AN IMPROVED FINISH OF WOOLLEN TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Brearley, of the Firm of Robert Brearley
and Son, of Batley, in the County of York, Woollen Manufacturers,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED FINISH OF WOOLLEN TEXTILE FABRICS,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Brearley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
March 1872.
I, THOMAS BREARLEY, of the Firm of Robert Brearley and Son, of
Batley, in the County of York, Woollen Manufacturers, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED FINISH OF WOOLLEN
TEXTILE FABRICS, AND MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME," to be as
follows:-
This improved finish consists in what is technically known as the
"Witney" finish, being produced longitudinally of the fabric instead of
crosswise, by which a softer handling or better effect is obtained, and
garments or wearing apparel made of fabrics so finished may have the

page_text: finish to lie vertically instead of crosswise or horizontally to the wearer.
The means or apparatus for producing this finish consists of a suitable
bed for the fabric to be drawn over, and one or more rubbing boards
clothed or covered with india-rubber, cloth, or other material, and having
a reciprocatory motion imparted to them as heretofore, but instead of
such motion being longitudinally or in the same direction as the travel
of the fabric, the motion is in a lateral direction or crosswise of the
fabric, thus effecting a "Witney" finish longitudinally of the fabric.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Brearley in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th September 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BREARLEY, of the Firm of Robert Brearley and Son, of Batley, in the
County of York, Woollen Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her ]
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-fifth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto the said Thomas Brearley, Her special licence that he, the
said Thomas Brearley, his executors, administrators, and assigns, or such :
others as he, the said Thomas Brearley, his 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 "AN IMPROVED FINISH OF WOOLLEN TEXTILE
FABRICS, AND MEANS OR APPARATus for Producing THE SAME," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that he, the said Thomas Brearley, his executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under his, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain a
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: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Brearley, 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, and accompanying Sheet of Drawings (that is to
say):
This improved finish consists in what is technically known as the
"Witney" finish, being produced longitudinally of the fabric instead of
crosswise, by which a softer handling or better effect is produced, and
garments or wearing apparel made of fabrics so finished may have the
finish to lie vertically instead of crosswise or horizontally to the wearer.
The means or apparatus for producing this finish consists of a suitable
bed for the fabric to be drawn over, and one or more rubbing boards
clothed or covered with india-rubber, cloth, or other material, and having
a reciprocatory motion imparted to them as heretofore, but instead of
such motion being longitudinally or in the same direction as the travel
of the fabric, the motion is in a lateral direction or crosswise of the
fabric, thus effecting a Witney finish longitudinally of the fabric.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention, I will now
proceed to describe the same in detail, and in order that the Invention
may be clearly understood, I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Draw-
ings, and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference,
the same letter referring to the same part in the various views or Figures,
in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of machine or apparatus
employed, Fig. 2 is a cross section of the bed and rubbing board, and
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the rubbing board.
A is the framework to which the brackets B, B, are secured supporting
the pedestals C, C; E is the driving pulley communicating motion by
strap F to the pulley G, the shaft H of which is eccentric, so as to
communicate through the arm J a slight "to-and-fro" or reciprocating
motion to the rubbing board K, which is faced with india-rubber cloth
or other material. The said board is supported by pins K', which
reciprocate within the adjustable bosses K. Lis the bed over which
the fabric M passes, and it will be seen that the fabric on passing under
the rubbing board K is operated upon across its width, and so the Witney
finish is longitudinal to the fabric, instead of crosswise as heretofore.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this my
Invention, together with the manner in which the same is to be or may

page_text: be performed or carried into practical effect, I would have it understood
that I claim as my Invention, the improved finish of woollen fabrics
effected and produced as and by the means or apparatus arranged as
herein described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Brearley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
THOMAS BREARLEY. (L.S.)
Witness,
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Tasker & Bricrlcy,
Patent Agents,
Halifax & Blackburn.