IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER COATED FABRICS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER
COATED FABRICS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communication from abroad
by Henry Worthington Burr, of Cambridgeport, Massachusetts, United States
of America, Rubber goods Manufacturer.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
'Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th April 1882.
"
ور
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltinė Lake, & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE
MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER COATED FABRICS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
[A communication from abroad by Henry Worthington Burr, of Cambridgeport,
Massachusetts, United States of America, Rubber goods Manufacturer.]
This invention relates to the manufacture of fabrics coated with india-rubber
and consists chiefly in a method of and apparatus for curing thin coats of india-
rubber applied to the surface of the said fabrics. The said invention is designed
especially to facilitate the manufacture of that class of waterproof goods termed
gossamers, but it may be applied to heavier goods.
Heretofore in the manufacture of such india-rubber coated fabrics it has been
the usual practice to apply a suitable thickness of india-rubber compound to a
continuous web of the fabric moving through the machine, and, after giving the
india-rubber a coat of paraffine or equivalent substance (to prevent its adhesion or
injury, when the fabric is rolled up) to remove the fabric, with its uncured coating
of india-rubber from the machine to suitable frames in the open air and expose the
same to be cured by the action of sunlight.
.
It is obvious that this curing process is very largely dependent upon the
weather the time of day, and the season of the year, and that in any event it. is
very.expensive owing to the space necessarily occupied, the cost of the frames and
apparatus required, and the extra number of men employed. In addition to this
there is great danger of tearing the fabric by such handling, and it is liable to
injury by winds, dust and sudden storms.
j
My improved method of curing the india rubber coatings of the said fabrics
consists essentially in subjecting them to the action of the electric light and
Prins S21

page_text: preferably so subjecting them during the process of coating, and while the fabric is
passing through the machine, as will be hereinafter explained.
My improved apparatus for curing rubber-coated fabrics consists chiefly in one
or more electric lights suitable arranged, and mechanism for moving the said fabric
through the field of illumination." It also consists in the devices and combinations
of devices hereinafter described.
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide a suitable machine in
which a frame near each end.thereof.supports a roller around which passes a web
of light fabric cemented where its ends are joined so as to be continuous and carried
forward by the rotation of the said rollers. The machine is also provided with
calender rollers between which the web passes and by which its surface is smoothed
and solidified.
A mass of soft or semi-fluid india-rubber-compound prepared in the ordinary
manner and resting upon the web is kept from moving forward with it bodily by
a knife which is held in bearings. at its ends so as to bear against the web at a
right angle to that portion of it on which the said mass rests. This serves to
retain the bulk of the india-rubber at that point, gives it an irregular rotation, and
permits a thin film of it to pass with the web, to which it adheres closely. A
guard on the face of the knife, near each end, prevents the india-rubber from
passing laterally off the web; and when a sufficient thickness has been spread
thereon the mass is removed and the machine operated sufficiently to give a smooth
surface at all points.
+
A
The bearings of the aforesaid rollers may be made movable so as to set the said
rollers at such distance from each other as to properly tighten the web.
steam-table is employed between the upper and lower courses of the web to dry
the cloth before coating and assist in evaporating the naptha or other solvent
contained in the softened india-rubber compound.
Thus far the apparatus is common and suitable for coating fabrics with india
rubber in the usual manner to be removed for curing in the sun-light.
One or more electric lights are placed in such relation to the web in its move-
ment as to cast their rays upon the coating of india rubber as it passes or is held
exposed thereto. For ordinary establishments the best results will be obtained by
applying the india-rubber in successive coats, as the web is driven round in the
machine, an additional film being added every time it makes a complete circuit
and the lights acting upon some part of it continually, beginning when but a single
film has been laid.
When the general direction of movement is horizontal and the light is above
the fabric, I provide a glass shield as a transparent guard against the falling of
incandescent particles from the carbons upon the fabric. This shield may be
substituted for the metallic one heretofore used immediately at the base of the
lower carbon; or it may be larger, thinner, and suspended in a lower plane. The
necessity for this precaution is obviated by passing the web at one side or one at
each side, of the lights, instead of directly beneath them.
In order to intensify or concentrate the rays of light I provide reflectors adapted
to throw the reflected rays of light upon the india-rubber surface, in addition to the
direct rays.
In some cases it will be desirable to give a principally vertical movement to the
fabric, to arrange the lights one above the other, and to utilize the said lights to
the utmost by running the fabric up and down on four or even six sides of the
range of lights.
I do not intend to limit my invention to any particular form of machine or any
specific arrangement of the lights or the fabric except that in some portion of the
circuit of the latter the rays of light must fall upon the india-rubber surface, or
the said surface must pass through or occupy the field of illumination long enough
to cure the india-rubber.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th October 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE
MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER COATED FABRICS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR."
A communication from abroad by Henry Worthington Burr, of Cambridgeport,
Massachusetts, United States of America, Rubber Goods Manufacturer.
"
This Invention relates to the manufacture of fabrics coated with india-rubber
and consists chiefly in the method of, and apparatus for, curing thin coats of india-
rubber applied to the surface of the said fabrics. The said invention is designed
especially to facilitate the manufacture of that class of water-proof goods termed
gossamers; but it may be applied. to heavier goods...
Heretofore, in the manufacture of such india-rubber-coated fabrics, it has been
the usual practice to apply a suitable thickness of india-rubber compound to a
continuous web of the body fabric moving through the machine, and, after giving
the rubber a coat of paraffine, or equivalent substance, to prevent its adhesion or
injury when rolled up, then to remove the said fabric with its uncured coating of
rubber from the machine to suitable frames in the open air, and expose the same
to be cured by the action of sunlight.
It is obvious that this curing process is very largely dependent upon the weather,
the time of day and the season of the year; and that in any event it is very
expensive, owing to the space necessarily occupied, the cost of frames and apparatus
required, and the extra number of men employed. In addition to this, there is
great danger of tearing the fabric by such handling, and it is liable to injury by
wind dust, and sudden storms.
My improvement in the method of curing the india-rubber coatings of the said
fabrics consists in subjecting them to the action of the electric light, and preferably
during the process of coating, and while the fabric is passing through the machine,
as will be explained.
My improved apparatus for curing india-rubber-coated fabrics consists chiefly in
one or more electric lights suitably arranged, and mechanism for moving the said
fabric through the field of illumination.
It also consists in the devices and combination of devices hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing,
}
Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section of a coating-machine with a web in position
to receive the rays of the electric light.
Figure 2 is a like view of another arrangement of the apparatus.
A is the frame of a suitable machine, supporting near each end rollers B B¹
around which passes a web C of light fabric, cemented where its ends are joined,
so as to be continuous, and carried forward by the rotation of the said rollers.
D D¹ are calendar-rollers, between which the web passes, and by which its
surface is smoothed and solidified.
E represents a mass of soft or semi-fluid india-rubber compound, prepared in the
ordinary manner, and resting upon the web, and kept from moving forward with it
bodily by the knife F, which is held in bearings at its ends, so as to bear against
the web at a right angle to that portion of it on which the mass E rests. This
erves to retain the bulk of the india-rubber at that point, gives it an irregular
otation and permits a thin film of it to pass with the web, to which it adheres

page_text: closely. A guard G on the face of the knife, near each end, prevents the india-
rubber from passing laterally off the web C, and when a sufficient thickness has
been spread thereon, the mass E is removed and the machine operated sufficiently
to give a smooth surface at all points..
The bearings of the rollers B or B'. may be made adjustable so as to set the said
A steam-
rollers at such distance from each other as to properly tighten the web.
table H is employed between the upper and lower courses of the web, to dry the
cloth before coating and assist in evaporating the naphtha or other solvent contained
in the softened india-rubber compound.
Thus far the apparatus is as ordinarily constructed, and suitable for coating
fabrics with rubber in the usual manner, to be removed for curing in the sunlight.
One or more electric lights L L are placed in such relation to the web C in its
.movement, as to cast their rays upon the coating of india-rubber as it passes
or is held exposed thereto. Ordinarily the best results will be obtained by applying
'the india-rubber in successive coats as the web is driven round in the machine, an
additional film being added every time it makes a complete circuit, and the
lights L Lacting upon some part of it continually, beginning when but a single
film has been laid. When the general direction of movement is horizontal; as
indicated in Figure 1, and the light L is above the fabric C, I provide a glass
shield M as a transparent guard against the falling of incandescent particles from
the carbon upon the fabric. This shield may be substituted for the metallic one
heretofore used immediately at the base of the lower carbon, or it may be larger,
thinner, and suspended in a lower plane, as shown in Figure 1. The necessity for
this precaution is obviated by passing the web at one side or one at each side of
.the lights, instead of directly beneath them.
"
In order to intensify or concentrate the rays of light, I provide reflectors N,
adapted to throw reflected rays of light upon the india-rubber surface in addition
to the direct rays. The form represented in Figure 1 has been found to work
satisfactory. The sides n n are hinged to the base and may be turned down to
give access to the light when desired.
In some cases it will be desirable to give a substantially vertical movement to
the fabric, to arrange the lights one above the other, and to utilize the said lights
to the utmost by running the fabric up and down on four or even six sides of the
range of lights, as is indicated in Figure 2.
I do not intend to limit my invention to any particular form of machine or any
specific arrangement of the lights or the fabric, except that in some portion of its
circuit the rays of light shall fall upon the india-rubber surface, or the said surface
shall pass through or occupy the field of illumination.
"
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to mo by my
foreign Correspondent and the manner of performing the saune I wish it understood
that I claim :-
First. The method of curing india-rubber coatings applied to fabrics by subjecting
them to the action of the electric light, substantially as described.
Second. The improvement in the method of curing india-rubber coatings on
fabrics, consisting in subjecting the said coatings to the action of the electric light
while the said fabric is in motion through the field of illumination of such light,
substantially as set forth.
Third. The improvement in the manufacture of india rubber-coated fabrics, con-
sisting in applying the india-rubber coating in successive layers while the fabric is
moving through the coating machine, subjecting such coating to the action of the
electric light during such movement, and subsequently curing the india-rubber by
means of the said light before removal from the said machine, substantially as set
forth:
Fourth. An apparatus for curing india-rubber coatings on fabrics, consisting of
one or more electric lights, and mechanical means for moving the india-rubber-
coated fabric through the field of illumination thereof, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The frame, the carrying-rollers, B B', adapted to support and move the

page_text: fabric C, and the calender-rollers D D¹, in combination with the electric lights LL
and suitable reflectors N as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Sixth. The combination of the electric lights L and the glass shield M for the
purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Fourth day of October in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.