IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR ORNAMENTING IN COLORS FLOOR, OIL, AND LEATHER CLOTHS.”
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thorpe, of Hill Top Works, Worsley, in the
County of Lancaster, Oilcloth Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR
ORNAMENTING IN COLORS FLOOR, OIL, AND LEATHER CLOTHS.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thorpe at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th August 1872.
I, JOHN THORPE, of Hill Top Works, Worsley, in the County of
Lancaster, Oilcloth Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND IN APPARATUS OR
MACHINERY FOR ORNAMENTING IN COLORS FLOOR, OIL, AND LEATHER CLOTHS," to
be as follows :-
The ordinary method of ornamenting floor, oil, and Icather cloths is
by means of block printing, and when designs are required formed by
continuous stripes of different colors they are produced by the ordinary
method in a slow, costly, and imperfect manner.

page_text: My Invention refers to a new method of producing striped ornamental
designs by a simple and rapid process giving a most satisfactory result,
the whole width of the fabric having the colors forming the complete
design applied to it simultaneously if required.
My Invention consists in passing the fabric which has been first
prepared in the ordinary manner through the ordinary spreading
machine or any similar machine, but instead of the ordinary spreading
knife I use a knife the lengthway of which passes across the fabric, and
is divided into as many sections as there are to be stripes in the design
by means of thin metal partitions, these sections being of such width as:
to correspond with the intended design. Each section is enclosed to
form a separate compartment which is open to the surface of the cloth
for a short space in front of the edge of the knife. Each compartment
is charged with color as required by the design, and as the cloth passes
under the spreader the surface receives stripes corresponding to the
width and color of cacli compartment.
In some cases I form striped designs as above described, and then
complete them by making additions by ordinary block printing, and by
this means I produce designs of highly ornamental character more
perfect and varied and at less cost than can be obtained by the ordinary
means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Thorpe in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 13th February 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
THORPE, of Hill Top Works, Worsley, in the County of Lancaster, Oil-
cloth Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her rcign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Thorpe, Her special license that
I, the said. John Thorpe, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Thorpe, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,

page_text: 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 MODE
5 OF AND IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR ORNAMENTING IN COLOURS FLOOR, OIL,
AND LEATHER CLOTHS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Thorpe, 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
O 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 John Thorpe, 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, and the accompanying Drawings (that is to
say):
The ordinary method of ornamenting floor, oil, and leather cloths is
by means of block printing, and when designs are required formed by
continuous stripes of different' colors, they are produced by the ordinary
method in a slow, costly, and imperfect manner.
My Invention refers to a new method of producing striped orna-
mental designs by a simple and rapid process, giving a most satisfactory.
result, the whole width of the fabric having the colors forming the
complete design applied to it simultaneously if required.
My Invention consists in passing the fabric which has been first pre-
pared in the ordinary manner through the ordinary spreading machine,
or any similar machine, but instead of the ordinary spreading knife I
use a knife the lengthway of which passes across the fabric, and is
divided into as many sections as there are to be stripes in the design
by means of thin metal partitions, these sections being of such width
as to correspond with the intended design. Each section is enclosed to
form a separate compartment which is open to the surface of the cloth
for a short space in front of the edge of the knife. Each compartment
is charged with color as required by the design, and as the cloth passes
under the spreader the surface receives stripes corresponding to the
width and color of each compart:ment.

page_text: In some cases I form striped designs, as above described, then com-
plete them by making additions by ordinary block printing, and by
this means I produce designs of highly ornamental character, more
perfect and varied and at less cost than can be obtained by the ordinary
means.
Fig. 1 is an end view of the knife and compartments for forming the
stripes; Fig. 2 is a front view, and Fig. 3 a plan view thereof.
a is the ordinary knife with metal partitions (6) soldered upon it,
placed at such distances apart as are required by the design; c is
an open space at the bottom of cach compartment in front of the
knife to allow the color to pass to the cloth, represented by the
lines d and supposed to be passing in the direction shown by the
arrow.
In Fig. 3 the cloth d is supposed to have a design applied to it
in black and white, but any required color may be used. The whole
width of the cloth has color applied to it at the same time in passing
under the knife a. The compartments are filled with the required color
by spouted vessels, or by funnels, or other means. The cloth to which
the design is applied is wider than the design, and the edges are cut
off after the design has been applied as in the production of ordinary
designs.
I have now particularly described the nature of my Invention, and
the mode of carrying it into effect and claim as my Invention, the
system or mode, and means of producing designs on floor, stair, oil, and
leather cloths, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Thorpe, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Twelfth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-thrce.
JOHN THORDE L