IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURING AND TREATING OF ARTI- CLES MADE OF CAOUTCHOUC, EITHER ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN THE MEANS USED OR EMPLOYED IN THEIR MANUFACTURE
Year: 1846

page_text: TO. ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HANCOCK, of Marlborough Cottage, Stoke Newington; in the County of
Middlesex, Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters Patent
under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
bearing date at Westminster, the Eighteenth day of March now last past,
did give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Hancock, Her especial license,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Thomas Hancock, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Hancock, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfullymight make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURING AND TREATING OF ARTI-
CLES MADE OF CAOUTCHOUC, EITHER ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER
SUBSTANCES, AND IN THE MEANS USED OR EMPLOYED IN THEIR MANUFACTURE;'
in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the
said Thomas Hancock, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
enrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar

page_text: months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said.
Thomas Hancock, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof (that is to say):-
My improvements consist in manufacturing articles made of caoutchouc,
either alone or in combination with other substances; also in forming and giving
to such articles specific and permanent shapes or forms; also in producing a
perforated, perflable, or vesicular manufacture; and also in certain compounds
of caoutchouc with other substances.
I would first premise, that in all the compounds, and most of the articles
comprised in this Specification, I employ sulphur and heat, as described in
the Specification of my Patent of November Twenty-first, One thousand eight
hundred and forty-three, which process is now commonly designated vulcanizing,
and I shall, for brevity sake, use that term in this Specification, whether it is
applied to the whole process described in my said Specification, or only to the
completion thereof by heat when sulphur has already been introduced into the
compound; and by the term compound I wish to be understood always to
mean any of the combinations comprehended in this Specification that may be
severally most suitable for each purpose. When I manufacture these compounds
into articles requiring to be of a permanent shape or form, I make such articles
in or upon forms, moulds, plates, or engraved surfaces or patterns, by pressing,
fitting, placing, or moulding such compounds, previously prepared in sheets,
or otherwise, in or upon such moulds or forms, and allowing the articles to
remain there whilst exposed to the vulcanizing process, which effectually sets
them permanently to the respective forms. In order to prevent adhesion to
the mould, I employ silicate of magnesia, either by dusting it on in the form
of a powder, or with a brush when mixed with water, applied either to the
mould or the compounds, as may be most desirable. In some cases I find it
convenient to remove the articles from the moulds before vulcanizing, in which
case I submit them for a short time before removal to a temperature of from
220° to 300° according to the size or bulk of the article, for which purpose I
prefer a water or steam bath, under sufficient pressure, to produce the required
heat. When cold, I remove them from the moulds, and afterwards vulcanize
them to make their forms permanent. The same process of obtaining orna-
mental surfaces by moulds may be resortedtowith advantage when caoutchouc,
without the process of vulcanization, is employed. For some articles that are
not of much bulk I take sheets composed of caoutchouc only, and obtain

page_text: impressions from moulds in manner just mentioned in respect of compound
sheets, which I remove-from the moulds, and then apply a thin solution of the
caoutchouc containing a large proportion of sulphur to the surfaces of such
articles; or I rub dry powdered sulphur upon them, or immerse them in a
sulphur bath, and then vulcanize them; or I saturate any suitable solvent of
caoutchouc with sulphur, and apply successive coatings to these articles, and
when dry vulcanize them. The same proceeding may be followed in making
similar articles in moulds from solutions of caoutchouc only. If the solvent
employed is previously sufficiently saturated with sulphur at a temperature of
from 300 to 320°, these articles will be sufficiently vulcanized for some.
purposes without carrying the process further, but I prefer applying heat
afterwards. I sometimes employ a solution of caoutchouc, or caoutchouc
softened to the consistence of dough by the addition of a small quantity of
solvent, as described in the Specification of my Patent of April, One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-seven (blending or mixing sulphur therewith). I
pour the solution or press the dough into moulds, forms, or patterns, and allow
them to dry, and then vulcanize them. The thinner solutions answer well for
hollow moulds, into which I pour a sufficient quantity to cover all the parts;
I then allow the solution to drain out, and place the mould in a stove or warm
room, and when this first coat is dry I repeat the operation until the desired
thickness is obtained, and when perfectly dry I vulcanize them. If necessary,
the moulds may be made in parts, as is well known and understood. In some
cases I make the figures in or on parts of moulds, and then cement the parts
together, and replace the entire figure in or on the moulds, and vulcanize
it. In some cases I make the first coating with the solution, and thicken up
parts or the whole with dough prepared as before mentioned. Instead of the
foregoing, I sometimes make these figures of the compound, prepared in sheets
any desired thickness, and join them up to the form of the mould. When
for an internal figure, the opening being secured, I apply internal pressure,
by admitting through a stopcock steam or air, or by any other convenient
mode so as to obtain the requisite pressure to bring up the pattern, and con-
tinue such pressure during the process of vulcanizing. Instead of steam or air
I sometimes fill the interior of the hollow figure with mercury, or any metal
that will fuse at the temperature employed in vulcanizing the article, as the
pressure in these cases is obtained simply by the weight of the metal, the sheet
of compound forming the hollow figure should be proportionably thin. It is
generally necessary to make small holes in the mould for the escape of air
from between the mould and the article or figure. In cases where great
pressure can be applied I find that in shaping the figure before it is put into
of

page_text: the mould an approximation only is required to the form of the mould, the
heat and pressure being sufficient to bring up the finer parts. Bottles and
other vessels of capacity I make in the same way. These hollow moulds
require to be made strong in proportion to the size of the work, and the
required internal pressure. Casts from flat moulds, such as bas reliefs and
engraving, I also sometimes make of sheet compound, and force it into the
moulds by heat and pressure, and then vulcanize them. This mode, amongst
other uses, is particularly applicable to produce printing surfaces. I press
the material into the moulds with screw cramps, or by presses, or other
-well-known means; these or any other convenient modes may be adopted. I
mention these as examples sufficient to shew the workman what is my
design, and how it may be carried out. I raise figures on or emboss
cylindrical and other similar forms or articles by engraving or otherwise
producing raised or sunken designs on the external surface of cylindrical moulds.
I then form tubes of the sheet compound of such a size as will draw closely on
the mould. I then wind very tightly over the whole a strip of cotton or linen
cloth, so as to produce sufficient pressure to obtain the impression, or the
requisite pressure may be applied by any other convenient means; and I then
vulcanize them, and when the article is withdrawn from the mould I turn it
inside out, which brings the pattern to the outside. I find that impressions
perfect enough for some purposes may be obtained on sheets of the com-
pound, and sufficiently set for vulcanizing by means of engraved rollers heated
to about 240°. The pressure must be as light as the nature of the article will
allow, the motion of the rollers slow, and I prefer them of large diameter.
When I wish to prevent extensibility in any of these articles I either mix
fibrous matters with the compound, or I attach, by means of the sulphured
solution before mentioned, previously to vulcanizing, any suitable fabric, pre-
ferring cotton or linen. For some of the purposes to which the compound is
applied, it is desirable that articles formed of it should be so manufactured as
to admit of air or perspirationpassing through it. To effect this in sheets or
articles made of the compound that are not very thick, I take out, by means of
hollow punches of any required form, as much of the substance as the case
requires, and I do this either before or after vulcanizing, but I prefer the
former. Instead of punching; I sometimes make incisions in the articles, and
keep these incisions a little on the strain or open in the required direction
during the process of vulcanizing, or I otherwise puncture the sheet or article.
and follow the same treatment. The punching, incising, or puncturing may be
done by hand or by machinery, the chief care being required in preventing any
closing of the openings during the vulcanizing process. If the articles are

page_text: ornamented by embossing, and it is desirable to conceal or obviate the appear-
ance of these perforations, I form my design for such ornament so as that the
openings may form part of such design. If it is wished to make any part of
an article weaker at certain points, I find perforating or punching out the
material a convenient mode of effecting this object to any required degree;
the parts so, weakened will be less liable to tear out, if the perforations are
made previously to vulcanizing. If, for any purpose, it is required that the
sheets or articles should be punctured to a certain depth, but not through, I
take two sheets, one punctured and the other plain, and unite them face to
face before I vulcanize them. If, for any purpose, articles require either to be
sewn together or to any other material, I make the compound thicker in the
part where the needle is to pass, or, previously to vulcanizing, I place or insert
a strip of cotton or linen coated with solution upon or between them. For
low-priced articles, I sometimes combine caoutchouc and sulphur with vege-
table or Stockholm pitch, and when spread into sheets or made up into other
forms I vulcanize the compound. The proportions may be varied very con-
siderably, as well as the temperatures at which they are vulcanized, but I find
the following to answer well:-8 parts caoutchouc, 2 sulphur, 3 pitch; or 8 parts
caoutchouc, 2 sulphur, 1 pitch; submitted to a temperature of 290° for an
hour to prevent blistering and porosity. If necessary, I employ pressure by
means of screw cramp, and plates or otherwise during the vulcanizing. This
material is applicable to railway packing and other rough uses. I also
combine and vulcanize in the same manner caoutchouc, sulphur, and resins,
preferring on account of its cheapness the common resin of commerce. The
proportions and temperature, us in the case of pitch, may be varied, but the
following I find to be useful for many purposes:-16 parts caoutchouc, 2 parts
sulphur,6 parts resin; or 16 caoutchouc, 4 sulphur, 2 resin. These compounds
may be submitted to the same treatment as in the case of pitch, and are appli-
cable to similar uses. For some purposes, I also combine caoutchouc and sul-
phur with wood or cork dust, or fibrous substances, such as hemp and flax, or
anyother suitable material,cutinto short lengths,andvulcanize uch compounds
either in blocks or spread, or otherwise wrought into sheets or formed into
figures, or embossed or ornamented as before described. When it is desirable
to obtain from caoutchouc a great amount of elasticity to counteract the
collision of great forces or heavy bodies, as in the case of carriage springs,
and the buffers of railway carriages, and for other similar purposes, I form
the material in such a manner so as to obtain a large amount of divi-
sions or openings so as to expose and bring into action a great extent of
moving or movable surface; and I do this either by cutting or otherwise

page_text: shaping any given quantity of material into parallel or suitable forms, either
square, hexagonal, or octagonal, or into solid or open hollow cylinders,
corrugated sheets, or any other suitable forms, and before vulcanizing build
them up and cement them together, either across each other at right angles, or
diagonally or otherwise, always leaving as much space between each as to
admit of the free action of the surfaces when compressed. Hollow cylinders or
otherhollow forms Isometimes cement together, laying them longitudinally side
by side, and in either case continue to build up until I obtain the dimensions
necessary to produce the required amount of elasticity. Similar structural
forms may be advantageously applied to other uses. When it is desirable that
extensibility in any direction should be prevented, I apply, by cementing on or
between some of the layers when building up the structure, linen cloth, of
suitable strength, coated with the solution as before mentioned. I have, in a
former part of this Specification, described a mode of manufacturing figures
in strong hollow moulds; I pursue the same methods in forming chambers to
contain air for resisting pressure and blows when used for carriage springs,
buffers, and other elastic surfaces for railways, and when stuffing or padding
beds, seats, cushions, and other surfaces requiring elasticity. In some cases,
such as railway buffers, it may be necessary to make provision against acci-
dental ruptures in these chambers, which may be done by enclosing severalone
within another. I effect this by making them in parts with flanges at the
points, and, after vulcanizing, wetting, or bolting the parts together, or in any
other convenient way, the sizes of such chambers to be so regulated as to
leave sufficient space for the protection of the flanges. When necessary, I
make apertures, for the purpose of inflating these chambers to any required
degree, in the manner well known in similar manufactures. A series of
cylindrical or other forms for containing air may be cemented together and
then vulcanized, the openings by which they are to be inflated being left
during the process of vulcanization. For mattrasses, beds, life preservers,
cushions, pads, carriage linings, parts of saddles, and horse collars, and other
the like purposes, I apply these air chambers of cylindrical or other forms, by
enclosing them in cloth or leather cases divided into compartments to receive
them, or in cases of the vulcanized material, either plain or ornamental.
I have mentioned in a former part of this Specification that I combine pitch,
resin, and various other substances with caoutchouc previously to vulcanizing;
and I wish now to state that I do this by the means described in my former
Specifications; to which I would add, that in combining pitch and resin with
caoutchouc by mechanical power I find it useful to introduce water into the
machine during the operation. The moulds I make of glass; when it can be
open

page_text: conveniently applied, tin, type metal, porcelain, and highly vulcanized
caoutchouc. They may be made of any other suitable material, but I prefer
the above. If for smooth or polished surfaces, I use sheets of plate glass;
if for ornamental purposes, I cast them of glass of the required pattern
or form.
I have now stated the manner in which I manufacture articles of
caoutchouc either alone or in combination with other substances, the means by
which I give permanency of shape or form to such articles, and the compound
substances employed in the various manufactures I have mentioned, also, in
several instances, the purposes to which the compounds are suited, and modes
of application; yet I have done so only by way of example, the modes and
compounds being well adapted to a great variety of other articles and purposes,
such as embossed fancy articles of dress, bracelets, collars, ornamental edgings
and borders, military epaulettes, belts, and other similar articles, imitations of
crape, and of cord,lace, and fringe for coach linings and other purposes, picture
and other frames, ornaments for the decoration of cabinet furniture and
hangings, and draperies, either elastic or attached to cloth. What I claim as
my Invention is,-
Firstly, the making, forming, or shaping articles from the combinations of
caoutchouc with other substances, as herein-before described, in or upon
moulds, plates, or forms, and retaining such articles in or upon such
moulds or forms during the process described in my Specification of One
thousand eight hundred and forty-three, and now commonly called vulcanizing,
whereby the form of such articles is rendered permanent.
Secondly, the making, forming, or shaping articles of caoutchouc in or upon
engraved or otherwise ornamented plates or moulds, and, after forcing the caout-
chouc into such moulds by pressure and heat, submitting the whole, by means
of a water or steam bath or any other suitable mode, to a high temperature,
whereby the articles are sufficiently set to be removable from the moulds,
and which may be afterwards, if desired, subjected to the vulcanizing
process.
Thirdly, the manufacturing articles by combining caoutchouc with vegetable
pitch, resin, wood, and cork dust, and fibrous substances, and subjecting them
to the process of vulcanizing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hancock, have hereunto set
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of September, One thousand
eight hundred and forty-six.
my
THOMAS (L.s.) HANCOCK.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Seventeenth day of Sep-
tember, in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Thomas Hancock came
before our Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specifi-
cation aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the Eighteenth day of September, in the year above written.
Inrolled the Eighteenth day of September, in the year above written.