AN IMPROVED COMPOUND FELTED AND TEXTILE FABRIC
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of
Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
COMPOUND FELTED AND TEXTILE FABRIC."-A communication from abroad
by Messieurs Imbs, Brothers, and Company, of Paris, in the Empire of
France.
Sealed the 11th June 1861, and dated the 18th December 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th December 1860.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED COMPOUND FELTED AND TEXTILE FABRIC," a communication from
abroad by Messieurs Imbs, Brothers, and Company, of Paris, in the Empire
of France, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture or production of a new compound
fabric, and consists in uniting with a woven or reticulated fabric of any
material a layer or layers of wool, wadding, or other nap, such layer or layers
being secured to the woven fabric by sewing, and afterwards thoroughly
incorporated therewith by fulling and felting, the combined operations
producing a compound fabric composed partly of woven or textile material and
partly of felted material. The felting may be applied to one or both surfaces
of the textile or woven fabric, so as to present, when complete, a smooth faced

page_text: or finished surface on one side corresponding to the woven fabric and a rough or
nappy surface on the other side corresponding to the felted surface, or in lieu
of a loose felting material being used two or more woven fabrics may be laid
together and united by sewing, and incorporated into one thick compressed
fabric by fulling.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th June 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN HENRY
JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and of
166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said
John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
or 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 Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED COMPOUND FELTED AND TEXTILE FABRIC," a com-
munication from abroad by Messieurs Imbs, Brothers, and Company, of Paris,
in the Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of 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 I, the said John Henry Johnson, 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, that is to say :-

page_text: The said Invention relates to the manufacture or production of a new
compound fabric, the object of the sanie being the manufacture of thick and
warm fabrics in an economical manner by combining a woven or reticulated
fabric with fleecy wool, wadding, or other carded or similar material capable
of being felted. The union of the woven or reticulated fabric with the felting
material is accomplished by the aid of a sewing machine, the .compound
fabric so obtained being subsequently consolidated by being subjected to the
action of an ordinary fulling mill, which thoroughly incorporates the felted
material with the woven or reticulated fabric, thereby producing one body or
thickness of cloth.
>
In carrying out this Invention in practice one or more sheets or layers of
wool, wadding, or other suitable material capable of being felted are laid
upon
a woven fabric, and are stitched or sewn thereto by means of a sewing
machine suited to the purpose. This operation produces a more or less solid
and united fabric, which is subsequently "fulled" or "milled" in the ordinary
manner, the wool, wadding, or other material forming the surface or face of
the cloth penetrating the interstices of the woven fabric, and becoming
thoroughly and inseperably incorporated therewith.
According to the article to be produced the woven fabric is composed of a
material capable of being more or less felted with the sheet or sheets of
material, so as to obtain either a compound fabric which is plain and smooth
on its face or right side, whilst the under or reverse side thereof consists of a
soft or felted material. Or a compound fabric having both surfaces composed
of woven fabric, with an intermediate layer of felted material, or a fabric
having both surfaces composed of felted material, and an intermediate layer of
woven fabric as a foundation. The stitches which unite the layers composing
these fabrics are more or less concealed by this peculiar combination, and by
the subsequent process of "milling" or fulling. This combination affords
facility for producing a variety of new fabrics, having the advantages of
presenting the solid or close or even surface of a woven fabric on one side, and
the softness and warmth of a felted fabric on the other side. Or in lieu of a
loose felting material being used, two or more thicknesses or layers of woven
fabric may be laid together and united by sewing and subsequently incor-
porated into one thick compound fabric by fulling. Moreover, by varying
the materials and colors on each face fabrics will be obtained of an appearance
and quality not heretofore attained, which will be applicable for various useful
purposes, such, for example, as substitutes for carpets, cloth for boots and
shoes, articles of wearing apparel, and knitted goods.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said

page_text: Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the general construction of compound fabrics, as herein-before
described.
Second, the manufacture or production of compound fabrics by uniting
together one or more thicknesses or layers of reticulated or woven fabric
and felting material by means of stitches or sewing, and subsequently inilling
or fulling the same, as herein-before described.
Third, the manufacture or production of compound fabrics by uniting
together two or more thicknesses of woven fabrics by means of stitches or
sewing, and subsequently milling or fulling the same, so as to constitute one
combined fabric.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.s.)