Improved Machine for the Production of Continuous Linoleum with Inlaid Coloured Stripes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd July, 1896-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machine for the Production of Continuous Linoleum with
Inlaid Coloured Stripes.
A communication by ERSTE DEUTSCHE PATENT LINOLEUM-FABRIK, of
W. Werderscher Markt 7, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturers.
1, GEORGE CECIL DYMOND, M.I.M.E. of the Firm of W. P. Thompson & Co.
of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County
of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham in the County of Warwick and
322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The present invention relates to an arrangement for producing, by the aid of a
calendering machine in a single course of working, continuous linoleum with inlaid
colored stripes intimately connected along their edges, to the main body of the
material, and to the linoleum foundation.
The arrangement is characterised essentially by the peculiar arrangement and
formation of the plates, by which the variously colored materials to be rolled
upon the linoleum cloth are separated from one another. These plates are so
fixed in the space circumscribed by the linoleum cloth on the one hand and the
calender roller (drawing in the linoleum material) on the other, that they reach
quite close up to the calender roller, but leave however a free space between their
under edge and the linoleum cloth, which reaches at the inner end of the plates
the full distance of both rollers.
In the case represented, an arrangement is adopted by which linoleum is produced
of double width, so that by a subsequent division in the centre, two widths are
produced, each with a right and left hand colored stripe,
Figure 1 is a front view of the calendering machine with the new arrangement;
Figure 2 is a side view; and
Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 2.
Both calender rollers A and B are arranged in the usual manner over one another.
The linoleum cloth (jute fabric) a is guided over a table b, Figure 2, and between
both rollers. The cloth thereby comes only into immediate contact with the lower
calender roller.
Above the linoleum cloth a, plates care arranged in an upright position, by
which plates the differently colored linoleum materials intended for manufacture
are separated from one another. These plates are carried by two spindles & and d¹
and can be fixed, by the aid of female screw's e e arranged upon the spindles at
both sides of each plate, as required, that is to say, according to the desired position
and breadth required for the strips or stripes. The spindles themselves are so
mounted that the plates care attached with their inner edges close on to the upper
calender roller A thereby rendering it feasible to reach with their innermost leaf-like
thin projecting ends as far as the under edge of the top roller-so as to be directed
tangentially or nearly so to the roller and moreover at the outer end stand
sufficiently away from the jute a (Figure 7) to permit of the jute gliding right
through under the plates without hindrance.
The thin end c' of the plates is preferably pointed along the centre as shown in
Figure 3.
The mode of action of the arrangement above described is as follows:-
The linaloun
of the

page_text: calendering machine, drawn in between the cloth and upper calender roller, but
simultaneously owing to the gradually reduced passage, a certain accumulation
takes place which results in the differently colored linoleum materials situated in
two neighbouring compartments being pressed into the vacant space under each
plate c.
Now the differently colored linoleum materials as a rule, in consequence of the
addition of the different color, have a different degree of ductility (plasticity) and
internal coherence (consistency). Where such a difference is not present, it can be
easily brought about artificially, either by a corresponding drying of the one mass,
or by an addition (acting as a thickening or thinning) to the one or other mass.
Now the less plastic material, naturally (owing to its greater consistency) is drawn
in between the cloth and the roller A in a more energetic manner than the less
consistent, more plastic (thioner) material, and this drawing-in action also extends
to a greater distance from the rollers in the case of the material of greater consistency
than in that of the thinner (more plastic) material, so that the less plastic (thicker)
material has consequently a corresponding greater accumulation and seeks to escape
sooner and with stronger pressure towards the exterior than the more plastic (thinner)
mass contained in the neighbouring compartments. The more consistent mass is
therefore pressed in sooner and with more force into the pores of the jute fabric a
and also passes sooner and with more force laterally into the vacant space under
each plate c, which has the effect of producing under plate c a small edge consisting
of the thicker and less plastic material. The nearer on to the rollers, the stronger
is the back pressure pressing the mass to the side, and so it comes to pass
that this edge (formed at first with a lesser and then with an ever increasing
pressure, corresponding to the growing pressure of the linoleum mass pressing the
latter in ever stronger mass under the plates) takes a wedge-shaped form. As
soon as a similar edge begins to form out of the plastic (thinner) material in
consequence of adequate accumulation this mass encounters the edge already formed
out of the more solid and more consistent mass adhering faster to the jute fabric a
and is thereby forced to move over this edge and to take an inverted wedge-shaped
form, to which it will adapt itself without difficulty in consequence of its greater
plasticity. In this way a wedge-shaped overlapping connection forms along the
edges and as a suitable pressure is exerted on this overlapping connection on its
passage through the calendering machine, an extremely firm connection takes place
between the differently colored masses which is more intimate, as generally the
wedge-shape is not exactly mathematically developed, but shows mostly small
irregularities in the upper surface, so that a certain amalgamation of botli masses
takes place in this generally speaking wedge-shaped upper surface.
Figure 4 shows a cross section through a piece of linoleum provided with such a
wedge-shaped edge on both sides of the inlaid strip.
As already mentioned the tongue shaped ends of the plates can with advantage
be pointed towards the centre. By this means a definite position of the connection
on the upper surface of the linoleum is attained and thus a well defined limit between.
the differently colored linoleum masses is obtained. It may also be mentioned that
the width of the wedge-shaped over-lapping connection of course increases in
proportion to the difference in the ductility and consistency of the differently
colored masses, and again it is apparent without enlarging further that by the
above described arrangement one is enabled to produce continuous linoleum with a
single working, by which the stripe-mass is inlaid or connected with the ground
linoleum mass without overlapping. According to the above it is only necessary
to give to the variously colored masses the same consistency and the same plasticity.
In this case also a rift in the vertical joint need not be feared, as the variously
colored masses being of the same consistency and the same plasticity as regards
manufacture and union, represent at the same time a uniform mass, and accordingly
must give even with the most varied coloring an entirely analogous product in
every respect to the single colored linoleum.
For linoleum masses of different consistency the above described overlapping is

page_text: however to be preferred. A certain practical defect consists however in that the
upper wedge-shaped part is extended at its outer edge into a proportionately fine
point, which with constant use would give an irregular demarcation between the.
stripes and the ground mass.
This evil can be entirely avoided if the plates c be prolonged downwards below
the deepest point of the roller A corresponding to the pressure point of the
calendering machine, this prolongation extending down below the roller with the
front edge in the form of a sharp cutter of corresponding length.
Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings shows this alteration of the plates in side
elevation and plan, while
Figure 6 represents a cross section through the continuous linoleum produced'
with this kind of plate.
In this case also the back pressure acting with greater force on the more
consistent linoleum mass tends to force out the said mass laterally, so that it.
enters the vacant space underneath the plate c. The nearer the roller, the
stronger is this back pressure and so it happens that the plastic mass entering
first in smaller and then in ever increasing quantity under the plates e takes the
form of a wedge, upon which the masses forced from the other side of the plates
by the back pressure existing there are pushed up likewise under the plates in.
consequence of their greater plasticity.
The so-formed wedge-shaped overlapping connection cannot however (in
consequence of the plate c still reaching down below the lowest point of the
roller A) attain its full thickness, which corresponds to the passage between the
calender rollers. The overlapping, is developed only in the lower layer of
the linoleum mass. Beyond this the masses on both sides close themselves onto
the sharp edge to a depth corresponding to the height of the same, simply in the
form of a vertical joint, whereby the pointed projecting wedge shape is avoided in
the upper surface and this latter is formed of such a depth (Figure 6) that the
demarcation of the strips or stripes even with much wear will keep exactly their
position. By this means the wedge-shaped overlapping connection found in the
lower layer of the mass, assures the firm coherency of the variously colored.
masses along the vertical joint.
Moreover the form of the wedge may to a large extent be influenced by the
plates c being partly bevelled off on their underneath edge, as shown in end view
in Figure 8. In dealing with material of different plasticity the wedge shaped
overlapping connection is made (as shown by the figure in cross section appertaining
thereto) much broader than when the plates c are formed evenly on both sides.
(Figure 7).
The partial bevelling off has the effect that in manufacturing equally plastic
material, a wedge-shaped overlapping connection is formed corresponding to the
bevelling off of the plates c.
The bevelling fextends as far as the point of the tongue.
If these bevelled off plates c according to the arrangement depicted in Figure 4
reach down beyond the lowest point of the upper calender roller A, the partial
bevelling extends to the lower point of the cutter placed on the tongue end. It is
self-evident that the plates c can be bevelled off on both sides. If the angle of the
bevelling be the same, the result is exactly the same as if no bevelling off had
taken place. If the angle of the one bevelling off is on the contrary steeper than
the other, the result corresponds to only the partial bevelling off.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A calendering machine for producing continuous linoleum with inlaid colored
stripes, characterised by the variously colored material to be manufactured being
eparated by plates (c), which are so inserted in a space circumscribed by the
inoleum cloth (a) on the one hand and the roller (A), drawing in the linoleum

page_text: masses between itself and the cloth, on the other hand, that they reach close on to
the roller at the front, while the under edges of the plates lying freely over the
cloth (a) have their tongues tangential or pearly tangential to the lowest or pressing
point of the calender roller (A), whereby in manufacturing masses of different
plasticity and consistency a wedge-shaped formation of the edges of the masses is
produced by the material passing under the plates c in consequence of the
necumulation, and an overlapping of said wedge-shaped edges is produced,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In a calendering machine such as described, the pointed shape of the plates c
towards the centre for the purpose of producing a sharper and more defined
demarcation of the connection of the differently colored material on the upper
surface of the continuous linoleum.
3. In a calendering machine such as described, plates c so mounted that their
reciprocal distance can be altered according to the width desired for each of the
strips or stripes, substantially as described.
4. In a calendering machine such as described, the extending of the under edges
of the plates c below the deepest point of the upper calender roller (A), and the
forming of the front edge as a sharp edge (c), with the object of flattening the
sharp edge of the wedge-shaped overlapping connection of the linoleum masses on
the upper surface to an extent corresponding to the depth of this sharp edge,
substantially as described.
5. In a calendering machine such as described, the onesided or unequally angled
bevelling of the under edge of the plates c with the object of strengthening the
wedge-shaped formation of the edges of the different colored linoleum masses,
substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd dow of Tul. 1906
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.