IMPROVEMENTS IN ADAPTING OR ARRANGING TAPES AND OTHER SUCH NARROW FABRICS AND THREADS FOR USE
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marcus Brown Westhead, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Manufacturer and Merchant, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ADAPTING OR ARRANGING TAPES AND OTHER SUCH NARROW
FABRICS AND THREADS FOR USE."
Sealed the 13th May 1864, and dated the 21st November 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Marcus Brown Westhead
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st November 1863.
I, MARCUS BROWN WESTHEAD, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Manufacturer and Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ADAPTING OR ARRANGING TAPES AND OTHER SUCH
NARROW FABRICS AND THREAD FOR USE," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in a method of adapting or arranging tapes and other
such narrow fabrics and threads in a receptacle, whereby a length of any
desired article of several may be withdrawn without disarrangement. To this
end I place a series of the articles in a box or other receptacle, side by
side, horizontally or vertically, such receptacle being provided with openings
through which any required end may be drawn. To the coils of materials.
either singly or in groups, I apply an elastic band or other apparatus acting
as a drag or brake, so as to keep the said coils from unwinding too readily,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Marcus Brown Westhead in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th May 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARCUS
BROWN WESTHEAD, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer
and Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Marcus Brown Westhead, Her special license that I, the said
Marcus Brown Westhead, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Marcus Brown Westhead, 'my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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 ADAPTING OR ARRANGING TAPES AND
OTHER NARROW FABRICS AND THREADS FOR USE," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Marcus Brown Westhead, my executors or admi-
nistrators, 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 Marcus Brown Westhead, 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 made to the Drawings annexed:--
My Invention consists in a method of adapting or arranging tapes and
other such narrow fabrics and threads in a receptacle whereby a length of any
desired article of several may be withdrawn without disarrangement. To this
end I place a series of the articles in a box or other receptacle, side by side,

page_text: horizontally or vertically, such receptacle being provided with openings
through which any required end may be drawn. To the coils of material
either singly or in groups I apply an elastic band or spring or other.elastic
pressing apparatus attached to or connected with the sides of the box, as
herein-after described, and acting as a drag or brake, so as to keep the said
coils from unwinding too readily.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figs. 1 and 2 exhibit in horizontal and
cross sections one method I adopt for carrying my Invention into operation.
At a, a, a, a³, &c., are separate coils of tape, ribbon, or other narrow fabric
or article placed within a box b; across the upper surface of these coils
These
are bands of india-rubber c made fast to the box at their ends d, e.
bands press the coils downwards, and act as a drag or brake to prevent an
unwinding.
In the horizontal view, Fig. 1, I have represented the drag or brake as
consisting of one elastic band threaded backward and forward, passing each
time through the box b, but there may be a separate band or elastic spring or
wire or other similar elastic pressing apparatus used for each coil if desired.
At the bottom of the box is formed a slit f, and through this slit the ends
9, 9', 9, 9, &c. pass, which ends are to be drawn when any given length is
required for use.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent another method of carrying out my Invention. In
this instance I have shewn a series of bobbins of sewing thread or other similar
article h, h, h, &c., each of which may be of a different quality or colour.
These bobbins are mounted upon axles i, situate within grooves formed in the
ends of the box k. At each end of the axles i are bands of india-rubber 7,
which after passing around them are secured at the bottom of the box, and
thus the bobbins are drawn downwards with an elastic force, so as to have a
drag or brake put upon them. The ends by which the threads are drawn are
shewn at n, n', n², &c., passing from the bobbins h, h, h, &c., and from thence
through discs or pieces of india-rubber o and apertures made in the box k.
When it is desired to draw an end n forward the bobbin on which it is wound
is prevented from turning unduly by the elastic bands 7, while at the same time
the portion which is unwound is detained by the friction of the india-rubber
piece o, through which it passes, and thus a retrograde motion of the thread
is prevented. Instead of the india-rubber bands, springs, or other elastic
pressing apparatus may be employed.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I desire it to be understood that
I claim as my Invention the arrangement and construction of a receptacle

page_text: with elastic pressing apparatus and apertures, as herein-before described and
shewn in the Drawings, suited for arranging such articles as aforesaid side by
side in the manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Marcus Brown Westhead, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
MARCUS BROWN WESTHEAD. (L.S.)