AN IMPROVED WATERPROOF FABRIC
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean Hector Destibeaux, Manufacturer, of Paris, in
the French Empire, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED WATERPROOF
FABRIC."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean Hector Destibeaux
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on. the
28th January 1856.
JEAN HECTOR DESTIBEAUX, Manufacturer, of Paris, in the French
Empire, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
WATERPROOF FABRIC" to be as follows:-
My improved waterproof fabric is prepared as follows:-I first apply on the
upper and under surfaces of a cotton or linen fabric, such, for instance, as that
called moleskin, (and known at Mulhouse by the name of "moleskine,”) a
coating composed of boiled linseed oil, rendered siccative by litharge, mixed
with calcined umber and lamp black, and liquefied where found necessary by
the addition of a small quantity of essence of turpentine.
I do not restrict myself to any particular proportions, but I find the
following answer the purpose:-100 parts oil, 3 umber, 6 lamp black.
The composition is laid on by means of a spatula or spreader to the fabric
in a distended state; or I employ for the purpose of my Invention an apparatus
in which the fabric is stretched over a drum, and drawn over stretching or

page_text: tentering rollers under a vessel or hopper mounted on the framework of the
apparatus, and which contains the coating or composition for discharging on to
the fabric, over the surface of which it is spread evenly by a spatula or spreader,
or other suitable contrivance. The fabric then passes through a drying stove
or over warm plates or hollow cylinders (such as are used by calenderers),
heated by steam or otherwise, and when dried sufficiently, it passes under an
oscillating or vibrating segmental block, cylinder, plate, or other similar con-
trivance, which smooths the fabric. The surface of the cylinder or segmental
block may be engraved, so as to produce a grain of any pattern required. The
fabric then passes on to the first drum, or it may be stretched over the
tentering rollers, and the operation is repeated as often as may be necessary
for the particular quality of the desired product. A glair is laid upon the
preparatory coating just described by a brush. This glair is composed of
similar ingredients to those forming the first coating, with the addition of a
considerable quantity of essence of turpentine. The fabric is then dried in the
air or in a stove, and polished by pumice stone, which may also be employed
in the first operation.
The waterproof fabric produced as aforesaid may be afterwards varnished, by
applying thereon a coating of boiled linseed oil, litharge, calcined umber,
powdered prussian blue, and dissolved caoutchouc. I do not restrict myself to
any particular proportions, but I have found the following answer my purpose:
-100 parts oil, to 3 litharge, 3 umber, 3 prussian blue, and 2 caoutchouc.
The varnish must be allowed to dry in a stove for from 48 to 60 hours, the
heat being gradually raised from about 85° to 122° Fahrenheit, after which
the varnished waterproof fabric is to be exposed to the sun.
Various colors may be produced by substituting suitable colors for lamp
black after laying on the last coating but one. In this case, instead of the
varnish with prussian blue, before described, I use a white varnish, consisting
of 100 parts linseed oil mixed with 3 parts sulphate of zinc, and 3 dissolved
copal resin; but these proportions may be varied as thought desirable.
I do not restrict myself to the use of the ingredients mentioned; other
substances possessing the property of rendering the oil siccative may be used
for that purpose; but I intend to claim the new waterproof fabric, herein-before
described, together with the means of producing the same.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jean Hector Destibeaux in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 80th June 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JEAN.
HECTOR DESTIBEAUX, Manufacturer, of Paris, in the French Empire, send.
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the year of our.
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Jean Hector Destibeaux, Her special licence that I, the said Jean Hector.
Destibeaux, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others' as I, the
said Jean Hector Destibeaux, 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 "AN IMPROVED
WATERPROOF FABRIC," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Jean Hector Destibeaux, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particu-
larly 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 Jean Hector Destibeaux, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say :-
My Invention consists, in manufacturing or producing a new or improved
waterproof fabric (applicable for various useful purposes), by applying on to a
cotton or linen fabric, such as a certain fabric called moleskin, (and known
at Mulhouse by the name moleskine,) preparations or coatings similar to
those used in the manufacture of varnished and glazed leathers and skins.
5 My improved waterproof fabric is prepared as follows:-I first apply on the:
upper and under surfaces of a cotton or linen fabric, such, for instance, as that.
called moleskin, (and known at Mulhouse by the name of moleskine,) a
coating composed of boiled linseed oil, rendered siccative by litharge, mixed

page_text: with calcined umber and lamp black, and liquified where found necessary. by
the addition of a small quantity of essence of turpentine., I do not restrict
myself to any particular proportions, but I find the following answer the
purpose:-100 parts oil, 3 umber, 6 lamp black. The composition is laid on
the fabric in a distended state by means of a spatula or spreader; or Eeníploy
for the purpose of my Invention an apparatus of the description: represented:in
the Drawing annexed, in which A, A, is the framework of the apparatus;
a, drum round which the fabric passes, its passage being indicated by the red
lines a, a, b, stretching or tentering roller; c, vesselor hopper, mounted on
the framework A, containing the coating or composition for discharging on to
the fabric; d, spatula or spreader, hinged or otherwise.fixed to the hopper c;"
e, drying stove, heated by hot air or steam: through the pipe for it may
be heated by a fire-place beneath, if. preferred;rg is a cylinder for smoothing
the fabric, to which a vibrating or to and fro motion is imparted by a crank.or
otherwise; or instead' of a cylinder, a segmental block or a plate may be
employed, being mounted on the framework, and having a vibrating or to and
fro-motion imparted to it. 7-is another stretching or tentering drum mounted
on the framework A. Rotary motion is imparted to the rollers and drums in
aný suitable manner. The fabric is first stretched over the drum a, and then
drawn 'over the stretching or tentering roller b (of which there may be one or
more); and under the vessel or hopper c, containing the coating or composition,
which is discharged therefrom on to the fabric, and spread evenly over its
surface by the spatula or spreader d, or by any other suitable contrivance.
The fabric then passes through the stovec, in which it is dried for.it may be
passed for this
purpose over warm plates or hollow cylinders' (such as are used
by calenderers), heated by steam or otherwise; and when dried sufficiently, it
'passes 'under the reciprocating or vibrating cylinder g, or under a segmental
block, or under a plate or other similar contrivance, which smoothes or
'polishes the fabric. The surface of the cylinder or segmental block may be
engraved, so as to produce a grain on the fabric of any pattern required: The
fabric then passes on to the drum l, or on to the first-mentioned drum a,.ór it
may be stretched, over other tentering rollers, and the operation repeated as
'often as may be necessary for the particular quality of the desired product.
A glair or glaze is next laid upon the preparatory coating just described: by a
brush. This glair or glaze is, composed of similar ingredients to those forming
the first coating, with the addition of a considerable quantity of essence of
turpentine. The fabric is then dried in the air or in a stove, and polished by
pumice stone, which may also be employed in the first operation. The water-
proof fabric produced as aforesaid may be afterwards varnished, by applying

page_text: thereon a coating of boiled linseed oil, litharge, calcined umber, powdered
prussian blue, and dissolved caoutchouc. I do not restrict myself to any
particular proportions, but I have found the following answer my purpose:-
100 parts oil, to 3 litharge, 3 umber, 3 prussian blue, and 2 caoutchouc.
The varnish must be allowed to dry in a stove for from 48 to 60 hours,
the heat being gradually raised from about 85 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit,
after which the varnished waterproof fabric is to be exposed to the sun.
Various colors may be produced by substituting suitable colors for lamp black
after laying on the last coating but one. In this case, instead of the varnish
with prussian blue, before described, I use a white varnish, consisting of 100
parts linseed oil mixed with 3 parts sulphate of zinc, and 3 dissolved copal
resin; but these proportions may be varied as thought desirable. I do not
restrict myself to the use of the drying ingredients mentioned; other substances
possessing the property of rendering the oil siccative may be used. for that
purpose.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, as constituting
my said Invention, the improved waterproof fabric, herein-before described,
together with the means of producing the same, and the application of such
waterproof fabric to the manufacture of boots and shoes, furniture, covers,
coverings for luggage wagons, horse trappings, wearing apparel, military equip-
ments, and generally as a substitute for leather and varnished cloths.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Hector Destibeaux, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
J. H. DESTIBEAUX. (L.S.)
Witness,
CH. ARMENGAUD, Ing" Civil,
No. 23, Boulevard de Strasbourg, à Paris.