IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANSING AND PREPARING GUTTA PERCHA; INDIA-RUBBER, AND LIKE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Thomas Truman, of Old Burlington
Street, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANSING AND PREPARING GUTTA PERCHA;
INDIA-RUBBER, AND LIKE SUBSTANCES:"
Sealed the 5th July 1870, and dated the 5th January 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Thomas Truman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition;
on the 5th January 1870.
I, EDWIN THOMAS TRUMAN, of Old Burlington Street, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANSING AND PREPARING GUTTA PERCHA,
INDIA-RUBBER, AND LIKE SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:
My Invention relates to machinery of an improved construction
intended to be employed in the operation of cleansing and preparing
gutta percha; india-rubber, and other analogous substances.

page_text: Various machines have heretofore been used for cleansing and pre-
paring gutta percha or india-rubber in which the material operated upon
has in some cases been forced through rollers which have been sometimes
grooved or fluted or armed with teeth, also knives and saws and spikes
working with or against rollers have been used. The rollers have been
made to revolve in cases sometimes singly, sometimes in pairs, and they
have been worked either dry or in or under water. From my experience
in the use and trials of the most effective of the machines heretofore
used for the purposes above mentioned, I have ascertained that in none
of them is a sufficiently efficient provision made for properly acting upon
materials such as gutta percha or india-rubber, when they are required
to be cleansed with the aid of water. In the case of gutta percha, for
instance, I have found that the mass to be cleansed requires to be
repeatedly divided or ploughed by properly shaped instruments, which
must thoroughly open the material, so as to allow the access of a
sufficient body of water to sluice and wash the sides of the opened
furrows, and carry off the impurities from the largely exposed surfaces.
After the furrows so opened in the mass have been washed they should
be closed up, and other furrows should be opened in contiguous or other
parts, and the operation be repeated by the continued action of the
machine until the whole mass is properly cleansed, and this should be
effected by retaining the mass within the repeated operation of the
ploughing or dividing instruments without allowing it to get away too
far in a lateral direction. It is found that great resistance is offered by
masses of gutta percha or analogous materials to the passage of dividing.
instruments, for that reason the action of spikes or teeth set upon rollers
has not been found efficient. The dividing instrument should be so
shaped that it may readily be forced through the mass operated upon,
and provide for its being properly closed up and. squeezed after it has
been opened and its furrows sluiced with water.
In my improved machines I have succeeded in employing dividing
instruments made of such a shape that they are capable of treating
masses of gutta percha in a proper manner. I form the instruments of
the shape approximately of a double wedge by cutting upon or in the
periphery of a suitable metal spindle or cylinder of the required diameter
a double-threaded male screw. The threads I make, by, preference
square, and each thread runs in a reverse way to and at intervals
crosses the other, the result being, that wedge-shaped; projections are

page_text: thus formed or left upon the spindle, which projections I find to be of
the shape best suited for enabling them for being used as dividing
instruments for dividing or ploughing the mass of gutta pêrcha in the
manner herein-after described. I fix the spindle provided with its.
wedge-shaped projections upon bearings inside a suitable metal case..
I also cut or form in or upon the internal surface of the metal case a.
double-threaded female screw; the threads I make by preference square,
and each thread runs in a reverse way to and crosses at intervals the
other thread. The internal surface of the metal case is thereby provided
with wedge-shaped projections corresponding to those formed as above
described upon the spindle. The respective dimensions are such that
the greatest diameter of the spindle taking into measure its projections
is slightly less than the least diameter of the metal case measuring its
projections.. It follows that the spindle can be introduced inside the case-
and its projections when opposite parts of the projections of the case
nearly graze. The gutta percha or other analogous material required to
be cleansed is introduced by means of a suitable hopper into the case, and.
the mass is forced between the spindle and the inside of the case. The
spindle is made to rotate at the required velocity by steam or other
power, and the wedge-shaped projections open or plough furrows in the
mass, which, as the machine is worked in or under water or while being
submitted to the action, of streams or jets of water allow all parts to be
thoroughly sluiced and cleansed, the projections being so shaped and
relatively placed that the mass' after being properly opened and sluiced
is closed by the alternate action of the instruments, and squeezed and
retained under their operation. until the whole mass is efficiently
cleansed. Proper apertures are made in or by removing portions of
the case, so as to allow of the accéss and escape of the water, and I find
that I am able to use in my machines apertures of very large dimensions
compared with those used in the ordinary machines commonly termed
masticators: Instead of cutting or forming by casting or otherwise the
projections above referred to in or upon and in one piece with the
spindle or internal surface of the case respectively, I sometimes form
the projections by cutting the double-threaded screw into sections; the
section's on the spindle I separate by washers, so as to leave' plain spaces
between its projections; which will enable the projections on the inside
of the case to approach the plain parts of the spindle.
Other modifications and methods of forming or attaching the wedge-
shaped projections to the spindle and case respectively may be employed.

page_text: The metals that I have found most suitable for the wedge-shaped
projections are iron and zinc, and in some cases where it is important
that the surface of the metal forced into contact with the material to be
cleansed should be as clean and free from impurity as possible. I use iron
coated with enamel
My improved machines may be made to operate either wholly or
partly immersed in a tank of water or other suitable liquid, which may
be kept at a proper temperature by any suitable means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edwin Thomas Truman in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th July 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
THOMAS TRUMAN, of Old Burlington Street, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Edwin Thomas Truman, Her special licence that
I, the said Edwin Thomas Truman, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as. E, the said Edwin Thomas Truman, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANSING AND PREPARING GUTTA PERCHA, INDIA-RUBBER, AND
LIKE SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst others). that I, the said
Edwin Thomas Truman, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin Thomas Truman, do hereby.
declare the nature of my 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:
:―
My Invention relates to machinery of an improved construction
intended to be employed in the operation of cleansing and preparing
gutta percha, india-rubber, and other analogous substances, and capable
of being employed in other analogous operations.
Various machines have heretofore been used for cleansing and pre-
paring gutta percha or india-rubber in which the material operated upon
has in some cases been forced through rollers which have been some-
times grooved or fluted or armed with teeth, also knives and saws and
spikes working with or against rollers have been used. The rollers have
been made to revolve in cases, sometimes singly, sometimes in pairs,
and they have been worked either dry or in or under water. From my
experience in the use and trials of the most effective of the machines
heretofore used for the purposes above mentioned I have ascertained
that in none of them is a sufficiently efficient provision made for properly
acting upon materials such as gutta percha or india-rubber when they
are required to be cleansed with the aid of water or other suitable
liquid. In the case of gutta percha, for instance, I have found that the
mass to be cleansed requires to be repeatedly divided or ploughed by:
properly shaped instruments, which must thoroughly open the material,
so as to allow the access of a sufficient body of water or other suitable.
liquid to sluice and wash the sides of the opened furrows and carry off
the impurities from the largely exposed surfaces. After the furrows so
opened in the mass have been washed they should be closed up by
the action of the machine, and other furrows should be opened in con-:
tiguous or other parts, and the operation be repeated by the continued
action of the machine. until the whole mass is properly cleansed, and:
this should be effected by retaining the mass within the repeated
operation of the ploughing or dividing instruments without allowing
it to get away too far in a lateral direction. It is found that great
resistance is offered by masses of gutta percha or analogous materials
to the passage of dividing instruments; for that reason the action of
spikes or teeth set upon rollers has not been found efficient. The
dividing instrument should be so shaped that it may readily be forced
through the mass operated upon, and provide for its being properly and:

page_text: readily closed up and squeezed after it has been opened and its furrows
sluiced with water; proper provision should also be made for enabling
the action of the dividing instrument to be readily reversed when
requisite.
:
In my improved machines I have succeeded in employing dividing
instruments made of such a shape that they are capable of treating
masses of gutta percha in a proper manner, so as to effect. the objects.
above referred to with efficiency.
In order that the mode in which I carry my Invention into effect, and
the construction of the machinery I employ may be fully understood, I
will now describe fully several modifications which are constructed
respectively upon the same principle, but vary slightly in some of the
working parts.
i
In one modification I form the dividing instruments used for dividing
or ploughing the materials operated upon of the shape approximately of
a double wedge; this I effect by cutting upon or in the periphery of a
suitable metal spindle or cylinder of the required diameter a double-
threaded male screw. The threads I make by preference square; and.
each thread runs in á reverse way to and at intervals crosses the other;
the result being. that wedge-shaped projections are thus formed or left
upon the spindle, which projections. I find to be of the shape best suited
for enabling them for being used as dividing instruments for dividing or
ploughing the mass of gutta percha in the manner herein-after described:
I fix the spindle provided with its' wedge-shaped projection's inside a
suitable metal case, and support it on suitable bearings. I also cut or
form in or upon the internal surface of the metal case a double-threaded
female screw; the threads I make by preference square, and each thread
runs in a reverse way to and at intervals crosses the other thread. The
internal surface of the metal case is thereby provided with wedge-
shaped projections corresponding to those formed as above described
upon the spindle: The respective dimension's. should in this case be
such that the greatest diameter of the spindle taking into measure its
projections may be slightly less than the least diameter of the metal
case measuring its projections: It follows from the above description
that the spindle can be introduced inside the case, and its projections
when opposite parts of the projections of the case would nearly graze,
but in some cases spaces may be left to allow a free motion of the
material operated upon. The gutta percha or other analogous material

page_text: required to be cleansed may be introduced into the machine by means of
a suitable hopper, and the mass is forced by the action of the rotating
dividing instrument between the spindle and the inside of the case. The
machine when used for cleansing gutta percha or other similar materials
I work in or under water, or while the materials are submitted to the
action of streams or jets of water. The spindle is made, to rotate at
the required velocity by steam or other convenient power, and the
wedge-shaped projections open or plough furrows in the mass, which,
while being submitted to the action of water, allow all parts to be
thoroughly sluiced and cleansed, the projections being so shaped and
relatively placed that the mass after being properly opened and sluiced
is closed by the alternate action of the instruments, and squeezed and
retained under their operation until the whole mass is efficiently cleansed.
Proper apertures are made in the case, or by removing portions of the
case, so as to allow of the access and escape of the water, and I find
that I am able to use in my machines apertures of very large dimensions
compared with those used in the ordinary machines commonly termed
masticators.
In constructing another modification of my improved machinery
instead of cutting or forming by casting or otherwise the projections
above referred to in or upon and in one piece with the spindle or internal
surface of the case respectively, I sometimes form the projections by
cutting the double-threaded screw used as the dividing instrument in
several sections; these I fix on the spindle, and separate them by suitable
washers, so as to leave plain spaces between the projections so formed on
the dividing instrument, which will enable other projections formed on
or affixed to the inside of the case to approach the plain parts of the
spindle. The shape and position of the projections formed on or affixed
to the inside of the case must be arranged to suit the working of the
rotating dividing instrument. They may be wedge-shaped, or in some
cases flat or other shaped projections may be used.
Other modifications of the working parts and other methods of forming
or attaching the wedge-shaped projections to the spindle and case
may obviously be employed. It is also obvious that the machines
which I have described as being used with water for cleansing
purposes may be employed without water, and be applied for mixing
purposes, and for preparing gutta percha and other analogous materials

page_text: and their compounds with other substances for various manufacturing
purposes..
The metals that I have found most suitable for the wedge-shaped
projections are iron and zinc, and in some cases where it is important
that the surface of the metal forced into contact with the material to be
cleansed should be as clean and free from impurity as possible I use
iron coated with enamel.
My improved machines may be made to operate either wholly or
partly immersed in a tank of water or other suitable liquid, which may
be kept at a proper temperature by any suitable means.
Having now fully described my improvements in machinery, I would
have it understood that I do not claim as my Invention the working
parts separately; but what I do claim is, the combination and arrange-
ment of parts forming respectively the improved modifications con-
structed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Thomas Truman, have here.
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of July One thousand
at hundred and coventy
EDWIN THOS. TRUMAN. (L.S.)
Witness,
* J. C. MEWBURN,
Patent Agent,
172, Fleet Street, London.