IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLEXIBLE TUBES OR HOSE
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Bates and Alfred Mason Bates,
both of Leicester, India-rubber Manufacturers, and Hugh Faulkner,
of the same Place, Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF FLEXIBLE TUBES OR HOSE."
Sealed the 12th January 1869, and dated the 20th July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Bates,
Alfred Mason Bates, and Hugh Faulkner at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 20th July
1868.
We, WILLIAM HENRY BATES and ALFRED MASON BATES, both of
Leicester, India-rubber Manufacturers, and HUGH FAULKNER, of the
same Place, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLEXIBLE TUBES OR HOSE," to
be as follows:-

page_text: are made of a compound of textile materials or thin wires and india-
rubber, gutta percha, or other analogous elastic gum.
In carrying out our Invention we make use of a core of india-rubber
which is capable of being stretched or extended longitudinally, so that
by reducing its diameter it may be more easily withdrawn from the
interior of the tube than the cores now employed in the manufacture of
tubular articles. Upon a core thus made we form a tube in the ordinary
way either of sheet rubber or of compound sheet rubber, or of rubber
cloth, and this constitutes the lining of the improved tube or hose. The
covered core is then placed in a braiding machine supplied with any
suitable number of threads or wires according to the intended diameter
of the tube, and these threads are braided round the core in the well-
known manner, but very tightly. The core as, it travels forward to the
braiding threads must be coated, covered, or payed over. with india-
rubber solution, in which the braiding threads will imbed themselves as
the braiding operation proceeds. The india-rubber solution may be
applied either by hand or by-causing the core to pass up through a vessel
containing the solution, and the braided part passes up through a hollow
die or gauge, whereby any excess of india-rubber solution will be scraped
off. From the gauge or die the covered or braided core is conducted up
or through one or more heated cylinders or tubes, whereby the volatile
solvent will be evaporated and the india-rubber will become dry, after
which it is to be passed through other circular gauges or dies, whereby
the braided surface will be coated or covered with a solution of india-
rubber or its compound to any required thickness, and as this coating is
laid on the tube must be conducted through heated cylinders in order to
drive off the solvent and dry the surface. A second and even more plies
of braid and rubber may be laid round the tube so as to give it additional
strength, and after drawing out the elastic core the article will be ready
for vulcanizing.
In practice it is found more convenient to put on the outside coatings
of rubber in a separate machine rather than combining all the operations
in one machine.
We would here remark that although we prefer to make our hose in a
braiding machine as above mentioned we wish to reserve to ourselves the
right of putting on the coating of rubber on ordinary woven hose or
tubular articles made in any other manner, as by means of the circular
gauges above referred to we are enabled to lay on the rubber coatin

page_text: with greater facility and convenience than can be done as heretofore
practised.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Henry Bates, Alfred Mason Bates, and
Hugh Faulkner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th January
1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
HENRY BATES and ALFRED MASON BATES, both of Leicester, India-
rubber Manufacturers, and HUGH FAULKNER, of the same Place,
Manager, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto us, the said William Henry Bates, Alfred Mason Bates, and Hugh
Faulkner, Her special licence that we, the said William Henry Bates,
Alfred Mason Bates, and Hugh Faulkner, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Henry Bates, Alfred
Mason Bates, and Hugh Faulkner, our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLEXIBLE TUBES OR
HOSE," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William
Henry Bates, Alfred Mason Bates, and Hugh Faulkner, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly 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 William Henry Bates, on behalf
of myself and of the said Alfred Mason Bates and Hugh Faulkner, do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):-
Our Invention of " Improvements in the Manufacture of Flexible
Tubes or Hose" relates to those kinds of flexible tubular articles which
are made of a compound of textile materials or thin wires and india-
rubber, gutta percha, or other analogous elastic gum.
In carrying out our Invention we make use of a core of india-rubber
which is capable of being stretched or extended longitudinally, so that by
reducing its diameter it may be more easily withdrawn from the interior
of the tube when the latter is finished than the cores now employed in
the manufacture of tubular articles. Upon a core thus made we form a
tube in the ordinary way either of sheet rubber or of compound sheet
rubber, or of rubber cloth, and this constitutes the lining of the improved
tube or hose. The covered core is then placed in a braiding machine
supplied with any suitable number of threads or wires according to the
intended diameter of the tube, and these threads are braided round the
core in the well-known manner, but very tightly. The covered core as
it travels forward to the braiding threads must be coated, covered, or
payed over with india-rubber solution, in which the braiding threads will
imbed themselves as the braiding operation proceeds. The india-rubber
solution may be applied either by hand or by causing the core to pass
up through a vessel containing the solution.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a diagram representing a
piece of hose being made according to our Invention.
a is the elastic covered core which is being covered by the braiding
threads b, b, as it passes up through the centre of the braiding head.
Before this is done the core must be payed over or supplied with a thick
solution of rubber, gutta percha, or other suitable substance or com-
position. If this composition is put on by hand the attendant will stand
within the braiding machine with the threads converging above his head,
and with his hand will rub on the rubber solution at about the place
where the box or vessel c is now situate in the Figure. The braided
part of the covered core passes up through a hollow die or gauge d
whereby the india-rubber solution will be pressed firmly into the fibres
of the threads, and any excess of the rubber will be scraped off. From

page_text: bis gauge or die, which is shewn detached upon au enlarged scale
at Fig. 2, the covered core which has been braided over is conducted up
or through one or more heated cylinders, boxes, or tubes e, or between
heated plates, whereby the volatile solvent will be evaporated from the
india-rubber, and the latter will become dry, after which it must be
passed through other circular gauges or dies as many times as may be
necessary to make the outer covering of the required thickness. By this
means the braided surface will be coated or covered with a solution of
india-rubber or its compound to any required thickness, and as each of
these coatings is laid on the tube must be conducted through other
heated cylinders or boxes, or between or over heated surfaces, or through
a stove or drying chamber in order to drive off the solvent and dry the
The article may be
surface before any additional coating is put on.
finished in this manner ready for vulcanizing unless an additional ply
A second and even
of braid be required to give additional strength.
more plies of braid and rubber may be laid round the tube in the same
manner before the outer coverings of rubber are put on, and after drawing
out the elastic core the article will be ready for vulcanizing.
In practice it is found more convenient to put on the outside coatings
of rubber in a separate machine rather than to combine all the operations
in one machine. The machine we propose to use for this purpose is
When the hose is
shewn in plan at Fig. 3, and in section at Fig 4.
placed in the machine shewn at Fig. 3 the two ends are joined together
so as to form an endless cord, which is supported in the horizontal
position by means of rollers g, g. The hose f, f, with the core inside
passes through a hollow die or gauge similar in construction to that
shewn at Fig. 2, except that it will be placed horizontally. An attendant
will lay on the india-rubber solution with a brush, spatula, or other
suitable instrument, or by the hand at a point just behind the gauge, the
hollow part of which will hold a reserve of rubber which it will scrape off
the hose as it passes through. The forward edge of the gauge or die is
made to fit tightly round the hose, so that considerable pressure will be
given to the hose as it passes through the die or gauge so as to con-
solidate the rubber which is to to form the outer covering, and which when
5 made in this manner will be without seam throughout its whole length.
We would here remark that although we prefer to make our hose in
a braiding machine as above mentioned, we wish to reserve to ourselves
the right of putting on the outer coverings or coatings of rubber in the

page_text: manner above described on ordinary woven hose or tubular articles made
in any other manner as well as in braiding machines, as by means of the
circular gauges above referred to we are enabled to lay on the rubber
coatings with greater facility and efficiency than is done by the methods
heretofore practised.
Having now described our Invention of " Improvements in the Manu-
facture of Flexible Tubes or Hose," and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, we claim as our Invention, the mode herein
set forth of making flexible tubes or hose with an outer covering or
coating of solid rubber or other equivalent composition.
We also claim the use for the manufacture of elastic tubes or hose of
an elastic core, as herein set forth, which is capable of being stretched or
extended longitudinally.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Bates, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of January, in the
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
year
Witness,
EDWARD WEST,
Hitchin.
WILLIAM HENRY BATES. (L.S.)