IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL LEATHER OR CLOTH
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Emanuel Block, of 104, Marylebone
Road, Baker Street, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL LEATHER OR
CLOTH."
Sealed the 4th May 1875, and dated the 26th February 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Emanuel Block
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 26th February 1875.
I, GEORGE EMANUEL BLOCK, of 104, Marylebone Road, Baker Street,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL LEATHER
OR CLOTH," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object to improve the manufacture of
artificial leather or leather cloth, giving to the latter a body of the con-
sistency of leather. For this purpose I take a thin sheet of cork and
after that it has been boiled and dried I apply with a brush to one side
of it a coating of india-rubber solution, herein-after mentioned.

page_text: When the coating has dried I apply to it a second coating, I then
take a piece of japanned cloth, canvas, thin leather, or other such like
fabric and similarly coat it at the back with two coatings of the solution
and then place the coated surfaces of the cork and fabric together.
The uncoated side of the cork and also another piece of linen, cotton,
or other fabric are now similarly coated with two coats of the
solution.
When the coatings upon the cork and linen are quite dry the coated
surfaces are applied together, and the thin sheet of cork now coated on
both of its sides is submitted to considerable pressure in a press or
stamper in order to cause the coated surfaces of cork and fabric to
adhere firmly to one another. The pressure must be applied suddenly
as by a blow, or by stamping, not by rubbing.
The two coatings of cementing solution which are thus brought
together blend and form a perfect skin, which will extend or dilate at 1
will and which can be stretched or turned in any way and yet always
return to its original form without breaking. As also each of the
coatings of cementing solution have been allowed to dry before bringing
them together and submitting to pressure, as above described, the
solution will not penetrate the outer surfaces of the fabric or material a
and spoil their appearance.
The artificial leather or cloth produced in the above manner should
then be dipped for a short time in cold water, and is then ready to be
made up into boots, harness, bags, portmanteaus, or portable huts, or to
be otherwise used. By coating a sheet of cork on both sides, as above 2
described, with fabric caused to adhere to it by an interposed elastic
skin or membrane the cork which is naturally of a brittle nature is
bound together at its outer surfaces, and may be doubled and bent to
any extent without injury. The solution employed also renders the
artificial leather or cloth impervious to wet.
The solution is formed from india-rubber cut into small pieces and
dissolved in pure coal tar naphtha.
If the solution should get dry whilst being used coal tar naphtha may
be added to it to thin it down, and bring it to the proper consistency.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Emanuel Block in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th August 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
EMANUEL BLOCK, of 104, Marylebone Road, Baker Street, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Emanuel Block, Her
special license that I, the said George Emanuel Block, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Emanuel Block, 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 In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL LEATHER
OB CLOTH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Emanuel Block, 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 George Emanuel Block, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
This Invention has for its object to manufacture flexible fabrics from
cork. For this purpose I take sheets of cork and apply with a brush
to one side of them a coating of india-rubber solution herein-after
mentioned.
When the coating has dried I apply to it a second coating, I then
take a nione of iananned cloth canvas thin leather or other such like

page_text: fabric, and similarly coat it at the back with two coatings of the
solution, and then place the coated surfaces of the cork and fabric
together, the edges of the pieces of cork being fitted together neatly so
as to form a continuous sheet or layer. The uncoated side of the cork
and also another piece of linen, cotton, or other fabric are now similarly
coated with two coats of the solution.
When the coatings upon the cork and linen are quite dry the coated
surfaces are applied together, and the cork now coated on both of its
sides is submitted to considerable pressure in a press, or stamper, or by
rollers. In order to cause the coated surfaces of cork and fabric to
adhere firmly to one another, it is better that the pressure should be
applied suddenly, as by a blow, or by stamping, or rolling.
The two coatings of cementing solution which are thus brought
together blend and form a perfect skin, which will bend at will and
which can be turned in any way and yet always return to its original
form without breaking. As each of the coatings of cementing solution
have been allowed to dry before bringing them together and submitting
them to pressure, as above described, the solution will not penetrate
the outer surfaces of the fabric or material and spoil their appearance.
The artificial leather or cloth produced in the above manner is then
ready to be made up into boots, harness, bags, portmanteaus, driving
belts for machinery, or other uses for which leather is now employed.
Fabrics manufactured from canvas and cork in the manner above
described are also applicable as coverings for tents, being waterproof and
very strong and light. By coating cork on both sides, as above
described, with fabric caused to adhere to it by an interposed elastic
skin or membrane the cork which is naturally of a brittle nature is
bound together and may be doubled and bent to any extent without
injury.
In some cases also wooden veneers may be applied over the outer a
coatings of fabric, and the fabric so produced will serve as panels for
carriages and such like, or the surfaces of the fabric may be japanned
or lacquered.
The solution employed is formed from india-rubber cut into small
pieces and dissolved in pure coal tar naptha.
If the solution should get dry whilst being used coal tar naptha may
be added to it to thin it down and bring it to the proper consistency.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood, that I claim the
manufacture of flexible fabrics from cork, substantially as herein
described, the cork being coated on both sides with canvas, leather, or
other such like fabric caused to adhere to it by an interposed elastic skin
or membrane.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Emanuel Block, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.