CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MACHINERY USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOBBIN NET LACE, POR PRODUCING CERTAIN KINDS OF EMBROIDERED OR ORNAMENTED LACE
Year: 1832

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
WILLIAM NUNN, of the Parish of Whippingham, in the Isle of Wight, Bobbin
Lace Manufacturer, GEORGE MOWBRAY, of the same place, and RICHARD
ALABONE, of the Town of Newport, in the said Isle of Wight, Foreman
to Henry William Nunn, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-seventh day of February, in the third year of His
reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Henry William Nunn, George Mowbray, and Richard Alabone, His
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that we, the said
Henry William Nunn, George Mowbray, and Richard Alabone, our exors,
admors, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Henry William Nunn,
George Mowbray, and Richard Alabone, our exors, admors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, our Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MACHINERY
USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOBBIN NET LACE, POR PRODUCING CERTAIN KINDS
OF EMBROIDERED OR ORNAMENTED LACE;" in which said Letters Patent is con-
tained a proviso that we; the said Henry William Nunn, George Mowbray,

page_text: and Richard Alabone, or one of us,, shall cause a particular description
of the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto,
had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Henry William Nunn, on behalf of myself and the said George Mowbray and
Richard Alabone, do hereby declare that the nature of our said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had
to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
Our Invention consists,
First, in producing by machinery, without requiring any after process of
scowering, bleaching, dyeing, or dressing, and fit for immediate wear, and in as
clean, brilliant, and finished a state as is now manufactured in France or
elsewhere by hand with bobbins on the pillow, certain embroidered or orna-
mented lace; which lace, when made in France of blond silk on a blond
satin silk, is called French blond lace. And,
Secondly, in producing an open work or lace net, resembling an open work
made by hand with a needle or bobbin net, and which open work or lace net
may be used in ornamenting the aforesaid blond lace, or in ornamenting or
assisting the embroidery of traverse warp-bobbin net.
applied to the
The parts in
We would observe, that the colored parts are new as
purpose of making blond lace in bobbin net machines.
outline are in common use; the same letters and figures denote the same
parts in all the Drawings. The word thread is used generally in order to
prevent confusion.
Figure 1 is a transverse section, one fourth of the real size, of such our
improvements applied to a traverse warp machine as are applicable to the
making of narrow blond lace. Figure 2 is a back view, showing how we
communicate motion to the two series of wheels M and O. Figure 3 is a
front view, half real size, of the arms B, B, D, D, and E. The bars F, G, H, I,
.J, K, L, the guides fixed therein. The two series of wheels
the situation of the whole, are fixed in on the needle bar.
views of the same bars, arms, and needle bar, and of the mode of fixing
the arms B, B, to the back tie bar C. Figure 4+ shews a circular comb
and carriage to shew that our improvements of using a series of shogging
M and O, and
Figure 4, end

page_text: bars are equally applicable to other bobbin net machinery. Figure 5 is a
transverse section, shewing the additional point bars, the ratchet wheel U,
studs. W, inclines u, and the means used for communicating motion to the
same. Figure 6 is a view of the wheel No. 101 of series M; Figure 7
is a view of the wheel No. 102 of series M; Figure 8 is a view of the
wheel No. 103 of series M; Figure 9 is a side view of the wheel No. 104 of
series M; Figures 10 and 11 are explained in the Drawings; Figure 12
is a front view of the machinery for making the open work; Figure 13 is an
end view of Figure 12, without the series of wheels 57. Figure 14 is explained
in the Drawing; Figure 15 is a view of 60 in series M; Figure 16 is a
view of 61 in series M; Figures 17 and 18 are explained in the Drawings.
Nos. 1 and 2, Figure 1, are common wood bobbins having a wall on one
or both sides, and upon which bobbins is to be warped fine blond silk, of
which and the carriage.silk with which they act the lace net is to be made.
No. 3.is a like bobbin, upon which the like silk is to be warped. No.. 4
is a like bobbin upon which like silk 'is' to be warped. 5 and 6 are groved
bobbins, as shewn at 6, Figure 2, into each groove of which is to be
wound a thread of satin silk or, as it is sometimes called, floss silk, such
as is used in making French blond. 7is a like bobbin into. each groove
of which is to be wound a hard-twisted floss or a corded silk. .8+, 8+,"
are like bobbins for like silk. 8 is a clawker fixed on an axle, and is
actuated by the right-foot treadle, and borne by a spring against the
ratchet wheel 11. 9 is a like clawker attached in like manner, and
actuated by the left-foot treadle, and borne against the ratchet wheel
10. 10 and 11 are ratchet wheels, .having but three teeth in each, and
screwed at the distance of one or one and a half inches apart by the six
screws 12, so that the teeth of either wheel shall just be midway between the
teeth of the other. This wheel turns upon an axle . 13 is a lever
working about its middle on an axle . 14 is a rod working on axles
, e, at each end, and connecting the lever 13 with the bar 15, which
slides freely in the staples 16, 16, and has clawkers 17, 17, which turn the
series of wheels M and O by their ratchet wheels. M is a series of four shog
and one ratchet wheel turning on the axle N, which shog wheels are cut
with indentations or shogs like the wheels, Figures 9, 8, 7, 6, Figure 9 being
the top, 8 the next, and so on. No. 100 is the ratchet wheel, and has 24
teeth. All these wheels, except the top one, No. 104, are fixed firm upon the
boss that turns on the axle N;. but 104 is loose on the boss, and only makes
half a revolution while the other wheels make a whole revolution. This is
effected by the point of a spring 106, fixed to the back stay bar c, drop-
ping into one hole of 104, and pressing down the pin 105. The point of

page_text: the spring retains the upper wheel until the pin 105 and the other wheels
have completed half a revolution. The pin then enters the hole at the opposite
side to where the spring is, and, having a greater purchase on. the wheel 104.
than the spring has, carries it half round, when the spring again acts upon
the pin and detains the wheel. O is a series of two shog and one ratchet
wheel turning on the axle P, and which shog wheels have. the usual indenta-
tions for making that kind of lace net called washing blond or Lyons net.:
T is a bar shogging on axles, having two upright arms Q, in the top of which:
is fixed on centres the additional point bar R, having brass points of No. 20.
wire, 1 inch long, fixed into it. U is a ratchet wheel turning on the axle V, which
must always have the number of teeth of the ratchet of series M. W, W, are
studs, which acting on the stud at Q cause the points S to quit the turn of
the embroidery, and enter immediately over the embroidery above.. u, u, are
incline planes on U, and cause the bar T to shog when the pins S are in the
embroidery, and carry such embroidery out into a fan or scollop. In
Figure 1 the front additional point bar is only shewn in order to avoid.
confusion, but in Figure 5 both. front and back additional point: bars are.
shewn. The construction of both these point bars, and the mode of actuating
them, are precisely similar. A, Figure 1, shews only the bottom. tier of car-
riages in use. B, the arms, fastened to the back tie bar C, which arms have s
grooves cut in them for the bars F, G, H, K, J, L, to slide in, and small.
plates of iron b, b, screwed thereon to keep such bars in their places. D, D, are:
lesser arms screwed to the needle bar, and having like grooves for the bars:
F, G, I, K, L; to slide in, and like plate of iron d, d. C is a lesser arm, with
a hole for the end of the bar H to slide in. F is a bar having the warp guides f,f,
fixed in it by soldering, which is the means by which all the guides are fixed..
G is a bar having like guides g, g. His a bar having wires h+, h+, fixed in.
it, at the end of which are like guides h, h. K is a bar having like guides at
k, k. J is a bar having long guides j, j, made of No. 13 wire. I and L are
bars having Berlin guides i, i, and 1, l.
We will now proceed to describe the manner of applying our improvements,.
and manner of their working, supposing them to be applied to an old machine..
Commence with their application to a traverse warp machine, in order to.
produce narrow embroidered or ornamented lace, similar and resembling
French, blond lace; and further to facilitate the understanding of this our S
Specification, and Drawings, we. have made such Drawings and: this Speci-.
fication to describe a pattern called "reige," and which is well known
to every person in the lace trade, and which we have found to be the.
best key to other patterns. We commence by taking away that part.of.
the machine called the joining machine, which includes the fork bars, cradle 4

page_text: in which they swing, and all such parts as are solely used to actuate
the same.
Then remove the spooles and all such parts as are solely
used to actuate the same, and thoroughly clean the remaining part of
the machine, so as to remove all the dirt of every kind; for it must be
borne in mind that if it be necessary to resort to any process for cleaning the
lace, it will be next to worthless. Prevent both the needle and comb bars from
shogging by fixing them; take out all the carriages, and bend the points of
the combs by closing them, as shown in Figure 19, so as to close the entrance
to the spaces that were occupied by the blades of the upper tier of carriages.;
then replace the lower tier of carriages, having first wound the bobbins with
silk; then take out a carriage between every breadth of lace, which in the
pattern to be described will be every ninth carriage. We prefer using the
lower tier of carriages, but the upper tier, or every alternate upper and lower
tier carriage may be used, or all the carriages, but in such case the points of
the combs must not be bent; then screw the arms B, B, to the back tie
bar C, and the lesser arms D, D, to the needle bar, and put in the bars
F, G, H, I, J, K, L, as shewn in Figure 3; then fix the axles N and P on
the needle bar, and put thereon the series of wheels M and O, then the
additional point bars R, R, and parts shewn therewith at Figure 5, as
necessary to actuate the same, next 'the different parts, as numbered from
8 to 17, in Figures 1 and two, and the bobbins 1 to 8+, as likewise there
shewn. Thread the guides h, h, with threads from bobbin 1, the guides k, k,
with threads from bobbin 2, the guides f, f, with threads from bobbin 3, the
guides g, g, with threads from bobbin 4, the guides j, j, with threads from
bobbin 5, the guides i, i, with threads from bobbin 7, the guides 1, 1,
with threads from the bobbin 6; all one thread in each guide; fasten all
these threads to the work roller and put over the back points to make them
straight; then sets the series of wheels M, so as the ends of F, G, J, L, shall
bear against the edge of the series M at No. 1, see Fig. 6, 7, 8, and 9, and
the spring No. 106 bears on the pin No. 105, so as to detain the wheel
No. 104, and set the series of wheels o anywhere that the carriage threads
shall twist round them the right way, that is, the contrary way to which the sun
revolves round the earth. Now pass. the carriages into the back bar, and let out
the front pius; press down the left-foot treadle, which will put over the front pins,
and cause the clawker 9 to take a tooth of the ratchet 10, and pull it and the
ratchet wheel 11 one sixth round, when a screw 12, pressing against the lower
end of lever 13, will give a lateral motion to the bar 15, and the clawkers 17, 17,
will draw the two series of wheels M and O round one tooth. The screw 12
quits the end of the lever 13 just at the end of the treadle motion, and the

page_text: elastic spring 18, by pulling against the bar 15, returns to its former position;
the left-hand end of each of the bars L, J, and G, will be borne against those
parts of the wheels 101, 102, and 103, as are marked 2, in Fig. 6, 7, and 8.
As the wheel Fig. 6 is the only one that has a shog from 1 to 2, the bar
L will be shogged over the carriages. The clawker z, when the front points
were let out, would take hold of the tooth just below it of the ratchet U, and
upon the pins being put over would move it round 24th part; the foot is
now taken off the left-foot treadle when the front points descend; taking
down the threads that were shogged in the guides 1, 1, after the same manner
as the weft thread of common weaving is driven by the slay. The carriages
are now to be passed into the front bar, the back pins are let out, and the
right foot is to be pressed on the right-foot treadle to put the back pins
over, which produces by the clawker 8 a-repetition of the same operation
on series of wheels M and O, but the ratchet U is moved round 24th part by
the driver Y, instead of by the clawker. Z, the edges of the wheels, Fig. 6,
7, and 8, marked No. 3, will now be borne against by the bars L, J, and
G, and as 102, Fig. 7, is the only one that has a shog from 2 to 3, the bar
J will be shogged over 3 carriages. The right foot is now taken off the
right-foot treadle, when the back pins descend, taking down the threads that
were shogged on the guides j, j, after the same manner as the weft of
common weaving; pass the carriages into the back bar; let out the front points
and press down the left-foot treadle, which will put over the front pins, and
repeat the same movements on the series of wheels M, O, and U, and return
the bar L to its first position by the shog on the edge of Fig. 6, from 3 to 4,
and the threads shogged in the guides 1, 1, are taken down by the front pins
as before, pass the carriages into the front bar, let out the back pins, press down
the right-foot treadle, which will put over the front pins, and repeat the same
movements on the series of wheels M and O and U. The bar J is returned
to its first position by the shog on the edge of Fig. 7, from 4 to 5, and the
threads shogged in the guides j, j, are taken down by the back pins as before ;
pass the carriages into the back bar, let out the front pins, press on the left-
foot treadle. The additional front points S will now, by a stud W acting on
the stud Q, be withdrawn from the lace, and the small weight S+ will cause
the points to rise, and when the stud W quits Q the points will return over
the weft threads, and outside of the carriage threads, as shewn at r, r, Fig. 10.
The same operations of passing and repassing the carriages, and putting over
the points, are continued without intermission; the front additional points are
drawn out, and return, as described above, by a stud W at No. 6, 10, 14,
and 18 of Fig. 7, being shogged while in the weft by the inclines u, u, at

page_text: 10 and 14; the back additional points are in like manner drawn out and
returned into the weft at No. 11 and 15 of Fig. 8; but at the contrary side
of the weft at r, Fig. 10. Now it will be seen on looking at Fig. 6 and 7,
that from 17 to 1 there is a perfect plain on each wheel without any shogs,
and consequently the bars J and L will not shog during the period they are
bearing against the plain part; and on looking at Fig. 8 it will be seen that
all the shogs are from 18 to 24, so while J and L are at rest the bar G shogs,
and the thread from the guides 9, 9, along with the carriage threads, become
converted into net instead of remaining stationary, as they did from 1 to 17,
and forming the warp threads of the embroidered part. Now, as when the
series of wheels M commenced moving, the point of the spring 106 pressed
on the pin 105, and retained the wheel 104, this wheel 104 would remain
stationary until the pin 105 entered the hole at 13 of Fig. 9, when the wheel
104 would be carried round with the wheels 100, 101, 102, and 103, and as
the first shog on the wheel Figure 9 is at 7, the bar F, which carries the
warp threads, would remain stationary during the time that the other wheels
of series M were passing from 1 to 19, and as the carriages do not shog
there would be no twisting of these threads; but on the arrival of that part of
the wheel 104, marked 7, Figure 9, at the end of the bar F, each carriage
thread will make half a twist round its warp thread, and a successive half
twist at 8, 9, and 10, making in the whole two twists round each warp thread
projecting from the guides f, f; and as on the arrival of the hole 13, in which
is the pin 105, each spring will drop upon the pin 105 and pressing out
the pin 105 retain the wheel 104 and it will not be until that part of
the other wheels of the series M numbered 19 have arrived at the ends of
the bars G, J, L, that that part of the wheel 104, Figure 9, marked 19, will
arrive at the end of the bar F, during which time the threads proceeding from
the guides i, l, will have woven another flower or pattern like the first. When
the bar F falls into the bottom shog 19 of Figure 9, it will shog to the left
instead of to the right, as at 7; consequently each carriage thread will be
twist round the next thread instead of the same thread, each twisted round
last except the outside carriage thread of each breadth, which this time has no
thread to twist round. Now the purpose of this twist being put in is to
prevent the embroidered or woven edge from being frayed, and the reason of
the carriage threads being only alternately twisted round the same threads
is to make the embroidered or woven edge lay flat; but it is not always
necessary that the carriage threads should be twisted round the warp
threads, there being patterns which do not require it; but it is adviseable to
construct the machine so in order to change the pattern with less hindrance.

page_text: Now, it is clear, from the foregoing description, that the embroidered part
already described is composed of a perfect clothwork or weaving, and the
change of pattern is to be effected by varying the depths of the shogs or
indentations, and increasing or lessening the number of them, and also the size
of the wheel in series M, and of the teeth in the ratchet 100, and which
ratchet must always have an even number of teeth. If embroidered lace
wider than three fourths of an inch is to be made on a traverse warp
machine, the joining. machine and spooles, and all the parts necessary to
actuate them, must be replaced in a perfectly clean state, and if only every
alternate carriage is used, removing every alternate fork, and also such others as
would interfere with the warp threads, as no forks are there required, and
cutting the shogs of the joining wheel as deep again, and guides like j, j, be
substituted for those h, h, and Berlin guides for k, k, into which are to be
threaded threads from 8+, 8+, to be used in like manner as j, j, and k, k, or
for running round the weaving and open work, and a series of wheels like 100
and 101 and 102 of series M be substituted for series o.
Having herein-before shewn and explained the application of our improve-
ments to a traverse warp machine, we now proceed to explain how such
improvements as we use for producing narrow embroidered lace, and resembling
French blond lace (as made by hand with bobbins on the pillow), are equally
applicable to such other bobbin-net machinery as traverses the carriages; for
it must be obvious to any mechanic who is acquainted with bobbin-net
machinery, that if there is removed from a traverse warp machine one
tier of carriages on every alternate carriage, and the slogs of the bars
in which such carriages move, and also the fork bars cradle in which
they work, as such parts as are solely used to actuate the same, and also
the spooles and such parts as are solely used to actuate the same, as we
have hereto before directed, and that if there be removed from a machine
traversing the carriages one tier of carriages or every alternate carriage, and
the shog of the bars in which such carriages move, and the one or two guide
bars and thread roller, what remain of each machine will be essentially the same,
and that all of our improvements, shewn in the Drawing from Figure 1 to 11,
are equally applicable to such other machinery; and that the same mode of
applying the same, and the same mode of working the course, are fit directions
adding such improvements, only that in machines in which the work goes
upward, the improvements must be inverted, and in all the pin bars be made
to rake from the points of the guides.
1
Figure 4, and Figure 4*, if inverted, will further shew the application.
We will now describe the second part of our Invention, that of making

page_text: as
•
.
open work. Now the principle upon which this open work is formed is that of
throwing (during the process of making) into each mesh intended to be con-
verted into open work, a portion or moiety of the twist that is usually put into
the mesh just immediately above, whereby the meshes having the larger
quantity of twist are decreased in size, and those having the lesser, and those
having tapes, are increased in size. In order to make the open work or lace
net; Figure 18, resembling an open work made in bobbin-net by hand with a
needle. Figure 12 is affixed to a traverse warp machine, in a fit state to make
the bobbin net, and having the guides 65 affixed, ready for work wherever it is
intended to make the open work, which guides are used in the same way as is
usual for making such tapes as Figure 17, that is, taping every alternate row of.
meshes; when it is intended to make the open work perfect at each edge, as
Figure 18, there must be as many more guides, and one over, as there are
points to make each open work, as at 56,
and 65. The points 56,.
in the bar 55, are as far again apart as the guide 65, and these points must be
set so as their pointed ends may take into every alternate space that has no tape,
56, Figure 12, when the end of 51 shall bear against the wheel 61
at 1, Figure 16. The series of wheels 57 are set so as the end of 51 shall bear
against the wheel 61 at 1, Figure 16, and the end of the screw 1 of Figure 15 will
be over the end of the bar 51, as shewn at Figure 14:C:C:C: : and set as the points >
56 shall retain the first crossings that are to be made. A course is now to be.
worked precisely the same as for making common bobbin net, that is to say, three
half twists, then bring the fork bars forward, when a driver fixed on the cradle of
the fork bars will move round the wheels 57 th part, and a clawker on the same:
cradle will, when the fork bars return, pull them round another 24th part. The
bar 51 will then bear against the wheel 61 at 2; but as there is no shogon 61 from
1 to 2, see Figure 16, nor any screw at 2 of Figure 15, the points 56 will not
be moved, and will therefore retain the crossing that the fork bars make above.
them, so that the pins which are now to be put over in taking down the crossings,
cannot take those above the points 56; .now proceed with another course, and.
when three half twists have been put in where the crossings have been
retained by the points, the three half twists will be added to the three half-
twists which have already been put into the upper parts of the meshes below.
The fork bars are now to be brought forward, when the series of wheels 57.
being moved round 24th part by the driver, as before, the screw 3 of
Figure 15 will pass to the top of 52, and cause the point 56. to be carried out
of the threads, as shewn by the dotted lines at 66, Figure 13, and permit the
crossings that were retained above the points to descend, so that they may be.
taken down by the pins. The fork bars now returning back, the clawker, as

page_text: •
..
The
before, pulls the wheel 57 round another th part, when the end of 51 will
bear against the wheel 61 at 3, see Figure 16, and shog the points over two
threads to the right, and the screw 3 will pass off the top of 52, and allow the
points to return into the threads where shewn by
in Figure 12..
Two more courses are now worked, and the wheels 57 and parts connected
with the points are actuate in precisely the same manner, but at
Figure 12, as already described, and make the open work below.
points 56 are withdrawn from the threads every second course by a screw of
62, Figure 15, and being shogged by the wheel 61 at every odd number of 61,
⚫ and
see Figure 16, alternately enter the threads at
form the open work, Figure 18. The foregoing direction is for making the
open work in stripes, lengthwise, of the lace. In order to make it in patches
in various parts, the series of wheels 57 is made to shog on 59 by an extra
wheel fixed thereon.
° ° ° °
and
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, we would observe, that we are aware that
several of the parts which are shewn and described are known and in use in
the lace trade for other purposes, we therefore only claim them to effect "our
improvements in the machinery used in the manufacture of bobbin-net lace
for producing certain kinds of embroidered or ornamented lace;" and we do
hereby declare that these. our improvements consist in producing in bobbin-
net machines, in a perfectly finished state, embroidered or ornamented lace,
similar to and resembling that made on the pillow, and known by the name of
French blond lace, by causing carriage threads, together with warp threads
(from a bobbin or beam), to act as warp threads for receiving the ornamenting
satin threads as weft threads, in like manner to weaving. The various move-
ments for effecting this object being produced in bobbin-net machines by the
addition of the various shogging bars and guides with the other coloured parts.
shewn in the Drawing, together with the additional point bars R for producing
the scolloped edges to the blond lace; and it is by such additions and improve-
ments that we are enabled to produce embroidered or ornamented lace, similar
in appearance to that made on the pillow, that is being partly woven, or having
the ornamental threads laid between the warp and carriage threads, similar to
the weft in weaving, and the other parts produced in the ordinary manner of
forming lace and our open work.
Secondly, we claim the producing our open work in traverse warp machines,
resembling an open work made by hand with a needle on bobbin net, by
putting (during the process of making) into each mesh which we intend con-
verting into open work, a moiety of the twist that in common bobbin net is put

page_text: into the mesh just immediately above, and lacing, in the manner of tapes, the
intermediate and each row of meshes outside of such open work, as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry William Nunn, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-three.