IMPROVE- MENTS IN COVERINGS FOR FLOORS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COVERINGS FOR FLOORS."-A. communication from abroad by
James Hawthorne Spencer, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
of America.
Sealed the 14th May 1867, and dated the 16th November 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th November 1866.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of.
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, for.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COVERINGS FOR FLOORS," a communication to me from abroad
by James Hawthorne Spencer, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
of America," to be as follows:-
'This Invention relates to a novel and economical covering for floors as a
substitute for carpets, and consists in the application for that purpose of the
fabric known as "burlap," from which sacks are commonly made..
In manufacturing the improved floor covering the burlap is first well
brushed either by hand or machine brushes, so as to lay the fibres in one.
direction, after which the surface is sheared by an ordinary or other cloth
shearing machine. The sheared fabric is then to be pressed, flattened, and
rendered smooth by damping the same and passing- it between calendering

page_text: rolls, which have the important effect also of bringing the web of fabric to the
uniform width necessary before it can properly receive the patterns or orna-
mentation; this ornamentation may be effected in a variety of ways, such, for
example, as by stencelling, or by printing blocks, or by painting it by hand,
or, which will be found to answer best, by the aid of a machine somewhat
similar to those employed in printing continuous sheets of wall paper. If
desired a body color may be imparted to the fabric by dyeing the same as a
preparatory step; the brushing; shearing, pressing, and printing being sub-
sequent operations. In some cases the fabric may be submitted to the action
of steam after it has been printed with a view to fixing the colors. The fibres
of the burlap are of such an absorbent nature that the colors which are
printed or painted thereon will penetrate nearly or entirely through the fabric,
thus affording all the advantages of an ingrain pattern.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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
COVERINGS FOR FLOORS," & communication to me from abroad by James.
Hawthorne Spencer, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Unites States. of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I; the said John Henry Johnson, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal; 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

page_text: to be fled 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 Henry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following:
statement, that is to say :-
The said Invention relates to the production of a novel and economical
covering for floors as a substitute for carpets, and consists in the application
for that purpose of the fabric known as "burlap," from which sacks aro
commonly made.
The "burlap" is to be treated and printed or otherwise colored substantially
as described hereafter, so as to form an efficient and economical substitute for
and imitation of ordinary woolen carpets. After many elaborate experiments
it has been ascertained that the ordinary cheap "burlap" of which sacks are
commonly made, may, owing to its property of quickly absorbing and per-
manently retaining coloring matter, be converted by the treatment which will
now be described into a very cheap, durable, and neat imitation of and
substitute for the more costly woolen carpets. The common cheap "burlap"
is first brushed on one surface only, so as to lay the prominent fibres in one
direction. The first process may be accomplished by hand brushes, but it
will be readily understood that it may be completed more rapidly and
uniformly by a suitable system of revolving brushes. After this the brushed
surface bas to be sheared by an ordinary cloth shearing machine, which
removes the prominent fibres, thereby leaving the "burlap" with a surface of
the desired uniformity. Before this surface, however, is ready to receive the
colors it must be pressed and flattened and rendered smooth, this process being
accomplished by first damping the fabric and then pressing it between calen-
dering rolls, which perform the important additional duty of making the fabric of
the uniform width necessary before it can properly receive the patterns. The
colored pattern or patterns may be applied to the prepared surface of tho
"burlap" in a variety of ways, such, for instance, as by stenciling or by printing
blocks, or even by painting it with ordinary brushes, but it has been found
that a machine constructed in a manner somewhat similar to those employed
in printing continuous sheets of wall paper may be used to the best advantage
for printing the prepared "burlap." If desired a body color may be imparted
to the fabric by dying the same as a preparatory step, the brushing, shearing,
pressing, and printing being subsequent operations. After the colors and
patterns have been imparted to the fabric, and the latter has been thoroughly
dried, it will be ready for use as a substitute for carpets. In some cases it is

page_text: proposed to submit the fabric after it has been printed to the action of steam,
so as to more securely fix the coloring matter.
The fibres of "burlap "are of such a character as to quickly and thoroughly
absorb and retain the coloring matter which may be made to penetrate entirely
through the fabric, hence the importance of the Invention, which is a floor,
covering having not merely a printed surface, but having patterns, the colors
of which have penetrated into or entirely through the fabric, so that on the
latter being worn the pattern will remain as prominent as when first printed.
As regards durability it has been found by careful experiments that the
improved floor covering will last quite as long as ordinary carpets, while the
cost of the latter is more. than. twice as much as that of the former.
. Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I.consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein..
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the treating and printing or otherwise coloring the fabric known as
"burlap," from which sacks are commonly made, substantially in the manner
and for the purpose herein-before.described.
Second, the application and use as a covering for floors of the fabric known
as "burlap," from which sacks are commonly made when treated and printed
or otherwise colored, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-seven.
I HENDY JOHNSON