IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LINE, CORD, ROPES, CABLES, AND OAKUM
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Tredgold Lawson, of Leeds, in the County of
York, Engineer and Machine Maker, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LINE, CORD, ROPES, CABLES, AND OAKUM."
A communication from abroad by John Coulson, of St. Petersburg, in the
Empire of Russia.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Tredgold Lawson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th April 1881.
ARTHUR TREDGOLD LAWSON, of Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer and
Machine Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LINE, CORD, ROPES,
CABLES, AND OAKUM." [A communication from abroad by John Coulson, of
St. Petersburg, in the Empire of Russia.]
This Invention relates, firstly, to the production of line, cord, ropes, and cables
from yarn, whether made upon hemp, jute, manilla, flax, or other such materials,
so prepared that it will insure elasticity in the manufactured article, and render
the same supple under all variations of climatic influence.
It is well known that tarred cordage possesses no appreciable amount of
elasticity, and that when exposed to cold and frost it becomes stiff and hard, and
is then difficult to use. To provide against these defects the yarn from which the
rope is to be made is conducted through a bath composed of equal parts of fir tar
and naptha or their equivalents, and heated to a temperature of about 100°
centigrade.
The yarn as it is drawn out of the bath is passed between rollers to express the
surplus liquid which it has taken up. A special advantage of thus treating
machine spun yarn is that its evenness is preserved, and that when manufactured
into rope or cordage it does not wear rough while in use.
The Invention relates, secondly, to the manufacture of oakum used for caulking
ships, and consists in treating the sliver as it leaves the carding engine in the
manner explained with respect to the yarn. On leaving this bath the sliver is
coiled up into a ball or lump. When thus manufactured the oakum will not only
be protected from decomposition, but will possess a soft and spongy character, even
during frosty weather, and will not cake or become sticky to the touch.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Arthur Tredgold Lawson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th October 1881.
"
ARTHUR TREDGOLD LAWSON, of Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer and
Machine Maker. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LINE, CORD, ROPES,
CABLES, AND OAKUM." A communication from abroad by John Coulson, of
St. Petersburg, in the Empire of Russia.
This Invention relates, firstly, to the production of line, cord, ropes, and cables
from yarn, whether made from hemp, jute, manilla, flax, or other such materials,
so prepared that it will ensure elasticity in the manfactured article, and render the
same supple under all variations of climatic influence; also to the treatment of
cordage, twine, and line for fishing nets and other uses by applying to them in the
form of a dressing the mixture of tar and naphtha hereinafter described.
With regard especially to tarred cordage it is well known that such cordage does
not possess any appreciable amount of elasticity, and that when exposed to cold
and frost it becomes stiff, hard, and brittle, and is then difficult to use. To
provide against these defects the yarn from which the rope is to be made is
according to the present Invention conducted through a bath composed of equal
parts of fir tar and naphtha or their equivalents, and heated to a temperature of
about one hundred degrees centigrade. The yarn as it is drawn out of the bath
is passed between rollers or nippers to express the surplus liquid which it has
taken up.
A special advantage of thus treating machine spun yarn is that its evenness is
preserved, and that when manufactured into rope or cordage it does not wear rough
while in use.
It should be remarked that cord or rope produced from yarn thus prepared will
when being drawn to tension "give" similar to "white rope," whereas the yarns of
an ordinary tarred rope do not "give" to a tensile strain.
The application of the mixture by a brush to cord, ropes, and cables, or by
steeping in a bath, will render such materials pliant, not liable to rot, and very
durable; fishing nets and lines treated in a similar manner will also acquire greater
durability and pliancy in frost.
The Invention relates, secondly, to the manufacture of oakum used for calking
ships, and consists in treating the sliver after it leaves the carding engine in the
manner explained with respect to the yarn. On leaving the heated bath of fir tar
and naphtha the sliver is passed between squeezing rollers or nippers to express
therefrom the surplus liquid taken up, and is then coiled up into a ball or lump or
compressed into any desired shape or form. When thus manufactured the oakum
will be protected from all tendency to rot, and will possess a soft and spongy
character, even during frosty weather; moreover it will not cake or become sticky
to the touch, qualities which are highly desirable in oakum.
Having now explained the nature of the said Invention of "Improvements in
the Manufacture of Line, Cord, Ropes, Cables, and Oakum," as communicated to
me from abroad by my foreign correspondent, and explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, wish it to be understood that I claim,―
First. The treatment of yarns preparatory to their conversion into line, cords,
ropes, or cables by steeping them in a solution of fir tar and naphtha or their
equivalents, also the like treatment of the manufactured products.

page_text: Secondly. The saturation of hemp, jute, and other fibres used in the manufacture
of oakum in a bath of fir tar and naphtha or their equivalents, as and for the
purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Tredgold Lawson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
ARTHUR T. LAWSON. (L.S.)