IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KAMPTULICAN
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Richard Jeune, of Flower Terrace, Campbell
Road, Bow, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
ma
15
MON MANTRA O KAMPTILLICAN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Richard Jeune
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd June 1861.
I, WILLIAM RICHARD JEUNE, of Flower Terrace, Campbell Road, Bow,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KAMPTULICAN," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of kamp-
tulican. For this purpose the india-rubber to be employed in the manufacture
is cleaned and rolled out roughly into a sheet, as is usual; this sheet is soaked
in a liquid which will soften and swell the india-rubber, and the soaking is
continued until the sheet is so soft that, if nipped between the thumb and finger,
these may readily be made to meet through the sheet. The india-rubber still
retaining its original form is removed from the liquid, and cork dust is rolled
or worked into it, as heretofore practised where india-rubber not previously
softened in the manner above described has been employed. When the cork
dust is well incorporated the compound is rolled out into a sheet between two

page_text: fabrics; one of these fabrics is coarse and open, and remains permanently
attached to the back of the sheet of kamptulicon; it serves to support the
sheet of soft compound until the softening liquid is evaporated out of it, and
in the finished article it prevents the sheet spreading and bulging at the points
where it is most exposed to pressure and wear when in use. The other fabric,
or that on which the face of the sheet is rolled, is a close fabric of finer texture,
and is stripped from the sheet directly it leaves the rollers, the surface of the
fabric being prepared so as to make it leave the compound readily; the sheet
of compound is then placed in a drying chamber, where it remains until the
softening liquid is evaporated. In some cases I roll out the sheet between
two back fabrics, and allow both of them to remain on; then, after stoving
the sheet, when it is hard, I split it into two sheets with a sharp knife worked
by machinery. The india-rubber, when exposed to the softening liquid, need
not necessarily be in the form of a sheet so long as it is reduced sufficiently
thin, but it is important that the india-rubber should not be dissolved, but
retain its original form when removed from the liquid.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Richard Jeune in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
RICHARD JEUNE, of Flower Terrace, Campbell Road, Bow, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Ierself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Richard Jeune, Her special licence that I, the said
William Richard Jeune, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Richard Jeune, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KAMPTULICAN," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Richard Jeune, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,

page_text: or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Oflice within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Richard Jeune, 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:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
kamptulican. For this purpose the india-rubber to be employed in the
manufacture is cleaned and rolled out roughly into a sheet, as is usual; this
sheet is soaked in a liquid, which will soften and swell the india-rubber, and
the soaking is continued until the sheet is so soft that if,.nipped between the
thumb and finger, these may readily be made to meet through the sheet.
The india-rubber still retaining its original form is removed from tho liquid,
and cork dust is rolled or worked into it, as heretofore practised where india-
rubber not previously softened in the manner above described has been
employed. When the cork dust is well incorporated the conipound is rolled
out into a sheet between two fabrics; one of these fabrics is coarse and open,
and remains permanently attached to the back of the sheet of kamptulican; it
serves to support the sheet of soft compound until the softening liquid is
evaporated out of it, and in the finished article it prevents the sheet spreading
and bulging at the points, where it is most exposed to pressure and wear when
in use.
The other fabric, or that on which the face of the sheet is rolled, is a
close fabric of finer texture, and is stripped from the sheet directly it leaves
the rollers, the surface of the fabric being prepared so as to make it leave the
compound readily; the sheet of compound is then placed in a drying chamber,
where it remains until the softening liquid is evaporated. In some cases
I roll out the sheet between two back fabrics, and allow both of them to
remain on; then, after stoving the sheet, when it is hard I split it into two
sheets, with a sharp knife worked by machinery. The india-rubber, when
exposed to the softening liquid, need not necessarily be in the form of a sheet,
so long as it is reduced sufficiently thin, but it is important that the india-
rubber should not be dissolved, but retain its original form when removed from
the liquid.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more fully to
describe the manner of performing the same.
I place at the rate of about 200 lbs. of coal naptha in a suitable vessel, and

page_text: introduce about 100 lbs. of india-rubber in thin rolled sheets into the solvent,
and I allow the same to stand about 12 hours, when the naptha will be taken
up or absorbed by the india-rubber. I would remark that other solvents
may be used in place of coal naptha.
The above compound or mixture I prefer to be then placed in a powerful
pugmill or suitable masticator, and worked for about two hours. This is done
to equalize the consistency of the mixture before combining cork dust there-
with, after which it is ready for use.
The amount or quantity of ground cork to be incorporated or mixed with
1 lb. of india-rubber for floor covering kamptulican is 3 lbs., but the pro-
portions may be varied; I then take 15 lbs. of the prepared mixture, and place
it between a pair of horizontal quick running iron or hard wood rolls, preferring
them to be about 3 feet long and 18 inches diameter. The rolls are set to
about inch open. Immediately the rolls revolve the mixture adheres to
both, covering them all round; I then take about 15 lbs. ground cork, and
supply it to the mixture on the rolls as quickly as possible; in about ten
minutes the cork will be taken up by the mixture; I then remove the pro-
duct, and place it in an air-tight box, to prevent the naptha or solvent used
from evaporating till the whole of the 300 lbs. of compound or mixture is used
or mixed, which, with the rolls above mentioned, will be in about three and a
half hours. I then prefer to use a machine with a large pair of rolls 6 feet
6 inches long, and 2 feet diameter, but these dimensions may be varied, and I
employ a sheet of strong calico, and deliver it from a friction drum (upon
which it is wound) to the bottom roll, take another sheet of the same dimen-
sions, and deliver the same to the top roll; the width of the calico may vary
according to the width of the kamptulican required. The rolls are to be set so
that the distance the two sheets of calico in the bite of the rolls are apart will
represent the thickness the kamptulican is to be when finished, allowing for
compression after evaporation; I prefer that the length of the sheets of calico
should not be less than 50 yards. I now set the rolls in motion, and feed or
supply them with the combined india-rubber and cork compound; an even layer
or strata of the compound will be formed between the two sheets of calico,
and the same will adhere tightly. The sheet thus formed adhering to the
calico is next taken to a hot-air stove, and unwound from the mandril on
which it was rolled as it came from the rolls. The sheet is then suspended in
the stove, and the doors are closed, an inch jet of steam is admitted into the
stove, the fire heat being kept up as well. The heat is raised to about 200
degrees of Fahrenheit, and kept under steam for two hours, there being a
suitable escape from the stove. The steam is shut off, and the fire heat continued

page_text: alone for about two hours longer, or until the heat has thoroughly evaporated the
solvent. The steam removes the unpleasant scent, and the fire heat removes.
all the damp which condenses from the steam. The sheets are now ready to
be finished; they are taken down, and again passed through between the rolls,
the calico still adhering, the rolls being screwed down so as to nip the sheet
tightly. The two sheets of calico are stripped off the sheet of india-rubber and
cork compound, either after passing the whole length through between the
rolls, or it may be done as the sheet is passing from the rolls. The sheet of
kamptulican is, after removing the calico again, passed through between the
rolls so as to perfectly solidify it. The edges of the sheet are next trimmed,
and the kamptulican is ready for sale.
When it is desired that the kamptulican should have a strong coarse woven
back, the process is the same as above described, but only one of the woven
fabrics is removed, which is of closer texture, and suitable for being stripped
off the surface of the compound of india-rubber and cork; or two coarse
woven fabrics may be employed, and the product obtained, split by a splitting
machine into two sheets of kamptulican, each having a strong woven
back.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Richard Jeune, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
W. R. JEUNE. (L.S.)