IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELTED OR ELASTIC COVERS FOR BOTTLES AND ANALOGOUS ARTICLES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR, THE SAME BEING IN PART APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF OTHER FELTED GOODS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sigismund Schuman, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
FELTED OR ELASTIC COVERS FOR BOTTLES AND ANALOGOUS ARTICLES, AND
IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR, THE SAME BEING
IN PART APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF OTHER FELTED GOODS."
Sealed the 12th January 1877, and dated the 21st July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sigismund Schuman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st July 1876.
SIGISMUND SCHUMAN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELTED OR ELASTIC COVERS FOR
BOTTLES AND ANALOGOUS ARTICLES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR, THE SAME BEING IN PART APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFAC-
TURE OF OTHER FELTED GOODS."
This Invention which relates to improvements in the manufacture of felted covers
or packages for bottles and other fragile articles, as well as to other felted articles,
and in the machinery or apparatus employed therefor, consists as follows:
The sheets or slivers of fibrous material from which the felted goods are to be
manufactured are taken from the carding engine and laid on the table of the felting
machine. When so laid down one portion of the sheet or sliver is folded over the
moulds, by which the interior of the felted article is formed, and a frame con-
structed with any number of divisions corresponding to the size of the felted article
to be formed is drawn down upon the felt and pressed by means of a spring or
weight attached to hooks which catch upon projections on the frame.
At the back
of the machine is a horizontal revolving shaft provided with cranks or eccentrics
which are connected by rods to the moulds and these as the shaft revolves impart
a rapid reciprocating or rubbing action to the moulds.
At the time that the reciprocating or rubbing action is going on, steam is
admitted through perforations in the table, and in the moulds, and the combined
action of the rubbing motion and steam felts the fibres and unites the sheets or
slivers at the edges. It is preferred that both the surface of the table as well as
the moulds be grooved or corrugated so as to produce, a grooved fluted or pointed
surface on the felted articles, or they may have a trade mark or other device cut
[Price 6d.]

page_text: in or upon them which the felting action permanently transfers to the articles, or
a trade mark, label, or other device may be printed upon the articles.
Another feature of this Invention consists in covering the felted cases with thin
paper, plain or ornamented. This paper covering may be applied to either a part
or the whole of the cases, and prolonged at the bottom beyond the felt, so as to be
folded up and thereby thoroughly encase the bottle or other article, and a trade
mark, label, or other device may be printed thereon.
In addition to forming felted goods of the class herein-before described in the
machine, as set forth, flat sheets of felt with smooth or corrugated surfaces may
also be made in the said machine.
Another feature of the present Invention consists in forming sheets of a soft
flexible material to be used for packing bottles and other frangible articles. This
consists in combining felt, straw cuttings, cork shavings, or a mixture of fibres and
clay, or other soft substance between two sheets of paper, these being made to
These sheets
adhere together by glue, size, gum, or other adhesive material.
are by preference perforated in lines at short distances apart, and laid over with
gum at these lines of perforation, so that when folded around a bottle or other
article the sheets may be torn off at a line of perforation, and the gum being
moistened enables the portions of the sheet which meet round the package to be
stuck together, thus forming a firm casing over the bottles or other fragile article,
a sufficient length of the sheet being left at either end of the package for folding
in or twisting up.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Sigismund Schuman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th January 1877.
SIGISMUND SCHUMAN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELTED OR ELASTIC COVERS FOR
BOTTLES AND ANALOGOUS ARTICLES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR, THE SAME BEING IN PART APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFAC-
TURE OF OTHER FELTED GOODS."
My said Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of felted covers
or packages for bottles and other fragile articles as well as to other felted articles,
and in the machinery or apparatus employed therefor.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had
to the annexed sheet of Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say :-
On the sheet of Drawings hereunto appended Figure 1 is a front elevation,
Figure 2 is a plan, and Figure 3 an end elevation of a machine constructed in
accordance with my said Invention, and for the manufacture of felted covers or
cases for bottles or other fragile articles.
The machine consists of two frames or cheeks A, on which a table B is supported,
the lower part of which is constructed in the of a box and provided with snugs
or projections for the purpose of bolting it to the frames A. A flauch is formed
on the lower portion of the table and to it the upper part C, is so secured as to
form an enclosed space into which steam, or water, or other gas or fluid may be
admitted. On the upper part C of the table are formed divisions or openings D,
seen more fully in plan, Figure 2, these corresponding in shape to the bottle cover
or other article required to be manufactured. Within the divisions D small holes
or perforations are made through the table C, which allow the steam, water, or
other gas or fluid to operate upon the article being manufactured. When articles
such as covers for bottles or analogous purposes are being made, the top door or

page_text: frames O, is raised by any suitable means so as to allow the fibrous material to be
placed in the divisions D, these divisions having corrugations formed at their
lower ends either in the direction shewn in plan at Figure 2, or in an analogous
direction. When the material has been placed on the bottom of the divisions D,
a plate N of the required shape and either formed plain or with corrugations is
placed on the top of it. Another layer of material is then placed on the said
plate and the top door or frame O, which is also corrugated and perforated with
small holes, is drawn down upon the upper layer and firmly secured in the manner
herein-after described. The felting machinery is then set in motion, and by the
reciprocating action imparted to the plate (which is held tightly between the
layers of material) by the application of water or other liquid (which is poured
in through the perforations in the top door or frame O), and of steam (which is
admitted through the perforations in the top part C, of the table from the enclosed
space formed by the upper and lower parts C and B), the two layers of fibrous
material are felted or kneaded and pressed or united together at the edges. The
plate N between being then withdrawn leaves a space of the desired shape
between the two layers into which the bottle is introduced. A little apart from
one of the cheeks or frames A a similar cheek E is fixed, and on it is formed or
secured a bearing block a. On the cheek A a bearing block b is also fixed or
forined and through these blocks passes a crank shaft F, on which are situated
fast and loose pulleys G, for driving and stopping the machine. At the front
and back of the machine and secured to the cheeks or frames A are brackets H,
which support in a horizontal position two shafts I and J, to which are fixed
at the driving end levers K, these being formed with slots c, and provided
with sliding blocks d, which are connected to the crank shaft F by means
of the rods L. A reciprocating motion is thereby imparted to the levers K,
and the shafts I and J are oscillated. The extent of reciprocal motion is capablo
of adjustment by sliding the blocks in the slots c to a greater or less distance
from the centre of the shafts I and J. Other levers M are also situated on the
shafts I and J, and to them rods or shafts c are connected by means of blocks f,
which are formed or provided with pins g, as shewn, these being dropped into
slots or jaws in the lever M. The rods e pass loosely through the blocks f and
are secured in position by being formed with shoulders which abut against one side
of the blocks, a washer and screwed nut being placed at the other side of each
block, as more particularly seen at Figure 4, which is a detailed section of the
arrangement. The rods e are also secured to plates or boards N which fit into but
are a little smaller than the divisions or openings D in the top portion C of the
table, and by the pins or trunnions g of the blocks f forming hinge joints, the said
plates N are capable of being raised and lowered through an arc in a vertical plane,
whilst at the same time the blocks f permit of the plates N being reversed when
desired. These plates N are made to move backwards and forwards by the rotary
action of the crank shaft F being transmitted by means of the connecting rods L to
the levers K on the under side of the shafts I and J, which impart a reciprocal
motion to the levers M and rods e of the plates or boards N. At the back of the
machine and near the floor is a horizontal shaft P which is supported at each end in
bosses formed on the frames or cheeks A. A lever R is also centred on a bracket Q.
at the back of the framing A, the said lever being carried to the front of the
machine and terminated in a plate on which the foot of the operator rests. A rod i
connects the lever R to another lever S which is centred on the shaft P, so that
when the foot is pressed upon the extremity of the lever R, the lever S is caused
to move through an are downwards, thereby through the shaft P moving other
levers T fixed on the said shaft P through an are upwards. The levers T are
attached to rods or connections which are each formed at their upper ends with a
hook for the purpose of holding down the door or frame O upon the material whilst
the operation of felting is being performed. Another lever Û is also provided, being
fixed to the shaft P and carried to the front of the machine where it is held down
by a spring or weight 7, the tension being applied through the levers T and rods k

page_text: to the top door or frame O, which is thereby held down more or less tightly
according to the weight or to the strength of spring applied to the lever U. The
door or frame is released by the operator pressing with the foot on the foot plate of
the lever R. A steam pipe V is carried along underneath the table from which a
branch having a cock, whereby steam may be turned on or off as may be necessary, 5
is carried to the bottom portion B of the table, and from this portion is led a pipe
provided with a cock for the purpose of drawing off the water of condensation,
and also that which may be admitted through the perforations in the divisions D in
the top part C of the table.
Under a modification of the felting apparatus for bottle covers herein-before 1
described, in lieu of placing the reciprocating plate N between the layers of fibrous
material, a plain stationary board or plate may be situated between the layers, and
the reciprocating plate N placed between the upper layer and the corrugated plates x
of the frame or door O. With this arrangement the bottom of each division D may
also be made to reciprocate by suitable apparatus provided for that purpose.
The 1
bottom of each division D, or the plates x of the door or frame O, or, under the
modification last referred to, the rubbing face of the reciprocating plate N may
have a trade mark or other device cut in or upon them which the felting action
permanently transfers to the articles being manufactured, or the device may be
printed upon such articles. The divisions D and the plates x may be formed with
knife edges or with perforating pins as and for the purpose herein-after set forth.
The sheets or slivers of fibrous material from which the felted goods are made
may be taken from the carding engine in the manner illustrated at Figure 5 of the
appended Drawings, that is to say, the loose fibre after passing through the engine
from the separate compartments or receptacles A, A1, of the frame D is delivered
in the form of a sheet or sliver to the rotating rollers B, each of which is made
with conical ends as shewn. The cylindrical part of each roller represents the
straight portions of two bottles, the conical parts representing the necks. The
sheets or slivers are so delivered on to the rollers that a portion of the fibre which
is or may be thinner than the other parts is wound round the conical neck of the
roller. The winding being completed the sliver is cut through the middle and
each half placed upon one of the reciprocating corrugated plates N, or on the
stationary flat board herein-before referred to, after which the sliver is felted in
the manner already set forth. With this method of building up the fibre a cylin-
drical matrix may be introduced into its interior instead of a flat plate or board,
and the shaft or rod e may be so arranged as to cause the matrix to revolve, either
completely or through an arc, whereby any tendency to irregularity in the
contour of the cover is prevented. When a cylindrical matrix is used the divi-
sions D of the table and the plates x of the door or frame O are correspondingly
curved so as to constitute the outer mould.
Another feature of this Invention consists in covering the felted cases with paper,
either plain or ornamented. This paper covering may be applied to either a part
or the whole of the cases and prolonged at the bottom beyond the felt, so as to be
folded up and thereby thoroughly encase the bottle or other article, and a trade
mark, label, or other device may be printed on the said paper.
Figure 6 of the Drawing is a transverse section, and Figure 7 a view at right
angles to Figure 6 of an apparatus constructed for manufacturing felted fabrics in
sheets of any desired shape in accordance with my said Invention. The apparatus
consists of a box or chamber A, at the interior of which a series of corrugated
plates B are situated as shewn. Between each of these plates one or more sheets
or slivers of loosely adhering fibre is or are placed, each sheet being placed upon
and covered by a layer of canvas or equivalent fabric in order that when felted the
fabric may be removed from the apparatus on the canvas without risk of being
broken. The plates B are formed with projections C extending through the sides
of the box or chamber, and by which they are connected to reciprocating levers
similar to the levers M of the machine herein-before described, each alternate plate
being operated from opposite ends or sides of the box or chamber A. A downward

page_text: pressure is exerted on these plates by levers similar to the hooked levers k, Figure 3'
which are connected to the uppermost plate of the series, or to a plate specially
provided for the purpose. In each of the plates B perforations are made, through
which steam passes upwards into and through the fabric from the space E at the
bottom of the chamber A, and water percolates downwards through the same.
When the felting operation has been completed the hooked levers k are released by
the attendant operating a foot lever, or by equivalent means, and the cover or
topmost plate B of the sèries is raised or hoisted by a block and tackle or other
suitable apparatus. The under plates B are thereafter, or before the layer of
fabric has been removed, folded upwards at right angles to the position shewn, in
order to afford access to the plate beneath, or the plates may in succession be
entirely removed whilst preparing the apparatus to recommence the felting opera-
tion. In preparing the sliver of material for this apparatus, the fibre may be
delivered from the carding machine on to a travelling web of any desired length with
which it is wound on to a roller, the fibre when being again removed from the roller
presenting a continuous web or sheet from which pieces of the desired size and shape
are cut and placed between the plates B. This system of delivering the sliver
is also applicable for employment in conjunction with the machine first described.
Another part of this Invention consists in forming sheets of a soft flexible
material to be used for packing bottles and other frangible articles. This consists
in combining felt, straw cuttings, cork shavings, or a mixture of fibres and clay, or
other soft substance between two sheets of paper, these being made to adhere
together by glue, size, tar, gum, or other adhesive material. These sheets are by
preference perforated in lines at short distances apart, and laid over with gum at
these lines of perforation, so that when folded around a bottle or other article the
sheets may be torn off at a of perforation, and the gum being moistened enables
the portions of the sheet which meet round the package to be stuck together, thus
forming a firm casing over the bottles or other fragile article, a sufficient length of
the sheet being left at each end of the package for folding in or twisting up.
apparatus employed in making such sheets consists of a press on whose table or
sole the paper and the soft flexible or elastic material are placed, the two sheets or
layers of paper being united together at the gummed parts by the pressure exerted
upon them.
The parts of the press are so constructed as to indent or corrugate
the paper, and also to perforate it at the required places, or instead of perforating
the sheets the press or moulds may be made with knife edges, which cut the paper
into sheets of the desired size. The press or moulds may also be so constructed as
to form the covers for bottles or other fragile articles in a hollow or bag like form,
and this is effected by the employment of a matrix of the required shape. When
such is employed a layer of paper is placed on the sole of the press, then a layer of
the soft, flexible, or elastic material, which is followed by another layer of paper
on which the matrix or shape is placed. Above the matrix or shape paper and
soft or elastic material are situated in the same order of succession, and the
upper and under layers are brushed round the edges of the matrix with gum, glue,
or other mucilage. The press or moulds is or are next brought into operation so
as to cause the separate portions to adhere at the gunmed parts, these being either
cut or perforated, as herein-before set forth. The press or moulds may further be
used to manufacture the felted covers, instead of the apparatus shewn at Figures
1, 2, and 3 of the Drawings, in which case these covers may be formed in perforated
sheets or separately, being divided by the knife edges herein-before referred to.
The
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner, in or under which the same is or may
be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The general arrangement and construction of the machine shewn at Figures
1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying Drawings, in which felted covers are produced on
and within moulds of the required shape by the joint reciprocating and rubbing

page_text: action of the moulds or part thereof, in combination with steam and water or other
gas and fluid, substantially as herein-before described.
Second. The round or cylindrical or partly cylindrical and partly conical matrix
for producing felted covers operating as herein-before described with reference to
Figure 5 of the annexed Drawings.
Third. The machine for producing sheets of felt constructed as herein-before
described, and in part shewn at Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying Drawing,
the essential features whereof are causing the felting plates to alternately reciprocate
in opposite directions and forming the said plates with corrugated surfaces as
distinguished from surfaces otherwise roughened.
Fourth. The use in machinery for making flat sheets of felt of a layer of canvas
or other web like material both above and below the felted substance for the
purpose of keeping the felt together or preventing it from being broken whilst
being removed from the machine.
Fifth. The moulds or rubbers with corrugated or indented surfaces for the produc-
tion of felt as herein-before described, and the corrugated or otherwise indented
felted cover or envelope as formed by the said moulds.
Sixth. The covers, consisting of elastic material contained between layers of
paper, and the means for manufacturing the same substantially as herein-before
described.
Seventh. The knife edges or perforating points in moulds for the purpose of
separating the covers from one another, or for cutting off or rendering easy the
separation of superfluous material on the lines of joint as herein-before described.
Eighth. The production of trade marks or other devices or patterns on felted
goods by the action of the reciprocating part or parts of the moulds as herein-before
described.
Ninth. The corrugated or otherwise indented sheets with lines of perforation, and
gummed for the purpose of enwrapping or covering bottles or other frangible articles
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sigismund Schuman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of January, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-seven.
SIGISMUND SCHUMAN. (L.S.)