CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN FULLING MILLS, OR MACHINERY FOR FULLING AND WASHING WOOLLEN CLOTHS, OR SUCH OTHER FABRICS AS MAY REQUIRE THE PROCESS OF FULLING
Year: 1825

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
BERNON, of Leicester Square, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Seventh day of June, in the sixth year of His reign, did,
for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alfred Bernon, His especial licence that I, the said Alfred Bernon, my
exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Bernon,
my exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN FULLING MILLS, OR MACHINERY FOR FULLING AND WASHING
WOOLLEN CLOTHS, OR SUCH OTHER FABRICS AS MAY REQUIRE THE PROCESS OF
FULLING,"
," communicated to me by a certain Foreigner residing abroad; in which
said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Alfred
Bernon, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as
in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
Jorce annear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the sai
Alfred Bernon, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention
(communicated to me as aforesaid) of Certain Improvements in Fulling Mills
or Machinery for Fulling and Washing Woollen Cloths, or such other Fabric
as may require the Process of Fulling, is particularly described and ascertained
in and by the annexed two Sheets of Drawings, and the following description
thereof (that is to say):-
Whereas in the fulling mills hitherto in common use the hammers of the fulling
stocks and of the washing stocks have been caused to act by means of tappets
or wipers on the main axis of the mill raising up the said hammers and
leaving them to fall or descend by their own weight to produce the blows
necessary for the fulling or milling, and for the washing of the cloth, which
common method requires a considerable weight and extent of motion in the
hammers to produce blows of sufficient force, and also exposes the cloth to be
sometimes injured by the suddenness and violence of the blows. For remedying
these inconveniences, I cause the hammers of my improved fulling stocks
and of my improved washing stocks to act with regulated motions by means of
cranks and connecting rods and levers, and I so indent and form the faces or
ends of the said hammers which are intended to act on the cloth, and so curve
and form the ends of the fulling and of the washing troughs intended to hold
and sustain the cloth, and wherein the hammers move, that the action upon the
cloth may be safe and efficient to the purposes of fulling and washing the same;
and these objects I effect as follows (viz³) :-
Figs. 1 and 2, in Sheet 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed, shew a fulling
stock or machine constructed upon my improved plan, Fig. 1 being a
side elevation; Fig. 2 a plan of the same; and Fig. 3 representing a
detached view of part of the machine, the same letters of reference being
used in all the Figures upon corresponding parts. T, T, T, T, shew the
frame of the machine; it is composed of four strong timbers of oak or other
suitable wood, firmly fixed together by perpendicular and cross timbers L, L,
and by screw bolts, as seen in the Drawings. R, R, are the arms of a double-
throw crank, moving upon on axis I, and communicating motion by means of
connecting rods A and B to the curved levers C, C, C, and D, D, D. These
levers move freely upon a fixed axis E, supported in the frame S, S (as seen
in the Figs. 1 and 2), and carry suspended at their other extremities upon
center pins or pivots a, a (as shewn by dotted lines) the hammers G, G,
and II, II, of the fulling stocks. M, N, are levers attached to the hammers
by the centre pins l and q, and which turn upon an axis i, extending across
the machine (as shewn in the Plan, Fig. 2,) which axis i is supported at the

page_text: nearer end in the stud or piece of metal f, attached to the small frame or
bracket F, F, screwed to the main frame T, T, of the machine; and the stud f
is capable of adjustment by sliding on the inclined top of the bracket F, F,
as seen in Fig. 1, and is secured or fixed fast in its required position by means
of the adjusting screw s, so as to occasion the lower point of the hammer's face
to move nearer to or further distant from the curved bottom c, c, of the fulling
trough. The axis I of the crank R, R, turns in bearings screwed to the main
frame of the machine. In the elevation Fig. 1 the crank is shewn to be in a
vertical position, at which time the two hammers are at the extremities of
tlieir motions, one being at its highest and the other at its lowest point; but
in the Plan Fig. 2 the crank is represented in a horizontal position, as the
same is also shewn in Fig. 3, which represents a detached view of the
lever C, C, C, with its connecting rod A, as it would appear when the
crank R had arrived at the horizontal position in Figs. 1 and 2. W, W, is a
fly wheel fixed upon the crank axis I; and P, P, a fast and a loose (or dead
and live) pulley, by which the machine is to be put in motion by a strap, and
whereby it may be suddenly stopped at pleasure. The operation of my fulling
stock or machine is as follows:-Suppose the machine to be standing still in
the situation shewn in Fig. 1; with the hammer G at the top of its range,
having its indented face 9, 9, at the greatest distance from the working
end d, d, of the fulling trough, the axis I being then put in motion by
any adequate power applied by means of a strap to the fast pulley P, in the
direction shewn by the arrows in the Figs. 'T' and 2, the crank will begin to turn
in the same direction, and as it turns will raise up the longer arm of the lever C
by means of the connecting rod A, depressing at the same time its shorter
arm and with it the hammer G, but the said hammer being confined in its
motion by the lever N, will not touch the curved bottom c, c, of the trough,
but will (besides its motion downwards) partake of a motion- sideways, or in
When the crank
the direction towards the working end d, d, of the trough.
has arrived at the horizontal position, as shewn in Figs. 2 and 3, the hammer G
will have performed about half its downward motion. As the crank yet further
turns the said hammer will still continue to descend until the crank has
regained the vertical position, or performed half a turn, when the said
hammer G' will have arrived at its lowest position; and having its indented
face g, 'g, at the smallest distance from the end d, d, of the trough (as is shewn
by' dotted lines in Fig. 1 with respect to the other hammer H, and its
indented face h, h,) at which time the cloth or other fabric to be fulled in the
fulling trough c, c, d, d, receives its greatest pressure from the hammer G.
As the crank yet further turns and begins to descend the hammer G will

page_text: rise until the crank has performed an entire revolution, when the hammer G
and its indented face 9, 9, will have regained its original position already
mentioned. During this operation of the hammer G the other hammer H
will have been performing a reverse operation, or have been rising whilst the
hammer G was descending, and vice versâ, as will be easily seen by inspection
of the Drawing. The crank axis I is adapted to make one and a half turns
per second, or ninety revolutions per minute; and as each hammer performs one
up and down motion for a turn of the crank, it follows that the different parts
of the cloth under the operation of fulling in the trough c, c, d, d, will receive
180 blows or pressures per minute. The arms R, R, of the crank, and the
connecting rods A and B, are so apportioned that the centres r and m and I,
shall be in a right line when the hammers are at the extremities of their
motions, as shewn in Fig. 1.
In the foregoing account of the operation of the machine, for the sake
of clearness of description, I have supposed the machine to start into
motion from the siutuation shewn in Fig. 1, having the indented face
h, h, of the hammer II at its nearest approach to the working end of
the fulling trough d, d. It may be proper, however, to observe here,
that this will rarely, if ever, be the position of the hammers at starting the
machine, and cannot be their quiescent position at such times as fresh portions
of cloth are put into the fulling trough, but at these times of renewing or
changing the cloth or fabric to be operated upon the cranks must be in their
horizontal position, as shewn in Fig. 2, in order that both of the hammer
faces g, g, and h, h, being then equally withdrawn (or very nearly so) from the
working end d, d, of the fulling trough, the cloth or other fabric, already
sufficiently fullod or milled, may be left free from the pressure of the hammers,
and at liberty to be taken out and worn, be left for introducing a fresh portion
of cloth or other fabric into the fulling trough.
Figs. 4 and 5, in Sheet II. of the Drawings hereunto annexed, shew a
washing stock or machine constructed upon my improved plan, the same
letters of reference being used for corresponding parts as are used in Sheet I.,
Figs. 1, 2, and 3, already described; and as the action of this machine so nearly
resembles that of the machine already described I shall not enter into a
minute description thereof. It will be sufficient to observe, that in this washing
machine the hammers move on one centre t only (supported by framing from
the walls or roof of the fulling house, as shewn in Fig. 4, or by any other
suitable means of support, on which centre t the hammers are suspended by
wooden arms or handles K, K, and V, V, mortised into the middle and the
hinder parts of the hammers, as seen in the Plan Fig. 5, and shewn by dotted

page_text: lines in the elevation Fig. 4. These arms or handles have affixed to them
and to the hinder ends of the hammers (by screws or otherwise) brackets of
iron v; v, with centre pins 1 and 2 passing through them to carry the bearings
of the connecting rods A, A, and B, B, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. The main
axis I in this washing stock or machine may be put in motion in the manner
already described respecting my improved fulling stocks, and is adapted to
make a similar number of strokes or blows per minute. In the construction
and use of the common fulling or milling stocks, and of the common washing
stocks which already have been mentioned herein, very considerable latitude
may be allowed to the fancy and discretion of the workman who hollows out
and fashions the insides of the fulling trough and of the washing trough, and
like latitude and discretion may be allowed to the fuller or attendant on
common fulling and washing stocks, with regard to the quantity or weight of
cloth or other fabric put by him at once into their respective troughs to undergo
the operations of fulling or washing, because as the hammers in these common
stocks fall by their own weight merely, the approach of their indented faces
towards the working ends of their troughs is not strictly limited, but (within
certain limits) a greater or a lesser mass or thickness of cloth (in the irregular
folds which such cloth assumes) will certainly receive blows from the fall of
the hammers, yet the force and intensity of these said blows will vary
exceedingly, and much depend on chance. But in my improved stocks the
case is altogether different in the respects above mentioned, and the working
ends d, d, d, and the bottoms c, c, c, of my fulling trough, and of my washing
trough (shewn in elevation in Figs. 1 and 4), require to be proportioned, con-
structed, and fashioned strictly by rules. And so also with regard to the
several indents on the faces of the hammers, and to the nearest distances
within which these indents approach the curved working ends of the troughs
at each stroke of the hammers in consequence of the several cranks, connect-
ing rods, and levers already described herein being so proportioned and
adapted as to produce this regulated approach of the indented faces of the
hammers towards the working ends of the troughs, according to the given
weight of cloth or other fabric which is intended to be pressed (at often
repeated intervals of time) between these said faces and ends, and as often
again released from such pressure for duly performing the operations of fulling
and of washing the cloth or other fabric. The five several Figures in the
two Sheets of Drawings already described herein and hereunto annexed are
drawn to a scale of feet and inches, which scale is delineated in each of the
said Sheets of Drawings, and the said Figures are moreover one tenth part
of the actual size respectively of the several parts of my said improved

page_text: fulling stock and washing stock, when such stocks are in the best and
most perfect manner adapted for the fulling and for the subsequent washing
of a quantity of woollen cloth or other fabric weighing eighty-eight pounds
(averdupois weight) in the greasy or oily state in which such cloth (including
its selvedges or lists) conies from the loom, that is to say, when the same is
impregnated with oil or other greasy substances, usually in the proportion
of one fifth part of tho weight of the said greasy cloth or other fabric.
After many and careful trials, experiments, and calculations, made with
the view of ascertaining for the said 88 lb. stock (whose elevations aro
represented in Figures 1 and 4, the best internal forms and dimensions of the
fulling trough and of the washing trough, and the best forms and proportions
of the faces of the hammers intended to act in these troughs, and the manner
and the range of action or movement to be given to the said hammers, and for
discovering and laying down rules whereby to calculate the proper forms and
dimensions to be used in the setting out and constructing of other stocks for
the fulling and the washing on my improved plan of other given weights of
greasy cloth or other fabric, either greater or less than the 88 lbs. for which
the machines delineated in the Drawings hereunto annexed are adapted as
already mentioned, I have, at the results of the said trials and calculations,
found out and adopted the following principles of constructing in all cases my
said improved stocks; that is to say, a semi-ellipsis d, d, d, 3, the extremities
of whose greater or transverse axis are marked 3 and 10 in Figures 1 and 4,
and the half of whose lesser axis, or its semi-conjugate, is marked 6 and 7, and
whose two foci are marked 5 and 9, such semi-ellipsis, at the same time that
its curve 3, d, d, d, serves for defining and setting out the best form of the
working end of the fulling trough and of the washing trough, its said trans-
verse axis 3 and 10 (being in a vertical position) becomes a modulus or
standard from whence, by simple and direct proportion, every essential part of a
greater or of a less set of stocks for fulling and for washing may be calculated
and in their dimensions set out. For applying these principles to the 88 lb.
fulling stock, shewn in Fig. 1, the said semi-ellipsis has its transverse axis
3 and 10 equal to 30 inches, its. semi-conjugate axis 6 and 7 equal to
11 inches, and its upper focus, marked 9, is situate at 5-4 inches distance
from the top, and 24-6 inches distance from the bottom ends of the said
transverse axis, and through which upper focus (9) the horizontal or
parameter line 9, d', is drawn in order to cut off and limit (at d') the top
edge of the working end d, d, of the fulling trough, the other end of
which trough is likewise limited in height by prolonging the conjugate axis
7, 6, c. When it is required to set out and construct a fulling stock for

page_text: any other given weight of cloth or other fabric, such weight of cloth in pounds
must be multiplied by 307, and. the cube root of this product. extracted, in
order to obtain the length in inches. of the transverse axis (3 and.10.), which
is to become the modulus for..the new fulling stock required. For example,
suppose that the ellipsis was required which is, to serve as the modulus for
setting out a fulling stock adapted to the fulling. of.43. lbs. of. cloth, then per
rule, 43.multiplied by 307 gives 13,201, the cube root of which number is 23.64
inches, the transverse axis (3 and 10).of the ellipsis adapted as the modulus
of a. 48 lbs.. fulling stock in every respect to be constructed in the same
direct simple proportions to this latter semi-ellipsis. as the fulling stock
shewn in Figure 1. is proportioned..and constructed with respect to its
semi-ellipsis, having .a. tranverse axis. of. 30 inches, as is. before. mentioned;
that is to say, the bottom of the. fulling trough c, c, c', (which in Figure.1
is the arc of a circle having the point marked 12.. in the. Drawing, as
its centre) for the new or 43 lb..fulling stock,. and with respect.to its. semi-
ellipsis is to havo. a. centre proportionally. situated with respect to the ex-
tremities of the transverse axis.(and to all other-points) of the semi-ellipsis in
Figure 1. In like manner. by drawing in the Figure 1, horizontal lines (or
perpendiculars.to.the transverse..axis) through each projecting.or saliant angle
and through each receding or. re-entering angle of the indented face of the
hammer (but of which said horizontal lines only the extreme ones 4 h and 8 h
are drawn for. avoiding confusion in the. Drawing), and by drawing other lines
proportionally situated. and of proportional lengths in or with respect to the
new semi-ellipsis, the indented face of the hammer for the 43 lb. fulling stock
will be set out and constructed, and by like processes of drawing similarly
situated and proportionally, long perpendicular lines 13, E, and 14 a, from the
prolongation (10.and .14) of the greater.or transverse axes of the two ellipsis,
the centres E and a of the lever c, c, c, and likewise every other centre of
motion or-point in the new machine may, when required, be set, out and con-
structed, so that 43 lbs. of cloth in this new fulling stock may be similarly
acted upon and equally well fulled with 88 lbs. of cloth in, the fulling stock
shewn in Fig. 1. But between the limits of 88 lbs. and 43 lbs. of cloth to be
fulled at each operation it will seldom be necessary to vary any other of the
dimensions or proportions of the machine, save and except those of the
hammer face, and of the working end of the fulling trough, in order to provide
the proper shape and proportion of space for containing the cloth. For
applying my said principles to the 88 lb. washing stock shewn in Fig. 4, a
semi-ellipsis of 27 inches transversal length (and 114 inches semi-conjugate
breadth) is a proper modulus, and I use the following rule for calculating and

page_text: setting out other washing stocks therefrom (viz¹), multiply the given weight of
greasy cloth in pounds by 224, and extract the cube root of the product in
order to obtain the length in inches of the transverse axis (3 and 10) of the
semi-ellipsis to serve as the modulus of the required new washing stock. For
example, suppose the ellipsis was required which is to serve as the modulus for
setting out a washing stock adapted to the washing of 43 lbs. of cloth, then
per rule, 43 multiplied by 224 gives 9,632, the cube root of which number is
21.28 inches, the transverse axis (3 and 10) of the semi-ellipsis adapted as
the modulus of a 43 lbs. washing stock, to be proportionally constructed in all
its parts (with occasional exceptions between 88 to 43 lbs. of cloth as to other
parts of the machine, besides the hammer faces and the working ends of the
washing troughs) as already have been explained herein with respect to my
improved fulling stocks. In my improved 88 lbs. washing stock shewn in
Fig. 4, the part of the bottom c, c, of the washing trough between the point
marked 15 and the working end d, d, of the said trough is the arc of a circle
struck from the centre 12, situated at the end of the short perpendicular 12
and 11 to the prolongation (10 and 11) of the transverse axis of the semi-
ellipsis, which said prolongation (10 and 11) is for the saving of room on the
Drawing, continued (through the axis t, t,) across the plan of this stock in
Fig. 5. The remaining part of the bottom 15 c', of this washing trough
may be fashioned to any fair curve line; but if a cycloidal curve be used in
forming this hinder end of the washing trough the waves of the washing
liquor produced therein by the movements of the hammers will, in the shortest
time possible, return again towards the cloth in the working end of such
trough. By drawing the lines 4 h, 8 h, and others perpendicularly to the
transverse axis (3 and 10) of the semi-ellipsis, the several indents of the
hammer faces and the centres of motion, and other parts in any two of my
improved washing stocks, will be ascertained, and the same may (by the rule
of simple proportion) be calculated and set out one of them from the other of
such washing stocks.
In the foregoing description of my improvements in the machinery used in
fulling mills, commonly called fulling stocks and washing stocks, several things
are described and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed, to which things
singly or in their separate state I lay no claim of Invention or exclusive use
under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, such descriptions and
representations having been introduced herein merely for the purpose of
explaining those peculiar and new combinations and applications of things and
parts already most of them well known and in use, in which new combinations
and applications the said Invention and improvements consist. And I do

page_text: hereby expressly ascertain, specify, and limit my said claims to the following
particulars, that is to say :-
First, to the application of the crank through the medium of connecting
rods and levers to the moving of the hammers of my improved fulling stocks
and washing stocks in the particular manner herein-before described and
represented.
Secondly, to the particular form and shape of the internal surfaces of my
improved fulling troughs and washing troughs, and of the faces of the
hammers moving and acting therein, which are herein-before described and
represented; and,
Thirdly, to the principles and rules herein-before laid down and given for
the calculating, setting out, and constructing of my said improved fulling
stocks and washing stocks of any particular capacities as to the quantity or
weight of cloth or other fabric which the manufacturer may find it most
profitable and convenient to full and wash at each operation.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Bernon, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-five.