AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND MACHINERY FOR RENDERING PAPER AND WRAPPERS WATERPROOF
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ROBINSON WILLIAMS, of Love Lane, Aldermanbury, in the City of London,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-first day of July, in the ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Robinson Williams, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said Thomas Robinson Williams, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Thomas Robinson
Williams, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND MACHINERY FOR RENDERING PAPER
AND WRAPPERS WATERPROOF;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso obliging me, the said Thomas Robinson Williams, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Robinson Williams, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say:→
The Invention for which I have obtained Letters. Patent as aforesaid,
consists,―
"
D
0
Firstly, in an improved process for, or method of, rendering paper and other
fabrics waterproof, for the purpose of producing a cheap, strong, and water-
proof fabric, suitable for wrappers and other similar purposes; and,
Secondly, in certain machinery whereby this object may be conveniently
effected.
The improved process or method of rendering paper and other fabrics
waterproof, consists in the application of one or more coats of bitumen or
asphalto, or bituminous, resinous, or gummy materials or substances in a fluid
ór liquefied state, to ono of the surfaces of two sheets or lengths of paper,
woven, felted, or other fabrics, and then bringing together the two surfaces
thus coated or prepared and uniting them together so as to form one double
fabric; the waterproof material being between the two sheets, of which the
double fabric is composed. I prefer uniting the two sheets together while the
bituminous, resinous, or gummy composition is in a soft and sticky or partially
fluid state; but I sometimes apply the composition to the separate sheets, and
then unite them together by passing them between heated rollers, which soften
the composition and make the sheets adhere perfectly. I also prefer to use long
lengths of paper or other fabric in place of sheets of the ordinary size, especially
when mechanical means are employed for making the double fabric. The bitu-
ininous, resinous, or gummy substances which I employ for the above purposes,
are vegetable pitch and tar, mineral pitch and tar, as made from coal tar, the
native asphaltes of Egypt, Bastenne, Trinidad, and other places, as well as all:
or any of these united in every possible proportion when required, together
with all resins or gums which liquefy sufficiently by the application of heated
rollers to allow of their being transferred or applied to the surfaces of fabrics,
as before mentioned, and which have not hitherto been used and applied for
similar purposes; care being taken, however, to make use of such resins or
gums as are not soluble in water.
The machinery I employ for carrying out the first part of my Invention,
and which constitutes the second head of my improvements, is shewn in the
accompanying Drawing; in which, Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the

page_text: machine, Fig. 2 an end elevation, Fig. 3 a longitudinal section taken vertically,
and Fig. 4 a plan or horizontal view, representing the machine as seen from
above. a, a, a, a, is the framework, which may be of wood or stone; b, b, is the
main shaft, in which are mounted a fast and loose pulley c, c*. The sheets or
lengths of paper, or other fabric, of which the waterproof wrappers are to be
made, are wound upon rollers dd. The bituminous, resinous, or gummy com-
position is contained in troughs or backs e,.e", and is kept in a heated and con-
stantly fluid state .by means of the steam pipes f, f*, and the heated surface
rollers h, h*, or in any other convenient manner. The sheets or lengths of paper
or other fabric to be operated upon, are carried from the rollers d, d*, under and
over the guide rollers 9, 9, g*, g*, which also keep the fabric in contact with the
service rollers h, h, the under surfaces of which are kept constantly revolving
with a regular speed in the liquid bituminous, resinous, or gummy composition
contained in the troughs e, e*, and thereby supply a regular and sufficient
quantity of the composition to the sheets, so as perfectly to coat or cover one
side thereof as they pass through the machine. In order to prevent the paper
or fabric from taking up too much of the composition, the uppermost two of the
guide rollers g, g*, which keep the fabric in contact with the service rollers
h, h*, are mounted in weighted arms or levers i, i*, which may be weighted
to any amount required, and the pressure of the rollers 9, 9, consequently
regulated as may be found desirable. When the single sheets of paper or
other fabric have received their separate supply or coating of the bituminous,
resinous, or gummy composition, they are united by being passed between the
upper surface of the guide roller g and a pressing roller j, from thence the
double fabric passes between a second pair of pressing rollers k, k, whereby it
becomes firmly united, and is eventually conducted to a largo receiving roller
i, i, or it may be cut into small sheets as it issues from the machine. The
service rollers h, h, are constructed of iron and their surfaces made
perfectly smooth, they are also made hollow, and are supplied with steam
through their axles, for the purpose of heating them, and thereby prevent
the bituminous, resinous, or gummy composition from chilling. These
rollers may also be heated by the flame of gas or by metal heaters
placed within them, and the temperature which it may be necessary
to maintain will, of course, depend upon the quality of the bituminous,
One of the service
resinous, or gummy matters that may be employed.
rollers h is mounted on the main shaft b, on one end of which is the driving
pulley, and the other end carries a band wheel or pulley 1, as seen best in
Fig. I, whereby the other parts of the machine are actuated through the.
intervention of the band m. A large toothed wheel n is also mounted on:

page_text: be
the main shaft 6, and by gearing into a similar toothed wheel o, of the same
diameter and number of teeth, and mounted on the axle of the other service
roller, the two rollers h, h*, are made to revolve with exactly the same
speed, but in opposite directions. The speed at which the machine may
driven will depend, in a very great measure, upon the quality and temperature
or state of fluidity of the bituminous, resinous, or gummy composition, and
also, in some degree, upon the temperature and state of the weather. The
proper or most convenient speed, under all circumstances, may, however, be
very quickly ascertained by any intelligent manufacturer.
Fig. 5 represents an end elevation of another arrangement of machinery for
producing the double or waterproof fabric, which is, however, constructed
upon the same principle as the one above described, although its arrangement
may, under some circumstances, be found more convenient. a, a, a, a, is the
framing made of cast iron, and firmly bolted to the floor. d, d*, are the
rollers containing the separate sheets or lengths of paper or other fabric.
6, 6, is the trough made of iron containing the bituminous, resinous, or gummy
composition, and supported upon a ledge two inches wide attached to the
framing. h, h*, are the large hollow metallic service rollers, similar to those
shewn in the other machine. The lower surfaces of these rollers dip into the
bituminous, resinous, or gummy-composition contained in the trough e. The
rollers h, h, in this machine are mounted in plummer blocks fixed to the
framing, and are actuated and heated in a similar manner to that described
in reference to the other machine; but, in order to prevent confusion, the
gearing-and some cther parts are not shewn in this Figure. 9, 9, are heavy
iron guide rollers which rest upon the upper surfaces of the service rollers h, h*.
The sheets of paper or other fabric to be operated upon pass from the
rollers d, d*, above, between the rollers g, g* and h, h*, the former of which
are made to revolve by friction of contact, and are mounted in open bearings
(as seen in the Drawing), for the purpose of being more easily lifted up and
removed from the machine when required. The weight of the rollers 9, 9*
is of itself sufficient to regulate the quantity of bituminous, resinous, or gummy
composition that is taken up by the sheets of paper or fabric, and after the
latter have received their supply, they pass up between the two pressing
rollers k, k, where they are firmly united, and from thence they pass over a
large guide pulley above, away from the machine, as in the other instance.
The pressing rollers k, k, are mounted in strong plummer blocks, which are
made moveable, and may be brought nearer to or further from each other,
es may be required, by micans of a set screw p, with a right and left
handed screw, so that the pressure between the said rollers k, k, may be

page_text: regulated as may be desired, by merely turning the set screw p, in a similar
manner as is adopted with calendering rollers.. I would here observe, that I
sometimes employ two different descriptions of fabric suitable for wrappers; as
for instance, for one side of the fabric I use paper either white or brown, and
for the other side some woven or felted fabric of suitable texture. By this
means I produce a very strong and cheap waterproof fabric, suitable for.
wrapping up drapers' and other goods, which would spoil by exposure to damp.
I sometimes also introduce a light open textile woven fabric between two
sheets of paper, for the purpose of strengthening the same and preventing it
from tearing easily; and if required for wrapping up fine goods, such as silks,
one side of the wrapper may be made of a finer paper than the other; such as
thin paper of the quality of cartridge for the inside, and a coarser or brown
paper for the outside.
Having now described my Invention, and the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that I lay no claim to rendering fabrics
waterproof by the application or employment of a solution of caoutchouc or
india rubber dissolved in a liquid solvent, and placing a coating thereof between
two woven fabrics, and then uniting them together for the purpose of making
garments; nor do I claim as new the application of a coating of bituminous,
resinous, or gummy composition to one side of a single sheet of paper, leaving
the other uncovered and exposed; but that which I consider to be new in my
above described Invention, and therefore wish to claim under the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent, is,—
First, making paper and other fabrics waterproof, and rendering them
suitable for wrappers and other similar purposes by covering one side or surface
of such paper or fabrics with a coat or layer of a bituminous, resinous, or.
gummy material or composition, such as those above mentioned, and which
materials are or may be dissolved by the application of heat alone, and after-
wards causing the surface of the sheets or lengths of paper or fabric so
conted or prepared to adhere by bringing the coated or prepared surfaces into
contact and effecting a perfect union by pressure applied in any convenient
manner.
I claim, secondly, the above-described machinery, or any modification
thereof, whereby I am enabled to produce the aforesaid waterproof double
fabric with great economy and dispatch.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Robinson Williams, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
THO R.
(L.S.) WILLIAMS.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the samo Twentieth day of January,
in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Thomas Robinson Williams came
before our Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specifi-
éation aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the!
tenor of the Statute in that case made and provided..
Inrolled the Twenty-first day of January, in the year above written.