Improvements in the Manufacture of Floor-cloth.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 29th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Floor-cloth.
We, HENRY WILLIAM GODFREY, CHARLES FREDERICK LEAKE, Engineers,
and CHARLES EDWARD LUCAS, Linoleum Manufacturer, all of Staines in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of inlaid floor cloth such as linoleum.
For this purpose we use moulds conforming to the shape of the various figures
constituting the design to be inlaid and we connect the moulds together by frames
Each color in
or grids to hold them in the proper relative position to each other.
the design requires a separate frame and mould The moulds are of a convenient
depth and their walls taper to a knife edge at bottom, the taper is on one side only,
so that the figure when formed, has square vertical sides.
To fill these moulds, we have a table with the top divided off, for the various
colors, the dividing pieces regulating the depth of the granulated linoleum which
is to form the figure-these dividing pieces are adjustable in height.
:-
Each frame has a compressor, which is a block of wood or metal with figures in
conformity with the perforations forming the figures in the frames.
We operate as follows
-We take granulated linoleum of suitable colors for the
design, and strickle them over the table by means of a straight edge-moved with
a to and fro motion across the divisions which regulate the depth of the material-
the frame is then laid on and pressed through the loose mass then the compressor
is brought down, and the linoleum confined within the walls of the figure required
is pressed into a semi-solid state, by means of a screw or other press. The com-
pressor is withdrawn, and the frame with required figures remaining in position, is
then transferred to a table where the tessera or figures are discharged by suitable
means on to the backing fabric. Each color is treated thus and the design laid
preparatory to passing to a hydraulic or other press for consolidation into a
homogeneous sheet.
It will be seen that when the figures are laid by this process, a space will exist
between each tessera, and its neighbouring figure according to the thickness of the
walls of the moulds. These spaces must be closed by a suitable arrangement of
pushers or we cover the table upon which the design is formed, with a sheet of
rubber or other elastic material, which is stretched in all directions before the
figures are placed, then upon releasing it the rubber contracts and the spaces are
closed between the figures.
Dand thin 21 d
f Lana 1901
H. W. GODFREY.
CHAS. F. LEAKE.
C. E. LUCAS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Floor-cloth.
We,
HENRY WILLIAM GODFREY, CHARLES FREDERICK LEAKE, Engineers,
and CHARLES EDWARD LUCAS, Linoleum Manufacturer, all of Staines in the
County of Middlesex, 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 :—
This invention relates to the manufacture of inlaid floor cloth, such as linoleum.

page_text: For this purpose we use moulds conforming to the shape of the various figures
constituting the design to be inlaid and we connect the moulds together by frames
or grids to hold them in the proper relative position to each other. Each color in
the design requires a separate frame and mould. The moulds are of a convenient
depth, and their walls taper to a knife edge at bottom, the taper is on one side only,
so that the figure when formed, has square vertical sides.
To fill these moulds we have a table with the top divided off for the various
colors, the dividing pieces regulating the depth of the granulated linoleum which
is to form the figure-these dividing pieces are adjustable in height.
Each frame has a compresser, which is a block of wood or metal with figures in
conformity with the perforations forming the figures in the frames.
We operate as follows:-We take granulated linoleum of suitable colors for the
design, and strickle them over the table by means of a straight edge moved with a
to and fro motion across the divisions, which regulate the depth of the material,
the frame is then laid on and pressed through the loose mass then the compresser
is brought down and the linoleum confined within the walls of the figure required
is pressed into a semi-solid state, by means of a screw or other press. The com-
presser is withdrawn and the frame with required figures remaining in position, is
then transferred to a table where the tessera or figures are discharged by suitable
means on to the backing fabric. Each color is treated thus and the design laid
preparatory to passing to a hydraulic or other press for consolidation into a
homogeneous sheet.
It will be seen that when the figures are laid by this process, a space will exist
between each tessera and its neighbouring figure according to the thickness of the
walls of the moulds. These spaces must be closed by a suitable arrangement of
pushers or we cover the table upon which the design is formed, with a sheet of
rubber or other elastic material, which is stretched in all directions before the
figures are placed, then upon releasing it the rubber contracts and the spaces are
closed between the figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a transverse section on the line a Figure 2, and Figure 2 is a plan
of the grid for producing the white squares of the pattern shown in Figure 11.
Figures 3 is a section on the line y y Figure 4 and 4 is a plan of the other grid
for producing the black squares. A are the partitions forming the sides of the
moulds, their lower edges are made to a knife edge as shown. Bare strengthening
bars. Figures 5, 6, and 7 are also transverse sections on the line X X Figure 2,
showing in diagram various stages of the manufacture. In these figures the bars B
are omitted. Figures 8, 9 and 10 are similar sections on the line Y Y Figure 4.
The process is as follows:-
out.
The grid Figures 1 and 2 is pressed down on to the material for forming the
white squares spread on the table and the plunger C, Figure 5 is brought down
compressing the material as shown in Figure 6. The plunger C, is then raised
again and the grid is lifted from the table, the consolidated material remaining in
the white squares but the unconsolidated material in the other squares dropping
The grid is then removed and the consolidated squares are forced out by
another plunger D Figure 7 as before described, leaving them arranged in their
positions on the backing or other surface. Exactly similar operations are gone
through with the grids Figures 3 and. 4 for the black material, and the resulting
squares are deposited between the white squares as shown in Figure 11. The
manufacture is afterwards completed as before described.
Figures 12, 13 and 14 show a convenient way in which the pieces can be pushed
together. E E are a number of parallel laths whose ends are fixed to a pair of
lazy tongs F F one end of each being pivotted to a fixed pivot at F1 and the other
end being pivotted to a movable bar G whose travel is limited by stops G¹. This
apparatus is shown at Figure 12. The consolidated material is deposited on these

page_text: laths as shown in Figure 13. The bar G is then moved towards the pivots F' as
shown in Figure 14 thereby closing up the laths and so bringing each piece of
material into contact with two other pieces on opposite sides of it. Afterwards the
material is pushed off the laths on to the backing by a pusher H which completes
the closing together of the pieces.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The process of manufacturing floor cloth by consolidating the material to form
each color of the finished pattern into moulds connected together and arranged in
the same relative positions to each other as the patches of that color in the finished
pattern, delivering the tessere so formed of the various colors in turn into their
proper places and afterwards consolidating the whole together, substantially as
described.
2. In the manufacture of floor-cloth, the use of a number of moulds connected
together in the form of a grid and having their lower edges formed as knife edges
substantially as described.
3. The process of manufacturing floor cloth, substantially as described.
H. W. GODFREY.
CHAS. F. LEAKE.
C. E. LUCAS.