Collar, Cuff, and Front with Waterproof Body and Coverings having a Coating of Pyroxylene Varnish.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Communicated from abroad by the CELLULOID MANUFACTURING COMPANY, of New
York City, United States of America, a Corporation organized under the laws
of the State of New York.
Collar, Cuff, and Front with Waterproof Body and Coverings having
a Coating of Pyroxylene Varnish.
I, OLIVER IMRAY of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in the County
of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents 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:-
The present invention consists in a waterproof substitute for laundered collars, cuffs
and bosoms, and is the result of a protracted and costly series of experiments having in
view the production of an article possessing the desired thickness, elasticity, and
a surface closely resembling the grain of starched linen, with a constitution
adapted to bend without cracking, not liable to easily absorb dirt when in use, or to be
softened when cleansed by soap and water.
"
The articles made by means of the present invention are formed with an inner
"body" of waterproofed fibrous material having exterior fibrous
" 'coverings'
cemented upon the same with waterproof cement, and the ".
'coverings" coated
with pyroxylene varnish.
In order to meet the requirements of the present invention it has been found
necessary to provide an internal "body" which is waterproofed independently of the
exterior coverings" to prevent the penetration of moisture into such "body" if
the exterior be cracked by wear; and it has also been found necessary to coat the
'coverings" with pyroxylene varnish because no other waterproof varnish would
present the proper resistance to dirt and moisture, and permit of the repeated cleansing
of the article by soap and water.
With a stiff waterproof cuff, large button-holes are required to insert the shanks of
the buttons and studs, and a particular arrangement of such button-holes is shown
herein to prevent the rattling of the button shanks within the holes.
In the drawing, Fig. 1 represents a cuff with two button-holes at each end; Fig. 2
a transverse section of the same; Fig. 3 a side view of the cuff rolled with the
overlapped edge of the cuff presented to the eye; and Fig. 4 a longitudinal
section of such overlapped edges through the button-holes, with a stud and cuff-button
inserted in the holes.
"
a represents the "body" of coarse material, a covering" of fine fabric upon one
side of the same, and c the "covering" upon the opposite side; d are two button-holes
at one end of the cuff, e are two button-holes at the opposite end of the cuff, and f is a
line of imitation stitching near the border of the cuff to imitate a hem.
"
In practice the " 'body' a would, for an article of the best quality, be formed
of woven fabric with "
a covering" of fine muslin ; while a cheap article would have
the "body" formed of a single layer of porous wood veneer or porous paper like
blotting paper, with muslin "coverings ;" or a cheaper "body" may be formed with
two layers of cheap woven fabric united by waterproof cement, and the "covering," of
fine paper embossed in imitation of linen.
It is essential that each construction should possess a "body" of suitable thickness
when saturated externally with waterproof substance, which may consist in Dammar
varnish thickened and coloured with a suitable pigment, and the same substance may
be used between the layers if two are used.
Other colourless varnishes of an adhesive nature, and which dry readily, may be
used with suitable pigment; a colourless varnish being especially requisite when the
finished articles are intended to resemble white starched linen, as the colour of
the "body" more or less affects the hue of the "covering" layers.

page_text: Dammar varnish is specified and preferred because of its whiteness and lack of colour.
While the waterproof coating is moist or sticky upon the exterior of the "body," the
'covering" layers bc-are cemented to the same by pressing them thereon with or
without an intervening waterproof cement, the primary coating serving as a
waterproof cement if no other is used.
The "body" with "coverings "may be made in a large sheet, from which the article
can he cut and the button-holes punched therein before the article is coated with
waterproof varnish.
The external varnish in particular.must be strongly adhesive, must dry hard and
smooth to present a dirt repellent surface, and when used for white goods, must be
nearly or quite colourless, and a white or tinted pigment, ground or suitably mixed with
the varnish, to impart the desired colour to the article.
The above mentioned experiments have shown that pyroxylene varnish is the only
one capable of meeting these requirements, as it is colourless, very adhesive, and
peculiarly adapted when dry to resist dirt and moisture and to endure repeated
cleansing with soap and water.
Pyroxylene varnishes and methods for making the same are too well known to
require description.
The varnish can be applied to the edges, and to the insides of the button-holes, and
the whole surface of the article will thus be effectually adapted to repel dirt and to
readily cleanse when soiled. The surface is rendered more dirt repellent by pressure
between dies, which may form a line of imitation stitching near the border, as shown
in Fg. 1.
The button-holes d at one end of the cuff are made a little nearer together than the
button-holes e at the opposite end; as is indicated in Fig. 3, where one pair of holes is
drawn coincident, and the hole d in the other pair is partially concealed.
When the cuff-button I and the stud m are inserted in the holes, they are therefore
pressed against the edges of the holes, and are held from rattling when the article is in
use by the elasticity of the fabric.
Although a cuff only is illustrated in the drawings, it will be readily understood that
a collar or a bosom can be formed with the same constitution, and that each would be
an imitation of a similar article made of starched linen, and would, by reason of its
coating of pyroxylene varnish, be adapted to endure protracted wear and repeated
cleansing. Each of these articles would also, by reason of its internal "body" having
a waterproof surface, effectively resist moisture if the external "covering" were
accidentally cracked.
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
""
First. A collar, cuff or bosom, consisting in an inner "body" of suitable fibrous
material having its outer sides saturated with waterproof substance, and a "covering
of fabric cemented thereto upon its whole exterior surface by waterproof cement and
provided with a superficial coating of pyroxylene varnish.
Second. A stiff waterproof cuff, provided at one end with two button-holes
for buttons or studs, and at the other end with two corresponding holes formed at a
suitable distance apart, to prevent the rattling of the buttons when inserted, substantially
as herein set forth.