IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WHAT ARE TERMED WATERED FABRICS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF WHAT ARE TERMED WATERED FABRICS, AND IN APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH."-A communication from abroad by César
Tavernier, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th May 1867.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
:MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WHAT ARE TERMED. WATERED FABRICS, AND IN
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the production of novel effects in the manufacture
of what are known as moiré antique fabrics, which effects. are predetermined.
by the manufacturer, instead of being, as now, imperfect' and governed by.
chance.
In order to define the nature of the Invention. I will first explain the means.
hitherto employed for producing the watering..
There are.but two kinds of watering, what are known as the moiré antique
and French watered. The first is distinguished by the varied appearance and
irregularity of the grain of the fabric produced after weaving by rolling and

page_text: folding, and especially by the aid of great pressure which crushes the fabric,
so to speak, and fixes the pattern. The designs obtained by this mode of
watering, formed at hazard by the folds of the fabric, although bearing a
general resemblance as regards their formation, cannot be exactly reproduced
at the will of the operator.
The French watering resembles moiré antique in so far as the twisting of
the grain after weaving is concerned, except that it is produced by strong
force applied longitudinally, which reverses the grain in passing over different
points, considerable pressure being there applied to flatten or fix the design so
produced. This kind of watering produces designs which, if not identical, at
least succeed each other in an almost regular manner in straight patterns.
These two kinds of watering are remarkable for monotonous uniformity of
tone and effect, and can only be obtained by stretching or weakening the
fabrics more or less, the grain being not only wrenched, but drawn in opposite
directions.
This Invention relates to the production of the most varied watered designs,
which may be simple, such as square, lozenge shaped, round; oval, or it may
be flowers, ornaments, and arabesque designs of a more complicated nature,
which are determined by the taste and skill of the artist, these designs being
capable of reproduction as often as desired.
The Invention consists in preparing the threads during the weaving of the
fabric by producing the watering in order to obtain at certain points only of
the fabric the combinations of light and shade so designated.
The improvements consist in operating various degrees of tension at different
points of the fabric to facilitate the production of the design, for which purpose
I act either on the warp or weft threads, or on both simultaneously, varying
the tension of the warp or beating the weft up with different forces. The
variation in the tension is produced in the warp threads by classing them in
groups, each group having separate bobbin beams or rollers, which warps are
supplied at different degrees of tension during the weaving. The variable
beating or tension is obtained by the aid of an additional. reed the teeth of
which are fixed at one end, the other ends being free, but arranged in such
manner as to be readily fixed when desired by the application of a part-in rear
thereof; all the teeth so fixed beat up the weft with a certain force, while the
free ends of the teeth being deflected by the beating action will only slackly
act on the weft, thus producing a variation in the beating. The beating may
be constantly tight or slack for the same teeth of the reed, in which case the
parts interposed are fixed or varied by series of teeth or separate teeth, the
parts also moving in series or separately, as described:

page_text: The action of the parts is produced by the aid of a roller having variable.
rotary motion imparted to it according to the requirements of the fabric; this
roller has relief surfaces on its periphery acting on the parts above mentioned,
causing them to approach or recede from the free ends of the teeth of the.
reed. By varying the speed of the cylinder different effects may be obtained ;.
or if desired the cylinder may act directly on the teeth.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents a front view of part of a
batten provided with a roller, and also showing the mode of actuating the
same; Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same. The same letters serve.
for both Figures.
A, metal cylinder provided with relief surfaces acting on the oscillating
levers B, whereby to bear on or release the free end of each tooth of the reed,
there being as many levers provided as there are teeth C of the reed to be
deflected; D, mechanism for rotating the cylinder A; at each throw of the weft
motion is imparted by the cord d acting on a ratchet d', and thence transmitted
to the endless screw a.
The Invention thus consists in producing a watered effect in fabrics by.
imparting a greater or less tension on certain threads or groups of threads
during the weaving.
The means employed for obtaining such result consist in imparting a,
variable tension to the warp threads, which are divided into series on winders
having different degrees of tension; also in varying the beating at all points.
of the weft by means of a reed having teeth which may be rendered rigid or
deflected at will, such result being attained among other ways by the aid of
a roller provided with relief surfaces acting on each tooth of the reed either
directly or by the aid of intermediate parts in the manner described, such
effects varying according to the nature of the relief surface of the roller.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Ierself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special licence that I, the said '
Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF WHAT ARE TERMED
WATERED FABRICS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," a communication
to ine from abroad by César Tavernier, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark,
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 per-
formed, 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 Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to the production of novel effects in the manufacture
of what are known as moiré antique fabrics, which effects are predetermined
by the manufacturer, instead of being, as now, imperfect and governed by
chance:
In order to define the nature of the Invention I will first explain the means
hitherto employed for producing the watering.
There are but two kinds of watering, what are known as the moiré antique
and French watered. The first is distinguished by the varied appearance
and irregularity of the grain of the fabric produced after weaving by rolling
and folding; and especially by the aid of great pressure which crushes the
fabric, so to speak, and fixes the pattern; the designs obtained by this mode of
watering formed at hazard by the 'folds of the fabric, although bearing a
general resemblance as regards their formation, cannot be easily reproduced
at the will of the operator. The French watering resembles moiré antique in
so far as the twisting of the grain after weaving is concerned, except that it
is produced by strong tensile force applied longitudinally, which reverses the

page_text: grain in passing over different points, considerable pressure being then applied
to flatten or fix the design so produced. This kind of watering produces;
designs which if not identical at least succeed each other in an almost
regular manner in straight patterns. These two kinds of watering are.
remarkable for monotonous uniformity of tone and effect, and can only be
obtained by stretching or weakening the fabrics more or less, the grain being.
not only wrenched but drawn in opposite directions.
This Invention relates to the production of the most varied watered designs
which may be simple, such as squares, lozenge shaped, round, oval, or it may
be flowers or ornaments, and arabesque designs of a more complicated nature,
which are determined by the taste and skill of the artist, these designs being
capable of reproduction as often as desired.
The Invention consists in causing the threads during the weaving of the
fabric to produce at certain points only of the fabric the combinations of
light and shade termed watering, the pattern of which is previously decided
instead of being due to chance only when produced after the weaving as
usual.
The improvements consist in operating. various degrees of tension at
different points of the fabric to facilitate the production of the design, for
which purpose I act either on the warp or weft threads or on both simul-
taneously, varying the tension of the warps or beating the weft up with
different forces. The variation in the tension is produced in the warp threads
by classing them in groups, each group having separate bobbin beams or rollers,
which warps are supplied at different degrees of tension during the weaving.
The variable beating or tension is obtained by the aid of an additional reed,
the teeth of which are fixed at one end, the other ends being free, but arranged
in such manner as to be readily fixed when desired by the application of a
part in rear thereof; all the teeth so fixed beat up the weft with a certain
force, while the free ends of the teeth being deflected by the beating action will
only slackly act on the weft, thus producing a variation in the beating.
The beating may be constantly tight or slack for the same teeth of the reed,
in which case the parts interposed are fixed or varied by series of teeth or
separate teeth, the parts also moving in series or separately as described.
The action of the parts is produced by the aid of a roller having variable
rotary motion imparted to it according to the requirements of the fabric;
this roller has relief surfaces on its periphery acting on the parts above
mentioned, causing them to approach or recede from the free ends of the
teeth of the reed. By varying the speed of the cylinder different effects may
be obtained, or if desired the cylinder might act directly on the teeth.

page_text: Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a front view of part of
a batten provided with a roller, and also showing the mode of actuating
the same; Figure 2 is a transverse section of same. The same letters serve
for both Figures.
A, metal cylinder provided with relief surfaces acting on the oscillating
levers B whereby to bear on or release the free end of each tooth of the reed,
there being as many levers provided as there are teeth C of the reed to be.
deflected; D, mechanism for rotating the cylinder A at each throw of the weft;
motion is imparted by the cord d acting on a ratchet d', and thence transmitted
to the endless screw a.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same,
I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, producing a watered effect in
fabrics by imparting a greater or less tension to certain threads or groups of
threads during the weaving. The means employed for obtaining such result
consist in imparting a variable tension to the warp threads divided into series
on winders having different degrees of tension; also in varying the beating at all.
points of the weft by means of a reed having teeth which may be rendered
rigid or deflected at will, such result being attained among other ways by the
aid of a roller provided with relief surfaces acting on each tooth of the reed
either direct or by the aid of intermediate parts, all in the manner described,
such effects varying according to the nature of the relief surface of the
roller.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.