AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR FOLDING AND SHAPING BELTS OR BANDS OF INDIA- RUBBER (OR COMPOUND CONSISTING PARTLY OF INDIA-RUBBER) AND WOVEN FABRIC."
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Pomeroy Dodge, of No. 79, Upper Thames
Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE
OF AND APPARATUS FOR FOLDING AND SHAPING BELTS OR BANDS OF INDIA-
RUBBER (OR COMPOUND CONSISTING PARTLY OF INDIA-RUBBER) AND WOVEN
FABRIC."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Pomeroy Dodge
at the Office of the Commissiouers of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th October 1866.
I, GEORGE POMEROY DODGE, of No. 79, Upper Thames Street, in the
City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A
IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR FOLDING AND SHAPING BELTS OR BANDS OF
INDIA-RUBBER (OR COMPOUND CONSISTING PARTLY OF INDIA-RUBB R) AND WOVEN
FABRIC," to be as follows:-
The said Invention relates to the manufacture of those bands composed of
the compounds of caoutchouc and other materials in combination with cotton,

page_text: hemp, or flax ducks, or cloths, known as vulcanized india-rubber machine.
bands, which are now extensively used for driving machinery and other similar
purposes. These bands have hitherto generally been formed by hand, and first
pressed by a hand roller and then by calender presses or other machinery.
And the nature of the said Invention consists chiefly in the peculiar mode of
folding and shaping the said bands, and in the use of a moulder or former and
other apparatus in their manufacture. The said moulder is constructed of
metal or other suitable material, and of any convenient size; this moulder is
made larger at the feeding side than at its exit or discharge side or end, and
bas opening or spreading jaws or lips.
The strip of coated duck or other material which is designel to form the
outer plies is cut to such a width that when folded over the inner plies (if any
are used) the edges will quite or nearly meet. The inner plies, if any, are
formed such a width that when the outer plies are folded around them, by
passing the band through the moulder, they make a homogeneous band or
part thereof, and being placed on the top of the outer plies the end is folded
over by band and afterwards passed through the moulder. The band is drawn
through the moulder by any convenient means, and when the band emerges
from the moulder it has assumed the form of a machine band, though
requiring further manufacture to perfect the same. Immediately on leaving
the moulder pressure should be applied to the band to firmly unite the materials,
and the required pressure may be conveniently applied by means of rolls.
If considered necessary a spool containing gummed or other tape may be
placed in such a position that after the newly formed band emerges from the.
moulder, but before it undergoes the aforesaid pressure by rolls or otherwise,
the tape may be placed by automatic action or other means on the place
where the two edges of the duck or other material forming the outer coat or
plies meet; the joint is thereby made secure and not liable to spring up, and
if the edges do not meet perfectly forming a basis for the covering over the
outer plies, if any. In some cases it may be found convenient to spread one side
of the outer ply with rubber or other material used to form the surface of the
said band before it is subjected to the said process, in which case the band
would, on emerging from the moulder, present a more finished form, and the
tape might perhaps become more needful. The said moulders may be either
made one for every sized band or portion of a band, or may be modified so as
to take several thicknesses or even widths of the bands or portions of band
they are designed to produce. In certain kinds of bands the moulder might
be adapted to coating the surface when the bands themselves are formed by

page_text: other means; in other cases it might be used for forming inner plies or layers
or doing portions of the work above described, or other work of similar
nature.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Pomeroy Dodge in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 29th March 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
POMEROY DODGE, of No. 79, Upper Thames Street, in the City of London,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Pomeroy Dodge, Her special licence that I, the said George Pomeroy
Dodge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Pomeroy Dodge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 of "Ax
IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR FOLDING AND SHAPING BELTS OR BANDS OF
INDIA-RUBBER (OR COMPOUND CONSISTING PARTLY OF INDIA-RUBBER) AND WOVEN
FABRIC," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Pomeroy Dodge, 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 George Pomeroy Dodge, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheets of
Drawings making a part of this Specification:
The said Invention relates to the manufacture of bands composed of the

page_text: compounds of caoutchouc or other gums and materials in combination with
cotton, hemp, or flax ducks, or cloths, generally known as vulcanized machine
bands, which are now extensively used for driving machinery and for other
similar purposes. These bands have hitherto generally been formed by hand,
and then pressed by calender rolls or other machinery.
The nature of the said Invention consists chiefly in the peculiar mode of
folding and shaping the said bands, and in the use of a moulder or former
with other apparatus in their manufacture.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan of the moulder or forming apparatus with a portion of a
band therein; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the said moulder; Figure 3 is
a rear end elevation; and Figure 4 a front end elevation of the same;
Figure 5 is a plan drawn to a reduced scale shewing the moulder arranged in
combination with pressing rolls and devices for guiding the bands and
drawing the same through the moulder; Figure 6 is a section through
the line x, x, Figure 5. Like letters refer to corresponding parts in each of
the Figures.
The moulder A is constructed of cast iron, brass, or other suitable material
and of any required size. The said moulder is by preference made in two
halves a, a, secured together by bolts B (which may also serve as holding
down bolts to secure the moulder upon a bench or table). The moulder A is
preferably made taper from end to end, and is larger at its feeding en b
than at its exit or discharge end c, as more clearly shewn in Figure 1. The
said moulder is formed with opening or spreading jaws or lips d to facilitate
the entrance and folding of the band, and is also provided with adjusting
slips e, by changing which it can be adapted to the manufacture of bands of
various thickness.
The strips of coated duck or other material which are designed to form the
outer plies of the band are cut to such a width that. when folded over the
inner plies (if any are used) the edges will quite or nearly meet in the
centre of the band, as shewn in Figure 1. If the inner plies are used the
same are formed of such a width that when the outer plies are folded around
the inner plies, and passed through the moulder A, they make a homogeneous
band or a part thereof. In commencing to form a band of this description
the inner plies are placed on the top of the outer plies, the edges of the latter
being folded over by hand or otherwise at the end as the same is introduced
into the moulder. The latter is so formed that the folding over of the said plies

page_text: is continued as each portion of the band passes through it. The band is drawn
through the moulder by any convenient means; and emerges therefrom in
the form of a machine band, though requiring further manufacture to
perfect it.
Pressure should be applied to each portion of the band as
it leaves the moulder to firmly unite the materials of which the said
band is composed. This pressure may be conveniently applied by means
of rolls.
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate an arrangement of the moulder in connection
with mechanism for drawing the bands through the said moulder, and with
rolls for applying the necessary pressure to the said band to complete the
manufacture of the same. The frame C is constructed of cast iron or other
suitable material, and is made of the proper size and strength to support
firmly and conveniently the moulder A, the presser rolls D, E, as well as the
barrel F, and other parts of the winding apparatus. The moulder A is
secured by the screws B upon the top of the frame C, and the bracket D',
which carries the pair of rolls D, is also secured to the said frame in close
proximity to the said moulder; the rolls D are thus placed in the proper
position to act immediately upon the band or portion thereof as it leaves the
moulder. The rollers D are adjustable, and their pressure is regulated by
means of the set screws D²; the rolls E are also supported in a similar manner
in the bracket E¹, and are adjusted by means of the screws E*; these rolls E
are employed to keep the different plies of which the bands are formed properly
together before they pass into the moulder. The pins G which are made to
fit each one of the series of holes G' are provided to facilitate the folding over
of the edges of the outer ply of the bands. The said holes are arranged to
suit bands of different widths. The bridge or plate H over which the inner
ply passes is also perforated with a similar series of holes I' for the insertion
of the adjustable guide pins I. The inner ply may be made of any desired
width, and the employment of the perforated bridge FI allows the pins I to
be used to guide the said ply independently of the outer ply which passes
below the bridge H. The strips or plies are supported as they pass into the
moulder A by the roller J, which turns freely in bearings formed in or secured
upon the frame C.
In commencing to manufacture a band the end of the same is drawn
through the moulder, and is attached in any convenient manner to the
barrel F of the winch, which may be operated by manual, steam, or other power.
This barrel being set in motion the band is wound thereon, and is drawn
through the moulder A, the different strips or plies being drawn between the

page_text: rollers E, and thereby brought closely together. In bands composed of inner
and outer plies, as represented in the Drawings, the outer ply is partly folded
over the inner ply by the guide pins G before entering the moulder A. The
inner ply passes over the bridge H, between the guide pins I, which keep it
parallel with the outer ply and guide it properly between the rolls E, which
press the two plies closely together; thus united they pass over the rolls J to
the moulder A, by whose action the outer ply is completely folded over the
inner ply, this action being rendered gradual by the spreading jaws or lips d
and taper form of the said moulder. As the band leaves the moulder it
passes between the pressure rolls D, by whose action the different plies or
layers are closely and evenly united.
If considered necessary gummed or other tape may be employed to cover
the joint formed by the meeting of the two edges of the duck or other material
of which the outer plies consist. The said tape may be taken from a spool K
placed in such a position that after the newly formed band emerges from the
moulder A, but before it undergoes the aforesaid pressure by rolls or otherwise,
the tape may be placed by automatic action or other means in the required
position on the said band. The joint is thereby made secure and not liable
to spring open, and if the edges do not meet perfectly the tape will form a
basis for a covering over the outer plies. The said spool or reel K is formed
with flanges to guide the tape or ribbon, and is supported in any convenient
position on the table on the frame C by the standards L. The tape or
ribbon is drawn through the rollers and thereby pressed into the band, and tho
joint made by the edges of the outer ply is covered. In some cases it may be
found convenient to spread one side of the outer ply with rubber or other
material used to form the surface of the said band before it is subjected to
the said process, in which case the band would on emerging from the moulder
present a more finished form, and the tape might perhaps become less needful.
The said moulders may be either made one for every sized band or portion
of a band, or may be modified so as to take several thicknesses or even widths
of the bands or portions of band they are designed to produce. In certain
kinds of bands the moulder might be adapted to coating the surface when the
bands themselves were formed by other means. In other cases it might be
used for forming inner plies or layers, or doing portions of the work above
described, or other work of similar nature.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, and shown how the
same may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice I claim,
First, manufacturing bands by the union of strips or plies composed

page_text: of caoutchouc in combination with woven fabrics, substantially in the manner
set forth.
Second, the moulder or former A for folding and shaping the said bands,
constructed and employed substantially in the manner set forth.
Third, the combination of the said moulder with the pressing rolls D, for the
purpose and substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, tho said George Pomeroy Dodge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
LOUIS J. STONARD,
Woodford,
Essex.
GEORGE POMEROY DODGE. (L.S.)