 In 1914 he patented the "triangulated frame" to protect his design that was a Cotton feature until the Second World War.The First World War intervened and it was not until 1918 that the Cotton Motor Company was founded; the first Cotton motorcycle appeared in 1920.In 1922 Stanley Woods rode a Blackburne-engined Cotton to fifth in the 350 cc Junior TT, and the following year, won the 1923 Isle of Man TT, averaging , bettering Douglas rider, Manxman Tom Sheard’s winning 500 cc Senior TT time, an average of .