A NEW OR IMPROVED MATERIAL ADAPTED AND APPLIED TO THE MANUFACTURE OF LIFE BUOYS, SWIMMING BELTS, ANCHOR BUOYS AND THE LIKE
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM EDWARDS of Rockfield Exetor in the County of Devon Felt Hat
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "A NEW
OR IMPROVED MATERIAL ADAPTED AND APPLIED TO THE MANUFACTURE OF
LIFE BUOYS, SWIMMING BELTS, ANCHOR BUOYS AND THE LIKE "to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the preparation of a new material and the manufacture
therefrom of life-buoys swimming belts, anchor buoys and other similar articles, so
as to give them increased buoyancy such material also having great durability,
increasing with age.
The material adapted to the manufacture of the above mentioned and similar
articles is prepared by the following process:
First I select a long stapled strong English or other wool which is combed and
carded and felted into shapes or pieces suitable for working into the required
forms. These shapes or pieces are next boiled in a solution of equal proportions
of Bichromate of potash and whitening for about three hours, and are then rapidly
dried at a very high temperature say 110 degrees Centigrade. The said shapes or
pieces are next stiffened by immersion in a boiling composition consisting of about
56 parts of shellac (of the kind known as "button lac ") 28 parts of plaster of
Paris, 17 parts of Resin and 11 parts of Gum Thus, the said shapes or pieces are
afterwards removed from the boiling composition and are steamed in a closed
retort at a pressure of about 60 lbs to the square inch for a period of about three
hours. They are then removed from the retort and dried at a high temperature
any 130 degrees Centigrade.
The shapes or pieces when dry are boiled in Linseed oil for about two hours in
order to render them insoluble.
And lastly, the said shapes or pieces are pressed by hydraulic power into suitable
dies, so as to form air vessels when two of such shapes or pieces are put together,

page_text: the joints or seams by means of which the parts of such air vessel are united being
closed and secured by cement of the same ingredients as the stiffening composition.
The joints or seams may be further secured by means of copper rivets.
The above mentioned air vessels either singly or collectively may be made up
into anchor buoys, life buoys, swimming belts and similar apparatus as required.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I WILLIAM EDWARDS of Rockfield, Exeter, in the county of Devon, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED MATERIAL
ADAPTED AND APPLIED TO THE MANUFACTURE OF LIFE-BUOYS SWIMMING BELTS
ANCHOR BUOYS AND THE LIKE" 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 the preparation of a new material and the manufacture
therefrom of life-buoys, swimming belts, anchor buoys, and other similar articles,
so as to give them increased buoyancy such material also having great durability,
increasing with age.
The material adapted to the manufacture of the above mentioned and similar
articles is prepared by the following process. First; I select a long stapled strong
English or other wool which is combed and carded and felted into shapes or pieces
suitable for working into the required forms. These shapes or pieces are next
boiled in a solution of equal proportions of Bichromate of Potash and whiting for
about three hours and are then rapidly dried at a very high temperature, say
110 degrees Centigrade. The said shapes or pieces are next stiffened by immersion
in a boiling composition consisting of about 56 parts of shellac (of the kind known
as "button lac"), 28 parts of plaster of Paris, 17 parts of resin and. 11 parts of gum
thus, the said shapes or pieces are afterwards removed from the boiling composition
and are steamed in a closed retort at a pressure of about 60 lbs to the square inch
for a period of about three hours. They are then removed from the retort and
dried at a high temperature say 130 degrees centigrade.
The shapes or pieces when dry are boiled in linseed oil for about two hours in
.order to render them insoluble.

page_text: And lastly the said shapes or pieces are pressed by hydraulic power into suitable
dies, so as to form air vessels when two of such shapes or pieces are put together,
the joints or seams by means of which the parts of such air vessels are united
being closed and secured by cement of the same ingredients as the stiffening
composition.
up
The joints or seams may be further secured by means of copper rivets.
The above mentioned air vessels either singly or collectively may be made
into anchor buoys, life buoys, fishing net buoys, "log" buoys, swimming belts, and
similar apparatus as required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The manufacture and use of the new or improved material prepared in the
manner and for the purposes substantially as hereinbefore described.