IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF AIR-PROOF AND WATER-PROOF FABRICS, AND IN THE PREPARATION OF CAOUTCHOUC AND GUTTA PERCHA, EITHER ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER MATERIALS, THE SAME BEING APPLICABLE TO ARTICLES OF WEARING APPAREL, BANDS, STRAPS, AND OTHER SIMILAR USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY BURKE, of Tottenham, in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-sixth day of April, in the twelfth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Henry Burke, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said William Henry Burke, my exors, admors, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said William Henry Burke, my exors,
admňors, or assigns, should at.any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF AIR-PROOF AND WATER-PROOF FABRICS, AND IN THE PREPARATION OF
CAOUTCHOUC AND GUTTA PERCHA, EITHER ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER
MATERIALS, THE SAME BEING APPLICABLE TO ARTICLES OF WEARING APPAREL, BANDS,
STRAPS, AND OTHER SIMILAR USEFUL PURPOSES;" in which said Letters Patent is con-
tained a proviso, obliging me, the said William Henry Burke, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months nex and immediately after the date of

page_text: the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Henry Burke, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof (that is to say) :-
The first part of my Invention relates to the treatment of caoutchouc (india-
rubber), or caoutchouc and gutta percha combined with a certain material or
materials to be herein-after mentioned, for the purpose of manufacturing a com-
pound which, by retaining its elasticity under all ordinary temperatures, will be
suitable for waterproofing, and for being made into bands, straps, and a variety
of other articles for which india-rubber or gutta percha are employed. This
object has been heretofore attained by manufacturing the substanco termed
"vulcanized" india-rubber. In this process a large quantity of free sulphur is
mixed, or as it is technically expressed "masticated," with the india-rubber, and
the mass is afterwards submitted to the influence of a high temperature, the
ultimate effect being apparently the combination of a portion of the sulphur
with the india-rubber.
Although the material prepared by the vulcanizing process possesses many
useful properties, the substance the proparation of which forms the first part
of the present Invention is one which admits of a wider application, and its
preparation is also more casily effected, and more certain in its results.
.
From the nature of the process used in its preparation, the vulcanized india-
rubber is subject to two great defects, firstly, in consequence of the sulphur
being, employed in a free state, a portion of that substance is continually
efflorescing, thereby covering the surface with a white powder, and imparting a
sulphurous odour to every object with which it is brought in contact; secondly,
the sulphur by this efflorescence is liberated from the india-rubber, and is
dissipated and lost, it appears, indeed, that even the quantity supposed to bo
combined with the india-rubber becomes gradually freed and volatilized,
leaving the india-rubber partially rotten, or rather disintegrated.
The material manufactured according to the method herein described is not
liable to these defects, for it is not prepared with free sulphur, and therefore
the unpleasant efflorescence of that substance is avoided; and as the material
does not contain any substance of an efflorescent nature, it will remain through-
out any length of time in its normal state. .
. In the preparation of this new waterproofing or, elastic compound, I employ
a compound of antimony, obtained in the manner following, but it may be
obtained by other processes well known to manufacturing chemists; I do not,

page_text: therefore, intend to confine myself to the process 'about to be described 'for
preparing the material, 'but I merely prefer it as being that which I consider
most effectual for the purpose. The following is the process which I employ
for the production of the antimonial preparation or compound :-The-substance
known in commerce as crude antimony is reduced to a fine powder, either'by
pounding or grinding; one part of this powder is added to about twenty-five
parts of crystallized carbonate of soda, or twenty parts of carbonate of potash,
dissolved in two hundred and fifty to three hundred parts of water, the whole
is boiled in an iron boiler during half or three-quarters of an hour, at the
expiration of which time the boiling is stopped, and the undissolved matter
allowed a few minutes to precipitate. The supernatent fluid is run off hot,
and the alkali is saturated by hydrochloric acid added in slight excess, whereby
a copious orange red precipitate at is once formed. This precipitate constitutes
the golden sulphuret of antimony, or, as termed by some, Kermes' mineral,
and it is the antimonial compound already mentioned as the material to be
combined or mixed with the india-rubber. The red precipitate is well washed
with hot water, to remove the excess of acid; it is then to be dried at a
low temperature and ground, when it will be fit for use. This antimonial
compound I blend or mix with caoutchouc, alone or in combination with gutta
percha (according to the degree of elasticity which I wish the caoutchouc to
possess), and afterwards subject such mixture to a heated temperature, varying
from two hundred and fifty to two hundred and eighty degrees Fahrenheit,
either in a heated stove or boiler under steam pressure, or expose it to the rays
of the sun.
Caoutchouc when thus prepared will be greatly improved, not only in
strength and elasticity, but will be capable of resisting the sun's rays and of
retaining its softness and pliability under a low temperature. To make or
form a block of caoutchouc intended afterwards to be divided into sheets,
threads, straps, or bands. I take any given quantity of the ordinary india-
rubber of commerce, according to the size of the block intended, say, one
hundred pounds weight, which, being well washed and freed from all ex-
traneous matter, I pass through a pair of crushing rollers, after which I put
it into a masticator (a box with a steam-tight jacket), having a fluted roller
fixed in bearings and revolving within it. To this box I apply heat, and give
rotary motion to the roller; I then add the antimonial compound in quantities
varying from five to fifteen pounds, according to the strength and elasticity
required in the block of caoutchouc, and the purposes for which it is intended
to be used. When the ingredients have been thoroughly mixed in the
masticator (which will require from one and a half to two hours, according to

page_text: the speed applied thereto), I take the compound out of the box, and while in a
warm state compress it by means of screw or hydraulic pressure into an iron
mould, varying from two to six feet in length, one foot wide, and ten inches
deep. The block thus formed, after being under pressure from one to two
days, I subject to a steam heat at the temperature before stated for the space
of from two to three hours. This block, which has now acquired the properties
of permanent elasticity, and increased strength of fibre as before mentioned,
I cut into sheets, which may be afterwards divided into thread, or formed into
other articles, as may be required, or, if found more convenient, the block may
be divided after taken from the mould, and the articles made therefrom may
be subjected to the heating process or to the action of the sun's rays.
When sheets of a considerable length are required, say, twenty yards or
more, and it is desirable to avoid the expence of machinery for cutting the
same, they may be obtained by dissolving the caoutchouc in the usual way in
any of the known menstruums directly after being taken from the masticator,
and spreading the pulp or solution by means of calender rollers or the usual
spreading machine upon calico or other cloth, which ought to be previously
saturated or well rubbed in with ground chalk, fullers' earth, or pipe clay,
which will allow the caoutchouc to be easily separated from the cloth after it
has undergone the heating process; but when it is desired that the compo-
sition should firmly adhere to the cloth, leather, or other fabrics that may be
required for air-proof or water-proof purposes, the saturating with chalk, &c.,
inust of course be omitted, coloring matter may then be added, if required.
From the above description it will be obvious that my improved caoutchouc
compound, either with or without the addition of gutta percha, is applicable
to the various purposes to which caoutchouc or compounds of caoutchouc have
heretofore been applied, it will therefore be unnecessary to enumerate them
here. One of the purposes to which I apply my improved compound with an
increased advantage, is for uniting cotton fleece to other bodies, or by
cementing two or more flceces together, as set forth in the Specification of a
Patent granted to me by Her present Majesty on the Twentieth day of
January, One thousand eight hundred and forty-six, for I find that such
fabrics, when made with caoutchouc alone or in combination with gutta percha,
are affected by the influence of the atmosphere, and thus the useful application
of this manufacture is very much limited. By the use of my improved
caoutchouc composition I am enabled to produce a cheap and durable water-
proof fabric, admirably adapted for printers' blanketing, the backs of wire
cards, &c.
The second part of my Invention refers to the manufacture of waterproof

page_text: In
cloths or garments known as single textures, and consists in removing the
shiny or polished appearance of the surface thereof, which is very generally
objected to, from its resemblance to common oiled or painted cloths.
order to effect this improvement, I mix with caoutchouc, either prepared as
above or not, from ten to fifteen per cent. of ground silk, cotton, or wool (after
the manner of flock), and dissolve it in a suitable menstruum, or I mix the
flock with the caoutchouc when dissolved. With this solution I coat the
surface of the cloth, which has previously been prepared with the waterproof
composition in the ordinary manner of such manufacture, and thereby impart
to the waterproof surface an appearance greatly resembling woollen cloth:
This cloth may be afterwards put through the heating process, and another
cloth or fabric cemented thereto as a lining, if required. I am aware that
flock has heretofore been united to cloth, paper, and other fabrics by means of
india-rubber solution and such like adhesive matter by sifting the flock in a
dry and powdered state on to the fabric, but the flock when thus applied may
be casily removed by friction, as it has but a slight hold upon the body of the
fabric; but according to my improvements the flock is made an integral part
of the fabric itself, and cannot therefore be removed.
The third part of my Invention refers to the manufacture of bands or straps
for driving machinery. A general complaint against the use of gutta percha
machine bands has arisen in consequence of their stretching after being
a short time in use, as well as their chafing and fretting away when driven
with great speed, owing to the gutta porcha not being sufficiently hard to
resist the friction of the drums or pullies over which they pass. To remedy
this defect, I propose to apply to such bands, either at the centre or on one or
both sides thereof, leather or canvas, or other strong fabric adapted for the
purpose, and to cover one or both of the gutta percha surfaces with my
improved preparation of caoutchouc, or of caoutchouc and gutta percha com-
bined, by which means a band of limited elasticity, and possessing the
necessary hardness of texture, will be obtained, with the advantage of its
having a cemented flush or smooth lap joint, which is so desirable in driving
bands.
The fourth head of my Invention refers to an improvement in the manu-
facture of boots and shoes. In the soling of boots and shoes gutta percha
has proved a good substitute for leather, but, as regards the heels, it has
proved less effective, in consequence of the latter being subjected to greater
friction than the former. I therefore purpose, under this head of my Inven-
tion, to case the outer edge of such heels with metal, after the manner of tips,
as also the toes and sides of the soles when exposed to excessive or hard wear.

page_text: These tips or shields of metal I mould in with the heels and soles when the
gutta percha is in a plastic state, and by forming countersunk holes in the
tips, guards, or shields, or forming on the inner face thereof suitable pro-
jections, the gutta percha will imbed itself in and around the tips or shields,
and hold them firmly in their place.
Having now described my Invention, and the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim under the above in part
recited Letters Patent,-
First, the treatment of caoutchouc, or of caoutchouc and gutta percha
combined, with the preparation of antimony, as above described.
Secondly, I claim combining ground silk, cotton, or wool, with caoutchouc,
and finishing waterproof cloths or fabrics therewith, as above described.
Thirdly, I claim the manufacture of driving bands and straps, as above set
forth.
And, fourthly, the application of metal guards, tips, or shields to gutta
percha heels and soles of boots, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Burke, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.