Improvements in the Manufacture of Solid Inlaid Floor Cloths, and other like Fabrics, and in Machinery to be Used in the said Manufacture.
Year: 1884

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Solid Inlaid Floor Cloths,
and other like Fabrics, and in Machinery to be Used in the
said Manufacture.
I JOSEPH HANDS of 61 Norfolk Road, Dalston in the County of Middlesex
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SOLID INLAID FLOOR CLOTHS AND OTHER LIKE FABRICS AND
IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE SAID MANUFACTURE to be as follows:-
:-
The material known as Linoleum and similar compositions are most suitable for
the manufacture of solid inlaid fabrics according to my Invention. The material
is first rolled out into sheets upon a backing of paper or other suitable material in
various colors as may be required and by the mechanism which I hereinafter
describe is cut or punched out to form the desired pattern and the pieces of each
color are combined and pressed upon a suitable backing: it is then heated after
which pressure is applied to consolidate the material and produce a flat surface.
The backing for the ground fabric is preferably of canvas and is prepared
previous to being placed in the machine by receiving on its surface a coating of
backing cement or paint which are well known to linoleum manufacturers; then
it is passed through heated rollers so as to give it an even surface and cause the
cement or paint to fill the interstices of the backing. The purpose of this is to
prevent an adhesive solution with which I coat one of its faces from penetrating to
the other face.
The cutters or punches which I use are sometimes hollow and sometimes solid.
The hollow cutters are constructed as follows; the whole of the pattern to be
produced is marked or drawn upon a board or slab and patterns are made from
which I can get castings produced to suit the designs. These castings of steel,
phosphor-bronze or other suitable material are finished and accurately fitted
conformably with the design on to a plate. There are as many plates fitted with
cutters as there are colors in the design. Each plate is to be adjusted and fixed in
the machine hereinafter described. The advantage of having castings and fitting
them on to a plate is that should any portion become damaged it can be easily
replaced.
Should any or all of the pieces out of one sheet when cut not be required to
form the pattern they are by repeated cuttings pushed upwards through the holes

page_text: in the cutters and corresponding holes in the plates into receptacles and from time
to time taken away. To ensure their not falling from the cutters I make the holes
in them tapering slightly larger at the top.
When cutting the colored sheets to ensure the pieces that are held by the cutters
being deposited upon the backing I make pieces of hard wood or metal or other
suitable material roughly fitting the hollows of the cutters, these pieces I call
pressers they are connected by pins passing through holes in the plate to a skeleton
frame on the top and when the cutters descend level with the ground fabric these
pressers push the tesserae out of the cutters through the perforations in the ground
fabric on to the backing retaining them in that position while the cutters rise
clear: then the pressers rise and resume their original position until the next
descent of the cutters with another supply of tesserae. I also make a plate or
casting fitting loosely the outside of all the cutters, the purpose of this is to free
the material which has been cut from the cutters thus allowing it to be moved
forward to give a fresh surface for cutting. The cutters pressers and plate for
clearing are actuated by means of cams and springs or other suitable mechanism.
The machine herein before referred to that I use to produce the solid inlaid fabric
is fitted with two endless steel bands. The plate on which the cutters are fitted
hereinbefore described when placed in the machine and attached to a frame
provided with guides, actuated by cams and other necessary parts, I now call a
platten. The bands are furnished with pins and draw the fabric by a step by step
motion under the platens to receive the colered tesserae at proper intervals. The
backing prepared as before described is placed in a roll at one end of the machine
and is passed under a ductor containing an adhesive solution a coating of which it
receives, after which a scraper or roller is used to ensure an equal spreading. The
backing having been coated is forced by suitable punches on to the pins on the
bands and passed through an opening on to the bed of the machine to receive
the ground fabric after it has been perforated. When the ground fabric is being
perforated, holes are also punched at the edges corresponding with the pins on the
bands. The ground fabric is placed in a roll at the same end of the machine as
the backing but at a higher level and after being perforated and the holes punched
on the edges by the first platen is passed on to the pins fitted to the steel bands
and drawn forward as before described I now use a roller to press the ground
fabric on to the backing and suitable punches to force it on to the pins.
The bands now draw the combined fabric forward under the second platen
which has already cut the first set of tesserae from a colered sheet; the platen now
descends and by means of the pressers acting as before described deposits the first
set of tesserae in its proper position. The colered sheet of material above referred
to is placed in a roll in a convenient position between the platens. Each platen is
provided with a cutting block which travels under the platen at the proper time
with a fresh surface of the colered sheet. The platen now descends to cut the
tesserae, after which it rises when the cutting block returns to its former position,
after this the platen descends further to deposit the tesserae as before mentioned.
The colered sheet after being perforated is wound on a roller. All the motions
required to actuate the above mentioned parts are obtained by cams guides and
other suitable mechanism.
The endless bands now draw the fabric forward under the next platen when a
similar operation is repeated to furnish tesserae of another color. There is a platen
cutting block and roll of colored material for every color required to produce the
pattern; the mechanism in all but the first where the cutting block is stationery
being precisely the same.
When the fabric has received all the tesserae it is drawn through a heated
chamber and afterwards through a press preferably hydraulic where it is consolidated
and receives a flat surface.
Sometimes I pass the colored sheet directly over the ground fabric without the
intervention of a cutting block the platen descending cuts the tesserae out of
the colored sheet immediately above the perforations in the ground fabric and

page_text: the pressers deposit them at one operation, the plate for clearing being used as
before.
Sometimes I pass the ground fabric into the machine face downwards and
perforate it from the back; the colored sheets will also be cut face downwards and
the tesserae inserted by means of the pressers as before. After the pattern is
complete the backing having received a coat of adhesive solution is pressed on to
the fabric before it enters the heated chamber. The roll of backing in this case as
well as the ductor are placed above the heated chamber. When working in this
manner the cutters are made with the taper outside thus when cutting the ground
fabric the perforations are larger at the back and allow the adhesive solution to fill
the spaces.
When useing solid punches I construct them as follows; a plate of metal
preferably of iron is cut out corresponding to the entire pattern required, and
punches are made to fit the perforations in this plate; then other plates are marked
from the first and cut and punches made to suit them so that there are as many
plates and punches as there are colors in the pattern to be produced. The punches
are slightly recessed on their faces so as to form a sharp cutting edge. The punches
are all secured to a plate preferably of iron and when placed in the machine with
the perforated plates to fit form male and female punches. Sometimes I make two
plates for each color the purpose of this is that the material to be perforated when
passed between the plates a more precise cutting is ensured and the material is
prevented from clinging to the punches when being withdrawn-I sometimes
engrave the faces of the punches so that when the pieces are being pressed on to
the backing they may also be embossed. The advantage of this is very great as
each color can be embossed separately or in combined pattern and it also assists to
adhere the edges of the tesserae together.
The platen of the press which comes in contact with the face of the material is
kept cold and that in contact with the backing is heated.

page_text: I JOSEPH HANDS of 61 Norfolk Road, Dalston in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF SOLID INLAID
FLOOR CLOTHS AND OTHER LIKE FABRICS
AND IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE SAID MANUFACTURE and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:
The material known as linoleum and similar compositions are the most suitable
for the manufacture of solid inlaid fabrics according to my Invention. The
material is first rolled out into sheets upon a backing of paper or other suitable
material in various colors as may be required and by the mechanism which
I hereinafter describe is cut or punched out to form the desired pattern and the
pieces of each color are combined and pressed upon a suitable backing it is then
heated after which pressure is applied to consolidate the material and produce a
flat surface..
The backing for the ground fabric is preferably of canvas and is prepared
previous to being placed in the machine by receiving on its surface a coating of
backing cement or paint which are well known to linoleum manufacturers, then it
is passed through heated rollers so as to give it an even surface and cause the
cement or paint to fill the interstices of the backing; The purpose of this is to
prevent an adhesive solution with which I coat one of its faces from penetrating
to the other face.
The cutters or punches which I use are sometimes hollow and sometimes solid.
The bollow cutters are constructed as follows the whole of the pattern to be
produced is marked or drawn upon a board or slab and patterns are made from
which I can get castings produced to suit the designs. These castings of steel,
phosphor bronze or other suitable material are finished and accurately fitted
conformably with the design onto a plate. There are as many plates fitted with
cutters as there are colors in the design. Each plate is to be adjusted and fixed
in the machine hereinafter described. The advantage of having castings and
fitting them onto a plate is that should any portion become damaged it can be
easily replaced.
Should any or all of the pieces out of one sheet when cut not be required to form
the pattern they are by repeated cuttings pushed upwards through the holes in the
cutters and corresponding holes in the plates into receptacles and from time to time
taken away. To ensure their not falling from the cutters I make the holes in them
tapering slightly larger at the top.
When cutting the colored sheets to ensure the pieces that are held by the cutters
being deposited upon the backing I make pieces of hard wood or metal or other
suitable material roughly fitting the hollows of the cutters, these pieces I call
pressers they are connected by pins passing through holes in the plate to a skeleton
frame on the top and when the cutters descend level with the ground fabric these
pressers push the tesserae out of the cutters through the perforations in the ground
fabric onto the backing retaining them in that position while the cutters rise clear
then the pressers rise and resume their original position until the next descent of
the cutters with another supply of tesserae. I also make a plate or casting fitting
loosely the outside of all the cutters the purpose of this is to free the material which
has been cut from the cutters thus allowing it to be moved forward to give a fresh
surface for cutting. The cutters, pressers and plate for clearing are actuated by
means of cams and springs or other suitable mechanism.

page_text: The
The machine herein before referred to that I use to produce the solid inlaid
fabric is fitted with two endless steel bands. The plate on which the cutters are
fitted herein before described when placed in the machine and attached to a frame
provided with guides, actuated by cams and other necessary parts I now call a
platen. The bands are furnished with pins and draw the fabric by a step by step
motion under the platens to receive the colored tesserae at proper intervals.
backing prepared as before described is placed in a roll at one end of the machine
and is passed under a ductor containing an adhesive solution a coating of which it
receives after which a scraper or roller is used to ensure an equal spreading. The
backing having been coated is forced by suitable punches onto the pins on the bands
and passed through an opening onto the bed of the machine to receive the ground
fabric after it has been perforated. When the ground fabric is being perforated
holes are also punched at the edges corresponding with the pins on the bands.
The ground fabric is placed in a roll at the same end of the machine as the
backing but at a higher level and after being perforated and the holes punched on
the edges by the first platen is passed onto the pins fitted to the steel bands and
drawn forward as before described. I now use a roller to press the ground fabric
onto the backing and suitable punches to force it onto the pins.
The bands, now draw the combined fabric forward under the second platen which
has already cut the first set of tesserae from a colored sheet; the platen now
descends and by means of the pressers acting as before described deposits the first
set of tesserae in its proper position. The colored sheet of material above referred
to is placed in a roll in a convenient position between the platens. Each platen is
provided with a cutting block which travels under the platen at the proper time
with a fresh surface of the colored sheet. The platen now descends to cut the
tesserae after which it rises when the cutting block returns to its former position;
after this the platen descends further to deposit the tesserae as before mentioned.
The colored sheet after being perforated is wound on a roller. All the motions
required to actuate the above mentioned parts are obtained by cams, guides, and
other suitable mechanism.
The endless bands now draw the fabric forward under the next platen when a
similar operation is repeated to furnish tesserae of another color.
There is a platen, cutting block and roll of colored material for every color
required to produce the pattern; the mechanism, in all but the first where the
cutting block is stationery being precisely the same.
When the fabric has received all the tesserne it is drawn through a heated
chamber and afterwards through a press preferably bydraulic where it is
consolidated and receives a flat surface.
Sometimes I pass the colored sheet directly over the ground fabric without the
intervention of a cutting block; the platen descending cuts the tesserae out of
the colored sheet immediately above the perforations in the ground fabric and the
pressers deposit them at one operation. The plate for clearing being used as
before.
Sometimes I pass the ground fabric into the machine face downwards and
perforate it from the back; the colored sheets will also be cut face downwards and
the tesserae inserted by means of the pressers as before. After the pattern is
complete the backing having received a coat of adhesive solution is pressed onto
the fabric before it enters the heated chamber. The roll of backing in this case
as well as the ductor are placed above the heated chamber. When working in this
manner the cutters are made with the taper outside; thus when cutting the
ground fabric the perforations are larger at the back and allow the adhesive solution
to fill the spaces.
When useing solid punches I construct them as follows a plate of metal
preferably of iron is cut out corresponding to the entire pattern required and
punches are made to fit the perforations in this plate; then other plates are
marked from the first and cut and punches made to suit them so that there are as
many plates and punches as there are colors in the pattern to be produced. The

page_text: Fig 1 is a side elevation of the machine.
Fig 2 is a plan with some of the rollers and parts of the framework removed to
shew the platens and some of the parts connected with them; also with a
portion of the bed removed to shew the driving gear.
Fig 3 is a section on the line A. B.
Fig 4 is an elevation of part of the reverse side of the machine shewing the
motion for working the steel bands also the cam for actuating the clearing
plate.
Fig 5 is a section on the line C. D.
a is a reservoir containing adhesive solution with revolving arms for stiring;
a¹ is a valve to supply the ductor with solution; a³ is the ductor with scraper;
a³ is a valve for regulating the flow of solution; a is the roller to ensure equal
spreading; is a table adjusted by screws (not shewn in the drawing) c is the roll
of backing prepared previous to being placed in the machine as before described;
the backing passes the rollers c¹ and c² over the table b receiving solution from the
ductor a, then under roller a from which it passes to the pins on the steel bands
and through an opening onto the bed of the machine to receive the ground fabric
and tesserae.
The roll of ground fabric d, when unwinding passes under the roller d', and the
first platen d². The cutter plate d³ carries the cutters & also the punches do which
punch holes at the edges of the fabric corresponding with the pins on the steel
bands. is the clearing plate; e is a roller to press the ground fabric onto the
backing; the punches et force the combined fabric onto the pins; the cranks e² for
working the punches are actuated by the platen d². e³ ³ are the steel bands with
pins projecting.
The rolls of colored material when unwinding pass under the guide rollers f¹,
the platens f and the rollers ƒ³ which rollers allow the platens to descend and rise
without interfering with the proper movement of the colored sheets. The feed
rollers fand f* draw the materials at proper intervals the required distance to
give a fresh surface for cutting, and cause them to be wound on the rollers f*.
The clearing plates g are kept in their position by the guides g¹. The moveable
cutting blocks h run on friction wheels h¹ on part of the bed. jis the heate 1
chamber. is the hydraulic press which can be fed from an accumulator and
worked by means of valves and other suitable mechanism; the gauge stops k¹
prevent more than the required pressure coming upon the fabric to finish it; is a
roller to convey the finished fabric from the machine.
The action of the machine is as follows-Power is transmitted from any
convenient motor to the fast pulley m on the shaft m¹ which carries the pinion m³
driving the spur wheel m³ on countershaft m. The mitre wheels n transmit the
motion to the main shaft o. The clutches and pinions o¹ working into the bevel

page_text: wheels o actuate the pinions o³ which gear into the spur wheels o* on cam shafts p.
The platens f are actuated by means of the cams p¹, friction rollers p² and the
connecting rods p³ the top ends of which form V guides. The cams q give motion
to the pressers q' transmitting the same through cranks q2 shafts q3 connecting
rods q and skeleton frames q to which the pressers q₁ are attached. On the
connecting rods q' are springs the bottom ends of which rest on fixed brackets and
the top ends act upon adjustable collars; these springs keep the friction rollers
against the faces of the cams q and also provide for any difference in the thickness
of the tesserae. The cams give motion to the clearing plates g, transmitting the
same through the cranks r¹ shafts and rods 73. The steel bands e³ e³ are actuated
by the wheels 8 on shafts s' one of which carries the ratchet wheel 8² worked by
the lever and pawl 8ª connecting rod & crank-lever 85 and cam 86; this combination
of parts produces the step by step motion in the steel bands before referred to.
The feed rollers receive their motion from the bevel wheel t which drives the bevel
pinion t¹ on shaft t transmitting motion through the mitre wheels t³ to the shaft t
on which are mitre wheels with clutches to gearing when required into the mitre
wheels on the spindles of the feed rollers which thus receive the necessary
intermittent motion.
The moveable cutting blocks h receive their motion by means of sliding bars u u
provided with pins gearing into forked levers u¹ which levers are connected by
arms and a rod with cam u. The moveable cutting blocks h are attached to the
bars uu by sliding keys or catches (not shewn in the drawing) to enable them to
be thrown out of gear when not required. v v are the side frames w is the
base plate.
All the mechanism in connection with each platen can be arranged to be thrown
in and out of gear simultaneously.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First The manufacture of solid inlaid floor cloths and other like fabrics
substantially in the manners described.
Second-The cast cutters and construction of the cutter plates substantially as
described.
Third The clearing plates for the cutters substantially as described.
Fourth-The pressers for pushing the pieces out of the cutters and depositing
them substantially as described.
Fifth The female punching and clearing plates in conjunction with the solid
punches having recessed or engraved faces substantially as described.
Sixth The combinations of machinery for the continuous manufacture and
finishing of solid inlaid fabrics substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of October 1884.