CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PILED GOODS OR FABRICS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Moore, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Silk Manufacturer, and Samuel Beswick, of Failsworth, in
the same County, Warehouseman, and Benjamin Wilson, of Wood-
houses, in the same County, Weaver, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Moore, Samuel
Beswick, and Benjamin Wilson at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 14th August 1854.
We, JOSEPI MOORE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Silk
Manufacturer, and SAMUEL BESWICK, of Failsworth, in the same County,
Warehouseman, and BENJAMIN WILSON, of Woodhouses, in the same County,
Weaver, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PILED GOODS OR FABRICS" to be as
follows:-
Our improvements apply, first, to the loom for weaving.
been the custom, where a double ground has been woven, to
rollers for the separate grounds of the fabric to be woven.
Hitherto it has
employ two warp
By our improve-

page_text: ment we dispense with a second roller, and use but one for the double purpose.
We place the double warp ground upon a single roller, and between the healds
and the said roller we fix a lath, under and over which the respective grounds
pass and are separated. By adapting this lath we ensure an equal tension on
the two or double grounds of the fabric to be woven.
Secondly, as regards the cutting of piled fabrics, we employ a straight knife,
the edge of which is ground on both sides to angle of about forty-five degrees.
This knife we enclose within a guage or guide, so constructed, that by means
of two end slide pieces the cutting edge of the knife should just project from
between the edges of the guide or guage; these guages having bevelled edges,
and being varied according and in proportion to the thickness of the pile of
the fabric. We are enabled also to divide the fabric or material, so as to leave
one side plush and the other velvet, simply by varying the outer shape of the
guage. The motion given to the knife is a horizontal forward motion, ter-
minating with a slight lateral curvilinear motion, and repeated until the fabric
is divided. Previous to the operation of cutting, we strain the material to be
cut on a frame between two rollers. About an inch of the material or fabric,
having a double ground, is at first closely woven together, so as to render an
edge by which it may be secured to the roller; the next few inches the warps
are separately woven, so that the knife and guage or guide may be inserted
between them, ready for operating on the next portion of the fabric or material
which is woven, as required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Moore, Samuel Beswick, and Benjamin Wilson in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th February 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
MOORE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Silk Manufacturer, and
SAMUEL BESWICK, of Failsworth, in the same County, Warehouseman, and
BENJAMIN WILSON, of Woodhouses, in the same County, Weaver, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself,
Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said Joseph Moore,
Samuel Beswick, and Benjamin Wilson, our executors, administrators, and

page_text: assigns, or such others as we, the said Joseph Moore, Samuel Beswick, and
Benjamin Wilson, our exccutors, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN. THE MANUFACTURE OF PILED GOODS OR FABRICS," upon the condition, amongst
others, that we, the said Joseph Moore, Samuel Beswick, and Benjamin
Wilson, or one of us, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals,
or under the band and seal of one of us, 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 Joseph Moore, 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
and accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
These improvements apply, first, to the loom for weaving certain descriptions
of piled goods or fabrics woven on the "double cloth "principle. Hitherto it
has been the custom, where a double ground or cloth has been woven, to employ
two warp rollers, each warp roller being employed for a separate ground of the
fabric to be woven. By these improvements we dispense with a second roller
when two warps are employed, and use but one roller for the double purpose,
the double warp being placed upon a single roller; a lath or bar of wood or
other suitable material is secured between such roller and the heddles.
Over
and under this lath or bar are passed and separated the respective upper and
lower warps or ground threads. By the adaptation of this lath or bar a regular
and equal degree of tension may be given to each of the warps or grounds of
the fabric to be woven.
Secondly, as regards the cutting of piled fabrics, these improvements apply
also to piled goods woven upon the "double cloth" principle. We employ a
straight knife, its cutting edge being ground on both sides to about an angle of
forty-five degrees. This knife we enclose within a gauge or guide, so constructed,
that by means of two opposed end slide picces fitting the exterior of the gauge
or guide, or by any other suitable arrangement, as herein-after described, the
cutting edge of the knife may be just allowed to project as required from
between the edges of the guage or guide; these guages have bevelled edges, and
are so varied as to bear a due proportion to the thickness or height of the piled

page_text: fabric to be operated upon. The guide or guage may be so varied in its out-
ward shape or conformation as to produce by the cutting of the knife two piles
of different heights, so as to obtain by the one stroke of the knife,a plush and
a velvet. The motion given to the knife is a horizontal forward motion, ter-
minating in a slight lateral curvilinear direction, and repeated until the double
fabric is divided throughout. Previous to the operation of cutting, we strain
the material or fabric on a frame between two rollers; about an inch of the
material, or fabric having a double ground is at first closely woven together at
the "tab end," so as to render a firm and close edge, by which it, may be
secured to the roller; in the next few inches. the warps, are separately, woven,
so that the guage or guide containing the knife may be inserted between them,
ready for operating on the next portion of the fabric or material which is woven,
as required. By this means a cut pile may be produced, whether such pile be
manufactured of silk, cotton, woollen, linen, mohair, or carpetting, cords, ribbon,
mixed goods, or any other fibrous substance or material.
But in order that this Invention may be the better understood and explained
in detail, we have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings, made upon a scale
of about half size, and having on the separate Figures the same letters of
reference on similar parts of the apparatus or instrument. Fig. 1 represents
a longitudinal plan or top view of the knife. (employed in carrying out these
improvements) encased within the guage or guide, and Fig. 2 exhibits a
section of the same. It must be borne in mind that the Figures shewn in the
Drawing refer only to one size of knife with guage or guide attached; but this
we consider sufficient to fully illustrate the mode or nicthod of construction
applicable to the various sizes or guages found convenient to be employed in
the diversified materials which may come under operation for the 'purposes as
before described. It will be remembered, then, that each knife with its
respective guage or guide must invariably bear a certain proportion to the
piled material to be cut.. The knife consists of a straight blade, sharpened on
one side, and of such a depth that the blunt or flat edge of the knife shall rest
against the interior back of the guage or guide, and allowing but just sufficient
of the cutting edge to project from the guage or guide. The guage or guide
is made of sheet brass, or any other suitable metal or material which possesses
sufficient elasticity to give to the edges of the guage or guide a certain amount
of spring or contraction, in such a manner, that the knife or blade when forcibly
passed between the interior edges of the guide or guage separates them, the
edges forming a firm clip along the entire length of the blade or knife. But
when the knife or blade is applied to heavy goods, such as mohair cloth,, car-
peting, or long heavy piled goods, then the guage or guide checks will have

page_text: to be made of liard wood, iron, or steel, or any other suitable material, and
screwed down or otherwise secured at both ends of the knife or blade, just
allowing its sharp edge only to project, as before described. In the Drawing
a represents the knife blade, having at one end a hole, for the purpose of more
readily withdrawing the knife from its guage; b, b, is the guage or guide; c, c,
are sliding guards to press the knife or blade tighter into the guage or guide;
d, d, is the small projecting and unsheathed portion of the cutting edge which
severs the pile; e is the handle. The cloth being woven on the "double cloth "
principle, that is to say, two ground warps are so woven together from one or
more beams that a single.pile warp shall join or unite the two cloths - together
face to face, the uncut pile threads binding them in this manner from face
to face. The double cloth when ready is placed in a cutting frame, similar to
an ordinary fustian-cutter's frame, but only half the length, or about one yard.
The rollers of this frame have rows of pins inserted into them, and upon these
rollers the double cloth is tightened in the ordinary manner, by the rollers being
turned in contrary directions. The knife is then inserted between the two
ground warps, a space having been left unwoven at the "tab end" or beginning
for this purpose. The sharp edge of the knife is now pressed against the uncut
pile, and drawn to and fro, or from selvage to selvage of the cloth, the whole
width of the pile being cut at once by each stroke of the blade or knife. The
guage guide or sheath is firmly secured to the knife, and works along with it.
The guage or guide being of great importance, it may be as well again to point
out wherein its great effective advantage lies. It distends the two cloths
asunder, so as to keep the pile threads about to be cut sufficiently tight to be
cut with ease, and so cleanly as not to shew an uneven fibre, providing the
edge of the blade is kept in good condition. By thus stretching the two cloths
asunder, it also keeps the edge of the blade exactly in the centre of the pile
threads, so that it necessarily produces a clear even pile on each ground from
selvage to selvage and from end to end.
Having now fully described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be put into practical effect, we wish it to be distinctly
understood that we claim,-
First, the novel employment, application, and use of a lath or bar, composed
of any suitable material, by the aid of which we are enabled to dispense with
one warp beam when double grounds or cloths are required to be woven, as
herein-before described.
Secondly, we claim the novel application, employment, and use of a straight
knife or blade with one cutting edge, mounted or encased in a guage or guide,
for the purpose above explained, namely, that whilst the sheath guage or guide

page_text: stretches the two cloths asunder, and the pile thereby being kept tightly dis-
tended, the sharp edge of the cutting blade is held firmly in the middle of the
pile, and cuts it by means of the to and fro motion, as before particularly
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Moore, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
JOSEPH MOORE. (L.B.)