IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF QUILTS & COVERLETS."
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Lawes, of 65, City Road, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
QUILTS & COVERLETS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Lawes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th December 1861.
"I, THOMAS LAWES, of 65, City 'Road, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF QUILTS & COVERLETS," to be as follows, namely:-
Hitherto the system of making quilts & coverlets is to sew or stitch two
pieces of suitable material together, with the filling material placed inside; the
stitching forms thé pattern, holds the two pieces of covering together, and keeps
the filling material in its place.
By my improvements this system is superseded by loops, loop holes, and
button holes, with buttons and cord; these are so arranged as to do all that
the sewing and stitching above named does by forming the pattern.
The filling material is put into small bags made to fit the size and form of
the pattern;
these bags may be removed and replaced at pleasure by partially
unbuttoning or drawing out a part of the cord aforesaid.
Such is the principle of these improvements, which will be fully explained
by a Complete Specification and Drawings at the proper time.

page_text: SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,, by the said Thomas Lawes in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th June 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
LAWES, of 65, City Road, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of December, in the year of our
year of
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Lawes, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Lawes,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Lawes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF QUILTS AND COVERLETS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Lawes, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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 I, the said Thomas Lawes, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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:-
My Invention, which has for its object certain improvements in the manu-
facture of quilts and coverlets, is effected in the following manner, namely:-
The outside covering is made of two pieces of suitable material of the required size,
in which corresponding loop or eilet holes are made at proper distances, so as
to form various patterns; cord, made for the purpose, is passed through these
-loop-holes,-under-and-over-on-both-sides of the quilt.cover, forming the pattern
aud holding the two pieces of covering above named together. This cord
forms the outline of the pattern; the spaces within are filled with small bags of
down or other suitable material made to fit the form and size of the same; by
these means the cord shews the pattern aliko on both sides of the quilt, and
holds each bag of filling material in its place; by drawing out a portion of

page_text: the said cord the bags may be removed and replaced at pleasure; this will be
necessary when the cover requires cleansing or changing. This system is shewn
in the Drawings Figure 1. This method might be varied by making loops on
the inside of one of the covers, and corresponding loop holes on the other. The
loops are passed through the loop holes and the cord through the loops, thus
keeping the bags in their places and shewing the pattern on one side of the
quilt only. For the purpose of cleansing or changing the cover, the bags may
be removed by drawing out a portion of the cord only, the other portion of it
may be attached to the cover unconnected with loop holes or loops. This is
shewn in Figure 2:
i
Another plan is to form patterns by fastening, the two covers together
by stitching, cording, or otherwise, and on one side of the same to make
openings leading to the said patterns, through, which the bags of filling
materials are passed and deposited in the spaces assigned to them, and the
said openings are closed with.buttons or otherwise. Through these openings
the bags may be taken out and put in again with little time and trouble. This
is shewn in Figure 3.
This plan might also be varied by partially stitching or cording the two
covers together, and by attaching buttons on the inside of the top cover with
corresponding button holes on the other, so as to form passages beginning on
one side of the quilt, and leading to all the bag spaces, and dividing the same,
through which, as each bag passes to its place;. each division is closed by
buttoning or otherwise, thus the bags are kept separate in their places, and
the pattern shewn by stitching, cording, or otherwise on one side only. See
Figure 4..
The same effect may be produced by the use of buttons and button holes
instead of the stitching cording loops, and above-named corresponding button
holes are made in each cover to form patterns; thé bags are placed within, one
part of a double button or stud passes through the button. holes,. keeps the
bags in their places, and forms the pattern with buttons on both sides. of the
quilt. By partially unbuttoning the.bags may be removed when necessary.. See
Figure 5. This plan may be modified by attaching buttons.on the inside of
one of the quilt covers with button holes to correspond on the other. The
bags are placed within, the quilt is buttoned, the covers held together, the
bags kept in their places, and, the pattern shewn with buttons on one side only;
to remove the bags a part only may be unbottoned, the other portion of the.
button's may be fixed to the cover and might not require the use of button
holes. Tufts with hooks and eyes might be used instead of buttons. Thisis: "
shewn, Figure 6.

page_text: By the foregoing it will be seen that stitching, cording, loops, loop-holes,
buttons, button holes, tufts, and' hooks and eyes, may be used in various ways
for the purpose, either separately or conjointly.
But in order that my Invention may be more fully understood and readily
carried into effect I now proceed to describe it by the aid of the accompanying
Drawings, reference being had to the letters and figures therein marked, that
is to say:-
Figure 1, a section of both sides of a quilt, shewing the pattern formed with
cord on both sides. A, A, bag spaces; B, B, moveable or immoveable cord
passing through loop or eilet holes over and under, forming the pattern imper:
fectly on both sides of the quilt; C, C, moveable cord passing through eilet
holes under and over, completing the pattern on both sides of the quilt, to be
drawn out when necessary.
Figure 2, sections of both sides of a quilt, shewing the pattern formed with
cord on one side only. D, D, bag spaces; E, E, immoveable cord forming
part of the pattern on one side of the quilt; F, F, moveable cord. passing
through loops and completing the pattern on one side only, to be drawn out
when needed; G, G, loop holes in the top cover, with loops from the under
one passed through it; H, H, loops on the under cover; I, I, stitching or
fastening on the immoveable cord to the under cover.
Figure 3, both sides of a section of a quilt. J, J, bag spaces; K, K, cording
or stitching the two covers together; L, L, openings in the under cover leading
to the bag spaces, and through which the bags pass in and out.
Figure 4, a section of both sides of a quilt. M, M, bag spaces; N, N,
stitching the covers together; 0, 0, buttons fastened on the inside of the top
cover; P, P, openings with button holes and buttons on them, through which
the bags pass, and dividing the bag spaces.
Figure 5, a section of both sides of a quilt, shewing the patterns formed on
both sides with double buttons or studs. Q, Q, bag spaces; R, R, button holes,
with buttons in them, forming part of the pattern on each side of the quilt;
S, S, fixed or immoveable buttons or studs, completing the pattern on both
sides of the quilt.
--Figure 6-represents both sides of a section of a quilt. T, T, shews the.
spaces containing the bags of filling material; U, U, part of the pattern on one
side of the quilt formed with fixed buttons ; V, V, button holes with buttons in
them, completing and shewing the pattern formed with buttons on one side of
the quilt only; W, W, shewing where and how the buttons are attached to the
inside of the under cover.

page_text: In each Figure the same letters of reference denote similar corresponding
parts.
The various methods herein described being sufficient to shew clearly how
these improvements may be effected, I claim the use of them whether for
making quilts or for any other purpose.
In witness 'whereof, I, the said. Thomas Lawes, have hereunto set my.
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of June, in, the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
above-named Thomas Lawes, in
the presence of
GEORGE EVISON, Law Stationer,
THOMAS LAWES. (L.S.)
14, Cook's Court, Lincoln's Inn.