AN IMPROVEMENT IN FERRULES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles William Feuillade Aubusson, of Warren
Street, Fitzroy Square, in the. County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN FERRULES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles William Feuillade
Aubusson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 12th May 1854.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM FEUILLADE AUBUSSON, of Warren Street, Fitzroy
Square, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of the Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN FERRULES" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the giving elasticity to the lower ends of
ferrules used for walking sticks, umbrellas, crutches, wooden legs, and other
articles, by applying to such ferrules vulcanized india-rubber at the lower end.
thereof, by which means the noise and jar heretofore consequent on the use of
metal for the under surfaces of ferrules will be prevented. For which purpose
I introduce into the lower end of each ferrule and fix therein a quantity of
vulcanized india-rubber, in such manner that it shall protrude beyond the
lower end of the ferrule, and be the surface that shall strike the ground.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles William Feuillade Aubusson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th November 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
WILLIAM FEUILLADE AUBUSSON, of Warren Street, Fitzroy Square, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Charles William Feuillade Aubusson, Her special licence that I, the
said Charles William Feuillade Aubusson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles William Feuillade Aubusson, 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT IN FERRULES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles William Feuillade Aubusson, by an
instrument 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 date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles William Feuillade Aubusson, 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 the giving elasticity to the lower ends of
ferrules used for walking sticks, umbrellas, crutches, wooden legs, and other
articles, by applying to such ferrules vulcanized india-rubber at the lower end
thereof, by which means the noise and jar heretofore consequent on the use of
metal for the under surfaces of ferrules will be prevented. For which purpose
I introduce into the lower end of each ferrule and fix therein a quantity of
vulcanized india-rubber, in such manner that it shall protrude beyond the
lower end of the ferrule, and be the surface that shall strike the ground.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe
the manner of performing the same.

page_text: Figure 1 shews a ferrule suitable for a walking stick or umbrella, having
applied thereto and fixed therein an end of vulcanized india-rubber; Figure 2
is a section thereof; Figure 3 shews a section of the ferrule before introducing
the india-rubber end; and Figure 4 shows the india-rubber before being
introduced. The lower part of the ferrule is turned inwards, so as to form an
internal flanch or support to the ring or collar which is placed thereon, and
through which the vulcanized india-rubber is passed. The sizes of the ferrules
and also of the pieces of india-rubber will as a matter of course depend on the
size of the stick, or crutch, or leg, or article to which such ferrule is to be
fixed; but the manner of combining the vulcanized india-rubber with a ferrule
so that it may close the end and protrude therefrom, and offer an elastic
cushion to the under side thereof, is the same, whatever be the size or purpose
to which it is to be applied. In the various Figures of the Drawing the same
letters are used to indicate the same parts. a is the ferrule, and a¹ is the
turned up inner flanch; 6 is a collar or ring of gutta percha, or gutta percha
mixed with india-rubber or other material, through which the india-rubber is
partly passed, and in such manner that the vulcanized india-rubber may be
securely girt in by this ring and the flanch. In order thus to girt in the vul-
canized india-rubber, it is stretched or extended, and the stretched part bound
round with thread or twine, so as to retain it in its extended form, and thus
admit of part being readily passed through the ring or collar b, and through
the open end of the ferrule a; when on removing the binding thread or twine
the vulcanized. india-rubber will contract in length and expand or resume its
original form, where it is not confined by the collar or ring and in the flanch of
the ferrule. I would state that I find it desirable to dust over the interior of
the ferrule, and also that part of the india-rubber which comes within the
ferrule, with the dust of rosin, before introducing the india-rubber into the
ferrule; such matter adds to the difficulty of withdrawing the india-rubber.
Ferrules thus combined with vulcanized india-rubber will be found applicable
to a great variety of articles, such as umbrella sticks, walking sticks, wooden
legs, and crutches; for which uses they will not only be found to offer elastic
ends, but they will be noiseless, and at the same time not liable to slip even
when wet. And such ferrules combined with vulcanized india-rubber
applied to the heels of boots and shoes, as shown at Figures 5, 6, and 7; where
it will be seen, that a ferrule combined with vulcanized india-rubber, as above
explained, is fixed to a projection of the heel, and then the ferrule is clothed
with leather, as shewn. Ferrules combined with vulcanized india-rubber-may
may be

page_text: also in some cases be applied to the legs of chairs and tables where elasticity
is desired, and they may also be applied to other articles.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not make any claim
to 'the binding of vulcanized india-rubber to facilitate its being passed through
a comparative small opening; but what I claim is, the manufacture of ferrules
in combination with vulcanized india-rubber, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles William Feuillade Aubusson,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
GEO. PITT,
4, Old Square.
C. W. F. AUBUSSON. (L.S.)