Year: 1888

page_text: We ARTHUR FRENOH ST. GEORGE of Redhill in the County of Surrey Electrician
and AGNES ST. GEORGE wife of the said Arthur French St. George and of the same
address do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
Our invention relates to an improved method of manufacturing suitable materials
for floor coverings such as those materials known as "floor cloth" "linoleum" and
"corticino" which it is desired should be decorated with coloured and ornamental
patterns or designs and by means of our invention we produce such a material
provided with any ornamental design or colouring impressed and solid completely
through the body of the material from the side which is to be trodden upon in use to
the backside where it is mounted upon usually a canvas backing so that according to
our invention we produce a floor covering of suitable material with any desired pattern
or design worked thereon and therein which material and pattern from time to time
by reason of wear and tear of people treading upon it in use may become worn down
but the pattern or design never disappears from it until the whole substance has been
completely worn away down to the canvas backing below it. In order to accomplish
our invention we take a sheet of linoleum pulp or other suitable pulp or material of
such consistency that it can be rolled or pressed to a thin film. We lay upon the
sheet or film of pulp or other material a stencil plate which is perforated with lines
and gaps representing the pattern which we desire to appear upon and in the sheet of
linoleum. Underneath the film we luy another stencil plate having a pattern in
fac-simile of the stencil plate above the film and we take care that the stencil plates
are laid with exactitude one above the other so that the patterns of each correspond
in position to each other. We press the whole together preferably sufficiently to
cause both the stencils to cling evenly and securely to their respective sides of the
film of pulp by passing the whole between rollers or otherwise under pressure sufficient
to cause the pulp or material to emerge slightly through the gaps or lines of the
stencils from within to the two outside stencil plate surfaces.
So prepared and arranged we lay the film of pulp or material and stencils clinging
thereto upon a level surface and we rub one or both stencil plates preferably one at

page_text: a time all over its surface with a brush of bristles or wires in such a manner as to
cause the bristles of the brush to wear away all portions of the pulp appearing through
the gaps or lines of the stencil plates by reason of the bristles entering therein and
brushing away the particles of pulp where exposed to the action of the brush the
portions of the pulp which are covered and protected by the solid portions of the
stencil plates not being affected by the brush and remaining intact. We prefer to
use revolving or rocking brushes for this process or brushes caused to move to and fro
and up and down and in every possible direction in turn so as to completely rub, dig
and throw out and aside all particles of the exposed portions of the film. We apply
this process of brushing for a sufficient length of time to one or both stencil. plate
surfaces until the film becomes as completely as possible perforated and worn away to
the pattern cut out of the stencil plates that is to say so that as nearly as possible the
stencil plates and film all together in position constitute a composite stencil. We then
take some pulp coloured as required or any suitable coloring or colored material
and we press it upon the surface of one or both stencil plates laid on a level surface
until the coloured material enters and completely fills the perforations or gaps made as
described and we then remove the superfluous coloured material by paring it or
scraping it off with a knife or by rolling, rubbing or in any other convenient manner
leaving coloured material lodged only in the gaps and lines of the pattern formed.
Sometimes before filling in the gaps and lines solid with coloured material we rub
some colouring matter into the gaps and lines by means of brushes served with liquid
or dry powder colour and by so doing we completely colour any small particles of grit
or material left in the lines or gaps of the pattern and which the former process of
brushing out may have by accident or otherwise failed to completely remove and by
rubbing colour into the gaps or lines we obtain with certainty a cleaner and better
defined solid colour pattern in the final result. Sometimes we prefer to place a third
and thicker stencil plate below the bottom stencil plate so that when the coloured
matter is forced through from above any small particles of the linoleum film or of
grit that the brushes may have failed to remove will be pushed downwards and out of
the gaps and lines to the surface of the extra stencil plate below which latter we then
remove and clear away any such particles that may have been pushed out together
with all superfluous coloured material as far as to the surface of the stencil next the
linoleum film.
We next remove the stencil plates from each side of the film of pulp and the film
has then a pattern of coloured material worked into and completely through its
substance and may
be attached to a canvas or other suitable backing to support and
strengthen it and may be pressed and dried ready for use. When it is desired to
produce a floor covering of considerable extra thickness we prefer to take two or
more films with patterns manufactured according to our invention as described and
we lay them ono above the other with exactitude so that the patterns of them all
correspond the ono with the other in regard to position and we then press or roll the
films together and thus we form one solid composite film of great thickness having a
coloured pattern through its substance. In order to form designs of many colours
according to our invention we repeat our process as described as many times as there
are colours required in the design and with a separate set of stencils for each colour
portion of the design and in order to shade or fringe the edges of any colour with a
lighter or darker edge we brush colour into the gaps or lines of a lighter or
darker shade than or dissimilar colour to the colour which is afterwards used to fill up
the gaps or lines.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Manufacturing Floor Coverings.
We ARTHUR FRENCH ST. GEORGE of Redhill in the County of Surrey Electrician
and AGNES ST. GEORGE wife of the said Arthur French St. George and of the same
address do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to he performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
S
Our invention relates to an improved method of manufacturing suitable material
for floor coverings such as those materials known as "floor cloth" "linoleum" and
" corticino which it is desired. should be decorated with coloured and ornamental
patterns or designs and by means of our invention we produce such a material provided
with any ornamental design or colouring impressed and solid completely through the body
of the material from the side which is to he trodden upon in use to the backside where it
is mounted (in the case of linoleum and the like materials) upon usually a canvas
backing so that according to our invention we produce a floor covering of suitable
material with any desired pattern or design worked thereon and therein which
material and pattern from time to time by reason of wear and tear of persons
trending upon it in use may become worn down hut the pattern or design in colours
never disappears from it until the whole substance has been completely, worn away to
the canvas backing below it.
In order to accomplish our invention we take a sheet of linoleum or other suitable
material of such consistency or quality or condition that in a cold or a hot state it can
be rolled or pressed to the required thickness. We lay upon this sheet of material
a stencil plate which is perforated with lines and gaps representing the pattern
which we desire to appear upon and in the sheet of linoleum. Underneath the
sheet of material we lay another stencil plate having a pattern in fac-simile of
the stencil plate above the sheet and we take care that the stencil plates are laid with
exactitude one above the other so that the patterns of each correspond in position to
each other. We press the whole together preferably sufficiently to cause both the
stencils to cling evenly and securely to their respective sides of the film or sheet of
material by passing the whole between rollers or otherwise under pressure sufficient to
cause the material to emerge slightly through the gaps or lines of the stencils from
within to the two outside stencil plate surfaces. So prepared and arranged we lay the
sheet of material and stencils upon a level surface and we rub one or both stencil
plates preferably one at a time all over its surface with a brush of suitable bristles
preferably animal bristles or wires of flat or other section in such a manner as to cause
the bristles of the brush to wear away all portions of the material appearing and
exposed at the gaps or lines of the stencil plates by reason of the bristles entering
therein and brushing away the particles of material when exposed to the action of
the brush the portions of the material which are covered and protected by the
solid portions of the stencil plates not being affected by the brush and remaining
intact. We prefer to use revolving or rocking brushes for this process or
brushes arranged and actuated so as to move to and fro and upwards & downwards
and in every possible direction in turn so as to completely rub or dig or throw
out and aside all particles of the exposed portions of the sheet of material.
:

page_text: We apply this process of brushing for a sufficient length of time to one or both
stencil plate surfaces until the sheet of material becomes as completely as possible
perforated and worn away to the pattern cut out of the stencil plates that is to say so
that as nearly as possible the stencil plates and sheet altogether in position constitute
of a whole a composite stencil. We then take some material coloured as required and
in suitable condition and we press it at the stencil plate surface so that the coloured
material enters and completely fills the perforations or gaps made as described and we
then remove the superfluous coloured material by paring it or scraping it off with a
knife or by rolling rubbing or brushing or in any other convenient manner leaving
coloured material lodged only in the gaps and lines of the pattern formed. Sometimes
before filling the gaps with coloured material we completely colour any small particles
of grit or material left in the lines or gaps of the pattern and which the former
process of brushing out the substance may have by accident or otherwise failed to
completely remove and by rubbing colour into the gaps or lines we obtain, with
certainty a cleaner and better defined solid colored pattern in the final result.
Sometimes we prefer to place a third and thicker stencil plate below the bottom
stencil so that when the colored matter is forced through from above any small
particles of the material of the sheet or of grit that the brushes may have failed to
remove will be pushed downwards and out of the gaps and lines to the surface of the
extra stencil plate below which latter we then remove and clear away any such particles
that may have been pushed out together with all superfluous coloured material as far
as to the surface of the stencil next the linoleum or material sheet.
We next
remove the stencil plates from each side of the sheet of material and the sheet has
then a pattern of coloured material worked into and completely through its substanco
and may be attached to a canvas or other suitable backing to support and strengthen
it and may be pressed and arranged ready for use. When it is desired to produce a
floor covering of considerable extra thickness we prefer to take two or more sheets
with colored patterns manufactured according to our invention as described and we
lay them one above the other with exactitude so that the patterns of them all
correspond the one with the other in regard to position and we then press or roll the
sheets together, and thus we form one solid compounded sheet of great thickness
having a coloured pattern through its substance. In order to formi designs of many
colours according to our invention we repeat our process as described as many times
as there are colours required in the design and with a separate stencil or stencils for
each coloured portion i.e.-for each separate colour of the design and in order to
shade or fringe the edges of any coloured inlaid portion with a lighter or darker edge
we brush colour into the gaps or lines of a lighter or darker shade than or dissimilar
colour to the colour which is afterwards used to fill up the gaps or lines. In applying
our invention to the inlaying of coloured patterns in linoleum which has already a
canvas backing attached we prefer to heat the material so as to render it soft and
the more readily cut out by the brushing device and we prefer to fill up the gaps
as described with linoleum material in granulated or powdered condition and by hot-
pressing we solidify the material so inlaid.
For the purpose of cutting out linoleum according to our invention we prefer to
employ a circular brush of the shape of a jeweller's scratch brush and composed
preferably of animal bristles about the size of No. 22 Birmingham wire gauge.
The character of the brush as regards size and stiffness of the wires or brushes
must be regulated according to the particular material to be operated upon as for
instance animal bristles are not suitable for operating upon a sheet of pulp material
of a greasy or wet nature but preferably a wire bristle brush should be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. In the manufacture of floor coverings the cutting out of designs in the material
by means of the brushing, scratching, scraping, rubbing, piercing or pricking devices
substantially as and for the purposes described.

page_text: 2. In the manufacture of floor coverings the combination of one or more stencil
plates or plattens with a brushing, scratching, scraping, rubbing, piercing or pricking
device substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. In the manufacture of floor coverings the inlaying of the colored material to
form the inlaid colored designs substantially as described.
1. In the manufacture of floor coverings the inlaying of designs in the material
with shaded, fringed colouring, or varied coloured designs substantially as described.
5. Colouring the gaps or lines cut out of the material of the floor coverings
substantially as and for the purposes described.
6. In the manufacture of floor coverings the combination of two or more sheets
of material each inlaid as herein described substantially as and for the purposes
described.
Dated this 29th day of March 1889
ARTHUR FRENCH ST. GEORGE.
AGNES ST. GEORGE.