IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING INDIA-RUBBER, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER AIR Rune Awn AMUND LIER Å DATAL.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS ´PATENT to John Macintosh, of 10, Strand, Civil Engineer,
and William Boggett, of Lindsey Houses, Chelsea, Gentleman, both
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TREATING INDIA-RUBBER, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER AIR
Rune Awn AMUND LIER Å DATAL. "
Sealed the 13th October 1871, and dated the 6th May 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Macintosh and
William Boggett at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with.
their Petition, on the 6th May 1871.
We, JOHN MACINTOSH, of 10, Strand, Civil Engineer, and WILLIAM
BOGGETT, of Lindsey Houses, Chelsea, Gentleman, both in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN TREATING INDIA-RUBBER AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER
AIR BEDS AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention has for its object improved methods of expanding sheet
rubber and employing it either by itself or combined with textile or
other materials in the fabrication of various articles for which it has
not hitherto been used.
One method of expanding india-rubber according to our improvements
is to exhaust the air from a vessel upon which a sheet of it has been

page_text: spread so that the pressure of the atmosphere shall extend or dilate it to
the required degree.
Another method of expanding india-rubber according to our improve-
ments is to lay upon a table a sheet of india-rubber and make it air-
tight at the edges leaving an opening through which air or steam is
forced until the sheet is sufficiently expanded. Two sheets laid one upon
the other can in like manner be dilated at one operation, forming an
inflated bag. These bags are convertible into elastic beds, cushions, and
coverlets according to our improvements by laying them upon a frame
divided by partitions into compartments or pigeon holes. A similar
frame is then laid on the bag and the two frames pressed together while
the india-rubber is warm, which causes the adhesion of those parts where
the partitions meet; the bag is thus divided into numerous distinct air
cells forming cushions, beds, or coverlets according to our improvements
of the size and shape of the frames employed.
Elastic webbing coated with india-rubber may be inflated and
employed according to our improvements in making similar goods
or articles.
Another method of constructing elastic air beds, cushions, and
coverlets according to our improvements is to plait or interweave
inflated india-rubber tubes into articles of that description. The india-
rubber tubes for this purpose may be of the ordinary kind, or composed
of clastic tubular webbing coated with india-rubber solution.
In some cases according to our improvements we place the tubular
webbing between two strips of india-rubber and pass them through
warm rollers, then remove the excess of india-rubber and turn the tubes
inside out.
In all the above cases we either use india-rubber alone or combined
with noraffin or stearic acid.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent 30.
filed by the said John Macintosh and William Boggett in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 6th November 1871.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent 30
filed by the said John Macintosh and William Boggett in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 6th November 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, Joun
MACINTOSH, of 10, Strand, Civil Engineer, and WILLIAM BOGGETT, of

page_text: Lindsey Houses, Chelsea, Gentleman, both in the County of Middlesex,
sond greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said John Macintosh and William Boggett,
Her special licence, that we, the said John Macintosh and William
Boggett, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said John Macintosh and William Boggett, our exccutors, adminis-
trators, 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 TREATING
INDIA-RUBBER, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER AIR BEDS AND OTHER
LIKE ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
John Macintosh and William Boggett, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 John Macintosh, on behalf of myself
and the said William Boggett, 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 :-
Our Invention has for its object improved methods of expanding or
treating sheet india-rubber, and employing it either by itself or combined
with textile or other materials in the fabrication of various articles for
which it has not hitherto been used.
One method of expanding india-rubber according to our improvements
is to exhaust the air from a vessel or chamber, upon or over the mouth
or open side of which a sheet of rubber has been placed and fixed, so
that the pressure of the atmosphere by exhausting the chamber or vessel

page_text: will extend or dilate the rubber to the required degree. We prefer to
treat the india-rubber in this manner at a temperature varying according
to the quality or character of the india-rubber, as is well known to those
acquainted with india-rubber manufacture. Or we impregnate the
rubber just prior to its being expanded with a curative solution now
well known as the cold vulcanizing process, to which we make no claim,
and the rubber after being dipped may be distended before the solution
has evaporated. By this means we are able to produce an extremely
thin film of india-rubber which we employ in manufacturing articles
for various purposes to which india-rubber of this character is applicable.
For some purposes this thin sheet rubber after it is expanded is made
up into the form or article required, such articles being afterwards
subjected to cold vulcanization, weaker solutions of the curative
chemicals in such cases being employed, to avoid injurious action upon
the thin sheet rubber.
-Another-method-of-expanding-india-rubber_according to our improve-
ments is to lay upon a table a sheet of india-rubber and make it air-
tight at the edges, leaving an opening through which air or steam is
forced until the sheet is sufficiently expanded. Two sheets laid one
upon the other can in like manner be dilated at one operation, forming
an inflated bag or tube. These operations are best performed with the
india-rubber at a temperature suited to the quality or character of the
india-rubber so treated, as is well understood. Or the rubber may be
dipped in a vulcanizing solution and distended before the solution has
quite evaporated.
In place of expanding the sheet rubber as previously described it
may be moderately heated and stretched out by any suitable mechanical
means keeping it distended until cold, when it can be cured by the cold
process or by the vapor of the curative solution, as is well understood.
The bags or tubes made as previously described are convertible. into
elastic beds, cushions, and coverlets according to our improvements by
laying them upon a frame divided by partitions into compartments or
pigeon holes. A similar frame is then laid on the bag and the two frames
are pressed together while the india-rubber is warm, or before the
curative chemical or materials employed for producing the change
has evaporated, which causes the adhesion of those parts where the
partitions meet; the bag is thus divided into numerous distinct air cells

page_text: suitable for forming cushions, beds, or coverlets, according to our
improvements, of the size and shape of the frames employed. In some
cases we use a solution of rubber to divide the top and bottom sheets
into compartments, which are afterwards inflated separately. These
inflated beds, cushions, and other like articles are protected by being
enclosed within woven or other fabrics or covers.
Elastic webbing or fabrics coated with india-rubber may be inflated
and employed according to our improvements in making similar goods
or articles.
Another method of constructing elastic air beds, cushions, and cover-
lets according to our improvements is to plait or interweave inflated
india-rubber tubes made as previously described, which in some cases
arc interlaced and secured to a foundation of wood or other materials
with tape or elastic bands, thus forming them into beds, cushions, or
other like articles. The india-rubber tubes for this purpose may be
of the ordinary kind, or composed of elastic tubular webbing or fabrics
coated with india-rubber solution, but we prefer to employ india-rubber
tubes which have been cold vulcanized or converted by the cold process,
as is well understood and which have been expanded by air until very
thin and then inclosed in tubular webbing or fabrics. The tubular
fabrics we prefer to employ for this purpose are such or similar to those
made by knitting or lace machinery.
In some cases according to our improvements we place the tubular
webbing or fabrics between two strips of india-rubber and pass them
through warm rollers, then remove the excess of india-rubber and turn
the tubes inside out.
In all the above cases we either use india-rubber alone or combined
with paraffin or stearic acid in small quantities to act as a preservative
to the india-rubber.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner
of carrying the same into practice, we wish it to be understood that we
do not confine ourselves to the exact details herein described, but what
we claim is,
First. The means or methods of treating or expanding india-rubber so
as to convert it into thin films, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein described.

page_text: :
Secondly. We claim the maunfacture of india-rubber air beds and
other like articles substantially in the manner herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Macintosh, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
JOHN MACINTOSH. (L.S.)
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lanc, W.C.