IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING AND MANUFACTURING INDIA-RUBBER (CAOUT- CHOUC);
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHRIS-
TOPHER NICKELS, of the Albany Road, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Eleventh day of
January, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, in the twelfth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Christopher Nickels, my exors, adññiors, and assigns, Her especial
license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Christopher
Nickels, my exors, adñññors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Chris-
topher Nickels, my exors, adñors, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years'
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING AND MANUFACTURING INDIA-RUBBER (CAOUT-
CHOUC);" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the
said Christopher Nickels, should cause a particular description of the nature
of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in

page_text: and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Christopher Nickels, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say:-
My Invention consists, first, of improvements in the machinery used in
that process of preparing and manufacturing india-rubber (caoutchouc) called
grinding, masticating, or kneading; and, secondly, my Invention consists of
improvements in the process of preparing and manufacturing india-rubber
(caoutchouc) when combining sulphur, or matters containing sulphur, or
products of sulphur, therewith.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood, and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a transverse section of grinding, masticating, or kneading.
machinery constructed according to my Invention. Figure 2 is a longi-
tudinal section thereof. a is the closed trough or fixed cylinder in which
the kneading process is carried on, and I prefer that the cover a¹ should
be a close cover when applying sulphur to the india-rubber; but when for
the ordinary process of grinding, kneading, or masticating india-rubber, an
open or framed cover may be used, such as is most commonly employed.
This machinery is similar to that described in the 'Specification of a Patent
granted to me on the 24th day of October, 1836. 6 is the kneading
or masticating roller, which has flanches 6, 6, at its ends, by which the
india-rubber is prevented coming against the ends of the fixed trough or
cylinder a; and it is the making of the grinding, masticating, or kneading
roller b, with flanches, which constitutes one of my improvements. Figure 3,
shews a transverse section, and Figure 4 a longitudinal section of another
arrangement of kneading machine, the kneading roller b of which has also
flanches b', as in the previous machine, but in addition thereto the kneading
roller bis placed, and works excentrically within the trough or cylinder a,
which will be found a great advantage whether with or without flanches,
particularly when combining sulphur or other matters with india-rubber at
the time of kneading or masticating.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention, which consists of

page_text: certain means of combining sulphur or matters containing sulphur with india-
rubber, so as to produce a new manufacture of india-rubber, suitable in the
manufacture of sheets, threads, and other articles:-It is well known that by
combining sulphur with india-rubber, and subjecting the compound to a con-
siderable degree of heat, a change is obtained which causes the india-rubber
to retain its elasticity when subjected to low temperatures, and also when
subjected to high temperatures, and such manufacture of india-rubber is known
as vulcanized india-rubber; and other means of obtaining such change have
been resorted to, but when such change has been produced in either case, the
pieces of such manufacture of india-rubber are not capable of being masticated
or kneaded into a mass, nor will thread made thereof join by contact of raw
surfaces, as the thread of india-rubber which has not been subjected to such
change will do. Now, by this part of my Invention I am enabled to obtain a
manufacture of india-rubber which, though combined with sulphur or matters
containing or compounded of sulphur (owing partly to omitting the application
of high degrees of temperature), will possess greater permanency of elasticity
when subjected to various degrees of temperaturo than natural india-rubber;
yet the pieces of such india-rubber will admit of being kneaded or masticated
so as to be again made up into a mass, and it will be found that thread made
of such new manufacture of india-rubber will join or piece up by like means
of contact, as thread made from natural india-rubber, and such thread when
made up in fabrics will allow of the fabrics being boiled without injury to the
india-rubber thread. India-rubber, according to this part of my Invention, is
manufactured by kneading or masticating therewith powder or flowers of
sulphur, or matters containing sulphur; in which case I combine at about the
rate of 10 lbs. of sulphur with 60 Ibs. of india-rubber, but I do not confine
myself to these quantities, and masticate or knead these two matters together
till they are as intimately blended as possible, and the masticating or kneading
process may be conducted in masticating or kneading machines, heated
externally by steam jackets or otherwise, as has before been done when com-
bining, kneading, or masticating india-rubber with and without other mate-
rials, and ordinary masticating or kneading machines, or such as are above
described as the first part of my Invention, may be employed in carrying out
this part of my Invention; and I subject such manufacture of india-rubber,
when it comes from the masticating or kneading process, to pressure in
moulds in like manner to what kneaded or masticated india-rubber in the
natural state has heretofore been subjected. And this process of pressure
in moulds of india-rubber combined with sulphur or matters containing
sulphur, and wherein the change, as it is called, has not taken place, con

page_text: stitutes an important improvement in this manufacture; for by so treating
india-rubber a close compact mass or block is obtained, which will admit
of being cut up into sheets and threads, thus producing new and valuable
products. But when treating india-rubber with sulphur I prefer to use
the fumes thereof, or gases, or matters containing sulphur, and the knead-
ing or masticating apparatus, shown in the Drawings, which are suitably
arranged for this purpose, c being a retort, into which sulphur is to be placed
and heated by an external fire, so that the fumes passing off by the pipe & will
pass into the kneading or masticating trough or cylinder, and thus will the fresh
surfaces of india-rubber be brought outwards and be acted on by the fumes of
sulphur. In place of sulphur, matters containing or composed of sulphur may
be used in order to get the india-rubber combined with sulphur or compounds
thereof, so long as the manufacture of india-rubber herein described be pro-
duced. In applying fumes of sulphur I have found that hydrogen, passed into
the kneading machine at the pipe e, will be advantageous; or, in place thereof,
phosphorus in small particles; or vapour thereof, used in very small quantities,
will be found highly beneficial when kneading or masticating india-rubber with
sulphur, or matters containing or composed of sulphur. When vapours or
fumes of sulphur or containing sulphur are used, I prefer to employ a steam
jacket or other means of heating the kneading or masticating machinery. The
kneaded or masticated mass thus produced, as in the previous case, is to be
subjected to pressure. In order to obtain a more perfect blending of the
sulphur or matters containing sulphur with the india-rubber, I have found that
vibration and motion amongst the particles of the india-rubber so combined
with sulphur have a very important effect, and therefore when the blocks are
taken from the moulds in which they have been allowed to cool and set, I
subject the same to such action as will obtain motion to the particles. But I
would first remark, that in subjecting masses of india-rubber, combined with
sulphur or matters containing sulphur or products thereof, to pressure in
moulds, I prefer to use hydraulic pressure; but other means of pressure may
be resorted to, and I cause the moulds to be heated externally to about two
hundred and twenty degrees to two hundred and fifty degrees, by a steam
jacket or otherwise, whilst applying the pressure, and until the degree of com-
pression has been obtained. Figure 5 shows a side view, and Figure 6 an end
view of machinery, to which I subject the moulded blocks of india-rubber
combined with sulphur; it consists of a fixed bed or plate f, and a moveable
one g weighted on its upper surface, which is to receive a to-and-fro motion
from any suitable power; by this means the blocks of india-rubber h, h, will be
caused to roll, and will be pressed on so as to put every part in motion, and the

page_text: effect of this motion will be to equalize the sulphur or compounds of sulphur.
When thread of india-rubber containing sulphur is to be operated on to obtain
a greater equalization of the sulphur, I place a quantity of thread into a box,
heated by steam or other heat, which I cover and give a quick vibratory
motion thereto, by which all the particles will have a quick tremulous motion,
which I find to act very beneficially; and I have found that ordinary thread of
india-rubber, placed in such a box with flowers of sulphur and so treated, is
greatly benefitted; the sulphur penetrates the surface and produces a coating or
glaze thereto. I would remark that I am aware that it has before been pro-
posed to knead sulphur with india-rubber, together with other matters, such
other matters not being suitable for retaining the elasticity of the india-rubber.
I do not therefore clain the kneading or masticating india-rubber with sulphur
when so combined with other matters as to destroy or largely to destroy the
elasticity of the india-rubber, my object being not only to retain the elasticity
of india-rubber by the use of sulphur, but to render the elasticity more
permanent.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the details herein described, so long as the peculiar character
of any part of my improvements be retained; but what I claim is,-
First, the constructing the kneading rollers with flanches, as herein de-
scribed; and I also claim the causing the kneading rollers to work out of the
centre of the cylinder or trough.
Secondly, I claim the manufacture of india-rubber by combining sulphur,
or matters containing sulphur or products of sulphur, by grinding, kneading,
or masticating the same in a manner suitable for making elastic thread or
sheets, and other articles, and yet retaining the property of piecing up, and
of kneading or masticating, as explained.
I also claim the combining of sulphur fumes with india-rubber, when
grinding, kneading, or masticating.
And I also claim the combining sulphur or inatters containing sulphur or
products of sulphur with india-rubber, when kneading or masticating the same
with phosphorous.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christopher Nickels, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, .this eleventh day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.
CHRISTOPHER (L.S.) NICKELS.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eleventh day of July, in the
year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid Christopher Nickels came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Eleventh day of July. in the year of our Lord One thousand.