Improvements in the Manufacture of Floorcloth and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1891

page_text: The decision of the Comptroller-General, of the 14th day of January 1893, allowed,
under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883, an Amentment of this
Specification.
Date of Application, 15th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 12th July, 1892-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Floorcloth and in Apparatus
therefor.
I, JOHN WRIGHT, of 13 Townsend Place, Kirkcaldy, in the County of Fife,
North Britain, Floorcloth Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said invention relates to floorcloths of the kind having patterns produced
by the combination on a suitable backing, of variously colored pieces of any
suitable one of the various known oleaginous or resinous compounds used in the
manufacture of floorcloths; and my object is to produce such floorcloths in an
improved, simplified, and economical manner.
In carrying out my invention I employ separate sheets or pieces of the floorcloth
compound of the several colors required for the pattern to be produced; and I
bring these several colored sheets one after the other over the backing upon
which the patterned floorcloth is to be formed. When each piece is in position
over the backing the portions of it required for the pattern are punched or cut
from it and with the same action at once put down upon the backing; aud when
all the colored portions for one section of the backing (which section will in
general correspond to one or more complete repeats of the pattern) have been
deposited on it the backing is moved along and the operations are repeated upon
the next section. Well understood means are adopted to insure the adhesion of
the floorcloth compound and its consolidation upon the backing.
The apparatus employed comprises punches or cutters and stencil-like plates
made with openings fitting the punches sufficiently closely. Each plate when in
the operating position is held in guides or otherwise with its underside just as
much above the backing as corresponds to the thickness of floorcloth compound
to be deposited on the backing and as will allow necessary clearance. The
colored floorcloth compound is laid upon the stencil-like plate and the punches
are made to descend and punch or cut the pieces and push them down through the
openings in the plate on to the backing. If necessary a knife or fine wire may be
passed under the plates to ensure the detachment of the pattern pieces.
Each of the stencil-like plates combined in a frame-with its appropriate punches
may be moved on guides horizontally into and out of position, mechanism for
acting on the punches being permanently situated in a position which is above the
other parts when in operation. Or the several stencil-like plates each with its
set of punches may be fixed upon a polygonal drum within which are arranged the
parts for acting on the punches, the drum being turned step by step to bring the
several stencil-like plates successively into position.
Instead of each punch being plain it may be hollow, and air under pressure may
be admitted into it at the proper times to act on a punching plate which may

page_text: be plain or of a perforated or skeleton form; or the compressed air may act
directly on the floorcloth compound.
Dated this Fourteenth day of October 1001
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED)
Improvements in the Manufacture of Floorcloth and in Apparatus
therefor.
I, JOHN WRIGHT, of 13 Townsend Place, Kirkcaldy, in the County of Fife,
North Britain, Floorcloth Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
My said invention relates to floorcloths of the kind having patterns produced by
the combination, on a suitable backing, of variously colored pieces of any suitable
one of the various known oleaginous or resinous compounds used in the manu-
facture of floorcloths; and my object is to produce such Hoorcloths in an improved,
simplified, and economical manner.
In carrying out my invention I employ separate sheets or pieces of the floorcloth
compounds of the several colors required for the pattern to be produced; and I
bring these colored sheets, one after the other over the backing upon which the
patterned floorcloth is to be formed. When each piece is in position over the
backing, the portions of it required for the pattern are punched or cut from it, and
with the same action at once put down upon the backing; and when all the
colored portions for one section of the backing (which section will in general
correspond to one or more complete repeats of the pattern) have been deposited on
it the backing is moved along and the operations are repeated upon the next
section. Well understood means are adopted to insure the adhesion of the floor-
cloth compound and its consolidation upon the backing.
Examples of the apparatus to be employed in carrying out my invention are
shown on three accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings which are hereinafter
referred to.
Figure, 1, on Sheet, 1, of the drawings is a plan and Figures, 2, and 3, are
elevations of a simple machine for effecting the punching and other operations.
Figures, 4, 6, and, 8, on Sheet, 2, are side elevations of pairs of punch plates and
stencil plates for a pattern having three colors, and Figures, 5, 7, and 9, are
inverted plans of the punch plates shown in Figures, 4, 6, and 8, respectively.
Figure 10, is an enlarged end elevation corresponding to Figures, 4, and 5, but
with the addition of the material to be punched with its holder, which holder is
shown separately in Figure, 11. Figure, 12, is a plan of a compound stencil plate
comprising apertures corresponding to all the colors. Figures, 13, and 14, on
Sheet, 3, are elevations showing parts of the opposite sides of a machine differing
somewhat from that shown on Sheet, 1. In these drawings the same reference
letters and numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are
repeated.
The machine shown in Figures, 1, 2, and 3, comprises a pair of side frames, A,
across between which there is fixed a table, B, (indicated by dotted lines) on
which the backing fabric rests whilst the colored floorcloth composition is being
deposited. The frames, A, are made with upward extensions, C, having in them
vertical guide slots in which works a crosshead, D, having fixed to it a pressing
plate, Di.
The crosshead, 1), is moved up and down by connecting rods, E,
jointed to it and to cranks, E 1, on a rotating shaft, E 2, driven by spurwheel and
pinion gearing, E3, from a first motion shaft, E 4, which last may be driven in
any convenient way:
The backing fabric is drawn of a roller, F, passing upwards
therefrom to a guide roller, F 1, and thence over the table, B, to a taking-up
I

page_text: drum G, which drum is moved to draw forward the fabric after each section
has had the floorcloth composition applied to it. The drum, G, may be moved
by mechanism such as is hereinafter described as applied to the second modification
of the machine, or in any other convenient way.
In the case of each color there is a punch plate, H, Figures, 4, to 10, having on
its under side punching projections, J, shaped according to the patterns for the
respective colors. Combined with each punch plate, H, there is a stencil plate, K,
that is a plate having openings cut through it which in shape are counterparts
of the punching projections, J. The floorcloth composition for each color is laid
upon the corresponding stencil plate, K, and between it and the punch plate, H,
and it is by the punching projections, J, being forced down through the floorcloth
composition and the openings of the stencil plate, K, that the pieces of colored
composition are cut out and deposited on the backing below. There being
inconvenience and difficulty in handling the floorcloth composition I place each
sheet in a holder, L, Figures, 10, 11, this holder being made of two sheets of thin
metal hinged together, and having openings formed in them corresponding to the
color for which each holder is made. These openings in the holder are made
little larger than the punching projections, J, so that the edges of the openings
may not interfere with the punching operation nor with the withdrawal of
the punching projections after making their stroke. Each punch plate, H, is
made with lugs, H 1, fitted to slide on guide pins, K 1, fixed in the stencil plate, K,
and springs, K 2, are placed encircling the guide pins for lifting the punch plate up
again after each depression.
In working the apparatus each pair of plates, H, K, with its holder, L, containing
a sheet of floorcloth composition having been prepared apart from the machine, is
placed on horizontal guides, M, formed on the side frames, A, and is pushed into
position, against stops, under the compressing plate, D 1, when that plate is about
to descend; and when the compressing plate rises again the pair of plates, H, K,
is withdrawn and another pair introduced. After the three or other number of
colors have been deposited on the backing, a plain plate of suitable dimensions is
introduced and by the descending compressing plate, D 1, is made to compress and
consolidate the floorcloth composition on the backing. Or this operation may be
effected by causing the backing with the composition on it to pass between a
pair of rollers. When the complete set of colors has been applied to one
section of the backing fabric that fabric is moved forwards to the extent of the
section.
In the second modification of apparatus, which is shown in Figures, 13, and 14,
the punch plates, H, with their punching projections, J, are fixed on the sides of
a block or frame, P, which in the example shown, being designed for three colors
is made four-sided or square, but which may be made of a polygonal form to suit
other numbers of colors. In this machine I prefer to use what may be termed a
compound stencil plate, Q, such as is shown in Figure, 12, and which remains in
position in the machine throughout the depositing of all the colors. This arrange-
ment of compound stencil plate, Q, can also be used if, wished in operating in the
machine shown in Figures, 1, 2, and 3.
The block, P, (Figure 13) is fixed centrally on a shaft, P 1, and this shaft is
moved vertically in guide slots in the upper frame extensions, C, in the same
manner as the crosshead, D, in the other machine. On the shaft, P 1, there is
fixed outside of one of the frames, C, a plate, P2, having at its corners anti-
friction rollers, P 3, one of which as the block ascends encounters a lever, R,
arranged to cause the block to make a quarter of a turn, but which cants out
of the way when the block descends. A long lever, S, centered at its lower
end and connected at its upper end to the framing by a spring, S1, is pushed
away whilst the block turns but returns inwards and squares the block or
makes it come to rest accurately in position. The lever, S, also assists in
guiding the block as it descends; whilst to further insure that the block will in
descending keep accurately in position antifriction rollers, S2, at the ends of the
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page_text: block and each close to the middle of a side, are provided to engage in guides
formed for them on the insides of the frames, C. With this machine the
attendant worker has simply to put in and remove the holders, L, with the
successive sheets of floorcloth composition. The 'fourth side of the block, P, has
fixed on it a plate having on it projections corresponding to all the openings
in the compound stencil plate, Q, Figure, 12, such parts being made to project
slightly more than the punching projections, J, and they pass through the stencil
plate, Q, and exerting considerable compressing action. they cause the pieces of
floorcloth composition to spread sufficiently to become united at their contiguous
edges.
For turning the drum, G, there is shown in Figure, 14, mechanism comprising
a lever, T, worked by means of links and a lever, T1, T2, T3, from the
shaft, P1, (or it might be the crosshead, D). The lever, T, is loose on the shaft
of the drum, G, and has jointed to it a spring pawl, U, which engages with
ratchet teeth formed on a disk, G1, fixed on the shaft of the drum, G, the
extent of movement given by each effective stroke of the lever, T, corresponding
to a section of the backing fabric. The action of the pawl lever, T, is, however,
only effective at every fourth stroke of the block, P, being prevented from acting
at other times by a cam disk, V, centered on a pin on the lever, T, and which has
on its inner side a cam edge shaped to bear on a roller on the pawl, U, and
to keep it from acting except when a depression on it comes round. On the
outside of the cam disk, V, there are four pins and when the lever, T, rises one of
these pins encounters a small catch lever, W, and lifts it out of the way but on
descending is by the lever, W, which rests on a stop, made to turn the disk to
the extent of a quarter. A spring, X, bearing on two of the pins steadies the cam
disk, V, after each quarter of a turn; and at every fourth quarter turn the
depression of the cam edge comes into position to allow the pawl, U, to act on the
ratchet disk, G 1.
Ha
tior
clo
now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not
broadly, the punching from sheets, and, by the same action, depositing variously
lored pieces upon a backing fabric, but what I claim is :-
sty
:―
1. The improved process for manufacturing floorcloth consisting in punching
pieces for composing the pattern from sheets of floorcloth composition and by-the
same action depositing such pieces in position upon a backing fabric substantially
as hereinbefore described.
1. In the floorcloth making process in which differently colored pieces are punched
from sheets, and by the same action deposited on a backing fabric, the employment of
separate plates for the several colors, each of such plates having formed or fixed on it
punching projections (J) of the shapes of the pattern spaces to be occupied by the
respective colors, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The herein before described combinations of parts of apparatus for manu-
facturing flooreloth by the process forming the subject matter of the first
claim.
Dated this Eleventh day of July 1800
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.