Improvements in Laces and Braids of the so called "Soutache' Type.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1895.
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Sept., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Laces and Braids of the so called "Soutache'
Type.
"
I, HEINRICH GUSTAY GROTE, of Barmen, Rhenish Prussia, Manufacturer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The different kinds of flat laces or braids of plain or coloured character, which
have been on the market up to this time, especially those known under the
designation of "soutache" and which consist of two halves so to say, which appear
to be separated by a groove or deep line in the middle and the character of which
goods is that of two centre cores being connected together and spun round by any
kind of yarn or threads, surrounding the cores alternately in form of a co, thus
giving to the right and left hand alternate repetitions of the effect produced by
colour or nature of the thread used, and the front and back faces equally receive
such character; so, that what is, say for a certain spot or point visible on the right
half, appears invariably somewhat further away on the left half likewise, and the
reverse; a constant change is thus going on in continuous spiral lines over the
whole length of the lace or braid from one half side to the other.
"
There has long ago existed a strong desire to produce also such like laces or
braids wherein each half side, right and left, conserves its own character in colour,
sort of thread and nature of material, but this desire and all the endeavourings
made to meet it, have remained fruitless up to date. I have invented now in
consequence of directing my attention to meet this desire, a "soutache " or braid or
lace, which differs from the so called "soutache" proper in so far, as not both faces
receive the same character, that is to say the character of "soutache" braid; but .
only the front face is soutache-like, the back face showing quite a different
character. But there is another striking difference between the old and my new
soutache, that its consistency is materially increased by the braid being double.
faced by double braidings. The front face of my soutache braid is characterised
by the appearance of the same sort of threads or yarn only on one half face, when
other sorts of threads or yarn appear on the other. half face, and I show the same
threads or characters of yarns in colours and material on both half faces they can
appear: always one opposite the other of the same character and on both half faces
at the same point of length, not alternating from one point of length on one half to
the next point of length on the other half. The back face of this new soutache- !.
lace now is totally different from the old style sontache, where front and back faces
are materially equal, it shows no centre groove, but more like a double braid, or a
small narrow braid fixed on the face of a wider and thicker one. The small braid:
bears the same character as the front face of the main soutache. This so described.
character of my new soutache now, is capable of the most varied combinations,
as f.i: each half side can consist of two systems of threads or more, of different
colour and stuff, f.i. black wool and gold thread on one half, red silk and yellow
silk on the other half; the soutache character being preserved, having on the face
a central groove, but the one half will on the whole length of face show red silk
and yellow silk in juxtaposition, and the other half face will show black wool.and
gold thread in juxtaposition, both half sides showing thus repeated inclined lines of
brilliant effect; the back face will show of course the same colours and stuff but
more like a thin narrow lace on the top of the soutache braid and showing the
complete interlacing of all the threads to form a solid and well made soutache.
.1
:
J

page_text: The great variety of effects of shape and form as well as colour effects possible
to be obtained by this invention is not the only effect produced by it, but also in
the use of this new fabric of braidwork for ladies' and gentlemen's dresses, in
decorations for furniture as galoons; ornamental cords,, in costumes ornamented
with brandebourgs or attilas, this new soutache has the agreeable, quality of
following much easier the bents of the designs of the ornaments sewn. in
"soutache" upon the objects to be decorated. Ordinary soutache of the old
style at the narrow bends tends to go upright, and is difficultly put flat. My new
fabric follows easily such bends without having the tendency to stand upright
instead of laying flat, and therefore will be preferred for sewing-machine work.
Dated the 20th day of April 1895:
Improvements in Laces and Braids of the so called “Soutache”
Туре.
I, HEINRICH GUSTAV GROTE, Manufacturer, of Barmen, Rhenish Prussia
Germany, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and-by the
following statement:-
Those braids or laces known under the name of "soutache" which have been
on the market till now, consist of two halves so to say braided or plaited generally
round a centre core for each half, and the peculiar character of these goods is that
of their centre cores being spun round by any kind of threads in form ofta o 'so
that these threads alternately surround the cores one after the other, from the front
side of one core to the reverse side of the other core and vice-versa. According to
this way of formation tlie effect produced on view correspondingly consists in
showing first on one, then on the other half the particularity of each thread used,
causing thus a continuous change of somewhat inclined parallel lines on each half
and going from the right to the left and from the left to the right half, for the
whole length of the braid or lace; it was not possible up till now, notwithstanding
many endeavors to do so, to get out of this changing peculiarity of the look, and
to make "soutache "like braids' with 'each half side of one and the same character
of its own throughout for the whole length of the braid.
I have solved this problem, and I have invented a braid or lace of the
"soutache" type of the character desired, which is represented by the accom-
panying drawing graphically in enlarged scale, and described hereafter..
My new soutache braid or lace differs mainly from the known sorts of so called
"soutache "proper, by presenting the front face alone as divided by a longitudinal
groove, whilst the reverse side shows a substantially different configuration;
besides this difference there is of course the striking new effect aready
mentioned; 'which gave rise to the invention, to have for each front half its
special character, and finally the new braidt has the remarkable quality of a
much stronger and better joint between the two half sides, as they are not united
simply by crossings of threads, but by a regularly plaited joint, which comes into
appearance only on the back side of the braid. From the so called flat braids the
common soutache differs, according to their respective manufacture, by its threads,
coming from one bobbin, being spun round, in crossing at the same time in form
of a middle or central core, so that a cross section shows the threads all
crossing in the line of contact of the two halves, bringing the threads as said
before, now into the front face of one half, then into that of the other half,

page_text: changing thereby the colour or material character of each half side. This
excludes, in the braids known up till now, the possibility of having one half side
showing only one and the same nature or colour of threads, and the other half side
another character of colour or material of the thread.
'
Now my soutache like braid or lace differs from the soutache proper in this,
that only the one face shows the configuration or body of the known soutache
fabric, as far as the direction of the threads is concerned; that further, the same
thread appears only on the one half at the front side or face, and never goes
over to the other half at the front side. This is the consequence of the peculiar
binding of this braid.
On the back side my new soutache-like braid or lace, has not the character and
appearance of the soutache proper; it here rather looks like a double braid, as if a
narrow braid had been laid upon or plaited into a wider, bottom-braid. This
narrow lace or braid on the back side has exactly the appearance and character
of the lace at the main or front face, and it forms by itself the peculiar binding
of the threads or systems of threads of both, halves, hat the respective threads
here changed their places on both halves, for instance if the colours of the front
face are black to the right and gold to the left hand, then on the reverse half
face upon the black bottom braid is seen a narrow gold half-lace, alongside of
which the narrow black half-lace is laying upon a bottom half-lace of gold
thread.
This so described general appearance of my new braid can be varied in many
ways, for instance, each half side being made with two groups of threads, which
are working together in the known way, but which are bound in the longitudinal
centre as described before, by forming on the back side a narrow lace braided on
the top of the main braid; the soutache-like character is kept, because the braid
consists of a hody with a longitudinal central, groove and with a character of its
own for each half; if it be preferred to have only one and the same thread used
for making the whole braid, the two halves will of course look exactly alike and
be, notwithstanding this apparent identity, still different from the common soutache
proper, in so far as in my new braid a group of inclined parallel threads of one and
the same character on one half face, is in juxtaposition, on the same level so to say,
with a group of such oppositely inclined threads of the same character, or if one
half has inclined stripes of changing colours, so the other half at exactly the same
points will meet the said stripes with the same changing.colour stripes.
The new way of binding the braid in my soutache-like product allows not only.
the before mentioned variations in colour effects and in configurations of form, or
in material of different appearance, but it is also giving to the product a peculiar
strength and consistency in the braid, which is notably of importance in those
applications or use of braids which are the most frequent, where it has to be laid
in many fold curves of ornaments, brandebourgs, decorations of attilas and such
fancy work. In such work where braids are sewn upon garments and furnitures,
common soutache has a tendency to turn up edgeways, either to the outer or the
inner side, when a curve of small radius is laid. This originates in the fact that in
common soutache the centre-groove crossings of threads squeeze the material out
to both sides. My new product has an accumulation of material in the centre
under the front face groove; it is the narrow braid laying on the back side, which
gives the new braid a kind of back-bone, supporting the centre so, that in laying.
the new braid in bents, it willingly follows even the smallest rounds in flat aud
smooth condition; this is explained by the independent stretching and shortening
of each half of my new braid, whilst with the old soutache proper, in the bents,
one and the same threads were stretched and shortened by closing the inside meshes;
the tendency of the thread to keep its length, made the braid turn up edgeways to
be able to do so. In my new braid, in curved lines, the outer half stretches willingly,
as the inner narrow back-bone furnishes the necessary support, and if the inner
half is getting short, it is not beavily strained, the narrow back-bone taking easily
up the surplus, and so forms an equaliser or neutral fibre.

page_text: much better mom for tistemug it by sewing, because there are no long
open threads, only narrowly Braided ones, keeping the braid from being displaced
out of line.
The machine used for producing the new soutache braid is represented
drawing, in;
Fig. in an elevation partially in section.
Fig. 2 in a plan of Fig. 1.
on the
Fig. 3 shows a diagram of the interlacing of the threads at the front side...
Fig. 4 shows a diagram of the interlacing of the threads at the back side.
4
Figs. 5 and 6 show in an enlarged' scale views of the front and back side of a
new lace.
Fig. 7 is a cross-section thereof.
Figs: 8, 9 and 10 are similar views of a variation of the new fabric, where at the
sides of the soutache braid a small border is added..
In Fig. 1. A, is the bottom plate, B the top plate with the leading grooves;
E and F are the two main discs or wheels, having in the particular case.represented,
twelve sections or rings. The centre plates C and D corresponding to each of the
main discs E and F are completed by a prolongation piece, common to both of
them, G. This piece forms also the prolongation of the two neighbouring smaller
plates H and I of the returning discs K and L. The returning discs H. and I,
and their corresponding wing wheels K and L are to be kept so small in
diameter as possible, so that the bobbins have just sufficient room to pass by each
other: The grooves or paths of both braiding disc combinations cross cach other
four times, as seen in Fig. 2.
Each braiding disc combination, composed of main disc C and D, common central
piece G, and returning disc H and I respectively, has eight bobbins running marked,
as 1, 2, 3 ... 8, in the one, and I, II, III. VIII in the other system, and
they are moved in the direction and order indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2.
groove;
Whilst those bobbins, marked in Arabic figures, run to the right, those with
Roman figures run to the left; bobbin No. 5 will reach the central part of the
groove in the next eighth of its way forward and be caught there by the returning
disc L of the system or combination CGI and be directed to the returning disc K
continuing there and being brought by the main disé E of the other combination.
along the central part G, it will be taken up again by disc F after having run
3 eighths of its whole path. The bobbin therefore remains in its system of
or path, crossing the other path in four places, at P, N, O, and M.
The way or path of the bobbins I, II
VIII is a similar one. Bobbin VI
in Fig. 2 is just entering the central part of the groove or path formed by C, G, I,
and by the action of the returning dise K of system D G H is caused to slide along
G to meet returning disc L of its own system, where caught by this disc Lit will
be conveyed to the main disc D which brings it to M to be taken up there again
by its own main disc C and so forth.
The bobbins of both systems cross each other four times in each complete turn,
at M, N, O and P, as is also seen on the diagram Figs. 3 and 4. The chief crossing
point is seen to be M, which produces the centre line on the front side, characteristical
to the soutache braid, whilst the other crossing points follow each other closely
and are seen in the fabric at the reverse or back side. It follows hence that
properly speaking, two braids are produced of like character,. interlacing each
other, and in putting through the centre-pillar of each of the main discs C and D
a strong central thread, which will be spun round by the respective braiding threads,
and in having a peculiar thread carried on the bobbins of each of the two systems
it is obvious that the peculiar character intended to be given to the braid, with the
soutache like look on the front face will be produced, and this character can be
varied by the colours, put upon one system of bobbins, in opposition to which the
other system of bobbins will be carrying otherwise coloured or otherwise distinguished

page_text: threads. The reverse or back face of the braid will then have a similar
configuration of only inconsiderable width, the main crossing point of which will
be formed by the two small returning discs at N ; but this configuration will appear
to be laid upon a wider one produced upon the main discs, and standing out before
the said smaller configuration to the right and to the left hand.
A lace produced by this machine is shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 in a greatly-
enlarged scale. A, is the thread forming the one half of the braid, as is seen in
the front-face view, where it comes into appearance only on the left hand side, but
it also goes, as is seen in Figs. 6 and 7, to the right hand side on the back face.
The thread B has a similar way; on the front face it is seen only on the right
hand side, and on the back face it goes also to the left hand side in a short loop.
The braid shown by Figs. 8, 9 and 10 is a wider one, having no centre core, and
each system of threads forms a small braid by itself aud is bound to the other by
the short loop on the back side, so that the middle part of this lace forms a soutache
like braid of the former description, flanked at both edges by a second plaiting
performed by the respective thread on its half side.
The omission of the centre core changes nothing in the system of the braid, only
its filling-up is avoided and a flatter nature given to it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven--
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare, that what I
claim, is;
1) In a braid or lace of the "soutache" class, the use of two distinct systems of
threads interlacing or binding with each other in such a way, that one half front-
face of the braid shows only the character of the one system of threads, and the
other half front face only the character of the other system of threads, both half
front-faces being divided by a longitudinal centre-groove, whilst on the back face
the longitudinal centre-part is marked by a narrow soutache-like stripe of braid
formed by the interlacing of the two systems of threads upon this back-face, and
which stripe forms a compensation of the wanting material in the front-face centre
groove, and causes the said soutache-like braid to lay flat and without tendency to
turn up edgeways in forming bents or ornamental figures of any curve, giving at
the same time a solid hold to the stitches fastening the braid upon another textile
fabric by the sewing needle, free from tendency to shift sideways.
2) A machine for producing the soutache-like lace as characterized by Claim 1)
consisting of two systems of combined discs and two sets of bobbins, each set of
bobbins running in the grooves of its own system of discs crossing the other grooves
but without running into them, said systems of combined discs being composed of
a large disc D and C respectively, a central disc G common to both and a return
disc H and I respectively, wheels F, E, and K, L, being used for driving the-
bobbins along the grooves formed at the peripheries of the discs.
Dated this 19th day of September 1895:
HEINRICH GUSTAV GROTE,.
Per Karl J. Mayer,
Agent.
HEINRICH GUSTAV GROTE,.
Per Karl J. Mayer,
Agent.