IMPROVEMENTS IN FINISHING AND STRETCHING WOVEN FABRICS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Collier and John Crossley, both of Halifax,
in the County of York, and James William Crossley, of Brighouse, in
the Parish of Halifax, and in the same County, for the Invention of
T
Crossley, and James William Crossley at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 24th July 1856.
We, GEORGE COLLIER and JOHN CROSSLEY, both of Halifax, in the County
of York, and JAMES WILLIAM CROSSLEY, of Brighouse, in the Parish of Halifax,
and in the same County, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FINISHING AND STRETCHING WOVEN FABRICS," to be as
follows:-
The improvements relate to effecting the folding, commonly called "rigging,"
or laying of the fabric selvage to selvage in the finishing process.
process. For this
purpose we conduct the fabric alternately under and over a series of bars, so
as to produce a drag thereto, thence over and so as to be pressed upon in
the centre of its breadth by the outer edge of one or more discs, the edge of

page_text: each of which is furnished (by preference) with fine pin points or teeth.
The edge of such disc thus pressing upon the centre of the width of the fabric
produces a folding, and we prefer that two or more of such discs be employed
to act upon the fabric in succession, and from the last of such discs the folded
fabric is conducted on to a roller or beam. We also employ, in place of the
successive discs, an endless chain, strap, or band, with pins or points fixed at
intervals, passing over the peripheries of two or more pulleys. In either
case the fabric is only pressed into a slight extent at the first, and the pressure
is increased till a complete folding is effected.
Also the improvements relate to operating upon such fabric after being
"rigged" in the following manner :-Wo conduct it by suitable guide rollers
through or over a box or chamber supplied with steam, and perforated on its
surface in contact with the fabric, so as to admit the steam thereto; thence
the fabric is conducted in contact with the surfaces of a series of cylinders
heated by steam or hot air. From the last of these heated cylinders the
fabric is conducted over the surfaces of other cylinders, kept cool by cold
water or other means. We sometimes cover the surface of one or more of
the heating and cooling cylinders in contact with the fabric by means of felt,
or other suitable elastic material. This part of the improvements is also
applicable when operating upon fabrics which do not require in the finishing
to be first "rigged" or folded.
And the improvements also relate to means for stretching such fabric, by
distending it breadthwise after being operated upon (without being 'rigged'
or folded) by the last part of the improvements. For this purpose we employ
revolving discs, whose plane surfaces rotate one upon each selvage of the
'fabric, and which are each provided with a series of lever arms, placed in a
radiating or other direction from the axes of the discs, and which, by springs,
are at their outer ends caused successively to press on to and thereby nip
between them and the surface of the plates the edges of the fabric to be
stretched just when in the rotation of the discs such nipping surfaces are
receding from the fabric. These lever arms are operated to admit the edge
of the fabric by tappet or other such surfaces. In place of the lever arms
acting with dises to form nipping surfaces, the lever arms may be arranged
to act in pairs; and also in place of such lever arms, the nipping surfaces
may be obtained by the employment of revolving brushes, or other like holding
surfaces, placed to act in pairs, and at an angle to the edge of the fabric, so
as to effect a like drawing out or stretching of the edges of the fabric; and
such stretching means may also be employed to stretch fabric when not

page_text: operated for the finishing, as referred to. The fabric after being stretched.
is conducted from a guide roller or cylinder on to a receiving roller, supported.
upon weighted lever arms, capable of taking extra weights with the increase
of fabrics thereon.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed'
by the said George Collier, John Crossley, and James William Crossley
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th January 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
COLLIER and JOHN CROSSLEY, both of Halifax, in the County of York, and
JAMES WILLIAM CROSSLEY, of Brighouse, in the Parish of Halifax, and in the
same County, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Ilerself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
George Collier, John Crossley, and James William Crossley, Her special
licence that we, the said George Collier, John Crossley, and James William
Crossley, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said George Collier, John Crossley, and James William Crossley, our 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 expressedl,
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 FINISHING AND STRETCHING WOVEN
FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the sail George Collier,
John Crossley, and James William Crossley, our exccutors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand
and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and 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 Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Collier, John Crossley, and
James William Crossley, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention,

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The improvements relate to effecting the folding, commonly called "rigging,"
or laying of the fabric selvage to selvage in the finishing process. For this
purpose we conduct the fabric alternately under and over a series of bars, so
as to produce a drag thereto, thence over and so as to be pressed upon in
the centre of its breadth by the outer edge of one or more discs, the edge of
each of which is furnished (by preference) with fine pin points or teeth.
The edge of such disc thus pressing upon the centre of the width of the fabric
produces a folding, and we prefer that two or more of such discs be employed
to act upon the fabric in succession, and from the last of such discs the
folded fabric is conducted on to a roller or beam. We also employ in place
band, with pins or points
of the successive discs an endless chain, strap, or
fixed at intervals, passing over the peripheries of two or more pulleys. In
either case the fabric is only pressed in to a slight extent at the first, and the
pressure is increased till a complete folding is effected.
Also the improvements relate to operating upon such fabrics after being
"rigged" in the following manner :-We conduct it by suitable guide rollers
through or over a box or chamber, supplied with steam by a pipe perforated
on its surface in contact with the fabric, so as to admit the steam thereto;
thence the fabric is conducted in contact with the surfaces of a series of
cylinders heated by steam or hot air. From the last of these heated
cylinders the fabric is conducted ovor the surfaces of other cylinders, kept
cool by cold water or other means. We sometimes cover the surface of one
or more of the heating and cooling cylinders in contact with the fabric, by
means of felt, or other suitable elastic material.
This part of the improvements is also applicable when operating upon
fabrics which do not require in the finishing to be first "rigged" or folded.
And the improvements also relate to means for stretching such fabric, by
distending it breadthwise after being operated upon (without being "rigged"
or folded) by the last part of the improvements. For this purpose we employ
revolving discs, whose plane surfaces rotate one upon each selvage of the
fabric, and which are each provided with a series of lever arms, placed in a
radiating or other direction from the axes of the discs, and which, by springs,
are at their outer ends caused successively to press on to and thereby nip
between them and the surfaces of the plates the edges of the fabric to be
stretched just when in the rotation of the discs such nipping surfaces are
receding from the fabric. These lever arms are operated to admit the edge

page_text: of the fabric by tappet or other such surfaces. In place of the lever arms
acting with discs to form nipping surfaces, the lever arms may be arranged
to act in pairs; and also in place of such lover arms, the nipping surfaces
may be obtained by the employment of revolving brushes, or other like holding
surfaces, placed to act in pairs, and at an angle to the edge of the fabric, so
as to effect a like drawing out or stretching of the edges of the fabric; and
such stretching means may also be employed to stretch fabric when not
operated for the finishing, as referred to. The fabric after being stretched is
conducted from a guide roller or cylinder on to a receiving roller, supported
upon weighted lever arms, capable of taking extra weights with, the increase
of fabrics thereon.
But that the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same
may be carried into effect, may be fully understood, we will proceed to describe
the Drawings annexed.
"
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a sectional side view, and Figure 2 a plan, of apparatus
arranged to carry out the first part of our improvements. a, a, is the main
framing; and 6 is the fabric to be folded or rigged, and which is first conducted
over the stationary bar e, upon which are affixed the adjustable pins e¹, e¹, to
guide the fabric as it passes over that bar e to the bars f, f, f, under and
over which it passes to the bar g to have drag put thereon; the bar g is also
provided with guide pins g¹ to guide the fabric in passing correctly to the
discs h, h, h, in order that those discs may act in a line midway of the breadth
of the fabric to creasé with a tendency to fold it in its passage to the cylinders
i, i. The first of these discs h, it will be seen, presses slightly into the fabric,
whilst the second presses somewhat more, and so on, till the folding is com-
pletely effected, and the fabric is taken by the rollers or cylinders i, i. And
although we have shown only four discs h, each of which is adjustable in
bearings, as shown, this number may be varied. 1, 1, are adjustable bars,
which by pressing upon the sides of the fabric, as shown, have a tendency to
assist it in folding over the edges of the discs h, h. The rollers or cylinders
i are supported so as to turn in bearings carried by the main framing, and
upon the axis of one of them is affixed the drum or pulley a, by which it
receives motion by a band or strap from a steam engine or other power, and
upon the other end of that axis or shaft is affixed the toothed wheel ², which
takes into and drives another toothed wheel affixed upon the axis of the
other roller or cylinder i, so as to cause those cylinders i, i, to rotate together.

page_text: The fabric thence passes on to the roller or beam j, which has motion given to
it by surface contact with one of the cylinders i, as shown, the axis of that
roller or beam being supported temporarily on lever arms k, which are borne
so as to hold the roller or beam j.against the roller i, by springs or other
suitable means. The discs h are formed to an edge at their periphery, and
sometimes we place pin points therein, and the fabric is so conducted as to
cause the folding to be equal from the centre lengthwise thereof; and in some
cases, in place of using a series of independent discs h, h, we employ an
endless strap, or band, or chain, with pin points therein, to pass over suitable
guide pulleys.
We will now describe the next part of our improvements, which is shown
by the sectional view of parts at Figure 3. And we would here state that
we have not thought it necessary to show the framing, or the means of applying
the heating or cooling media to the various cylinders, or the means of giving
motion and weighting or pressure thereto, as such will be well understood by
persons acquainted with such machines.
The fabric to be operated upon is supported on a beam or roller j, the axis
of which is retained in suitable bearings, and with friction to prevent the too
free unwinding of the fabric, which is thence conducted, first, over; the guide
roller m into the box n, whence it passes by the guide rollers o, o, and out
by the other roller p to the cylinder t; steam is supplied to the box n by the
pipe s, which is perforated with numerous holes, so as to admit the steam
therefrom to the fabric as it passes from one to the other of the rollers o, o;
the fabric passes from the roller p to between the rollers or cylinders t and t¹,
and having passed partly around the roller or cylinder t,. it passes between it
and the roller or cylinder t2, thence up partly around the roller or cylinder t
thence between that cylinder and the cylinder t, thence between it and the
cylinder, from which it passes to between the cylinders to and t, partly
around the latter of which it passes to the cylinder t, and thence it is wound
on to the roller or beam u.. The direction of rotation which we prefer for
the various cylinders is indicated by arrows thereon, and the cylinders t, t¹, t²,
t, t, t, are heated by steam or hot air passed through the axes thereof, whilst
the cylinders or rollers to,. t7, t, are kept cool by the application thereto of
cold water or other cooling media. The various cylinders t to t³ have motion
given to them, and we prefer that the speed of the cylinders t¹ and to be much
faster than that of the others. The cylinders t, t, will be borne by lever or
other pressure towards the cylinder t, the cylinders and t will be borne
towards the cylinder, t, whilst the cylinder will have pressure given it to

page_text: bear that and the cylinder t' towards the cylinder ts. We do not confine
ourselves to the number of cylinders shown, nor to the direction of motion
thereof indicated, or the direction of the fabric as it passes under operation,
as these may be varied; and we prefer to have the cylinders t, t, t, covered
with felt or other suitable elastic material.
Figures 4 and 5 show two views of parts of apparatus for carrying out
the last part of the improvements. a, a, shows the fabric passing from a
roller or other suitable feed to the drawing-off roller b, in passing to which
the fabric is stretched by passing between the revolving discs d, d, and the
lever arms e, carried thereby, and which are covered on their nipping surface
with leather or other suitable elastic and holding material, so as to insure a
holding of the fabric between the parts & and e when in contact therewith.
We have not thought it necessary to show the framing and the means of giving
motion to the parts, but we give motion to the discs d and the roller 6 so
that they may travel at the same surface speed. The lever arms e have a
tendency continually to bear towards the discs d by being acted upon by.
springs e', but when passing on to the fabric those levers e are kept therefrom
by the arms thereof coming against the stationary plates g, on passing from
which the levers e come upon the fabric, and by their direction of motion
they have a tendency to extend the fabric, or stretch it by their hold of it at
the selvages.
c is
We would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to the
arrangement of nipping surfaces shown, as revolving brushes or other surfaces
with motion given thereto to draw the selvages outwards, with a tendency
to extend the fabric by their hold at those parts, will have a like effect.
a receiving roller, upon which the fabric is wound by the surface friction of
the roller b. This roller c we support upon weighted lever arms, which are
so arranged as to take up weights in proportion to the quantity of fabric
wound on the beam c; but other receiving means to the fabric may be
employed.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner we carry the same into effect, we would have it understood that we
do not confine ourselves to the precise details shown and described, so long
as the peculiar character of any part thereof be retained; but what we claim
is,―
First, the adaptation of discs h, h, and bars e,f,f,f, with parts acting
therewith, for the purpose of effecting the folding or "rigging" of fabrics;
also, we claim the application of endless bands or chains, in lieu of such
separate discs h, to act in like manner, as explained.

page_text: Secondly, we claim the combination and adaptation of parts for and method
operating upon fabric, as explained in respect of Figure 8.
Thirdly, we claim the adaptation of moving holding surfaces to the selvages
fabric for the purpose of stretching the same, as explained.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Collier, John Crossley, and
James William Crossley, the said have hereunto set our hands and
seals, this Twenty-second day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
Patent Agent.
GEORGE COLLIER.
JOHN CROSSLEY.
. (L.S.)
(L.B.)
JAMES WILLIAM CROSSLEY. (L.S.)