IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC FABRICS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT. to Archibald Turner and Luke Turner, both of
Leicester, Elastic Fabric Manufacturers, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC FABRICS.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Archibald Turner and
Luke Turner at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 16th August 1870.
.
We, ARCHIBALD TURNER and LUKE TURNER, both of Leicester,
Elastic Fabric Manufacturers, do hereby. declare the nature of the said.
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS. IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC FABRICS," to.
be as follows:-
:
Our Invention of improvements in the manufacture of elastic fabrics
has for its object to produce an elastic fabric with a.napped woollen
surface.
.
The present Invention consists of improvements on two several Inven-
tions for which we have respectively obtained Letters Patent, bearing
date as follows, namely, Luke Turner, May 14th, 1870, No. 1387,.and..

page_text: Archibald Turner, July 22nd, 1870, No. 2072. In the Provisional
Specifications of the above Patents we have described certain methods
of effecting the desired object, but since the filing of such Specifications
we have discovered other methods of producing substantially the same
result.
In order to produce à napped surface resembling woollen cloth woollen
yarns must of course be used to form the face of the cloth, and if required
the back also. We are aware that worsted yarns have heretofore been
used in the manufacture of elastic fabrics, but this has never been done
in such a way as to produce the appearance of woollen cloth, which is the
object we have in view.
Attempts have been made to produce elastic fabrics with a woollen
cloth napped surface, but hitherto without success, as the woven fabric
although made with woollen yarns was unsuitable for felting. The
present petitioner, A. Turner, obtained Provisional Protection, bearing
date 28th March 1859, No. 776, for an Invention having this object in
view, and the present petitioner, L. Turner, also obtained Provisional
Protection, dated Sept. 14th, 1860, No. 2226, for an Invention. also
intended to effect the same result, but although we used woollen yarns
for the face of the fabric we were both unable to produce an even
napped surface, owing to the difficulty of drawing out the fibres. from
the woollen yarns preparatory to felting or fulling them. We have
discovered that this want of success arose in a great measure from the
method adopted for weaving the fabric, as the fibres were tied tightly
down by the weft in the process of weaving, in consequence of the
woollen warp threads being carried down at every change of the shed
to the back of the fabric, leaving but a very small part of the yarn on
the face. We have found that if these woollen yarns be kept as far as
possible on the face and not allowed to be carried down between the
rubber strands, then the fibres can be drawn out from the warp threads
and felted, and a napped surface can then be produced. This is effected
by the Inventions for which we have recently applied for Letters Patent
as aforesaid.
In carrying out our present Invention we weave an elastic fabric with
a woollen face very much on the principle on which elastic terry or half
terry fabrics are now made, that is, the woollen warp threads are not
carried down between the rubber strands, but are kept at the surface of
the fabric.
}

page_text: In weaving elastic woollen fabrics for the purposes of our Invention
we prefer to use woollen yarns of a softer and more open texture than
those usually employed in making elastic fabrics, so that when the
woven fabric is subjected to the subsequent processes required for raising
the pile and producing a napped woollen cloth surface the woollen
fibres may be first drawn out and then fulled or felted, so
produce the napped surface required.
as to.
When the fabric has been woven we submit it to the action of steam,.
for the purpose, first, of opening, and then matting the fibres, so as to
form a napped surface. The fabric may then be fulled, felted, dressed,
and finished in the manner set forth in the Specification of Luke
Turner's Patent, dated May 17th 1870, above referred to, or in any.
other convenient and suitable manner for producing a napped woollen
cloth surface.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,.
filed by the said Archibald Turner and Luke Turner in the Great..
Seal Patent Office on the 16th February 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE. PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ARCHIBALD
TURNER and LUKE TURNER, both of Leicester, in the County of Leicester,
Elastic Fabric Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty--
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Archibald Turner and Luke Turner, Her
special licence that we, the said Archibald Turner and Luke Turner, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said.
Archibald Turner and Luke Turner, our 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 THE MANUFacture of
ELASTIC FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Archibald Turner and Luke Turner, our executors or administrators, by
:

page_text: an instrument in writing under our, 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 we, the said Archibald Turner and Luke
Turner, do hereby declare the nature of our 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) :-
Our Invention of " Improvements in the Manufacture of Elastic
Fabrics" has for its object to produce an elastic fabric with a napped
woollen surface.
The present Invention consists of improvements on two several Inven-
tions for which we have respectively obtained Letters Patent, bearing date
as follows, namely, Luke Turner, May Fourteenth, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy, No. 1387, and Archibald Turner, July Twenty-
second, One thousand eight hundred and seventy, No. 2072. In the
Specifications of the above Patents we have described certain methods
of effecting the desired object, but since the filing of such Specifications
we have discovered other methods of producing substantially the same
result.
In order to produce a napped surface resembling woollen cloth, woollen
yarns must of course be used to form the face of the cloth, and if
required the back also. We are aware that worsted yarns have here-
tofore been used in the manufacture of elastic fabrics, but this has never
been done in such a way as to produce the appearance of woollen cloth,
which is the object we have in view.
Attempts have been made to produce elastic fabrics with a woollen
cloth napped surface, but hitherto without success, as the woven fabric
although made with woollen yarns was unsuitable for felting. The
present petitioner, Archibald Turner, obtained Provisional Protection,
bearing date Twenty-eighth March, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-nine, No. 776, for an Invention having this object in view, and the
present petitioner, Luke Turner, also obtained Provisional Protection,

page_text: dated September Fourteenth, One thousand eight hundred and sixty,
No. 2226, for an Invention also intended to effect the same result, but
although we used woollen yarns for the face of the fabric we were both
unable to produce an even napped surface owing to the difficulty of
drawing out the fibres from the woollen yarns preparatory to felting or
fulling them. We have discovered that this want of success arose in a
great measure from the method adopted for weaving the fabric as the
fibres were tied tightly down by the weft in the process of weaving in
consequence of the woollen warp threads being carried both up and down
at every change of the shed, leaving but a very small part of the yarn
on the face. We have found that if these woollen yarns be kept as far
as possible on the face, and not allowed to be carried down between
the rubber strands, then the fibres can be drawn out from the warp
threads and felted, and a napped surface can then be produced. This is
effected by the Inventions for which Letters Patent have been granted
to the herein-before mentioned Luke and Archibald Turner, and above
referred to.
In carrying out our present Invention we weave an elastic fabric with
a woollen face very much'on the principle on which elastic terry or
half terry fabrics are now made, that is, the woollen warp threads are not
carried down between the rubber strands, but are kept at the surface
of the fabric.
To explain our object more fully we will refer to the Specifications of
Luke and Archibald Turner's Patents before mentioned, dated respec-
tively, May Fourteenth and July Twenty-second, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy, in which the fabrics described and shewn in the
Diagrams are what are known as "full terry's," that is to say, a warp is
employed to form the face, and another warp to form the back. These
two warps are united by means of binding or sewing threads which pass
up and down between the rubber strands.
.
The object of our present Invention is to make a fabric which shall
be lighter and cheaper than those described in the above-mentioned
Specifications, and this object is attained by making a half terry fabric
in which those warp threads or yarns that are usually employed to form
the back of the fabric are dispensed with, and only those warp threads
are employed which are required to form the napped surface of the
fabric. But if it is desired to produce a napped surface at the back also of
this light fabric a woollen weft yarn may be employed in weaving, and

page_text: when the fabric is afterwards fulled, felted, and dressed, a napped surface
will be produced on the back. It will be obvious that the napped
surface on the front side of the fabric will be produced from the warp.
threads, whilst that on the other side or back will be produced from the
weft. In this fabric it may sometimes be desirable to make a white back
(or one partially so), when such is the case we employ a loom with two
shuttles, one shuttle to weave the face of the fabric, and the other to
form the back.
In the two Diagrams in the accompanying Drawing are shewn two
methods of weaving "half terry" fabrics according to our Invention.
The Diagrams represent the fabrics in a state of tension and are drawn
on an enlarged scale.
Fig. 1 is an example of a "half terry" fabric in which the face is woven
in the manner described in the Specification of Luke Turner, dated May
the Fourteenth, One thousand eight hundred and seventy. w, w, are the
woollen warp yarns forming the face of the fabric; R, R, the rubber
strands; B, B, the binding or sewing threads; and C, C, the weft
threads. Fig. 2 is a similar Diagram, shewing the woollen warp threads
to form the face woven in the manner described in the Specification of
Archibald Turner, July Twenty-second, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy, this example of a half terry fabric sliews the woollen warp yarns
kept wholly on the surface of the fabric and floating over two or more
wefts, the same result may be produced by causing the woollen weft to
float over two or more warp threads. The back of the fabric is formed
and the rubber strands covered solely by the cotton or other weft, and
united to the face of the fabric by the binding or sewing threads. The
number and manner of employing the binding threads to tie the fabric
together may be greatly varied.
In weaving elastic woollen fabrics for the purposes of our Invention
we prefer to use woollen yarns of a softer and more open texture than a
those usually employed in making elastic fabrics, so that when the woven
fabric is subjected to the subsequent processes required for raising the
pile and producing a napped woollen cloth surface the woollen fibres
may be first drawn out and then fulled or felted so as to produce the
napped surface required. When the fabric has been woven we submit
it to the action of steam for the purpose first of opening and then
matting the fibres so as to form a napped surface. The fabric may then
be fulled, felted, dressed, and finished in the manner set forth in the

page_text: Specification of Luke Turner's Patent, dated May Fourteenth, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy, above referred to, or in any other
convenient and suitable manner, for producing a napped woollen cloth
surface.
Having now described our Invention of "Improvements in the Ma-
nufacture of Elastic Fabrics," and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, we claim as the Invention secured to us by
the herein in part recited Letters Patent, making an elastic fabric with.
a woollen cloth face by weaving woollen yarns to form the surface of the
fabric as herein set forth so as to produce a half terry clastic fabric, our
object being to economize the yarn and reduce the thickness of the fabric
and consequently to produce a cheaper fabric than heretofore.
In witness whereof, we, the said Archibald Turner and Luke Turner,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Fifteenth day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-one.
A. TURNER.
(L.S.)
LUKE TURNER. (L.S.)