IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING FABRICS SUITABLE FOR FLOOR CLOTHS, A communication Maxana CHALL TTIER ARTICLES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Brookes, of 73, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING FABRICS SUITABLE FOR FLOOR CLOTHS,
A communication
Maxana
CHALL TTIER
ARTICLES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Brookes,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 9th June 1853.
I, WILLIAM BROOKES, of 73, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING FABRICS SUITABLE FOR FLOOR
CLOTHS, COVERS, AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
The improvements consist in coating the fabrics with saponified fatty
matters, metallic salts, and dissolved or decomposed india-rubber, com-
bined together and applied in substitution of the ordinary coatings to floor
cloths, tarpaulins, and other covers, and such like articles. Colouring
matters and thickening may be mixed with the compounds, or colouring
matters may be applied afterwards upon the surface of the coated
fabric.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Brookes in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 9th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM BROOKES, of 73, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Brookes, Her special
licence that I, the said William Brookes, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Brookes,
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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING FABRICS SUITABLE FOR FLOOR CLOTHS, COVERS,
AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES," communicated to me from abroad, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Brookes, by an in-
strument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
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 dato of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Brookes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
The improvements consist in coating fabrics with saponified fatty
matters, metallic salts, and dissolved or decomposed india-rubber,
combined together and applied in substitution of the ordinary coatings
to floor cloths, tarpaulins, and other covers, and such like articles.

page_text: I do not confine myself to particular proportions in applying the
combinations above named, but the proportions which have been found
to answer well consist of 50 lbs. weight of saponaceous matter or soap
dissolved in about fifteen gallons of water at a temperature of 250°
Fahrenheit, to which is added 25 lbs. of the sulphate of zinc. When
cold the mass is hard and brittle, but by adding thereto decomposed
india-rubber, at a temperature of 220° Fahrenheit, that tendency to
crack is obviated. The mode of decomposing india-rubber which it is.
preferred to adopt is obtained by putting india-rubber in small pieces
into oil (by preference olive oil) and heating it to a temperature of
about 300° Fahrenheit until complete solution is effected.
Decomposed india-rubber, thus obtained, is added to the above
composition in the proportion of pint of the decomposed india-rubber
to the gallon of composition, but the proportions will be varied according
to the degree of hardness or elasticity desired.
Coloring matters and also thickening matters may be mixed with the
compounds. The matters which have been found to answer well as.
thickening are whiting, cream of lime, and lamp black, to be added to
the above in such proportions that, whilst it is in a plastic condition by
the heat applied to it, it may be applied by a brush; or the thickening
matters may be applied to the compounds to a greater extent, and then
the mixture may be applied by spreading it on the surface of the fabric
by any suitable instrument. The coloring matters may, if desired, be
applied afterwards upon the surface of the coated fabric in any figure, or
pattern, or masses desired.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Brookes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness, BENJN MILLS.
WILLIAM BROOKES. (L.S.)
73, Chancery Lane.