IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CARPETS AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Fawcett of Kidderminster in the County of
Worcester Carpet Manufacturer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF CARPETS AND OTHER FABRICS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Fawcett at the Office
of the Cominissioners of Patents on the 24th April 1883.
HENRY FAWCETT of Kidderminster in the County of Worcester Carpet
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CARPETS AND OTHER
FABRICS."
This invention has for its first object the making of carpets in which the border
shall be seamless, without "mitre" and in which the pile shall all run the
same way
Heretofore it has been the general custom to make borders separate from the
body carpet This is afterwards sewn on to the body carpet. At the four corners
the border is doubled under diagonally in what is technically termed a "mitre."
This produces an objectionable thick edge
Again the present method necessitates that on two sides of the carpet the border
crosses the body and the pile consequently is reversed-This-especially in cut
pile carpets gives a different shade to that of the other two sides of the border
and of the body carpet
By the present invention both these objections are obviated.
In carrying out this invention the border is made with the body 'cards or a'
portion of the body cards thus effecting a considerable saving in the cost.
That portion of the body design which is selected to constitute the important
portion of the border is cut off from the remainder of the body design on both
sides by stripes techinically called flushes; and the outer or less important portion
of the border is obtained by either a mottle or by rising a smaller portion of the
body design in the same or different colors, or flushes alone or by a combination of
these effects
In order to complete the end border the inner flushes which separate the border
from the body carpet woven with it will be removed so that the design of the

page_text: important portion of the border may match on to the important portion of the
border found in the end borders of the other breadths of the body carpet When
this important portion of the border is woven flushes will be raised the whole
width of that portion of the body carpet which is woven with the border to
correspond with the flushes which divide the important from the less important
portion of the border. In like manner the mottle; smaller portion of the body
design; or flushes to correspond with those arranged in the border lengthwise
will be raised across the whole width of the body carpet woven with the border.
The other breadths of the body carpet which are not woven with the border
will be treated-to obtain end borders-in the same way as that portion of the
body carpet woven with the border. It may be desirable to use additional cards
to obtain the flushes and the mottle across the width of the carpet.
For special purposes the border or portions of the border may be designed
separately but in this and every instance to obtain the seamless border the portion
of body woven with the border must match in design the body carpet on the edge
where it has to join on to the body carpet.
This invention enables borders of any width to be made without additional
expense of design or stamping. Either seamlessly attached to the body carpet or
woven separately in the ordinary manner. It is available for bordered body
carpets stairs or any carpet for which a border or margin is required. This
invention is applicable to all fabrics for which borders or margins are required and
which are woven by means of a jacquard.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Fawcett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd October
1883.
HENRY FAWCETT of Kidderminster in the County of Worcester, Carpet
Manufacturer "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CARPETS AND OTHER
FABRICS"
This Invention has for its first object the making of carpets in which the border
shall be seamless, without "mitre" and in which the pile shall all run the
same way.
4
Heretofore it has been the general custom to make borders separate from the
body carpet. This is afterwards sewn on to the body carpet. At the four corners
the border is doubled under diagonally in what is technically termed a "mitre."
This produces an objectionable thick edge.
Again the present method necessitates that on two sides of the carpet the border
crosses the body and the pile consequently is reversed. This especially in cut pile
carpets gives a different shade to that of the other two sides of the border and
of the body carpet.
By the present invention both these objections are obviated,
1

page_text: In carrying out this invention the border is made with the body cards or a
portion of the body cards thus effecting a considerable saving in the cost.
That portion of the body design which is selected to constitute tlie important
portion of the border is cut off from the remainder of the body design on both.
sides by stripes technically called flushes, and the outer or less important portion
of the border is obtained by either a mottle or by rising a smaller portion of the
body design in the same or different colors or flushes alone or by a combination
of these effects.
In order to complete the end border the inner flushes which separate the border
from the body carpet woven with it will be removed so that the design of the
important portion of the border may match onto the important portion of the
border found in the end borders of the other breadths of the body carpet. When
this important portion of the border is woven flushes will be raised the whole
width of that portion of the body carpet which is woven with the border to
correspond with the flushes which divide the important from the less important
portion of the border. In like manner the mottle, smaller portion of the body
design, or, flushes to correspond with those arranged in the border lengthwise
will be raised across the whole width of the body carpet woven with the border.
The other breadths of the body carpet which are not woven with the border will
be treated to obtain end borders in the same way as that portion of the body
carpet woven with the border. It may be desirable to use additional cards to
obtain the flushes and the mottle across the width of the carpet.
For special purposes the border or portions of the border may be designed
separately but in this and every instance to obtain the seamless border the portion
of body woven with the border must match in design the body carpet on the edge
where it has to join on to the body carpet.
This invention enables borders of any width to be made without additional
expense of design or stamping Either seamlessly attached to the body carpet or
woven separately in the ordinary manner. It is available for bordered body
carpets stairs or any carpet for which a border or margin is required This
invention is applicable to all fabrics for which borders or margins are required and
which are woven by means of a Jacquard.
In order further to explain my invention I will suppose that I have a Brussels
carpet loom set up in the ordinary way to weave Brussels carpet and that I wish
to produce with it a bordered carpet or rather a series of breadths of carpet which
when sewn together longitudinally in the ordinary manner of making up a
Brussels carpet will form a square or oblong carpet of any desired dimensions
bordered all round with a border woven all of a piece with the body carpet.
I have then to weave 1st the necessary number of intermediate breadths all
alike and each having two portions of border upon it separated by as many yards
of the body pattern as the size of the carpet to be made renders necessary. In
these intermediate breadths the portions of border one at each end have to be
produced transversely across the fabric and (if the pattern be such as to admit of
the distinction between inner and outer side) the two portions of border have to be
produced in reversed positions so that the inner side of the border may in such
case be against the body part of the carpet.
2nd I have to produce in the loom the breadth to form say the right side of
the carpet, in this the border will in the main be required to run lengthwise,
of the fabric and on the right side of it. but at each end the border will require to
change its direction and will be continued across the carpet to the left so that
in making up the carpet it will join accurately with the portions of border on the
adjacent intermediate breadth.
3rd. The breadth to form the left side of the carpet has to be similarly produced
but with the longitudinal border pattern on the left side, with connections at the
end passing to the right to join up with the border pattern on the intermediate
breadth to which it will be sewn on its right side.
The Jacquard of the loom, being of the ordinary description, the figure warp

page_text: $
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threads for the fabric are controlled by means of cords (one for each thread) passing
through holes in a rising and falling board.
The holes in the board are of key hole like form larger at one end than at the
other. The cords have knots which can pass freely by the larger part of the hole
but not by the smaller part.
When the Jacquard needles are pressed back by coming against a part of the
Jacquard card which has not been perforated to allow it to pass they draw the
corresponding harness threads into the narrow parts of its holes in the rising and
falling board, thence when the board next rises it catches the knot of any harness
cord so placed and lifts it and with it also the figure warp thread which it
controls.
Such being the arrangement of the loom to produce one of the intermediate
breadths of a carpet it is necessary first to weave a transverse stripe suitable for the
extreme outer margin of the carpet.
This stripe will usually be in one color (I will call this black) and I prepare the loom
to weave it by inserting wooden pegs into the key hole like holes already mentioned.
I employ two sorts of pegs one adapted to fit and fill the narrow part of the hole
and the other, the wide part. I now insert pegs of this latter sort into all the
holes corresponding to figure warp threads of the color which I require for the
stripe and into all the other holes I insert pegs of the former sort. By this means
the Jacquard is for the time rendered inoperative for however the cords may be
drawn by the Jacquard those corresponding to the color which I require are kept
in the narrow parts of the holes in the rising and falling board and consequently
are brought up with it at each movement whilst all the other cords are kept by the
pegs in the wide parts of the holes and hence are never raised.
The loom being thus arranged the weaving is commenced, after a few picks
without the insertion of pile wires the weaving is proceeded with until the back
stripe for the outer margin of the carpet is of the desired width. Then the loom
is stopped and the pegs are shifted in such manner that on recommencing to weave
the figure warp threads of another color are raised and another stripe from side to
side of the breadth of carpet is produced. This stripe will perhaps be narrow, a
mere line to define the outer band of the carpet border.
This line having been produced I again change the pegs and put in perhaps
another colored line. Then I make another change this time I may so set the
pegs as to cause two figure warp threads to rise together in the same dent of the
reed. The band which I now weave is mottled or made up of two colors mingled
in a way which contrasts well with the other parts of the carpet where (usually)
but one figure thread at a time is brought up in each dent. After this, again and
again changing the pegs I produce other narrow lines so that the band may be
bounded on either side by similar lines. Now perhaps proceed at once to weave
the important part of the border or I may add another mottled band according to
the taste of the designer.
To prepare for the important part of the border I remove all the pegs and then
weave with the Jacquard operating in the usual manner thereby producing a
portion of the carpet pattern extending across the breadth from side to side.
When the portion of the body pattern selected for the border has been thus woven
the loom is again stopped, pegs are inserted and by operating in the manner already
described the border pattern is completed on the other side with transverse stripes
lines and mottled bands so that the fabric on the two sides of the central or
important part of the border may match or be properly related. The section of
border being now complete the pegs are all removed and the main body carpet is
woven say for three four, five or more yards according to the dimensions of the
bordered carpet to be made. Afterwards I again produce another portion of
border extending across the breadth of carpet from side to side performing all the
operations gone through at the first but in the reverse order. This completes an
intermediate breadth.
.It is sometimes convenient to produce transverse stripes lines or bands by

page_text: attaching pieces of cardboard to the Jacquard cylinder so as to cover some or all of
the boles in the Jacquard cylinder, the cards being then temporarily removed.
Any color can be raised by covering the corresponding holes in the cylinder or
if all the holes are left uncovered then that thread in each dent will be raised,
which (from the construction of the Jacquard) comes up when no other is selected.
and a stripe will be produced from these threads.
Another way is to place the Jacquard out of operation at the time when the
border is being woven and to draw up the threads by hand as they are required.
Thus as will be seen the intermediate breadths for a carpet are all alike and each
consists of a piece of body carpet terminated at either end by a portion of
border crossing it transversely from side to side and all woven of a piece. This is
quite novel.
All the intermediate breadths required are woven in a similar manner as many
of them as the dimensions of the bordered carpet to be produced renders necessary.
In weaving one of the side breadths I commence as before but when the time
comes for making the first change in the arrangement of the pegs in place of
altering the arrangement all across the loom I leave as they were the pegs
corresponding to the figure warp threads near the outer side of the breadth in
order that the marginal color (say the black) may in weaving be contained all
along the outer side of the breadth of carpet to the same width as the border stripe
first woven on the intermediate breadth. With this exception I work as before
until the next change of pegs has to be made and then again I leave unchanged other
pegs near the outer side of the breadth and next to those previously left so that
the outer line of the border pattern may similarly be continued along the breadth
which is in process of weaving. So I go on arranging the pegs so that every
transverse line in the border pattern is continued longitudinally of the breadth.
In due course I proceed to weave so much of the important portion of the border
pattern as extends across the breadth and for this the Jacquard comes into use.
Then at the next change I insert the pegs suitably to produce the line or stripe
which next follows in the border commencing at the inner edge and extending
partly across the breadth.
Whilst this line or stripe is being woven the Jacquard remains in operation to
continue the important portion of the body longitudinally of the fabric and beyond
this on the outer side the Jacquard is superceded by the pegs previously inserted
and which now remain permanently in place.
When the pegs on the inner side are next changed to commence another line or
stripe I leave such pegs as will cause the previous line or stripe to be continued
longitudinally of the breadth of carpet adjacent to the important portion of the
border and on its inner side.
Thus I go on arranging the pegs to continue each stripe band or line longitu-
dinally until the border pattern is fully developed. Then leaving the pegs as
they are I continue to weave, the Jacquard being operative in the important or
central portion of the border and also on the inner side of the breadth, but being
superceded elsewhere by the operation of the pegs. In this way the breadth is
woven to the length necessary to match to the next intermediate breadth and
then I again commence the production of the end or transverse portion of the
border pattern which I do by operating in the manner already described but
everything in reverse order.
In the other side of the carpet a breadth is produced in a precisely similar
manner but with the border on the other side of the breadth.
The process which I have described is applicable as will be readily understood
for the production of bordered stair carpets in a loom set up and with Jacquard
arranged to produce a width of ordinary or unbordered Brussels carpet pegs being
inserted in the manner described to supercede the Jacquard and produce the stripes,
lines and bands of which the border is composed.
The method by the use of pegs is very convenient and economical for the
production of a few bordered carpets on a loom arranged for the manufacture of

page_text: ordinary Brussels but when a large number of bordered carpets all alike (but
varying it may be in size) are required it becomes worth while to employ a different
method, which also admits of the border being differently designed from the body.
To produce the intermediate breadths I prepare Jacquard cards suitable for weaving
the border pattern and before commencing to weave I remove the main cards and
put on the border set so prepared. I weave the section of border and then again
change the cards and proceed with the production of the body pattern.
When this has been woven to a sufficient length I again put on the border cards
but now I use them in the reverse order and so terminate the breadth with
another portion of border facing the first and bearing a suitable relation to the
body pattern..
.
To produce a side breadth I also prepare separate cards for the border, and now
I require two sets of these, one set I use in lieu of the main cards in commencing to
weave and until the body pattern is reached. Then I put on the other set, or
rather half set for it is not of the full width but only covers so much of the width
as is occupied by the border and together with it I use one of the sections of the
main cards for producing the ground pattern, the main cards being made in
sections so as to admit of one being removed whilst another section remains in use.
My invention is not confined to the production of Brussels carpets other bordered
fabrics similarly produced in breadths by the aid of Jacquard may be similarly
made I do not claim generally seamless borders or superceding the operation of
Jacquard generally But what I claim is :-
First. A bordered carpet or fabric made in breadths viz intermediate breadths
which are alike and side breadths right and left and all the breadths having the
border woven throughout of a piece with the body fabric.
Second. The production in a Jacquard loom prepared for weaving unbordered
breadths of carpet or other fabric, of a bordered carpet or fabric by superceding
the operation of the Jacquard when the border pattern is required whilst allowing
it to remain operative elsewhere.
i
In witness whereof I the said Henry Fawcett have hereunto set my hand and
seal this seventeenth day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
bundred and eighty three.
.
HENRY FAWCETT
(L.8.)