IMPROVEMENTS IN FINISHING PARTS OF WOOLLEN GARMENTS."
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Bruce Donisthorpe, of Leicester, in the
County of Leicester, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FINISHING PARTS OF WOOLLEN GARMENTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Bruce
Donisthorpe at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 10th November 1866.
I, FREDERICK BRUCE DONISTHORPE, of Leicester, in the County of
Leicester, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FINISHING PARTS OF WOOLLEN GARMENTS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates to the finishing of the tops and edges of woollen
stockings and shirts or other garments, which is usually done by stitching
before milling, and consists in drawing the top or edge of the stocking or
shirt or other garment through a pair of spring holders after the process of
milling, whereby the selvage is unrolled, and the said top or edge finished
without stitching. The apparatus for this purpose consists of a pair
of spring jaws fixed to a bench and provided with a screw or screws for
regulating the force of the spring or the holding power of the upper jaw;
this upper jaw or moveable part of the spring holder is raised' as required for

page_text: the insertion of the fabric to be operated upon by means of a chain or cord
passed over a pulley and worked by a treadle, or it may be otherwise raised.
The width of the jaws or spring holder is regulated by the size of the articles
to be operated upon.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Bruce Donisthorpe in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
BRUCE DONISTHORPE, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Frederick Bruce Donisthorpe, Her special licence that I, the said Frederick
Bruce Donisthorpe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Frederick Bruce Donisthorpe, my executors, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN FINISHING PARTS OF WOOLLEN GARMENTS,"
npon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick Bruce Donis-
thorpe, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Frederick Bruce Donisthorpe, 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
"
My Invention of "Improvements in Finishing Parts of Woollen Garments
relates to the finishing of the tops and edges of woollen stockings and shirts

page_text: or other garments, which is usually done by stitching before milling, and consists.
in drawing the top or edge of the stocking or shirt or other garment through.
a pair of spring holders after the process of milling, whereby the selvage is
unrolled, and the said top or edge suitably finished without stitching. The
apparatus for this purpose consists of a pair of spring jaws fixed to a bench
and provided with a screw. or screws for regulating the force of the spring or
the holding power of the upper jaw; this upper jaw or moveable part of the
spring holder is raised as required for the insertion of the fabric to be operated.
upon by means of a chain or cord passed over a pulley and worked by a
treadle, or it may be otherwise raised. The width of the jaws or spring
holder is regulated by the size of the articles to be operated upon.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to
describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed
by reference to the accompanying, Drawings, in which are represented the
apparatus above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 is an end elevation, and Fig. 3 is a
plan or horizontal view of the apparatus. In these several Figures the same
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A is the frame or table; B is the upper and C the lower jaw, forming
together the spring holder, which is fastened to the bed or table A by means
of a metal plate C* and screws; D is a bar which is placed across the bottom
of the spring and caused to press thereon by means of screws and nuts E, E,
in such a manner as to regulate the holding power of the jaws; F is a
standard or carrier for a pulley G, over which is passed a cord or chain, one
end of which is fixed to the upper jaw and the other end is connected with a
stirrup or treadle. The apparatus is worked as required by pressing with the
foot on the treadle, thereby raising the upper jaw B; the stocking, garment, or
fabric to be operated upon is then inserted between the jaws B and C ; the
treadle is now relieved from the pressure and the jaw B allowed to close on
to the fabric, which is then pulled out from between the closed jaws, the
elasticity of the spring allowing it to pass out without injury. By this means
the selvage is unrolled and the top or edge suitably finished without stitching.
This process is applied after that of milling. The apparatus may also be
worked from a shaft moved by steam power.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I claim
as of
my Invention is the node described of finishing the tops and edges of

page_text: woollen stockings, shirts, and other garments by drawing the same through a
pair of spring holders after the process of milling, thereby dispensing with the
ordinary process of stitching for the same purpose.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Bruce Donisthorpe, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Seventh day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
FREDERICK BRUCE DONISTHORPE. (LS.)
FREDERICK DONISTHORPE,
Leicester,
Merchant.