A MACHINE FOR THE PURPOSE OF MANUFACTURING, BY THE MORE SPEEDY, SIMPLE, AND NEAT METHOD, FISHING NETS, HORSE NETS, GARDEN NETS, FURNITURE NETS, NETS FOR WEARING APPAREL, AND ALL OTHER ARTICLES OF NET- WORK, HAVING THE SAME COMMON DIAMOND MESH AND KNOT, HITHERTO TIED BY THE HAND WITH THE NETTING NEEDLE, IN FISHING NETS; AND ALSO FOR MANUPAC- TURING DIVERSE OTHER FIGURED MESHES, WITH ANY THREAD, TWIST, TWINE, CORD, JERSEY, OR YARN PRODUCED FROM ANIMAL, VEGETABLE OR MINERAL SUBSTANCES
Year: 1802

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
BROWN, of New Radford, in the County of Nottinghani, Lace Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent, bearing date at Westminster, the Sixteenth day of
January, in the forty-second year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the
said Robert Brown; His especial licence that I, the said Robert Brown, should
and lawfully might, during the term of years therein mentioned, use, exercise,"
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "A MACHINE FOR THE PURPOSE OF MANUFACTURING, BY THE MORE
SPEEDY, SIMPLE, AND NEAT METHOD, FISHING NETS, HORSE NETS, GARDEN NETS,
FURNITURE NETS, NETS FOR WEARING APPAREL, AND ALL OTHER ARTICLES OF NET-
WORK, HAVING THE SAME COMMON DIAMOND MESH AND KNOT, HITHERTO TIED BY THE
HAND WITH THE NETTING NEEDLE, IN FISHING NETS; AND ALSO FOR MANUPAC-
TURING DIVERSE OTHER FIGURED MESHES, WITH ANY THREAD, TWIST, TWINE, CORD,
JERSEY, OR YARN PRODUCED FROM ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, OR MINERAL SUBSTANCES;
in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging me, the
said Robert Brown, by an instrument in writing under my band and seal, to
particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within one calendar month from the date of the said
Letters Patent, otherwise the said Letters Patent to be void, as by the
said Letters Patent, relation being thereunto had, will more fully and at-
large appear..

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert Brown, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described by
the Plans or Drawings hereunto annexed, and in manner following, that is
to say:-
No. 1 contains Drawings of the minute parts of the different pieces of
machinery, composing together the whole of the said machine. The annexed
Sheet No. 2 contains Drawings of the said different pieces of machinery
belonging to the said machine, when separately put together. These several
Drawings I describe and explain in manner following, that is to say:
A, Sheet No. 1, represents the component parts of the sinker bar (part of
the said machine), which when put together is represented by the Figure A,
in Sheet No. 2. A, Sheet No. 1, Figure 1, is the sinker, which is a case
(with a notch in it) fast at the top and open at the points, the distance of its
sides being according to the gauge. To one of the inner sides of the sinkers
is fastened the pivot, Figure 2, on which the sinker bobbin, Figure 3, turns
with the thread (or other material intended to be worked, but by way of
example, I use throughout this my Specification the material thread,) wound
round it; the bobbin is put on the pivot by springing the sinker open. The
thread is held tight by passing through the spring, Fig. 4; the spring is
fastened to one of the inner sides of the sinker, and likewise the catch, Fig. 5,
by which the sinkers are drawn off and pushed on the bar, Fig. 6. The bar
moves on axles at the ends, and has a ledge on the front that enters the
notches of the sinkers and supports them. Figure 7 are the cranks, which
are put on near the ends of the bar, and by stops keep it from falling too
low; Fig. 8 is the lid, which is fastened to the bar at such a distance as to
admit between the guides, Fig. 9, fastened in the lid; the guides keep the
sinkers steady when passing on and off the bar. Figure 10 are levilling bits,
which are fastened on the ends of the parallel piece, Fig. 11. In the parallel
piece are guides, the same as before described in the lid; and also the wires,
Fig. 12, which enter the sinkers and sustain them when drawn off the bar.
The parallel piece is fixed to the lid by the hingers, Fig. 13.
There are
loops, Fig. 14, near the ends of the parallel-piece, in which the cords A, B,
Figure 15, are tied; they pass the cross bar, Fig. 16, and are tied to the
ends. To the center of this cross bar, the cord C, Fig. 15, is tied, which
descends to a loop, Fig. 17, on a treadle. At the end of the treadle is the
tripper, Fig. 18, which moves on a pivot in a notch, and on the foot piece of
the wood frame (represented in Sheet No. 2, L, Fig. 3,) is a catch, Figure 19.
Figure 20 is a worm spring, which holds the tripper forwards, and when the
treadle, Fig. 21, is put down by the foot, the sinker bar is raised and the

page_text: tripper catches and keeps it; by putting down the tripper, the bar is brought
down again.
B, Sheet No. 1, represents the minute component parts of the regulating
bar (another part of this machine), which when joined together is represented
by the Figure B, in Sheet No. 2. Figure 1, in B, Sheet No. 1, is the bar,
which turns on screw points. Through the bar the stars, Fig. 2, (which are
similar to the stars used in the common stocking frame) pass, and they
regulate the meshes. Figure 3 is the retaining piece, which, being fastened to
the star feet, by turning the stars is raised from the needles, thereby making
the meshes larger, and by reversing the turning, making the meshes sinaller.
To the retaining piece, the retainers, Fig. 4, are fastened; they are notches
cut in a plate (turned up at equal distances for the purpose), appearing in
front like a row of small pyramids obtusely pointed; the meshes are put
behind them when a course is finished, and retained there untill another course
is made. Figure 5 is the pressure, which works on screw points through the
star feet. The plate, Fig. 6, is fixed on the front of the pressure, and keeps
the threads regular in the notches. The stop, Fig. 7, is fastened on the back
of the pressure, and by catching under the catch, Fig. 8, is held up whilst the
threads are laying. The treadle, Fig. 9, by being borne on with the foot,
moves the whole.
C, Sheet No. 1, represents the minute component of the needle bar (another
part of this machine), which, when joined together, is represented in Sheet
No. 2, by the Fig. C. Figure 1, in C, Sheet No. 1, is the bar on which
the needles are fixed. The needle, Fig. 2, is cast in the lead, Fig. 3. The
antipodes, Fig. 4, have feet at the top, to which the needle bar is fastened,
and they work on screw points fixed in their legs. The cord, Fig. 5, is tied
to the bar, and the worm springs, Fig. 6, being fixed to the bottoms of the
antipodes and to hooks in the wood frame, cause the needle bar to spring
forward. The wire, Fig. 7, is fixed in front of the bar to keep the needle
threads forwards. The treadle, Fig. 8, has the cord, Fig. 5, tied to
and being borne upon with the foot, draws in the needle bar. D, Sheet
No. 1, represents the minute parts of the catch bar (another part of this
machine), which, when joined together, is represented by the Drawing
Fig. D, in Sheet No. 2. Figure 1, in D, Sheet, No. 1, is the bar, which
works or screw points in the sole bar, herein-after described. The catches;
Fig. 2, are fastened on it near the ends; they hold back the needle
bar C, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 1, when drawn in. The lever, Fig. 3, is fastened
in the back of the catch, bar; a cord, Fig. 4, is tied to it and to the
it;

page_text: treadle, Fig. 5; the treadle, by being borne on with the foot, raises the catches,
and the needle bar C, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 1, springs forward.
E, Sheet No. 1, represents the minute component parts of the swing bar,
another part of this machine, which, when put together, is represented by Fig.
E, in Sheet No. 2. Figure 1, in E, Sheet No. 1, is the bar, which moves on
screw points in the projecting parts of the rafters, herein-after described. Near
the ends of the bar are fixed the arms, Fig. 2, which are kept firm by the stays
Fig. 3, fastened to them and to the bar. The levellers, Fig. 4, are fixed on the
back of the arms, and when the arms are moved forwards press on the levelling
bits at the ends of the parallel piece (A, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 10). Fig. 5 is the
hook bar, which works on screw points in the arms, and has the hooks, Fig. 6,
fastened in it. The slide, Fig. 7, slides on the back of the hook bar, and gives
it a proper direction. The handles; Fig. 8, pass through the slide, one of them
fastened in the hook bar, and the other' turning on a pivot, mioves the slide.
The dividing bar, Fig. 9, is fixed to the suspenders, Fig. 10; these are fixed to
the screws on which the hook bar turns. The chains, Fig. 11, are fixed to the
suspenders and to the axles of the sinker bar (described in A, Sheet No. 1,
Fig. 6). Fig 12 are the dividers, which are notches cut in a plate -fastened
on the dividing bar, Fig. 9; and resembling in form the retainers (B, Sheet
No. 1 Fig. 4), except the points being sharper. The latch, Fig. 13, has a lever,
Fig 14, fixed to it and to the hook bar, and works on a pivot in the notched
piece, Fig. 15. There is a catch on the arm, Fig. 16; by which the latch is
caught, and the bar kept from moving.
F, Sheet No. 1, represents the component parts of: the stretching bar
(another part of this machine), which, when joined together, is repre-
sented in the Drawing, Fig. F;' in Sheet No. 2. Figure 1, in F, Sheet
No. 1, is the bar, which is made with holes in it for the needle threads
to pass through, and has the slide, Figure 2, in the middle, in which are
likewise holes corresponding with the aforesaid holes in the stretching
bar. Figure 3 is the guide, which is fixed on the edge of the bar, and is
raised above it for the purpose of laying the needle threads; the handles, Fig. 4,
are fixed on the bar to work it, and one of them turning on a pivot moves the
slide, and when' required; binds the threads fast. Figure 5 is a worm spring,
which is fixed to the handles, and holds the slide from returning when the
hands have left the handles.
G; Sheet No. 1, represents the different parts of the rolling bar (another
part of this machine), which, when joined together, is represented in Sheet
No. 2, by Fig. G. Figure 1, in G, Sheet .No. 1, is the bar, which has

page_text: side pieces, Figure 2, fastened to it, and turns on axles in the side pieces
of the wood frame. At the ends of the bar is the rest, Fig. 3, on which
the stretching bar F, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 1, rests. The creased rollers,
Fig. 4, turn on screws through the side pieces, Fig. 2. The keepers, Fig. 5, are
fixed over them to keep the threads in the creases. The plain rollers, Fig. 6;
turn likewise in the side pieces on screws, and the threads pass under them.
The lever, Fig. 7, has the cord, Fig. 8, tied to it and to the treadle, Fig. 9; the
treadle being borne on with the foot, raises the rest, and one of the plain rollers
being fixed behind the axles, descends and bears on the needle threads, .and
thereby, draws them off the bobbins. The last-mentioned threads may be
drawn off the bobbins by the stretching bar, or by a roller or bar fastened on
the ends of the catches, behind where the bar works on the screw points, which
by descending and bearing on the threads (as the catches rise on the front of
the bar) will draw the threads off the bobbins. Fig. 10 is a weight, which is
fixed to every needle thread; and Fig. 11 is a stop, on which the side piece
rests when down. H, Sheet No. 1, represents the component parts of the
work beam (another part of this machine), which, when joined together, is
represented in Sheet No. 2 by the Drawing, Fig. H. The uprights, Fig. 1, in
H, Sheet No. 1, are fastened at the bottoms to the wood frame, and have
notches in the tops. In these notches the beam, Fig. 2; turns. On the end of
the beam is a ratch wheel Fig. 3, with a catch spring, Fig. 4; a cord, Fig. 5,
is tied on the ratch wheel, to which cord the weight, Fig. 6, is suspended; the
handle, Fig. 7, is fixed on the ratch wheel to wind up the weight when down.
I, Sheet No. 1, represents the different parts of the bobbin board (another part
of this machine), which, when joined together, is represented by Figure I., in
Sheet No. 2. Figure I., Sheet No. 1, is the bobbin board, and is fastened to
the back rail of the wood frame (represented in Sheet No. 2, L, Fig. 2);
wires, Fig. 2, are fixed in the board with springs, Fig. 3, upon them. The
bobbins, Fig. 4, are turned on the wires, and the threads drawn off by the
stretching bar, or by pressing on them, and the bobbins are kept tight by
the nuts, Fig. 5, which press them to the springs.
K, Sheet No. 1, represents the different parts of the carcase (another part
of this machine, which, wheu joined together, is represented by the Drawing
K, in Sheet No. 2. Figure 1, in K, Sheet No. 1, are the sole bars, which
are fastened to caps on the side pieces of the wood frame; near the ends of
the sole bars are fixed the uprights, Fig. 2. On the uprights are thimbles,
Fig. 3, and in these the axles of the sinker bar (A, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 6)
turn. The rafters, Fig. 4,'are fastened to the sole bar, and project over the tops

page_text: of the uprights. The bars, Fig. 5, are fastened on the rafters and hold them
firm and steady on these bars pullies are fixed for guiding the cords to the
treadle.
L, Sheet No. 2, represents the different parts of the wood frame of
this machine;. the side pieces, Fig. 1, are held firm and at a proper distance
from each other by the back rail, Fig. 2, and the foot piece, Fig. 3,
being screwed into mortises in the side pieces. The back piece, Fig. 4,
has mortises in the posts the side pieces are screwed in, and the blocks,
Fig. 5, are fixed in the posts of the back piece. The seat board, Fig. 6,
is, fixed on the blocks; the treadles work on a pivot in the bottom rail of the
back piece.
After having thus described the different parts of the said new invented
machine, I now proceed to describe and explain the mode in which the same
is worked, so as to produce the network above specified. The needle threads
(so named in contradistinction to the sinker threads) are wound on bobbins T,
Sheet No. 1, Fig. 4, and put on the wires. I, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 2, in the
bobbin-board I, Shect No. 1, Fig. 1, fastened to the back rail of the wood frame
L, Sheet No. 2, Fig. 2, and the weights G, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 10, are put one
on every needle threed; the needle threads are then brought to the stretching
bar F, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 1, and put through the holes thereof, and of the
slide in the middle (F, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 2, and the needle threads are then
tied every one to its correspondent sinker thread. The sinker threads are
wound on the sinker bobbins A, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 3, and fixed on the pivots A,
Sheet No. 1, Fig. 2, in the sinkers A, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 1. There is a sinker
to every needle, and consequently as many sinker threads as needle threads.
A piece of net or cloth being fastened on the work beam H, Sheet No. 1,
Fig. 2, is brought between the retainers B, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 4, and the
pressure B, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 5. The knots joining the needle and sinker
threads are then fastened to this net or cloth; the needle threads are then
placed in the notches of the retainers by the guide B, Sheet No. 1. Fig. 3, on
the edge of the stretching bar. The pressure is then let down, and the
stretching bar laid on the rest G, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 3. By bearing with
the foot on the treadle D, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 5, the catches D, Sheet No. 1,
Fig. 2, are raised, and the needle bar C, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 1, springs forward,
and the needle leads C, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 3, projecting from the bar, then
pass between the needle threads, which hang in a direction perpendicular to
the stretching bar on the rest. The hook bar E, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 5, is then
raised by the bandles E, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 8, and the lever E, Sheet No. 1.

page_text: Fig. 14, sets the swing bar E, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 1, at liberty. The hook bar
is then moved forward, and the hooks E, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 6, enter between
the needle threads, and by a side motion catch them. The threads are then
brought in the hooks under the projecting parts of the needle leads, and the
hooks being raised pass between the needle leads, and carry the threads over
them to the other side, thereby forming loops round the needle leads. The
loops so formed are then borne down by the hooks, and held forwards whilst
the hooks cross and catch the threads hanging perpendicularly and draw them
through the loops, thereby forming running nooses. By drawing the hooks
back to give length to the nooses, the chains E, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 11, then
raise the dividers E, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 12, which then pass into the nooses
and give them triangular forms. The tripper A, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 18, is then
set at liberty, and the sinkers fall into the nooses, that is to say, a sinker into
every noose; the sinkers are here kept at the proper height by the cranks A,
Sheet No. 1, Fig. 7, falling on stops; the nooses are then thrown on the tops
of the sinkers by the hooks, and catch on the parts of the sinkers projecting
from the sinker bar; the hooks then quit the nooses by falling down the insides
of the sinkers through apertures in the tops thereof. The parallel piece A,.
Sheet No. 1, Fig. 11, is then let down, and the hooks are directed into the
catches A, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 5. The levellers E, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 4, then
pressing on the levelling bits A, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 10, keep the parallel piece
in a direct line with the lid A, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 8. The sinkers are then
drawn off the bar A, Sheet No. 1, Fig. 6, on to the wires A, Sheet No. 1,
Fig. 12, and the nooses are thereby slipt over the sinkers, passing the whole
substance of thread wound round the sinker bobbins, and hang surrounding
the sinker threads near the needles; the sinkers are then pushed back on the
sinker bar by the hooks, and the sinker bar is raised to fill the tripper catches;
the stretching bar being then wound up near to the needles, the threads are
bound fast in it, and the knots stretched up. The stretching bar is then held
above the needles, and they are let out, by which means the work is thrown off
and the course finished. The needles are then drawn in, and the machine is
ready for beginning another course. It must be suggested that in the
machine above described, network may be made with having two needle bars
with needle leads on each bar, one course remaining on the needles whilst
another course is made; but the method hercin-before specified is judged the
best, as it gives an opportunity of throwing off at the finishing of every course
of stretching the knots up closer, and thereby rendering them more firm and
secure. And it ought, in addition, to be observed that although the rollers G,

page_text: Inrolled the Twenty-third day of. January, in the year above written.