Improvements in the Manufacture of Air or Water. Oushions and similar Articles and in Apparatus Employed in such Manufacture.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Aug., 1887
Complete Left, 5th May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 8th June, 1888
Improvements in the Manufacture of Air or Water. Oushions
and similar Articles and in Apparatus Employed in such
Manufacture.
I HUGH CECIL BIRLEY of the firm of Charles Macintosh and Company of Cambridge
Street Manchester in the County of Lancaster India Rubber Manufacturer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of air or water cushions made either of
solid rubber or of rubber sheet with a cloth insertion, and other similar articles, the
object being to obtain a better and more perfectly finished article than has hitherto
been made.
It is at present usual in the manufacture of the above named articles to protect
them during the process of vulcanization by a coating of chalk or a covering of
cloth.
My invention consists in vulcanizing them in a mould in a distended or partly
distended condition.
The mould is made of two concave or dished plates with flat edges corresponding in
shape to the article required to be vulcanized so that when placed face to face they
will hold and firmly press the "fin' or joint all round the edge of the article which
latter is so distended by air inside that its sides will be pressed against the concave
parts of the mould in which it is kept during the vulcanizing process.
By these means the joint of the cushion will be rendered more secure, and the finish
of the surface of the article will be greatly improved as any irregularity caused by
strengthening pieces or otherwise will be pressed inside the said cushion or article and
will not appear upon the surface.
In some cases I may form a design upon the concave moulds which by the pressure
of air inside the cushion or article will produce a pattern thereon and thus very
ornamental effects can be obtained.
Thated th: 5th dose of Anova 1887
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Air or Water Cushions
and similar Articles and in Apparatus Employed in such
Manufacture.
I, HUGH CECIL BIRLEY of the firm of Charles Macintosh and Company of Cambridge
Street Manchester in the County of Lancaster India Rubber Manufacturer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to the manufacture of air or water cushions made either of
solid rubber or of rubber sheet with a cloth insertion, and other similar articles, the
object being to obtain a better and more perfectly finished article than has hitherto
been made.
It is at present usual in the manufacture of the above named articles to vulcanize
them "
open," i.e. either placed in steam or dry heat without any covering or to
protect them during the process of vulcanization by a coating of chalk or a covering
of cloth.
My invention consists in vulcanizing them in a metal mould preferably in a
distended or partly distended condition.
The mould is made of two flat concave, or dished plates with edges corresponding
in shape to the article required to be vulcanized so that when placed face to face they
will hold and firmly press the "fin or joint all round the edge of the article. I
prefer to use a concave mould and to distend the cushion or other article by air or
otherwise so that its sides are forcibly pressed against the interior of the mould in
which it is kept during the vulcanizing process.
By these means the joint of the cushion will be rendered more secure, and the finish
of the surface of the article will be greatly improved as any irregularity caused by
strengthening pieces or otherwise will be pressed inside the said cushion or article and
will not appear upon the surface.
In some cases I may form a design upon the interior of the moulds which by the
action of the pressure in or upon the cushion or other article will produce a pattern
thereon and thus very ornamental effects can be obtained.
In the drawing hereunto annexed
Fig. 1. is a section of a metal mould made in two parts according to my
invention and containing a cushion in a partly distended condition ready for
vulcanization.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lower half of the mould, a being the mould, made
concave at a', and 6 being the part thereof which compresses the "fin" or joint round
the edge of the article.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1st. The improvement in the manufacture of air or water cushions and similar
articles by vulcanizing them in a metal mould substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described, and
2ndly. I claim the improved apparatus employed in such manufacture consisting of
a metal mould made of two flat, concave or dished plates in form corresponding to the
article to be vulcanized and having the edges round the article so formed as to
compress the "fin" or joint substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
the drawings annexed.