IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC MATERIALS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES, GAITERS, BANDS, GLOVES, LEGGINGS, STOCKINGS, SHEETS FROM ONE INCH TO SIXTY INCHES WIDE, AND FOR OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthias Edward Bowra, of Upper Norwood, in the
County of Surrey, and Albert Hugo Adolph Zeden, of No. 11, Queen Victoria
Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC MATERIALS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES, GAITERS,
BANDS, GLOVES, LEGGINGS, STOCKINGS, SHEETS FROM ONE INCH TO SIXTY
INCHES WIDE, AND FOR OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."
Sealed the 21st December 1876, and dated the 26th September 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthias Edward Bowra and
Albert Hugo Adolph Zeden at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 26th September 1876.
MATTHIAS EDWARD BOWRA, of Upper Norwood, in the County of Surrey, and
ALBERT HUGO ADOLPH ZEDEN, of No. 11, Queen Victoria Street, in the City of
London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC MATERIALS FOR
BOOTS AND SHOES, GAITERS, BANDS, GLOVES, LEGGINGS, STOCKINGS, SHEETS FROM
ONE INCH TO SIXTY INCHES WIDE, AND FOR OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."
First. We prepare nett webbing or other make of cloth, either of silk, cotton,
wool, or suitable material with a preparation of india-rubber and other elastic gums
in a soluble state to give to such fabric an adhesive property that they can be placed
or joined to sheets or strips of india-rubber, vulcanized or otherwise as may be
required to impart the necessary substance and strength.
Second. We unite the silk, woolen, or other cloth so prepared by heat or other-
wise with sheets or strips of india-rubber prepared with tapes or strips of cotton
or other suitable fabrics to give additional strength and solidity where stitching,
fastening, or sewing may be required.
Third. We obtain additional elasticity by stretching the sheets of india-rubber
before joining such sheets of india-rubber to the silk, wool, or other fabrics.
Fourth. We ventilate the elastic materials by means of perforation in letters,
words, designs, monograms, and names.
The materials above described and manufactured by us, as will readily be per-
ceived, is also applicable to the manufacture of all kinds of elastic bands and other
similar articles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Matthias Edward Bowra and Albert Hugo Adolph Zeden in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th March 1877.
MATTHIAS EDWARD BOWRA, of Upper Norwood, in the County of Surrey, and
ALBERT HUGO ADOLPH ZEDEN, of No. 11, Queen Victoria Street, in the City of
London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC MATERIALS FOR
BOOTS AND SHOES, GAITERS, BANDS, GLOVES, LEGGINGS, STOCKINGS, SHEETS FROM
ONE INCH TO SIXTY INCHES WIDE, AND FOR OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."
The chief object of this Invention is to produce a fabric of great elasticity which
will admit of being attached by sewing or otherwise to other fabrics without the
liability of its breaking away us is the case with the elastic webbing at present
employed to give elasticity to boots, shoes, stays, waiscoat backs, and parts of other
garinents.
Our Invention consists mainly in providing a selvage for elastic pieces intended
to be used as side springs to boots and for equivalent purposes.
The manufacture which we propose to improve is that in which a loose fabric
such as is produced in the warp lace machine or a woven fabric cut on the bias is
united with a sheet of elastic india-rubber compound.
In manufacturing according to our Invention, we take a loose woven or knitted
fabric, by preference that produced in the warp lace machine, whether composed of
silk, cotton, or other fibrous material, and stretch it until it is reduced in width
to about one-third (more or less) of its original measurement. The fabric thus
elongated we coat while still at tension with an india-rubber solution for the
purpose of fixing the fabric in its elongated form and of enabling an elastic sheet
of india-rubber compound to be attached thereto. Suppose, for example, it is
desired to make side springs for boots, we cut from a sheet of india-rubber com-
pound (properly vulcanized) a strip of some four or five inches in width, and,
according to one plan of working we apply thereto lengths of tape which are laid
across the strip at suitable distances apart dividing it up into tapering wedge-shaped
pieces as indicated in the accompanying Drawing at Fig. 1, where a, a, are the
wedge-shaped pieces with tapes b, b, at their sides. These tapes we secure in place
by india-rubber cement. By thus arranging the tapes on the india-rubber strip,
the tapes will, when the manufacture of the compound fabric is complete and the
same is cut up into pieces suitable for side springs (as hereafter explained), form
selvages to the side springs or elastic pieces. When the tapes are in place we turn
over the longitudinal edges of the strip and secure them by cement so as to form
a double thickness of elastic material at such parts as shewn in the edge view,
Fig. 2, and we may in some cases with advantage insert a cord of india-rubber in
such laps, as shewn at c, Fig. 2, in order to increase the elasticity of the fabric at
that part. The strip of sheet rubber thus prepared we subject to tension longi-
tudinally in a suitable frame, and thereby increase its length by, say, one-fifth..
While thus extended, we apply to that surface of the rubber to which the tapes
are attached the strained fabric before mentioned, which is still at tension in such
manner that the warp threads will be lengthwise of the india-rubber strip.
To secure the firm attachment of the sheet rubber and knitted fabric we moisten
the contact surfaces with an india-rubber solvent or solution, and by the application
of gentle pressure we ensure the union of the fabrics.
When the cement has set we release the compound fabric from tension and allow
it to contract lengthwise. We then place it on a metal plate heated to about one
hundred and thirty degrees in order still further to contract it and restore the
knitted fubric to its original form.
By uniting the knitted fabric to the sheet india-rubber while the latter is
stretched as above explained, we obtain an additional amount of elasticity in the
compound fabric, and thus render it specially useful where a great yielding capacity
is occasionally required.

page_text: The fabric, having been shrunk as above explained, we next cut it up into pieces,
severing it at the lines d, d, between the parallel tapes, and we thus obtain side
springs for boots possessing great elasticity and strength, with little tendency to
wear, and with a selvage that will admit of stitches being used to secure the springs
in place in the boot without the liability of the springs tearing away from the
stitches. Fig. 3 shews one of these side springs detached.
By reference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the opposite edges of the strip form for
the side springs alternately a top and a bottom edge; this is the consequence of the
arrangement adopted for economizing the material. There is, however, no necessity
for the elastic bottom edge; on the contrary, an increased thickness of the material
at that part would be detrimental to the appearance of the finished boot. The
bottom edge should therefore be cut away before the springs are used, as shewn at
Fig. 3.
In describing our process of manufacture we have mentioned the use of tapes
for strengthening the side edges of the elastic pieces, but it will be obvious that
other materials may be used that will admit of the passage through them of the
sewing needle. For example, strips of cloth or of leather or even thin sheet metal
might be employed, the object being to prevent the springs from giving way at the
lines of stitching.
We may remark that the foregoing description with respect to the production of
selvages will apply, whatever may be the elastic article manufactured according to
our Invention, that is to say, tapes or strengthening strips will be applied on or
between the sheet rubber and the woven or knitted fabric. These when employed
in the manufacture of elastic sheets may be used of sufficient width to receive
metal eyelets of a capacity that will allow of a lacing cord being passed through
them.
The side springs for boots and also the springs for corsets we propose to ventilate
by perforating the same in the following manner:-Supposing it to be desired to
produce in the fabric a pattern or device by perforations, we prepare a plate with
steel pins projecting therefrom, the same being so arranged as to correspond to the
pattern or device intended to be reproduced in the clastic fabric. This plate we
heat by a gas flame or other convenient means so as to raise the pins to a heat
that will serve to dissolve the india-rubber when brought into contact therewith,
and while in this heated state we press the side springs one by one on to pins, and
withdraw them instantly therefrom. By submitting the compound fabric to this
treatment, the pins will not only pierce the fabric but burn their way through it
The holes thus formed will have no tendency to close and will therefore provide for
efficient ventilation through the fabric.
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention and the manner of carrying it
into effect, we wish it to be understood that we claim,-
First. In the manufacture of compound elastic fabrics, composed of knitted or
woven fabric and sheet india-rubber or its compounds, the insertion therein of tapes
or strips of equivalent material to form selvage when the fabric is cut up, as and
for the purpose above explained.
Secondly. In the manufacture of compound elastic fabrics applying the attenuated
knitted or woven fabric to the sheet india-rubber while the latter held at tension
as above described for the purpose of increasing the elasticity of the fabric.
Thirdly. Submitting the compound elastic fabric to the action of pins raised to
such a temperature that when brought into contact with the india-rubber they
will pierce permanent holes therein as and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthias Edward Bowra, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
T