Process and Apparatus for Waterproofing Woven Fabrics.
Year: 1892

page_text: The decision of the Comptroller-General, of the 11th day of October 1893, allowed,
under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883, an Amendment of this
Specification.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Process and Apparatus for Waterproofing Woven Fabrics.
We, FRITZ DOLLER of Kurfürstenstr., Berlin, in the German Empire, Merchant,
and Dr. RICHARD WOLFFENSTEIN of Von der Heydtstr., in the same Capital,
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 :-
The waterproofing of woven fabrics has hitherto usually been effected by the
application thereto of the waterproofing medium in the form of a solution.
Experience has however shewn that the common use of such solutions is prevented
partly by reason of their injurious action upon the colour of the fabric and expen-
siveness of the operation, and partly by the accompanying danger of fire and the
great cost of the large quantity of the solution that is required for the process.
These disadvantages have at different times led to experiments for the application
to fabrics of a waterproofing substance without the use of a solution. The substances
employed are insoluble in water but capable of being easily melted, such as parafine,
stearine, wax, ozokerite, etcetera, frequently mixed with india rubber, gutta percha,
colophornium, etcetera. These substances are applied to the fabrics either in the
fixed or hot liquid state, but the process is not suitable for general application.
In the process of this invention the waterproofing substance is not applied to the
fabric in the form of a solution, or in the fixed, or in the hot liquid state, but in a
melted melting state by means of an apparatus specially constructed for the purpose
and rendering it practicable to regulate with precision the absorption of the water-
proofing substance into the fabric, and also to effect an equable distribution of the
substance.
The main features of the invention are the method of distributing the water-
proofing substance from the fixed or solid state by means of a heated roller or
equivalent organ, the manner of the application of the substance to the fabric and
the method of operating the absorption of the substance into the fabric and
the means therefor. The waterproofing substance is preferably composed of
materials or mixtures such as those hereinbefore referred to.
The apparatus of the invention is shewn in the accompanying drawing.
A is a block of waterproofing substance placed in a container A'. B is a metal
roller mounted in bearings in two side frames and heated having its temperature
regulated internally by steam or hot water passing into it through its hollow shaft,
the heat afflux of the water being indicated by a pyrometer or thermo-register and
automatically regulated by a thermo register. It is thereby practicable to maintain
the roller at the desired temperature which may neither melt or soften but must not
be so high as to melt the waterproofing substance of block A. The surface of the
roller may be smooth polished, rough, or figured as may be suitable for taking of the
solid waterproofing substance. The block of waterproofing substance is formed at
its upper surface to fit the periphery of roller B against which it is kept pressed
by springs or by a counterweight. Its sides taper downwards. It is of a somewhat

page_text: greater width than the fabric to be waterproofed so that when the substance is taken
on to the roller B it may extend beyond the edges of the fabric. C is a presser
or hollow iron the bottom surface of which is formed to fit the periphery of roller B
carried on the side frames and regulated or fixed relatively to roller B by means of
a screws carried in a cross stay between the side frames or two such screws, one on
each of the frames or by lever pressure. It is heated inside by gas, or steam,
etcetera and bears upon the fabric as it passes over roller B. D, D', are scrapers or
wipers, the former fixed to the side frames serving to remove from roller B
particles of stuff or fibres displaced from the under side of the fabric as it leaves
the roller and presser, waterproofed. This scraper may be of metal or wood
provided with a cloth or gutta percha edge for contact with roller B. Scraper D'
is fixed to presser C and serves to remove from roller B any excess of waterproofing
substance at each edge of the fabric before this reaches the presser and to prevent
such excess coming underneath the presser. The waterproofing substance taken up
by roller B is melted in its passage past the presser and is absorbed in the fabric.
E is a roller for supplying the fabric to the roller B and presser C and E' a roller
on which the waterproofed fabric is wound. The apparatus may be driven by any
suitable motor. The process may be performed by itself or in combination with
other methods.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The process for waterproofing woven fabrics, consisting in a fixed or solid
impregnating waterproofing substance being taken gradually on to a distributor or
feed roller and then fed to the fabric to be waterproofed at the moment the distri-
butor, the fabric, and a heated metal body meet together, so that the waterproofing
substance is absorbed by the fabric in the melted melting state, substantially as
described and shewn.
2. For the performance of the process referred to the apparatus comprising a
revolving roller B or equivalent organ, the temperature of which may be regulated,
said roller turning in contact with a fixed or solid impregnating waterproofing
substance and contiguous to said roller and corresponding to the periphery of the
same a metal body C which may be heated, between which two organs the fabric
to be waterproofed is passed, substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1892.
CAPITAINE & VON HERTLING,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.