IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Nimmo, of Pendleton, in the County of
Lancaster, Spinner and Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TEXTILE FABRICS."
Sealed the 23rd September 1856, and dated the 29th March 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Nimmo at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th
March 1856.
I, the said WILLIAM NIMMO, of Pendleton, in the County of Lancaster,
Spinner and Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TEXTILE FABRICS, to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is the production of fabrics soft or spongy to
the touch, and particularly applicable to such goods as are known in the
Ac-
Eastern markets as zebras, Fermaheesh shawls, or imitations thereof.
cording to one method, I so conduct the weaving that a pattern more or less
raised is producéd upon the surface or surfaces; upon this I print according to
the usual methods. By another method, I so weave a fabric that the weft thread
or threads become flushed or thrown upon each side thereof, the warp being
in greater part contained between the two surfaces, thus producing a cloth
having the appearance of a satteen on both sides, with the soft spongy texture
required; or the same effect may be produced by so weaving that the greater

page_text: Upon both sides of
part of the weft is contained between two sets of warp.
the fabrics thus produced a pattern may be printed without the one interfering
with the other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Nimmo in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th September 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
NIMMO, of Pendleton, in the County of Lancaster, Spinner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Nimmo, Her especial licence that I, the said William Nimmo, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Nimmo, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
said 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 IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF TEXTILE FABRICS, upon the condition, amongst others that I,
the said William Nimmo, by an instrument -in. writing under my hand and
scal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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.
per-
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Nimmo, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
formed, to be particularly, described, and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say.
The object of my Invention is the production of fabrics soft or spongy
to, the touch, and applicable, particularly, to such, goods as are known in
the Eastern markets as zebras, or Fermaish shawls, or imitations thereof:
According to one method, I so conduct the weaving that on one surface there is
a figure more or less raised, and on the other surface the appearance of the back
or loose side of the zebra or imitations; thereof is retained;" upon the raised
or figured side I print according to the usual methods:

page_text: According to another part of my Invention, I so weave a fabric that the weft
thread or threads become flushed or thrown upon each side thereof, the warp
being in greater part contained between the two surfaces, thus producing a cloth
having the appearance of a satteen on both sides, with the soft spongy texture
required. Upon the thus manufactured cloth I print a pattern in the usual way
on each side of the fabric, without the one color or pattern interfering with the
other, and when thus printed the cloth has the appearance of what is known in
Eastern markets as costly Fermaish shawls; or a similar effect may be produced
by so weaving that the greater part of the weft is contained between the two
sets of warp threads. In order to guide the weaver or manufacturer, the
accompanying Diagrams, usually called tie-ups, will at once shew how to
manufacture the articles claimed as my Invention; but these tie-ups may be
varied to produce other figures, or patterns, or different lengths of flushing, or
a greater or smaller number of heald shafts and treadles may be employed than
are shown by these tie-ups.
No. 1, in the said Diagrams, shews how a cloth may be produced according
to the first part of my Invention; No. 2 shews the draft for weaving a cloth
according to the second part thereof, the weft thread being thrown on the
surface; and No. 3 exhibits a plan by which a similar effect is produced; but
in this instance the warp will be on the surfaces.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood
that I claim, as secured to me under the above recited Letters Patent,—
Firstly, in reference to the description of cloths, above mentioned, the pro-
duction of a raised surface with loose threads upon the other side thereof, such
raised surface to be printed upon.
Secondly, in reference to the aforesaid zebras, &c., the production of a cloth
with the two faces, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Nimmo, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
WILLIAM NIMMO. (L.S.)