IMPROVE- MED BAD STUDENING AND FINISHING TEXTILE FARRICS."
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Chambers, of Whitefield, near Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Bleacher, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MED BAD STUDENING AND FINISHING TEXTILE FARRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Chambers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th November 1866.
I, WILLIAM CHAMBERS, of Whitefield, near Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Bleacher, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STIFFENING AND FINISHING TEXTILE FABRICS,"
to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is applying the size, starch, or stiffening fluid
used in the operation of stiffening and finishing textile fabrics to the fabric
under operation, and removing the excess therefrom in such manner that a
better or more suitable finish is obtained than by the ordinary methods now
in use.
In performing my Invention I cause the fabric to be operated upon to pass.
between two rollers capable of adjustment, and made of suitable materials;
size, starch, or stiffening fluid being applied either in the ordinary manner, or
by means of a brush, either revolving or stationary, after which the excess of
size, starch, or stiffening fluid is removed by means of an adjustable docter,
either stationary or otherwise, acting on the surface of the fabric under

page_text: operation, which is then taken over a small roller running either quicker than
the fabric travels and in the same direction, or at a suitable speed in the
contrary direction, for the purpose of pressing the size, starch, or stiffening
fluid into the fabric.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Chambers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CHAMBERS, of Whitefield, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Bleacher, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth 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
William Chambers, Her special license that I, the said William Chambers, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Chambers, 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
MACHINERY FOR STIFFENING AND FINISHING TEXTILE FABRICS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Chambers, my executors or ad-
ministrators, 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 William Chambers, 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) :-
The object of my Invention is applying the size, starch, or stiffening fluid
used in the operation of stiffening and finishing textile fabrics to the fabric
under operation, and removing the excess therefrom in such manner that a

page_text: better or more suitable finish is obtained than by the ordinary methods now
in use.
In performing my, Invention I cause the fabric to be operated upon to pass
between two rollers capable of adjustment, and of suitable materials; sizė,
starch, or stiffening fluid being applied either in the ordinary manner or by
means of a brush, either revolving or stationary, after which the excess of size,
starch, or stiffening fluid is removed by means of an adjustable docter, either
stationary or otherwise, acting on the surface of the fabric under operation,
which is then taken over a small roller running either quicker than the fabric
travels and in the same direction, or at a suitable speed in the contrary direction;
for the purpose of pressing the size, starch, or stiffening fluid into the fabric.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying Drawing,
reference being. had by the letters marked thereon.
1
a is the trough containing the size or other stiffening fluid; b is a wood or
other roller revolving in the trough a, and partly immersed in the size;ic is a
brass or other bowl placed'above the roller 6; these two rollers are supported
in suitable bearings in the side frames, which are not shewn in the Drawing,
as they may be made in the ordinary manner, but the bearings of the roller b
are adjustable, so that the surface of the two rollers b and c may always be
kept at the proper distance apart; the rollers b and c are geared together by.
the wheels 6' and c³, shewn by dotted circles, and one of the rollers is turned
round by strap and pulleys, or otherwise by steam or other power. The
fabric to be sized or stiffened is brought over and under the rails d, d, then
over the usual stretching bar e, and then under the roller c, and the size or
stiffening carried up by the roller b is applied to one side of the fabric as it
passes between the rollers b and c, the quantity applied depending upon the
distance between the surfaces of the two rollers. In ordinary stiffening
mangles where the fabric is carried by the roller into the cistern containing
the size, or where the rollers are in contact with each other, the size is
squeezed into the fabric, which in some cases is very objectionable, but in the
present arrangement the size is only applied to the one side of the fabric, and
to the extent or amount required. After the fabric has received the size it is
taken over the docter f, which is attached to the back f¹ mounted on trunnions
supported by the side frames; this docter can be set at any angle by means
of the worm wheel g fixed to one of the trunnions; in this wheel works the
worm h, to the axle of which is connected the handle i, and by turning this
handle round the angle of the docter is varied, so as to remove more or less of
the size; the fabric after having been acted upon by the docter is taken round

page_text: the roller, and then over the cylinder k, from whence it is taken to the
drying cylinders, or otherwise disposed of. I wish to observe that the doctor f
instead of being made to move on trunnions may be stationary or adjustable
.by other means. Above the roller ; is the roller ; this roller is made to run
in the same direction, but quicker than the fabric, or at a suitable speed in
the contrary direction, for the purpose of pressing or working the size, starch,
or stiffening into the fabric, but I wish to observe that in some cases the
roller is not required.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner
of performing the same, I declare that I claim,―
. First, applying the size or stiffening material to one side of fabrics by a
roller, as described.
And, secondly, the application of a doctor for removing the excess of size
or other stiffening substance of fluid from the fabric as it passes from one
roller to another, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Chambers, have hereto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, Oue thousand eight hundred
and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM CHAMBERS. (L.B.)