and similar Elastic Compounds.
Year: 1884

page_text: India Rubber and similar Elastic Compounds.
I JAMES BURBRIDGE of the Firm of Messieurs W. Warne & Co of the India
Rubber Works, Tottenham in the County of Middlesex, India Rubber Manufacturer
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE
OF EMBOSSING LENGTHS OF SHEET INDIA RUBBER AND SIMILAR ELASTIC COM-
POUNDS," to be as follows:-
The embossing of leather, paper and similar materials by the aid of rollers is well
known, but the embossing of vulcanized india rubber compounds, has from the
nature of the material been found for ordinary purposes practically impossible.
Leather, paper and similar material when passed between embossing rollers,
receive an impression which is permanent but the passing, say, of a sheet of
vulcanized india rubber through these embossing rollers, makes but a slight
impression.
A certain impression will be made on the sheet of vulcanized rubber compound,
but this impression will be practically lost during the vulcanizing operation.
Now the object of the present invention is to produce sheets of embossed vul-
canized india rubber, in a simple and economical manner, whereby the rubber may
be used for various purposes to which it has hitherto been inapplicable and the
goods made from such rubber will have a better appearance than when made of
plain rubber.
In carrying out this invention the unvulcanized rubber compound is made into
sheets in the usual manner.
A length of paper cloth or other suitable cheap material, which has been embossed
in the ordinary way is laid upon the length of rubber compound, the embossed side
downwards, and the two are tightly rolled together upon a metal or other suitable
roller or drum by which means the compound receives the impress of the embossed
pattern on the paper or other material.
In order to preserve what may be termed the paper or other mould for subse-
quent use, it is preferred either to roll up, with the rubber compound and paper
mould, a waterproof sheet, or bind a waterproof sheet tightly round the drum on
which the compound and mould is rolled.

page_text: The compound thus prepared is subjected to heat (boiling preferred) in a suit-
able vessel at a temperature of, say, 212 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit, from half an
hour to one hour.
This boiling operation will affect the rubber compound in such a way that it will
retain the impression which has been given to it by the embossed paper or other
material an impression which will not leave it during the subsequent vulcanizing
operation provided that after the boiling operation the drum is removed from the
boiler and the compound is allowed to get cool and when cool, it will be ready to
be made into various articles of commerce in the usual way. These articles when
made are submitted to the ordinary vulcanizing process in the usual way.
The paper or other material which forms the mould will be protected from the
action of the water during the boiling operation by the waterproof sheet and it will
therefore serve more than once as the embossing mould.
The patterns embossed may vary as desired but in general those patterns which
can be obtained in paper or cloth will be preferred.
The embossed sheets may be used in the place of kamptulicon or floor cloth, and
borders may be embossed thereon in addition to the main pattern. They may also
be used for wall decoration and when made of bard rubber compound, such as
vulcanite they may be used as panelling.
I may also prepare rubber printing rollers in the same manner but instead of
using paper moulds I prefer to use the embossed rubber as the mould, placing a
little pounce between two sheets of rubber to prevent their sticking together.
Dated this 21st day of November 1884

page_text: India Rubber and similar Elastic Compounds.
I JAMES BURBRIDGE of the Firm of Messieurs. W. Warne & Co of the India
Rubber Works, Tottenham in the County of Middlesex, India Rubber Manufacturer
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE
OF EMBOSSING LENGTHS OF SHEET INDIA RUBBER AND SIMILAR ELASTIC COM-
POUNDS," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The embossing of leather, paper and similar materials by the aid of embossed
rollers or plates is well known, but the embossing of sheets of india rubber and
similar elastic compounds has, from the nature of the material, been found for
ordinary purposes impossible on the ground of expense.
Leather, paper and similar material, when passed between embossing rollers,
receive an impression which is permanent, but the effect of the embossing rollers
on a sheet of vulcanized india rubber passed between said rollers is practically nil.
A partial embossing effect can be made upon a sheet of india rubber or similar
elastic compound when in an unvulcanized state, but the impression will be prac-
tically lost during the vulcanizing operation.
Now the object of the present invention is to produce on sheets of india rubber
or similar elastic compounds in a simple and economical manner, an embossing
effect, which will not only greatly improve the appearance of goods made from such
rubber or compound, but will also render the rubber or compound available for
many purposes to which it has hitherto been inapplicable.
In carrying out my invention I prepare the rubber compound, and form it into
sheets or lengths in the usual way.
The length of rubber compound to be embossed is placed flat upon a table, and
upon it is laid, embossed side downwards, a similar length of embossed paper,
leather, bookbinders cloth, or other suitable material..
The two lengths of rubber compound, and (say) paper, are together then rolled
up tightly on a inetal or other suitable roller or drum, and conveniently secured.
The roller thus clothed is conveyed to a suitable vessel, where the elastic com-
pound is subjected to heat, preferably by boiling, at a temperature of from 212 to
220 degrees Fahrenheit for from half an hour to one hour.
After the boiling the roller is removed from the vessel and the compound is
allowed to cool, and when quite cool it will be taken off the roller. It will then
be found that the compound has taken the impress of the embossed paper which it
will retain during the subsequent vulcanizing process and which will be per-
manently set by such process.
The sheet of rubber is now ready to be cut up to be made into various articles
of commerce which will be submitted to the vulcanizing process in the ordinary
manner.
The boiling operation above referred to will act on the rubber compound in such
a manner that it will retain the impression obtained from the embossed paper

page_text: without its applicability to the manufacture of various articles being in any way
affected and the impression so given will not disappear during the subsequent
vulcanizing operation.
In order to preserve, what I may term, the paper mould for continuous use
I prefer either to roll up with the rubber compound and the paper mould, a water-
proof sheet, or I may bind a waterproof sheet case tightly round the compound and
mould on the roller.
In this way, the water in which the compound is boiled is prevented from getting
at the paper and making it sodden, so that the same paper mould may thus be used
several times.
The pattern embossed may vary as desired but in general such common patterns
of a sufficiently pronounced character as can be ordinarily obtained in paper or
bookbinder's cloth, will be preferred.
The embossed vulcanized lengths of rubber or other elastic compound may be
used in place of kamptulicon or floor cloth, and borders may be embossed thereon
in addition to the main pattern.
The embossed sheets may also be used for wall decoration in the place of paper
and similar materials, and the embossed sheets if made of what is known as hard
rubber compound, may be used for panels.
I may also use my embossed rubber for printing rollers, but when preparing such
rollers, I prefer to use, in place of the embossed paper mould, a mould formed of
the embossed rubber placing a little "pounce "between the two rubber surfaces to
prevent their adhering to one another, thus a metal or wood roller is covered with
the desired thickness of unvulcanized rubber compound, and a sheet of the
"embossed rubber of the required length and width is lapped round it, embossed
side inwards.
A cloth is then wrapped round to secure the two thicknesses of rubber in position
or the roller is put into a mould and the rubber compound is subjected to-vul-
canization in the usual way.
After vulcanizing, the impression of the embossed sheet is left on the roller for
printing from, or for any other purpose. The embossed sheet mould can be used
again and again until it is destroyed by the repeated subjection to the vulcanizing
process.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The mode substantially as herein described for producing an embossed pattern
on sheet india rubber and similar elastic compounds.
2. In the production of an embossed pattern on sheet india rubber and similar
elastic compounds, the use of embossed leather paper, bookbinders cloth, and
similar materials as set forth. .
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