Improvements in the Manufacture of Flexible Tubing and for the Covering of Cores.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 8th Apr.,
1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Flexible Tubing and for the
Covering of Cores.
I, HENRY JAMES DOUGHTY, of No. 940, Broad Street, in the City of Providence,
County of Providence, and State of Rhode Island, United States of America, Mauu-
facturer, 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 practically continuous tubes or
coverings of rubber, caoutchouc, balata, or like soluble material; and my inven-
tion consists in a method of and means of readily converting sheets or strips of
said material into said tubes or coverings, as fully set forth hereinafter and as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which, Fig. 1 is a side elevation
of a machine embodying my improvement, and by means of which my process
may be carried out; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a
longitudinal sectional elevation; Fig. 4 is a detached view showing a folder with
a strip passing through the same; Fig. 5 is a detached view showing a modified
form of folder with a core and strip passing through the same; Fig. 6 is a plan
of Fig. 5; Figs. 7 and 8 are modifications of the folder. Fig. 9 is another modifi-
cation.
The frame A of the machine is suitably constructed to support the operating
parts hereinafter described.
The material from which the tubes or coverings are to be made is rolled upon
a spindle or shaft 1 resting upon a roll 2, the trunnions or journals 3 of which,
as well as those of the shaft 1, extend into slots in the side pieces of the frame, and
the roll 2 rests directly upon a driving roll 31, the shaft of which extends through
the side pieces of the frame, and is provided at one end with a belt pulley 4.
In case the material of which the tubes or coverings is to be made is of an
adhesive nature, as for instance, rubber or caoutchouc, or balata preparation,
superposed sheets of the rubber and a suitable fabric are wrapped together form-
ing a roll X; and as the material is drawn from this roll, the sheet a of rubber
is carried forward while the sheet of fabric is wrapped onto the roll which
gradually increases in diameter as the material is drawn off from the roll X.
The material on the roll X may be of the exact width necessary to form a single
tube or covering, but preferably it is of width sufficient to form a large number
of coverings, as for instance, nine, as shown in Fig. 2, the sheet a being severed
into sub-sections a¹ by the action of any suitable_cutters.
As shown, the cutters 5 are disk cutters arranged upon a shaft 6, and a roller 7
rests upon the sheet a pressing it downward onto the edges of the cutters which
sever the same into the sub-sections a' as the material is brought forward in the
direction of the arrow, Fig. 1.
Each section a¹ passes over a suitable table 9 and into the flaring mouth of a
folder tube B of such dimensions and shape that the strip drawn through it will
be folded into a cylinder or circle, the edges being brought so as to abut against

page_text: each other; and from the folder tube B, the folded material passes over a roll 10,
the journals of which turn in fixed bearings on the frame, and beneath a roll 13
on a shaft 12, the journals of which extend into slots y in the side pieces of the
frame, so that the shaft 12 may play vertically in said slot.
There is a series of disks or presser wheels 13, each of which bears upon the
center of the tube, and is driven by suitable gears so as to rotate with the roll 10
and to feed and carry the strip forward.
Instead of depending upon a cement to connect together the edges of the strip,
which is bent up in tubular form, and to avoid the necessity and the objections
incident to overlapping the edges of the strip, I deposit upon each edge of the
strip a suitable solvent which has time to partially dissolve the material before
the strip is carried into the folder B so that when the edges of the strip are abutted
in said folder and held together for a time and as they are pressed under the
action of the disks 13, they will be practically united so that the tube or covering
1s homogeneous throughout.
Any suitable means may be employed for depositing the solvent upon the edges
of the strip; but I prefer to make use of the cutters 5 which rotate in a trough 16
containing a suitable amount of naphtha or other solvent, which adheres to the
sides of the cutter blades and is deposited upon the edges of the strip as the
latter is severed.
Where the strip is to be wound around a core of any kind, as for instance, a
flexible wire or cord the latter is directed by suitable guide rolls, as for in-
stance, a roll 20, dotted lines, Fig. 1, so as to pass with the strip into the folder B,
the strip being folded around the core by the said folder.
In this case, instead of using the disks 13, upon a shaft 12 beyond the folder
as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, each disk is preferably mounted upon a shaft carried by
a swinging frame 21, pivoted to the holder B which is slotted to permit the roller
to pass through and rest upon the covering strip as it travels through the folder.
A set screw 22 passes through the frame or bracket into a threaded socket in
the holder and serves to set the frame so as to cause the roller to bear with any
desired pressure upon the meeting edges of the strip.
It is not essential that the presser disk shall bear on the outside of the strip.
Thus, in Figs. 7 and 8, I illustrate a folder B with a presser disk 13 supported
within the folder by a bracket 18 so as to bear on the inside of the strip at the
point where the edges of the strips are brought together.
In some cases the bracket may be carried inward to support a disk 13 which
may bear on the inside of the tube while a disk 13 bears on the outside at a point
above the disk 13b, and the folder tube may be slotted for the passage of the
disk 13, as shown.
It has been found that the feeding of the rubber fabric to and through each
folder tube B may be facilitated by means of a feeding belt. This may be arranged
as shown in dotted lines Fig. 3, where the belt extends through the tube B
round the pulley 10 to a guide pulley 40 thence up over a guide pulley 41 between
the cutters 5 and beneath the rubber strip to the tube B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The within described method of forming continuous tubes or coverings of
soluble material, the same consisting in forming the material into strips, then
applying a solvent to the edges thereof, and then abutting the edges and holding
them together under pressure, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination in a machine for forming tubes or coverings of soluble
material, of a roller for supporting a strip of the said material, means for apply-
ing a solvent to the opposite edges of the said strip, and a folder constructed and
arranged to bring the edges of the strip together, and a roller for pressing on the
meeting edges, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 3. The combination in a machine for forming tubes or coverings of a soluble
material, of a spindle supporting a roll of said material and superposed textile
fabric, a roller for receiving the textile fabric as the material is unrolled, cutters
for severing the strip, means for applying a solvent to the edges of the strip, and
means for folding the strip and holding the abutting edges together under pres-
sure, substantially as set forth.
4. The within described means for forming tubes or coverings from a strip
comprising means for applying cement to the edges of the strip, and a folder for
folding the strip while travelling, and one or more rollers for pressing on the
meeting edges of the strip, without, within, or both, the parts being constructed
or modified as set forth.
5. The combination with the tube B, and the cementing devices. of a feed
belt V, substantially as described.
Dated the 16th day of January 1899.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.