AN IMPROVED MACHINE OB APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING LEATHER STRAPS, BELTS, OR BANDS FOR DRIVING MACHINERY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of the Firm of John
Gedge and on, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE
OB APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING LEATHER STRAPS, BELTS, OR BANDS FOR
DRIVING MACHINERY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."-A communication from
abroad by Charles Jules Camille Bonnot, of 39, Faubourg St. Martin,
Paris, France.
Sealed the 1st March 1867, and dated the 11th September 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedgo
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th September 1866.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of
5 No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING LEATHER STRAPS, BELTS, OR BANDS
FOR DRIVING MACHINERY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES," (a communication to me

page_text: from abroad by Charles Jules Camille Bonnot, of 39, Faubourg St. Martin,
Paris, France,) to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to obtain driving belts or bands of a uniform
thickness and strength which have not hitherto been obtainable because of
the variable thickness of the bides from which they are made.
This improved apparatus is shown in plan, section, and side view on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawing forming part of this Provisional Specification,
and is composed, firstly, of a table T made of wood, marble, brass, zinc, or
other n aterial capable of receiving a fine polish but also inoxydizable, (if tho
table is made of wood it is covered with a zinc plate). Secondly, of two brass
rules, the one A invariably fixed on one of the longitudinal edges of the table,
the other B capable of sliding laterally on this table (its course is regulated
by the screw V inserted in the nut E, which is fixed to the table), and so as
to lessen or increase at will the space comprised between the two rules in
order to be applicable to all breadths of strap or band. As it is important
that the breadth be exactly the same everywhere, scales placed at the end of
the table permit the workman to assure himself that one rule is exactly
parallel with the other, and this position once attained screws P and P¹,
pressing against iron plates fixed on the table, arrest the rule and prevent
its shifting during the operation; this rule is kept to the top of the table by
means of cramps sliding in grooves C at each end of the table. Thirdly, of a
small solid brass cylinder H placed near a transverse opening O made near
one of the longitudinal extremities of the table, and to which cylinder a rotary
motion may be given.
In using this apparatus the strap or belt having been previously cut, first,
of a width slightly exceeding that which it is eventually to have in those
parts where the thickness is good; and secondly, of a greater breadth in those
parts where the leather is thinner; and thirdly, and lastly, narrower than tho
fixed breadth when the leather is thick, is then well soaked or macerated
and placed on the table between the two rules, which are set apart so that the
space between them is the breadth to be given to the band. One of the ends
of the band is introduced into the transverse opening O of the table, and this
extremity is at.ached to a weight R which aids the manipulation by drawing
the fibres of the leather in the direction of the work which they have to
undergo. The cylindrical roller 11 prevents any deterioration of the leather
by friction against the angle of the table; then by the aid of the instrument
called by curriers a stretching iron it is compressed in every direction by
strongly rubbing it, and at the same time causing it to slide between the rules
until it exactly fills the space between them, and when this is effected thero

page_text: remains but to hang it up and leave it to dry. It will be evident that the
table may be made of any size and width, and that both longitudinal rules
might be fixed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th March 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of Number 11,
Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Edward Gedge, Her special licence that I, the said William Edward
Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING LEATHER STRAPS,
BELTS, OR BANDS FOR DRIVING MACHINERY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES," (a com-
munication to me from abroad by Charles Jules Camille Bonnot, of 39.
Faubourg St. Martin, Paris, France,) upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Edward Gedge, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Gedge, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-

page_text: The object of this Invention is to obtain driving belts or bands of a uniform
thickness and strength which have not hitherto been obtainable because of the
variable thickness of the hides from which they are made.
The improved apparatus or machine the subject of this Invention is shewn
in plan, section, and end view on the accompanying Sheet of Drawing forming
part of this Specification. It is composed, firstly, of a table T made of wood,
marble, copper, brass, zinc, or other material capable of receiving a fine polish
but also inoxydizable, (if the table is made of wood it is covered with a zinc
plate). Secondly, of two copper or brass rules, the one A invariably fixed on
one of the longitudinal edges of the table, the other B capable of sliding
laterally on this table (its course is regulated by the screw V inserted in the
nut E which is fixed to the table), and so as to lessen or increase at will the
space comprised between the two rules in order to be applicable to all breadths
of strap or band. As it is important that the breadth be exactly the same
everywhere scales placed at the ends of the table permit the workman to
assure himself that one rule is exactly parallel with the other, and this
position once attained screws P and P', pressing against iron plates fixed
on the table, arrest the rule and prevent its shifting during the operation;
this rule is kept to the top of the table by means of cramps shiding in
grooves C at each end of the table. Thirdly, of a small solid brass or
copper cylinder H placed near a transverse opening O made near one of the
longitudinal extremities of the table, and to which cylinder a rotary motion
may be given.
In using this apparatus, the strap or belt having been previously cut, first,
of a width slightly exceeding on those parts where the thickness is good that
which it is eventually to have; secondly, of a greater breadth in those parts
where the leather is thinner; and thirdly, and lastly, narrower than the fixed
breadth, when the leather is thick is soaked or macerated and then placed on
the table between the two rules which are set apart so that the space between
them is the breadth to be given to the band. One of the ends of tlie
band R is introduced into the transverse opening O of the table, and this
extremity is attached to a weight R', which aids the manipulation by
drawing the fibres of the leather in the direction of the work which they
have to undergo. The cylindrical roller H prevents any deterioration of
the leather by friction against the angle of the table; then by the aid of
the instrument called by curriers a stretching iron it is compressed in every
direction by strongly rubbing it, and at the same time causing it to slide
between the rules until it exactly fills the space between them, and
when this is effected there remains but to hang it up and leave it to dry.

page_text: It will be evident that the table may be made of any size and width, and
that both longitudinal rules may be fixed instead of moveable when found
desirable.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of. March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)