IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOOR CLOTH
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Frederick Leake, of Hale Street, Staines, in
the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF FLOOR CLOTH,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Frederick Leake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1880.
CHARLES FREDERICK LEAKE, of Hale Street, Staines, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOOR CLOTH."
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of an improved linoleum floor
cloth of similar composition to that used in ordinary linoleum, and also from the
composition in a granulated state similar to that used in the manufacture of
what is known as granite linoleum, but instead of the manufactured article being
of one color throughout, as in ordinary linoleum, or of a mixed granular pattern
throughout, similar to granite cloth, I propose to make the patterns in the form of
tiles or other suitable shapes, with the colors of each tile or shape quite through to
the canvas base, and of any number of separate colored tiles or shapes to each
pattern found to be requisite to make up an agreeable design; or the colored
shapes may be made sufficiently deep to withstand the constant wear which floor
cloth is subjected to without going entirely through to the base_fabric. For this
purpose I use a canvas base of any suitable kind, upon which I prefer to roll or
spread a coat of linoleum compound for the purpose of rendering the fabric firm
and of sufficient rigidity to enable me to steer or guide it with accuracy and
certainty; after which I next pass this coated cloth over a guide roll and upon the
bed of a machine which I call the inlaying machine. This machine is provided
with suitable endless steel guide bands, upon which are sharp pins projecting
upwards, and upon which the coated cloth is firmly pressed. To mould and fix the
colored materials upon the surface of the base so extended upon the bed of the
machine I employ a number of perforated plates or moulds formed of iron or other
suitable metal of about 1/4 inch thick, and perforated at the parts required to the
desired forms, each perforation or form being surrounded on the under side of the
plate by a steel knife edge projecting downwards about 1/4 inch below the plate. I
employ as many such plates, placed side by side across the bed, as there are colors
in the pattern in the floor cloth to be produced. Working with each plate are
plungers, which correspond with the perforations in the plate, and which can be
caused to descend down into them.
When the operation of inlaying is to be commenced the first mould or plate is
brought down upon the prepared base until the knives touch it, when the linoleum

page_text: composition, in a more or less cool and finely ground condition, is fed on to the plate
and scraped or doctored along the upper side of the perforated plate, filling up the
shapes to an even thickness. The plungers, which work with this plate, and which
are fixed upon an upper press, and which correspond with and fit the perforated
shapes, are now, by means of screws or cams, brought down with sufficient pressure
to solidify the composition in the perforations or shapes in the plate and make it
adhere to the base fabric. In some cases I find it necessary to prepare the base
facric to ensure the material sticking thereto. The presses and plate are now
raised, leaving the solidified tiles or shapes firmly affixed to the base, which is then
moved forward by mechanical means the distance represented by the width of the
mould; the second mould or color is now set in motion, followed by the third and
remaining colors (the number of colors which may be worked being practically
unlimited); the result is a sheet of tiles or shapes separated only by lines between
the colors; this sheet is now passed between or through steam chests or other
heating surfaces, which has the effect of swelling or expanding the material until
the shapes fit each other tightly at the edges; the sheet is next passed between the
steam heated beds of a press, which may be of any kind having sufficient power to
make the sheet firm, smooth, and solid; this press is arranged to work at regular
intervals of time corresponding with the color presses. The fabric being now quite
hot, and liable to expand and become rough, is fixed by being carried round a roll
kept cool by a stream of cold water passing through it. Or I prefer to render the
sheet of colored shapes adherent, solid, and smooth by passing the sheet round one
of a pair of rolls of large size heated by superheated steam, and slightly pressed
between the grip of rolls and the face of fabric continued in contact with the roll
for a distance of about 12 inches after it has passed the grip. I next pass the
finished fabric through and around a pair of rolls or cylinders for the purpose of
cooling or fixing the material.
It is not essential that the tiles or shapes should be moulded on the base in the
position they are to occupy, and be at the same time caused to adhere to the base.
The granulated linoleum, in a more or less cold condition, might be moulded by
pressure upon a canvas base without being made to adhere to it, rendering it
possible, if necessary, to adjust or close the pieces up into position by hand before
they can fixed or pressed upon the base fabric.
To form an inlaid bordering or floor cloth, the pattern of which is striped and
similarly goes right through to the base fabric, I proceed as follows:-After the
material is mixed and granulated in the usual manner, I, by means of a pair of rolls
with suitable grooves of, say 3/8 or 1/2 inch deep, tapered so as to be narrower at
the bottom of the grooves for facility of delivery, roll a quantity of strips of
linoleum of different colors suitable to the design intended to be produced; I
next proceed to roll the strips upon a base fabric of similar character to that used
for rolling ordinary linoleum, and for this purpose I use a pair of rolls of the width
suitable to the width of border or floor cloth to be produced, the under or back roll
being provided with flanges projecting, say, 1 inch or 2 inches above the face of roll, and
euclosing the upper or face roll within the said flanges. After the base canvas is pressed
between the rolls, I now feed into the grip of rolls the strips of linoleum, which are
arranged as regards color to suit the pattern intended to be produced. Upon motion
being given to the heated rolls the strips, which have been previously heated, are firmly
cemented together and pressed upon the canvas into one continuous sheet. The strips
being much thicker than the furnished sheet are reduced in the feed of rolls to the form
of a wedge, with a tendency to spread backwards in a straight line, which keeps
the colors from mixing or blending together, there being only a slight tendency to
spread sideways just sufficient to cement the edges of the several colors together
firmly. In place of rolling the strips separately, as before stated, I sometimes find
it convenient to roll the colors into sheets of a suitable thickness, and afterwards
by means of circular or other suitable knives, to cut the sheets up into strips of the
requisite widths, and afterwards roll them as above described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Frederick Leake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th December 1880.
CHARLES FREDERICK LEAKE, of Hale Street, Staines, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOOR CLOTH."
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of an improved linoleum floor
cloth of similar composition to that used in ordinary linoleum, and also from the
composition in a granulated state, similar to that used in the manufacture of what
is known as granite linoleum, but instead of the manufactured article being of one
color throughout, as in ordinary linoleum, or of a mixed granular pattern throughout,
similar to granite cloth, I propose to make the patterns in the form of tiles or other
suitable shapes, with the colors of each tile or shape quite through to the canvas
base, and of any number of separate colored tiles or shapes to each pattern found
to be requisite to make up an agreeable design, or the colored shapes may be made
sufficiently deep to withstand the constant wear which floor cloth is subjected to
without going entirely through the base fabric. For this purpose I use a canvas
base of any suitable kind, upon which I prefer to roll or spread a coat of linoleum
compound for the purpose of rendering the fabric firm and of sufficient rigidity to
enable me to steer or guide it with accuracy and certainty; after which I pass the
coated cloth over a bed or table and apply on to the surface of the cloth granulated
linoleum composition of various colors, the several colors being kept separate and
apart from one another, as herein after described, so as to form the desired pattern,
and subsequently I press the granular coating, whilst in a more or less heated state,
on to the base cloth, so as to render the coating smooth and solid and cause it to
adhere to the base.
Various means may be adopted for applying the colored granulated compositions
(either linoleum compositions or analogous compositions of oxidized oil mixed with
other materials) in the required forms on to the base.
It may be effected by means of a machine such as is illustrated at Figure 1.
In this machine A is a flat bed or table; B is the coated base cloth which is to
be passed over such table, and which is to have colored granulated composition
applied in patterns to its surface; C is an endless chain or band with spikes
standing out from it; this endless band is supported by wheels D. The band
during part of its travel is level with the surface of the table A, as shewn; there
are two such bands, one on each side edge of the table. The base cloth is slightly
wider than the table and its side edges overlap the bands, and where it enters the
machine it is pressed down onto the spikes so as to be held by them. The cloth is
moved with a step by step movement over the face of the bed by giving an
intermittent rotating movement to the axle of one or other of the pairs of wheels D.
No means of giving this movement to the axle of the wheels D is shewn in the
Drawings, but the movement can be given to it by countershafts and gearing from
the driving shaft E in a variety of well known ways, say, by a pawl and ratchet
wheel or by spaced toothed wheels. Above the bed or table A are perforated
moulds F, one of which is shewn in section on a larger scale at Figure 2, and a
portion on a still larger scale at Figure 3. Each perforation of the mould F is
surrounded on the underside by a steel or metal knife edge which projects
downwards from it. Each perforated mould is also, as shewn in this Figure, carried
by a tray G; this tray can be moved upwards or downwards a short distance in
guides in the frame of the machine, so as either to allow the descending knife edges
of the mould to rest upon the base cloth or lift the mould upwards away from the
cloth. This upward and downward movement may be given to the trays G by
cams on the driving shaft; these cams are not shewn in the Drawings. H are

page_text: plungers adapted to enter and fit within the perforations in the mould F. The
plungers are carried on the underside of a ram or frame I, which can be moved
upwards or downwards in guides in the frame of the machine in any suitable
manner. In the way shewn in the Drawing it is effected by means of grooved
cams K on the driving shaft E, acting upon rollers or trucks L on the ram or
frame I. M are scrapers, one for each tray G, for as many trays as there are in the
machine. A separate tray is required for each color used in forming the pattern.
The scrapers have a to and fro motion given to them to cause them to pass to and
fro over the surface of. the trays, and at both ends of this movement the scrapers
are caused to rise up and then again descend, as indicated by dotted lines Figure 2.
Pins at the ends of the scrapers are for this purpose made to enter and travel within
fixed guide or cam grooves at the sides of the machine, and with a small hinged
switch at the junction where the up and the down cam grooves meet.
The object
of this is that the scrapers may push before them a quantity of granulated material,
as indicated at Figure 2, and when it has pushed it from one extremity of the tray
to another it may rise up clear of the granulated material and again descend close
to the end of the tray, so that in its return movement it may rake or push the
granulated material back again over the surface of the tray and mould carried by
it. In the arrangment shown in the Drawing the scrapers receive their to and fro
movement from a cam X on the driving shaft, but other means for moving them to
and fro at the times required might be employed. N is a hydraulic ram by which
the coated cloth can be pressed up to and against the underside of a fixed plate O.
The head of the ram and the fixed plate O are kept heated by steam. The ram is
caused to rise at the times required by the opening of a valve to admit water under
pressure to the hydraulic cylinder from a loaded accumulator. When the ram is to
descend this valve is closed and an outlet valve opened to allow water to escape
from the cylinder. The opening and closing of the valves may be controlled by
cams on the cam shaft. Or in place of using an hydraulic cylinder, either the
upper plate O or the lower plate might have motion given to them by cams on the
main shaft or by other mechanical means.
The plates being heated soften the granulated material at the same time that
they compress it; this has the effect of swelling or expanding the several slabs of
material, until the small spaces between them are closed, and the slabs fit each
other and unite together at their edges. After the cloth and material upon it has
thus been compressed, the cloth may be led downwards over a roller kept cool by a
stream of cold water passed through it or otherwise, and be so cooled and set.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The trays G are first lowered so that
the moulds carried by them rest upon the cloth. The scrapers are then moved
backwards and forwards over the surface of the trays, so first pushing a heap of
granulated material over the trays, and the moulds carried by them, and then raking
it back again. By this means the perforations of the moulds are all filled with
granulated material; afterwards the plungers H are caused to descend into the
perforations of the moulds, and to compress the material in them and make it
adhere to the cloth. The trays are then raised a short distance, so that the knife
edges at the bottom of the moulds are clear of the top surface of the granulated
material which has been pressed onto the cloth, and the plungers are also raised.
The cloth is now caused to travel forwards a distance, bringing a portion of it
which has been completely coated with granulated material between the upper and
lower plates of the press. The plates then close against the cloth and compress it,
whilst at the same time the moulds again descend onto the cloth, and the same
operations are repeated, the press being caused to release the cloth just before the
cloth has to be again moved forwards a distance.
The lowering of the trays onto the cloth and the to and fro movement of the
scrapers may be effected during, say, about one third of a revolution of the driving
shaft, the descent and ascent of the plungers another third, and the movement of
the cloth another third. The rotation of the driving shaft would be slow, say,
about one revolution a minute.

page_text: In place of so using flat heated plates to compress the granulated material on to
the cloth, the compression of the material on to the cloth might be effected by
rollers. The coated cloth might also be led for some distance around one of the
pressing rollers, which is heated, before being nipped between it and the other
pressing roller, so that the material may be thoroughly warmed before being
pressed.
.
As before stated, there are as many trays and perforated moulds as there are
colors in the colored pattern to be formed on the cloth. Slabs of the requisite
form of one color are moulded onto the cloth by the first mould, afterwards when
the cloth has been moved onwards and brought under the second mould; slabs of
another color are moulded in proper position on to the cloth, and so on until the
whole series of colors has been applied, and the surface of the cloth completely
covered. The covered cloth then comes to. the pressing apparatus, where it is
compressed and consolidated.
It is not essential that the tiles or shapes should be moulded on the base in the
position they are to occupy, and be at the same time caused to adhere to the base;
the granulated linoleum, in a more or less cold condition, might be moulded by
pressure upon a canvas base without being made to adhere to it, rendering it
possible, if necessary, to adjust or close the pieces up into position by hand before
they are forced or pressed upon the base fabric; or the granulated material may be,
whilst in a more or less cold condition, compressed into separate shapes and dis-
tributed and arranged by hand upon the base, fabric, and for this purpose a
skeleton frame may be used as a guide.
In place also of slabs of one color being first compressed on to the cloth, the
cloth then shifted and slabs of another compressed on to it, and so on, until the
whole surface of the cloth is covered, as above described, the whole surface of a short
length of fabric might be covered with colored granulated material arranged in
pattern before the cloth is moved onwards for the succeeding length of the cloth to
be similarly covered. This may be effected in the manner illustrated at Figure 4.
The cloth is moved step by step over a bed plate A, as in the former arrangement.
A mould is laid on to the surface of the cloth; the mould is formed with numerous
perforations or compartments, some requiring to be filled with one color, and other
compartments with other colors. To allow of the compartments which have to be
filled with any one color being filled with that color, a perforated template may be
placed over the top of the mould. The perforations are only made in the template
above the perforations in the mould which have to be filled with the particular
color. Granulated material of the required color is scraped to and fro over the top
of the template, and the perforations of the mould which are to be filled with that
color are so filled. Afterwards this template is removed and another put in its
place on to the top of the mould, the second template being perforated to correspond
with the perforations of the mould which are to be filled with another of the
colors, and so by using a succession of templates, one for each color, all the colors
may be filled into their proper compartments of the mould. A properly shaped
plunger might then be made to descend and compress the material in the several
compartments sufficiently to make it adhere to the cloth (or this plunger may be
dispensed with, and the material passed in a granulated forin under the heated
press, &c.) The mould may then be lifted, and the cloth moved forwards to bring
n fresh portion of it into position for the granulated material to be applied to it by
the mould in the same way.
Or the bed A may first be covered by a sheet of thin paper and a mould, such as
above described with respect to Figure 4, placed upon it; the perforations in the
mould may then be filled with granulated material. Afterwards when the mould
has been removed the spaces left by the removal of the mould may be filled in with
inely granulated linoleum material of any color desired. A sheet of coarse canvas
or other suitable fabric may now be laid onto the granulated material, and the
whole drawn by means of the paper between the upper and the lower plates of a
ydraulic or other press which has been previously heated by steam or otherwise.

page_text: Pressure is now applied and kept on whilst the next portion of the pattern is being
got ready. The operation is so carried on continuously, and a continuous sheet
may be so formed of any desired length and width.
To form an inlaid bordering or floor cloth, the pattern of which is striped, and
similarly goes right through to the base fabric, I proceed as follows:-After the
material is mixed and granulated in the usual manner I by means of a pair of
rolls with suitable grooves of, say, in. or in. deep, tapered so as to be
narrower at the bottom of the grooves for facility 'of delivery, roll a quantity of
strips of linoleum of different colors suitable to the design intended to be produced.
I next proceed to roll the strips upon a base fabric of similar character to that
used for rolling ordinary linoleum, and for this purpose I use a pair of rolls of the
width suitable to the width of border or floor cloth to be produced, the under or
back roll being provided with flanges projecting, say, lin. or two inches above the
face of roll, and enclosing the upper or face roll within the said flanges. After the
base canvas is passed between the rolls I now feed into the grip of rolls the strips
of linoleum, which are arranged, as regards color, to suit the pattern intended to be
produced upon motion being given to the heated rolls the strips, which have been
previously heated, are firmly cemented together and pressed upon the canvas into
one continuous sheet. The strips being much thicker, say, from two to three times
thicker than the finished sheet, are reduced in the feed of rolls to the form of a
wedge, with a tendency to spread backwards in a straight line, which keeps the
colors from mixing or blending together, there being only a slight tendency to
spread sideways just sufficient to cement the edges of the several colors together
firmly. In place of rolling the strips separately, as before stated, I sometimes find
it convenient to roll the colors into sheets of a suitable thickness, and afterwards by
means of circular or other suitable knives, to cut the sheets up into strips of the
requisite widths, and afterwards roll them as above described.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same,
I would have it understood that I am aware that it has before been
proposed in the Specification of a Patent granted to Frederick Walton, No. 3210,
in the year 1863, to take sheets of linoleum composition of various colors, and to
cut or punch out pieces from them in the form of any desired pattern, and then to
introduce the pieces punched out of a sheet of one color into the corresponding
holes in the sheet of another color, and, finally, to consolidate the whole by
pressure.
By the above means only patterns in two colors can be produced, but by the
means herein before described patterns of any number of colors may be produced.]
What I claim is,―
First. The manufacture of floor cloth having a colored pattern surface with such
colored pattern surface produced from granulated linoleum material, or material
of a like nature, of varied colors, in the ways substantially as herein before
described.
Second. The manufacture of floor cloth with a striped pattern surface produced
from strips of linoleum material, or material of a like nature, of varied colors
substantially in the manner herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Frederick Leake, have hereunto se
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of November, in the year of ou
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
CHARLES FREDERICK LEAKE.
(L.S.)