IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER APPLICABLE TO SPRINGS, VALVES FOR MACHINERY, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Moulton, of Bradford, in the County of
Wilts, India-rubber Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER APPLICABLE TO SPRINGS, VALVES FOR
MACHINERY, AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 8th March 1861, and dated the 10th January 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Moulton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
January 1861.
I, STEPHEN MOULTON, of Bradford, in the County of Wilts, India-rubber
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER APPLICABLE TO SPRINGS, VALVES FOR
MACHINERY, AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of india-
rubber applicable to springs for railway engines, carriages, buffer springs, and
other purposes where elasticity is required; and likewise to valves of various
sorts required in steam engines, pumps, and other machinery or apparatus.
And my improvements consist in the embedding of spiral or other suitably-
shaped springs of steel or other suitable metal into the mass of the india-
rubber during its formation into the required shape, and before its being
"cured" and after its being so compounded by being moulded with the
springs while in a soft state it is subjected to the process of "curing," as is
well understood by india-rubber manufacturers. For making india-rubber
valves, strips or plates of steel or other suitable metal are embedded spirally,
or radially, or longitudinally, or in other desired forms according to the shape
it is intended to make the valve, and in one or more thicknesses in the mass

page_text: of the india-rubber during the process of moulding to the desired shape, such
strips, or spirals, or other shaped metal being placed in the centre of the
thickness of the valve or towards one side or the other, according to the
degree of elasticity required to be given. The strips, plates, or other forms of
metal being thus fixed in the mass of the india-rubber, the whole is subjected
to the process of "curing," as above alluded to.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Stephen Moulton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
July 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, STEPHEN
MOULTON, of Bradford, in the County of Wilts, India-rubber Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent,
bearing-date-the-Tenth-day-of-January,-in-the-year-of-our-Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Stephen Moulton, Her special licence that I, the said Stephen
Moulton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Stephen Moulton, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER APPLICABLE TO SPRINGS, VALVES FOR
MACHINERY, AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Stephen Moulton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Stephen Moulton, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of india-

page_text: rubber applicable to springs for railway engines, carriages, buffer springs, and
other purposes where elasticity is required, and likewise to valves of various
sorts required in steam engines, pumps, and other machinery or apparatus;
and my improvements consist in the embedding of spiral or other suitably-
shaped springs of steel or other suitable metal into the mass of the india-
rubber during its formation into the required shape, and before its being
"cured," and after its being so compounded by being moulded with the
springs while in a soft state it is subjected to the process of "curing," as is
well understood by india-rubber manufacturers. For making india-rubber
valves, strips or plates of steel or other suitable metal are embedded spirally,
or radially, or longitudinally, or in other desired forms according to the shape
it is intended to make the valve, and in one or more thicknesses in the mass
of the india-rubber during the process of moulding to the desired shape, such
strips or spirals or other shaped metal being placed in the centre of the
thickness of the valve or towards one side or the other according to the
degree of elasticity required to be given. The strips, plates, or other forms of
metal being thus fixed in the mass of the india-rubber, the whole is subjected
to the process of "curing," as above alluded to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figures 1 shew a side view in section and a plan in section of a spring
composed of india-rubber, and having a piece of steel or other metal in the
form of a volute spiral embedded therein, manufactured according to my
Invention (or more than one such spiral may be used, if desired,) and
suitable for being used as a buffer spring for railway engines or carriages, or
for bearing springs for the same, and for other purposes, such bearing springs
being likewise similarly formed. Figures 2 shew a similar plan and section
of like springs, having spiral wires embedded therein.
Figures 3 shew a longitudinal and transverse section of a common helical
spring embedded in india-rubber according to my Invention.
Figures 4 shew a plan and section of a single flap valve, and Figures 5
similar views of a double valve manufactured with india-rubber, having strips
or plates of steel or other metal embedded therein in any desired position.
Figures 6 shew similar views of a circular valve made of india-rubber
embedded with steel or other metal in the process of manufacture, and having
the strips placed radially, and in such quantities or number as may be desired,
or the plate or plates may be made of a flat spiral or spirals as required, and
moulded in combination therewith, according to my Invention.
The manufacture of india-rubber (caoutchouc) by different processes, so as

page_text: to mould the same into articles of various forms for a variety of purposes,
together with the process of curing" or changing the character of the india-
rubber, by treating or compounding it with sulphur, or with sulphur chemically
combined with other substances, being now generally well understood it will
not be necessary for me to enter into any description thereof, further than to
state that the processes employed for the preparation, manufacture, and treat-
ment of india-rubber (caoutchoue) combined with other materials, and fully
described in the Specification of a Patent granted to W. E. Newton, dated
the 30th of January 1844, No. 10,027, and in the Specification of a Patent
granted to myself, dated the 8th of February 1847, No. 11,567, are very suitable
for the purpose. of carrying out my present improvements, which consist in
embedding steel or other metal of suitable forms, and in moulding the same
with the india-rubber manufactured as described in those Specifications, or by
other similar processes, the india-rubber being afterwards "cured" or rendered
permanently elastic by heat, or otherwise, as is well understood, so as to act
as a spring in combination with the spiral, helical, flat, or other shaped
metal-surfaces embedded-therein. When-spiral-or-other-shaped-springs-are.
embedded in the india-rubber according to my Invention, I prefer to temper
the same in the usual manner before being embedded, the heat to which the
india-rubber is subjected in the "curing" process being too low to affect the
temper of the springs so embedded.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein described,
nor do I claim generally the moulding or embedding of metal surfaces with
india-rubber in the process of manufacture, the same having been practised
for other purposes; but what I claim is, the manufacture of india-rubber
having steel or other metal surfaces embedded therein to form springs, and
for valves of various kinds, as herein described.
In witness whereof I, the said Stephen Moulton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE, Patent Agent,
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, W.C.
STEPN. MOULTON. (L.S.)

page_text: Figures 2 Plan and side view of a spiral wire spring,
embedded in the cured" india rubber, for
"
buffer springs, hearing springs, draw springs &
Figures 3 Longitudinal and transverse section of an
helical spring similarly embedded.
Figures 4 Plan and side view of a single Flap valve
Figures 5 Plan and side view of a double Flap valve.
Figures 6.Plan and side view of a circular valve, all
with flat springs embedded therein and in
different quantities, according to the strength
of valve required.