A NEW OR IMPROVED COMPOUND MATERIAL FOR COVERING STEPS STAIRS PASSAGES AND OTHER THINGS AND PLACES WHERE A SURFACE IS REQUIRED WHICH MAY BE WALKED ON SAFELY AND NOISELESSLY AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1884

page_text: We EDWARD GEORGE CAPON and HARRY HEATON the younger both of Lifford
Mills King's Norton in the County of Worcester Manufacturers do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED COMPOUND MATERIAL
FOR COVERING STEPS STAIRS PASSAGES AND OTHER THINGS AND PLACES WHERE A
SURFACE IS REQUIRED WHICH MAY BE WALKED ON SAFELY AND NOISELESSLY AND
FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES" to be as follows:-
Our invention consists of the new or improved compound material hereinafter
described which said material is especially useful for covering steps stairs and
passages as it affords a very secure hold for the boot or shoe in walking and no
noise is produced in walking on it. The said material may also be applied to
other like purposes such for example as covering surfaces where it is desirable
to offer great resistance to the slipping or sliding of articles placed thereon.
In making the new or improved compound material constituting our invention
we take sheet lead zinc or pewter or Britannia metal or other sheet metal or alloy
which can be readily bent to fit the shape of the surface to which it is applied.
We also take a sheet of vulcanite or hardened india rubber in its uncured state.
We further take a sheet of ordinary vulcanised india rubber in an uncured
state. We press the sheet of vulcanite into close contact with the sheet of
metal by the pressure of a hand roll and we afterwards press the sheet of ordinary
vulcanised india rubber into close contact with the sheet of vulcanite by the
pressure of a hand roll. We next subject the compound sheet to the action of a
press the bed and moveable pressing plate of which are hollow and heated by high
pressure steam to a temperature sufficiently high to cure or complete the vulcanising
process in the vulcanite and vulcanised india rubber. The compound sheet having
been a sufficiently long time in the heated press to cure the vulcanite and vulcanised
india rubber or finish the vulcanizing process its manufacture is complete.
By the treatment described the three layers of which the compound material is
composed are securely connected together and the said material may be bent cut

page_text: and treated generally as though it were homogeneous. The metallic base or founda-
tion permits it to be bent into the shape of the article or surface to which it is
applied and to retain the shape given to it. The upper surface is highly elastic
gives firm hold in walking and is noiseless when walked on. The middle layer of
vulcanite effectually secures the vulcanised india rubber to the sheet metal.
The moveable pressing plate of the press may be corrugated or otherwise shaped
or ornamented so as to impress corrugations or other shapes or ornaments on the
upper surface of the vulcanised, india rubber and for the more effectual securing
of the vulcanite to the sheet metal the latter may have holes or perforations into
which the vulcanite is forced by the action of the press.
1100A
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: We EDWARD GEORGE CAPON and HARRY HEATON the younger both of Lifford
Mills, King's Norton, in the County of Worcester Manufacturers, do hereby declara
the nature of our Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED COMPOUND MATERIAL FOR
COVERING STEPS, STAIRS, PASSAGES AND OTHER THINGS AND PLACES, WHERE A
SURFACE IS REQUIRED WHICH MAY BE WALKED ON SAFELY AND NOISELESSLY AND
FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES" and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention consists of the new or improved compound material hereinafter
described which said material is especially useful for covering steps stairs and
passages as it affords a very secure hold for the boot or shoe in walking and no
noise is produced in walking on it. The said material may also be applied to
other like purposes such for example as covering surfaces where it is desirable
to offer great resistance to the slipping or sliding of articles placed thereon.
In making the new or improved compound material constituting our invention
we take sheet lead, zinc or pewter or Britannia metal or other sheet metal or alloy
which can be readily bent to fit the shape of the surface to which it is applied.
We also take a sheet of vulcanite or hardened india rubber in its uncured state.
We further take a sheet of ordinary vulcanised india rubber in an uncured
state. We press the sheet of vulcanite into close contact with the sheet of metal
by the pressure of a hand roll and we afterwards press the sheet of ordinary
vulcanised india rubber into close contact with the sheet of vulcanite by the
pressure of a hand roll.
We next subject the compound sheet to the action of a
press the bed and moveable pressing plate of which are hollow and heated by high
pressure steam to a temperature sufficiently high to cure or complete the vulcanising
process in the vulcanite and vulcanised india rubber. The compound sheet having
been a sufficiently long time in the heated press to cure the vulcanite and vulcanised
india rubber or finish the vulcanising process, its manufacture is complete.
By the treatment described the three layers of which the compound material is
composed are securely connected together and the said material may be bent, cut
and treated generally as though it were homogenous. The metallic base or founda-
tion permits it to be bent into the shape of the article or surface to which it is
applied and to retain the shape given to it. The upper surface is highly elastic,
gives firm hold in walking and is noiseless when walked on. The middle layer of
vulcanite effectually secures the vulcanised india rubber to the sheet metal.
The moveable pressing plate of the press may be corrugated or otherwise shaped
or ornamented so as to impress corrugations or other shapes or ornaments on the
upper surface of the vulcanised india rubber; and for the more effectual securing
of the vulcanite to the sheet metal the latter may have holes or perforations into
which the vulcanite is forced by the action of the press. Or wire gauze may be
used in place of perforated sheet metal.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in longitudinal section and
Figure 2 in plan of upper side, a piece of compound material made according to
our invention. a is the base of sheet lead, zinc or other sheet metal or alloy; b is
the layer of vulcanite which has been pressed into close contact with the sheet
metal a in the way herein before. described and c is the sheet of ordinary vulcanised
india rubber constituting the treading surface of the compound material, which
sheet c has been pressed into close contact with the under layer of vulcanite b.
The treading or upper surface of the compound material is ribbed or corrugated as
represented in Figure 2 but any other desired shape or ornament may be given to
the upper surface of the vulcanized india rubber c.

page_text: Figure 3 represents in longitudinal section and Figure 4 in plan of underside
the compound material in which the sheet metal base d is perforated instead of
unperforated as in Figures 1 and 2. When a perforated sheet metal base d is used
the vulcanite b is forced into the holes in the said perforated base d as represented
in the section Figure 3 and the vulcanite is thereby very firmnly secured to the
base d.
Figure 5 represents in longitudinal section and Figure 6 in plan of underside
the compound material in which wire gauze e is used as the base instead of plain
or perforated sheet metal. In this case the wire gauze base e is embedded in the
vulcanite b as represented in Figure 5 by the pressing operation, the said wire
gauze constituting a flexible support to the said vulcanite b.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner 'the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
The new or improved compound material for covering steps, stairs, passages and
other things and places where a surface is required which may be walked on safely
and noiselessly and for other like purposes the said compound material being made
and the parts of which it is composed being connected together substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.