AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF VULCANIZING ARTICLES OR FABRICS COMPOSED EITHER WHOLLY OR PARTIALLY OF INDIA RUBBER."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Rowley, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF VULCANIZING
ARTICLES OR FABRICS COMPOSED EITHER WHOLLY OR PARTIALLY OF INDIA
RUBBER."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION, left by the said Thomas Rowley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th February 1881.
"
THOMAS ROWLEY, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. 'AN IMPROVED
PROCESS OF VULCANIZING ARTICLES OR FABRICS COMPOSED EITHER WHOLLY OR
PARTIALLY OF INDIA RUBBER."
The articles or fabrics to be vulcanized, whether composed wholly or partially
of india rubber, are to be intermixed with a sufficient quantity of free sulphur or
of a suitable substance or compound containing sulphur either in a free or combined
state, or in some cases I prefer to rub onto their outer surfaces the free sulphur, or
the compound containing free or combined sulphur.
When the said articles or fabrics have been thus sufficiently sulphurized they are
to be placed in a suitable steam-tight vessel or receptacle which is capable of being
heated by means of high pressure steam or other source of heat.
Inside this receptacle, at the bottom (or otherwise in immediate connection
therewith), is a vessel containing a suitable quantity of a solution of ammonia gas
in water (sometimes called "liquor ammonia"), a solution of ammonium sulphides,
gas liquor, ammonium carbonate, a salt or a solution of a salt of ammonium (mixed
with caustic lime, caustic soda, or caustic potash), a mixture of potassium sulphides
with ammonium chloride, or any other mixture which will liberate ammonia gas
or the vapor of ammonium sulphide.
I prefer to use a solution of ammonia gas in water or a solution of ammonium
sulphide. I then heat the whole to a proper temperature and keep the articles or
fabrics therein until they are perfectly vulcanized.
For some articles I prefer to simply heat them (at the proper vulcanizing

page_text: temperature) in the steam tight vessel in presence of the vapour of ammonium
sulphide, no free or other sulphur having to be applied either internally or
externally to the articles, and there having been no previous intermixture of
sulphur or compounds containing sulphur with the india rubber.
Some articles composed of india rubber not containing any admixture or addition
of sulphur or of sulphur compounds are placed in a steam tight vessel, and a
volume of sulphuretted hydrogen gas is introduced, after which a certain volume of
sulphurous acid gas (sulphur di-oxide) is also introduced, and the steam-tight
vessel and its contents heated as usual to the proper temperature and for the
proper time to effect the vulcanization.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Rowley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th August
1881.
THOMAS ROWLEY, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. "AN IMPROVED
PROCESS FOR VULCANIZING ARTICLES OR FABRICS COMPOSED EITHER WHOLLY OR
PARTIALLY OF INDIA RUBBER."
The articles or fabrics to be vulcanized, whether composed wholly or partially of
india rubber, are to be intermixed with a sufficient quantity of free sulphur or of a
suitable substance or compound containing sulphur either in a free or combined state,
or in some cases I prefer to rub on to their outer surfaces the free sulphur, or the
compound containing free or combined sulphur. When the said articles or fabrics
have been sufficiently sulphured they are to be placed in a suitable steam tight
vessel or receptacle which is capable of being heated by means of high pressure
steam or other source of heat.
Inside this receptacle, at the bottom (or otherwise in immediate connection
therewith), is a vessel containing a suitable quantity of the solution of ammonia
gas in water (sometimes called "liquor ammonia "), gas liquor, stale urine, ammonium
carbonate, a salt or solution of a salt of ammonium, or a compound of ammonium
(mixed with caustic lime, caustic soda, or caustic potash), or any other mixture
which will liberate ammonia gas.
In some cases I immerse the goods in a dilute solution of sodium carbonate or
potasium carbonate in water, or a dilute solution of caustic soda or caustic potash
in water, and heat the goods in any of these solutions in a steam tight vessel to the
proper temperature for vulcanizing, but I prefer to use a solution of ammonia gas
in water. I then heat the whole to a proper temperature, and keep the articles or
fabrics therein until they are perfectly vulcanized. I regulate the quantity of
sulphur required for the vulcanization according to the class of goods, the amount
of sulphur used ranging from about two per cent. of the weight of the rubber
and upwards. Some classes of goods I immerse in the solution of ammonia in
water, or of the salts of ammonia which liberate ammoniacal gas at a steam heat
(ammonium carbonate), or any combination of ammonium salts with caustic soda,
caustic potash, caustic lime, or other fixed alkaline oxide, and heat the goods in a
steam tight vessel to the proper vulcanizing temperature.
I find that by the use of this Invention much less sulphur is required than in
the ordinary process, thereby causing a considerable saving in time while producing
goods less liable to subsequent deterioration through the presence of an excess of
sulphur.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,--
First. The use of ammonia gas, either in the gaseous state or in solution, as a
medium in vulcanizing and desulphuring in the mode described.
Secondly. The simultaneous carrying out of the two operations of vulcanization
and desulphuring, in the manner as hereinbefore described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Rowley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.