IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESSING FRAMES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Cooke and Josiah Charles Willoughby, both
of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Engineers, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESSING FRAMES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Cooke and Josiah
Charles Willoughby at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th
September 1879.
WILLIAM COOKE and JOSIAH CHARLES WILLOUGHBY, both of the Town and
County of the Town of Nottingham, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESSING
FRAMES."
We form the sides of each frame in suitable lengths, each hinged to the next
adjacent length, and at one side of the frame to the floor we secure a standard,
one to each one, two, or more double lengths of the sides. Each standard forms
bearings for a shaft which is provided with a hand wheel by which it is revolved;
this shaft carries two worms, one of which gears into a worm wheel carried by an
index ring, the other worm gears into a worm wheel secured on the outer end of a
shaft revolving in bearings at a right angle to the length of the frame; the inner
end of the shaft carries a toothed bevel wheel which operates a rack or screw
shaft in the usual way, but instead of the rack or screw shaft being the full length
of the frame they are considerably shorter.
By means of a dressing frame constructed as above described we can widen out
at will as fast as the fabric is placed on the frame. Besides which we can dress
several lengths of various width on the same frame at the same time, each separate
width being denoted by the index ring moved by the hand shaft which operates
each series of double lengths of the sides, a considerable saving of time being
effected in widening out.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Cooke and Josiah Charles Willoughby in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 20th March 1880.
WILLIAM COOKE and JOSIAH CHARLES WILLOUGHBY, both of the Town and
County of the Town of Nottingham, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESSING
FRAMES.
We form the sides of each frame in suitable lengths, each hinged to the next
adjacent length, and at one side of the frame to the floor we secure a standard, one
to each one, two, or more double lengths of the sides. Each standard forms bearings
for a shaft which is provided with a hand wheel by which it is revolved; this shaft
carries two worms, one of which gears into a worm wheel carried by an index ring,
the other worm gears into a worm wheel secured on the outer end of a shaft
revolving in bearings at a right angle to the left of the frame; the inner end of the
shaft carries a toothed bevel wheel which operates a rack or screw shaft in the
usual way, but instead of the rack or screw shaft being the full length of the frame
they are considerably shorter.
By means of a dressing frame constructed as above described we can widen out
at will as fast as the fabric is placed on the frame. Besides which we can dress
several lengths of various widths on the same frame at the same time, each separate
width being denoted by the index ring moved by the hand shaft which operates
each series of double lengths of the sides, a considerable saving of time being
effected in widening out.
Figure 1 represents in plan portions of the length of a dressing frame constructed
according to our improvements.
Figure 2, a sectional view of the same on the lines a, a, on Figure 1, shewing the
stationary rail at one end of the frame and the standards which support the same.
Figure 3 is a side view of the parts shewn at Figure 1.
Each dressing frame we construct as follows:-
We form the sides of each frame in suitable lengths b, each hinged to the next
adjacent length c, and at one side of the frame we secure a standard d to the floor
one such standard to each two or more double lengths of the sides. Each standard
forms bearings for a shaft which is provided with a hand wheel e at its upper end
by which it is revolved; this shaft carries two worms, the upper one of which gears
into a worm wheel f carried by an index ring which shews the width of the frame
in inches, and the lower worm gears into a worm wheel g secured on the outer end
of a shaft gl which revolves in bearings at a right angle to the length of the frame.
The inner end of the shaft carries a toothed bevel wheel gearing into a like wheel
near one end of a shaft g, both ends of which shaft are provided with toothed
wheels, each of which gear into the teeth on the lower side of a rack bar h and also
into two other toothed wheels which as they revolve gear into the teeth of two:
bars h', the bars h' moving the reverse way to the bars h. The rack bars and h¹
are each secured to a standard i provided with a truck wheel at its lower end and
secured to the side length b at its upper end. The lengths b and c are provided
on the inner edges with the usual pins to receive the fabric to be dressed.
The right end of the length c is binged to the next adjacent length b, and is also
provided with a slot on the underside which slides on a binge pin carried by the
length b to the right, this arrangement enables the attendant to widen out the
lengths 6 at each side simultaneously, at the same time the lengths c take an
oblique direction on each side.

page_text: Our improved frame is a combination of both the rack and screw frames; it
assimilates to the rack frame, inasmuch as the width required is obtained by both
sides of the frame being moved simultaneously, and not, as in the screw frame, on
the side only. In our improved frame the first length is turned out in a parallel form,
carrying the second length in an oblique form; each side moving simultaneously we
are enabled to widen out in half the time possible on a screw frame, and twice the
length. Thus not only is time and labor saved but all the damage and inconvenience
likely to result from working other systems is entirely obviated by getting out the
width and length before the fabric has time to get dry or partially so. The
pattern of the lace or other fabric when laid straight retains its position when
turned out, thus saving time.
Only half the number of turning out points are required, and the appliances
are so constructed that children can work them with ease to fabrics requiring the
greatest tension.
Having thus fully described our said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same we declare that we claim for a dressing frame constructed in sectional
lengths, portion of each such length being capable of being widened out simul-
taneously at the same time as another portion takes an oblique direction, the width
being accurately indicated, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in
the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Cooke and Josiah Charles
Willoughby, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Nineteenth day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM COOKE.
(L.S.)
Witness,
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Nottingham.
-JOSIAH CHARLES WILLOUGHBY. (L.S.)