IMPROVEMENTS IN FINISHING MUSLIN AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Cochran, of Kirkton Bleach Works
in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Bleacher, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FINISHING MUSLIN AND OTHER
FABRICS."
Sealed the 8th September 1853, and dated the 20th July 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Cochran
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th July 1858.
I, ALEXANDER COCHRAN, of Kirkton Bleach Works, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Bleacher, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FINISHING MUSLIN AND OTHER
FABRICS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the heating of the "irons" employed in
ironing or smoothing muslins and other fabrics, whether in the piece or
not, and consists in making the said irons hollow, and introducing
steam into them by means of india-rubber or other flexible piping com-
municating with a steam pipe passing through the apartment in which
the operation is carried on. By these means the temperature of the
irons is uniformly maintained, and there is no risk, on the one hand, of

page_text: burning the goods from too great a heat, or, on the other, of the
operation being inefficiently performed from the cooling of the iron.
Moreover, no time is lost in changing the irons or heaters, as is the
case with the ordinary irons and as the apartment in which the
operation is carried on generally requires to be heated, the steam pipe
which answers that purpose will serve also for heating the irons,
whence considerable economy will result.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Cochran in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 20th January 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ALEXANDER COCHRAN, of Kirkton Bleach Works, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Bleacher, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Cochran, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Cochran, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Cochran,
my executors, administrators, or 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 FINISHING MUSLIN AND OTHER FABRICS," upon the con-
alition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Cochran, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I,. the said Alexander Cochran, do hereby
declard the nature of my 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 accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
My said Invention relates to the heating of the "irons". employed in
ironing or smoothing and finishing muslins and other fabrics, whether
in the piece or not, and consists in making the said irons hollow, and
introducing steam into them by means of india-rubber or other flexible
tubing communicating with a steam pipe passing through the apartment
in which the ironing operation is carried on. By these means the
temperature of the irons is uniformly maintained, and there is no risk,
on the one hand, of burning the goods from too great a heat, or, on the
other, of the operation being inefficiently performed from the gradual
cooling of the iron. Moreover, no time is lost in changing the irons or
heaters, as is the case with the ordinary irons; and as the apartment
in which the operation is carried on generally requires to be heated,
the steam pipe which answers that purpose will serve also for heating
the irons, and hence considerable economy will result from the
adoption of my system of treating the goods. And in order that my
said Invention may be properly understood I shall now proceed to
describe the several Figures on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings
in illustration of its application.
Figure 1, on my Sheet of Drawings is a perspective view of a room
or factory arranged for finishing goods according to the process, and
shewing a portion of the apparatus as fitted up above a table upon
which the ironing operation is carried on, a couple of ironers being
represented as at work. Figure 2, is a side elevation; Figure 3, an
end elevation; Figure 4, a plan; Figure 5, a vertical section; and
Figure 6, a horizontal section of an iron, as modified according to my
improved system of heating. A steam pipe A, traverses or crosses the
room or chamber at a convenient distance overhead. This pipe is
provided at intervals with branch pipes B, bent downwards, and
connected at their lower extremities to portions of flexible tubing C,

page_text: which last are connected to the irons D. The body D, of the iron is
hollow, as represented in Figures 5, and 6, and the necessary weight of
metal is obtained by giving considerable thickness to the top side,
whilst the under side is comparatively thin, that the heat may not have
to pass through a great depth of metal. The flexible tubing C, is
attached to the iron at E, immediately above the point and in front of
the handle F. From this point a steam way passes down to the hollow
space G, which becomes filled with the steam, whence the under
surface of the iron derives the heat necessary for the smoothing
process. At the back of the iron a stopcock H, is provided for taking
off the water of condensation. This cock is formed in a separate pièce
J, which is screwed into the end of the iron, india-rubber or other
packing. being introduced to form a steam-tight joint. A small handle
J, is fitted to the cock plug above, and works partially in a recess in
the end of the iron, whilst the plug is forced down steam-tight by
means of a small screw K. The water of condensation issues at the
aperture. L. According to a slight modification of the plan just
described, two flexible tubes may be fitted to the iron, and made to.
communicate with a steam pipe or pipes in such a manner as to
produce a continuous current of steam through the iron. This
arrangement will, to a great extent, prevent condensation in the iron,
whilst a more efficient heating action will be obtained; and, instead
of steam, hot air, water, or gaseous matters may be used for a similar
purpose. The irons or heated smoothers may be constructed according
to various plans, so as to secure all the presumed advantages of the
adoption of steam as a heating medium. For example: instead of
casting the body of the iron with its hollow or steam recess in a thick
mass, the steam chamber may be constructed in a separate piece of
comparatively thin metal, weight being given to the instrument by the
super imposition of a mass of metal having a layer of any non-
conducting material interposed between the weight and the chamber,
to prevent the undue absorption of heat into the general mass.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not

page_text: confine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which 1
have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features
of my Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First. The general arrangement and construction of instruments,
apparatus, or means for ironing, smoothing, or finishing muslin and
other fabrics, as herein-before described.
Second. The application and use of steam or heated fluids or
gases in heating irons or similar instruments to be employed in
smoothing or ironing or similarly treating muslins or other fabrics in
the piece or not.
Third. The application and use in irons or similar instruments heated
by steam or other fluids of one, two, or more flexible tubular
connections with a steam pipe or pipes in such a manner as simply to
admit the steam to the interior of the iron, or to produce a current
through the irons, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Cochran, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
four.
ALEX. COCHRAN. (L.S.)