IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATERPROOF FABRICS: PERMEABLE TO AIR
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Read, the younger, of Havelock Street, in'
is
the Borough of Leicester, Waterproof Fabric Manufacturer, for the
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATERPROOF FABRICS:
PERMEABLE TO AIR."
Sealed the 6th November 1860, and dated the 17th August 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Read at the
'Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
August 1860.
I, ROBERT READ,. the younger, of Havelock Street, in the Borough of
Leicester, Waterproof Fabric Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATERPROOF,
FABRICS PERMEABLE TO AIR," to; be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of water-
proof: fabrics permeable to air. For these purposes two suitable fabrics, such
as a tweed and alpaca, or others have each one of their surfaces coated with
india-rubber cement, and such coated surfaces are allowed to dry; each of such
coated surfaces is then passed against and pressed in.contact with a roller, the
surface, of which has been previously coated, with india-rubber solution and
allowed to dry, by,which means the coating, of the fabric will be broken, up. The
two coated; fabrics having thus had the coatings of their surfaces broken up are,
I

page_text: then pressed together and caused to adhere, and form a waterproof fabric. At
the same time in consequence of the breaking up of the coatings of india-
rubber, as above explained, the combined fabric will be found to be permeable
to air and consequently allow perspiration to pass through.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,. filed
by the said Robert Read in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th February 1861..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
READ, the younger, of Havelock Street, in the Borough of Leicester, Water-
proof Fabric Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS. Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Robert Read, Her special licence that I, the said Robert Read,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Robert Read, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should, at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 WATERPROOF FABRICS PERMEABLE TO AIR," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Read, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, 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 date of the said Letters' Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Read, 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 :-
:
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of water-
-proof fabrics permeable to air. For these purposes two suitable fabrics,
such as a tweed and alpaca, or others have each one of their surfaces.
coated with india-rubber. cement, and such coated surfaces are allowed to

page_text: dry, each of such coated surfaces is then passed against and pressed in contact
with a roller the surface of which has been previously coated with india-rubber
solution, and allowed to dry, by which means the coating of the fabric will be
broken up. Such breaking up of the surface on the fabric being caused by its
adhering to the coating of india-rubber on the roller, so that in separating
the coated fabric from the, roller, the coating on the cloth or fabric will give
way and be removed at small points or be slightly injured or broken, so as to
make slight openings through the coating of india-rubber on the fabric. The
two coated fabrics having thus had the coatings of their surfaces broken up are
then pressed together and caused to adhere and form a waterproof fabric, at
the same time, in consequence of the breaking up of the coatings of india-rubber
as above explained, the combined fabric will be found to be permeable to air,
and consequently allow perspiration to pass through.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Read have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
ROBERT READ. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
above-named Robert Read in the
presence of
EDMP. TRUNDLE,
Clerk to W. G. Stevenson, Sol*.
Leicester.