IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FABRICS USABLE AS FLOOR- CLOTHS AND OTHERWISE.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Rowan, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Manufacturing Chemist, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FABRICS USABLE AS FLOOR-
CLOTHS AND OTHERWISE.
"
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Rowan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd July 1873.
I, THOMAS ROWAN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
5 Britain, Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FABRICS USABLE
AS FLOORCLOTHS AND OTHERWISE," to be as follows, that is to say :—
This Invention has for its object in a simple manner and out of
comparatively inexpensive materials to manufacture a flexible water-
proof fabric of a durable nature advantageously usable as a floorcloth
and otherwise.

page_text: In carrying out the Invention glue or gelatine is first combined with
any suitable vegetable or animal oil or mixture of such oils, the com-
bination being effected by intimately mixing the oil in a solution of the
glue or gelatine in about its own weight of water, the solution being
maintained at about the temperature of boiling water. The combined
glue and oil is then intimately mixed with any suitable powder of an
indifferent or inert character, such as ground wood, cork, or other bark,
spent madder, ground waste leather, ground vulcanised rubber, ground
iron scale, ground iron borings or turnings or filings. It is in some
cases advantageous to add a little glycerine when mixing in the
powder.
The plastic mass formed by combining the ingredients as described, is
applied or spread by rollers or other means, and whilst in a heated state,
to a backing of jute, cloth, or any other suitable woven fabric. The fabric
is exposed to the air for a limited period, during which the substance
becomes aged and changed so as to be insoluble.
The fabric may be colored by mixing in suitable coloring matters
when compounding the ingredients, and patterns of colors different
from the ground may be afterwards applied by printing as in orna-
menting ordinary floorcloths.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Rowan in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd January 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ROWAN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Manu-
facturing Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Rowan, Her special
licence that I, the said Thomas Rowan, my executors, administrators,.
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Rowan, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with and no others,

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF FABRICS USABLE AS FLOORCLOTHS AND OTHERWISE," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Rowan, 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 Thomas Rowan, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object in a simple manner and out of
comparatively inexpensive materials to manufacture a flexible water-
proof fabric of a durable nature, advantageously usable as a floorcloth
and otherwise; and it consists principally in applying to a backing of.
jute, cloth, or other suitable material a composition consisting of a com-
bination of glue or gelatin with oil, and having an inert powder
intimately mixed into it.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same may be properly understood, I will proceed to particularly
describe what I at present believe to be the best modes of practising it.
I take a solution of glue or gelatin made by dissolving it with the aid of
heat in about its own weight of water, and whilst the solution is hot and
liquid I add to it any suitable animal or vegetable oil or mixture of such
oils, continuing the addition of the oil as long as the oil will form with
the glue or gelatin a combination or compound which will set on cooling.
The proportion of oil or mixture of oil that can be combined in this way
with the glue or gelatin will vary with the oil or oils used, and with the
strength or quality of the glue or gelatin. The best proportions will,
however, be easily ascertained in practice by trial in each case. If too.
much oil is added in any case the oil will not combine with the glue or
gelatin, nor set or solidify on cooling; and when this happens the

page_text: mixture must be reheated, and as much more of the glue or gelatin
solution must be added to it as will combine in the desired manner with
the previously superabundant oil.
When using some oils, such as linseed or rapeseed oil, it is advan-
tageous to dissolve in them some rubber or caoutchouc by the aid of
heat previously to mixing the oil with the glue or gelatin solution. Or
a solution of the rubber or caoutchouc in naphtha or other convenient
solvent may be mixed with the oils. Other gums or resins may also in
some cases be added, being first combined with the glue or gelatine
solution or with the oil, as may be found most suitable.
When the glue or gelatin and oil are combined, and with or without
other ingredients, herein-before referred to, the compound, whilst still
hot, is intimately mixed with any suitable powder of an indifferent or
inert character, such as ground or comminuted wood, cork, or other
bark, spent madder, ground or comminuted waste leather, ground
vulcanised rubber, or ground iron or other metal borings, turnings, or
filings. In some cases it is advantageous to moisten the ground
materials with glycerin before adding them. The ground materials may
be continued to be added to the hot mixture until a stiff plastic or semi-
fluid consistency is attained.
The plastic mass obtained in the manner herein-before described, and
whilst still hot, is spread by means of rollers or otherwise on a backing
of jute, cloth, or other suitable woven fabric, on which it may be applied
in one or more coats. The fabric is exposed to the air for a limited
period, during which the coating substance becomes aged and changed
so as to be insoluble.
The fabric may be colored by mixing in suitable coloring matters
when compounding the ingredients, and patterns of colors different from
the ground may be afterwards applied by printing as in ornamenting
ordinary floorcloths.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner
of performing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to
the precise details herein-before specified, but that what I believe to be
novel and original and claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the manufacturing of
fabrics usable as floorcloths and otherwise by applying to backings of

page_text: jute or other suitable cloth compounds in which glue or gelatin and oil
are combined, and mixed with inert powders, substantially as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Rowan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
THOMAS ROWAN. (L.S.)