A New Process or Method of and Apparatus for Rendering Textile Fabrics Waterproof or Water-repellent.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 20th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 28th Sept., 1888
A New Process or Method of and Apparatus for Rendering Textile
Fabrics Waterproof or Water-repellent.
I, THOMAS FERNELEY WILEY, of Cravenette Works, Moss Street, Bradford in the
County of York do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new process or method of and apparatus for waterproofing
textile fabrics, or making them water-repellent, and it consists in applying the water-
proofing agent or substance to the fabrics in a solid or hard state by friction and heat
thereby obviating the use of solvents or waterproofing solutions which in most cases
besides detracting from the waterproofing properties of the substances or compositions
thus applied, are costly or difficult in manipulation, often disturb the dyes, have a detri-
mental effect on the handle of the fabrics, and also impart to them an unpleasant odour.
I employ any waterproofing agent or substance capable of being formed to a
convenient shape of suitable consistancy and having a melting point below what would
damage the fabrics, of which the following substances are good examples: Stearine,
ozokerite, spermaciti, paraffin wax, bees wax, and Japanese wax. In some cases I use
these substances singly and sometimes in combination, preferably employing such
substance or combination which is found to have the greatest affinity or is most
readily absorbed by the fibres of the particular fabric to be operated upon, the nature,
colour, and various processes through which it has been passed greatly influencing the
selection of the particular substance or compound, and in many cases actual trial is
necessary before it can be ascertained which is adapted to give the best results.
The above mentioned substances all melt by the application of heat in which state
they may be mixed and moulded to the most convenient form for application.
In some cases in order to better adapt the said substances to the various fibres, dyes,
finishes, etc. of the different fabrics to be operated upon, I find it preferable to in-
corporate a small portion of any of the following: India rubber gutta percha, maltha,
asphaltum, colophony, and analogous substances and also any of the so called
artifical gums, the production of which is described in Henri Adrien Bonneville's
Specification numbered 1884, and dated 19th June 1869.

page_text: I preferably apply the waterproofing substance in the form of slabs or cakes by
means of the apparatus now described. The fabrics to be operated upon are carried
by a reel or beam supported in bearings between suitable frames. At the opposite
end of said frames a hollow india rubber cylinder without an arbor is mounted upon
a carrying roller and supported laterally by side rollers, and such cylinder is
preferably filled with water. A slab of waterproofing substance preferably wider than
the fabrics to be operated upon is fixed above said cylinder in a suitable holder. The
said holder is provided with projections at each end fitting between vertical guides
formed on said frames, and it is so arranged that the weight of such holder presses the
slab of waterproofing substance against said cylinder which pressure may be increased
as required by arranging suitable weights, screws, springs, weighted bars, or their
equivalent to bear on said holder. Adjustable tension bars are fitted between the
reel holding the fabric and said cylinder to regulate the tension of the fabric.
To apply heat to the fabrics this apparatus is preferably used in conjunction with
an ordinary cylinder drying machine by which the fabrics are drawn through such
apparatus. They are drawn from the said reel, over and under tension bars, under
said supporting roller, between it and the india rubber cylinder and round such
cylinder under the slab of waterproofing substance, over a guide roller and into the
drying machine.
The friction of the fabrics during their passage between the said india rubber cylinder
and slab of waterproofing substance gradually wears such slab away and uniformly
deposites it upon the fabrics passing into the drying machine the heat of which
melts the waterproofing substance thus deposited causing it to become absorbed by
the fibres of the fabrics which are thereby rendered waterproof or water-repellent.
The amount of waterproofing substance in this manner deposited is regulated by
the amount of pressure exerted by the said holder.
The said india rubber cylinder being hollow is consequently extremely pliable and
elastic and is thus adapted to uniformly press the fabrics against the under edge of
the slab of waterproofing substance notwithstanding any unevenness of such edge
occasioned by unequal wear. Such roller also tends to remove creases from the fabric
and otherwise keep it straight.
The said slabs are preferably made longer than the width of the fabric in order to
allow of any slight lateral deviation thereof, and as the ends of such slabs are not
exposed to the same amount of friction as the parts constantly in contact with such
fabric they are bevelled or chamfered so that such parts may be easily worn away.
Dated this 16th day of November 1887.
DRACUP & NOWELL,
Bradford, Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New Process or Method of and Apparatus for Rendering Textile
Fabrics Water-proof or Water Repellent.
I, THOMAS FERNELEY WILEY, of Cravenette Works, Moss Street, Bradford, in the
County of York, Waterproofer, 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 a new process or method of and apparatus for waterproofing
textile fabrics, or making them water-repellent, and it consists in applying the water-
proofing agent, substance or composition to the fabrics in a solid or hard state by
friction and heat thereby obviating the use of solvents or waterproofing solutions
which in most cases besides detracting from the waterproofing properties of the
substances or compositions thus applied, are costly and difficult as well as dangerous
in manipulation, often disturb the dyes, have a detrimental effect on the handle of the
fabrics, and also impart to them an unpleasant odour.
I employ any waterproofing agent or substance capable of being formed to a
convenient shape of suitable consistency and having a melting point below what would
damage the fabrics, of which the following substances are good examples: Stearine,
spermaciti, ozokerite, paraffin wax, bees wax, and Japanese wax.
I use these substances either singly or employ various combinations, preferably
employing such substance or combination which is found to have the greatest affinity
for, or is most readily absorbed by the fibres of the particular fabric to be operated
upon, the dyes it contains also the nature of the various processes through which it
has been passed greatly influencing the selection of the particular substance or
compound, and in some cases actual trial is necessary before it can be ascertained
which is adapted to give the best results.
The above mentioned substances all melt by the application of heat in which state
they may be mixed and moulded to the most convenient form for application.
In some cases in order to better adapt the said substances to the various fibres, dyes
and finishes of the different fabrics to be operated upon, and having regard to the
"handle" required, I find it preferable to incorporate a small proportion of one or
more of the following substances: India rubber, gutta percha, maltha, asphaltum,
colophony, and analogous substances, and also any of the so called artificial gums, the
production of which is described in Henri Adrien Bonnerville's Specification numbered
1884, and dated the 19th day of June A.D. 1869.
I preferably apply the waterproofing substance or composition in the form of slabs
or cakes by means of the apparatus described with reference to the accompanying
sheet of drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
each of the figures.
Figure 1, represents a longitudinal section of the apparatus, and figure 2, is a plan
of the same with a portion of the said slab and holder broken away to show the parts
beneath.

page_text: The reel A holding the fabrics B to be operated upon is mounted in bearings C
formed at the end of the side frames D. At the opposite end of the machine a hollow
india rubber cylinder E without an arbor and filled with water is mounted upon a
roller F and lies between lateral rollers G and H. A slab J of waterproofing
substance is fixed in the holder K and its lower edge rests upon said cylinder. The
holder K is provided with projections L at each end fitting between vertical guides M
formed on the frames D and it is so arranged that the weight of such holder presses the
slab J towards the cylinder E, which pressure may be increased to any desired extent
by placing a weight or weights upon the tray N fixed above the holder.
This apparatus is used in conjunction with a cylinder drying machine O, by which
the fabrics B are drawn from the reel A over and under the adjustable tension bars P
beneath the roller F, between it and the cylinder E causing it to revolve, and round
such cylinder under the slab J towards the roller Q and into the drying machine.
The friction of the fabrics upon the slab J gradually wears such slab away and
uniformly deposits it upon the fabrics as they pass underneath it towards the cylinders
of the drying machine the heat of which is adapted to melt the waterproofing
substance thus deposited causing it to become absorbed by and to coat the fibers of the
fabrics which are thereby rendered waterproof or water, repellent. The amount of
waterproofing substance deposited is regulated by the pressure exercised by the
holder K. The feed screws T are fitted through the top of the holder K to push the
slab J out of the holder from time to time as it becomes reduced.
The said india rubber cylinder being hollow is consequently extremely pliable and
elastic and it is thus adapted to uniformly press the fabrics against the under edge of
the slab J notwithstanding any unevenness of such edge occasioned by unequal wear.
Such roller also tends to remove creases from the fabrics and otherwise keep them
straight.
The said slabs are preferably made longer than the width of the fabric in order to
allow of any slight lateral deviation thereof, and as the ends of such slabs are not
exposed to the same amount of friction as the parts constantly in contact with such
fabrics they are bevelled or chamfered as shown at S (figure 2) so that such parts may
be more readily worn away.
The bars P are capable of being adjusted in the slots U for the purpose of regulating
the tension of the fabrics.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare what 1
claim is:
1. The complete process for rendering textile fabrics waterproof or water-repellent
consisting of the application of waterproofing agents, substances or compounds in the
solid state, without solvent, by friction and heat, substantially as herein shown and
described.
2. The general combination and arrangement of the mechanism for applying
waterproofing substances in the solid state to textile fabrics, substantially as herein
shown and described and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 18th day of August 1888.
DRACUP & NOWELL,
Bradford, Agents.