IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOOR-COVERINGS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
"
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOOR-COVERINGS A communication from abroad
by Charles Theodore Meyer and Victor Emmanuel Meyer, both of Jersey City
in the County of Hudson, State of New Jersey, United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th December 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of 53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOOR COVERINGS."
[A communication from abroad by Charles Theodore Meyer and Victor Emanuel
Meyer, both of Jersey City in the County of Hudson, State of New Jersey, United
States of America]
The object of this Invention is to provide new and improved floor coverings
which are more durable and substantial and less apt to crack than the floor
coverings at present in use.
The Invention consists in a floor covering made of a fabric covered with a
coating of a mixture of ground leather or analogous fibre with mineral fibre and a
binding material such as hard varnish.
The Invention further consists in a floor covering made of a fabric covered with
a coating or mixture of ground wood or other vegetable fibre either plain or dyed
with mineral fibre and a binding material such as copal or other varnish.
In carrying out the Invention I prepare a mixture of the following ingredients
in about the proportions stated, viz.-To about 50 parts in weight of ground
leather, skins or analogous animal fibres, I add about 200 parts in weight of some
mineral fibre, and about 200 parts in weight of some piginent, and to this I add
about 72 gallons of some binding material such as copal varnish or some other hard
varnish to which a quantity of rubber solution is added. I do not limit myself to
the proportions stated but may vary them as the circumstances may require.
The canvas or other fabric is first sized in the ordinary manner and a layer of

page_text: the above described mixture is spread on the canvas and the lower surface of the
canvas. is painted with oil paint or a more diluted compound of the above
ingredients. The coating may be of greater or less thickness according to the
thickness of the canvas or as circumstances may require. The mixture can be
spread with a brush, a trowel, by machinery, or in any other suitable manner, and
may be applied in one or more coats. If desired the ground leather may be mixed
with varnish only, or the varnish, leather fibre and the mineral fibre may be mixed,
but I prefer to use the above described mixture. A design is printed on this floor
covering in the ordinary manner, or it may be left plain. The mineral fibre
I propose to use is of the nature of asbestos.
To make the second kind of oil cloth I prepare a mixture of ground wood or
other vegetable fibre which may be plain or dyed and colored in some suitable
manner with some mineral fibre and a binding material such as copal or other hard
varnish to which a small proportion of rubber solution is added. The proportions
are about as follows, viz. -Ground wood or other vegetable fibre 50 parts in
weight; mineral fibre 200 parts in weight; varnish binding material 40 gallons;
but I do not limit myself to these proportions but may vary them as circumstances
may require. The ground wood or other vegetable fibre is used plain or is dyed
by means of aniline colors or dye woods, or other colors, or colored in any other
suitable manner before being mixed with the varnish.
The canvas or other-fabric-is-first-sized-in-the-ordinary manner and a layer (or
several layers) of the above described compound is spread on the canvas and the
lower surface of the canvas is painted with oil paint, or a more diluted compound
of the above ingredients. The coating may be of greater or less thickness,
according to the thickness of the canvas or as circumstances may require. The
mixture can be spread with a brush or trowel by machinery or in any other
suitable manner. If desired the mixture may consist of varnish and the wood fibre
only, but I prefer the compound given above. A design is printed on this floor
covering in the ordinary manner or it may be left plain. The mineral fibre
I propose to use is of the nature of asbestos.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th June 1882.
"
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of 53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex
Patent Agent
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOOR-COVERINGS
A communication from abroad by Charles Theodore Meyer and Victor Emanuel
Meyer both of Jersey City in the County of Hudson State of New Jersey United
States of America
The object of this Invention is to provide new and improved floor coverings
which are more durable and substantial, and less apt to crack than the floor
coverings at present in use.
The Invention consists in a floor covering made of a fabric covered with a
coating of a mixture of ground leather or analogous fibre, with mineral fibre, and a
binding material such as hard varnish. The Invention further consists in a floor
covering made of a fabric covered with a coating or mixture of ground wood or
other vegetable fibre, either plain or dyed, with mineral fibre and a binding material
such as copal or other varnish.
In carrying out the Invention a mixture is prepared of the following ingredients
in about the proportions stated, viz.-To about 50 parts in weight of ground
leather, skins, or analogous animal fibres, I add about 200 parts in weight of some
mineral fibre, and about 200 parts in weight of some pigment and to this I add
about 72 gallons of some binding material such as copal varnish or some other
hard varnish to which a quantity of rubber solution is added. I do not limit
myself to the proportions stated but may vary them as circumstances may
require.
The canvas or other fabric A is first sized in the ordinary manner and a layer B
of the above described mixture, is spread on the canvas, and the lower surface of
the canvas is painted with oil paint or a more diluted compound of the above
ingredients. The coating may be of greater or less thickness according to the
thickness of the canvas or as circumstances may require. The mixture can be spread
with a brush, a trowel, by machinery, or in any other suitable manner, and may
be applied in one or more coats. If desired the ground leather may be mixed with
varnish only, or the varnish, leather fibre, and the mineral fibre may be mixed, but
it is preferred to use the above described mixture. A design is printed on this
floor covering in the ordinary manner, or it may be left plain. The mineral fibre
it is proposed to use is of the nature of asbestos.
The
To make the second kind of oil cloth, a mixture is prepared of ground wood or
other vegetable fibre which may be plain or dyed and colored in some suitable
manner with some mineral fibre and a binding material such as copal or other
hard varnish, to which a small proportion of rubber solution is added.
proportions are about as follows, viz. -Ground wood or other vegetable fibre
50 parts in weight, mineral fibre 200 parts in weight, varnish binding material
40 gallons, but I do not limit myself to these proportions but may vary them as
circumstances may require. The ground wood or other vegetable fibre is used
plain or is dyed by means of aniline colors, or dye woods, or other colors, or colored
in any other suitable manner before being mixed with the varnish.
The canvas A or other fabric is first sized in the ordinary manner and a layer B
(or several layers) of the above described compound is spread on the canvas and
the lower surface of the canvas is painted with oil paint or a more diluted
compound of the above ingredients. The coating may be of greater or less

page_text: thickness, according to the thickness of the canvas, or as circumstances may
require. The mixture can be spread with a brush or trowel, by machinery, or in
any other suitable manner. If desired the mixture may consist of varnish and
the wood fibre only, but the compound given above is preferred: A design is
printed on this floor covering in the ordinary manner, or it may be left plain.
The mineral fibre it is proposed to use is of the nature of asbestos.
Having described the nature of the said Invention for "Improvements in the
Manufacture of Floor Coverings," and the manner of performing the saine,
I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the herein before
in part recited Letters Patent is.
1st. As an improved article of manufacture, a floor covering made substantially
as herein shown and described and consisting of a layer of canvas or other base on
which a layer or layers of a mixture of ground leather or skins, mineral fibre,
pigment, and a binding material such as copal or other varnish are spread, as set
forth.
2nd. A compound for spreading on canvas for floor coverings consisting of a
mixture or paste of copal or other varnish and ground leather or skins substantially
as herein shown and described and for the purpose set forth.
3rd. A compound for spreading on canvas for floor coverings consisting of a
mixture or paste, of copal or other varnish, ground leather or skins, and a mineral
_ fibre, substantially_as.herein-shown-and-described-and-for-the-purpose-set-forth.
4th. As an improved article of manufacture, a floor covering made substantially
as herein shown and described, and consisting of a layer of canvas or other base
on which a layer or layers of a mixture of ground wood or other vegetable fibre,
either plain or dyed or colored, mineral fibre and a binding material such as copal
or other varnish are spread, as set forth.
5th. A compound for spreading on canvas for floor coverings, consisting of a
mixture of ground wood either plain or dyed or colored with copal or other varnish,
substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Alexander Melville Clark have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Twentieth day of June A.D. 1882.