IMPROVEMENTS IN TREAT- ING INDIA-RUBBER AND INDIA-RUBBER COMPOUNDS, AND ALSO INDIA-RUBBER FABRICS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Bourne, of Headstone Drive, Harrow, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREAT-
ING INDIA-RUBBER AND INDIA-RUBBER COMPOUNDS, AND ALSO INDIA-RUBBER
FABRICS"
Sealed the 26th October 1866, and dated the 3rd May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Bourne at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8rd May 1866.
I, STEPHEN BOURNE, of Headstone Drive, Harrow, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TREATING INDIA-RUBBER AND INDIA-RUBBER COMPOUNDS, AND ALSO INDIA-
RUBBER FABRICS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in treating india-rubber
and india-rubber compounds, and also india-rubber fabrics, for the purpose
of destroying the noxious smell and power of imparting flavor which india-
rubber possess; it is placed in contact with charcoal, animal charcoal being

page_text: used by preference; the charcoal is reduced to the state of powder and is
spread over the india-rubber or india-rubber compounds, or india-rubber
fabrics, and several layers are placed in a suitable chamber or vessel, and a
moderate heat applied for a greater or less period, according to the thickness
or character of the india-rubber, after which the charcoal is removed by
blowing or shaking, and by washing with water or with water in which alkali
has been dissolved. The vessel or chamber containing the india-rubber or
india-rubber goods, and charcoal, is placed within another vessel or chamber
and surrounded with hot or boiling water so as to regulate the temperature.
If the articles containing india rubber be very stout it may be found.
necessary once or oftener to relay the charcoal so as to bring different parts
in contact with each other. India-rubber, or india-rubber compounds, or
india-rubber fabrics may be thus treated when in any of the usual forms
before or when made up into garments or other articles or in any required
form, and whether vulcanized or not.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Stephen Bourne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, STEPHEN
BOURNE, of Headstone Drive, Harrow, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Stephen Bourne, Her special licence that I, the said Stephen Bourne, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Stephen
Bourne, 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 TREATING INDIA-
RUBBER AND INDIA-RUBBER COMPOUNDS, AND ALSO INDIA-RUBBER FABRICS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Stephen Bourne, my executors

page_text: or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, 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 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Stephen Bourne, 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 treating india-rubber and
india-rubber compounds, and also india-rubber fabrics. In order to remove
the offensive odour usually attaching to india-rubber and india-rubber com-
pounds and fabrics, and to deprive the same of their power to impart flavour
to liquids or substances which they may touch, I bring the articles in contact
with charcoal, by preference animal charcoal, and then apply a moderate heat.
It is convenient to employ a closet of iron with double sides and top and
bottom and with a door in front. The closet is made to receive shelves one
above the other at a few inches apart. Hot water, air, or steam is supplied
to the spaces between the double sides, top, and bottom, and is caused to
circulate therein. I prefer to employ hot water, as by its use a regular heat
is readily maintained. The temperature within the closet is ascertained by a
thermometer inserted through a small opening-formed for the purpose in the
side of the closet. The method of applying the animal charcoal will vary
according to the nature of the article to be treated; for articles of the rougher
class they are simply packed in the charcoal so that every part of the article
may be in contact and placed therewith in the hot closet, and the heat is then
applied. This method however, although very efficient for removing the odour
and flavour from the article, is liable to leave it soiled with the smaller
particles of the charcoal, and sometimes slightly indented by the larger
granules. This is the case more especially if the article is of soft unvulcanized
or partially vulcanized india-rubber. Practically this process is that which I
adopt for most solid articles which will bear washing if necessary to remove
any charcoal dust which may adhere. The liability to, soil the article is much
diminished by separating the dust from the animal charcoal before using it by
sifting it in a fine sieve. Many india-rubber fabrics (either made up or
otherwise) may be treated by being spread out on a shelf in the hot closet, and
the charcoal laid both over and under them. Any slight indentations the

page_text: granules of charcoal produce may be obliterated by afterwards ironing the
fabric on the back with a warm iron. Fabrics which will not stick together
may be laid face to face and the layers of charcoal applied to the backs.
Other fabrics are conveniently treated by laying them face downwards on a
polished metal plate and spreading a layer of charcoal on the back; or they
may be stretched on a frame and the charcoal similarly applied. Many
articles also liable to be soiled by the charcoal may be advantageously treated
by spreading over them a very thin open cloth and depositing the layer of
charcoal thereon; or fabrics or articles which are in a continuous sheet may
be caused to pass slowly through the heated chamber and the charcoal spread
upon them either on the back or on the face as they enter the chamber and
removed from them as they leave it. A competent workman will readily be
able to judge which of the several methods of treatment above set forth is
best adapted to any article he may require to treat. The heat which I
employ depends upon the nature of the article; for unvulcanized articles a
temperature of 120° to 150° Fahrenheit may be safely employed and con-
tinued for three or four hours; this will generally be sufficient to remove
the odour of the india-rubber and any solvent which may have been employed
with it, but if not in consequence of the article being very stout, or from any
other cause, the operation may be repeated, the charcoal being relaid. With
partially vulcanized articles a temperature of 180° Fahrenheit may be used;
and to fully vulcanized articles a temperature equal to that of boiling water
or even higher may be applied and continued for six hours or more, and this
will be necessary when the article is stout. At the end of the operation the
articles are at once removed and the charcoal shaken off or otherwise re-
moved. The same animal charcoal may be employed several times, say six
or more, but it gradually becomes less and less efficient, and it should then
be restored by re-heating or re-burning. For rough articles in which a slight
adhesion of charcoal is unimportant a very convenient way of applying my
Invention is to surround the article with animal charcoal whilst it is sub-
mitted to the heat required for vulcanization or curing, or by taking
precautions similar to those above set forth the process of simultaneous
vulcanization and deodorization may be rendered more generally applicable.
All the directions above given apply also to wood or vegetable charcoal,
but when this material is used the result is less perfectly attained, and 'a
much longer exposure is required.
What I claim is the removing the odour and flavour from india-rubber
and india-rubber compounds, and also india-rubber fabrics, by heating them

page_text: in the presence of charcoal, by preference animal charcoal, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stephen Bourne, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
STE. BOURNE. (Ls.)