Text of the 1798 patent granted to John Curr of Sheffield for making a flat rope by sewing, stitching, or lapping two or more small ropes side by side with thread, small rope, or wire. It was intended for hoisting coal, minerals, and water out of mines. The specification describes a lever-operated machine with piercing needles and squeezing rollers, and a hand method of lapping. A foldout plate (Figs. 1-6) shows the machinery.