Improvements in certain Moulds for use in the "Vulcanization" of Indiarubber Rings and Indiarubber Tires for the Wheels of Bicycles, Tricycles, Perambulators, and other Vehicles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1891-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in certain Moulds for use in the "Vulcanization" of
Indiarubber Rings and Indiarubber Tires for the Wheels of
Bicycles, Tricycles, Perambulators, and other Vehicles.
I, JOSEPH KIRKMAN HEYWOOD of Jubilee Terrace, Ashton New Road, Clayton
near Manchester in the County of Lancaster, Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
" of
My invention relates to such of the moulds for use in the "vulcanization
indiarubber rings and indiarubber tires for the wheels of bicycles, tricycles,
perambulators and other vehicles as are so formed that a series of moulds, placed
one against another may be heated at one time by steam supplied thereto instead
of by being placed in the interior of a pan or vessel to which steam is supplied.
Hitherto moulds of this class have been so formed that the portions of the moulds
in which the indiarubber rings or tires to be vulcanized are placed, form annular
plates each provided with a circular groove on each face and several of such moulds
when placed together have had placed at each end of the series of moulds a plate
also containing a circular groove to correspond with that formed in the adjacent
plate or mould, and when the moulds and terminal plates have been placed in
position and secured together the spaces within the annular plates or moulds have
formed a cylinder closed at the ends by the terminal plates above mentioned, to
the interior of which cylinder the steam employed to heat the moulds has been
supplied. Moulds so formed are open to serious objections, of which among others
may be mentioned that the steam employed to heat the moulds is only able to heat
the mould from one side and consequently the indiarubber is not so completely
treated at one side as at the other, that the heating agent being only applied at one
side of the annular mould the operation of "vulcanization
is caused to occupy
more time than it ought to do, and that the steam employed to heat the mould may
and frequently does under certain circumstances attain access to the indiarubber
rings or tires being vulcanized and injures either the form or material or form and
material of such rings or tires.
"
My invention consists firstly in an arrangement of mould by which the
"vulcanization" of the rings or tires contained in a series of moulds is caused
to be performed with approximate uniformity throughout the whole of each
ring or tire operated upon and by which the steam employed to heat the moulds
is prevented from gaining access to the rings or tires being vulcanized.
In constructing a series of moulds according to my invention I employ several
annular hollow boxes each provided on each annular face with a circular groove of
form corresponding to one half or other suitable part of the ring or tire to be
vulcanized therein. The interior of each annular box is placed in communication
with the interior of each of the boxes adjacent to it and the interior of the annular
box at one end of the series is placed in communication with the supply of steam
to be used in heating the moulds and the opening by which the interior of the box
at the other end of the series could communicate with the interior of a further box
if there were one is closed or if desired may be left open or may be connected with
any suitable waste pipe or receptacle for exhaust steam. In moulds so formed the
steam being applied to the inner surface of each face of each annular box imparts
heat to surfaces extending to an approximately equal extent on both sides of the
groove formed in such face and if from any cause the faces of adjacent annular
boxes should fail to be in close contact the steam not having access or having but
little access to the spaces between 'the adjacent boxes can not cause injury to 'the
ring or rings or tire or tires being vulcanized in the moulds.

page_text: A further part of my invention relates to the means by which the interior of
cach of the annular boxes above described may be placed in communication with the
boxes to be placed adjacent to it and consists in arrangements of connecting tubes,
pipes, nipples or devices which while allowing the movement of the adjacent
boxes with regard to each other which would be required in practice, prevent
steam from escaping at the places where the communications between the adjacent
boxes are made.
According to this part of my invention 1 form or provide each of the
annular boxes with parts adapted to fit upon, pass into or into contact with
corresponding parts formed or provided upon the adjacent boxes and also
provide packing of any suitable form by means of which the escape of steam
may be prevented.
Dated this First day of December 1890.
W. T. CHEETHAM,
Manchester, Agent to the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in certain Moulds for use in the "Vulcanization " of
Indiarubber Rings and Indiarubber Tires for the Wheels of
Bicycles, Tricycles, Perambulators, and other Vehicles.
I, JOSEPH KIRKMAN HEYWOOD of Jubilee Terrace, Ashton New Road,
Clayton near Manchester in the County of Lancaster, Engineer 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:
My invention relates to such of the moulds for use in the "vulcanization" of
indiarubber rings and indiarubber tires for the wheels of bicycles, tricycles,
perambulators, and other vehicles as are so formed that a series of moulds, placed
one against another may be heated at one time by steam supplied thereto instead
of by being placed in the interior of a pan or vessel to which steam is supplied.
Hitherto moulds of this class have been so formed that the portions of the moulds
in which the indiarubber rings or tires to be vulcanized are placed form annular
plates each provided with a circular groove on each face and several of such
moulds when placed together have had placed at each end of the series of moulds
a plate also containing a circular groove to correspond with that formed in the
adjacent plate or mould, and when the moulds and terminal plates have been placed
in position and secured together the spaces within the annular plates or moulds
have formed a cylinder closed at the ends by the terminal plates above mentioned,
to the interior of which cylinder the steam employed to heat the moulds has been
supplied. Moulds so formed are open to serious objections, of which among others,
may be mentioned that the steam employed to heat the moulds is only able to heat
the mould from one side and consequently the indiarubber is not so completely
treated at one side as at the other, that the heating agent being only applied at
one side of the annular mould the operation of "vulcanization" is caused to occupy
more time than it ought to do, and that the steam employed to heat the mould may
and frequently does under certain circumstances attain access to the indiarubber
rings or tires being vulcanized and injures either the form or material or form and
material of such rings or tires.
My invention consists firstly in an arrangement of mould by which the
"vulcanization" of the rings or tires contained in a series of moulds is caused to
be performed with approximate uniformity throughout the whole of each ring or
tire operated upon and by which the steam employed to heat the moulds is prevented
from gaining access to the rings or tires being vulcanized.
In constructing a series of moulds according to my invention I employ several
annular hollow boxes each provided on each annular face with a circular groove of

page_text: form corresponding to one half or other suitable part of the ring or tire to be
vulcanized therein. The interior of each annular box is placed in communication
with the interior of each of the boxes adjacent to it and the interior of the annular
box at one end of the series is placed in communication with the supply of steam to
be used in heating the moulds and the opening by which the interior of the box at
the other end of the series could communicate with the interior of a further box if
there were one, is closed or if desired may be left open or may be connected with
In moulds so formed the
any suitable waste pipe or receptacle for exhaust steam.
steam being applied to the inner surface of each face of each annular box imparts
heat to surfaces extending to an approximately equal extent on both sides
of the groove formed in such face and if from any cause the faces of adjacent
annular boxes should fail to be in close contact the steam not having access
or having but little access to the spaces between the adjacent boxes can not
cause injury to the ring or rings or tire or tires being vulcanized in the
moulds.
A further part of my invention relates to the means by which the interior of
each of the annular boxes above described may be placed in communication with
the boxes to be placed adjacent to it and consists in arrangements of connecting
tubes, pipes, nipples, or devices which while allowing the movement of the adjacent
boxes with regard to each other which would be required in practice, prevent
steam from escaping at the places where the communications between the adjacent
boxes are made.
According to this part of my invention I form or provide each of the annular
boxes with parts adapted to fit upon, pass into or into contact with corre-
sponding parts formed or provided upon the adjacent boxes and also provide
packing of any suitable forin by means of which the escape of steam may be
prevented.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood and carried into
effect I will now further describe it with reference to the accompanying drawing in
which
Fig. 1 is partly a side view and partly a vertical section of a series or set of
moulds constructed according to my invention and Fig. 2 is a plan of that which is
shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken upon the plane indicated by
the line A A of Fig. 2. Fig. 1 in so far as it is a vertical section is taken upon
the plane indicated by the line B B of Fig. 2.
The same letters of reference are applied to corresponding parts in all the figures.
In the accompanying drawing are shown in Fig. 1 five annular hollow boxes a
each of which is provided in each annular face with a circular groove a¹ of a form
corresponding to one half or other suitable part of the ring or tire to be vulcanized
therein. At the lower end of the series of five annular hollow boxes a is placed
an annular hollow box provided in its upper annular face with a circular
groove of a form corresponding to one half or other suitable part of the ring
or tire to be vulcanized therein and at the upper end of the series of five annular
hollow boxes a is placed an annular hollow box e provided on its lower annular
face with a circular groove c¹ of a form corresponding to one half or other suitable
part of the ring or fire to be vulcanized therein. The interior C of each annular
box a is placed in communication with the interior of each of the boxes adjacent
to it and the interior of the annular box c is placed in communication with the
supply of steam to be used in heating the moulds and is provided with a pressure
gauge D which communicates with the interior C of the annular box c.
position of the pressure-gauge D is correctly indicated in Fig. 2 but in Fig. 1 where
for convenience the vertical section has been taken on a plane which does not pass
Dis
through the said pressure-gauge D the position in which such pressure-gauge
shown is slightly at variance with the other parts of the figure. The annular
box 6 is provided with an outlet pipe d which may be provided with any suitable
valve or tap by which it may be closed when desirable and may be connected with
any suitable waste pipe or receptacle for exhaust steam. The passages e by means
The

page_text: of which the interior of each annular box communicates with the interior of the
annular box or annular boxes adjacent to it are formed in projecting parts el el
formed on the inner circumferences of the said annular boxes as is indicated in
Figs. 2 and 3 and such passages e are so arranged that the steam supplied to one of
the annular boxes is caused to leave such annular box at a place distant from that
at which it entered the said box by one half of the circumference of such box and
thus I am enabled to ensure that the entire circumference of the said annular box
shall be heated by the steam supplied to such box. Lugs fare formed upon the
box 6 and upon the box e so that by means of bolts g and nuts g' the boxes a be
may be secured and pressed together so as to exert the requisite pressure upon the
tires or rings to be vulcanized therein. The edges or faces h of the boxes a be
which are required to be in contact with the corresponding edges or faces of the
adjacent boxes are so formed that should the pressure exerted upon the indiarubber
tires or rings placed in the moulds formed by the contiguous grooves of the
annular boxes a b c when the nuts g¹ are being tightened upon the bolts g, cause
portions of the indiarubber to exude between the surfaces of the adjacent boxes
such portions of indiarubber will be severed by the edges or faces h from the
portion of indiarubber still remaining within the moulds. I insert a short pipe or
tubej into the upper part of one of the projecting parts e¹ upon the annular box b
and into the upper part of one of the projecting parts e' upon each of the annular
The pipes or tubes j are preferably inserted into the projecting parts e
in which they are placed by being driven therein so as to be secured in position
therein. In the lower part of each of the projecting parts el which when the
annular boxes are placed together as is indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 are placed over
the projecting parts e' in which the pipes or tubes are inserted I form holes k
which are slightly larger in diameter than the outside surfaces of the pipes or
tubes j so as to be capable of passing upon such pipes or tubes j. Each of the
pipes or tubes jserves to convey steam from the interior of one hollow annular
box to the interior of the adjacent hollow annular box. In order that steam may
not escape between the outside surfaces of the pipes or tubes ; and the circum-
ferences of the holes k into which they are respectively inserted I place around each
of the pipes or tubes j a ring or washer of indiarubber or asbestos or other suitable
material which being compressed between the faces of the adjacent projecting parts e¹
will prevent steam from escaping.
boxes a.
When the moulds constructed according to my invention are in use a ring or tire
to be vulcanized is placed in the groove b¹ formed in the upper face of the annular
box and a ring or tire to be vulcanized is placed in the groove a¹ formed in the
upper face of each of the annular boxes a. Then one of the annular boxes a is
placed upon the box 6 and the remaining annular boxes a are placed one above
another upon that placed upon the box 6 and the annular box c is placed upon the
uppermost of the annular boxes a. The bolts g are then placed in position and the
nuts gare tightened thereon. Steam is then caused to enter the annular box c by
the pipe and is allowed to escape from the pipe d until any water or condensed
steam which may be present in any of the annular boxes a b c is driven out. The
outlet of the pipe d may then be closed and steam of the required pressure may be
allowed to remain in the interior of the annular boxes for any required period the
outlet of the pipe d being opened from time to time if need be to allow of water
resulting from the condensation of the steam being expelled. If it be desired the
outlet of the pipe d may be allowed to remain open or may be connected with any
suitable waste pipe or receptacle for exhaust steam.
The tubes or pipes ; serve also as "register" pins to assist in securing the proper
adjustment of the annular boxes one upon another.
The upper annular faces of the annular boxes b and a are provided around their
edges with recesses m into which may pass annular projecting ribs n formed upon
the lower annular faces of the annular boxes a and c placed upon the annular
boxes and a, the said recesses m and ribs n facilitating the adjustment of the
annular boxes Ug bande with regard to the adjacent annular boxes.

page_text: In order to facilitate the handling of the annular boxes a c such annular boxes are
provided with handles o.
It is obvious that if lugs such as f were formed upon the annular boxes x and
provision were made for connecting the interiors C of such boxes a to the
supply of steam and the pressure gauge D were mounted thereon and provision
were made for allowing, controlling or arresting the escape of steam therefrom
the annular boxes b and c provided with only one grooved face might be dispensed
with.
It is also obvious that if it be desirable two or more grooves may be formed on
each annular face of each of the annular boxes constructed according to my
invention so that between each two annular boxes two or more indiarubber rings or
tires could be placed while being vulcanized.
While the hereinbefore described mode of connecting the interiors of adjacent
annular boxes by means of pipes or tubes, each secured in one annular box and
passing into a hole formed in another annular box is very convenient and efficient
I would have it understood that the interiors of such annular boxes may be
connected by other means such as parts adapted to fit upon or in or pass into
contact with other corresponding parts being provided upon the adjacent annular
boxes.
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 1
claim is :-
1. The hereinbefore described arrangement of mould for use in the vulcanization
of indiaribber rings and indiarubber tires for the wheels of bicycles tricycles,
perambulators and other vehicles which consists in a series of annular hollow boxes
constructed substantially as hereinbefore described in reference to the accompanying
drawing, the interiors of which can be placed in communication with each other
and supplied with steam and provided on their annular faces with circular grooves of
forms corresponding to suitable parts of the rings or tires to be vulcanized
therein.
2. For placing in cominunication with each other the interiors of the adjacent
annular hollow boxes of the series forming the herein before described arrangement
of mould for use in the vulcanization of indiarubber rings and indiarubber tires for
the wheels of bicycles, tricycles, perambulators and other vehicles the arrangement
of joints hereinbefore described in reference to the accompanying drawing each
consisting in a pipe or tube such as j inserted or secured in one annular hollow box
and passing into a hole formed in the annular hollow box placed adjacent to that
in which the said pipe or tube is inserted and a ring or washer of indiarubber
or asbestos or other suitable compressible material placed around the said pipe or
tube in such manner that when the annular boxes between which it is placed are
pressed together such ring or washer will be compressed so as to prevent the escape
of steam.
Dated this First day of September 1891
HOWARD CHEETHAM,
Manchester, Agent to the Applicant.