IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH MOULDS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF An OHGH LIFE ÅRTICLES THE PRO- DUCTION OF INDIA-RUBBER VALVES AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaac Blue Harris, Superintendent at Castle
Mills, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH MOULDS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF
An OHGH LIFE ÅRTICLES"
TA
Sealed the 23rd July 1872, and dated the 27th May 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isaac Blue Harris at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 27th May 1872.
I, ISAAC BLUE HARRIS, Superintendent at Castle Mills, Fountain-
bridge, Edinburgh, Scotland, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH MOULDS FOR THE PRO-
DUCTION OF INDIA-RUBBER VALVES AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
During the process of vulcanizing india-rubber disc valves and such
like articles moulds are employed, their function being to secure the
desired form of finished article. Heretofore these moulds have simply
consisted of two concentric rings or bands, either or both circular or
square, as may be wanted, said rings being laid on a bed plate, and
covered by the other plate of the steam press, or between two plates

page_text: clamped together if heated otherwise than by a steam press. Sometimes
also a loose plate is laid on the bottom plate of the steam press on which
the rubber valves to be vulcanized are laid.
No provision, however, has been made for readily securing concen-
trically with each other these rings forming the moulds, and thereby
ensuring the centrality of the hole in the valve, although almost all flat
or disc valves require a central hole in them. These holes are frequently
formed by cutting away the rubber from the centres after vulcanization,
and thereby causing waste of material, the pieces cut out being
comparatively worthless.
Moulds, however, have been made consisting essentially of a bottom
and cover with a space cut away between equal in cubical form and
dimensions to the desired valve, but any one such mould is only capable
of producing (or moulding) one size of valve, while they are generally
very expensive and very troublesome to manipulate.
The present Invention has for one of its objects the accomplishment
of the same results as the last-named moulds are calculated to effect,
but with the use of the more simple and inexpensive plates employed
with the steam presses, or when otherwise held together by clamps, if a
different mode of applying heat be employed, and the said Invention has
for another object the means of more easily and accurately adjusting the
concentric rings employed with such plates to produce (or mould) any
valve of given dimensions. This end I attain by fitting a plate with a
central stud or studs, and placing around such stud or studs a set of
stops, adjustable radially to receive the ring forming the outer wall of
the mould. By means of radial arms fitted to the central stud I centre
and clamp a ring which forms the inner wall of the mould, and the
outer wall I centre on the plate and clamp in position by means of the
radially adjustable stops. There may be any desired number of these
moulds formed on one plate.
By means of such an arrangement I can make various sizes of valves
between the same central stud and outside stops by simply employing
metal bands or rings of the proper forms, diameters, and depths, to
produce the required inside and outside diameters and the required
thicknesses of the valves.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Isaac Blue Harris in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ISAAC
BLUE HARRIS, Superintendent at Castle Mills, Fountainbridge, Edin-
burgh, Scotland, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Isaac Blue Harris, Her special licence
that I, the said Isaac Blue Harris, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Isaac Blue Harris, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND CONNECTED WITH MOULDS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF INDIA-RUBBER VALVES AND
SUCH LIKE ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Isaac Blue Harris, 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 Isaac Blue Harris, 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, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) :-
During the process of vulcanizing india-rubber disc valves and such
like articles moulds are employed, their functions being to secure the
desired form of finished article. Heretofore these moulds have simply
consisted of two concentric rings or bands, either or both circular or
square as may be wanted, said rings being laid on a bed plate, and

page_text: covered by the other plate of the steam press, or between two plates
clamped together if heated otherwise than by a steam press. Sometimes
also a loose plate is laid on the bottom plate of the steam press on which
the rubber valves to be vulcanized are laid.
No provision, however, has been made for readily securing concen-
trically with each other these rings forming the moulds, and thereby
ensuring the centrality of the hole in the valve, although almost all flat
or disc valves require a central hole in them. These holes are frequently
formed by cutting away the rubber from the centres after vulcanization,
and thereby causing waste of material, the pieces cut out being
comparatively worthless.
Moulds, however, have been made, consisting essentially of a bottom
and cover, with a space cut away between, equal in cubical form and
dimensions to the desired valve, but any one such mould is only capable
of producing (or moulding) one size of valve, while they are generally
very expensive and very troublesome to manipulate.
The present Invention has for one of its objects the accomplishment
of the same results as the last-named moulds are calculated to effect,
but with the use of the more simple and inexpensive plates employed
with the steam presses, or when otherwise held together by clamps, if a
different mode of applying heat be employed, and the said Invention has
for another object the means of more easily and accurately adjusting the
concentric rings employed with such plates to produce (or mould) any
valve of given dimensions. This end I attain by fitting a plate with a
central stud, and placing around such stud a set of stops, adjustable
radially to receive the ring forming the outer wall of the mould. By
means of radial bars fitted to the central stud I centre and retain in
position a ring which forms the inner wall of the mould, and the outer
wall I centre on the plate and clamp in position by the adjustable stops.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents in plan view my
improved mould for moulding india-rubber disc valves, the top plate
being removed, and Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same.
A is the bottom or base plate, and B the top plate; O is the centre
stud or pin, which is notched to receive radial distancing bars c, which
serve to centre and retain in position the ring D, which forms the inner
wall of the mould; E, E, is a ring, corresponding to the external
diameter of the valve required to be made, and it is secured in a position

page_text: concentric with the inner ring D by means of the adjustable stops F, F,
which when the ring E is properly centred, are pushed into contact
therewith, and are then made fast to the plate A by means of the clamping
screws G, G. An annular space is thus formed for the reception of the
india-rubber composition of which the valve is to be formed, as shewn
at H. The depth of this space and also its other proportions may be
varied as required by substituting for the rings D and E other rings of
greater or less breadth and of larger or smaller diameters.
I would remark that the upper plate B may be dispensed with and
replaced by the upper plate of a steam press, if such be employed, to
communicate the vulcanizing heat to the moulded composition. But
when such a press is not employed the lower plate A and upper plate B
must be clamped or rigidly connected together before submitting the
valve to the vulcanizing process.
It will now be understood that I am enabled to make various sizes of
valves on the same base plate, and between the same central stud and
outside stops, by simply providing a variety of metal bands or rings of
the diameters, depths, and forms, corresponding to the diameter of the
central hole, the outside diameter or perimeter, and thickness of valves
required to be made.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements
in and Connected with Moulds for the Production of India-rubber Valves
and such like Articles," and explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent I claim, the use of detachable rings for forming respec-
tively the inner and outer peripheries or perimeters of moulds when
secured concentrically with the base plate, substantially in the manner
and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaac Blue Harris, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of November, in the year
sonanter tu
I. B. HARRIS. (L.S.)