IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SAILCLOTH AND SUCH LIKE FABRICS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Doig Nicol, of the Firm of Alexander
Nicol and Company, Canvas Manufacturers, of Arbroath, in Scotland,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SAILCLOTH
AND SUCH LIKE FABRICS."
Sealed the 2nd May 1871, and dated the 5th November 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Doig Nicol at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th November 1870.
I, GEORGE DOIG NICOL, of the Firm of Alexander Nicol and Company,
Canvas Manufacturers, of Arbroath, in Scotland, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
SAILCLOTH AND SUCH LIKE FABRICS," to be as follows:-
In manufacturing sailcloth or other like description of goods in order
to add to the strength and durability of the cloth, I place at intervals
both in the warp and woof so arranged as to interlace at regular intervals
and form squares or checks or other shaped figures, one or more strong
threads together of a better and stronger nature than that of which the

page_text: cloth itself is composed. For instance, in the manufacture of sailcloth
twenty-four inches wide, in arranging the warp yarns in place of as
many yarns of ordinary strength I put in four threads of extraordinary
strength every six inches, namely, four threads at six inches from
each selvidge, and four threads in the middle, making three bands
or rows of four strong threads each at equal intervals of six inches in
the warp; and again while weaving the canvas I place four similar
strong threads together in the weft also every six inches in place of as
many of the ordinary weft yarns. These four strong threads form a
band of about a quarter inch broad when woven into the canvas, and as
they occur every six inches both ways in the canvas the result is that
they form throughout its whole extent squares or checks of six inches
each. While I am careful to make the strong threads of about the
same thickness as the ordinary yarns to prevent chafing or prominence,
I have them made of the very best and strongest flax, and two or three
ply twisted so as to obtain the maximum strength.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Doig Nicol in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th May 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
DOIG NICOL, of the Firm of Alexander Nicol and Company, Canvas
Manufacturers, of Arbroath, in Scotland, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, 'the said 'George Doig Nicol, Her special licence that
I, the said George Doig Nicol, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said George Doig Nicol, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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, excrcise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
'Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
·

page_text: "
MANUFACTURE OF SAILCLOTH AND SUCH LIKE FABRICS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Doig Nicol, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain tire
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 George Doig Nicol, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
In manufacturing sailcloth or other like description of goods in order
to add to the strength and durability of the cloth I place both in the
warp and woof, so arranged as to interlace at regular intervals and form
squares or checks or other shaped figures, one or more strong threads
together of a better and stronger nature than that of which the cloth
itself is composed. For instance, in the manufacture of sailcloth twenty-
four inches wide, the weaver in arranging the warp yarns in place of as
many yarns of the ordinary strength, is to put in four threads of extra-
ordinary strength every six inches, namely, four threads at six inches
from each selvidge, and four threads in the middle, making three bands
or rows of four strong threads each at equal intervals of six inches in the
warp; and again while weaving the canvas is to place four similar
strong threads together in the weft also every six inches in place of as
many of the ordinary weft yarns. These four strong threads form a
band of about a quarter inch broad when woven into the canvas, and as
they occur every six inches both ways in the canvas the result is that
they form throughout its whole extent squares or checks of six inches
cach. While I am careful to make the strong threads of about the same
thickness as the ordinary yarns to prevent chafing or prominence, I
have them made of the very best and strongest flax, and two or three
ply twisted so as to obtain the maximum strength.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same may be performed or
carried out in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of
* Improvements in the Manufacture of Sailcloth and such like Fabrics,"
66

page_text: the important feature whereof is the introduction of stronger threads
into such fabrics in the manner herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Doig Nicol, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
WILLIAM TRALLL BREMNER,
23, Vesuvius Street,
Liverpool.
HY. MORGAN,
18, New Quay,
Liverpool.
GEORGE DOIG NICOL. (L.S.)