CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC ROLLS OR TUBING FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS AND VARIOUS OTHER PURPOSES, AS WELL AS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME.
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joci Moulton, of Boston, in the County of
Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, for
the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC ROLLS OR TUBING
FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS AND VARIOUS OTHER PURPOSES, AS WELL AS IN
MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME.
Sealed the 12th August 1870, and dated the 16th March 1870.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Joel Moulton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 16th March 1870, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOEL
MOULTON, of Boston, in the County of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts,
United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ELASTIC ROLLS OR TUBING FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS AND VARIOUS OTHER
PURPOSES, AS WELL AS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME," and have
petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators,

page_text: and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made
solemn declaration that I am the first and true Inventor of said
Invention.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joel Moulton, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement:-
The following description of the nature and operation of my Invention
or Inventions will be divided into several portions or classed under
several heads.
In the Drawings of the first classified portion of my Invention Figure 1
is a perspective view of a partially finished roll showing the different
stages of its manufacture; Figure 2 is a transverse section of a finished
roll as made in accordance with my Invention; Figure 3* is a transverse
.section of a roll made as by my Invention and applied to its shaft in a
peculiar manner, or as herein-after referred to and explained.
The purpose of the first classified portion of my Invention is the
production of an elastic roll or tubing for adaptation to clothes wringers
and various other purposes, which shall combine advantages not found
in others now in use, its chief characteristics as compared with others
being a body of firmer texture and much more enduring qualities and
capability of being manufactured at much less cost.
The first portion of the Invention consists in the employment of a
woven webbing, or one or more strings or strands of any suitable
material, or other equivalent of either, covered or saturated with india-
rubber or other analogous gum, wound or extended about a shaft or
an axis and subsequently vulcanized, by which the webbing or cords or
strands become thoroughly permeated with the gum, which they
strengthen, and the whole made into a firm compact mass, substantially
as herein-after explained.
In carrying out the first portion of my Invention as above enumerated
I take a strip a of stout woven webbing about three-quarters of an inch
in width, with its woof running transversely of its length, and I apply
to one or both sides of this webbing a thin strip or sheet 6 of india-rubber
of the same or about the same width as the webbing, and subsequently 3
fold the two in the centre, as represented. I then wind this folded
combined strip edgewise and spirally about an axis or rod of about the
size of the shaft upon which the roll is to be finally fixed, the layers

page_text: thus formed lying closely upon each other; I continue thus winding
until I form a roll of a length sufficient or more than sufficient for the
finished roll. As the roll thus formed is rough or irregular upon its
outer circumference or surface I apply to such surface a cylinder c of
india-rubber of a firmer quality in a comparatively highly finished state
and subject the whole to the ordinary vulcanizing process, which causes
the rubber to permeate and saturate the webbing and convert the whole
into a compact and comparatively homogeneous mass, and one highly
favorable for the purposes intended, as it combines much greater strength
and tenacity than rolls heretofore made for the same purposes, while it
possesses at the same time the requisite elasticity. As the fibres of the
webbing run in a radial direction or thereabouts from the centre or inner
circumference of the roll to or toward its outer surface I obtain greater
tenacity and resistance to a radial as well as a circumferential strain
without destroying or impairing its clastic properties, such properties
being of the greatest importance in the use of such rolls as applied to
clothes wringers, printers' rolls, etc. The employment of the webbing
with its filling in a radial direction from its centre outward retains the
roll in a firm unyielding position upon its shaft, thus obviating a great
and almost insurmountable objection to the ordinary construction of
these rolls, in which the soft yielding nature of the rubber constantly
causes them to slip and move about upon their shafts. The webbing
also vastly strengthens the rubber body and prevents it being crushed,
broken, or abraded under the strain to which it is subjected, and to
which other rolls now in use are liable. It will be apparent that the
roll thus formed need not necessarily have a hole through its centre, as
it may be solid through its entire diameter.
In place of the webbing covered with rubber as before explained various
other modes may be adopted without affecting the character of my
Invention, as, for instance, single cords or strands, as before observed
may be used, which are to be encased in or saturated by the rubber in
any proper manner, and extended about the shaft or in any expedient
manner.
Figure 3 of the accompanying Drawings shows a plan I have con-
templated of preventing possibility of slipping of the roll upon its shaft,
and which consists in constructing such shaft between its journals in
three parts d, d, d, or rods, and introducing the fibres between and about
these rods, and subsequently applying about the whole a mass of rubber

page_text: and vulcanizing it, thus rendering any slipping of such mass or roll
about them impossible. In practice, however, this will not be found
necessary or expedient.
In carrying out the second portion of my Invention as shown in
perspective view of a partially finished roll in Figure 5, and in transverse
section of a finished roll in Figure 6 of the accompanying Drawings, I
take a strip a of woven webbing about three-fourths of an inch in width
or thereabouts, and apply to its opposite sides two stripe b, b, of thin
vulcanized india-rubber, leaving a narrow space in the middle of the
webbing upon each side thereof and between such rubber strips. I then
fold the strips of webbing in the centre, and enclose in the fold a
metallic wire d and wind the strip spirally about the shaft e from end
to end thereof between its journals, the whole being then subjected to
the ordinary vulcanizing process, which makes a firm, compact, and to
some extent homogeneous mass of rubber and webbing. In winding
the strip containing the metallic wire about the shaft e previous to
vulcanizing the former, it is to be applied thereto with considerable
power, and the ends of such wire securely fixed to the shaft. The
employment of the metallic wire confines the elastic body of the roll
to its shaft in a much closer manner, and causes it to cling more tightly
thereto than would be the case were the wire to be omitted, and renders
slipping of the roll about the shaft nearly or quite impossible. The
object in applying the elastic strip of rubber to the webbing as before
described is to bring the webbing alone in contact with the shaft.
I do not of course intend to confine myself to the before-described
mode of preparing the strips before applying the wire thereto, as this
may be varied considerably without changing the character of this
portion of my Invention, which embraces the idea of closely confining
the elastic roll to its shaft by means of a metallic wire.
In carrying out a variation of the second portion of my present Inven-
tion or improvement I apply transversely to a sheet or between two
sheets of vulcanized rubber a layer or range of strands of fibrous material,
and subsequently cut this sheet into ribbons of the desired width at right
angles to the length of the strands, and proceed to form the strips
substantially as before described. The object of this mode of applying
the strands as compared with the employment of the woven webbing as
before stated being as before observed to reduce the cost of manufacture,
which practice has determined results from such application of the

page_text: strands, at the same time enabling me to retain the advantage resulting
from the radiating of the strands from the circumference of the shaft
outward. The strands may be coated or enveloped separately if desired,
and may be applied in a variety of ways besides that herein mentioned.
As a packing for the pistons of steam engines as well as for various
other purposes the combination of the rubber and fibrous strands as
before explained will be found to be of value. I would remark that a
string may be used instead of a metallic wire. I would also remark
that the principle of this portion of my Invention may be applied to the
manufacture of various objects in hard rubber with equal advantages as
shown in its application to elastic rubber.
The first portion of the machinery for manufacturing the above rolls
consists, first, in a frame suitably constructed for holding and rotating
a metallic shaft about which the elastic material is wound, and in com-
bining therewith a series of bunters or hammers for driving the layers
or coils of rubber in close contact with each other as they are wound
about the shaft, the machine further being provided with means for
folding the strips of rubber previous to being wound about the shaft,
and for introducing into the fold thus formed a metallic wire or string,
in manner and for the purpose substantially as herein-after explained.
In the Drawings explanatory of this portion of my Invention Figure
1 is a plan, Figure 2* a side elevation, and Figure 3* a longitudinal
section of my machine.
In such Drawings the frame of the machine is exhibited as composed
of two end uprights or standards a, a¹, united by a long horizontal rod or
bar b and by a bracket or auxiliary frame c, such frame being disposed
between the uprights a, a¹, and connected to one of them by a second
horizontal rod d and to the opposite standard in any suitable manner.
To the inner face and at the upper part of the standard a is fixed a
cylindrical box or case e, and within such box and at its inner end is
disposed a circular head or carrier f which revolves freely therein.
This revolving carrier f contains a series of segmental plungers or
"bunters" g, g, &c. arranged concentrically about the axis of the
carrier and so as to leave a circular opening h circumscribed by them,
the shanks of such bunters extending outward to the rear part of the
case e and with their extremities abutting against the face or terminus
of a cam groove made in the inner end of the said case, a series of
studs j,j, &c. being fixed to each shank, which by impinging against

page_text: the inner side of the said cam groove serve to retract the bunters as they
are revolved by the carrier f, while the outer extremity of the cam groove
serves to advance the bunters. The bunter carrier f is revolved within
the case e by means of a spur gear & affixed to its outer periphery and in
advance of such case this spur gear engaging with a twin spur gear
affixed to a horizontal driving shaft m supported within and by the
standards a, a¹, this shaft being provided with a suitable pulley for putting
it in rotation. The metallic shaft upon which the elastic roll or tube is
to be formed is shown at n as having one of its ends extending loosely
in the space h within the bunters, and its opposite end securely held
within a chuck or collet o, such chuck being supported and so as to
revolve within a sliding carriage p, this carriage in turn being supported
upon the horizontal rods 6 and d in such manner as to slide freely
thereon. The chuck o is provided with a spur gear 9 for giving it a
rotary motion, such gear engaging with a twin gear sliding upon the
driving shaft m before alluded to, and retained thereon by a spline s in
a manner well known to mechanics, the gear r while serving to rotate
the gear q, also following the sliding movements of the carriage p.
The machinery for feeding the elastic material to the shaft is con-
structed as follows:-The auxiliary frame c before mentioned is placed at
an obtuse angle to the main frame, and is composed of two "chucks" t, t,
united at top by a platform of about half the length of such chucks,
this platform having disposed upon it two or more upright twin
rollers v, v, &c. placed opposite each other and a short distance apart,
as shown in the Drawings. A borizontal roller w or w¹ is disposed
within the frame c and upon opposite sides of the platform u, around
which and two other rollers X, X, disposed at the lower part of the
frame c two endless bands or feeding aprons &, 63, travel, these bands
being separated in advance of the roller w by an intermediate grooved
roller y, and so disposed with respect to the rollers as when passing
between them to be forced edgewise into an upright position between
such rollers. A trough for holding naptha or other equivalent liquid in
case its use should be deemed necessary is placed under the roller X,
the object of the naptha being to prevent the elastic materials from
adhering to the belts b³, b³, or for other objects. The roller w, which is
the driving roller of the feeding aprons or bands, is revolved by means
of a spur gear fixed to its inner extremity, such gear engaging with a
second and smaller gear a¹ revolving upon a stud b' fixed to the face

page_text: of the chuck t and below the gear z.
This last mentioned gear engages
with a pinion c³ fixed to the inner extremity of a shaft & duly supported
by and revolving in the lower part of the frame c, the opposite and
outer end of this shaft being provided with a bevelled gear e¹ which
engages with another bevelled gear of somewhat smaller size fixed to
the driving shaft of the machine, as represented in Figure 3* of the
accompanying Drawings. Furthermore a friction clamp f¹ is applied
to the frame somewhat in advance of the roller w, while between such
clamp and roller a guide a is applied for the purpose of maintaining
the clastic material in the centre of the roller w. The carriage p is
advanced toward the box c and the bunters by means of cords g³, g',
&c. secured to its inner face and extended about pulleys ³, 1³, suitably
applied to the standard a¹ of the machine, a weight being applied to the
extremity of each cord. Any suitable device however may be employed
for advancing the carriage c.
The operation of the above-described machine is as follows:-The
shaft upon which the elastic roll or tube is to be wound or formed is
inserted nearly its entire length within the space h before mentioned, a
hole having been previously made through it at or near each end, a
collar being formed upon the outer end of such shaft and in advance
of the hole ¹, as represented. A strip of elastic material of suitable
width is led from a suitable source, and folded and introduced between
the two endless bands b³, b³, a metallic wire k³ being passed into the
bottom of the fold of the elastic strip, as shown in the Drawings, this
wire being led through the clamp f¹ before mentioned, which applies.
suitable tension to it. The elastic strip thus folded and carrying the
wire is conducted to the shaft n before mentioned and the extremity
of the wire fixed in the hole in the shaft, and with the clastic strip
abutting edgewise against the collar j of the shaft. The carriage p
is next advanced until the free extremity of the shaft n is inserted within
the chuck and tightly fixed therein, and the motive power of the machine
put in motion. As the shaft n revolves this elastic strip is wound edgewise
about it, while at the same time the bunters g, g, &c. by the action of the
cam groove before described are forced alternately inward, and by their
percussive force serve to compress and condense the folds of the elastic
strip tightly together. As the elastic material accumulates upon the
shaft such shaft is forced outward and with its carriage p until the
desired amount of material has been deposited upon it, when the clastic

page_text: strip and its wire are cut off, and the extremity of the wire inserted and
fixed within the opposite hole i of the shaft. The roll thus formed is
then to be removed from the machine and subjected to the ordinary
vulcanizing process, and is then ready for use.
I would remark that the object in applying the frame c to the main
frame at an obtuse angle with respect to the axis of the roller shaft is
to insure the winding of the elastic material tightly about such shaft
before being driven in contact with the next preceding layer upon such
shaft.
I would also remark that instead of two or more rollers placed opposite
each other, as shown at V, V, in the Drawings, one or more rollers upon
one side only may be employed in connection with a fixed ledge or
abutment upon the opposite side.
The portion of the machinery herein described for loosening or detach-
ing elastic rolls or tubes from the vulcanizing moulds consists in the
employment of two rotating cylindrical rods, which I term "clearers,"
supported horizontally in a suitable frame in longitudinal alignment with
each other, and in such manner as to be capable of being advanced or
rotracted with respect to each other and the vulcanizing mould or shell
and its contents, as herein-after explained, the revolution of the clearing
rods being effected by a dually arranged set of gears and pinions sup-
ported upon suitable shafts, and operating in manner as herein-after
explained.
In Figures 7, 8, 9; and 10 in the Drawings above referred to as
accompanying this Specification and illustrating my Invention the
frame of the machine is shown at A as composed substantially of a bed
plate or base B and four uprights or standards C, C, D, D³, arranged at
each end of such bed plate as represented, it being understood at the
start that the two halves of the machine taken from a central line are
exact counterparts of each other. A sliding carriage or headstock a
or a¹ is supported in guides formed upon the upper part of each end
standard C or C¹ of the frame A in such manner as to be susceptible of
free longitudinal movements therein or thereupon. Each of the said
headstocks carries a shaft or mandril 6 or 6' properly applied thereto in
manner of ordinary lathes, such shafts extending through and being
supported by the standards D, D', of the frame A, and terminating a
short distance beyond the inner faces of such standards. Each of the
shafts or mandrils 6 or 6' carries at its inner end a cylindrical rod or

page_text: clearer c or c³, such rods being applied to the mandrils and preferably in
such manner as to vary the respective distance between the extremities
of each in order to accommodate the machine to objects of varying
lengths.
The mandrils 6 or 6' and with them the clearers c or c¹ are put in
revolution by means of pinions dor d' applied to such mandrils
between the standards C and D and C¹ and D¹, and preferably in close
proximity to the inner ones D, D¹, a hub or shank e¹ or e making part
of each pinion extending through the said standards. D, D', and serving
to prevent any longitudinal movement of the pinions.
The connection between the pinions and their shaft is the ordinary
spline and groove connection well understood by all mechanics, which
permits of sliding movements of the mandrils through such pinions, but
which insures their revolution therewith.
For perfect security and means of support the inner ends of the
clearing rods c or c¹ extend through a post ƒ or f' applied to the
base B of the machine frame and between the standards D, D¹, thereof,
as represented, such parts being applied to the base in such manner as
to be capable of longitudinal adjustment thereupon, in order that their
position may be varied with respect to the length of the vulcanizing
mould. The pinions d and d¹ mesh into and are driven by spur gears
9, 9', supported upon each end of a long shaft h, which is supported in
bearings or boxes making part of lateral extensions or brackets i, i¹, of
the standards D, D', before mentioned, and in rear of the clearers c, c¹,
the shaft h being in turn put in revolution by means of a driving
pulley j, and constituting the driving shaft of the machine.
The longitudinal sliding movements of the head stock a or a¹ and the
mandrils and clearing rods are effected as follows:-A toothed rack k
or is applied to the under side of each headstock and extending
preferably its entire length, such rack engaging with a pinion or fixed
to a horizontal shaft m or m¹ revolving in bearings n or n¹ applied to the
upper part of extensions o or o¹ of the standard C, C', such shafts being
disposed below the headstocks and mandrils and at right angles thereto,
as shown in Figure 7 of the accompanying Drawings. The shafts m, m³,
extend a short distance rearward and are each provided at such rear ends
with a bevelled gear p or p', such gears engaging with twin gears q or q¹
applied to opposite ends of a long shaft r that is disposed below the shaft
h before mentioned, and like it extending from end to end of the machine

page_text: frame, the said shaft being supported in boxes or bearings 8 or 8¹
suitably affixed to the bed plate B or making part of the extensions o, o',
before alluded to. The object of connecting the shafts m or m² and gears
P. P', 7, 7', in manner as described is to insure a similarity of movement
of the headstocks and their mandrils. One of the shafts m or m¹ should
be provided at its front extremity with a crank or other device for
imparting rotary motion to it in either direction as occasion or the
functions of the machine require.
The operation of the above-described machine is as follows:-The
vulcanizing mould or cylinder containing the perfected tube or other
object (and which is shown at t in the Drawings) is to be deposited
upon a cradle or crutches, being of such a height as to insure the certainty
of the clearing rods c, c', impinging against the inner circumference of
the vulcanizing mould and between such circumference and the clastic
material or object enclosed by it. The mould and its roll having been
deposited as described the ends of the clearers c, c', are next to be inserted
between the roll or other clastic body and the inner periphery or surface
of the mould and the machine put in operation, it being understood
that the mould is to be guided and partially supported in one of the
hands of the attendant of the machine. The revolutions of the clearers
c, c', have the effect of revolving the mould and its contents about such
clearers, and to cause such clearers to force their way entirely about the
interior circumference of the mould and between it and the elastic body
contained therein. At the same time the crank affixed to the shaft m'
should be slowly rotated in the right direction, which will have the effect
of driving the clearers c, c¹, toward one another (until they nearly or
quite meet) and partially or wholly through the entire length of the mould.
It will of course be apparent to intelligent readers that the effect of
the action of the machine as just described will be to cause a partial or
entire separation of the mould and its contents.
This having been accomplished the revolution of the crank is to be
reversed and the clearers retracted from contact with the mould and
the latter with its contents removed from the machine, when such
contents may be easily and expeditiously drawn therefrom.
I would remark that the clearing rods c, c¹, may be of one and the
same piece of metal with the mandrils b, b', but in practice an adjust-
able union of the two is found desirable.

page_text: The foregoing description of the nature and construction as well as
operation of my Invention will enable mechanics of good acquire-
ments to manufacture and use it. Its peculiar value, however, will be
manifested more particularly to persons skilled in the manufacturing of
vulcanized goods, and more particularly, as before premised, to persons
like myself manufacturing elastic rolls in large numbers, and who will
appreciate the great saving in time (not to mention that of manual
labor) resulting from its adoption.
The Figures of the accompanying Drawings illustrative of this last
described portion of the machinery, which makes part of my Invention,
consist in plan in Figure 7, in front clevation in Figure 8, in vertical
and longitudinal section in Figure 9, and in vertical and transverse
section in Figure 10.
The last portion of the machinery of my Invention which remains
to be explained relates to means for enveloping an elastic roll in its
outer case or jacket, which is applied to it for the purpose of imparting
to it a smooth and perfect face. A particular form of clastic roll, to
which this portion of my Invention has special and local pertinency,
being that intended for use in clothes wringers, and which has heretofore
been covered by hand at considerable expenditure of time and labor.
The Drawings which illustrate this portion of my Invention consist
of an elevation in Figure 11, and of a vertical section in Figure 12 of
Sheet 2.
In carrying out the ideas of this portion of my Invention I employ
first an upright hollow cylinder or receiver, shown at a in the Drawings,
for reception of the roll and its covering, and over this cylinder I
dispose within a suitable frame b a reciprocating perpendicular plunger c
actuated by a rack d and pinion e, the former being affixed to the inner
side of the plunger, and the latter mounted upon a shaft ƒ suitably
supported in boxes or bearings provided for it at the upper part of the
frame b. Rotation of the pinion e in either direction will of course
produce corresponding vertical movements of the plunger c toward or
away from the cylinder a. In pursuance of my mode of covering the
roll I insert within the cylinder a the thin clastic jacket or tubo g
destined to give the finished surface to the roll, a small portion of such
tube being left protruding from the top of the cylinder, by laying hold
of which the bulk of the tube is prevented from being doubled or
wrinkled within said cylinder, and the act of inserting the lower end

page_text: of the roll therein rendered more certain and expeditious. The tube
having been inserted within the receiver as explained the roll shown at
h in the Drawings is to be placed perpendicularly over the mouth of
the cylinder and its lower end inserted within the latter. The outer
circumference or surface of the roll is at this time (if not previously
done) to be smeared with a suitable cement and the pinion shaft
rotated in the right direction, which effects a descent of the plunger, its
lower end being preferably recessed to receive the upper end of the roll
shaft in order to ensure a perpendicular position of the latter. The
descent of the plunger effects a corresponding descent of the roll within
the tube g, the cement acting as a lubricator to facilitate the entrance
of the roll. The plunger having been lowered to such an extent as to
drive the roll into its tube to the distance required, the pinion shaft
is rotated in a reverse direction and the plunger removed from contact
with the roll shaft and elevated to its starting point, the roll enveloped
in its thin tube or dress, which clings tightly to it, being next removed
from the receiver a and properly vulcanized.
By the mode above described I am enabled to accomplish the
covering of an elastic roll in much less time and with much less labor
than the same object can be effected by means now generally adopted,
the saving in a large establishment being a matter of no small
importance.
I claim the herein described mode of manufacturing elastic rolls or
tubing and machinery for producing the same, or any modification,
alterations, or improvements in either.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joel Moulton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.