IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SURFACING FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Brown, of 85, Wood Street, Cheapside, in
the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR SURFACING FIBROUS MATERIALS."-A communication from abroad by
William Fuzzard, residing at the Town of Malden, in the State, of
Massachusetts, in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Brown at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th November
1862.
I, THOMAS BROWN, of 85, Wood Street, Cheapside, in the City of London,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR SURFACING FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for surfacing
fibrous materials. For these purposes a metallic apron is used in combination
with heating and cooling surfaces or cylinders. Heated cylinders are by
preference employed, and the metallic apron is made endless. A sheet of
fibrous substance prepared by a carding machine or otherwise, so as to be
suitable for making the description of wadding or preparation of surfaced
fibres required is brought to, and by means of a feeding apron is fed into
the machine. The endless metallic apron is arranged to pass over the
first heating cylinder, then under the next heating cylinder, and then
over the third heating cylinder, then down and back under the three

page_text: heated cylinders. In its passage back the endless metallic apron is caused
to pass under two cooling cylinders, it is also brushed and polished by a
felt, or other suitable roller, in passing from the heated to the cooling
cylinders. Just before the metallic apron comes to the position of the first
heated cylinder, where the fibres are pressed on to the surface of the
apron by a pressing heated roller, a cementing or adhesive matter (by
preference potato starch) suitable for surfacing the fibres is applied to the
surface of the metallic apron, by which the under surface of the sheet of
fibres will be surfaced whilst the cementing matter will, when heat has been
applied thereto be dried and adhere to the fibres, but will separate readily
from the metallic apron. The cementing or adhesive matter is applied to
the metallic apron after it has been cooled from a trough, or hopper, or other
convenient apparatus by means of vulcanized india-rubber rollers or otherwise.
The surfaced sheet of fibres as it arrives at the end of the machine is detached
from the metallic apron, and by means of a travelling apron is wound up into
a roll. Heat is applied to the cylinders and pressing roller of the feed
apparatus by steam or by other convenient means, and the cooling cylinders
are kept cool by water circulated through them or otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BROWN, of 85, Wood Street, Cheapside, in the City of London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 2
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Brown, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Brown,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas 3
Brown, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN 3
MACHINERY FOR SURFACING FIBROUS MATERIALS," a communication to me from

page_text: abroad. by William Fuzzard, a person resident at the Town of Malden,
in the State of Massachusetts, in the United States of America, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Brown, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Brown, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for surfacing
fibrous materials. For these purposes a metallic apron is used in combination
with heated and cooling surfaces or cylinders... Heated cylinders are by
preference employed and the metallic apron is made endless. A sheet of
fibrous substance prepared by a carding machine or otherwise so as to be
suitable for making the description of wadding or preparation of surfaced
fibres required is brought to and by means of a feeding apron is fed into the
machine. The endless metallic apron is arranged to pass over the first
heating cylinder, then under the next heating cylinder, and then over the
third heating cylinder, then down and back under the three heated cylinders.
In its passage back the endless metallic apron is caused to pass under two
cooling cylinders, it is also brushed and polished by a felt or other suitable
roller in passing from the heated to the cooling cylinders. Just before the
metallic apron comes to the position of the first heated cylinder where the
fibres are pressed on to the surface of the apron by a pressing heated roller
a cementing or adhesive matter (by preference potato starch) suitable for
surfacing the fibres is applied to the surface of the metallic apron, by which
the under surface of the sheet of fibres will be surfaced whilst the cementing
matter will, when heat has been applied thereto, be dried and adhere to the
fibres, but will separate readily from the metallic apron. The cementing or
adhesive matter is applied to the metallic apron after it has been cooled, from
a trough, or hopper, or other convenient apparatus by means of vulcanized
india-rubber rollers or otherwise. The surfaced sheet of fibres as it arrives at
the end of the machine is detached from the metallic apron and by means of
a travelling apron is wound up into a roll. Heat is applied to the cylinders
and pressing roller of the feed apparatus by steam or by other convenient

page_text: to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The Drawing represents so much of a side elevation of a machine as will
enable a machinist readily to understand the same when aided by the description
herein given.
1, 1, 1, are three heating cylinders, which is the number I believe to be
most suitable for the purpose; 2, 2, is an endless apron of sheet metal; 3; is
a cooling cylinder. It is preferred to heat the cylinders 1, 1, 1, by steam
introduced by pipes 16 into the interior through hollow axes as is well under-
stood, and it is preferred to cool the cylinder 3 by circulating cold water
through it, but the heating and cooling apparatus, for heating and cooling the
endless metal apron may be otherwise arranged; 4, 4, are supporting and
guiding rollers; 5, 5, 5, are rollers coated with vulcanized india-rubber or
otherwise formed suitable for applying a thin film of the cementing matter
used on to the endless metal apron. The cement is placed in the hopper 12,
and descends between the first pair of rollers which deliver it to the other
roller 5, which applies it to the surface of the endless metal apron 2, as it
passes toward the feed apron 10, on the rollers 8, 8. The adjustment of the
quantity of feed of the cementing matter is made by excentrics on the
axis 7 as is well understood. 6 is a roller covered with felt or other suitable
material to cleanse the endless metal apron, the surface of this roller may
itself be cleansed by any ordinary means when required. The axis of the
roller 6 is adjusted by excentrics on the axis 7ª, as is well understood. 9, is
an endless apron carried by the roller 8. This apron supports the roll 14, as
it is formed on an axis in the centre, or the use of an axis may be dispensed
with; when used it is arranged to rise between horns or in slots formed in
uprights. A roll 13 of fibrous matter is placed on the apron (10,) which may
or may not have a rod or axis, the rod or axis may be dispensed with where
the layers of fibres do not adhere to such an extent as to cause the roll 13
to be moved towards the feed roller 11.
I have not thought it necessary to shew any arrangement for giving motion
to the several parts, as a machinist will readily apply the same.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to

page_text: any of the mechanical parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the details
shown; but what I claim is the use of a metallic apron in combination
with heating and cooling surfaces to carry and apply surfacing material to
and dry the same on a sheet of fibres so as to surface the same as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Brown, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
THOMAS BROWN. (L.S.)