IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF STARCH, OR OTHER. SUBSTANCES OF A SIMILAR NATURE, TO WOVEN FABRICS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Cochran, of Kirkton Bleach Works,.
in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Bleacher, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF STARCH, OR OTHER.
SUBSTANCES OF A SIMILAR NATURE, TO WOVEN FABRICS, AND IN THE
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 6th February 1854, and dated the 15th December 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Cochran
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th December 1853.
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 THE APPLICATION OF STARCH, OR
OTHER SUBSTANCES OF A SIMILAR NATURE, TO WOVEN FABRICS, AND IN THE
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates solely to certain mechanical arrangements for
the application of starch, or other substance of a similar nature or for a
similar purpose, to woven fabrics.in. certain stages of manufacture or

page_text: finishing. An endless web of canvass is made to traverse continually in
one direction over a horizontal table by being passed over a supporting
roller at each end of the table. The starch is fed or supplied to this
canvass in a thin sheet or layer, the thickness of the layer being
determined and regulated by a compressing roller resting upon the
web directly over one of the end rollers before referred to. As the
starched web passes onwards the starch is squeezed and broken down
into a pulpy mass well spread out upon the fabric. It next passes
beneath a series of cylindrical revolving brushes. These brushes work
in contact with the starch, and still further reduce the layer to an
even and regular consistence. It is next acted on by a sweep brush,
the oscillations of which are produced by two cranks, one at each side
of the table, the movement having the effect of further distributing the
starch with slight pressure. The fabric to be starched is wound on a
roller and placed on two stands above the table, and one end of it is
then spread out by hand down on the surface of the starch beneath. At
this part of the machine is placed a horizontal breadthener, consisting
of a spindle carrying inclined scroll discs which actuate sliding ribbed
staves. These staves are put in motion by the passage of the endless
web so as to draw out from the centre and thus take the creases out of
the endless web, and the cloth being starched upon it.
The fabric adheres to and is carried along with the canvas over the
opposite extending carrying roller of the latter, in passing over which
it is subjected to the action of a series of hammers having india-rubber
faces. This hammering thus impresses the starch upon the fabric, and
the latter is carried on beneath the table along with the canvas, when
the two are disengaged; or, instead of these hammers, a roller covered
with india-rubber or layers of flannel or sheeting is made to press upon
the cloth, or a traversing brush may be fitted for the same purpose.
By another mode a frame is adjusted to carry two elastic surfaced
rollers alongsido a box, in which is another roller having an endless
web passed round it. This web then passes over one of the elastic or
padded rollers, and the starch is applied by depositing it in the box or
in a tub by the side of the machine, a perforated tube being carried
across the web, so that when the starch is supplied to the tube, it falls

page_text: through the perforations down on to the web, and is then spread out by
a sweep brush. Or, in applying the starch cold, the starch trough is
placed over the endless web, and the starch is forced through the
perforated bottom by a roller or circular or flat brush down on to the
endless web. The starch may also be placed in a perforated caso mado
to revolve with a brush or roller inside; or the starch may be placed
between the roller and the endless web passing round it, so that the
starch is forced through the cloth and is acted upon on the opposite
side by a sweep or stationary brush; or the cloth to be starched may
be passed round a padded cylinder, a second roller being placed in
front, round which roller an endless web is carried; the starch being
spread over this endless web, and the two rollers being made to work in
contact, one supplies starch to the other. Instead of this, two cylinders
may be placed over each other as in a common mangle, the starch box
being beneath; one roller is made to revolvo amongst the starch, the
amount of starch taken up being regulated by a furnisher, or roller or
brush. The spreading may also be accomplished by traversing a
distributing carriage over a padded table, or by traversing the table
beneath the carriage; such carriage is fitted with any of the dis-
tributing systems already referred to. And in all these processes the
hammer or roller arrangements may be used after the spreading for the
impression of the starch into the cloth.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Cochran in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th June 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 Fifteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-

page_text: cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Cochran, Her:
special license that I, the said Alexander Cochran, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such' others as I, the said Alexander
Cochran, my exccutors, 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 THE APPLICATION OF STARCH, OR OTHER SUBSTANCES OF A
SIMILAR NATURE, TO WOVEN FABRICS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Alexander Cochran, by an instrument 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.
I
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Cochran, do hereby
declare 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, that is to say:→
My said Invention relates to certain,mechanical arrangements for the
application of starch, or other substance of a similar nature or for a
similar purpose, to woven fabrics in certain stages of manufacture or
finishing. An endless web of canvas is made to traverse continuously
in one direction over a horizontal table by being passed over a support-
ing roller at each end of the table. The starch is fed or supplied to
this canvas in a thin sheet or layer, the thickness of the layer being
determined and regulated by a compressing roller resting upon the web
directly over one of the end rollers before referred to. As the starched
web passes onwards the starch is squeezed and broken down into a
pulpy mass well spread out upon the fabric. It next passes beneath a
series of cylindrical revolving brushes. These brushes work in contact.
with the starch, and still further reduce the layer to an even and
regular consistence. It is next acted upon by a sweep. brush, the oscilla-

page_text: tions of which are produced by two cranks, one at each side of the
table, the movement having the effect of further distributing the starch
with slight pressure. The fabric to be starched is wound on a roller
and placed on two stands above the table, and one end of it is then
spread out by hand down on the surface of the starch beneath. At this
part of the machine is placed a horizontal, breadthener, consisting
of a spindle carrying inclined scroll discs which actuate sliding ribbed
staves. These staves are put in motion by the passage of the endless
web, so as to draw out from the centre, and thus take the creases out
of the endless web, and the cloth being starched upon it.
The fabric adheres to and is carried along with the canvas over the
opposite extending carrying roller of the latter, in passing over which it
is subjected to the action of a series of hammers or beaters having india-
rubber faces. This hammering thus impresses the starch upon the
fabric, and the latter is carried on beneath the table along with the
canvas, when the two are disengaged; or, instead of these hammers, a
roller covered with india-rubber or layers of flannel or sheeting is made
to press upon the cloth; or a traversing brush may be fitted with for
the same purpose.
By another mode a frame is adjusted to carry the two elastic surfaced
rollers alongside a box, in which is another roller having an endless web
passed round it. This web then passes over one of the elastic or padded
rollers, and the starch is applied by depositing it in the box or in a tub
by the side of the machine, a perforated tube being carried across the
web, so that when the starch is supplied to the tube it falls through the
perforations down on to the web, and is then spread out by a sweep
brush. Or, in applying the starch cold, the starch trough is placed over
the endless web, and the starch is forced through the perforated bottom
by a roller or circular or flat brush down on to the endless web. The
starch may also be placed in a perforated case made to revolve with a
brush or roller inside; or the starch may be placed between the roller
and the endless web passing round it, so that the starch is forced through
the cloth, and is acted upon on the opposite side by a sweep or stationary
brush; or the cloth to be starched may be passed round a padded
cylinder, a second roller being placed in front, round which roller an

page_text: endless web is carried; the starch being spread over this endless web,
and the two rollers being made to work in contact, one supplies starch
to the other. Instead of this, two cylinders may be placed over each
as in a common mangle, the starch box being beneath; one roller is
made to revolve amongst the starch, the amount of starch taken up
being regulated by a furnisher, or roller or brush.
The spreading may also be accomplished by traversing a distributing
carriage over a padded table, or by traversing the table beneath the
carriage; such carriage is fitted with any of the distributing systems
already referred to. And in all those processes the hammer or rollor
arrangements may be used after the spreading for impressing the
starch into the cloth.
.
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 confine or
restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I 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 machinery, appa-
ratus, or means for starching or applying starch or similar substances
to woven fabrics, as herein-before described.
Second, the application and use in starching apparatus of an endless
web or cloth, to which the starch is first applied in any convenient-
manner, and on which it is spread or evenly distributed, to be after-
wards transferred thence to the fabric to be starched, as herein-before
described.
Third, the system or mode of transferring the starch from an endless
web, or from the surface of a roller or table, to the fabric to be treated,
by means of elastic or inelastic surfaced pressing or squeezing rollers,
hammers, or beaters, or by means of brushes, as herein-before
described.
Fourth, the system or mode of supplying starch to the endless web

page_text: or other surface upon which it is primarily deposited, and spread out,
by causing it to issue from the perforations of a tube placed transversely
over such surface, or by expressing it with a roller or otherwise through
perforations in the bottom or side of a containing trough, as herein-
before described.
Fifth, the system or mode of arranging starching apparatus upon a
carriage to be traversed over the fabric beneath, and so supply the
starch to it; or the reverse arrangement, wherein the fabric on a table
or otherwise is traversed beneath or against the starching apparatus,
as herein-before described.