Improvements in the Method of and Means or Apparatus for the Manufacture of Mats, Stair Treads, and other Floor Coverings or the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept.. 1895
Complete Specification Left, 2nd June, 1896-Accepted, 11th July, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Means or Apparatus for the
Manufacture of Mats, Stair Treads, and other Floor Coverings or
the like.
We JAMES WETHERILT, of 179 Maida Vale, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, and WILLIAM JOSEPH ARMITAGE, of 81 Bramley Road, Notting
Hill, in the same county, Bicycle and Perambulator Manufacturer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of mats, stair treads and other floor coverings and the like,
according to the invention described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to the present applicants dated the 31st day of December 1892 No. 24139, it has
been found requisite, in order to manufacture the same in large quantities. and
with expedition, to devise means or apparatus for cutting up into suitable lengths
the waste material such as cab tire rubber or similar rubber, shaping the same
into cylindrical plugs and cutting a medial circumferential groove around each
plug in which the crossed bands will lie to help to hold the plugs in correct
relative positions in the mat, and then, when the plugs are shaped and grooved to
provide means for readily drawing the plugs so far through the metal perforated
bands as to lodge the bands in the groove.
The first operation of separating the waste material into convenient lengths for
the performance of the next succeeding one, is performed by a machine which
consists mainly of a rotatory band knife supported over suitable pulleys and driven
in substantially usual manner. This knife travels between two wheels mounted on
axes mounted in suitable bearings carried by framing of the machine. One of
these wheels has, on its side away from the knife, a plate or flange which acts as
a gauge for determining the lengths into which the rubber is to be cut.
To the periphery of this same wheel is bolted a stem which carries a pin which
forms, with the corresponding end of a lever, a hinged connection for the same to
the wheel. Said lever is curved over the wheel and extends to the front. Its
face towards the wheel is serrated. The cutting band is arranged to traverse
between and downwardly towards the axial line of the two wheels and the length
of rubber to be cut to gauge is rested on the wheels in line (about) with their
axes and the cutting edge being aligned a little to the front of said axial line, it
passes into the rubber, as the same is held grasped between the peripheries of the
wheels and the serrated surface of the lever. To prevent the rubber, as the knife
cuts it, from seizing the blade and so obstructing the passage thereof a movement
forward is given to said serrated lever, a partial rotation to the wheel attached to
said lever, a movement to the rubber being cut and a frictional movement to the
other wheel, until complete severance of the rubber tire into the desired section is
effected. By these means a rotatory cutting table or rolling feed bed is attained
whereby any binding of the rubber on the knife is obviated whilst the flange of
the one wheel forms a gauge, as stated, for regulating the size of piece cut off.
This piece is next placed under a cylindrical cutter which cuts out of each said
piece the plugs referred to. This cutter is formed of thin steel and is formed to
an extremely keen edge, and preferably of untempered metal, so that as it becomes
blunted it may be resharpened by placing it in a self centreing chuck in a lathe
and producing a resharpened edge. This cutter is held by a clamp on a tube or

page_text: hollow spindle carried in suitable bearings in arms formed on the framing of the
machine. Mounted fast on said spindle is a disc or edge roller having a rubber or
other suitable frictional surface designed to contact with a disc or face wheel of
peculiar construction mounted in bearings in the framing and driven by suitable
band, or gearing, by a pulley on its other end. This wheel and its axis can
traverse in its bearings within limits controlled by a collar, or collars, or spring
and is kept pressed towards its innermost position by a curved band spring or its
equivalent, as a weighted lever. The face of this face wheel is recessed annularly
from towards the outer circumference towards the centre, so that, as the edge
roller is moved up and down its face, little or no friction will he imparted at the
central contact and an increasing frictional contact and speed of revolution will be
developed as the edge roller traverses to the outer edge of the face disc.
The cutter spindle has mounted on it a grooved collar and into this groove,
engages the claw end of a lever centred to the framing whilst the other end
thereof, is connected by a rod, to a treadle lever below so that as required the
treadle may be depressed and by its connections the cutter lowered and pressed to
its work. A spring connecting the claw lever and the framing overhead serves to
lift the cutter spindle when it is released. Thus the cutter spindle and cutter
have both rotatory and traversing motions, the rapidity of rotation of cutter
increasing as it progresses with the depth of cut avoiding "waisting" or loss of
cylinder form.
Mounted on an upper part of the framing is a hollow stem, which stem passes
down through the hollow spindle of the cutter and projects slightly therefrom
when the cutter is at its highest so that as said cutter rises from its cut, with the
rubber plug held therein, said plug is pushed free of the cutter cylinder by the
butt end of this inner stem. At the upper end of this stem is a connection to a
water supply, whereby water to aid severance is supplied during cutting controlled
by suitable valves. Water should also be supplied around the rubber block to-be
cut, by means of a receptacle beneath it.
These cut plugs of rubber now have the medial groove.cut in each by means of
the device, now to be described: this consists of two wheels or discs mounted on
a table and horizontally the one wheel being provided with a handle to rotate it
by and with a peripheral groove in which around the wheel lies part of an endless
band, which band passes round and gives motion to a pulley fast on the same axis
as the second wheel or fly wheel and driving same.
The said axis rises within the
fly wheel to within a short distance of its upper surface and this upper end of the
axis is recessed to receive one half of a rubber plug, sufficiently tightly holding it,
as the wheel rotates around it. This wheel at the hub has a slot through which
passes a cutter, said cutter being held in a tool holder with screw adjustment
mounted with capability of partial rotation on an arm or part of the wheel so that
the cutter tool can be turned into or out of action. The cutter is preferably
formed from a cylindrical stem reduced to a short blade with an angular notch
therein producing an angular cutting end which as the wheel rotates cuts out a
groove in the rubber.
The rubber plugs thus grooved are now inserted, one by
one, in a series of tools of rather more than half round cross section and of trough
or hollow form, mounted in a series or row of four or other number, of openings
in a plate, constituting bearings in which said tools reciprocate. These tools at
foot are formed with loops through which is threaded a rod, said rod, by straps of
metal, being connected to a treadle or foot plate lever. Guides from the standard
of the machine steady the said straps or links. A spring serves to draw the foot
plate lever and the straps and consequently the half round tools upwards.
The size of the openings in the tool plate corresponds with the openings in the
mat frame work or trellis of perforated plates superimposed ready for insertion of
rubber. This frame work is aligned over the tool plate with the tools protruding
one through each hole in plate and frame work and a plug of rubber is pressed
partly into each tool. Each tool is made of thin metal split, about midway of
the trough and incurved at the lip or outer end. This split allows the tool to open

page_text: slightly to admit the rubber plug easily and a smart pressure on the treadle drags
down the tools and with them for a certain distance the plugs of rubber, drawing
the plugs into locked position in the perforated metal. As the tools descend,
the plugs held by each, make a slight turn over movement and the lips or turned in
ends enter the medial grooves of the plugs and draw them through the metal
holes as by hooks, until the edges of the mat metal plate holes take the grooves
and holding them more strongly than the tools, these latter pass down free of the
plugs.
As a modification, the means for cutting the rubber into lengths in its crude
condition in commencing this manufacture, may be three rotatory wheels on an
axis cooperating with two travelling band cutters mounted so that they travel at
one part of each of their lengths between two of the said wheels, the middle wheel
between the two cutters. A guard or gauge at one side of the inner side wheel
determines the length of one piece cut off and the distance between the two knives
determines that of the other piece.
This arrangement will be found convenient for very soft rubber
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Means or Apparatus for the
Manufacture of Mats, Stair Treads, and other Floor Coverings
or the like.
We JAMES WETHERILT, of 179 Maida Vale, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman and WILLIAM JOSEPH ARMITAGE, of 81 Bramley Road, Notting
Hill, in the same county, Bicycle and Perambulator Manufacturer 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:-
In the manufacture of mats, stair treads and other floor coverings and the like,
according to the invention described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to the present applicants dated the 31st day of December 1892 No. 24,139, it has
been found requisite, in order to manufacture the same in large quantities and with
expedition, to devise means or apparatus for cutting up into suitable lengths the
waste material, such as cab tyre rubber or similar rubber, shaping the same into
cylindrical plugs and cutting a medial circumferential groove around each plug in
which the crossed bands will lie to help to hold the plugs in correct relative
positions in the mat, and then, when the plugs are shaped and grooved, to provide
means for readily drawing the plugs so far through the metal perforated bands as
to lodge the bands in the groove.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1 and 2 show, by front view and side view respectively, apparatus for
cutting the rubber into suitable lengths.
Fig. 3 shows by side view, partly in section, apparatus for cutting the round
portions of the rubber plugs.
Fig. 4 shows an enlarged view of a machine similar to that shown in Fig. 3,
having apparatus applied for cutting the groove or slit around each rubber plug.
Fig. 5 shows the same apparatus by a plan view, and
Figs. 6 and 7 are details.
Fig. 8 shows, by a like view to Fig. 4, a modified form of apparatus, for cutting
a V shaped groove in the rubber plugs.

page_text: Fig. 9 shows a plan view of the same and
Fig. 10 shows a portion of the apparatus by a right hand side view.
Fig. 11 shows a rubber plug with the V shaped groove formed around it.
Fig. 12 shows by side view machinery for inserting the rubber plugs.
Figs. 13, 14 and 15 show by sectional side view, hack view, and plan view
respectively the tool for use with this machinery, to a larger scale.
Figs. 16 and 17 show by front view and side view respectively, a modified for n
of the apparatus for inserting the plugs.
Fig. 18 shows the upper portion of the same by a plan view, on a larger scale.
Figs. 19 and 20 show, by front view and side view respectively, the tool for use
with the same.
Figs. 21, 22 and 23 show the tools in different positions in successive stages in
the operation of inserting the rubber plugs into the metal lath work.
Fig. 24 is a front view of a modification of that part of the apparatus for cutting
the rubber into suitable lengths.
The first operation of separating the waste material into convenient lengths for
the performance of the next succeeding one is performed by the machine shown in
Figs. 1 and 2. It consists mainly of a rotating band knife E supported over
suitable pulleys and driven in substantially usual manner. This knife E travels
between two wheels e e' mounted on axes e² es mounted in suitable bearings carried
by framing of the machine.
wheel e.
The wheel e has, on its side away from the knife, a plate or flange e which acts
as a gauge for determining the lengths into which the rubber is to be cut. To the
periphery of this same wheel is bolted a stem e? which carries a pin 8 which forms,
with the corresponding end of a lever e, a hinged connection for the same to the
Said lever is curved over the wheel and extends to the front. Its face
towards the wheel is serrated. The cutting band is arranged to traverse between
and downwardly towards the axial line of the two wheels and the length of rubber
to be cut to gauge is rested on the wheels in line (about) with their axes and the
cutting edge e being aligned a little to the front of said axial line, it passes into
the rubber, as the same is held grasped between the peripheries of the wheels and
the serrated surface of the lever. To prevent the rubber, as the knife cuts it,
from seizing the blade and so obstructing the passage thereof, a movement forward
is given to said serrated lever, (see arrow Fig. 1) a partial rotation to the wheel e
attached to said lever, a movement to the rubber being cut and a frictional
movement to the other wheel ¹, until complete severance of the rubber tire into
the desired section is effected. By these means a rotatory cutting table or rolling
feed bed is attained whereby any binding of the rubber on the knife is obviated
whilst the flange of the one wheel forms a gauge, as stated, for regulating the size
of piece cut off.
This piece is next placed under a cylindrical cutter which cuts out of cach said
piece the plugs referred to by means of the machine shown in Fig. 3. This
cutter, b, is formed of thin steel, and is formed to an extremely keen edge, and
preferably of untempered metal, so that as it becomes blunted it may be resharpened
by placing it in a self centreing chuck in a lathe and producing a resharpened
edge. This cutter is held by a clamp on a tube or hollow spindle 62 carried in
suitable bearings in arms formed on the framing of the machine.
Mounted fast on said spindle is a disc or edge roller 63 having a rubber or
other suitable frictional surface designed to contact with a disc or face wheel c³ of
peculiar construction mounted in bearings in the framing and driven by suitable
band e², or gearing, by a pulley c' on the other end of its shaft c. This wheel ca
and its axis c can traverse in its bearings within limits controlled by collars c' c',
or spring, and is kept pressed towards its innermost position by a curved band
spring c or its equivalent; as a weighted lever. The face ct of this face wheel is
recessed annularly from towards the outer circumference towards the centre, as
at c, so that, as the edge roller is moved up a d down its face, little or no friction
will be imparted at the central contact a d an increasing frictional contact and

page_text: speed of revolution will be developed as the edge roller b³ traverses to the outer
edge of the face disc c*.
The cutter spindle has mounted on it a grooved collar and into this groove,
engages the claw end 6ª of a lever 6' centred to the framing whilst the other end
thereof, is connected by a rod 66, to a treadle lever below (not shown) so that as
required the treadle may be depressed and by its connections the cutter lowered
and pressed to its work. A spring connecting the claw lever 6' and the framing
overhead serves to lift the cutter spindle 6' when it is released.
Thus the cutter spindle and cutter have both rotatory and traversing motions,
the rapidity of rotation of cutter increasing as it progresses with the depth of cut
avoiding "waisting" or loss of cylinder form.
Mounted on an upper part of the framing is a hollow stem d, which stem passes
down through the hollow spindle 6 of the cutter and projects slightly therefrom
when the cutter b is at its highest so that as said cutter rises from its cut, with the
rubber plug held therein, said plug is pushed free of the cutter cylinder by the butt
end of this inner stem d which is stationary. At the upper end of this stem is a
connection d² to a water supply, whereby water to aid severance is supplied during
cutting controlled by a suitable valve d¹. Water should also be supplied around
the rubber block to be cut, by means of a receptacle beneath it.
These cut plugs of rubber now have the medial groove cut in each by means of
the device, now to be described reference being had to Figs. 4-7.
This consists
of two holders ff. The lower holder f is mounted on a table and horizontally.
The holder or tool f¹ being provided with a handle to rotate it by, or, by
preference, rotation may be obtained by applying the apparatus to a machine such
as is shown in Fig. 3. The upper holder f¹ being held to the spindle 6' by means
of the clamp b¹. The holders ff' are recessed, see Fig. 6, to receive each about
one half of a rubber plug, projecting ridges f in the upper holder fl sufficiently
tightly holding the plug during rotation. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the
line a, a Fig. 5 and Fig. 7 shows the inner face of the holder f¹. The holder f¹ is
brought over the lower tool f so as to leave a slot or space through which passes,
a knife or cutter f³, said cutter being held in a tool holder or guide f with screw
adjustment mounted on an arm or part of the guide f, so that the knife cutter
tool can be regulated to depth of groove to be cut.
The end of the knife or cutter is hinged at fa on a projection from the table
and the opposite end is provided with a handle. 17 is a spring to return the
knife free from the rubber plug when the pressure on the handle is released.
The machine operates as follows.
•
A rubber plug having been inserted into the lower holder f, the upper holder fl
is lowered over it, see Fig. 6, and the machine is rotated as described with respect
to Fig. 3. The knife is then pressed against the rubber as the latter rotates, the
depth of the cut being regulated by the stop f³.
Figs. 8 to 10 show a modification of this apparatus. The tool holder f* is
provided with inclined guides ff, which support two knives f³ ³, capable of
moving or sliding in said guides and hinged at 18, 18, upon an elongation/10 of the
tool holder f. When the knives are pushed against the rubber plug the cutting
edges approach each other in an angular direction, thus cutting out a V shaped
groove as the plug is rotated. Adjustable stops ff regulate the depth of groove.
The rubber plugs thus grooved are now inserted, one by one, in a tool or a series
of tools of rather more than half round cross section and of trough or hollow
form, see Figs. 12 to 15. These tools are mounted in openings 1, in a plate
constituting bearings in which said tools reciprocate. These tools at foot are
provided with sleeves h* through which is passed a rod h², said rod being connected.
to a treadle or foot plate lever h³ the axis or hinge of which is at h¹. Guides h³
from the standard of the machine steady the said rod. A spring k serves to
draw the foot plate lever and the rod and consequently the half round tools
upwards.
The size of the openings in the tool plate corresponds with the openings in the

page_text: mat frame work or trellis of perforated plates superimposed ready for insertion of
rubber.
This frame work is aligned over the tool plate with the tools protruding one
through each hole in plate and framework and a plug of rubber is pressed partly
into each tool. Each tool is made of thin metal split at he, about midway of the
trough and incurved at the lip or outer end h².
The distance between the lip h' and the upper end of the rod is about equal
to half the depth of a rubber plug. This distance may be adjusted to suit
variations in the size of plugs by means of the sleeve h* and its set screw.
The split allows the tool to open slightly to admit the rubber plug easily and
a smart pressure on the treadle drags down the tools and with them for a certain
distance the plugs of rubber, drawing the plugs into locked position in the
perforated metal.
In the modification shown in Figs. 16 to 23 the tools h are formed with loops
through which a rod h' is threaded, said rod by straps of metal 2 being connected
to the treadle lever h³.
As the tools descend, the plugs held by each make a slight turn over movement
and the lips or turned in ends enter the medial grooves of the plugs and draw them
through the metal holes as by hooks, until the edges of the mat metal plate holes
take the grooves and holding them more strongly than the tools, these latter pass
down free of the plugs see Figs. 21 to 23 in which A is the metal plate of the mat,
a² the hole therein and a³ the rubber plug.
As a modificatiou, the means for cutting the rubber into lengths in its crude
condition in commencing this manufacture, may be as shown in Fig. 24, three
rotatory wheels on an axis cooperating with two travelling band cutters E, E,
mounted so that they travel at one part of each of their lengths between two of
the said wheels, the middle wheel between the two cutters.
A guard or gauge at one side of the inner side wheel determines the length of
one piece cut off and the distance between the two knives determines that of the
other piece.
This arrangement will be found convenient for very soft rubber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
1. The method of, and apparatus for manufacturing the parts of india rubber
and metal lath mats, treads of stairs, and other coverings for floors, and the like,
by severing the pieces of rubber into lengths by means of a rotating bed cöoper-
ating with a band cutter or band cutters, a circular knife or equivalent cutter (with
means for holding the "work" if desired), cutting the severed pieces of rubber into
cylindrical plugs by revolving cylindrical cutters and parts coöperating; means for
grooving said plugs and means for drawing said plugs into the framework of
perforated metal strips to form the mat, or the like, all substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
2. The combination of parts of mechanism for severing pieces of rubber into
suitable lengths adapted for subsequent manufacture, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth and shewn by the drawings in respect of Figs. 1, 2 and 24.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts of mechanism for cutting rubber
by the aid of a rotatory hollow tubular cutter mounted and driven so as to attain
variable speed adapted to the progress of the cut, means for supply of water to
said cutter, and for release of the cut pieces, all substantially as aud for the purpose
set forth especially with reference to Fig. 3.
4. The combinations and arrangements of the parts of the mechanisms for
producing the groove in the cylindrical blocks or pieces of rubber as set forth
particularly with reference to Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 and alternatively to Figs. 8,
9, and 10.
5. The method of and apparatus for effecting the insertion of the resilient plugs

page_text: into openings in the rigid plates or metal bands, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth with reference to Figs. 12 to 23 inclusive.
6. The construction, combination and use, for drawing rubber blocks or pieces,.
of the expansible tool or tools in sets, and means for operating the same, so that
such elastic rubber blocks can be rapidly and effectively drawn into openings in
metal plates, or bands, in the manufacture of rubber and metal lath mats, stair
treads, and other floor coverings and the like, all substantially as and for the purpose
set forth and shewn with reference to Figs. 12, 13, 14 and 15; or alternatively to.
Figs. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23.
Dated the 1st day of June 1896.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.