Iм- PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF FRAMES EMPLOYED IN THE DRESSING OR LACE OR OTHER FARRICS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Carter, of the Town and County of the
Town of Nottingham, Lace Manufacturer, for. the Invention of "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF FRAMES EMPLOYED
IN THE DRESSING OR LACE OR OTHER FARRICS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Carter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th September 1864.
I, WILLIAM CARTER, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham,
Lace Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF FRAMES EMPLOYED IN
THE DRESSING OF LACE OR OTHER FABRICS," to be as follows:-
I employ the frames heretofore used for the dressing of lace or other
fabrics, but with the difference herein-after described in those frames as
heretofore used. The rails on each end of the frames had the points inserted
in the body of the rail, and were fixed fast therein, whereas those constructed
according to my Invention have a groove of nearly semicircular shape. This
groove is covered by a similar groove forming part of one or more lengths of
metal screwed to the under side of the rails in such wise that a slit is left the
length of the rails, which opens towards the inside of the frame; in this slit
slide a number of points, pins, or hooks, the ends whereof project towards and
are turned up at right angles or nearly so in order to receive the lace or other

page_text: fabric to be dressed. The ends of the points, pins, or hooks which lie in the
space formed by the two grooves are slotted, the slots being of such width
that each slot may receive part of the upper side of one coil of a spring.
This spring is the length of the rail; one such spring lies in the grooves above
mentioned, so that as the sides of the dressing.frame are drawn away from
each other in order to stretch the lace piece or other fabric, the ends of such
lace piece or other fabric being placed on the sliding points, pins, or hooks
will be regulated to correspond; or I sometimes prefer a telescopic covering
for the coil in the middle or other part of the dressing frame, in conjunction
with the apparatus above mentioned or otherwise, as occasion may require. .-
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Carter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th March 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CARTER, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Lace Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of 'September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Carter, Her special licence that I, the said
William Carter, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Carter, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF FRAMES EMPLOYED IN
THE DRESSING OF LACE OR OTHER FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Carter, 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 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 Carter, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
I employ the frames heretofore used for the dressing of lace or other
fabrics, but with the improvements or difference in their construction and
arrangement herein-after explained. In the frames heretofore used the rails
on each side of the frames had the points inserted in the body of the rail, and
fixed fast in the rail, whereas the rails constructed and arranged according to
my Invention have on the under side of the inner edge of the end rails a
groove, the shape of which is nearly semicircular, and this groove is covered
by a similar groove forming part of one or more lengths of metal screwed to
the under side of the rails in such wise that a slit is left the length of the
rails, which opens towards the inside of the frame; in this slit slide à number
of points, pins, or hooks, the ends whereof project outwards, and are turned
up at right angles or nearly so in order to receive the lace or other fabric to
be dressed. The ends of the points, pins, or hooks which lie in the space
formed by the two grooves are slotted, their slots being of such width that
each slot may receive part of the upper side of one coil of a spring.. This
spring is of the same length, when extended, as the rail; one such spring lies
in the grooves above mentioned, so that as the sides of the dressing frame arc
drawn away from each other in order to stretch the piece of lace or other
fabric, the ends of such lace or other fabric being placed on the sliding
points, pins, or hooks will be regulated to correspond; or I sometimes use a
telescopic covering for the coil, either in the middle or other part or parts of
the dressing frame, in conjunction with the apparatus above mentioned or
otherwise, as occasion or convenience may require.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, I now proceed
more fully to explain the same by reference to the accompanying Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
My first arrangement is shewn at Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1. Figure 1
represents my improved rail in section, and Figure 2 is a front view of the
same.
A, A, represent the side rails of a lace-dressing frame, which rails are
capable of being placed either nearer to or farther from each other as
required, by rack and pinion or their equivalent contrivance for that purpose.
B is a fixed end rail of a similar section; C are the points in the several rails,
upon which points the lace or other fabric is placed; the fixed rail may, if
required; be replaced by an expanding set of points in a loose rail, in which

page_text: .
case the loose rail would be somewhat similar to the moveable rail D, which
is my improved rail shewn in section, and consists of a wood rail D, grooved.
on the under edge to receive a coiled spring E, held in the groove by an iron-
or other metal plate F, securely held by screws to the rail, D. Each end of
the coiled spring is secured to a stop piece G (of iron or other Inetal) pro-
vided with a handle; and forked on the under side to embrace the flange of.
the side rails A of the dressing frame, as shewn at Figure 2, where the spring E.
is shewn in a closed position in its groove on the right of the Figure, and in
an extended position in its groove on the left of the Figure; on this portion of
the spring are shewn a number of double-ended spring points H; one pair of
such points is placed upon every other coil (more or less) of the coiled
spring; one pair of such points is shewn-in-plan,-Figure. 10.
A second arrangement or modification of my loose or moveable rail with
extending points is shown in section in Figure 3, Sheet 2, and a front view of.
a portion of such rail with the coiled spring protruding from the right end.
in Figure 4, Sheet 2. In these. Figures, A represents the wood rail, which is
in two parts, between which lie two grooved plates B.; the rail and plate are
securely held together by strong screws. In the grooved portion of the plates.
lies a coiled spring C, upon the coils of which are placed as many hooks D as
required. These hooks are single hooks, and are slotted in the stem, as
shwon in plan, Figure. 11, Sheet 2; the slotted portion receives part of one.
coil of the spring C. ..
Figure 5, Sheet 2, is. a front view of my third modification, which consists
of a telescopic rail or covering, with an open slot in front of the whole length
of the five several pieces.A, A, B, B, and C, the small grooves of which
receive a coiled spring E, upon which are placed either of the hooks D or H,
or the hook I, shewn in side view at Figure 12, may be used instead of the
hook D or the books H. This hook I may be made of wire bent, as shown
at Figure 10, to form two hooks, or it may be made out of a solid piece, as
shewn at Figure 12, in either case, however, the hook or point end must be
bent.or cramped as shown, so that a shoulder will be formed thereon to afford
additional support to the fabric when placed upon-such hooks. The coiled
spring E is shown in its closed position, where the central piece is broken
away from the length C, in Figure 5. - This centre piece may be of any
required length, and the pieces B, B, and A, A, should be about one-half of
its length; a short distance from the inner ends of the pieces B, B, and A, A,
a stop piece is secured in such manner as to prevent the said pieces from
being wholly withdrawn. This telescopic rail, and likewise that shown at
Figures 3 and 4, are each provided with a stop piece and handle similar to

page_text: that first described in reference to Figure 1, to which said stop pieces the
ends of the coiled springs are secured, and by which the spring and hooks are
extended as the fabric is stretched in its width. Figure 6 is a sectional view
of my last-described rail of full size, and Figures 7, 8, and 9 end portions of
the length C, B, and A.
My fourth modification consists of a rail to be used either as a moveable
rail or a fixed rail, shewn in section at Figure 13, and is nearly of the same
shape as the A portion of the telescopic rail shewn herein, except in respect
of the parts which approach each other, and between which said parts the
tails of the hooks lie; these said parts being made somewhat flatter than is
shewn at Figure 6, such flat part being so constructed that the tails of the
hooks will lie in one-half the width of such flat portions, while the remaining
half-width thereof has a piece of a metal inserted within it, to which said
piece of metal both the upper and lower sides of the rail are riveted, by which
means a light, yet strong, rail may be made. It will be understood that side
rails of dressing or stretching frames may be constructed according to my
improvements in the same way as the end rails where required.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that I claim as of my Invention, the
improved construction and arrangement of rails and of points, pins, or hooks
herein-before described.
Second, the employment of a telescopic covering in the manner and for the
purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Carter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Office,
Nottingham.
WILLIAM CARTER. (L.s.)