORD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Consulting Machinist and
General Commission Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Wilks Lord, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Wilks Lord, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Thomas Wilks Lord, 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
night 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 MODE OF DRYING FLAX, TOW, HEMP, SILK, COTTON, AND OTHER
YARN IN THE PROCESS OF DRESSING, WARPING, SIZEING, BEAMING, AND PREPARING
YARN FOR WEAVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Thomas Wilks Lord, my exccutors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describo 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 1, the said Thomas Wilks Lord, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in placing between the sizeing trough and the
winding-on frame of a dressing and warping machine, and below the yarn an
apparatus for heating air by steam (formed preferably as a rectangular steam
chest or chamber, traversed by a number of air tubes open at each end),
whilst a box connected with an exhausting fan is placed above the heater or
steam chest at such a distance from it as just to allow the warp or yarn to
pass between the steam chest and the box; the fan being set in motion creates
a current of air through the yarn or warp in its passage to the winding-ou

page_text: beam, and the air in passing over or through the steam chest or heater
becomes heated, and so causes the yarn to dry rapidly.
The accompanying Drawing represents an arrangement for carrying out my
Invention in connection with an ordinary dressing and warping machine. Tho
Drawing is an elevation, partly in section. a, a, is an ordinary dressing and
warping machine; is a rectangular steam chest, the top and bottom of which
are traversed by a number of air tubes b', '; c is an air-tight or nearly air-
tight box, through which, and as close to the mouths of the air tubes as may
be, passes the yarn, indicated by the dotted line d. The top of the box is
connected by a trunk f with an exhausting fan g; on opposite sides of the box
is a sliding glass frame c², to enable the tenter by raising the frame to
arrange the warp or yarn when needful. The glass frames are connected with
a slide valve h, placed in the trunk between the box and the fan, so that when
the tenter raises the frame, he thereby closes the valve and stops the current
of air; and when he has arranged the warp or yarn, by closing the glass frame
the valve is opened and the current is restored. Instead of placing the fan
above the box, as above described, and as shewn in the Drawing, it may be
placed in any position which may be more convenient, still being connected
with the box by a trunk.
Having thus described my Invention, and the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I would observe that I do not limit myself to the precise details
above described, as they may be modified without departing from the nature of
my Invention; but I claim in respect thereof the drying warp or yarns in the
process of dressing, warping, sizeing, beaming, and preparing yarn for weaving
by means of a current of heated air drawn through the yarns by means of a
fan, the air being heated by means of a steam apparatus placed below the warp
or yarn and nearly in contact with it, as hercin-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wilks Lord, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
JAMES MURDOCH.
T. W. LORD. (L.S.)