CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRESSING, "MACHINING," AND FINISHING VELVETS, VELVETEENS, CORDS, BEAVERTEENS, AND OTHER SIMILAR FABRICS COMPOSED OF COTTON, SILK, WOOL, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Bywater Frith, of Salford, in the
County of Lancaster, Manager, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRESSING, "MACHINING,"
AND FINISHING VELVETS, VELVETEENS, CORDS, BEAVERTEENS, AND OTHER
SIMILAR FABRICS COMPOSED OF COTTON, SILK, WOOL, AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS."
Sealed the 9th February 1853, and dated the 23rd November 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Bywater
Frith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 23rd November 1852.
I, FRANCIS BYWATER FRITH, of Salford, in the County of Lancas-
ter, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRESSING,
"MACHINING," AND FINISHING VELVETS, VELVETEENS, CORDS, BEAVERTEENS,
AND OTHER SIMILAR FABRICS COMPOSED OF COTTON, SILK, WOOL, AND OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
The novel or improved machinery or apparatus which I employ for

page_text: the above purposes consists principally of the following arrangement
of parts: First, the peculiar adaptation or application of a dress-
ing, "machining," and finishing roller or rollers, supported upon
suitable bearings, and revolving at a certain requisite velocity. This
roller is grooved in a spiral direction, and its outer surface covered
with a composition of certain animal, vegetable, or mineral sub-
stances, either separate or in combination with each other. Secondly,
the peculiar application of a swiftly revolving roller or "velure," also
mounted in suitable bearings, and covered with plush or velvet,
for straightening the face of the goods; and, Thirdly, the novel ap-
plication or arrangement of certain guide rails, over and under
which the velvet, velveteen, or other fabric under the operation of
dressing and finishing, passes, being kept at a proper tension in
proportion to the strength of the goods by a weighted card roller.
The velvet or other fabric is passed over and under the guides, and
then over or under the dressing, "machining," or finishing roller
or rollers, having the face or pile in contact with the said roller or
rollers, and being kept in contact with them by means of the guide
rails and weighted card roller. It subsequently passes over or
under the "velure" or straightening roller. The principal novel
feature of the Invention consists in the peculiar application or
arrangement of the spiral dressing, "machining," and finishing
roller or rollers in combination with its guide rails and weighted
card roller. I would also remark that the back of the fabrics may,
if thought desirable, be dressed or finished in like manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Francis Bywater Frith in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 23rd May 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,.
FRANCIS BYWATER FRITH, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster,
Manager, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by

page_text: Her Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third November, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Francis Bywater Frith, Her special licence that I, the
said Francis Bywater Frith, my executors, administrators, and as-
signs, or such others as I, the said Francis Bywater Frith, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR DRESSING MACHINING,' AND FINISHING VELVETS, VELVETEENS, CORDS,
BEAVERTEENS, AND OTHER SIMILAR FABRICS COMPOSED OF COTTON, SILK,
WOOL, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon the condition (ainongst
others) that I, the said Francis Bywater Frith, 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 im-
nediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Francis Bywater Frith, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement and accompanying draw-
ings (that is to say):
My improvements in machinery or apparatus for dressing, "ma-
chining," and finishing velvets, velvetcens, cords, beaverteens, and
other similar fabrics composed of cotton, silk, wool, and other fibrous
materials, consist, first, in the peculiar adaptation or application of a
dressing, "machining," and finishing roller or rollers, supported upon
suitable bearings, and revolving at a certain requisite velocity in
contact with the surface of the velvet, velveteen, or other similar
fabric under operation. This said dressing, "machining," and finish-
ing roller is grooved or ribbed in a spiral direction, and has its outer

page_text: way
surface covered with a composition of certain suitable animal, vege-
table, or mineral substances, either separate or in combination with
each other, according to the nature of the particular fabric under ope-
ration. The revolution of this spiral grooved roller in contact with
the fabric, reduces the pile, nap, or other surface of the cloth to an
uniform length, at the same time imparting to it a lustrous and
glossy appearance, and has the novel property also, by the arrange-
ment, of finishing, dressing, &c. across the piece both right and
left, and finally laying the nap the length way or finished of
the piece. My Invention consists, secondly, in the peculiar appli-
cation of a swiftly revolving roller or "velure," mounted in suitable
bearings, and covered with plush or velvet for straightening the
face of the goods; and thirdly, my Invention consists in the novel
application or arrangement of certain guide rails and roller, over
and under which the velvet, velvetcen, or other fabric under the
operation of dressing and finishing passes, being kept at a proper
state of tension in proportion to the strength of the goods by means
of a weighted card roller. The velvet or other fabric is passed
over and under the guides, and then over or under the dressing,
"machining," or finishing roller or rollers, having the pile or face
in contact with the said roller or rollers, and being kept in contact
with the same by means of the guide rails and the weighted card
roller. The velvet or other fabric subsequently passes over or
under the "velure" or straightening roller. I would here remark
that the back of the fabric may (if thought desirable) be dressed or
finished in like manner. In order that my improvements may be
perfectly understood, and their practical application more fully ex-
plained, I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative
of my Invention, and have marked the same with Figures and
Letters of reference, corresponding with those in the following
description thereof. The Drawings are made to a scale of about one
inch and a half to a foot. Figure 1, is an elevation of one end of
my improved apparatus; Figure 2, is front elevation of the same;
Figure 3, is an elevation of the reverse end to Figure 1; and
Figure 4, is a plan or horizontal view of the same as seen from

page_text: 66
above; a, a, represents the framework of the apparatus supporting
in suitable bearings the main driving shaft b, b. The main driving
pulley is represented at c, c. Upon the main driving shaft b, b, a
spur pinion d, d, is keyed, driving a spur wheel e, e, which is also
in gear with another spur pinion f, f, keyed upon the journal of the
grooved roller g, I. This roller g, g, is mounted in suitable bear
ings, and may either be grooved in a spiral direction, as shewn in
the. Drawing, or have spiral ribs or projections formed around it
from end to end, and having its outer surface covered with stone,
glass, metal, or any other material or composition of which the
pegs" (employed in the ordinary process of finishing such fabrics
by hand,) are or may be manufactured. Upon the main driving
shaft b, b, a pulley h, h, is also keyed, which drives the "velure" or
straightening roller i, i, by means of a strap. The surface of this
"velure" or straightening roller is covered with plush or velvet;
upon one end of the main driving shaft b, b, a spur pinion k, k, is
keyed, gearing with a spur wheel m, m, keyed upon the journal of
a roller n, n. This roller n, n, is covered with wire card, and is for
the purpose of pulling the velvet or other fabric forward through
the machine. Upon the other end of the roller n, n, is fixed a
pulley o, o, driving a roller p, p, upon which the velvet or other
fabric is wound by means of a crossed strap or belt passing round
it, and the pulley 2, 2. A bar of bees-wax r, r, is employed for
waxing the pile or face of the fabric, and may be raised as required
by means of the screws 8, s. The roller t, t, (which is covered with
wire card) has a strap u, u, hanging over one end thereof, to which
a weight is suspended. This roller acts as a drag upon the cloth,
and assists the guide rails and rollers to keep the fabric at a proper
state of tension in contact with the grooved roller, and the "velure;"
v, v, v, are tension rollers, and w, w, w, w, are tension rails. The
fabric to be operated upon (which is represented by the red lines
in Figures 1, and 3), after passing over and under two or more
tension rails detached from the machine, passes over and under the
first two tension rollers u, v, then under the weighted card roller t, t,
and over and under the first two tension rails w, w. The fabric

page_text: then passes over the wax r, r, and subsequently over the grooved
dressing, "machining," and finishing roller g, g, being kept in contact
with about half its diameter, by passing under two tension rails w, w.
The fabric next passes over the third tension roller u, partly round
the card roller n, n, and over the "velure" or straightening. roller
i,i. The fabric finally passes. under the main driving shaft b, b,
and thence to the roller p, p, upon which it is wound.
Having thus fully described my Invention of certain improve-
ments in machinery or apparatus for dressing, "machining," and
finishing velvets, velveteens, cords, beaverteens, and other similar
fabrics, composed of cotton, silk, wool, and other fibrous materials,
together with the manner of carrying the same into practical effect,
I would remark in conclusion, that I claim as my Invention the
peculiar novel construction and arrangement of apparatus as above
described and exhibited in the Drawings attached, especially the
combination of the spirally grooved or ribbed dressing or "machin-
ing" and finishing roller or rollers, the "velure" or straightening
roller, the weighted card roller, and the tension rails and rollers
in the manner and for the purposes above particularly described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Bywater Frith, have
hereunto set my hand and seal this Twenty-first day of
May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-three.
FRANCIS BYWATER FRITH. (L.S.)