IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATERPROOF FLOCKED CLOTH AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Charles Hill, of Parker Street, Kingsland,
Midlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
WATERPROOF FLOCKED CLOTH AND OTHER FABRICS,"
Sealed the 25th September 1855, and dated the 26th March 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Charles Hill at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th March 1855.
I, HENRY CHARLES HILL, of Parker Street, Kingsland, Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF WATERPROOF FLOCKED CLOTH AND OTHER FABRICS" to be as follows:-
These improvements in the manufacture of waterproof flocked cloths and
fabrics consist, firstly, in preparing a waterproof material for coating or
covering the surface of the fabric. I take one or more parts of vulcanized or
mineralized india-rubber, and by means of a suitable machine thoroughly
grind and triturate the same; when this is done I add to the mass two or
more parts of caoutchouc ; the quantity of caoutchouc must, however, be
regulated by the degree of elasticity required in the finished fabric. The
mixture is then placed in a masticator to be well masticated, and oil of
turpentine, mineral naptha, or other solvent is added to reduce it to the
consistency required for coating or waterproofing fabrics. The preparation
[Price 8d.

page_text: of the solution is completed by submitting it to a temperature of about 300
degrees F.
The next part of my Invention consists in the application of the water-
proofing solution to the surfaces of vulcanized or mineralized india-rubber or
gutta percha (either alone or combined with other substances), or cloths or
fabrics, for the purpose of producing a flocked or plushed surface upon these
materials. To produce shades of various colours, or "mixtures" of two or
more colours in the flocked fabrics or materials, I take any fibrous substance,
as woollen or cotton flock, or sponge, or leather ground or pulverized, or
shavings of the willow or hemp waste, or other fibrous materials, and dye them
of the intended colour or colours of the "mixture" to be produced, and
thoroughly dry them. The preparation of india-rubber is then to be coloured
with a colour suitable for the ground of the mixture. I then put the dyed
material and the coloured india-rubber into a masticator or mixing inill and
thoroughly combine them. If necessary solvents may be added to the
materials previous to using them for waterproofing or coating fabrics or
other materials.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Charles Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th September 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, HENRY
CHARLES HILL, of Parker Street, Kingsland, Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry Charles Hill, Her special licence, that I, the said Heury
Charles Hill, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Henry Charles Hill, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter 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 WATERPROOP FLOCKED CLOTH AND OTHER FABRICS,'
upon.the.condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Charles Hill, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal should particularly describe
"

page_text: 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 Henry Charles Hill, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention of Improvements in the Manufacture of Waterproof Flocked
Cloth and other Fabrics consists, firstly, in preparing a waterproof material for
coating or covering the surface of cloth and other fabrics; and the object of
this part of my Invention is to produce flocked waterproof cloths or fabrics
which shall not be affected by varying temperatures; that is to say,that under
every atmospheric change from heat to cold, and vice versa, the prepared
fabrics shall retain the same amount of elasticity and pliability,or uniform soft-
ness. I prepare the material for waterproofing the cloth or fabric in the follow-
ing manner: I take one or more parts of vulcanized,metalized, or mineralized
or other cured or prepared india-rdbber, and I prefer to use the waste pieces
or cuttings, and subject the same to severe friction or trituration by suitable
machinery and apparatus, either with or without the aid of solvents, according
to the quality or nature of the india-rubber to be operated upon. After the
prepared india-rubber has been well titurated, I add to the mass one, two, or
more parts of ordinary unprepared caoutchouc, and I regulate the quantity
of unprepared caoutchouc added to the prepared india-rubber by the amount
of softness or pliability required in the cloth or fabric to which the coating
material is to be applied. For example, to produce a cloth or fabric in which
only a limited degree of pliability or softness is needed, a larger proportion
of the unprepared caoutchouc will be required; but where a greater amount of
pliability or softness is desired, the quantity of unprepared caoutchouc must
be decreased in proportion. The whole of the foregoing materials are then
placed in a masticator and thoroughly masticated. After undergoing this process,
the water proofing material may be reduced to any consistency by the addition
of naptha, bisulphuret of carbon, camphine, turpentine, or other solvents,
according to the purpose for which it is required; in some cases the unprepared
caoutchouc may be dispensed with. The cloths or fabrics are then to be
coated with the waterproofing preparation just described, either by passing
them between rollers, by which the solution is spread over the fabric, or they
may be coated by hand or other means. But as the particular method of coating
the fabric with the solution forms no part of 'iny Invention, it is unnecessary

page_text: for me to enter into a particular description of the means employed. The
flock is sifted, spread, or otherwise put on the fabric. The prepared cloths or
fabrics are now to be submitted to a heat of from one hundred to three
hundred degrees Fahrenheit, and this done by placing them in a chamber
heated either by steam or dry air, but I prefer the use of heated air, which,
as far as Jamaware, has not hitherto been used for this purpose. This process
of submitting india-rubber goods or fabrics to heat in a closed chamber is
technically known as "curing," and in the processes herein-after described the
use of the term "curing" will be understood to mean submitting the fabrics
to heat in a closed chamber.
The next part of my Invention has reference to improvements in the process
of "curing" the fabrics prepared as before described, and in depriving them
of the unpleasant odour they have when prepared in the ordinary manner.
I construct a chamber or vessel either of wood or metal, but I prefer metal
because it is more easily made air-tight, and is, moreover, fireproof. This
chamber has a flap door, or the head may be made to slide on and off; it is
fitted inside with a shifting stand and frames for supporting the cloths or
fabrics. Either at the sides or bottom of the chamber are inserted one or two
induction pipes fitted with valves or stop-cocks for the supply of hot air;
attached to these pipes, or to the sides of the chamber, but communicating with
its interior, is a thermometer for indicating the degree of heat. Eitherat the
top or upper part of the chamber are fitted one or two eduction pipes fitted
with valves or stop-cocks, to allow the air to escape from the chamber, but
prevent any return. The heated air passes in by the induction pipes, and
being continually forced in, passes off by the eduction pipes, carryingwith it
the gaseous matters which are given off; by these means the fabrics may be
wholly deprived of any unpleasant odour. The eduction pipe which carries off
the air from the chamber is connected with a water tank, or made to dip
below the surface of water, in order that the gaseous matters may be absorbed
or thrown down by the fluid, and not escape into the air. A small quantity of
the chloride of lime or other disenfectant should be thrown into the tank to
counteract any unpleasant odour that may arise from the water; or the
eduction pipes may be carried beneath or into a furnace, in order that the
gaseous matters may pass through the fire and the combustible portion be
burnt, the remainder passing off by the flue or shaft.
Another of my improvements consists in using steam for curing flocked
india-rubber fabrics, in conjunction with a chamber fitted with induction and
eduction pipes, as before described, so that a continuous upward current of
steam is passed through the chamber which will carry off the gaseous aeriform

page_text: matters, in manner similar to that before described with reference to the use
of heated air. In some cases it may be desirable to impart an agreeable
perfume or scent to the inodorous fabrics; this I do by passing the heated air
or steam through a small chamber containing the perfume or scent, the odour
of which is to be imparted to the fabrics. The heated air or steam is passed
over the perfume or scent before it is allowed to enter the chamber in which
the fabrics are placed.
Another of my improvements consists in flocking on surfaces coated or
covered with sulphurized, mineralized, metalized, or other prepared india-
rubber, and in methods of producing tinted or coloured mixtures or materials
for flocking or coating the surfaces of prepared of unprepared india-rubber or
gutta percha fabrics. Itake of any fibrousmaterial, such as woollen or cotton
flock, ground sponge, sawdust, ground cork, cocoa-nut fibre, shavings of
willow, hair, or other suitable fibrous material, a sufficient quantity, and dye
or stain the same of the intended colour, after which it is to be thoroughly
dried; I then take a quantity of prepared india-rubber, or india-rubber and
gutta perchia, and mix with it a sufficient quantity of colour to form the
ground colour of the desired mixture; or one or more parts of the fibrous
materials may be dyed of various colours; and these coloured materials may
be blended together to form the desired mixture, and thus may be produced
various tints of colour. These materials are then placed in a masticator and
thoroughly mixed. When the materials are taken out of the masticator, solvents
are added to them to reduce the plastic mass to the required consistency for
flocking cloths and fabrics. The flocking materials prepared as above described
are to be applied to the surfaces of prepared fabrics in the ordinary manner,
or by sifting or other means. The flocked goods are then submitted to the
heating or curing process herein-before described, by which the fabrics are
rendered inodorous and permanently soft and pliable. I would here observe
that I make no claim to the mode of mixing or saturating flock with
unprepared india-rubber or gutta percha, either singly or combined, as this
has been done before; ny improvement consists in using prepared or "cured"
india-rubber, either alone or combined with unprepared india-rubber, or with
gutta percha. The flocked fabrics manufactured as above described are
applicable for garments and other purposes to which waterproof goods are
applied.-
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of carrying
the same into practical effect, I desire it to be understood that. I do not confine
myself to the precise details of the various processes I have herein-before
described, as the same may be varied without departing from the Invention;

page_text: but what I claim, and desire to secure by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent, is,-
Firstly, the preparation of waterproof materials for coating or covering
fabrics from vulcanized, mineralized, metalized, or other cured india-rubber,
and more especially from the waste of such cured india-rubber, and combined
with unprepared india-rubber or gutta percha, as herein-before described.
Secondly, the process of curing and rendering inodorous waterproof fabrics
by means of a curent or currents of heated air or steam, as before described,
and also the mechanical arrangements for effecting the same.
Thirdly, the method of perfuming or impartingan agreeable odour to water-
proof fabrics, as herein-before described.
Fourthly, flocking surfaces coated or covered with sulphurized, metalized,
'mineralized, or other prepared india-rubber or.gutta percha, combined with
prepared india-rubber or gutta percha.
Fifthly, the preparation of the fibrous materials herein-before named, and
the application of the same to the manufacture of coloured flocked cloth or
other fabrics either mixed or plain, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Charles Hill, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of September; in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
HENRY CHARLES HILL. (L.S.)