IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF VELVETS AND OTHER SIMILAR FABRICS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Watson, of Rochdale, in the County of
Lancaster, Silk Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS.
وو
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Watson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the:
24th October 1874.
I, THOMAS WATSON, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster; Silk
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF VELVETS AND OTHER SIMILAR FABRICS,” to
be as follows:—
My Invention relates, firstly, to the production of that description of
velvet with a silk face which is commonly known in the trade as Patent ·
velvet.
:
:
According to the method of production now practised the fabric is:
woven in the piece, and when the floated threads have been cut it´iş ?
dyed to any required shade.
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page_text: By my Invention I adopt the plan of weaving now practised, but
instead of using yarns or threads in the grey state I in the first place dyc
them and dispense with that operation after the process of weaving.
The cutting may be effected in the ordinary manner, but instead of
using lime, as is now the practise, to facilitate the operation I propose t
to apply saponaceous materials to the fabric, which I find are more
readily removed, and are not so deleterious to health. This process is
applicable generally to that class of fabrics in which floated threads have
to be cut.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Watson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th April 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WATSON, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Silk Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, tho said Thomas Watson, Her special
license that I, the said Thomas Watson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Watson, 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
PRODUCTION OF VELVETS AND OTHER SIMILAR FABRICS," upon the condition,
amongst others, that I, the said Thomas Watson, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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,

page_text: the nature of my said invention, and in what manner the same is to bo
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My Invention relates, firstly, to the production of that description of
velvet with a silk face which is commonly known in the trade as Patent
velvet.
According to the method of production now practiced the fabric is
woven, and when the floated threads have been cut it is dyed to any
required shade in the piece.
By my Invention I adopt the plan of weaving now practiced, but
instead of using yarns or threads in the grey state I in the first place
dye them to the colour the fabric is to assume, and dispense with the
operation of dyeing after the process of weaving. The fabric having
thus been woven the floated threads thereof have to be cut, as is well
understood, and previously to that operation they are submitted to treat-
ment with lime for facilitating the said cutting. In that case however.
the goods are in the grey state, but when manufactured according to my
Invention they are dyed, and the application of lime (at any rate for
blacks and some other colours) would be higlily injurious, and instead
therefore of the preparation by lime I can use the material to be
described under the second part of my Invention or other suitable
substance which will not injure the colour, but I prefer the following
treatment,, which I have in practice found to answer :-For cutting
blacks, and before they are stiffened, I pass the fabric through a solution
of pearl ash of the strength of about one pound of pearl ash to twenty
gallons of water, after which it is stiffened, and is ready to be cut as
usual.
For colours other than black the fabric is first stiffened and then the
solution of pearl ash above referred to-is applied to the face only by a
brush, rollers, or other suitable apparatus, and having been dried in any
ordinary manner the cutting may be effected.
Blacks and some other colours can be cut without the above described
preparation, but there is a risk of injury to the fabric.
The second part of my Invention is applicable to the fabric above
referred to, and also to other fabrics, such as velveteens, which are woven

page_text: Firstly. The production of such velvets as aforesaid by weaving enem
with yarns which have been dyed to the colour the finished fabric is to
assume.
Secondly. The use of saponaccous matters for preparing such fabrics
as aforesaid for being cut.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Watson, have hereunto set.
my hand and scal, this Twenty-third day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
MTTAR
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