IMPROVEMENTS IN. THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER THREAD
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David' Moseley, of the Chapel Field Works, Ardwick;
in the City of Manchester, Manufacturer of India-rubber and Gutta
Percha,. for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN. THE MANUFACTURE OF
INDIA-RUBBER THREAD."
Sealed. the 24th June 1859, and dated the 22nd January 1859..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Moseley at thie-
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd January 1859.
I, DAVID MOSELEY, of the Chapel Field Works, Ardwick, in the City of
Manchester, Manufacturer of India-rubber and Gutta Percha, do hereby
declare the nature of the said. Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER THREAD," to be as follows:-
It has hitherto been customary to roll or spread the india-rubber into thin
sheets, which are afterwards cut to make thread. Now, my Invention consists
in forming solid cylindrical blocks of india-rubber, either vulcanized or other-
wise prepared, or in its natural state, and then cutting these blocks into a
sheet of the requisite thickness; this sheet, when lapped on to a roller with a
layer of cement in the usual manner of lapping sheets of india-rubber, is then
cut into thread by the ordinary cutting apparatus. By means of these
improvements threads of india-rubber can be produced of greater length,

page_text: strength, and durability than by the means now known and in use, and a con-
siderable saving is effected in the production; the thread is also less liable to
be influenced by the atmosphere, and will retain its elasticity much longer
than when produced in the ordinary manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Moseley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st July 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
MOSELEY, of the Chapel .Field Works, Ardwick, in the City of Manchester,
Manufacturer of India-rubber and Gutta Percha, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and. fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said David Moseley, Her special licence that I, the said David Moseley,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said David
Moseley, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF INDIA-RUBBER THREAD," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
David Moseley, 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 David Moseley, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):--
It has hitherto been customary to roll or spread the india-rubber into thin
sheets, which sheets are afterwards lapped on a roller and cut to make
thread. Now, the nature of my Invention consists in forming solid cylindrical
blocks of india-rubber, either in its natural state or sulphurized, or, otherwise

page_text: prepared, and then cutting these blocks into a sheet of the requisite thickness;
this sheet, either in its natural state or vulcanized, or otherwise prepared,
when lapped on to a roller with a layer of cement in the usual manner of
lapping sheets of india-rubber, is then cut into thread by the ordinary cutting
apparatus.
But in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
The india-rubber to be manufactured into thread having been cleansed or
otherwise prepared, and combined with sulphur or other ingredients in the
usual manner, or in its natural state, is put into a masticator of the ordinary
construction, but by preference of large dimensions, so as to be able to operate
upon a considerable quantity at once. When the india-rubber has been
sufficiently masticated, it is placed in a strong metal cylinder, and pressed into
a solid.cylindrical block by hydraulic or other power, after which it is removed
from the cylinder and allowed to cool. When the block is cool and hard it is
taken to the cutting machine, by which it is cut into a thin sheet by means of
a knife, to which a rapid reciprocating motion is given by steam or other
power. The knife acts on the circumference of the cylindrical block of india-
rubber, which has a slow rotary and lateral motion imparted to it, and these
motions combined with the action of the knife gradually cut the solid block of
india-rubber into a sheet of the required length and thickness, the latter
depending upon the amount of lateral motion imparted to the block.
I wish to remark here that this improved mode of cutting india-rubber
forms no part of my present Invention, and that any other suitable mechanism
for cutting may be adopted. When the sheet of india-rubber has been cut
from a sulphurized or otherwise prepared block, it may then be vulcanized or
otherwise converted to resist the influence of the atmosphere in the usual
manner. The sheet of india-rubber in its natural state, or vulcanized, or
otherwise prepared, must then be lapped on to a roller with a layer of cement,
applied in the usual manner of lapping sheets of india-rubber, or in the
manner described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on the
Ninth day of June, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, and put into
a lathe, where it is cut into threads of the required fineness by the ordinary
cutting apparatus. In some cases, sheets of india-rubber in its natural state
may be acted upon with chloride of sulphur, in order to protect them from the
influence of the atmosphere, but I prefer the treatment above described. By
means of these improvements, threads of india-rubber can be produced of
greater length, strength, and durability than by the means now known and in
use, and a considerable saving is effected in the cost of production. This

page_text: saving is the result of being able to dispense with the solvent hitherto
employed to dissolve the india-rubber, and with the mechanism required
for spreading the dissolved india-rubber on to cloth or other fabric, from
whence it has to be removed before it is lapped on a roller and taken to the
cutting apparatus. The thread is also more even, as the sheet of india-rubber
is liable to be stretched when removed from the fabric on the old plan of
manufacturing india-rubber thread.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner
of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I make no claim to
any part of the machinery, nor to any of the processes described when taken
separately; but that what I do claim as my Invention of improvements in the
manufacture of india-rubber thread is, the dispensing in such manufacture
with the dissolving and spreading of the india-rubber, in order to produce
sheets of the required thickness, and in producing such sheets by cutting from
solid cylindrical blocks, as described, or by any other suitable process or
mechanism..
In witness whereof, I, the said David Moseley, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.