IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOORCLOTH."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Walton, of Staines, in the County of Middlesex,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOORCLOTH."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Walton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd February 1870.
FREDERICK WALTON, of Staines, in the County of Middlesex.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOORCLOTH."
"IMPROVE-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of floorcloth.
In the manufacture of linoleum and other floorcloth it is necessary both that the
edges of the fabric should be cut true and parallel and also that the pattern should
be printed straight and true with the edges. I ensure this accuracy by straining
the fabric on a table sufficiently large to receive the piece, the ends of the fabric
being held in clamps, to one of which tackle is applied to give the requisite moderate
amount of tension. At the sides of the table are iron straight edges, which serve
as guides for a knife which is run along to true the edges of the fabric after it has
been fairly distended on the table. The fabric thus prepared is wound up and
removed to the printing table. This is a short table somewhat wider than the
fabric, and over which the fabric is drawn forward step by step as the printing
progresses.
In order that the fabric may at each move be drawn forward accurately the
proper distance a small puncher is mounted on each side of the table, and by means
of these punchers the workman punches holes in the edges of the fabric. Whilst
the printing is being performed the punches are held down in the holes which they
have formed in the margin of the fabric, and so the fabric is kept stationary. When
the fabric requires to be moved forward the punches are raised and the fabric is
drawn forward, the holes being moved up to gauge points set upon springs, and
these points drop into the holes when the fabric is properly placed. The punches
are then again brought down to form other holes in the margin and again secure
the fabric for printing.
The placing of the block on the fabric is controlled by means of a guide bar
extending across the table over the fabric, and this bar has clamped upon it as many
studs as there are printings to complete the width of the piece, say perhaps four or
five. The side of the printing block has also studs or guide pieces truly fixed upon
[Ruins 7].

page_text: it on one side. One stud or guide piece is at the corner of the block and the other
near the opposite corner on the same side. These pieces rest against the guide bar
during printing, and so the line of printing is kept true and straight across the
piece, and the accurate distances between the successive printings in the width is
ensured by the corner stud or guide piece on the block resting at each printing
against one of the studs on the transverse guide bar.
The pressure requisite for printing is applied by an overhead apparatus, which
can be traversed across the width of the piece, and which acts by means of inclines.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Walton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd August
1876.
FREDERICK WALTON, of Staines, in the County of Middlesex.
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOORCLOTH."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of floorcloth.
In the manufacture of linoleum and other floorclotl it is nccecessary both that the
edges of the fabric should be cut true and parallel and also that the pattern should
be printed straight and true with the edges. I ensure this accuracy by straining
the fabric on a table sufficiently large to receive the piece, the ends of the fabric
being held in clamps, to one of which tackle is applied to give the requisite moderate
amount of tension. At the sides of the table are iron straight edges, which serve
as guides for a knife which is run along to true the edges of the fabric after it has
been fairly distended on the table. The fabric thus prepared is wound up and
removed to the printing table. This is a short table somewhat wider than the
fabric, and over which the fabric is drawn forward step by step as the printing
progresses.
In order that the fabric may at each move be drawn forward accurately the
proper distance a small puncher is mounted on each side of the table, and by means
of these punches the workman punches, holes in the edges of the fabric. Whilst
the printing is being performed the punches are held down in the holes which they
have formed in the margin of the fabric, and so the fabric is kept stationary. When
the fabric requires to be moved forward the punches are raised and the fabric is
drawn forward, the holes being moved up to gauge points set upon springs, and
these points drop into the holes when the fabric is properly placed. The punches
are then again brought down to form other holes in the margin and again secure
the fabric for printing.
The placing of the block on the fabric is controlled by means of a guide bar
extending across the table over the fabric, and this bar has clamped upon it as many
studs as there are printings to complete the width of the piece, say perhaps four or
five. The printing block has also studs or guide pieces truly fixed upon it on one
side. One stud or guide piece is at the corner of the block and the other near the
opposite corner on the same side. These pieces rest against the guide bar during
printing, and so the line of printing is kept true and straight across the piece, and
the accurate distances between the successive printings in the width is ensured by
one of the studs or guide pieces on the block resting at each printing against one of
the studs on the transverse guide bar.
The pressure requisite for printing is applied by an overhead apparatus, which
can be traversed across the width of the piece, and which acts by means of inclines.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

page_text: operation. Along the two sides of this table metal straight edges are fixed. At a
at one end of the table the end of the piece is made fast in a clip and at the other.
end there is another similar clip b, which also firmly grasps the fabric. The clip b
has two sliders c, c, upon it, to which are attached the two chains d, d, passing to
the band e, which is wound upon the drum f so as to strain the piece tight. After
the piece has been so drawn straight on the table part of the strain is released.
The workman then runs a knife along the straight edges on the sides of the table,
and so removes so much of the fabric as overhangs, at the same time rendering the
edges of the piece perfectly true and straight. Afterwards the piece is wound up
upon a roller, shown at g in Figure 3, and it is conveyed away to the printing
machine. The cutting table is provided with bearings, not shown in the Drawing,
to receive the roller g, which in order to wind up the piece is turned by means of a
spur wheel and pinion.
In place of cutting the piece in the manner above described it may, after having
been stretched over the table, have attached to it, as at a, a moving clip, which as
the piece is wound forward along the table advances with it, and the clip has two
cross pieces at its ends, which bearing against the straight edges, prevent it from
deviating to either side. At the further end of the table two knives are fixed one
at either edge, and as the piece of floorcloth is drawn forward these knives remove
the portions overhanging the edges of the table. A suitable weight is attached to
the clip at a to keep the piece distended as it is drawn forward.
After the edges of the floorcloth have been cut true by either of these methods it
is conveyed upon the roller g to the printing machine. Figure 3 is a side elevation
and Figure 4 is an end elevation of this machine. Figure 5 also is a plan of the
same with some of the parts removed. is a flat table, on which the portion of
the fabric to be printed is laid, and at the front and back of the table it is passed
over the rollers i, i, which are covered with wire, card, clothing, or sand paper, so as
to grip the under surface of the cloth. One of the rollers has a crank handle upon
its axis, by turning which the piece can be wound forward as the work progresses.
The pieces of floorcloth are joined end to end for the purpose of passing them
through the printing machine. h, k, are angle iron guides fixed upon the table / to
keep the piece perfectly true in a transverse direction. At the commencement of
the operation of printing the two hand punches 1, 2, are pressed down and corre-
sponding holes are produced in the two edges of the fabric. Figures 6 and 7 show
these punches more in detail and to a larger scale. The punches having been
pressed down are locked by turning the button which forms the head partly round,
when a stud on the stem of the punch enters a notch formed to receive it in the
socket or guide in which the stem works.
The printing is effected by means of wooden blocks, on which the pattern is cut.
Figure 8 shows in plan a portion of one of these blocks. It has fixed to it two
studs m, m, by the aid of which, together with the bar n, the block is accurately
placed upon the fabric. The bar is fixed in the printing frame, and extends
across the fabric from side to side. It has upon it other studs o, o.
The
In placing the block upon the fabric the studs m, m, on the block are made to
rest against the bar, and one of them also at the same time is made to bear against
one of the studs o. In this way the position in which the block is placed is con-
trolled with certainty. The block having been properly placed, a strong pressure
suflicient to effect the printing is applied to it by means of the apparatus p, which
is able to traverse across the printing frame along the parallel guide bars q, q.
apparatus pis brought over the printing block, and then the handle seen at p¹ is
pulled round. This causes the inclines p to force down the presser pon to the
printing block, and the color on the block is thus transferred to the fabric. After
the pressure has been applied the spring p* raises the presser, and the printing
When the portion
block is then shifted along the bar n to another of the studs o.
of fabric upon the table has been printed across its entire width the punches 1, 1,
are released, and by turning the handle on the axis of the roller i the piece is
moved forward until the catches », r, fall into the holes already made by the

page_text: punches; the punches l, l, are then again put down, and the printing is recommenced
and is carried on as before.
、 Another method of printing which may be resorted to, although it is not so con-
venient as that already described, is as follows:-In place of cutting the edges of
the piece it simply has two straight lines drawn upon it from end to end near the
selvages. In this state the picce is brought to the printing table. The angle iron
guides,, and the cross bar n are (according to this modification) separate from
the printing table, and they are fixed together. Each of the angle irons also has
two pins fixed upon its under side at a distance apart corresponding with the width
of the pattern block. The portable frame, consisting of the parts and n, having
been placed on the fabric with the pins on the under side of the angle irons upon
the lines previously drawn on the fabric, the printing is carried on across the piece
in the manner already described. When the line of printing has been completed
the frame is lifted and the fabric is moved forward. The frame is then replaced,
two of the pins entering holes already formed and the other two pins forming fresh
holes, and the workman takes care that these holes shall be on the line which has
been marked on the fabric.
The pieces of floorcloth after they have been printed go away to be dried in the
usual way.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
exact details described, but I claim,
First. The means of cutting the edges of the fabric true and straight, and of
printing the pattern truly in register upon it, substantially as described.
Second. The arrangements of the printing table with the side guides, cross
bar n, studs o, punches 7, and catches 7, substantially as described.
Third. The modification of the arrangements of the printing apparatus in which
the parts and n are formed into a separate frame, which is truly placed on the
fabric by the aid of gauge points, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Walton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
FRED WALTON. (L.S.)