Manufacture of Mats, Carpets, Screens, Coverings or the like from India-rubber or similar Material.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 20th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1891
Improvements in
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
the Manufacture of Mats, Carpets, Screens,
Coverings or the like from India-rubber or similar Material.
I, PAUL RAOUL DE FAUCHEUX D'HUMY, of 26, Lafayette Place, New York,
United States of America, but temporarily resident in King Street, Liverpool,
England, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the manufacture of mats, carpets, screens, coverings and
the like, partly or mainly from india rubber or similar yielding material.
The invention may be carried into effect in a variety of ways, of which the
following may be enumerated by way of illustration :-
A series of lengths of tubing, or a series of solid strips, is taken and pierced right
through at corresponding intervals with holes. The tubes or strips are then laid
side by side and a string, cord, wire, rod, etcetera, passed through the holes. Either
separate pieces of string, etcetera, may be employed, or one piece may be passed to
and fro through all the holes, the ends of the strings, cords or wires being secured
in any suitable manner.
Or the strips or tubes above mentioned may be separated by blocks, rings or
washers of india rubber, wood or other material, placed at convenient intervals along
them and threaded by the string, etcetera, aforesaid. This construction is more
suitable for mats or open screens.
Or the india rubber tubes or strips may be combined with strips of wood, metal
or the like, similarly threaded on the strings, cords, etcetera.
These strips may
alternate with the rubber strips or tubes, or they may occur at intervals of two,
three or more of the latter tubes or strips, and they may lie close against the rubber,
or at one or both sides thereof, or some or all of them may be separated by blocks,
rings or washers of rubber placed at suitable intervals. The above metal or wooden
strips may have their edges flush with the edges of the rubber tubes or strips or
they may be a short distance below the same. In the latter case, there results
a good reversible mat or carpet having two elastic surfaces.
Or, thick india rubber tube may be cut into short lengths of, say, half an inch,
and the said rings may be pierced at four points in their circumference. The rings
are then placed side by side and threaded through the sides both longitudinally and
transversely with cord, wires, etcetera, as aforesaid. Strips of metal, wood, rubber,
etcetera, may also, if desired, be combined with the rings in a similar manner to that
above set forth.
Or, a series of lengths of tube may be taken and placed side by side with their
ends abutting on strips or tubes of rubber, wood, metal or the like, which are so
pierced with holes that a cord, wire, etcetera, may be passed through the interior of
each tube from one cross bar to the other. Or one cord or wire may be passed in
succession through all the tubes. These tubes may also, if desired, be combined
with strips of metal, wood, etcetera, lying parallel to them and provided at their
ends with lugs through which the string, wire, etcetera, may be passed. The tubes,
or tubes and strips may lie one against the other or they may be placed at suitable
intervals apart.
Or the rubber may be cut or formed into rectangular blocks, having a deep
groove on each of two opposite edges and lying parallel to the wearing surface of
the block. A series of these blocks is placed end to end, so that their grooves are
continuous and a thin strip of metal or wood is inserted into the grooves, to, say,
half its breadth. A second row of blocks is then placed with its groove enclosing
the opposite edge of the strip. A second strip is then inserted into the groove on
the opposite edge of said second row, and so on until the required width or length

page_text: is obtained. All the rows are then pressed firmly home, and the ends of the strips
are united by cords, wires, bars, or otherwise.
Many of the articles constructed as above described may be made capable of
folding up by forming their various strips or tubes with hinges or flexible joints.
I am
By means of my invention, I am enabled to construct mats, carpets, screens,
coverings, etcetera, without having to obtain specially prepared forms or sizes of
rubber, as I can use almost any kind or size that may happen to be in stock.
also enabled to construct such articles in an economical manner without skilled
labour or any large amount of manipulation. Moreover, I can, by my invention,
utilise a large portion of the waste or scrap india rubber now existing.
Dated this 17th day of September 1890.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Mats, Carpets, Screens,
Coverings or the like from India-rubber or similar Material.
I, PAUL RAOUL DE FAUCHEUX D'HUMY, of 26, Lafayette Place, New York,
United States of America, but temporarily resident in King Street, Liverpool,
England, 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 :-
My invention relates to the manufacture of mats, carpets, screens, coverings
and the like, partly or mainly from india rubber or similar yielding material.
The invention may be carried into effect in a variety of ways, of which the
following may be enumerated by way of illustration, reference being also had to
the accompanying drawings, which show the invention as applied to a mat, the
methods of construction being substantially the same for carpets, screens, coverings
or the like.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mat constructed with india rubber tubes
threaded transversely.
Figures 2 and 3 show, in perspective and plan respectively, two slightly
different ways of constructing a mat from flat strips of rubber alternating with
washers.
Figure 4 is a plan of a mat formed of tubes or strips alternating with washers
or bands.
Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of two different forms of mat constructed
with alternating strips of wood and rubber.
Figure 7 illustrates a method of constructing a mat with strips of metal and
rubber placed alternately.
Figure 8 is a detail view showing how the metal strips may be applied to the
rubber strips.
Figure 9 shows a similar construction to that of Figure 7, but having the various
metal and rubber strips separated by washers or strips.
Figure 10 is a perspective view of a portion of a mat formed of short lengths
of tubing or rings threaded transversely.
Figure 10A is a similar view showing a slight modification in which the short
lengths of tubing or rings are separated by strips of wood and washers.
Figures 11 and 12 are plan and perspective view respectively showing two different
ways of making the mat with tubes threaded longitudinally.
Figure 13 is a perspective view of a mat formed of rectangular blocks of rubber
mounted or threaded upon metallic strips.
Figure 14 is a perspective view showing detail of mat seen in Figure 13.
Figures 15 and 16 are section and plan respectively illustrating a method of
constructing a mat of wooden backings and blocks of india rubber.

page_text: Figure 17 is a perspective view illustrating a somewhat similar method to the
preceding.
Referring first more especially to Figures 1 to 10.
A series of lengths of tubing A. A' or a series of solid strips B is taken and pierced
right through at corresponding intervals with holes. The tubes or strips are then
laid side by side and a string or cord C or a wire, rod, etcetera, passed through the
holes. Either separate pieces of string, etcetera, may be employed, as in Figures 1
to 7, 9 and 10, or one piece may be passed to and fro through all the holes as in
Figure 12, the ends of the strings, cords or wires being secured in any suitable
manner, as by a knot C¹ and bead C².
Or the strips or tubes above mentioned may be separated by blocks, rings or
washers D of india rubber, wood or other material, placed at convenient intervals along
them and threaded by the string, etcetera, aforesaid, as seen in Figures 2, 3, 4,
7 and 9. This construction is especially suitable for mats or open screens.
Or the india rubber tubes or strips A A' B may be combined with strips of
wood E or strips of metal E¹ or strips of other suitable material, similarly threaded
on the strings, cords, etcetera. These strips may alternate with the rubber strips or
tubes, or they may occur at intervals of two, three or more of the latter tubes or
strips, and they may lie close against the rubber, at one or both sides thereof, as in
Figures 5 to 8, or some or all of them may be separated by blocks, rings, or
washers D of rubber or other material placed at suitable intervals as in Figure 9.
The above metal or wooden strips may have their edges flush with the edges of
the rubber tubes or strips, as in Figures 7, 8 and 9, or they may be a short distance
below the same as in Figures 5 and 6. In the latter case, as seen in Figure 6, there
results a good reversible mat or carpet having two elastic surfaces. Each pair of
rubber and metal strips may be secured together by cement or otherwise, before
being threaded on to the strings, as seen in Figure 8, or they may be separated
alternately by strips or washers.
Or thick india rubber tube may be cut into short lengths A¹, Figure 10, of say,
half an inch, and the said rings may be pierced at four points in their circumference..
The rings are then placed side by side as shown, and threaded through the sides
both longitudinally and transversely with cord, wires, etcetera, as aforesaid. Strips E
or washers D (or both) of metal, wood, rubber, etcetera, may also, if desired, be
combined with the rings A¹ in a similar manner to that above set forth and as shown
in Figure 104.
Or, a series of lengths of tube A² may be taken and placed side by side as in.
Figures 11 and 12, with their ends abutting on cross strips or tubes F, of rubber,
wood, metal or the like, which are so pierced with holes that a cord, wire, etcetera, C,.
may be passed through the interior of each tube from one cross bar to the other..
Or one cord or wire may be passed in succession through all the tubes. These tubes.
may also, if desired, be combined with strips of metal E2, or strips of wood, etcetera,
lying parallel to them, and provided at their ends with lugs e, through which the
spring, wire, etcetera may be passed. The tubes, or tubes and strips, may lie one
against the other, or they may be placed at suitable intervals apart as shown.
Or, the rubber may be cut or formed into rectangular blocks B¹, Figures 13 and
14, having a deep groove on each of two opposite edges and lying parallel to the
wearing surface of the block. A series of these blocks is placed end to end, so that
their grooves are continuous and a thin strip of metal or wood E³ is inserted into
the grooves, to, say, half its breadth or less. A second row of blocks is then placed
with its groove enclosing the opposite edge of the strip. A second strip is then.
inserted into the groove on the opposite edge of said second row, and so on until
the required width or length is obtained. All the rows are then pressed firmly
home, and the ends of the strips upon which the blocks are mounted are united by
bars C or by cords, wires or otherwise. The bars C¹ may run through eyes e¹ or
rest within grooves in the ends of the strips E3 and the latter may be drawn together
by nuts e, on the ends of said bars.
Or the rubber may be inserted into or otherwise attached to the wooden strips E*,.

page_text: as in Figures 15, 16 and 17, and the strips, which thus form a backing for the
rubber, may be threaded together as aforesaid. To this end, the rubber blocks may
conveniently take the form of plugs B2, having a circular cross section. In Figures 15
and 16, the top of each plug is of a hemispherical shape (it may, however, be of a
flat shape) and the cylindrical body of the plug, which is, by preference, of smaller
diameter than the tip, is adapted to be inserted into a corresponding hole in the
strip or backing, within which it may be secured by small screws or spikes b'. The
mat shown in Figure 17 has its plugs of a spherical shape. They are inserted into
the holes in the strips projecting, by preference, on each side of the strips, and
being secured therein by spikes or screws ', as aforesaid. The cords C run through
the strips along such lines as will be clear of the rubber plugs. When the aforesaid
blocks are worn, the screws may be withdrawn, the blocks turned round within the
holes, and the screws replaced.
Many of the articles constructed as above described may be made capable of
folding up by forming their various strips or tubes with hinges or flexible joints as
seen at a Figure 3, thin washers a¹ of metal or other rigid material being inserted
between the various strips.
By means of my invention, I am enabled to construct mats, carpets, screens,
coverings, etc., without having to obtain specially prepared forms or sizes of rubber,
as I can use almost any kind or size that may happen to be in stock. I am also
enabled to construct such articles in an economical manner without skilled labour or
any large amount of manipulation. Moreover I can, by my invention, utilise a
large portion of the waste or scrap india rubber now existing. By my invention I
am also enabled to produce a very elastic and pliable article.
Under the term " screens," hereinbefore mentioned, I include any elastic faced
fabric constructed in accordance with the invention and adapted to be used as a
perforated or non-perforated screen. partition, wall or diaphragm. The term
"coverings" also hereinbefore employed, is intended to embrace all elastic-faced
fabrics constructed in accordance with the invention and adapted for use as wall
coverings or floor coverings or in any case in which a surface is to be furnished with
an elastic facing of the kind described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The improvement in the manufacture of mats, carpets, screens, coverings or
the like, which consists in threading a series of tubes, strips or blocks of india rubber,
either with or without rigid backings or mountings, upon a series of cords, wires,
rods or the like, passing at convenient points through said tubes, strips, blocks,
backings or mountings and secured at their ends by any suitable device, substan-
tially as described.
2. The improvement in the manufacture of mats, carpets, screens, coverings or
the like, which consists in combining, with articles constructed substantially as
described in Claim 1, a series of strips, blocks or washers of wood, metal or other
suitable rigid material, threaded upon the cords of said articles or their equivalent
as described, and interposed at suitable intervals between each two or other con-
venient number of the tubes (or their equivalent as described) of said articles,
substantially as described.
3. The various constructions of mats, carpets, screens, coverings or the like, each
taken as a whole substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 5th day of March 1901
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.