IM- PROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURING OF FLOORCLOTH
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wilson Hulse, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, and Benjamin Thomas McKay, of
the same Place, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wilson Hulse
and Benjamin Thomas McKay at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 6th February 1872.
We, WILLIAM WILSON HULSE, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, and BENJAMIN THOMAS MCKAY, of the same Place,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURING OF FLOORCLOTH," to be as
follows:-
Our Invention relates to floorcloth suitable for covering floors,
passages, or stairs. When manufacturing the said floorcloth we form
a fabric made in a manner somewhat similar to paper, the said fabric
being composed principally of wool or woolen or worsted material in
combination with linen or jute and animal hair. As for example we
may employ about five parts of woolen or worsted carpets, four parts of

page_text: "
dried animal hair, such as the hair of cattle, and one part of woolen or
worsted carpets in combination with linen or jute. The said materials
are subjected to the action of rag engines until sufficiently washed,
subdivided, and intermixed to be formed into a web or cloth on a paper-
making or pulp drying machine. The web so formed after having been
dried is saturated with a mixture of drying oil and body colour. This
saturation is effected by passing the web through a trough or cistern
containing the oil and colour, and thence between a pair of rollers, the
web being then stoved or otherwise dried. It is then subjected to the
action of a machine which covers one side of the web with a coating of
ground or body colour, the thickness or quantity of the said coating
being regulated by means of a doctor." The web is again stoved.
The back of the said web, that is to say, the side opposite to the one
which has been coated, is then covered or coated with an adhesive
cement composed of boiled drying oil reduced to a viscid state, and
earthy matter, as for example one part of drying oil in a viscid state
to two parts of whiting combined with humber, Venetian red, or other
similar colouring matters. Canvas which has been previously sized,
coated, waterproofed, calendered, and stoved or dried is now united with
the web formed and prepared as aforesaid by passing the web and canvas
together between heated calendering rollers, the coated surface of the
canvas being outwards. The aforesaid cement causes the said web and
canvas to unite, and the fabric is now ready to be printed or ornamented
with patterns or designs. The fabric whether plain or printed is then
to be stoved or suspended in a suitable place until it is sufficiently dried
and seasoned.
We heat or prefer to heat the stove or each stove employed in the
drying and seasoning of floorcloths, by forcing air of a suitable tem-
perature and state of dryness or humidity into the said stove, the said
air being filtered or washed before entering the stove. The air is heated
by contact with heated surfaces, and may be moistened by means of
steam and water, and is filtered or washed by being passed through
gauze, canvas, or other suitable material.
In order to lessen the risk of the goods taking fire whilst in the stove
we prefer to light the said stove in such a manner that any gases
generated within the said stove shall not come into contact with the
flames of the gas jets or of the lights or lamps employed to light the
stove. To this end we protect the said flames by means of wire gauze,

page_text: or we cause the light from the said flames to shine through glazed
windows or openings formed in the sides of the stove, the said windows
or openings being fitted with fireproof shutters which close over the
glass when the temperature of the stove becomes dangerously high.
This action of the shutters may be obtained by suspending the said
shutters by means of cords of gutta percha or any other substance'
which will yield at the temperature determined upon.
We may saturate the web by passing it through a trough or cistern of
oil and body colour previous to its passing through the last callenders of
the paper or pulp drying machine, thereby making the web and
saturating it in one continuous operation.
Instead of the ordinary drying cylinders used in a paper machine we
sometimes prefer to dry the pulp or cloth by passing it around or partly
around a fixed chest, or around two or more of such chests, the said
chest or chests being heated by steam or by other means, and having
suitable passages for the escape of vapour. The pulp is carried around
one or more of the heated chests by means of an endless felt until the
said pulp has become sufficiently strong and tenacious to travel over or
around or partly around additional heated chests without the support of
the said felt.
We are aware that fibrous materials have been reduced to a pulp
and formed into a web in a paper machine when manufacturing
floorcloth previous to our Invention, but untanned hide has been
the principal material employed in such previous manufacture, and
the said hide being of a gelatinous nature floorcloth made there-
with, from its liability to absorb moisture or from other causes, has not
always lain uniformly close to the floor, and also the paint or oil colour
used to cover the surface of the said floorcloth has not penetrated
uniformly through the substance of the fabric.
:
30 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Wilson Hulse and Benjamin Thomas
McKay in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th August 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
WILSON HULSE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and
35 BENJAMIN THOMAS MCKAY, of the same Place, Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: "
'
making or pulp drying machine, which may be of an ordinary or:
suitable construction. The web so formed after having been sufficiently
dried is saturated with a mixture of drying oil and body colour. This
saturation is effected by passing the web through a trough or cistern
containing the oil and colour, and thence between a pair of rollers, the
web being then stoved until sufficiently dry. It is then subjected to the
action of a machine which covers one side of the web with a coating:
of ground or body colour, the thickness or quantity of the said coating
being regulated by means of a doctor." The web is again stoved..
The back of the web (that is to say, the side opposite to the one which
has been coated) is then covered or coated with an adhesive cement
composed of boiled drying oil reduced to a viscid state and of earthy
matter, as for example the said cement may consist of one part of
drying oil in the viscid state and two parts of whiting combined with
a proportion of umber, Venetian red, or other similar colouring matters.
Canvas which has been previously sized, coated, waterproofed, stoved, or:
dried in the ordinary or in a suitable manner is now united with the web
formed and prepared as aforesaid by passing the web and canvas'
together between heated calendering rollers, the coated surface of the
canvas being outwards. The aforesaid cement causes the said web and
canvas to unite, and the fabric is now ready to be printed or ornamented
with patterns or designs. The fabric whether plain or printed is then
to be stoved or suspended in a suitable place until it is sufficiently dried
and seasoned.
We heat or prefer to heat the stove or each stove employed in the
drying and seasoning of floorcloths by forcing air of a suitable tempera-
ture and state of dryness or humidity into the said stove, the said air
being filtered or washed before entering the stove. The air is heated by
contact with heated surfaces, and may be moistened by means of steam
or water, and is filtered or washed by being passed through gauze,
canvas, or other suitable materials which will permit of the passage of
air, but will intercept particles of dust or floating matter which are
thus prevented from being deposited on the surface of the fabric.
In order to lessen the risk of the goods taking fire whilst in the stove
we prefer to light the said stove in such a manner as that any gases
generated within the said stove shall not be permitted to come into
contact with the flames of the gas jets or of the lights or lamps
employed to light the stove. To this end we cause the light from the
'
:

page_text: said flames to shine through glazed windows or openings or through
openings covered with wire gauze, such windows or openings being
formed in the sides of the stove and being fitted with fireproof shutters
which close over the glass when the temperature of the stove becomes
dangerously high. This action of the shutters we obtain by suspending
the said shutters by means of cords of gutta percha or any other sub-
stance which will soften, melt, or yield at the temperature determined
upon, such temperature being higher than the ordinary working heat of
the stove.
We may saturate the web by passing it through a trough or cistern of
oil and body colour previous to its passing through the last calenders
of the paper or pulp drying machine, thereby making the web and
saturating it in one continuous operation.
Instead of the ordinary drying cylinders used in a paper machine we
sometimes prefer to dry the pulp or cloth by passing it around or partly
around a fixed chest, or around two or more of such chests, the said
chest or chests being heated by steam or by other means and having
suitable passages for the escape of vapour. The pulp is carried around
or partly around one or more of the heated chests by means of an
endless felt until the said pulp has become sufficiently strong and
tenacious to travel over or around or partly around additional heated
chests without the support of the said felt.
We are aware that fibrous materials have been reduced to a pulp and
formed into a web in a paper machine when manufacturing floorcloth
previously to our said Invention, but untanned hide has been the
principal material employed in such previous manufacture, and the said
hide being of a gelatinous nature floorcloth made therewith from its
liability to absorb moisture or from other causes has not always lain
uniformly close to the floor in all places, also the paint or oil colour
with which the said floorcloth has been treated has not penetrated
uniformly through the substance of the fabric.
The object of our Invention is in part to obviate the said defects and
to produce floorcloths uniform in texture and colour, and having the
requisite flexibility so as to lay well on flat or irregular surfaces, and
possessing durable qualities through being penetrated throughout with
oil colour.
Another obiect is to lessen the risks of losses arising from the

page_text: accidental firing of the goods when in process of manufacture, and to
simplify the process of manufacture, and otherwise to lessen the cost of
production of floorcloths.
Having now fully described the nature and objects of our said.
Invention, we would in conclusion have it to be distinctly understood
that we do not lay claim to the machinery employed in the making of
the fabric and in the treating of the same with oil colour, but that we
claim,―
First. The method of forming "floorcloths," substantially as herein.
before described and indicated.
Secondly. Heating the drying stoves with air which has been filtered
or washed, heated, and if necessary made humid, substantially in
manner as herein-before set forth and indicated.
Thirdly. The arrangements in connexion with the lighting of the
stoves, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before set forth.
And, lastly. The employment of heated chests, substantially as and
for the purpose herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Thomas McKay, for
myself and on behalf of the said William Wilson Hulse, have.
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
Signed and sealed by the said
Benjamin Thomas M.Kay in
the presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
Agent for the Patentees,
3, Smithy Door,
Manchester.
B. T. MCKAY. (L.S.)