Patent GB-190413471-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Multiple-ply Woven Fabrics with Adhesive Compositions.
Inventor: SMITH WILLIAM ROSCO
Filed: 1904-06-14
Granted: 1904-10-20
Abstract: 13,471. Smith, W. R. June 14. Coated fabrics.- The interstices of a cotton or other multiple-ply woven fabric are permeated by a rubber or other adhesive fluid or semi-fluid filling- composition, forced into the stretched and heated fabric so as to obtain an unlaminated, inextensible, unshrinkable, and waterproof material, suitable for machine belting and having a power of gripping the driving-pulleys which is unimpaired by the wearing-away of the fibres. The rubber contained in the improved fabric may be wholly or superficially vulcanized at some stage in the process. Along strip of fabric is wound off a mandrel and passed through heated rolls to a pair of rolls k, Fig. 9, which form a trough with curved sides for holding the filling-composition. The strip then passes through a similar pair of rolls and between smooth, horizontal, heated rubbing-plates p, Fig. 11, and other rolls to a winding-mandrel. Each pair of rolls rotates faster than the preceding pair, and thus tends to extend the strip. The speed of unwinding is regulated by the distance apart of hinged brake shoes of V-section, which clasp a grooved pulley on the delivery mandrel and are brought towards or away from each other by a regulating-screw. The strip is dried, heated, pressed, and taken forwards by hollow rolls into which steam is passed through a trunnion of each roll. The upper rolls are connected by spur gearing to the corresponding lower rolls, which are driven by a horizontal worm shaft. The strip passes over an idle roll j, Fig. 9, and then vertically down between the steam-heated rolls k, the sides of which form a curved trough for the adhesive composition. The left-hand roll k, Fig. 10, carries two ranges k<1>, one of which fits tightly over the end 13 of the barrel 12, while the other fits in a gap left by a packing-piece 16 in the surface of the right-l and roll, the barrel 12 of which is threaded with a number of interchangeable rings 15 of different thicknesses, kept in place by a screwed nut 14. The filling-composition, preferably a solution of rubber, is carried in a steamheated reservoir m, Fig. 9, and is distributed between the rolls by pipes m<1> with numerous outlets m<2>, Figs. 6 and 7, over which fit rotatable sleeves m<3> carrying handles or ears m<4>. The rubbing-plates p, Fig. 11, are flat, hollow, steamheated plates carrying trunnions q<4> pivoted to blocks q<3> sliding in a hollow framework q, which is rocked, on a centre placed symmetrically to the plates p, by an eccentric disc. The traverse of the plates p is adjusted either by altering the eccentricity of the disc r or by moving in or out the piece s sliding on the framework q. The lower plate p is kept horizontal by means of a rack on its under surface which meshes with toothed rocking segments p<5>. The distance apart of the plates is adjusted by screws p ‹ which draw up blocks p<3> carrying studs or ribs engaging horizontal grooves on the upper plate. All the rolls are adjustable for different thicknesses of fabric, one of each pair being mounted in sliding blocks moved by adjusting-screws carrying bevel gear actuated by an adjusting-shaft. The finished strip is wound on a mandrel, the speed of which is decreased, as the winding proceeds, in the following manner. The mandrel carries a large disc u<1>, Fig. 15, driven by a small friction-wheel u<2> which may be slid along the driving-shaft w by a fork y<1> carried on a rock-shaft y. An arm fixed to the latter is held against the surface of the belt by a spring y<4> and so slides the wheel u<2> along its shaft as the winding proceeds.