IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELT AND IN THE MODE OF APPLYING THE SAME TO RAILWAYS AND TO OTHER USES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Anderson, of Belfast, in Ireland, and of 23,
Billiter Street, in the City of London, Felt Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELT AND IN THE
MODE OF APPLYING THE SAME TO RAILWAYS AND TO OTHER USES."
Sealed the 26th April 1861, and dated the 31st October 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Anderson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st October 1860.
I, JAMES ANDERSON, of Belfast, in Ireland, and of 23, Billiter Street, in the
City of London, Felt Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELT, AND IN THE
MODE OF APPLYING THE SAME TO RAILWAYS AND TO OTHER USES," to be as
follows:-
My Invention has for its object the production and application of a fibrous
waterproof material as a substitute for asphalte and other materials in their
application to railway arches, platforms, floors, foundations, walks, and other
purposes to which asphalte and like materials are ordinarily applied. For this
purpose I take felt, whether of cotton, flax, hair, wool, or other substance, and
combine various thicknesses of it in layers by means of tar or pitch, so as to

page_text: form, when thus combined, a felt of considerably increased thickness and
strength asphalte may be applied to the outside or other part of the con-
solidated felt, if thought desirable. The felt is either manufactured in the
consolidated form before it is applied to its purpose, or it is thus formed by
combining the several layers or thicknesses of which it is composed when it is
applied. The consolidated felt is made harder or softer in order to adapt it
for its required purpose, by the use of different kinds of tar and pitch, and by
varying the pressure in combining the layers or thicknesses.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Anderson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
- 26th April 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
ANDERSON, of Belfast, in Ireland, and of 23, Billiter Street, in the City of
London, Felt Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Anderson, Her special license that I, the said James Anderson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Anderson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELT, AND IN THE MODE OF APPLYING THE SAME
TO RAILWAYS AND TO OTHER USES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said James Anderson, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, 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 James Anderson do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
My Invention of "Improvements in the Manufacture of Felt, and in the
Mode of Applying the same to Railways and to other Uses," has for its object
the production and application of a fibrous waterproof material as a substitute
for asphalte and other materials in their application to railway arches, plat-
forms, floors, foundations, walks, and other purposes to which asphalte and
like materials are ordinarily applied. For this purpose I take felt, whether
of cotton, flax, hair, wool, or other substance, specially prepared in the course
of manufacture by being thoroughly saturated with asphalte, and combine
various thicknesses of it in layers by means of tar or pitch, so as to form, when
thus combined, a felt of considerably increased thickness and strength;
asphalte may be applied to the outside or other part of the consolidated felt, if
thought desirable. The felt is either manufactured in the consolidated form
before it is applied to its purpose, or it is thus formed by combining the several
layers or thicknesses of which it is composed when it is applied. The con-
solidated felt is made harder or softer in order to adapt it for its required
purpose by the use of different kinds of tar and pitch, and by varying the
pressure in combining the layers or thicknesses.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to
describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed.
The consolidated felt is prepared from ordinary felt by saturating it thoroughly
with asphalte, pitch, &c., in order to prevent it from being absorbent, and
when in a heated state is laid layer upon layer to any thickness required and
consolidated by pressure. It requisite, however, not to have a thick body
of asphalte, pitch, &c., between the layers, as it would be liable to crack and
injure the felt and impair its waterproof power. The consolidated felt can be
manufactured either at the factory or at the place where it is required to be
laid. If at the factory the following process of manufacture may be employed;
take roofing felt (preferred on the score of economy) specially prepared, and
cut it into lengths convenient for packing, then take a strip or sheet of this
material and give it a coating on one side of asphalte, melted pitch, boiled tar,
rosin, &c., by passing it through a set of coating rollers, then take a second
strip or sheet and pass it through the rollers and lay the one piece on the other,
either bringing the ends together and overlapping them, so as to break joint
when put down and continue laying picce upon piece until the required
thickness is obtained. Afterwards pass the whole materials, thus united,
through the coating rollers, sanding the surfaces to prevent them from sticking,

page_text: and finally through a set of pressing rollers, by this process the several
materials will be formed into a solid body constituting my improved con-
solidated felt.
Another process of manufacture is as follows:-Take roofing felt specially
prepared, cut it into strips or sheets and coat the surface of two pieces at one
time with asphalte, melted pitch, tar, &c., with a common tar brush or mop
and lay the two coated surfaces together, and press them, while hot, with a
heavy roller; then coat the upper surface of the two pieces so laid together,
and also another sheet of felt and put them together, as at first, then roll them,
and so on, until the required thickness of the consolidated felt is obtained.
To lay the consolidated felt at the works required to be covered. Take the
specially prepared roofing felt, cut it into strips or sheets and coat the same
with asphalte, boiled tar, pitch, &c., as last described, or cut it in long lengths,
coat the two surfaces at the same time, and when hot lay them together and
afterwards press them with a heavy roller so as thoroughly to incorporate them,
and in all cases overlapping the edges to break joint.
Another mode of proceeding is to cut the felt into sheets or strips and dip
the same in a small shallow pan containing a mixture of asphalte, pitch, &c.,
then lay it down on the place to be covered, and continue dipping and laying
piece upon piece, overlapping on all sides for the first layer, then laying the
centre of the next piece over the joinings of the previously laid piece, until the
required thickness is obtained, then scatter some sand over the surface of the
finished layer, and press the whole into a solid mass or covering by passing a
heavy garden or other roller over the surface. By this process is produced a
solid sheet of the same thickness and strength throughout, all joinings being
broken, also thoroughly bound and saturated with the mixture, pliable and
impervious to water. If required, a layer of asphalte can be placed either
under or over the sheet. It will thus be evident that by either of the above
described processes of manufacture there will be produced a consolidated felt
rendered waterproof by its thorough saturation with asphalte, pitch, tar, &c.,
uniform in strength and not liable to crack.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I would remark that I do not claim as of my
Invention the combination of felt and asphalte, except when thoroughly in-
corporated so as to produce a consolidated felt of the kind described, but I
hereby declare that what I claim as of my Invention is,-
First, the manufacture of consolidated felt by the incorporation of several
layers thereof thoroughly saturated with asphalte, pitch, tar, &c., in the manner

page_text: herein-before described so as to produce a waterproof felt applicable to the
purposes described.
And, secondly, the application of the same to the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Anderson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
JOHN MORTON,
Belfast,
Managing Clerk.
JAMES ANDERSON.
(L.S.)