William Hudson, of Burnley, Lancashire, machine-maker, and John Dodgeon, of Burnley, in the same county, overlooker, for certain improvements in looms for weaving.

January-6 months for inrolment.

Sealed 22nd

James Barr Mitchell, M.D., and Thomas Best Woolryche, chemist, for improvements in the manufacture of soda, and in treating products obtained in such manufacture. Sealed 25th January-6 months for inrolment.

Henry Highton, of Rugby, Warwick, Master of Arts, and Edward Highton, of Regent's Park, Middlesex, civil engineer, for improvements in electric telegraphs. Sealed 25th January-6 months for inrolment.

George Fergusson Wilson, of Belmont, Vauxhall, Gent., for improvements in treating and manufacturing certain fatty or oily matters, and in the manufacture of candles and night-lights. Sealed 25th January-6 months for inrolment.

Henry Hornblower, late of Dalgleish-place, Commercial-road,
Middlesex, but now of Devons-lane, Bromley, Middlesex, for
certain improvements in machinery for exerting motive power,
and for raising and forcing fluids. Sealed 25th January-6
months for inrolment.

Thomas Topham, of Ripley, Derbyshire, manufacturer, for im-
provements in the manufacture of time-tables.
January-6 months for inrolment.

Sealed 25th

Disclaimer and Amendment

OF PART OF AN INVENTION

MADE UNDER LORD BROUGHAM'S ACT.

Disclaimer allowed on the 12th January, 1818, by Her Majesty's Attorney General, to the specification of a patent granted to James Johnson, of Greenock, engineer, for " new and improved processes and machinery for making and refining sugar." Dated 31st January, 1845, and filed by the Clerk of the Patents on the 17th January, 1848.

1

CELESTIAL PHENOMENA FOR FEBRUARY, 1848.

Venus R. A. 19h. 7m. dec. 21. 23 14 17 28. S.

Mars R. A. 3h. 27m. dec. 20. 25

TO FREDERICK THEODORE PHILIPPI, of Bellfield Hall, in the county of Lancaster, calico printer, for his invention of certain improvements in machinery or apparatus for stretching, drying, and finishing woven fabrics.-[Sealed June 15th, 1847.]

THESE improvements in machinery or apparatus for stretching, drying, and finishing woven fabrics consist in a novel arrangement or construction of mechanism, designed for the purpose of effecting such operations in a much more expeditious and economical manner than has hitherto been accomplished; and also causing such operations to be performed with uninterrupted continuity throughout the entire length of the piece of goods, or of a number of pieces of goods, or of a number of pieces of goods connected together endwise, and submitted to the said operations.

The operations of stretching, drying, and finishing woven fabrics, as usually practised, are directed principally to two objects,—the one, the drying the fabrics with a particular finish,—the other, the drying the fabrics at or in a suitable state of distension; both of which objects are embraced in this invention. The particular finish to be obtained by the improved machinery or apparatus is the well known "elastic finish," mostly applicable to muslins, lenoes, and other light fabrics. This clastic finish is attained by taking out or pre

VOL. XXXII.

K

venting the rigid stiffness of the piece whilst being dried, by causing the threads of the fabric to be brought or strained into diagonal positions, so as to distort or put out of shape the figures or forms of the meshes or interstices. Thus, by shifting the directions or positions of the threads, the starch or other stiffening matter, which would otherwise fill up the interstices, becomes broken between the meshes of the fabric; and the desired finish, which improves or brightens the appearance and adds elasticity and softness to the touch, is imparted to the cloth.

This elastic finish was formerly partially and imperfectly accomplished by the hands of workmen, moving one side or selvage of the cloth; also by pulling, or, as it was called, "thumbing" each selvage of the cloth alternately;-the piece being in some cases distended on an ordinary stenter rail. It has lately been more successfully accomplished by certain apparatus constructed and arranged according to the specification of a patent granted to Thomas Ridgway Bridson and William Latham, 26th of May, 1838.* The finishing of the goods by the apparatus described in that specification, is accomplished by placing a single piece on the stenter-rails of a stretching-frame; then distending the piece breadthways; and, lastly, causing such rails, with the piece so stretched upon them, to vibrate, by bringing into operation a vibratory apparatus; thereby causing the piece to be strained diagonally, by the repeated vibrations or reciprocating motion of the side rails of such apparatus, during the process of drying.

The operation of finishing the goods, by the apparatus and arrangement just referred to, occupies a considerable time; that is to say, each separate piece or length of cloth takes about fifteen minutes for the finishing; but, according to the present invention, the said elastic finish is attained by means of certain arrangements, whereby the cloth may be finished by one continuous and uninterrupted operation. The improved machinery and apparatus for this purpose is designed and arranged to produce a progressive motion of, first one selvage of the cloth, and then the other; and, by such pro

* See Vol. XIV., p. 294, Conjoined Series.

gressive motion, a piece, or any convenient number of pieces, may be operated upon with uninterrupted continuity.

In Plate IV., fig. 1, represents a plan or horizontal view of the improved apparatus for stretching, drying, and finishing woven fabrics; fig. 2, is a side elevation of the same; fig. 3, is a front view of the right hand or driving end of the apparatus; and fig. 4, is a transverse section, taken through about the middle of the same, at the left hand or feedingend of the apparatus. a, is the main framing, to which are bolted two slide-bars b, b, which are capable of adjustment (when required), by means of slots. These two bars b, b, support, on suitable brackets, the tension-rail c, c, which is formed slightly hollow or concave at the middle, for the purpose of allowing the piece to swag, or hang loosely, whilst being introduced into the machine. The bars b, b, also support two cross shafts, upon each of which are placed loosely about six bobbins or cylinders (more or less) d, d, d, e, e, e, formed of wood or other suitable material, and revolving freely and independently of each other upon the said shafts: the bobbins d, d, d, upon the upper shaft are covered with flannel, felt, or any other suitable material; and the two outside cylinders e, e, e, on the lower shaft, are bushed and covered with metal, so as to form pulleys, over or around which the two endless straps or bands f, f1, of leather or other suitable material, pass. These bands or straps f, f1, are furnished with pins or points, fixed near to the inner edges of the same, so as to take hold of the selvage of the muslin or other fabric under operation. It will be seen that the brackets, which carry the upper shaft, are capable of being slidden upon the cross-rail g, g, by turning the screw h, by hand, as the felt becomes worn by the action of the pins, with which the endless straps or belts f, f1, are furnished. To the cross-rail g, is also attached a short piece of chain or flexible weight i, well covered with felt or flannel, which bears upon the piece of muslin or other fabric, as hereafter described. The endless bands or straps f,f1, travel or pass through two rails k, k, made of wood or other suitable material, the ends of which are supported and swivel upon pivots. These rails (which are preferred to be made in lengths of K 2