Improvements in Linoleum Drying and Oxidising Apparatus.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st May, 1897-Accepted, 26th June, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Linoleum Drying and Oxidising Apparatus.
I, ANTON EHRHARDT of Bedburg near Düren, Rheinland, Germany, Managing
Director of Die Rheinische Linoleum Werke at the same place, 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 :-
In the preparation of linoleum the drying (oxidation) process carried out in the
drying house in the manner hitherto usual presents several disadvantages which
injuriously affect the linoleum. It is customary to dry linoleum by suspending it
between rails in folds of 12 or more metres long so that with a roll of the same
150 metres long 6 double folds are formed. Such suspension of the linoleum in
folds has the following disadvantages :-
1. That part of a piece of linoleum which lies upon the rail of from 10 to 12 centi-
metres in width is always spoilt through being fractured at the bend and has to be
cut off when the linoleum is to be rolled up, therefore when a roll of jute 2 metres
wide is to be manufactured into linoleum there are produced 6 rolls thereof each of
50 square metres or an aggregate of 300 square metres but requiring rails about
10 centimetres wide and 7 in number. Further the linoleum lies not only upon
the upper side of the rail but also against the sides of the same which project to
the extent of about 8 centimetres, the effect of which is to still further increase the
spoilt or waste parts. Therefore in the rolling up, there are 7 waste pieces each
about 26 centimetres long, taken in the direction of the length of the piece or roll.
This gives a loss of 7 × 26 = 182 centimetres in length and as the linoleum is
2 metres wide the loss is 3.64 square metres per roll of jute or per 6 rolls of
linoleum.
2. By the promiscuous sliding of the rails upon the ways the air circulation
required for drying (oxidising) the linoleum is rendered irregular and thereby also
the oxidation at the upper ends of the same through these being closer together
than the lower portions to which latter the air has better access, consequently the
linoleum is not of equal quality.
3. As above stated the folds have a length of 12 metres. Supposing this
length to be divided into 4 parts each 3 metres long and 45 kilogrammes
in weight, consequently the uper 3 metres part has to support a load of.
3 x 45135 kilogrammes, the part next below a load of 2 × 45 = 90 kilogrammes
the third part 1 x 45 = 45 kilogrammes and the lowermost part no load or strain
at all. This causes unequal stretching, the upper portion being more stretched
than the lower portions and the lowermost part not stretched at all. After
removal, the stretched linoleum returns to its original form but with the drawback
that blisters are formed in the surface both in rolling it up and laying it down.
4. Through hanging in folds there results the further disadvantage that the
bottom bend is compressed upon the inner surface in which state it hardens in the
oxidising process, the bend remaining and causing the formation of blisters and
cracks when being laid down.
The object of this invention is to suppress the aforesaid disadvantages.
Accordingly the linoleum instead of being suspended in folds 25 metres long is
laid upon horizontal burdles exceeding 150 metres in length and having a wire
bed or the like, the linoleum in the whole of its area being in this way equably
oxidised in the horizontal position so that there are no injurious bends and no
waste pieces.

page_text: The apparatus of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 being a part sectional elevation thereof, Fig. 2 a part sectional plan and
Figs. 3 and 4 relating to details.
A is the drying or oxidising house divided into several stages by partitions and
containing hurdles h having wires d stretched over horizontally arranged angle
irons i adjacent to which their ends are attached to spiral springs f and the opposite
ends of these latter to channel irons i¹, said spring connections being for the purpose
of compensating for the differences of expansion of the wires occasioned by changes
of temperature and maintaining the wires at a regular tension (Fig. 3). is the
hurdle frame.
The fresh linoleum is passed through an opening B in the wall between the
calender room and the drying house A on to the hurdles h by means of draught
wires or rope a passing over rollers E, C, D, and operated from the calender.
Said rollers are each provided with a groover (Fig. 4) for the reception of the
draught wire a leading from the calender, and which in addition to passing over
the rollers E, C, D, also passes over the guide pulleys s. is a clamp by which
the linoleum is attached at one end to the draught wire. The roller C is located
below the lowermost hurdle and the roller D is arranged to be adjustable.
In operation the linoleum L passes from the calender (not shewn) through the
opening B into the drying house where it is conducted over the rollers E, C, D,
and then connected to the draught wire a by means of the clamp k. So soon as a
suitable length of the linoleum has been drawn on to a hurdle, the same is cut
through the clamp released, and the draw wire again attached to the end of the
main length of the linoleum to draw the latter on to the hurdle next below and so
on. The linoleum in being over the hurdles slides upon the wires d.
With the use of this apparatus there is the great advantage that the workman
is only required to be in the drying house, heated from 38° to 42° Celsius, during
the time required for adjusting the roller D and the rear guide pulleys s.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A drying and oxidising apparatus for linoleum coming fresh from the calender,
in which for the purpose of avoiding fractures and waste of material, the fresh
linoleum is subjected to the action of hot air placed upon hurdles, the transfer
of the linoleum on to the hurdles arranged parallel one above another, being
accomplished by means of guide rollers and a draught wire or rope carried over
guide pulleys to which draught wire or rope the free end of the linoleum is
connected by means of a clamp k, substantially as described and shewn.
2. In an apparatus of the kind referred to, the attachment of the hurdle wires
at their rear ends through interposed spiral springs or the like for the purpose of
maintaining said wires at a regular tension notwithstanding changes of temperature,
substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 1st day of May 1897.
CAPITAINE & VON HERTLING,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.