Improvements in Coir and like Mats.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 2nd June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coir and like Mats.
We, HARRY GOODACRE, a Director, and WILLIAM GOODACRE & SONS, LIMITED,
both of Ceylon Mills, Victoria Docks, London, 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:-
-
This invention relates to mats made of coir yarn or like material. Heretofore
these mats which are made in various forms, have been secured, both as far as their
interior portions are concerned in one form of mat-and as far as their borders are
concerned-in another form of mat by stitching.
This has presented considerable difficulties and to overcome them we propose
to employ metallic fastenings such as staples, wires, sheet metal or the like in
various forms in combination if desired with other features all as hereinafter
described.
In the accompanying drawings are shewn various forms of mats to which the
invention is applied.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of mat, and Fig. 2 a section on the line c
in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a portion of the mat in place on the
several pins or posts which serve in its construction. Figs. 4, 5 and represent
a pin detached. Fig. 4 is a front elevation; Fig. 5 a side elevation, and Fig. 6 a
cross section on the line y y in Fig. 5. Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 show modifications of
the metallic fastenings employed. Each is a plan view showing a single joint
or junction of two parts of a single strand or rope. Fig. 11 is a perspective view
of a portion of another form of finished mat. Figs. 12 and 13 are vertical sections
shewing the mode of attaching the braid on the edge. Fig. 14 is a section corre-
sponding to Fig. 12, and shows the mode of attaching the fastening staple. Fig. 15
is a face view of the flattened tube. Fig. 16 is a section on the line in Fig. 15.
Fig. 17 is a section on the line y y in Fig. 15. Fig. 18 is a plan view of the blank
which forms a tube. Fig. 19 is a plan view of the fastening staple detached.
Referring first to Figs. 1 to 10 A A and B B designate a continuous strand of
the coir rope or other tough fibrous material which is to form the body of the mat,
which strand is extended one or more times around the edge, as seen at M, to con-
stitute a strong protection for the exposed portion. We use a single rope without
cutting; but we will distinguish one portion from another by the two letters A
and B.
DD are metallic fastening staples, certain portions being designated, when
necessary, by additional marks, as ¹ º.
D is the head of the staple the part which receives the force of the percussion
when the staple is driven by a hammer. D2 and D³ are the legs or parallel portions
thereof, and D D³ the clinched ends of these legs. The staples are forced through
the two portions A and B, and strongly engage them together by the aid of the
turned or clinched ends D4 D5.
To make the mat, the parts A and B are held temporarily in the properly waved

page_text: conditions, and the several staples are driven through the points of junction, and
the ends 1 D are clinched by being forced against suitably inclined surfaces
of steel, the points of the staples being received in a curved recess y, in the side
of the pin G, which is properly shaped to receive the points of the staples and
bend them inward. The rope is quite elastic. A strong blow, or a series of
gentler ones, applied to the head 1 of the staple causes the points of the staple
to be so received in the concavity g that the staple will be effectively clinched, and
the bent ends 14 15 will be sunk well in the goods.
We have represented the coir rope as flat and as held in the mat,, resting with
one edge on the floor and presenting the opposite edge upward. We prefer this
construction; but this feature is not absolutely essential.
Modifications may be made.
We can apply two of the staples D at each of the junctions of the parts A
and B.
The meshes of the mat may be finer, requiring the staples or other metallic
fastenings to be applied nearer together.
Some of the benefits of the invention may be realized by other forms of metallic
fastenings, such as winding brass wire or other suitable incorrodible metal around
the junction, instead of driving pointed staples through said junction. Such is
shown as a fastening for a portion of a strand indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.
We have shown nails having large heads as the means for securing the edging
to the body of the mat; but staples of sufficient length may serve with nearly equal
success.
Nails may be employed as the fastenings D in lieu of the staples.
The staples may be made of wire cut off diagonally, so as to form proper points;
or they may be made from strips of sheet metal.
The metal of the staples 1), or other metallic fastenings, may be copper, brass,
bronze, or various metals or alloys. We prefer for general practice soft iron; but
hard iron or low steel may be used.
Fig. 7 shows a nail put through and clinched.
Fig. 8 shows a wire or headless piece of metal clinched at each end.
Fig. 9 shows a clip of sheet metal fitted tightly around the two strands.
Fig. 10 shows a rivet with a washer or clinch ring at each end.
Another form of the improved mat may be of manila or analogous material, with
or without a pile on the upper surface.
It has long been common to border mats with a braid of the same or a different
material secured by stitching. It is difficult to thus secure the marginal braid.
The joining of the ends, whether abutting or overlapping, is unsightly. We
employ a similar marginal braid, but secure it with facility and permanence by
metallic fastenings. We enclose the ends in a sheet metal tube peculiarly formed
and adapted to also receive metal fastenings. We insert through the tube a long
staple adapted to serve as an eye, by which the mat may be chained when it is
necessary to thus secure it, as for vestibule door mats in houses in cities. The
staple thus secured constitutes a specially strong and fasty eye for this purpose.
In Figs. 11 to 19-
A is the body of the mat, and a pile or tuft thereon. A narrow space along
the edge of the body A is formed without tufting, or the tufting is sheared off
or otherwise removed.
B is a sufficient length of braid, of manila, or other suitable material, extending
around the mat and partly superposed upon the edge thereof.
CC are staples of Swede iron or other tough iron coated with zinc, tin, or
other protecting material. These staples are formed with their legs parallel, and
are driven in an inclined direction through the braid and through a portion of the
mat. For this operation the mat is held on an anvil M³, presenting a surface m",
adapted to receive the points of the staples and clinch them firmly together.
The ends of the braid B are embraced within a splicing shell or tube D³, of
brass or soft iron, which is flattened after its application, so as to compress the
5

page_text: lapped ends firmly together. This tube D is formed from a suitable piece of sheet
metal perforated and notched, as will be presently described. It is locked around
the braid by its edges being hooked together. Holes near each end receive each
one leg of a staple C. Notches d¹, previously formed in the edges of the metal,
provide liberal openings for the staple to pass through and take hold of the body A*
of the mat and clinch therewith, like the other staples C. The staples thus
applied engaging each on one end of the tube D* should be a little longer than the
other staples. They may be clinched by the same means.
Two holes, near the mid-length of each tube receive the legs of a staple E*.
One leg of this staple is longer than the other. Both extend quite across through
the tube and into the body of the mat A. Notches, formed in the edges of the
metal before the tube is formed, provide liberal apertures for this staple to pass
through on the back side. The short leg of the staple E is bent so as to spread
a little in the material of A* and aid to hold therein. The longest leg of E* extends
a good distance inward in the body A*, but finally extends out at the bottom, and
is bent and clinched, as shown in Fig. 14.
The tube D may be silvered, nickeled, or otherwise coated. It may be stamped,
engraved, or otherwise made to carry the name of the owner. This may be impor-
tant in places where the mat is liable to be misplaced by accident or design.
Modifications may be made in many or all of the details. The ends of the
braid B may abut together either squarely or diagonally, or they may be lapped
upon each other. All the staples may be of brass. The several staples may be
set by machinery.
Parts of the invention may be used without the whole. The staple E* may be
like the staples C, except in increased length. It may be clinched in a similar
manner by driving against an anvil M. The widening or eye at the bight of the
long staple E may be omitted, and there may be sufficient width between the
parallel parts of the staple to allow the engagement of a chain.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The improved metallic fastenings for coir and like mats substantially as
described and shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and 7 to 19 of the drawings.
2. The improved mat of coir or the like substantially as described and illustrated
in Figs. 11 to 17 of the drawings.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Chartered Patent Agent, 55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
For the Applicants.