Improvements in or relating to Machine and similar Belting.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 26th Mar.; 1896-Accepted, 16th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Machine and similar Belting.
I, CHRISTIAN HAMILTON GRAY of The Indiarubber Guttapercha and
Telegraph Works Company Limited, Silvertown, County of Essex Indiarubber
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to belting for machinery and general driving purposes,
the object being to employ in their manufacture guttapercha instead of indiarubber.
In carrying out the invention I employ any suitable fabric say what is known as
the ordinary "belting duck," and I apply the guttapercha to this in any of the
following ways.
(a) I apply the guttapercha by what is known in the indiarubber trade as
"frictioning."
(b) Heating the guttapercha until it is so soft that it can be applied to the
fabric by a knife or equivalent means.
(c) Passing the fabric and the sheet of guttapercha between calendering rolls
and afterwards subjecting the compound sheet to heavy pressure between other
rollers highly heated.
The sheet when coated is usually for convenience of manufacture a wide one and
to divide it into the necessary widths it may when cold be rolled up and turned as
in a lathe so as to cut off strips of the required width. In making a belt, strips of
two different widths are employed, one a narrow one slightly under the finished
width of the belt, the other much wider. These strips are carried to a preferably
steam heating chamber at a temperature sufficient to make the guttapercha tacky;
they are then passed between rollers so as to unite the two strips together, the
narrow strip being preferably at or about the centre of the wide one. The edges
of the wider strip are then turned over on top of the narrow strip so as to
completely enclose it, the edges of the wider strip either meeting or lapping, and a
thin sheet of guttapercha is then rolled over the joint and for a suitable distance
at each side. These various operations may be performed simultaneously by passing
the materials through suitable dies and supplying the finishing strip of guttapercha
in any convenient manner, preferably from a roll. In order to take the stretch
out of the belt I may submit it to tension in any convenient manner, a suitable
means being to pass it between rollers one or more of which are driven at a faster
speed than the other or others.
Though I have only so far described three plies as forming the belt it is under-
stood that I may use any desired number of plies and may fold the fabric in any
desired manner."
Instead of guttapercha I may use a guttapercha compound.
Dated this 1st day of February 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Machine and similar Belting.
1, CHRISTIAN HAMILTON GRAY of The Indiarubber Guttapercha and
Telegraph Works Company Limited Silvertown, in the County of Essex,
Indiarubber Manufacturer, 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:-
This invention relates to belting for machinery and general driving purposes,
the object being to employ in their manufacture gutta-percha instead of indiarubber.
In carrying out the invention I employ any suitable fabric say what is known as
the ordinary "belting duck," and I apply the guttapercha to this in any of the
following ways.
(a) I apply the guttapercha by what is known in the indiarubber trade as
"frictioning."
(b) Heating the guttapercha until it is so soft that it can be applied to the
fabric by a knife or equivalent means.
"
(c) Passing the fabric and the sheet of guttapercha between calendering rolls
and afterwards subjecting the compound sheet to the action of heat and heavy
pressure between other rolls.
&
The sheet when coated is usually for couvenience of manufacture a wide one
and to divide it into the necessary widths it may when cold be rolled up and
turned as in a lathe so as to cut off strips of the required width. In making a
belt, strips of two different widths are employed, one a narrow one slightly under
the finishe width of the belt, the other much wider. These strips are carried to
preferably steam heating chamber at a temperature sufficient to make the gutta-
percha tacky; they are then passed between rollers so as to unite the two strips
together, the narrow strip being preferably at or about the centre of the wide one.
The edges of the wider strip are then turned over on top of the narrow strip so as
to completely enclose it, the edges of the wider strip meeting or lapping, and a
thin sheet of guttapercha is, then rolled over the joint and for a suitable distance
at each side. These various operations may be performed simultaneously by
passing the materials through suitable dies and supplying the finishing strip of
guttapercha in any convenient manner, preferably from a roll. In order to take
the stretch out of the belt I may submit it to tension in any convenient manner,
a suitable means being to pass it between rollers one or more of which are driven
at a faster speed than the other or others.
Though have only so far described three plies as forming the belt it is
understood that may use any desired number of plies and may fold the fabric in
any desired manner.
Instead of guttapercha I may use a guttapercha compound the term "guttapercha"
used in this Specification including any such compound.
In the accompanying drawings I have represented diagrammatically one form
of apparatus for carrying my invention into practice; in these drawings;-
Fig. 1 is a transverse section of a masticator.
Fig. 2 a side elevation of the calendering and frictioning apparatus.
Figs. 3 and 4 a plau and elevation respectively of the lathe for cutting the
guttapercha-coated sheet into strips.
Fig. 5 is an elevation of the strip-uniting apparatus a detached portion of which
is shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 6.
Fig. 7 which is practically a continuation of Fig. 5 represents the folding and
finishing apparatus a detached portion of which is shown on an enlarged scale in
Fig. 8 and
Figs. 9 and 10 are sections through a belt constructed. in the apparatus shown

page_text: in the other figs., Fig. 9 representing it as in course of construction and Fig. 10 as
when completed.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The masticator A shown in Fig. 1 is of well-known construction and comprises.
a cylindrical casing A¹ provided with a door A' and a steam jacket A', and within
which casing rotates a fluted roller A provided with a central chamber A' into
which steam may be passed for maintaining it at a suitable temperature.
The guttapercha B in this masticator is kneaded by the rotating roller A* and
at the same time is subjected to heat so that it is brought into a tacky condition
and softened to such an extent that if desired it could be spread over the fabric
by a knife or equivalent. I prefer however instead of applying the softened gutta-
percha to the fabric in that manner to apply it as hereinafter described by the
process known in the indiarubber trade as "frictioning." For this purpose I pass
it first through a pair of "frictioning" calenders C C Fig. 2 heated to the required.
temperature as hereinafter more particularly described and rotated with the
adjacent portions of their peripheries moving either in the same or opposite
directions at different speeds. By this means the guttapercha is rubbed or
"frictioned" into a thin sheet B which is still in a tacky condition and for a brief
interval clings to the surface of the roll C. This sheet is then passed, together
with a sheet D of suitable fabric, say that ordinarily known as "belting duck,"
between the heated "frictioning" calenders C and C rotated at different speeds
(the roll C quicker than C2) in opposite directions, that is to say, with the adjacent
portions of their peripheries moving in the same direction; by these means the
guttapercha is "frictioned "into one side or caused to thoroughly permeate the
interstices of, and intimately combine with the fabric D.
The sheet of combined gutta percha and fabric, for convenience is hereinafter
referred to by the letter E to distinguish it from the separate sheets B1 D of
guttapercha and fabric respectively. This sheet E passes from the frictioning
calenders C¹ Cover guide rollers F and is subsequently wound into a roll E¹ in a
frame G at such a distance from the "frictioning" calenders as to enable the sheet
to lose its tackiness before it reaches this roll E¹.
Owing to the difficulties of manipulation which, by this invention, I have
succeeded in overcoming, the herein described process of "frictioning" has not
heretofore been applied to gutta percha though it has been in general use in
connection with indiarubber.
It is desirable to friction the gutta percha on to both sides of the fabric and the
second side may be "frictioned " by removing the roll E' from the frame G and
the sheet E again passed between the rolls C with the face or side, which was
presented downwards at the first passage between the rolls C¹, now turned upwards
so that the gutta percha B' is "frictioned into the second face of the fabric D.
The sheet E is then again wound into a roll E' on the frame G from which it is
afterwards removed and placed in a lathe or machine H Figs. 3 and 4. This lathe
is provided with one or more knives or cutters H' which, while the sheet E is
unwound from the roll E' are steadily advanced and divide the sheet into two or
more strips, one preferably slightly more than double the width of the other or
each of the others. In Fig. 3 I have shown the lathe provided with four knives H¹
for dividing the sheet E into five strips marked 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively, the
first named (1) being the widest, and although to avoid unnecessary complication,
I hereinafter restrict the description to belting made of five strips such as those
indicated (or what is known as six ply belting) it is to be understood that belting
of any other thickness or number of plies may be constructed in a similar manner.
The strips 1 to 5 are wound into separate rolls, bearing respectively the same
numbers, simultaneous with the cutting or dividing operation. These rolls are
afterwards supported on a frame J and the strips therefrom are guided by suitable
rollers K through a steam-jacketted or equivalent heating chamber K whereby
they are again brought into a tacky condition. The strips 1 to 5 then pass
through the gauge L hereinafter described and directly afterwards through the

page_text: doubling rolls M which cause all the strips to adhere firmly together in the manner
shown in Fig. 9. A trough M' and sponge or equivalent M' are employed so as
to apply water or equivalent to the surface of one or both of the rolls M to prevent
the tacky strips from adhering to them.
The gauge L, a front elevation of which is shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 6
is provided with two pairs L' L' of adjustable guides which centralize the wider
and narrower strips 1 and 2 to 4 respectively, in relation to each other, the two
guides L retaining the wider strip 1 in position and the two guides L retaining
the narrower strips 2 to 5 in position. Each of the guides L' L' carries a
roller L at its operative end so as to prevent fraying or tearing of the edges of
the strips.
The unfinished belt when it leaves the rolls M more or less loses its tackiness
so that it is passed through a heating chamber K in order that it may again be
rendered tacky. Immediately after leaving the heating chamber K the belt passes
through the die O, Figs. 7 and 8 which turns the projecting edges E2 of the
strip over on to the strips 2, 3, 4 and 5, the extreme edges of the strip 1 either
meeting or overlapping each other. From the die O the belt passes to the
finishing rolls P where a strip Q of thin guttapercha is applied to the joint of the
strip 1, so as to overlap it for a suitable distance on each side as shown in Fig. 10,
the general tackiness of the belting ensuring the proper adhesion of this strip Q.
A trough M and sponge or equivalent M' are applied to the rolls P for a similar
reason to that before described in connection with the doubling rolls M. From
the rolls P the then-finished belting passes to a revolving table or swift R whereon
it is rolled up into a form convenient for transport or sale.
The masticator rolls and other operative parts of the apparatus are rotated by
any suitable mechanism at any desired speed, but I prefer to rotate the rolls P
quicker than the rolls M so as to take the "stretch" out of the belting at this
stage of the operation.
The temperature at which the "frictioning" rolls operate on the guttapercha
should be varied according to the quality of the latter for example, with a good
quality of guttapercha I find that with the rolls C C C at respectively 140° 150°
and 200°, I have obtained very satisfactory results and with a poorer quality of
guttapercha I have obtained equally satisfactory results with the three rolls C C C³
at respectively 160° 140° and 2000; 1 do not however in any way bind myself to
using the rolls at these temperatures.
The heating of the various rolls and chambers may be effected by steam or any
other desired medium.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is ;-
1. "Frictioning" guttapercha on to or into textile fabric for machine or similar
belting..
2. Belting composed of two or more strips of different width of textile fabric
charged or impregnated with guttapercha the wider strip being folded over and
enveloping the narrower strip or strips.
3. The combination with two or more strips of textile fabric charged or impreg
nated and arranged as described in the preceding claim of a strip of guttapercha
applied to the joint of the wider strip.
4. In apparatus for manufacturing the described guttapercha belting the
employment of an adjustable gauge such as L substantially as and for the purpose
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. The combination with the other apparatus for manufacturing the described
guttapercha belting of a die such as O.
6. The process of manufacturing belting by masticating or kneading guttapercha
"frictioning "the guttapercha into a sheet and into the interstices of textile
fabric cutting this loaded fabric into strips of different width pressing the strips

page_text: together folding the projecting edges of the wider strip over the narrower strip.
or strips applying a strip of guttapercha to the joint of the wider strip and making
the loaded strips tacky and stretching the belting at different stages of the process
substantially as described.
7. Guttapercha belting manufactured according to the process set forth in the
last preceding claim.
8. In the manufacture of the described guttapercha belting the employment of
apparatus such as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings for
carrying out the process set forth in Claim 6.
Dated th
C. H. GRAY.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant..
C. H. GRAY.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant..