A NEW ENGINE OR MACHINE FOR THE BETTER OPENING AND DRESSING OF WOOLL
Year: 1733

page_text: GEORGE THE SECOND, by the grace of God, and so forth, to all to whom
these Presents shall come greeting.
WHEREAS JOHN KAY, of Bury, in our County of Lancaster, Reedmaker,
hath by his petition humbly represented unto us that he hath observed that
the common method of opening and dressing of wooll for the carder is by
beating it with two small sticks on an hurdle, in order to drive out the dust
and make it fitt for working, by which method it is very laborious and
extreamly difficult so thoroughly to prepare and clean the wooll and make so
fitt for the carder as it ought to be; that the only method now practised in
weaving of broad woollen and linnen cloths is by the use of two pair of
treddles, one on the right hand and the other on the left, and a shuttle made
of box near two feet long is cast by two weavers from the one to the other,
each pulling the layer at the end at which he sitts to strike the thread or shoot
close the cloth, which method must be with great uncertainty, and cannot be
exact, because if the weavers do not cast the shuttle and pull the layer with
equal strength and time, the cloths must be consequently wrought uneven and
drove closer on the one side than the other; that the petitioner hath by long
study, application, and expence, invented and brought to perfection "A NEW
ENGINE OR MACHINE FOR THE BETTER OPENING AND DRESSING OF WOOLL," which
new Invention consists of a wheel and two rowls fixed on each side an hurdle
with tappetts and many laths of wood, each about four feet long, five inches
broad, and a quarter of an inch thick, fixed on iron rodds, by means whereof
and turning the wheel the laths are raised, which being each repulsed with a

page_text: wooden spring smite briskly and evenly on the wheel, whereby the same
whereby the same will not only be easier opened, but be better cleaned and made
much fitter for the carder; and that he hath likewise found out and contrived
a new invented shuttle, for the better and more exact weaving of broad cloths,
broad bays, sail cloths, or any other broad goods, woollen or linnen, which
shuttle is much lighter than the former, and by running on four wheels moves
over the lower side of the webb or spring, on a board about nine feet long put
under the same and fastned to the layer, and which new contrived shuttle by
the two wooden tenders, invented for that purpose and hung to the layer, and
a small cord commanded by the hand of the weaver, the weaver, sitting in the
middle of the loom, with great ease and expedition by a small pull at the cord
casts or moves the said new invented shuttle from side to side at pleasure, and
also strikes the layer by his pulling it in the middle uniformly over the piece,
makeing it unavoydably even and much truer and better than by any method
heretofore used, by means whereof and inlarging the loom and board under-
neath, cloths may be evenly and substantially made of any reasonable breadth
soever, and with less toil and more expedition than before: that the opening
and dressing of wooll and weaving of woollen and linnen cloths by the
petitioner's new Inventions will be much better and more expeditiously
wrought, and the clothes made many degrees wider than they can be in the
method hitherto practised, to the great improvement of the said manufactures
in this kingdom and the promoting of the sale thereof in the foreign mar-
ketts, and will be of the utmost benefit and advantage to the weaving trado
in general that in regard the petitioner is the first and sole Inventor of the
said instruments or machines, and that the same are entirely new, and have
not hitherto been brought into publick use, he hath therefore most humbly
prayed us to grant him our Royal Letters Patents for the sole benefit and
advantage of his said new Inventions for the term of fourteen years, according
to the Statute in such case made and provided, wee, being willing to give
encouragement to all arts and inventions which may be for the publick
use and benefit, are gratiously pleased to gratifye him in his request.
KNOW YEE, THEREFORE, that wee, of our especial grace, certain
knowledge, and meer motion, have given and granted, and by these Presents,
for us, our heirs and successors, do give and grant unto the said John Kay,
his executors, administrators, and assigns, our especial lycence, full power,
sole priviledge and authority, that he, the said John Kay, his executors,
administrators, and assigns, and every of them, by himself and themselves, or
by his and their deputyes, servants, or agents, or such others as he, the said
John Kay, his executors, administrators, or assigns, shall at any time agree

page_text: with, and no others, from time to time and at all times hereafter during the
term of years herein expressed, shall and lawfully may make, use, exercise,
and vend his said new invented engine or machine for the better opening and
dressing of wooll, and also his said new invented shuttle for the better
and more exact weaving of broad cloths, broad bays, sail cloths, or any
other broad cloths, woollen or linnen, as above described, within that part
of our Kingdom of Great Britain called England, our Dominion of Wales,
and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to him, the said
John Kay, his executors, administrators, and assigns, or any of them, shall
in their discretions seem meet; and that he, the said John Kay, his execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, shall and lawfully may have and enjoy
the whole profit, benefit, commodity, and advantage from time to time
comeing, growing, accrueing, and ariseing by reason of the said Inventions,
for and during the term of years herein mentioned; to have, hold, exercise,
and enjoy the said licence, powers, priviledges, and advantages herein-before
granted or mentioned to be granted to the said John Kay, his executors,
administrators, and assigns, for and during and unto the full end and term of
fourteen years from the date of these Presents next and immediately ensueing,
and fully to be compleat and ended, according to the Statute in such case made
and provided: And to the end that the said John Kay, his executors, adminis-
strators, and assigns, and every of them, may have and enjoy the full benefit
and the sole use and exercise of the said of the said Inventions, according to
our gratious intention herein-before declared, wee do by these Presents, for us,
our heirs and successors, require and strictly command all and every person
and persons, bodyes politick and corporate, and all other our subjects what-
soever, of what estate, quality, degree, name, or condition soever they be,
within that said part of our Kingdom of Great Britain called England,
our Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed aforesaid, that
neither they or any of them, at any time during the continuance of the
said term of fourteen years hereby granted, either directly or indirectly
make, use, or put in practice, the said Inventions, or any part of the
same, so attained unto by the said John Kay as aforesaid, nor in any-
wise counterfeit, imitate, or resemble the same, nor shall make or cause
to be made any addition thereunto or substraction from the same, whereby
to pretend himself or themselves the inventor or inventors, devisor or
devisors thereof, without the licence, consent, or agreement of the said John
Kay, his executors, administrators, or assigns, in writing under his or
hands and seals first had and obtained in that behalf, upon such pains and
penalties as can or may be justly inflicted on such offenders for their contempt.
"

page_text: of this our royall command, and further to be answerable to the said John
Kay, his executors, administrators, and assigns, according to law for his and
their damage thereby occasioned: And moreover wee do by these Presents,
for us, our heirs and successors, will and command all and singular the
justices of the peace, mayors, sheriffs, bayliffs, constables, headboroughs, and
all other officers and ministers whatsoever of us, our heirs and successors, for
the time being, that they or any of them do not nor shall at any time
hereafter during the said term hereby granted in anywise molest, trouble, or
hinder the said John Kay, his executors, administrators, or assigns, or any
of them, or his or their deputys, servants, or agents, in or about the due and
lawful use or exercise of the aforesaid inventions or anything relating thereto :
Provided always, and these our Letters Patents are and shall be upon this
condition, that if at any time during the said term hereby granted it shall be
made appear to us, our heirs or successors, or any six or moro of our or their
Privy Council, that this our grant is contrary to law, or prejudicial or incon-
venient to our subjects in general, or that the said Inventions are not new
inventions as to the publick use and exercise thereof in that said part of our
Kingdom of Great Britain called England, our -Dominion of Wales, and
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed aforesaid, and not invented and found out by
the said John Kay as aforesaid, then upon signification of declaration thereof
to be made by us, our heirs or successors, under our or their signet or privy
seal, or by the Lords and others of our or their Privy Council, or any six or
more of them, under their hands, these our Letters Patents shall forthwith
cease, determine, and be utterly void to all intents and purposes, anything
herein-before contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding:
Provided also, that these our Letters Patents or anything herein contained
shall not extend or be construed to extend to give priviledge unto the said
John Kay, his executors, administrators, or assigns, or any of them, to use or
imitate any invention or work whatsoever which hath heretofore been found
out or invented by any other of our subjects whatsoever, and publickly used
or exercised in that said part of our Kingdom of Great Britain called
England, our Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed aforesaid,
unto whom like Letters Patents or priviledges have been already granted
for the sole use, exercise, and benefit thereof; it being our will and pleasure
that the said John Kay, his executors, administrators, and assigns, and
all and every other person and persons to whom like Letters Patents or
priviledges have been already granted, as aforesaid, shall distinctly use
and practice their several inventions by them invented and found out
according to the true intent and meaning of the same respective Letters

page_text: Patents and of these Presents: Provided likewise, nevertheless, and these
our Letters Patents are upon this express condition, that if the said John Kay,
his executors or administrators, any person or persons which shall or may,
at any time or times hereafter during the continuance of this grant, have or
claim any right, title, or interest in law or equity of, in, or to the power,
priviledge, and authority of the sole use and benefit of the said Inventions
hereby granted, shall make any transferr or assignment or any pretended
transferr or assignment of the said liberty and priviledge, or any share or
shares of the benefit or profit thereof, or shall declare any trust thereof to
or for any number of persons exceeding the number of five, or shall open
or cause to be opened any book or books for publick subscriptions to be
made by any number of persons exceeding the number of five, in order to
the raising any sume or sumes of money under pretence of carrying on the
said liberty or priviledge hereby granted, or shall, by him or themselves, or
his or their agents or servants, receive any sumie or sumes of money what-
soever, of any number of persons exceeding in the whole the number of five,
for such or the like intents or purposes, or shall presume to act as a corporate
body, or shall divide the benefit of these our Letters Patents, or the liberty
and priviledge hereby by us granted, into any number of shares exceeding
the number of five, or shall committ or do, or procure to be committed or
done, any act, matter, or thing whatsoever during such time as such person
or persons shall have any right or title, either in law or equity, in or to the
said premisses, which would be contrary to the true intent and meaning of a
certain Act of Parliament made in the sixth year of the reign of our late
Royal Father King George the First, intituled (An Act for the better
securing certain Powers and Priviledges intended to be granted by His
Majesty by Two Charters, for Assurance of Ships and Merchandizes at Sea,
and for lending Money upon Bottomry, and for restraining several extravagant
and unwarrantable Practices therein mentioned), if these our Letters Patents
had not been granted; or in case the said power, priviledge, or authority shall
at any time hereafter become vested in or in trust for more than the number
of five persons or their representatives at any one time (reckoning executors
or administrators as and for the single person whom they represent, as to
such interest as they are or shall be entituled to in right of such their testator
or intestate), that then and in any of the said cases these our Letters Patents,
and all libertyes and advantages whatsoever hereby granted, shall utterly
cease, determine, and become void, anything herein-before contained to the
contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding. And, lastly, wee do by these
Presents, for us, our heirs and successors, grant unto the said John Kay, his

page_text: executors, administrators, and assigns, that these our Letters Patents, or the
inrollment or exemplification thereof, shall be in and by all things good, firm,
valid, sufficient, and effectual in the law, according to the true intent and
meaning thereof, and shall be taken, construed, and adjudged in the most
favourable and beneficial sence for the best advantage of the said John Kay,
his executors, administrators, and assigns, as well in all our Courts of Record
as elsewhere, and by all and singular the officers and ministers whatsoever of
us, our heirs and successors, in that part of our said Kingdom of Great
Britain called England, our Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed aforesaid, and amongst all and every the subjects of us, our heirs and
successors, whatsoever and wheresoever, notwithstanding the not full and
certain describeing the nature or quality of the said Inventions, or of the
materialls thereto conducing and belonging.
In witness and so forth. Witness our self at Westminster, the Twenty-
sixth day of May.
By Writt of Privy Seal.