Improvements in the Manufacture of Coverings for Floors and other Surfaces, and in Apparatus used for this purpose.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 24th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 26th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Coverings for Floors and other
Surfaces, and in Apparatus used for this purpose.
We, ARTHUR SIDNEY OETZMANN, of 67 to 79 Hampstead Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Manufacturer, and SAMUEL JOHN NARRACOTT, of 2 Pyrmont
Villas, Castle Hill, Ealing, in the said County of Middlesex, Manager, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
11
The object of our invention is more especially to improve the manufacture of
that class of floor cloth or coverings in which the pattern extends practically from
front to back of the fabric the pattern being the same throughout the whole
tbickness of the fabric or nearly so.
In the manufacture of fabrics of this class we form the pattern from pellets of
the composition of which the upper surface of the fabric is to he composed.
We cause a cloth upon which the pattern is to be built up to travel with a step
by step movement below the ends of a number of tubes or passages ranged side by
side in a row across the cloth. Each tube or channel is made of such a size that a
single pellet can pass down it. When a pellet has been dropped down each tube or
channel and a line of pellets las so been formed across the cloth the cloth is moved
onwards a distance equal to the width of the pellets and a fresh row of pellets is
delivered on to the cloth and so on. Subsequently the cloth so covered with pellets
passes between flat plates by which the pellets are flattened and made to adhere to
one another and to the cloth.
The pattern produced depends upon the color of the pellets which are delivered
in succession down each of the tubes or passages.
Pellets of two three four or more different colors are provided and are contained
in separate hoppers.
The tubes or channels down which pellets are to be made to descend on to the
cloth are inclined upwards and each tube or channel has branching into it one two
three or more other inclined tubes or channels one from each of the hoppers-so
that a pellet of any of the colors may be delivered to each main tube through one
or other of these branch tubes.
In order to control the delivery of the pellets from the hoppers to the branch
tubes, the bottom of each hopper is closed by a horizontal cylinder and the cylinders
have a step by step revolving motion given to them simultaneously--all the
cylinders being made to turn one step just after each forward movement of the
cloth.
As each cylinder is turned a distance a longitudinal line of holes in its circum-
ference is brought below the bottom of the hopper so that a pellet may drop into
and fill each hole. At the next movement of the cylinder a fresh row of holes is
brought below the hopper and so on. As each row of holes passes away from the
bottom of the hopper the pellets are retained in the holes by a guard plate which
extends around the circumference of the cylinder until the holes come to the position
where the pellets are to be discharged from them.
When the pellets drop from the holes they pass down the branch inclined tubes
to the main inclined tubes and so on to the cloth. In this way at each movement
of the cylinders each main inclined tube can be made to receive one pellet-and
this may be of any colour.
If there is a hole in the cylinder below one of the hoppers to supply a pellet of
the color contained in that hopper then there is no corresponding hole in the
cylinders below the other hoppers.

page_text: Thus the pattern will be governed by the position of the holes in the several
cylinders and by changing one set of cylinders for others the machine may be set to
produce any desired variation of pattern.
In order to ensure that each of the holes in the cylinder shall only receive a
single pellet we cause a light spring scraper to bear against the circumference of
the cylinder just inside the hopper to detach the pellet which has dropped into the
hole from the pellets which may be resting above it. To ensure that the pellets as
they are delivered on to the cloth shall be in a perfectly straight row we bring the
ends of the tubes or passages which deliver them on to the cloth close down to the
cloth and the front side of the lower ends of the tubes or passages we make
capable of being raised and lowered and cause the blade to be raised just before
each forward movement of the cloth so as to be out of the way of the pellets as
they are carried forward with the cloth. In order that the pellets may adhere to
the cloth when they descend on to it, we either coat the cloth with adhesive
material just before it passes below the ends of the row of tubes or if the cloth has
been coated with material which becomes sticky when heated we cause the cloth
to pass over a heated surface just before it passes below the tubes or passages.
In place of the cylinders being arranged to discharge the pellets down inclines
on to the cloth they might be arranged to discharge them directly on to the cloth
itself.
In place also of the pellets being received on to a backing of cloth they might be
received on to other surfaces.
The pellets may be of composition such as ordinarily used in the manufacture of
linoleum floor cloth or of other composition or material.
Dated this 28th day of March 1891.
CARPMAEL & CO.,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Coverings for Floors and other
Surfaces, and in Apparatus used for this purpose.
We, ARTHUR SIDNEY OETZMANN, of 67 to 79 Hampstead Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Manufacturer, and SAMUEL JOHN NARRACOTT, of 2 Pyrmont
Villas, Castle Hill, Ealing, in the said County of Middlesex, Manager, 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 object of our invention is more especially to improve the manufacture of
that class of floor cloth or coverings in which the pattern extends practically from
front to back of the fabric the pattern being the same throughout the whole thickness
of the fabric or nearly so.
In the manufacture of fabrics of this class we form the pattern from pellets of
the composition of which the upper surface of the fabric is to be composed.
We cause a cloth upon which the pattern is to be built up to travel with a step
by step movement below the ends of a number of tubes or channels ranged side by
side in a row across the cloth. Each tube or channel is made of such a size that a
single pellet can pass down it. When a pellet has been dropped down each tube or
channel and a line of pellets has so been formed across the cloth the cloth is moved
onwards a distance equal to the width of the pellets and a fresh row of pellets is
delivered on to the cloth and so on. Subsequently the cloth so covered with pellets
passes between hot flat plates or rollers by which the pellets are flattened and made
to adhere to oue another as well as to the cloth.
The pattern produced depends upon the color of the pellets which are delivered
in succession down each of the tubes or passages.
Pellets of two, three, four or more different colors are provided and are contained
in separate hoppers.

page_text: The tubes or channels down which pellets are to be made to descend on to the
cloth are inclined upwards and each tube or channel has branching into it one, two,
three or more other inclined tubes or channels one from each of the hoppers-so
that a pellet of any of the colors may be delivered to each main tube through one
or other of these branch tubes.
In order to control the delivery of the pellets from the hoppers to the branch
tubes the bottom of each hopper is closed by a horizontal cylinder and the cylinders
have a step by step revolving motion given to then simultaneously all the
cylinders being made to turn one step just after each forward movement of the
cloth.
and fill each hole.
As each cylinder is turned a distance a longitudinal line of holes in its circum-
ference is brought below tlie bottom of the hopper so that a pellet may drop into
At the next movement of the cylinder a fresh row of holes is
brought below the hopper and so on. As each row of holes passes away froin the
bottom of the hopper the pellets are retained in the holes by a guard plate which
extends around the circumference of the cylinder until the holes come to the
position where the pellets are to be discharged from them.
When the pellets drop from the holes they pass down the branch inclined tubes
to the main inclined tubes and so on to the cloth. In this way at each movement
of the cylinders each main inclined tube can be made to receive one pellet-and
this may be of any colour.
If there is a hole in the cylinder below one of the hoppers to supply a pellet of
the colour contained in that hopper then there is no corresponding hole in the
cylinders below the other hoppers.
Thus the pattern will be governed by the position of the holes in the several
cylinders and by changing one set of cylinders for others the machine may be set
to produce any desired variation of pattern, or the cylinders may be regularly
perforated all over the pattern being determined by stopping some of the holes.
To ensure that the pellets as they are delivered on to the cloth shall be in a
perfectly straight row we bring the ends of the tubes or channels which deliver
them on to the cloth close down to the cloth. In order that the pellets may adhere
to the cloth when they descend on to it, we either compress then on to the cloth or
coat the cloth with adhesive material just before it passes below the ends of the
row of tubes or if the cloth has been coated with material which becomes sticky
when heated we cause the cloth to pass over a heated surface just before it passes
below the tubes or passages.
The pellets may be of composition such as ordinarily used in the manufacture of
linoleum floor cloth or of other composition or material.
The drawings hereunto annexed show a machine constructed to act in the manner
above described.
Figure is a side elevation, Figure 2 a vertical section, and Figure 3 an end
view of the machine.
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 show the cams used for giving motion to the various
parts the cams in these views are shewn in the positions they have in in Figures 1
and 9.
Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 are sectional diagram views illustrating the manner in
which the pellets are placed on to the backing cloth.
Figure 12 is a plan view of one of the cylinders by which the pellets are
delivered from the hoppers.
Figure 13 is a vertical section through the vertical ends of the pellet delivery
channels.
Figure 14 shows the cam shaft with the cams upon it.
Figure 15 is a diagram view of a modified form of the machine. In this
modification the hoppers containing the pellets are arranged one above the other in
place of in a horizontal row.
Figure 16 is a diagram view showing how this form of the machine may be

page_text: auplicated and arranged to deliver two rows of pellets on to the cloth at each
movement instead of a single row.
The machine shown at Figures 1 and 2 might similarly be duplicated.
A A' A2 are three hoppers each containing a supply of pellets. BB1 B2 are
cylinders closing the bottom outlets from these hoppers. CC1 C2 are channels
terminating close to the underside of the cylinders. The channels C are continued
downwards to just above the fabric or surface on to which the pellets are to be
delivered. The channels C C² lead into the channels C. The cylinders have
holes formed in them into which pellets drop from the hoppers. Each hole
preferably made of such a depth that one pellet only can be received within it but
if desired the holes might each be of a depth to receive two or more pellets. Cis
a revolving brush placed along the bottom of each hopper -it brushes away all
superfluous pellets from the cylinder and ensures that a single pellet only shall be
carried away into each of the holes of the cylinder. The holes are in circles around
the circumference and there is a separate channel CC or C² corresponding with
each circle of holes. The holes also are in straight rows along each cylinder as
shown at Figure 12. The lower ends of the channels C are made to he vertical
and a plunger D is worked up and down in each of them. E is an endless band
upon which the cloth backing which is to be covered with floor cloth material is
conveyed past the ends of the channels C. EE are cylinders between which the
endless band E is stretched. F is a horizontal plate below the ends of the
channels C, the endless band passes between the ends of the channels and this plate.
The plate can be raised or lowered, when raised it holds the endless band up to the
ends of the channels but when lowered the band descends with it. Gis a cam
shaft upon which are cams for giving movement to the several parts.
The cams B are for giving a step by step revolving movement to the
cylinders B. The cams D are for giving an up and down movement to the
plungers D.
The cams E are for giving a step by step revolving movement to the endless
band E and the cams F for giving an up and down movement to the plate F.
The cams B act upon lever arms B3 which stand up from a shaft B at the top
these arms are attached to a bar 13 which is itself connected to two other bars B
one at each side of the machine. These bars are coupled to arms B' which can
turn around the ends of the cylinders B B B and which carry pawls Be that
engage with ratchet wheels 13 which are fast with the cylinders. 13 are springs
which draw the bars 13 end wise and keep the arms B³ resting against the
cams B.
The cains D act upon lever arms D³ which stand out from a shaft D' and other
arms D on this shaft are coupled to a bar D' which carries the plungers. D' are
springs by which vertical projections on the bar are drawn upwards through
guides Ds.
The cams Ex act upon arms E3 which stand up from a shaft and other
arms E' on this shaft are coupled to rods E which in turn are coupled to arms E
which can turn around the ends of the cylinder E2 and carry pawls E which
engage with ratchet wheels which are fast with this cylinder. E are springs
which draw the rods E end wise and keep the arms E3 against the cams E..
The cams Fact upon lever arms on a shaft and other arms F which
project from this axis carry the plate F. The weight of this plate is sufficient to
keep the arms F3 bearing upon the cams.
The action of the machine is as follows:-In Figure 8 the plungers D are shewn
to have been just raised and pellets which previously were at the bottom of the
inclined portion of the channels C and resting against the sides of the plungers D
have rolled down on to the backing cloth carried by the endless band E the cloth
being at this time held up against the bottom of the channels C by the plate F.
Afterwards the plunger D descends and squeezes the pellet into a flat rectangular
cake of the form of the lower end of the channel C. The parts are shown in this

page_text: position in diagram 9. About this time or somewhat earlier the cylinders B'B' B'
commence to rotate to deliver a fresh set of pellets into the channels C C¹ C².
When the pellets have been flattened into rectangular cakes on to the backing
cloth the plate F descends and the plungers have a slight further downward move-
ment given to them which discharges the flattened cakes from the ends of the
channels C. The parts are shown in this position in diagram 10.
The plunger then immediately rises into the position shown in diagram 11 and
remains there during the time that the backing cloth is moved forward a distance
by the endless band E and until a fresh set of pellets have arrived at the bottom of
the channels C. The parts are shewn in this position in diagram 11.
The cloth after it passes from the machine is led between heated plates or rollers
and is pressed so as still further to flatten out the pellets which are upon the
surface of the cloth and so cause all the interstices between them to be filled up so
producing a perfect coating of uniform thickness over the whole surface of the
backing.
As shown by the diagram view Figure 15 the hoppers A A' A² in place of being
ranged in a horizontal row might be placed one above the other.
The machine also may be duplicated so as to deposit two rows of pellets on to
the cloth at each movement in place of a single row only.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed' we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The process of manufacturing coverings for floors and other surfaces consisting
in delivering pellets of plastic material down tubes or channels onto the surface of
a backing and afterwards flattening such pellets onto the backing.
2. The process of manufacturing coverings for floors and other surfaces consisting
in delivering pellets of plastic material down tubes or channels onto the surface of
a backing, pressing such pellets against the backing whilst they are still in the
tubes or channels and afterward further consolidating them and the backing
together by pressure.
3. In apparatus for the manufacture of coverings for floors and other surfaces,
the combination of a surface against which one side of the backing rests, tubes or
channels on the other side of the backing, means for delivering pellets of plastic
material into them and plungers working in them.
4. In apparatus for the manufacture of coverings for floors and other surfaces the
combination of a surface against which one side of the backing rests, tubes or
channels on the other side of the backing, plungers working in them and branch
tubes for delivering pellets into them.
5. In apparatus for the manufacture of coverings for floors and other surfaces,
the combination of a surface against which one side of the backing rests, tubes or
channels on the other side of the backing, means for delivering pellets of plastic
material into them, plungers working in them and means for causing the surface to
approach and recede from their mouths.
6. In apparatus for the manufacture of coverings for floors and other surfaces,
the combination of a number of hoppers containing pellets of plastic material,
cylinders at the mouths of the hoppers, recesses in the cylinders, means for giving
a step by step motion to the cylinders, means for conveying the pellets from the
cylinders onto a backing and means for consolidating the pellets onto the backing.
7. In apparatus for the manufacture of coverings for floors and other surfaces,
the combination of a number of hoppers containing pellets of plastic material,
cylinders at the months of the hoppers, recesses in the cylinders, means for giving
a step by step motion to the cylinders, tubes or channels to convey the pellets from
the cylinders onto one side of a hacking, plungers working in the tubes or channels,
a surface on the other side of the backing, means for giving a step by step motion
to the backing, and means for causing the surface to approach and recede from the
mouths of the tubes or channels.

page_text: 8. Apparatus constructed substantially as hereinbefore described for the manu-
facture of coverings for floors and other surfaces.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1891.
ARTHUR SIDNEY OETZMANN.
SAMUEL JOHN NARRACOTT.