IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF E i PROVISIONAL SPATION
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Archibald Turner, of Leicester, in the County
of Leicester, Elastic Web Manufacturer, for thic Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
E
i
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Archibald Turner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th April 1874.
I, ARCHIBALD TURNER, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester,
5.Elastic Web Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC AND NON-ELASTIC FABRICS AND FRINGES," to be as
follows:-
Hitherto narrow elastic flat fabrics and braids have been made by
) passing the braiding threads around and between each and all the india-
.

page_text: rubber strands in a serpentine course from selvage to selvage. By this
method of braiding the plait or crossing of the threads occurs in the
intervals between each of the india-rubber strands, and the strands
themselves are simply overlaid by the braiding threads.
Now one of the objects of this Invention is to produce a so called
'oval" braid with braided satin faces. To attain this end I employ a
flat or broad strand of india-rubber, and two ordinary strands, arranging
these latter one on each side of the flat strand, and to cover these
strands I employ two sets of braiding threads, which travel in opposite
directions. By plaiting or braiding together two or more of these
threads as they are passed over the surface of the flat strand a satin
face is produced. One set of threads, say the right-hand threads
(travelling from the right hand to the left), are first braided around the
ordinary strand on the right-hand side. They are then carried over the
front face of the flat strand and passed from front to back between
the flat strand and the ordinary strand (but not around the ordinary
strand), and returned over the back face of the flat strand to the point
from whence they started, thus completing a course.
Simultaneously with the traverse of the first set a second set of braiding
threads starting from the left hand and travelling from left to right is first
braided around the ordinary strand on the left-hand side, and in passing
over the front surface of the flat strand the threads are plaited or braided
together with the threads of the first set, producing thereby a satin
surface over the flat strand. This second set of threads on arriving at
the right-hand side is passed between the flat and the ordinary india-
rubber strands from front to back, in the same manner as with the first
set, and during the return to the left-hand side the threads are plaited
or braided together with those of the first set while passing over the
back surface of the flat strand, returning to and around the ordinary
strand on the left-hand side, whence they commenced their course.
By a continuous repetition of the above described actions a narrow
oval braid will be produced, having satin surfaces and corded or beaded
edges.
The improved mechanism employed in this manufacture consists of a
series of braiding "heads," two, three, or more of which (dependent on
the width of the flat strands employed) are arranged on opposite sidės

page_text: t
of a central flat strand conducting tube. These "heads" are mounted
in an upper and lower frame, in the manner common to this class of
machinery, and are composed of a spindle carrying two discs, cach
provided with four semicircular openings at their peripheries to receive
the "pipes" or spindles which carry the bobbins of braiding threads.
Arranged laterally on a central line with the strand conducting tube
side by side and at both sides of the machine are two other "heads" of
larger diameter, which are provided with five semicircular openings in
their peripheries. All the "beads" of this series are geered together in
the usual manner, and one of the axles of the spur wheels is driven by
bevil geer from the main shaft of the machine. The "pipe " stems are
transferred from the openings in one "head" to the openings in the
next adjacent "head," and caused to travel with the bobbins of thread
in the paths required, as above described, by means of a central "star
incline" assisted by "dogs" or switches constructed and operated in a
manner well understood.
"
The extreme right and left-hand "heads are provided with a hollow
fixed stem or tube to serve as a guide for conducting the ordinary threads
up into the braid. The braiding threads and strands are led up to and
through a guide, and the finished braid is taken up and wound upon
bobbins by the aid of a speed friction pulley in the usual manner.
If a very narrow satin braid is required, say of an inch wide, two
braiding heads would be sufficient to produce a satin surface, but if an
oval satin ofinch wide is required four or more "heads" would be
necessary, and so on in proportion. Non-clastic fabrics and braid would
be produced in this mechanism by simply omitting the clastic strands,
or by supplying their place with strands of non-clastic material.
Another object of the present Invention is the manufacture of braided
fringes. These fringes may be made by simply introducing into the
outer head of the machine before described a mandril, around which
half of the threads shall pass. This mandril is inclined upwards towards
the guide (over which the fringe in course of formation is drawn), and
at a point near it it is bent at a suitable angle. It then extends upwards
the required distance lying parallel with the finished braided-fringe. One
after another the whole of the braiding threads of one set. will be lapped
around this mandril, and the loops thus formed will be drawn up by

page_text: the speed friction pulley and off the mandril, the end of which is made
taper so as to liberate the loops easily. The remaining set of braiding
threads are operated as before described, that is to say, they traverse
from the outer head on the left-hand side of the machine, and in their
.course pass underneath (but not around) the mandril at the right-hand
side of the machine, and return to the left-hand head, whence they
started, thus completing the plaiting of the head of the fringe.
In order to give solidity and strength to the head of the fringe, and
to facilitate its manufacture, it is preferable to braid around non-clastic
threads or strands passed up the central and left-hand conducting
tubes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Archibald Turner in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ARCHIBALD
TURNER, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Elastic Web Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Archibald Turner, Her special licence that I,
the said Archibald Turner, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Archibald Turner, 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 MODE OF AND APPARATUS
FOR MANUFACTURING ELASTIC AND NON-ELASTIC FABRICS AND FRINGES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Archibald Turner, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and

page_text: 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
Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Archibald Turner, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) :-
:-
Hitherto narrow elastic flat fabrics and braids have been made by passing
the braiding threads around and between each and all the india-rubber
strands in a serpentine course from selvage to selvage. By this method
of braiding the plait or crossing of the threads occurs in the intervals.
between each of the india-rubber strands, and the strands themselves are
simply overlaid by the braiding threads.
Now one of the objects of this Invention is to produce a so called
"oval" braid with braided satin faces. To attain this end I employ a
flat or broad strand of india-rubber, and two other strands of rubber of
the ordinary size. These latter are arranged one on each side of the flat
strand, and to cover these strands I employ two sets of braiding threads,
which travel in opposite directions. By plaiting or braiding together
two or more of these threads as they are passed over the surface of the
flat strand a satin face is produced, one set of threads, say the right-
hand threads (travelling from the right hand to the left) are first braided
round the ordinary strand on the right-hand side. They are then carried
over the front face of the flat strand and passed from front to back,
between the flat strand and the second ordinary strand (but not around
this second ordinary strand), and returned over the back face of the flat
strand to the point from whence they started, thus completing a.
course.
Simultaneously with the traverse of the first set a second set of
braiding threads starting from the left hand and travelling from left to
right is first braided around the second ordinary strand, that is, round
the one on the left-hand side, and in passing over the front surface of
the flat strand the threads are plaited or braided together with the

page_text: threads of the first set, producing thereby a satin surface over the flat
strand. This second set of threads on arriving at the right-hand side of
the flat strand is passed between the flat strand and the other ordinary
india-rubber strand, from front to back, in the same manner as with the
first set, and during their return to the left-hand side the threads are
plaited or braided together with those of the first set while passing over
the back surface of the flat strand, returning to and around the second
ordinary strand, or that on the left-hand side, whence they commenced
their.course.
By a continuous repetition of the above-described actions a narrow,
oval braid will be produced having satin surfaces over the broad, flat,
strand of rubber, and corded or beaded edges over or round the two
outer or ordinary rubber strands.
The improved mechanism employed in this manufacture is shewn in
the accompanying Drawing, in which Fig. 1 represents a front elevation
of a braiding machine arranged to carry out my Invention; Fig. 2 is a
plan view looking down on the top plate; and Fig. 3 is a sectional plan
shewing the lower plate and the arrangement of switches for guiding the:
braiding pipes.
"
The machine consists of a series of braiding "heads" 1, 2, 3, and 4,
any number of which (depending on the width of the flat strands
employed) are arranged on opposite sides of a central flat strand con-
ducting tube A. These "heads" are mounted in an upper and lower
frame B and C in the manner common to this class of machinery, and
are composed of a spindle a carrying two discs b and c, cach provided
with four semicircular openings at their peripheries to receive the
"pipes or spindles d, which carry the bobbins of braiding threads e..
Arranged laterally on a central line with the strand conducting tube A,
side by side and at both sides of the machine, are two other "heads" of
larger diameter f, f¹, and 9, 9¹, which are provided with five semicircular
openings in their peripheries. All the heads of this series are geared
together in the usual manner, and one of the series of the wheels is
driven by bevil gear from the main shaft of the machine. The "pipe"
stems d, d, are transferred from the openings in one "head" to the
openings in the next adjacent "head," and caused to travel with the
bobbin of thread in the paths required, as above described, by means of

page_text: central "star inclines" h, h, assisted by "dogs" or switches i, con-
structed and operated in a manner well understood.
The extreme right and left-hand "heads "ƒ and g are provided with a
hollow fixed stem or tube f* and 9* to serve as a guide for conducting
the ordinary threads into the braid. The braiding threads and strands
are led up to and through a guide j, and the finished braid is taken up
and wound upon bobbins by the aid of speed friction pulleys in the
usual manner, but not shewn in the Drawings.
If a very narrow satin braid is required, say one quarter of an inch wide,
two braiding heads on cach side of the flat strand would be sufficient to
produce a satin surface, but if an oval satin of half an inch wide be
required four or more of the "heads" b, b, would be necessary, and so
on in proportion to the width of the flat rubber strand. Non-clastic
fabrics and braid would be produced in this mechanism by simply
omitting the elastic strands and by supplying their place with strands of
non-elastic material. By this arrangement of the braiding mechanism
the bobbins will be caused to pass alternately under and over the outer
elastic or other strand f* and g*, Figs. 4 and 5, which form the selvages
of the braid. Fig. 4 is a sectional diagram of the oval braid, and Fig. 5
is a diagram of the same in elevation. The outer strands f* and 9*
will prevent the braiding threads from doubling up the central flat
strand or tape.
Another object of the present Invention is the manufacture of braided
fringes. These fringes may be made in the machine just described and
shewn in the Drawings by simply leaving out one of the outer or
selvage strands f*, g*, and in place thereof introducing into the tube of
this outer head of the machine a mandril or holding pin, as indicated by
dots in Fig. 1. Around this holding pin or mandril half of the braiding
threads will pass, and being thus lapped round the holding pin will
form a fringe, as shewn in the diagram, Fig. 6. This mandril or
holding pin is inclined upwards towards the guide (over which the
fringe in course of formation is drawn), and at a point near the point.
where the fringe is drawn off the mandril or holding pin is bent at a
suitable angle. It then extends upwards the required distance, lying
parallel with the finished braided fringe. One after another of the
whole of the braiding threads of one set will be lapped around this.

page_text: mandril or holding pin, and the loops thus formed will be drawn up by.
the speed friction pulley and pulled off the mandril or holding pin, the
end of which is made taper so as to liberate the loops easily. The
remaining set of braiding threads are operated as before described, that
is to say, they traverse from the outer head on the left-hand side of the
machine, and in their course pass underneath (but not around) the
mandril at the right-hand side of the machine, and return to the left-
hand. head, from whence they started, thus completing the plaiting of
the head of the fringe.
In order to give solidity and strength to the head of the fringe and to
facilitate its manufacture it is preferable to braid around non-elastic
threads or strands passed up the central and left-hand conducting tubes,
but it will be evident that a double fringe or trimming may be made
by omitting both the outer strands and using two mandrils or holding
pins..
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in the Mode
of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Elastic and Non-elastic Fabrics and
Fringes," and having explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as
aforesaid, producing "oval" braid by causing two or more sets of
braiding threads to pass round a central flat elastic or non-clastic strand,
and also round two or more outer clastic or non-clastic strands of the
ordinary size arranged on each side of the machine, as and for the
purpose herein set forth.
I also claim the improved mechanism above shewn and described for
producing "oval" braids and fringes, and consisting of two machines
combined together and composed of a series of braiding heads arranged
on opposite sides of a central strand conducting tube, as herein set
forth:
I further claim the mode herein described of producing fringes in
braiding machines, that is, combining two distinct machines in one, one
section of the machine producing the fringe part of the fabric by causing
the threads of one part of the machine to be looped around a fixed
mandril or holding pin, so arranged that the loops may in succession be
pulled off from the end of such mandril or holding pin as the braiding
operation proceeds, while the other section of the machine makes the

page_text: head of the fabric and secures the loops (constituting the fringe) that
have been made by the other part of the machine, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Archibald Turner, have hercunto set
my hand and seal, the First day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
A. TURNER. (L.S.)