Improvements in the Ornamentation of Textile or other Fabrics and Materials and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in the Ornamentation of Textile or other Fabrics
and Materials and in Apparatus therefor.
I JOSEPH WHITLEY of Railway Works, Leeds Yorkshire Engineer and Founder,
do hereby declare the nature of invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ORNA-
MENTATION OF TEXTILE OR OTHER FABRICS AND MATERIALS, AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR to be as follows:-
Hitherto surface figures or ornamentation have been impressed upon woollen,
silk, and other textile fabrics (which may in certain cases be substituted for wood in
decorative art) as well as to wood, and other substances particularly whilst in a
plastic state, by the application of heated plates, blocks or matrices, the heat
having been transmitted to these externally or by steam applied to tanks
internally under high pressure (so as to heat the matrix pattern or patterns
which are in bass relief or otherwise). Hot air has also been used for the same
purpose.
My improvements consist in the use of mercury as a medium for transmitting
heat; I heat the same to the required temperature in an open or other tank and
having thus formed a mercurial bath I place the object to be printed or embossed,
upon the surface of the mercury having first affixed the desired figures to the
cloth or other material so that only the parts required to be affected by heat shall
come in contact with the surface of the mercury; or I affix the cloth or other
material to the bottom of the tank having first affixed the patterns and cause the
hot mercury to flow upon it. When I require to do very fine work I heat the
quantity of mercury and place it in a closed tank or cistern, to one side of which
tank I affix the embossing plate, figure or figures and having formned a table
which by preference I cause to slide in or upon grooves or traverse on runners
I cause the figured side of the hot tank to descend upon the cloth as stretched
upon the table by hydraulic or other pressure when required and thus cause the
whole of the figure work to appear either with a pressed or a floss surface as may
be required or the same effect may be attained by an open mercurial tank at the
bottom of which is a base plate perfectly level on which lays a bath of mercury
surrounding the template or embossing plate the figures of which project
a little
above the surface of the mercury so that the cloth to be impressed can only touch
the surface of the figured design to be impressed upon the cloth the latter being

page_text: secured to the upper plate in which plate I affix fine steel pins for the purpose of
securing the cloth in position as adjuncts to the general bordering which is nipped
to the side of the descending tank and attached to the press for the purpose of
embedding the figure to the depth required on the inner surface of the descending
cloth or other material by hydraulic or other pressure. Or I apply in some cases
a hot porous brick bath and in special cases I apply hot air or fine hot sand at a
known temperature for the purpose of accomplishing like figures.
Improved mechanical arrangements for expediting the production of embossed
figures upon the surface of cloth and other material may be described as follows.
First. Three or more tanks made of iron or steel are provided and linked or other-
wise attached together when I wish to rotate them, but if I wish to work them by
a transverse motion then I cause them to pass from one end of a bed or gantry to
the other and immediately under or above an hydraulic press or presses so that the
ram or rams of the presses may descend or ascend with their head plates for the
purpose of pressing the cloth or other material upon the hot projecting figures
above the mercury in the tanks.
A screw gear or other motion causes the tanks to traverse backwards and
forwards when the same are worked upon an horizontal fixed bed. When the
tanks are worked on a semi-rotating motion I couple three or more tanks together
so that each presents itself alternately at the top to receive its fresh supply of hot
mercury and the object to be embossed in such a position that the press can act
direct upon the surface of the cloth or other material. As the mercury tanks pass
a certain point a valve is opened which lets the mercury into a funnel headed pipe
which conveys the same to the hot well whence the mercury is forced again into
the tanks. When I print or emboss very delicate work I form a steel or iron bath
tank and having placed the embossed plate in the bottom with a projecting surface
of figure work I place a border of sheet Asbestos as a marginal protection and
having screwed down an internal top plate I exhaust the air and let in heated
mercury and so procure any delicate design upon small pieces of cloth or other
material For embossing large surfaces I use rotating cylinders with portable
figures sliding in grooves or otherwise.
1
T
BOOK

page_text: and Materials and in Apparatus therefor.
I JOSEPH WHITLEY of the Railway Works, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer and Founder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
Hitherto surface figures or ornamentation have been impressed upon woollen,
silk, and other textile fabrics, as well as wood and other substances, particularly
whilst in a plastic state (which may in certain cases be substituted for wood in
decorative art) by the application of heated plates blocks or matrices, the heat
having been transmitted to these externally or by steam applied to tanks
internally under high pressure (so as to heat the matrix pattern or patterns
which are in bas-relief or otherwise) Hot air has also been used for the same
purpose.
My improvements consist in the use of mercury as a medium for transmitting
heat I heat the same to the required temperature in an open or other tank and
having thus formed a mercurial bath I place the object to be printed or embossed
upon the surface of the mercury having first affixed the desired figures to the cloth
or other material so that only the parts required to be affected by heat shall come
in contact with the surface of the mercury or I affix the cloth or other material to
the bottom of the tank having first affixed the patterns and cause the hot mercury
to flow upon it.
When I require to do very fine work I heat the desired quantity of mercury and
placo it in a triangular tank having attached to or formed upon its faces embossing
plates with figured surfaces. This tank is supported in suitable bearings and
ascends and descends by hydraulic or other power. The material upon which it is
desired to produce an impression is placed upon a horizontal traversing table
sliding in grooves or upon runners, I then cause one of the figured sides of the
tank to descend upon the material and the desired impression is made. The same
effect may be produced by an alternative method which is as follows:-I use an
open mercurial tank at the bottom of which is a base plate perfectly level in which
lies a bath of mercury surrounding the embossing plate the figures of which project
a little above the surface of the mercury so that the material to be impressed can
only touch the surface of the figured design upon the embossing plate. The
material upon which it is desired to produce the impression is secured by means of
fine steel pins to a descending table which is bordered so as to prevent its
descending too low. Or I apply in some cases a hot porous brick bath and in
special cases I apply hot air or fine hot sand at a known temperature for the
purpose of accomplishing like figures.
The following are improved mechanical arrangements for expediting the pro-
duction of embossed figures upon the surface of cloth and other material. Two or

page_text: more tanks made of iron or steel are provided and linked or otherwise attached
together when I wish to rotate them but if I wish to work them by a traverse
motion then I cause them to pass from one end of a bed or gantry to the other and
immediately under or above a bydraulic press or presses so that the ram or rams of
the presses may descend or ascend with their head plates for the purpose of pressing
the cloth or other material upon the hot projecting figures.
When the tanks are worked upon a horizontal fixed bed they are caused to
traverse backwards and forwards by means of one or more screws gearing or other
suitable mechanical motion.
These tanks may be worked singly or in series upon the same table each rotating
at the same time above a web of cloth, velvet or other material by link or chain
motion, the whole being caused to ascend or descend by the same hydraulic or
other motor and to receive the hot mercury as they rotate or pass backwards and
forwards. As the tanks pass a certain point a valve is opened which lets the
mercury into a funnel headed pipe and returns the same to the hot well whence
the mercury is forced again into the tanks.
For embossing large surfaces I use rotating cylinders into the periphery of which
I fix my figure work and print therefrom consecutively maintaining the heat as
before described.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a transverse section and Figure 1ª part plan of a machine with fixed
horizontal embossing plate b. a is the tank containing mercury e which is heated
to the required degree by means of gas tubes f. The pressure upon the fabric
(shown by dot and dash lines) is obtained by actuating the hand wheel D which
causes the upper plate c to be forced down by means of the screw and thus brings
the fabric into contact with the embossing plate b-the upper plate c is then raised
after which the feed rollers are operated so as to bring another portion of fabric
forward and the pressing operation is repeated.
Figure 2 is longitudinal section and Figure 2 a plan of my apparatus showing a
tank with three faces. Figures 3 and 4 sheet 2 represent details of parts of this
apparatus to an enlarged scale which are omitted from the general view. a, is the
table having a rack on its underside in which a pinion gears which is actuated by
the hand wheel. bb are the supports upon which the table slides to and fro. dis
a lever having a balance weight at one end and fulcrumed about the centre, near to
which connecting rods reach to trunnions at each end of tank c for the purpose of
raising and lowering the same.
Referring to sleet 2 Figure 3 is a longitudinal and Figure 4 a transverse section
through the tank and mercury bath. The heated mercury in the tank h is
conveyed from thence through the pipe i by means of the force pump ; into the
tank c and after being utilized for the purpose of transmitting heat to the
embossing plates is allowed to return to the heating tank by lifting the valve k
which permits it to flow into the funnel and then through the pipe m into the
tank h.
Figures 5 and 6 show in longitudinal section and plan an apparatus for
embossing large surfaces. a is the frame, b embossing roller, cheating tubes.
d cloth rollers, e pressing roller, f pressing lever and weight. G is the mercury
in the interior of embossing roller.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The use of mercury brick baths or sand as a means of transmitting heat in
printing or embossing substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. The method of printing or embossing which consists in causing hot mercury
to flow over the prepared material substantially as and for the purpose specified.

page_text: 3. The use in embossing or printing of a closed mercury tank rotating or capable
of being rotated and having one or more figured sides adapted to be pressed upon
the material to be operated upon substantially as specified.
4. The combination with a tank or bath containing hot mercury of a figure plate
so immersed in the mercury that the raised portions of the figure work project
above it substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. The combination of two or more mercury tanks substantially in the manner
and for the purpose specified.