Process and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Linoleum Floor-cloth.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Process and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Linoleum Floor-cloth.
I DAVID NEILSON MELVIN, of Linoleumville in the county of Richmond and State
of New York, manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my 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 an improvement in the process and Apparatus for Manu-
facturing inlaid Linoleum Floor-cloth, the object being to furnish a greatly-improved
product at less than the usual cost, and in so doing prevent the ragged and irregular
combining which takes place at the joints of the different-colored blocks composing
the cloth commonly made; but on the contrary to form clean and defined lines where
the pieces are joined.
With this end in view my improved process consists, essentially, in the following
steps, namely, the sheeting of granulated linoleum composition into an adherent
spongy texture of sufficient tenacity to admit of cutting into blocks of the required
shapes, temporarily arranging these shapes in their proper order upon a block, from
which they are transferred to the canvas backing, applying sufficient pressure to the
block to force the composition into the interstices of the canvas and to join the edges
together, and, finally, after slightly heating the linoleum thus partially formed,
applying additional pressure while heated to form a perfectly smooth and compact
sheet of linoleum, and give a finish to the material by leaving the edges of the
variously-colored blocks even, defined, and coherent.
It further consists in certain novel steps hereinafter described, and pointed out in
the claims.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of
apparatus employed in the process to be described. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3
is a view of one of the pattern-blocks used, and Fig. 4 is a modified form of
block.
Sheets of linoleum composition of various colors are first formed by subjecting
unheated granulated composition to sufficient pressure-roller or otherwise-to form it
into a spongy texture sufficiently coherent to be handled as much as required and be
cut into various shapes by means of dies or rollers. The shapes are then cut from the
different colored sheets of composition and placed in proper order upon a block, from
which they are transferred to the canvas constituting the back or foundation of the
linoleum. These blocks are of two varieties, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, but before
entering into a description of them I desire in this connection to distinguish between
the common and known method of treating these shapes and my own method, in order
to render manifest the important departure which I make and to conclusively
demonstrate its superiorities.
Heretofore the linoleum has been made complete and then cut into shapes and
secured on the foundation by an adhesive material.; but the great objection to this
method is that the shapes will not adhere permanently, because they are already
oxidized before they are placed on the foundation, and hence a homogeneous material
is not formed. In my process the shapes are cut from linoleum composition, not the
completed and oxidized linoleum, but from the composition of spongy texture and then
pressed, thus adding greatly to the adhesiveness without the use of any interposed
adhesive material. This is generally deemed unnecessary, but should it ever prove
advantageous I wish to reserve the right to use it. One form of block upon which
these shapes are placed is illustrated in Fig. 3. This block A is preferably of wood,
and has fines marked thereon to indicate the shape to be attached at a particular
place, and to hold these shapes to the face of the block temporarily sharp pins 11

page_text: project from it. These penetrate the composition shapes sufficiently to hold them in
place and prevent them from dropping when the block is inverted, and at the same
time create an almost imperceptible resistance when the block is removed. In addition
to this, the pins-serve as guides to indicate the positions for the shapes. The other
block or form is shown in Fig. 4. This .block is also preferably of wood, with thin
metal edgings 22, in place of the marked boundary-lines in the other form to
surround and separate the openings for the shapes. These edges project from the
face of the block to a slightly less extent than the thickness of the linoleum.shapes.
The shapes are fitted into these spaces, where they are held in the desired arrangement
or pattern until inverted. When the blocks of either form are thus filled with the
different shapes required to make up a completed pattern, the block is placed face
downward upon the canvas C, which is stretched over a steam-heated table D, and
pressure is applied to the block by means of suitable power-such, for instance, as a
hydrostatic press E, as shown, this ram traveling on rollers mounted on tracks F, F,
so that it may be run along across the table to operate upon any width of material
desired. The press is screw-threaded at its lower end and a wheel G is fitted to it.
This wheel carries the platen H, so that by turning it the platen may be raised after
the pressure is removed. Of course this might be reversed, and the shapes could be
placed in contact with a canvas stretched above, so that the pressure could be applied
from beneath and the inverting of the block would then be unnecessary. The result
of the pressure is to force the composition shapes into the interstices of the canvas to
join the contiguous edges, and to partially harden, solidify, and calender the entire
surface. Upon removing the block or form the shapes are all left in position adhering
firmly to the canvas, with a shallow narrow space between the shapes, in case the
second form of pattern-block is used, left by the brass edgings. After a sufficient
number of sections has been laid upon the canvas in this manner a hot plate is placed
over them, and the press is again run down upon the entire sheet until all the spaces
made by the edgings or holes left by the pins are closed, and the cloth becomes of
the usual density and strength of ordinary linoleum. By this last process the edges
are left perfectly straight, smooth, regular, and defined, without the colors running
into each other in the slightest degree, and, furthermore, the material is rendered
hard, compact, and durable, in order to withstand the punishment to which such
material is continually subjected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The process of manufacturing linoleum floor-cloth, consisting in forming
granulated linoleum composition into sheets of spongy texture, cutting the sheets into
shapes, arranging the shapes on a flexible back or foundation, and pressing these
shapes into the foundation, substantially as set forth.
2nd. The process of manufacturing linoleum floor-cloth, consisting of forming
sheets of spongy texture from unheated granulated linoleum composition, cutting the
sheets into shapes, arranging the shapes in a block or form, placing the block with the
face toward a canvas foundation drawn across a heated table, pressing said block or
form until the shapes adhere to the canvas and their edges are partly joined, removing
the block or form, and finally subjecting the whole to hydraulic or other pressure
until all the interstices are closed, the shapes adhere to one another, and the whole
sheet is made compact and smooth, substantially as set forth.
3rd. The process for the manufacture of linoleum floor-cloth, consisting in forming
sheets of spongy texture from linoleum composition, cutting these sheets into shapes,
arranging the shapes on a block or form, placing the shapes against a canvas, pressing
the block until the shapes adhere to the canvas, removing the block, and finally
heating and again pressing the materials, substantially as set forth.
4th. The combination with a table, of a press adapted to be moved laterally over
said table to operate upon different widths of material, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 5th. The combination with a table, of a press carried on suitable rollers over the
table and adapted to be moved laterally over said table to operate upon different
widths of material, substantially as set forth.
6th. The combination with a table, of a hydrostatic press mounted on suitable
rollers over the table and adapted to be moved laterally over said table to operate upon
different widths of material on the table substantially as set forth.
7th. The combination with a steam heated table over which the linoleum is drawn,
of a hydrostatic press mounted on a suitable track and adapted to be moved laterally
over the table to operate upon different widths of material, substantially as set
forth.
1000
DAVID NEILSON MELVIN.
Herbert & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, Agents to Applicant.