Improvements in the Manufacture of Floor Cloth and like Fabrics, and Machinery therefor.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 6th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Floor Cloth and like Fabrics,
and Machinery therefor.
We, RUSSELL SCOTT, of The Corticine Works, Ponders End, in the County of
Middlesex, Manufacturer, and WILLIAM JOHN BEARD, of 3, Stanley Villas,
Lincoln Road, Ponders End, aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates chiefly to improvements in the manufacture of that kind
of floor cloth known as linoleum and of like fabrics in which the colors of the
design are continuous through the substance of the material.
In carrying out our invention the composition or material is prepared in a plastic
condition in various colors as required, and rolled out into sheets by heated rolls in
the usual manner.
We employ a heated table of a length at least equal to the width of the fabric to
be made, and of a breadth suitable to the design or pattern required. We employ
the usual canvas backing which is drawn intermittently along the table and remains
stationary whilst each set of the various colored pieces of material is being deposited
thereon as hereinafter described. An adhesive solution is advantageously spread
on the canvas backing so as to keep the material in position until it is pressed. At
a suitable distance above the table is fixed a frame, having slideways or grooves
into which die plates slide. The inside of the frame is made perfectly true and of
a length equal to the width of the fabric and a breadth at least equal to the design
of the material: into this frame are fitted punches of a shape and number to suit
the design. Pins with heads are screwed into the top side of the punches in
convenient positions. A guide plate is fastened to the top side of the frame through
which the pins pass freely; they also pass through a similar guide plate but which
is free to slide vertically. The upper or sliding guide plate is pressed against the
underside of the heads of the pins in the punches by means of springs and so lifts
the punches against the fixed plate.
Mounted in sliding bearings and above the sliding plate is a press head of a
polygon shape having at least as many sides or faces as there are colors in the
design required. On each face a plate is fastened into which are fixed pins which
project from the plate and correspond with the pins of the punches required for one
color. The press-head is caused to revolve intermittently so that each face in its
turn comes directly over the punches for a particular color of material: when the
head has been revolved one step it is pressed downwards by suitable means such as
by means of cranks and connecting rods, or by cams, and in its descent the pins
force down the corresponding punches, so that in one complete revolution of the
head all the punches are acted upon and forced down; as the head ascends the
punches are lifted by the sliding plate and springs.
The die plates referred to, which are in number equal to the colors required,
have holes in them corresponding exactly with their respective punches; on each
die plate is placed a sheet of material of any desired color, it is then passed in the
grooves under the punches and the exact position secured by steady pins. When
the press-head descends, pieces of the material are punched out, forced through the
die plate and delivered onto the canvas backing, and so on for each downward
movement of the press-head so that in one revolution of the head all the colors are
delivered onto the backing, the backing is then drawn forward the width of the
punches. As the fabric comes from the machine it passes under a powerful press,
(the base and head of which are heated, if found necessary) for the purpose of

page_text: pressing the material into the canvas backing and also to form an even surface on
the face of the fabric.
In some cases one face of the press-head is placed so that it may be used to press
on all the punches at once after the various colors have been delivered.
Dated the 7th day of October 1891.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Floor Cloth and like Fabrics,
and Machinery therefor.
We, RUSSELL SCOTT, of The Corticine Works, Ponders End, in the County of
Middlesex, Manufacturer, and WILLIAM JOHN BEARD, formerly of 3, Stanley
Villas, Lincoln Road, Ponders End aforesaid, but now of 11 Tynemouth Road,
Tottenham, in the said County, Engineer, 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 chiefly to improvements in the manufacture of that kind
of floor cloth known as linoleum and of like fabrics in which the colours of the
design are continuous through the substance of the material.
The said invention has for its object to provide an improved machine for cutting
out and applying the different pieces of material necessary to make up the pattern
and it consists chiefly in the novel arrangement of punches or dies and die or
pattern plates for cutting out the pieces of the required shape to make up a pattern
and in the novel means for operating the punches or dies.
In carrying out our invention we provide a suitable table over which the canvas
backing upon which the linoleum is to be laid is caused to travel intermittently a
distance corresponding to the total length of the pattern to be produced, and in a
frame stretched across the table at a suitable distance above the same, we arrange
a number of punches or dies corresponding to the number of pieces in the pattern,
the said punches or dies fitting closely one against the other so that the guides for
each of the said punches or dies are formed by the punches or dies adjacent to it.
In the said frame carrying the punches or dies we form guides into which a
series, of die or pattern, plates (each of which has openings corresponding to the
different parts of the pattern of one colour and through which the punches or dies
for cutting out the pieces of material of this colour are designed to pass) are
successively introduced and withdrawn, as many die or pattern plates being used in
the series as there are different colours in the pattern to be produced.
In sliding bearings above the frame carrying the punches we arrange a press
head in the form of a roller or drum of polygonal shape, and having at least as
many sides or faces as there are colours in the design, and upon each of these faces
we arrange pins designed when the press head is lowered to operate the, punches or
dies corresponding to the openings in the die or pattern. plate beneath it.
To enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :—
Figure 1 is a side elevation of such a machine embodying our improvements :
2 is a longitudinal section of the same:
Figure
Figure 3 is a sectional plan, certain parts being removed:
Figure 4 is a section on the line 4, 4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the
arrow 1:
Figure 5 is a view of a portion of Figure 2 drawn to a larger scale:
Figures 6 to 14 are views hereinafter described.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding neits in the several ficnred

page_text: sections is provided with a chamber ¹ through which steam introduced through a
pipe 62 may be caused to circulate in order to heat the said table. c is a travelling
platform carried upon rollers c', and designed to feed forward a canvas backing d
to which the pieces of material making up a pattern are applied, the said canvas
backing being unwound from a roller d' on the lower part of the frame of the
machine. d², d³ are two rollers mounted in sliding bearings d', d' and serving to
maintain the canvas backing d in close contact with the travelling platform c. The
pressure of the roller d² is adjusted by means of hand wheels through the medium
of springs and screws, whilst the roller dis acted upon by weighted levers do.
The roller d³ also serves to press the pieces of material laid as hereinafter described
upon the canvas d into close contact therewith.
The travelling platform c is preferably constructed in the manner illustrated in
Figures 6 and 7 which are respectively a side elevation and a plan of a portion of
the said platform. As shewn in these figures the platform consists of a series of
transverse strips c³, c³ connected to three sprocket chains c, c, c and in order to
cause the canvas d to move with the travelling platform the latter is provided with
a series of pins c, c* upon its surface, which pins engage with the canvas and draw
it forward as the travelling platform is moved.
e is the frame which extends across the table at a sufficient distance above the same
to allow the canvas backing with the pieces of material laid thereon to pass between
it and the table, and e¹, e¹ are the dies or punches which slide one against the other
as shewn in Figure 8 (which is a section on the line 8, 8 Figure 5) and one of
which is shewn in elevation and plan in Figures 9 and 10. The dies or punches
shewn in Figure 8 are constructed for producing a pattern of the kind shewn in
Figure 11 and containing eight colours, the different parts of the same colour being
indicated by the same numeral, that is to say, all the parts of one colour are
numbered 1 of another colour 2, of another colour 3 and so on.
Each of the dies or punches is provided at its upper end with one or two pins e
according to its size, which pins slide in a guide plate e extending across the frame
as shewn most clearly in Figure 5, and each of which pins has at its upper end a
head e* which rests upon another plate e carried in a frame e sliding at its four
corners upon guide pins e and supported by springs e", e" and balance levers e
carrying weights elo, eo, the said levers e, es being pivotted upon two standards f; ƒ
mounted upon the sides of the frame a.
g is one of the die or pattern plates which is carried in guides in the frame e and
adapted to be introduced and removed at the side of the machine.
As hereinbefore stated one of these die plates is provided for each colour in the
pattern so that for producing a pattern of the kind shewn in Figure 11 eight of
such die plates would be employed. Figure 12 shews a portion of one of the die plates
which is provided with openings corresponding to the parts 1, 1 of the pattern,
another plate being provided for the parts 2, 2, another for the parts 3, 3 and so on,
each plate only having therein holes for allowing the passage of the dies or punches
for stamping out one colour.
A is the press head which, as shewn in the drawings, is a roller or drum of
octagonal shape, the number of the sides corresponding to the number of the colours
in the pattern. The said press head has its shaft carried in bearings h¹, h' in
cross heads h³, h³ and in bearings guided in slots h³, ³ formed in the standards f, f.
Upon each face of this press head are fixed pins i, i, the pins on each face being
designed when the press-head is lowered to impinge against the pins e, e³ of the
punches to be depressed. As shewn in Figure 5, and in Figure 13 which is an
underside view of a portion of the lowermost face of the press-head shewn in
Figure 5, the pins i, i are arranged for impinging against those pins ³, connected
to the dies or punches for cutting out the parts 1, 1, of the pattern.
In practice the pins i, i are not directly secured to the surface of the drum cr
roller but are attached to plates i, designed to be secured to the surface of the
drum for instance by screws ³, 1, Figures 5 and 13.
When the press head is lowered to operate certain of the punches the plate ¿¹

page_text: comes into contact with the upper edge of the frame eat the same time that the
pins i, i impinge against the pins e, e (as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 5) so
that during the continued downward movement of the press head the frame e will
be pressed downwards against the pressure of the springs e³, and the weights on
the leverse, until all the punches rest upon the material to be cut; the continued
downward movement of the press head then causes those punches upon the pins
on which pins i, i press, to move still further downwards in order to force out the
pieces of material through the holes in the pattern plate g on to the canvas beneath
the said pattern plate.
Motion is imparted to the press head in order to raise and lower the same by two
cams j, j mounted on a shaft j driven from the belt pulley upon the driving
shaft through the medium of the pinion upon the shaft, the spur wheels
and the pinion, upon a counter-shaft and a gear-wheel engaging with the
pinion and secured to the shaft 7. The said cams j, j engage with rollers k, k
upon two cross-heads ', ' connected with the cross-heads h², carrying the press-
head bearings, by rods k³, k³, in such a manner that when the cross heads
raised by the cams the cross heads and also the press-head carried thereby will
be raised. The rods k³, k³ work in guides k*.
are
It will be noticed that the grooves in the cams j, j are for about half their length
concentric with the shaft so that during a similar proportion of the rotation of
the said cams the press-head will remain in its highest position thereby allowing
time for the introduction and removal of the different die or pattern plates.
k, are levers carrying weights, and acting against collars kº, 4º upon the
rodsk, k, the said levers with their weights serving to balance the press-head.
Intermittent rotary motion is imparted to the press-head in order to bring the
several faces thereof successively over the dies by means of a cam I also mounted
on the shaft j. This cam which is shewn detached in Figure 14 (which is an
elevation of the said cam land of some of the parts in immediate connection with
it) has running in its groove a roller l' carried upon a link P, one end of which is
slotted at to slide upon the shaft, which serves as a guide, whilst the other end
is connected to one end of a lever 1 pivotted at upon one of the side standards f,
the other end of the said lever being connected by a link to a lever I loosely
mounted upon the shaft of the press head and carrying a pawl engaging
with a ratchet wheel fixed to the said shaft *. From this description it will be
understood that each time the shaft j' rotates, the press-head will be rotated the
distance of a tooth.
The cam is fixed upon the shaft in such relation to the cams j, j that it
operates to rotate the said press-head during the time that the concentric portions
of the grooves of the cams j, are acting upon the rollers k, that is to say, during
the time that the press head is in its uppermost position.
The operation of the apparatus as thus far described is as follows:-
:-The press
head being in its uppermost position a die or pattern plate g containing openings corre-
sponding to say the parts 1, 1, of the pattern is placed in the frame e with a sheet
of the linoleum in the required condition and of the required colour lying thereon
as indicated by the dotted line in Figure 5. The machine being then set in motion
the press-head descends and the punches corresponding to the openings in the plate g
are pressed downwards so that pieces of material are cut from the linoleum and
deposited upon the canvas which is beneath it. This having taken place and the
press-head having again moved to its uppermost position, the plate g first introduced
is withdrawn and a second pattern plate having openings corresponding, say, to the
parts 2 of the pattern is introduced with a sheet of linoleum of the desired colour
upon the same. When now the press head (which during the withdrawal of one
plate and the introduction of another has been rotated to the required extent by the
means hereinbefore described) again descends, the piece of linoleum corresponding
to the parts 2, 2 of the pattern are pressed out and deposited upon the canvas
backing beside the parts i, 1 and this operation is continued until the pattern is
completed, it being understood, as hereinbefore stated, that a separate die or pattern

page_text: plate is introduced and the punches or dies corresponding with the openings therein
operated for each colour. The portion of the canvas beneath the plungers being
covered, the canvas is moved forward a distance corresponding to the length of the
pattern and as the fabric comes from the machine it passes under a powerful press,
the base and head of which are heated if found necessary for the purpose of pressing
the material into the canvas backing and for consolidating the pieces and also to
form an even surface on the face of the fabric. This forward movement of the
canvas is effected as hereinbefore stated, through the medium of the travelling
platform c.
In order to effect the forward movement of the platform e carrying the canvas
we have provided the following mechanism, that is to say, upon the shaft of the
carrying roller e² of the platform we have fixed a ratchet wheel m as shewn clearly
in Figure 1, and upon the said shaft we loosely mount a lever m² carrying a pawl m
adapted to engage with the teeth of the said ratchet wheel m. The free end of
this lever m² is connected by a link m³ to the lower end of a swinging lever m², the
upper
end of which is pivotted at me to one of the standards f. Upon the shaft 4*
of the press head we fix a disc m having on it a lug or projection m' designed to
engage with a roller or tappet m³ upon the lever m². This disc m³ is so arranged
that, after the press head has risen after operating in connection with the last of
the series of die plates necessary to complete the pattern and while the said press
head is being rotated in order to bring the next surface thereof into position for com-
mencing the next pattern its lug or projection m' will come into contact with the
roller m³ and move the same and with it the lever m² from the position indicated in
the dotted lines in Figure 1 to the position shewn in full lines in the said figure,
thereby operating the lever m' carrying the pawl in such a manner as to move the
ratchet wheel m forward the required distance. Immediately the press head is
next lowered to operate in connection with the first of the series of die plates, the
said lug or projection m' being connected to the shaft of the press head, is moved
downwards out of contact with the roller m³ so that the lever m² can swing back-
wards to the position indicated by the dotted lines under the action of a weight m
carried upon an arm m projecting from the lever m' so that its pawl will move
back over a tooth of the ratchet wheel ready to engage with the tooth to rotate the
said wheel by the time that the press head has made another revolution so as to
bring the lug or projection m' into contact with the roller m³. 776 * is a stop for
limiting the movement of the lever mt in one direction.
The front
In order that, as the separate pieces of material for making up the pattern are
deposited upon the canvas they shall be fixed thereto, we provide for applying a
suitable adhesive cement to the surface of the canvas as the same is fed forward
beneath the dies or punches. Mechanism suitable for this purpose and which
somewhat resembles the inking apparatus used in a printing machine is shewn in
Figures 1 and 2 where n indicates a trough for the adhesive material, which trough
is carried between suitable brackets n', n' upon the sides of the frame a.
of this trough is composed of a roller n² which is made hollow so that steam for
heating the same may be introduced through a pipe n' and the back or bottom n
of the trough is made adjustable relatively to the roller in order that the space
between the edge thereof and of the roller n³ may be adjusted according to the
quantity of adhesive material to be delivered. This bottom n is made hollow and
has pipes n connected thereto for the introduction and escape of steam for heating
the same if this is necessary.
n is a distributing roller which is carried by arms n³, nº secured to a shaft n' and
adapted to be alternately placed in connection with the roller n as indicated
by the dotted lines in Figure 2 and with the canvas as indicated by the full lines in
the said figure. This movement of the distributing roller and also the rotation of
the roller n³ is effected by the following means, that is to say, upon a stud n³ upon
one of the side frames n' is a sprocket wheel nº driven by a sprocket chain no from
a sprocket wheel n upon the shaft. Attached to or formed integral with the
sprocket wheel n' is a pinion n which engages with a gear wheel n" upon the

page_text: shaft of the roller n³ so that motion is imparted to the said roller. Upon the same
shaft is fixed a pinion n engaging with a gear-wheel n" carried upon another
stud n also upon one of the side frames n' and attached to or formed integral with
the wheel n" is a cam n" (Figures 1 and 3). Upon the shaft n' is fixed an arm n¹ª
carrying a roller against which the cam n can operate. The cam n" is so
constructed that as it is rotated it will act upon the roller of the lever n¹s and
oscillate the same together with the shaft n', the levers nº, nº and the distributing
roller n'.
To ensure that the die or pattern plates 9, 9 shall be properly adjusted so that
the openings therein exactly coincide with their respective dies, we form in the said
pattern plates 9, y the conical holes o, o into which pins o¹, o' having conical
points are designed to enter in such a manner that if the said conical holes do not
exactly coincide with the pins, the said pins will move the plate g to the required
extent.
These pins o', o' at their upper ends are carried by projections o³, o³ upon cross
bars o, o firmly attached to the bars, for raising the press-head. As, however,
the vertical movement which the bar o' receives is greater than that which it is
necessary to impart to the pins o¹, o¹, the latter are not rigidly connected to the
said bars o, o but have springs o, o arranged between collars o, o* upon the bar
and the undersides of the projecting portions o³. 03. These springs with the
pins o, o' having been moved down to the required position allow the said pins to
remain stationary whilst the downward movement of the cross bars o³, o³ continues.
The lower ends of the pins o', o' work in guides o, o upon the frame e.
As in changing punches for producing different patterns it is necessary to remove
the press head from over the punch or die carrying frame we have provided upon
the standards farms p, ponto which the said press-head may be lifted and on
which it may be supported during the time that the punches are being changed,
and in order to lift the said press-head to such a position that it may be pushed
onto these arms p, p we provide in the side standards f, lifting screws p¹, p².
These lifting screws are arranged as shewn in Figures 1 and 4 so that they can be
moved up and down freely in openings in the said side standards by nuts p² p² but are
held against rotation by feather keys; that is to say the nuts p³, p' are held against
longitudinal movement in such a manner that when the said nuts are rotated the
screws will be raised or lowered.
As shewn in the drawings these screws are not of sufficient height to raise the
press head to the required extent; we therefore provide blocks which may be
introduced between the bearings of the press head sliding in the slots h³, h³ and the
heads of the screws p', p' before the latter are raised by means of the nuts.
In order that the platforme may be moved independently of its driving mechanism
we provide gearing for the purpose, the said gearing comprising a gear-wheel
fixed to the shaft of the roller and a pinion g' gearing with the said wheel
operated by a hand-wheel q³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :—
1. In a machine for the manufacture of inlaid floor cloth and like fabrics a series
of punches corresponding in shape to the different parts of the pattern to be
produced and arranged in a frame in such a manner that each of the said punches
is guided by the punches adjacent to it, substantially as described.
2. In a machine for the manufacture of inlaid floor cloth and like fabrics a series
of punches corresponding to the different parts of the pattern to be produced, the
said punches being supported or suspended by means of headed pins capable of
sliding in a plate in a movable frame, substantially as described.
3. In a machine provided with a series of punches or dies supported or suspended
as hereinbefore described, a press-head of polygonal shape having applied to each
of its faces, pins adapted to operate in connection with the headed pins of the said

page_text: punches or dies for cutting pieces of material of one colour, substantially as
described.
4. The improved machine consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially in the manner herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings and operating as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Dated the 6th day of August 1892.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.