IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOORCLOTH
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Walton, of Heatham House, Twickenham,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOORCLOTH."
Sealed the 18th January 1878, and dated the 18th October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Walton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th October 1877.
FREDERICK WALTON, of Heatham House, Twickenham, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
FLOORCLOTH."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus employed in the
manufacture of floorcloth.
The printing blocks, by means of which the pattern is produced upon the floor-
cloth, are supplied with the paint or color from pads, in place of the brushes
ordinarily used. It is distributed uniformly by drawing over the face of the pad.
a trough in which the color or paint is placed. The trough is open at the bottom;
but as the trough also always stands upon the pad the semi-liquid material remains
in it. One of the sides of the trough also has teeth cut in it, like the teeth of a
comb, and between the teeth the paint or color escapes on to the pad when the
trough is drawn across it. The quantity of paint or color which escapes is regulated
and adjusted by means of a plate which is fixed to the side of the trough, so as to
cover the openings between the teeth. The lower edge of this plate is set slightly
above the points of the teeth, so that it may permit the requisite amount of
paint or color to pass, and it can be adjusted to give more or less, as may be
desired.
It will be observed that the teeth in passing over the surface of the soft
pad press down any inequalities to an uniform level, so that the edge imme-
diately following is able to gauge the film laid upon the surface to an equal depth
at all parts.

page_text: In order to contain the supply of color I employ a can provided with a lid, which
is kept air-tight by means of a water joint. Near the bottom of the can there
is a draw-off trap, which, when open, permits the paint or color to flow into
the distributing troughs already described. By employing cans of this description
the paint or color can be kept in a proper working state for a much longer
time than when it is stored in open or imperfectly closed vessels, as skins of
paint are not formed, which skins foul the blocks and pads and prevent good
work being done.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frederick Walton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th April
1878.
FREDERICK WALTON, of Heatham House, Twickenham, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
FLOORCLOTH."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus employed in the
manufacture of floorcloth.
The printing blocks, by means of which the pattern is produced upon the floor-
cloth, are supplied with the paint or color from pads, in place of the brushes
ordinarily used. It is distributed uniformly by drawing over the face of the pad
a trough in which the color or paint is placed. The trough is open at the bottom ;
but as the trough also always stands upon the pad the semi-liquid material remains
in it. One of the sides of the trough also has teeth cut in it, like the teeth of a
comb, and between the teeth the paint or color escapes on to the pad when the
trough is drawn across it. The quantity of paint or color which escapes is regulated
and adjusted by means of a plate which is fixed to the side of the trough, so as to
cover the openings between the teeth. The lower edge of this plate is set slightly
above the points of the teeth, so that it may permit the requisite amount of
paint or color to pass, and it can be adjusted to give more or less, as may be
desired.
It will be observed that the teeth in passing over the surface of the soft pad
press down any inequalities to an uniform level, so that the edge immediately
following is able to gauge the film laid upon the surface to an equal depth at all
parts.
In order to contain the supply of color, I employ a can provided with a lid,
which is kept air-tight by means of a water joint. Near the bottom of the can
there is a draw-off trap, which, when opened, permits the paint or color to flow into
the distributing troughs, already described. By employing cans of this description
the paint or color can be kept in a proper working state for a much longer
time than when it is stored in open or imperfectly closed vessels, as skins of
paint are not formed, which skins foul the blocks and pads; and prevent good work
being done.
!.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, and Figure 2 is a plan of the paint or
color pad, with the table upon which it is supported; to this pad the printing blocks
are applied in order that they may take up the paint or color, which they are intended
to transfer to the face of the floorcloth.
In these Figures a is the color trough to which especially this part of the Invention
applies.
Figure 3 represents a transverse section of the color trough, drawn to the actual
size. The trough is without bottom, but as it always stands upon the pad the paint or
color, being of a semi-fluid nature, does not escape, so long as the trough remains at
rest. The side of the trough, away from the workman, has comb-like teeth cut in
it, as is more clearly seen in Figure 4, which represents a portion of this side
of the trough, and also of a plate b, which is clamped against it by the screw
bolts c, c.
Figure 5 is an horizontal section taken on the line I, I, in Figure 4. The bolts c
have eccentrics formed upon them as the Drawing indicates, so that by turning the
bolts the lower edge of the plate b may be brought nearer to or further from the
extremities of the teeth cut in the side of the trough, and when the plate is thus
set it is secured by screwing up the nuts. In the use of the apparatus the work-
man first pushes the trough from him, carrying it with its contents to the further side
of the pad, he then draws the trough back towards himself, and it is during this
return movement that an even film of the paint or color is laid upon the face of the
pad; it escapes between the teeth in quantity dependent upon the position of the
plate b, and as the teeth ensure uniformity in the distance of the edge of the plate
from the surface of the pad, the film laid is every where of the same thickness. The
edge of the plate b is rounded, in order that the lines of color left by the comb teeth
may be more efficiently bevelled down by the plate.
In Figure 1 the can which is employed to contain the supply of paint or color is
represented at ; it is also shown to a larger scale at Figure 6, which is an elevation
partly in section. Around the top of the can a trough d is provided, and water
or oil is placed in the trough. The lid or cover c of the can is provided with
a flange which dips down into the water in the trough, and so forms a com-
pletely air-tight closing. There is also in the lid or cover a vent peg e¹,
which is raised or taken out when it is wished to draw off the contents of the
can.
At the lower part of the can a trap or valve is provided at f; this may conve-
niently be like what is commonly called a treacle valve.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
First. The construction of the color trough, substantially as described..
Second. The method of laying an even film of the paint or
color upon
the color pad by means of a combined comb and straight edge, substantially as
described.
Third. The construction of the paint or color can, substantially as described, and
especially with a liquid trap, to render the closing of the lid perfectly air-tight,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Walton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
FRED. WALTON. (L.S.)