IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Garrett Tongue at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th March 1871.-A communication from abroad by George
Merrill, of New York, United States of America.
I, JOHN GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue & Birkbeck,
Patent Agents & Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TEXTILE FABRICS,"
to be as follows:-
This improved textile fabric is made without shedding or crossing the
warp threads for the purpose of laying the weft threads between them.
The warp threads are arranged lengthwise of and through the fabric at
regular distances apart according to the character of the fabric desired
to be made. These are beamed in the usual manner, but are used without
heddles for shedding or reed for beating up the fabric. If a ribbed fabric
is desired some of the warp threads at regular intervals may be larger
than the other threads, and as the warp threads do not form a part
of the face of the fabric they may be of an inferior or different material

page_text: from the weft or filling threads. The cross filling or weft threads are
laid crosswise of and against one side of the warp threads, and are
secured in the fabric by locking or looping threads. As there is no
strain upon these threads loosely spun or inferior thread can be used if
desired.
The locking or looping threads are laid on the opposite side of the
warp threads from that on which the filling or weft threads are laid.
These threads are laid in a series of loops or chain stitches as follows:-
Commencing at the first warp thread of a series the locking or looping
thread passes over or past the first warp thread, through between the
first and second warp threads over the weft thread, which has previously
been laid in position through a loop (left for that purpose when the
previous course was laid), back through the loop (leaving another loop
for the next course of threads), around second warp thread, between
second and third warp threads over the weft thread through another
loop, leaving a loop for next course, back again around the third warp
thread, and so on throughout the fabric. The looping or knitting stitch
securely and firmly binds the fabric together. A cloth of great strength
and durability is thus made with very great rapidity as several weft and
locking threads may be arranged to follow each other. The firmness of
the fabric is regulated by the length of the loops and may be made as
firm or as open as desired. By looping out all or part of the weft
threads a Brussels or tapestry carpet can be made with great rapidity.
A textile fabric is thus produced composed of warp and weft threads
without shedding or crossing the warp threads.
Secondly. The warp and weft threads of the fabric are secured
together by a series of loop or chain stitches.
Thirdly. A textile fabric is produced composed of warp threads with
the weft or filling threads laying across and against them and secured
together by a locking weft thread.