IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATTING OR SIMILAR MATERIAL FOR COVERING FLOORS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine Lake
& Co, Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATTING OR SIMILAR MATERIAL
FOR COVERING FLOORS communicated to him from abroad by John Bray,
of Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America, Merchant.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th Juno 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & C° Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings London "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
MATTING OR SIMILAR MATERIAL FOR COVERING FLOORS" [a communication to him
from abroad by John Bray, of Washington, District of Columbia, United States
of America, Merchant.]
This invention is designed to produce a useful, efficient, durable and inexpensive
matting or carpet, for covering floors, which matting or carpet is composed of a
fabric woven or knit from strands or threads of paper, in such manner that when
laid upon a floor it will serve all the purposes of ordinary straw matting or textile
carpets, and can be cleaned by washing when necessary or desirable.
In carrying the said invention into effect, I use any kind of strong paper and
cut or form it into strips of suitable size and then twist or spin the strips into
strands or threads.
"
If a fine texture is desired the strips are made smaller than when a coarse
texture is preferred; but in either case the twisted or spun strands or threads are
woven or knit into a fabric by any of the well known methods practised in weaving
or knitting textile material. Before or after the paper strands or threads are
woven or knit into the matting or carpet, the paper may be rendered water-proof
by saturation or impregnation with any known water-proofing material; or it may
bo otherwise chemically treated, in order to strengthen it and permit the use of

page_text: water or other cleaning fluid, in washing the floor covering when it is desired to
clean the same and free it from dirt or stains. It may also be treated with carbolic
acid or other material to prevent the ravages of insects. While I prefer to water-
proof the paper, I do not desire to confine myself thereto, as in practice I find that
if the strips of paper are properly and tightly twisted or spun into strands or
threads and closely woven or knit, the fabric can be subjected to a moderate
amount of washing without liability to injure the same.
The strips, threads or strands of paper may be formed very narrow and spun or
twisted with strands of yarn; or the twisted paper strands may be woven or knit
with some suitable animal or vegetable matter, the strips of twisted paper forming
either the warp or the woof and the animal or vegetable matter forming either
the warp or the woof as desired. For instance, if the warp is of paper the woof
should be of animal or vegetable fibre, and if the warp is of animal or vegetable
fibre then the woof should be of paper.
I also use-paper strands or threads formed from differently colored paper and
produce a variety of designs in the fabric during the process of weaving or knitting,
as well as the various designs that are made in ordinary tapestry; and I also weave
or knit the fabric into any determined dimensions to be fitted to the floor of any
apartment so that the floor-covering will be in a single piece.
I prefer to use paper which is made from what is known as the "palmotto " leaf,
as this paper is strong and durable, but it is obvious that paper produced from any
other substance can be used.
By the said invention I produce a matting or carpet for covering the floor of
apartments, which matting or carpet is strong, durable, and much cheaper to make
than the ordinary matting now imported in such vast quantities, and the weaving
-qualities of which are such that it is seldom used more than one season.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th December 1883.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
MATTING OR SIMILAR MATERIAL FOR COVERING FLOORS A communication to me
from abroad by John Bray of Washington, District of Columbia, United States
of America, Merchant
This invention relates to the manufacture of matting, carpet, or similar material
for covering floors, and has for its object to produce a useful, efficient, durable and
inexpensive matting or carpet, which is composed of a fabric woven or knit from
strands or threads of paper, in such manner that, when laid upon a floor, it will
serve all the purposes of ordinary straw matting or textile carpets, and can be
cleaned by washing when necessary or desirable.
In carrying the said invention into practice I use any kind of strong paper, and
cut or form it into strips of suitable size, and then twist or spin the strips into
strands or threads.
If a fine texture is desired, the strips are made smaller than for a coarse texture;
but in either case the twisted or spun strands or threads are woven or knit into a
fabric by any of the well known methods practised in weaving or knitting textile
material.
Before, or after, the paper strands or threads are woven or knitted into the
matting or carpet, the paper may be rendered water-proof by saturation or
impregnation with any known water-proofing material; or it may be otherwise
chemically treated in order to strengthen it and permit the use of water or other
cleaning fluid in washing the floor covering when it is desired to clean the same
and free it from dirt or stains. It may also be treated with carbolic acid or other
material to prevent the ravages of insects.
While I prefer to render tho paper water-proof, I do not desire to confine myself
thereto, as in practice I find that, if the strips of paper are properly and tightly
twisted or spun into strands or threads and closely woven or knit, the fabric
can be subjected to a moderate amount of washing without liability to injure the
same.
The strips, threads, or strands of paper may be formed very narrow,
and spun
or twisted with strands of yarn; or the twisted paper strands may be woven or
knit with some suitable animal or vegetable matter, the strips of twisted paper
forming either the warp or the woof and the animal or vegetable matter forming
either the woof or the warp as desired. For instance if the warp is of paper the
woof should be of animal or vegetable fibre, and if the warp is of animal or
vegetable fibre then the woof should be of paper.
I also use paper strands or threads formed from differently colored paper, and
produce a variety of designs in the fabric during the process of weaving or knitting,
as well as the various designs that are made in ordinary tapestry; and I also weave
or knit the fabric into any determined dimensions to be fitted to the floor of any
apartment so that the floor-covering will be in a single piece.
I prefer to use paper which is made from what is known as the "Palmetto "
leaf, as this paper is strong and durable, but it is obvious that paper produced
from any other substance can be used.
By the said invention I produce a matting or carpet for covering the floor of
apartments, which matting or carpet is strong, durable, and much cheaper to make

page_text: than the ordinary matting now imported in such vast quantities, and the weaving
qualities of which are such that it is seldom used more than one season.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood I am aware that a coarse, open meshed fabric for roofing purposes has been
made of paper strands, the meshes being open to receive and retain an outer
covering or layer of cement; and I do not claim such as the invention, but I
clain-
First. A matting of carpet for covering floors, composed of a woven or knitted
fabric made from strands or threads of paper, substantially as, and for the purposes,
described.
Second. A matting or carpet for covering floors, composed of a woven or knitted
fabric in which the warp or the woof is made of twisted strands of paper, and
the woof or the warp of animal or vegetable fibre, substantially as set forth.
Third. A woven, knitted, or plaited fabric, wholly or in part made from paper
strands or threads, for matting-and-analogous uses, as set forth.
In witness whereof 1 the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Fifteenth day of December in the year of our Lord One
-thousand eight hundred and eighty three
-
UM PORT LAKE Gol