IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINING INDIA-RUBBER WITH CERTAIN METALS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Goodyear, of 25, Avenue Road,
Saint John's Wood, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINING INDIA-RUBBER WITH CERTAIN
METALS."
Sealed the 28th June 1858, and dated the 4th May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Goodyear
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th May 1853.
I, CHARLES GOODYEAR, of 25, Avenue Road, St. John's Wood, in
the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINING INDIA-RUBBER WITH CERTAIN
METALS to be as follows:
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of articles of a
hard compound, made of india-rubber and sulphur (with or without
other matters), subjected to heat.
subjected to heat. And the Invention consists of
combining with such hard compound in the manufacture of articles
therefrom thin surfaces of gold, silver, or other metal exterior or

page_text: interior of the article of the hard compound. The gold, silver, or other
metal by preference is to be shaped in dies or moulds, and the prepared
india-rubber is to be then introduced into such dies or moulds, and
thereby moulded in contact with the gold, silver, or other metal, and in
the moulded state the articles are to be subjected in heat in order to
proluce the hardening effect to the india-rubber compound.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Goodyear in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 4th November 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES GOODYEAR, of 25, Avenue Road, Saint John's Wood, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Goodyear, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Goodyear, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Goodyear, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COMBINING INDIA-RUBBER WITH CERTAIN METALS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles Goodyear, Charles Goodyear,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 mouths next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Goodyear, do hereby

page_text: 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 thereof (that is to say):
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of articles of a
hard compound, made of india-rubber and sulphur (with or without
other matters), subjected to heat. And the Invention consists of
combining with such hard compound in the manufacture of articles
therefrom thin surfaces of gold, silver, or other metal exterior or
interior of the article of the hard compound. The gold or silver by
preference is to be shaped in dies or moulds, and the prepared india-
rubber is to be then introduced into such dies or moulds, and thereby
moulded in contact with the gold, silver, or other metal, and in the
moulded state the articles are to be subjected to heat in order to
produce the hardening effect to the india-rubber compound.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I will
procced to describe the means pursued by me. The forms of the
articles which may be manufactured according to this Invention are
very various, and each article may be coated either wholly or partially
with metal. And it may be stated that the object of this Invention is
to obtain the light, strong, and tough properties of the hardened com-
pounds of india-rubber with the ornamental and other properties of metal
combined in the making of one article. Thus supposing it be desired to
ornament or coat or partly to coat a cup or vessel with an exterior coating.
of open gold work, the manner in which I accomplish this description of
work is to take thin sheet metal, and to cut therefrom the device
required, and then, by stamping or otherwise, to make it of such form
as to fit the mould in which the cup or vessel, the compound of india-
rubber, is to be formed, and having introduced the metal, whether
composed of one or more pieces, the plastic compound of india-rubber
is to be introduced and pressed into form in the mould, by which the
metal will become imbedded or partially imbedded in the plastic
compound. It is not, however, necessary that the metal coating should
be perforated, as it may be embossed or otherwise, but it is desirable
that it should have projections or indentations where it comes in contact
with the plastic compound of india-rubber, as by such means the

page_text: combination of the metal with the india-rubber compound is better
insured, or the parts of articles which are of metal may be made up of
wire-work, or cast, or otherwise formed. When the metal is to be
inside the article of india-rubber compound the parts in metal are to
be first shaped, and then the india-rubber compound is to be shaped or
pressed into form in the mould; the lining or part lining of metal is
to be introduced and to be pressed therein, and it is to be retained
therein by the convex portion of the mould. Although generally sheet
metal is preferred for these purposes, the metal parts may be cast
or otherwise formed or shaped, and similarly applied in the act of
moulding the article of india-rubber compound. When the metal is to
be applied outside of articles made solid with the india-rubber com-
pound, such as the metal euds of knife handles and others, the metal
made into the desired form and hollow is to be introduced into the
mould, and the india-rubber compound is to be pressed into the mould.
Care being taken in all cases that the parts of the article which are
composed of metal are made with such roughnesses, or projections or
indentations, that when the india-rubber compound is pressed thereto,
and rendered hard by heat, that the metal will not separate from the
hard compound of india-rubber. By these means may articles of a
great variety of kinds be manufactured, and composed partly of hard
india-rubber compound, and partly of metal, and the parts of metal
may be either made from sheet metal or wire, or castings, or otherwise.
I would state that where the metal to be used is acted on prejudicially
by sulphur I cause the surfaces of metal which are to come in contact
with the india-rubber compound to be tinned, or else coated with
india-rubber cement or other varnish that does not contain sulphur,
before combining them with the india-rubber compound. I would
also state that I find it desirable, in all cases where the article will
admit of it, to retain the article in the mould in which it is shaped
during the time that it is subjected to heat. The compound of india-
rubber preferred is two thirds of india-rubber and one third of sulphur
by weight; other matters, such as coloring inatters, may be applied
as heretofore, and the heat is to be gradually applied as follows: the
heat is raised slowly for about half an hour up to 230° of Fahrenheit,

page_text: and to retain the same at that temperature for about two hours, and
then it is raised gradually, during the remainder of the six hours, up to
295° to 305° of Fahrenheit; the lower of these two temperatures
appearing to produce the more tough or horny character, and the
latter temperature producing more the character of whale bone.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I
make no claim to the preparation of what I have called the hard
compound of india-rubber. But what I claim is, the mode of
combining india-rubber with certain metals in the manufacture of
articles by moulding the compound of india-rubber, and producing the
hardening change thereto by heat when in contact and combination
with the metal.
In witness whercof, I, the said Charles Goodyear, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
CHARLES GOODYEAR. (L.S.)
Witness, JOSEPHI SEXTON.