AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING AND ROLLING FABRICS FOR DYEING
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hector Auguste Dufrené, of the General Patent
Offices, 10, Rue de la Fidélité, Paris, in the Empire of France, and
4, Sonth Street, Finsbury, London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of
LETTERS PATENT to Hector Auguste Dufrené, of the General Patent
Offices, 10, Rue de la Fidélité, Paris, in the Empire of France, and
4, Sonth Street, Finsbury, London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of
AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING AND ROLLING FABRICS FOR DYEING."
-A communication from Messieurs Jules Weber and Victor Jacques,
Sealed the 22nd May 1866, and dated the 29th November 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hector Auguste Dufrené
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 29th November 1865.
I, HECTOR AUGUSTE DUFRENÉ, of the General Patent Offices, 10, Rue de la
Fidélité, Paris, in the Empire of France, and 4, South Street, Finsbury,
London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING AND ROLLING FABRICS FOR DYEING,"
to be as follows, that is to say:-
The Invention consists in an improved construction of apparatus for
stretching and rolling fabrics preparatory to dyeing. This improved apparatus
is composed of two moveable discs of wood, metal, or other suitable material.
of a suitable diameter, and of a driving shaft of a length suitable to the

page_text: greatest width of the fabric to be operated upon. These two discs are fixed
on the driving shaft at the distance required by the width of the fabric by
means of two pressure screws or other suitable means allowing the change of
their distances apart. The discs are composed of solid parts, the transversal
section of which is of the form of an isosceles triangle slightly truncated, and
rounded off at its summit, and disposed in a spiral form, having for origin the
centre of the shaft and for limit the periphery of the disc. This spiral
arrangement leaves empty parts, the section of which is also that above
described of a truncated isosceles triangle, but disposed in an opposite
direction. I insert in the truncated summit of the isosceles triangle, a little
behind it, metal hooks, nails, or spikes forming a curve for taking up and
rolling the fabrics. The driving shaft is carried on two bearings adapted to
the dye vat, and the apparatus is worked by a handle placed at one extremity
of the driving shaft. Before rolling the fabrics they are placed on a stretching
roller placed in front of the apparatus. I first hook up the fabrics to one of
the hooks, nails, or spikes of the spiral curve, so placed that the length
developed of that spiral from this point to the circumference of the disc shall
be equal to the length of the fabric to be placed on it. Two or three nails of
each of the discs are introduced into the selvages of the fabrics, then a rotatory
notion is given to the apparatus, and the fabric drawn in by this movement
unrolls from the stretching roller, and is successively taken hold of by all the
books or nails that follow,, so that the fabric when once arranged on the nails
forms a cylindrical surface having for its base the spiral above described, and
for its height the distance between the two discs. The fabrics thus disposed
are steeped in the dye baths.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Hector Auguste Dufrené in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th May 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HECTOR
AUGUSTE DUFRENÉ, of the General Patent Offices, 10, Rue de la Fidélité, Paris,
in the Empire of France, and 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto

page_text: ime, the said Hector Auguste Dufrené, Her spécial licénce that I, the
said Hector Auguste Dufrené, mý exécutors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Héctor Auguste Dufrené, 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 makė, use; exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING
AND ROLLING FABRICS FOR DYEING," (a communication from Messieurs Jule's
Weber and Victor Jacques, persons resident at Montrougé, Paris, in the
Empire of France,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Hector Auguste Dufrené, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under 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 causé the same tó bé
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 Hector Auguste Dufréné, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 hereto annexed,
and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
The Invention consists in an improved construction of apparatus for
stretching and rolling fabrics preparatory to dyeing.
I will proceed particularly to describe the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, by reference to the
accompanying Drawing; in which Figure 1 is à side elevation and section of
one-balf of the apparatus with wooden spires; Figure 2, side élevation an
section of one-half of the apparatus made in metal; Figure 3, side éleva-
tion of stretching roller; and Figures 4 and 5, elevations of mechanical
guide.
The apparatus consists of two moveable disks formed with a spirál curvé
made of wood or metal (Figures 1 and 2) of a diameter depending on the
lengths of the fabrics, and of a main shaft 6 of a length suited to the greatest
width of the fabrics to be stretched or rolled. These two disks are fixed on
the main shaft b at the distance required according to the width of the fabric
by means of two pressure screws p. The fabric before being rolled on the
apparatus is placed on a stretching roller, shewn at Figure 3, the supports of
Whichi are jointed as shewn to permit of varying the distance of the fabric

page_text: from the point of traction.
The fabric is guided while it is being rolled on
to the apparatus by the band or by a mechanical guide, shewn at Figures 4
and 5, that may be extended or contracted at discretion.
When the apparatus is made of wood the spires represented in Figure 1
are formed of solid parts e, the transverse section of which is in the form of
an isosceles triangle slightly truncated and rounded off at the top, and of
spaces presenting a continuous opening, the width of which is much greater
in the interior than towards the exterior of the disks. In the middle of the
truncated part of the spires pieces of metal with screw threads tapped therein
are fixed distant from each other about an inch; in these screw holes pins
points are screwed slightly protruding, and placed so as to form in the space
at about of an inch from the internal plane of the disks a curve on which
the fabrics are rolled. The wooden spires are fixed upon arms c, radiating
from a hollow cylinder d placed in the centre of each of the disks. These
cylinders d slide on the driving shaft b.
When the apparatus is made of metal, the spires shewn at Figure 2 are
formed of a band of metal (which may be lightened by being hollowed out),
and by projections g on the surface of the internal plane of the disks, in which
are inserted pins points for taking up and rolling the fabrics; these projec-
tions serve to isolate the fabric from the metal. The spires are fixed by
pins on supports rivetted to metal arms c, which radiate from the hollow
metal cylinder d placed in the centre of each of the disks. The driving shaft b
is similar in the two apparatus, it is placed on two bearings, and the apparatus
is put in motion by a crank handle h, which may be adapted at will at either
extremity of the main shaft.
To place and stretch the fabrics on the apparatus I operate in the following
manner-Opposite the apparatus, at about 15 inches above the edge of the
vat, and at about 7 inches from the disks, the axis of the support of the
stretching roller is fixed; the fabric placed on this roller is unrolled perfectly
stretched in its length. The fabric is then stretched in its width by inserting
the selvages on the first points of each of the disks; the fabric is then pressed
lightly by the hand or the mechanical guide near the disks, and a rotatory
motion being given to the apparatus the selvages are successively penetrated
by all the following points. I afterwards regulate the tension in the width
by moving back one of the disks which is fixed at the required distance on the
main shaft by means of the pressure screw p.
Having now particularly described the nature of the Invention, and the
manner of putting the same into effect, what I claim is, ―
Firstly, the spires made of wood or other light material or metal, the

page_text: section of which has the form of an isosceles triangle slightly truncated and
rounded off at the top, as herein-before described and shewn in Figure 1 of
the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly, the forming the spires of a band of metal hollowed out or not
with projections, in which are fixed points which are moveable, as herein-
before described and represented in Figure 2 of the annexed Drawing.
Thirdly, the peculiar mode of attachment (specially applicable to the
apparatus with wooden spires) by means of points moveable at will, as
herein-before described and represented in Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed
Drawing.
Fourthly, the stretching roller with jointed supports as herein-before
described and represented in Figure 3 of the annexed Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hector Auguste Dufrené, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
(L.S.) H. A DUFRENE.
10, Rue de la Fidélité, Paris.