IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF DRIVING STRAPS OR BANDS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Francis Smith, of No. 4, Dale Street, in the
City of Manchester, Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF DRIVING STRAPS OR BANDS."
Sealed the 29th November 1859, and dated the 16th June 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Francis Smith at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th June 1859:
I, HENRY FRANCIS SMITH, of No. 4, Dale Street, in the City of Manchester,
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN,
THE MANUFACTURE OF DRIVING STRAPS OR BANDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
driving straps or bands. For these purposes in making a band or strap a
tubular weaving is first produced of flax, hemp, cotton, or other suitable
threads or yarns, as is well understood by weavers in the manufacture of hose
and other woven pipes or tubes. Into the interior of each of these tubes or
pipes a strip or fillet of sheet gutta percha compound is introduced. Heat and
pressure are then applied, by which the gutta percha will be softened, and so
cause the interior of the woven tubular fabric to adhere and be effectually
cemented together. By these means straps and bands will be produced cou-

page_text: sisting of new combinations of gutta percha and woven fabrics, each such strap
or band having good woven edges in contradistinction to the edges of straps
cut from gutta percha coated or covered on both sides with woven fabrics,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Francis Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th December 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
FRANCIS SMITH, of No. 4, Dale Street, in the City of Manchester, Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Henry Francis Smith, Her special licence that I, the said
Henry Francis Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Henry Francis Smith, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF DRIVING STRAPS OR BANDS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Francis Smith, 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 per-
formed, 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 Henry Francis Smith, 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 thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
driving straps or bands. For these purposes in making a band or strap a
tubular weaving is first produced of flax, hemp, cotton, or other suitable

page_text: threads or yarns, as is well understood by weavers in the manufacture of hose
and other woven pipes or tubes. Into the interior of each of these tubes or
pipes a strip or fillet of sheet gutta percha is introduced, the thickness of this
strip or fillet can be varied according to the thickness or substance of the band
required, but should not be less than th of an inch thick. The strip or fillet
is readily drawn into the woven tube or pipe by inserting into the interior of
the tube, whilst weaving, a strong cord, and by fastening one end of the strip of
gutta percha to this cord the strip may readily be drawn into the tube. The
tube containing the gutta percha strip is then put into a hot room, and heated
until the gutta percha is soft, the tube is then passed through rollers, which
causes the interior of the woven tubular fabric to be effectually cemented
together. The pipe or tube should be passed again and again through rollers
with slight pressure on them until quite cold. By these means straps and
bands will be produced consisting of new combinations of gutta percha and
woven fabrics, each such strap or band having good woven edges in contra-
distinction to the edges of straps cut from gutta percha coated or covered on
both sides with woven fabrics.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Francis Smith, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
HENRY FRANCIS SMITH. (L.S.)