CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING INDIA-RUBBER FABRICS
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of August, in the ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, and in the Islands
of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, an Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING INDIA-RUBBER FABRICS," being
a communication from a Foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately.
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance.with the said proviso, I, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, (that is to say)
-
This Invention, as communicated to me by my Foreign Correspondent,
relates,―
Firstly, to an arrangement of machinery for the preparation of india rubber
to render it suitable for being worked up into corrugated or "shirred" goods
or fabrics; and,
Secondly, in machinery for manufacturing corrugated or "shirred" india-
rubber goods.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figs. 1, 2, and 3 represent the machine
which constitutes the first head of this Invention, and is intended to be
employed for dividing sheets of india rubber into threads. Fig. 1 is a side
view of the machine; Fig. 2, a plan view; and Fig. 3, an end view of the
same. A, A, is the framing which supports the various parts of the machine.
B is a trough placed in the middle of the machine, and intended to contain
water. On the left-hand end of the framing a weighted roller C is mounted, and
upon it the sheet of india rubber to be cut into threads is wound. Immediately
above the trough B is a roller D, furnished with circular knives or cutters.
The axle of this roller turns in bearings on the framework, and at one end it
is furnished with a worm E for actuating certain machinery to be presently
explained. F, F, are standards affixed to the top of the framework A, A,
forming guides and supports for the adjustable rollers G and H, the axles of
which turn in their respective bearings or brasses 1 and 2, between the
guides of the standards F. G is a metal roller provided with grooves for
receiving the edge of the knives of the lower roller D. This roller G is
intended to revolve in the same direction as the knives, and at a velocity of
about one to one hundred revolutions of the latter. H is a smooth metal
roller pressing upon G, and over it the sheet of rubber passes from the
weighted roller C, as will be best seen at Fig. 4, which is a Diagram represent-
ing the course of the india rubber through the machine. By this means the
sheet of india rubber will be delivered to the rotary cutters or knives in an
even and uniform manner. The mode of regulating the position of the rollers
G and H will be seen by reference to Fig. 1, in which the bearing 1 carrying
the roller G is raised by the screw 3; and the bearing 2, which carries the
roller H, is suspended by the screw 4. There is also right and left-handed

page_text: screw 5, the ends of which take respectively into the bearings 1 and 2, and on
being turned round draws these bearings nearer together, or forces them
further apart, thus ensuring a nice adjustment of the rollers. Both ends of
the rollers are of course similarly provided for adjustment. At the right-hand
end of the framing, brackets I, I, are attached to carry the roller K and
spool L, the latter of which receives the india rubber after it is cut into strips
or threads. On the axle of the roller K is a bevil wheel M, which takes into
another bevil wheel N, mounted on a horizontal shaft O, supported by the
bracket I and standard F. See Fig. 1. The other end of this shaft O is
provided with a worm wheel P, which takes into a worm Q, on the vertical
shaft R, having its bearings in the standard F and the framing A. At the
lower end of this shaft is a worm wheel S, which takes into the worm E, on
the shaft of the cutting roller D. To the other end of the shaft of this roller
D a driving pulley T is keyed, which when actuated will drive the whole
machine, as will be now explained. Any given quantity of sheet intlia rubber
having been supplied to the roller C, and the trough B immediately below the
roller D having been filled with water, to keep the knives or cutters wet as
they rotate, the sheet of india rubber is drawn over the smooth roller H (see
Fig. 4), round the grooved roller G, and thence conducted to the roller K,
which is covered with india rubber, and is intended to keep the threads at a
slight tension until wound up by the spool L, which is provided at each end
with a flange or disc to prevent the threads from slipping off. The machine
being now in a condition to work, motion is communicated by any first mover
to the pulley T, which causes the cutting roller to rotate with great speed, and
by means of the worm E, gearing into the worm wheel S, give motion to the
vertical shaft R, and thus through the worm and pinion Q, P, and the bevil
wheels N and M, cause the roller K to draw forward the sheet of india rubber
between the circular knives of the roller D and the grooved roller G, and wind
it up as fast as it is cut into strips or threads. The slow rotary motion of the
roller G, requisite for the proper performance of the cutting operation, is
communicated thereto by means of an oblique toothed pinion U on the shaft
of that roller taking into the worm Q of the shaft R. On the further end of
the shaft of this roller G is a cogged wheel V, which takes into a wheel W on
the shaft of the roller H, and causes it to revolve at a proper speed for passing
the sheet of rubber forward at the same rate as the roller G. It will now be
seen, that as fast as the sheet of india rubber is drawn between the rotary
knives or cutters and the grooved roller, it will be cut up into strips or threads,
the knives being always wet, and not liable to clog. The roller G may be
made of any suitable metal, but the grooves must be turned quite true, and of

page_text: such a width as to allow the edge of the cutting knives just fitting with space
enough to prevent friction from the vibration of the knives.
The second head of the Invention, viz., the machinery for working up the
india-rubber threads into shirred or corrugated fabrics, will be seen on refer-
ence to Figs. 5 and 6. The object of this part of the Invention is to stretch
the threads of india rubber to any desired length, and to cover the said threads
with cloth on both sides. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, and Fig. 6 a front
elevation of a machine to be employed for this purpose. A, A, is the frame-
work. B and C are two rollers of-wood or iron, mounted in suitable bearings,
that of B being fixed, and C capable of adjustment by means of screws 1, 2,
in the side frames. These rollers are covered first with a solution of india
rubber, then with a thin sheet of the same, over which one or more thick-
nesses of cloth or felt or other suitable fibrous yielding substance is rolled, the
whole varying in thickness from one eighth to half an inch, and, being firmly
attached by cement, impart to the rollers an elastic crust or covering. These
rollers are called the compressing rollers. D is a drum placed at the upper
extremity of the frame, and having its bearings in the side frames. This drum
should be of the same diameter as the compressing rollers B and C after they
are covered with their elastic crust, and it must be covered with sheet rubber,
to prevent the threads from slipping when passing over it. The drum D, in
connection with a spool E, with which it is in immediate contact, serves to give
tension to the threads of rubber during their passage from the spool, by reason
of the threads passing round and laying flat on the surface of the drum.
Attached to one end of the shaft of the drum D is a bevil wheel F, of such
relative size as may be required, reference being had to the degree of tension
intended to be given to the threads. I is a shaft mounted diagonally on
brackets from the framing in a line with the centre of the roller B and the
wheel F. On the upper end of this shaft is a bevil wheel G, which takes into
the large bevil wheel F, and the lower wheel H gears into a small bevil
wheel K, keyed fast on the shaft of the roller B. By this arrangement the
drum D is made to revolve only one half or one third (as may be required) as
fast as the rollers B and C, whereby an uniform tension is given to the
threads of india rubber. The spool E is provided with flanges at each
end, similar to that marked L in the former machine, and as it rests on
the drum D the flanges will prevent any injurious lateral motion, and
also permit the spool to descend as the threads pass off and lessen its
diameter. Of these spools there should be several, in order that when the
india rubber is expended the machine may be quickly supplied with fresh
thread. Each of these spools is provided with an elastic apron, seen in Fig. 8

page_text: of sufficient length that it will at tension reach from the upper part of the
machine to the compressing rollers, its object being to deliver the threads
down to their very ends to the compressing rollers. On the end of the apron
is a plate W, to which a thread holder is attached by a long pin or wire, as
shewn, thus forming a kind of hinge joint or fastening. L, L, are small
rollers, resting in bearings on the framework, their use being to deliver off, as
required, the cemented cloth which is used in forming the corrugated fabric.
By referring to Fig. 7, the position of the compressing rollers and other parts
of the machine will be more clearly seen. M is a metal comb, the pins of
which are placed at equal distances apart. This comb is fixed to the frame-
work, and is intended to guide the threads after they leave the friction drum
D; a similar comb is also required in the beaming process, when the threads
are being wound on the spool. N is a comb or guide, made of thin plate iron,
with notches in one edge at uniform distances apart, to guide the threads
evenly and truly in their passage from the friction roller D to the compressing
rollers, and also to prevent the passage of twists in the threads. 0, 0, are
loose rollers over which the threads pass, and are used to prevent too great a
pressure on the combs, and in connection with them to prevent twists in
the threads from passing to the compressing rollers. P is a large drum
mounted in bearings in the framework, and actuated by a belt passing round
a small pulley Q on the shaft of the compressing roller B, and round a pulley
R on its own axle. This drum is of such a calculated diameter as may be
required (reference being had to the length of the threads), and is used to
wind up the formed goods at nearly full tension, its object being to keep
the threads and cloth at full tension until a second pressing between the
elastic rollers can be effected, whereby a more perfect finish is given to the
goods. This second pressing is given by simply reversing the motion of the
machinery after the piece of goods is all formed, and before it is removed from
between the elastic rollers. S is a spool resting upon the drum P, and
intended to receive the fabric as it is drawn off by that drum. To the spool S
an apron T, of any desirable textile fabric, is attached, and of such a length as
will reach up to the bite of the compressing rollers. On the end of this apron
is securely fastened a thin plate of metal U, as shewn at Figs. 8, to which
one of the thread holders V (seen also in the same Figures) is attached. These
thread holders are somewhat similar to the plates W and U, but have a series
of small holes, about one eighth of an inch apart, more or less, made through
them. The threads of india rubber are secured to the holders V previous to
their being beamed up on the spool, by drawing their ends through the small
holes, and making a knot in the ends of the threads. By this method of

page_text: introducing the india-rubber threads to the machine the piece of formed or
finished goods can be removed from the machine by simply detaching the
plates, and cutting off the threads just at their junction with the plates.
same.
Having pointed out the various working parts of the machine for making
corrugated fabrics, I will now proceed to describe the mode of working the
The holders V, being filled with india-rubber thread, as before men-
tioned, the end V is attached to the apron of the spool E, and the threads are
wound upon that spool, leaving just enough unwound to pass round the
friction drum D over the loose rollers O, O, and to reach the compressing
rollers B, C, where a junction is effected between the holder V and the plate
of the apron on the spool. The rollers L, L, being supplied with the cemented
fabric which is employed for covering the india-rubber threads, are now to be
placed in the machine, as shewn in the Drawing, and the end of these
cemented fabrics are drawn forward to the bite of the compressing rollers.
Rotary motion is then communicated to the machine by a winch handle X,
keyed upon a stud, which is supported by a bracket from the framework.
Upon this stud is a pinion Y, which, gearing into a cog wheel Z mounted on
the axle of the compressing roller C, communicates motion thereto; and the
wheel Z, being also in gear with a wheel Z' of similar pitch on the axle of the
roller B, both the compressing rollers will revolve at the same speed. The
rotation of the roller B will, by means of the bevil wheel K on its axis, com-
municate motion through the bevel wheels II, G, and F, to the friction
drum D, which will cause the spool E to unwind, and allow the threads to be
drawn down between the pressing rollers. It will now be seen, that as the
compressing rollers revolve, the threads of india rubber will be brought down
from the spool E, and the fabric from the rollers L, L, will be made to close
upon them (the cemented side of the fabric being inwards), and thus make a
solid and compact fabric, which, as it passes from between the rollers B and C, is
taken up at nearly full tension by the drum P, and wound on to the spool S.
As the principle by which in this Iuvention the threads of india rubber are
stretched or elongated consists in the combination of rollers or drums, I do
not limit myself to making the friction drum or roller of the same diameter as
the compressing rollers, and to revolve at slower speed, for the same result
can be obtained by constructing the friction drums or rollers of less diameter
than the compressing rollers, in which case such gearing may be attached as
to cause the friction and compressing rollers to revolve with the same speed
upon all their respective axes or shafts. Again, the friction necessary to
create sufficient tension of the threads could be obtained by two rollers placed
nearly in contact (revolving as above described), which, tightly squeezing the

page_text: clastic threads, would prevent them from slipping. By the method above
described of stretching the threads of india rubber, only that part of the
thread is elongated at the same time which is in immediate contact with the
forming part of the machine, whereby the difficulty of the threads breaking,
flying back, and entangling, is completely overcome, and the work can be
accomplished in much shorter time, and without waste or the necessity of
tyeing knots or taking out threads, as is necessary by the old method, where
the whole length of the threads are stretched at the same time, and kept in a
stretched state till the combination with the cloth by which they are covered
is effected. Instead of employing the elastic compressing rollers B and C, the
Inventor has found that metal rollers, grooved in the manner shewn at
Fig. 9, may be very advantageously employed, for, by grooving the rollers
so as to receive the threads of india rubber without crushing them, the advan-
tage of the elastic rollers is retained, and in addition thereto more perfect
compression of the fabric is obtained, as will be readily understood by persons
acquainted with the manufacture.
Having now described the Improvements in Machinery for Manufacturing
India-rubber Fabrics, as communicated to me from abroad, I wish it to be
understood, that under the first head of the Invention I lay no claim to the
employment of circular cutters or knives when unconnected with my improved
arrangement of machinery for cutting threads of india rubber; nor do I under
the second head of the Invention claim, separately, any of the various parts in
the arrangement of machinery above described and shewn in the Drawings.
But that which I desire to secure under the above in part recited Letters
Patent, is,
First, the employment of a series of knives or cutters in combination with a
small grooved roller, upon which the sheet of india rubber to be cut is pressed
in a smooth and even state, as above explained, by which arrangement the
sheet nay be divided into threads suitable for being worked up into india-
rubber fabrics.
Secondly, with respect to the machinery for stretching threads of india
rubber, and covering the same with suitable textile fabrics, I claim the general
arrangement of machinery, as above described and set forth in the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
A. V. (1.s.) NEWTON.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Twenty-eighth day of
February, in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Alfred Vincent Newton
came before our Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the same Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year above
written.