IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLEXIBLE TUBES AND BANDS, AND IN COVERING WIRE
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Christopher Nickels, of York Road, Lambeth,
and Ralph Selby, of York Road aforesaid, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLEXIBLE TUBES AND BANDS,
AND IN COVERING WIRE"
Sealed the 15th March 1854, and dated the 17th September 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christopher Nickels
and Ralph Selby at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 17th September 1853.
We, CHRISTOPHER NICKELS, of York Road, Lambeth, and RALPH
SELBY, of York Road, aforesaid, do hereby declare the nature of the
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLEXIBLE TUBES
AND BANDS, AND IN COVERING WIRE," to be as follows:-
Heretofore in the manufacture of flexible tubes and bands, and in
covering wire with gutta percha and matters requiring heat to keep them
in a plastic state, the machinery has been so arranged as to require to
be stopped from time to time for the purpose of recharging the same
with the matter or matters. Now the object of our Invention is, to

page_text: combine rollers with machinery heated by steam or other convenient
means in order that the supply of the matter or matters may be
constant. For this purpose, in place of employing a piston or forcer,
as heretofore, in a cylinder to force forward the matter or matters (kept
plastic by heat) to and through the dye or dyes, whether for making
flexible tubes or bands, or for covering wire, a pair of rollers is applied
which are caused to rotate constantly in a direction to take in and to
force the matter or matters to and through the die or dies; the die or
dies, apparatus and rollers, being kept heated by steam or other suitable
means, so as to retain the matter or matters plastic during the process.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Christopher Nickels and Ralph Selby in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th March 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
CHRISTOPHER NICKELS, of York Road, Lambeth, and RALPH SELBY, of
York Road aforesaid, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto us, the said Christopher Nickels and Ralph
Selby, Her special licence that we, the said Christopher Nickels and
Ralph Selby, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Christopher Nickels and Ralph Selby, our 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 FLEXIBLE TUBES AND BANDS, AND IN COVERING WIRE,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Christopher
Nickels and Ralph Selby, or one of us, by an instrument in writing

page_text: under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 we, the said Christopher Nickels and Ralph
Selby, 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:
"
Heretofore in the manufacture of flexible tubes and bands, and in
covering wire with gutta percha and matters requiring heat to keep
them in a plastic state, the machinery has been so arranged as to
require to be stopped from time to time for the purpose of recharging
the same with the matter or matters. Now the object of our Inven-
tion is, to combine rollers with machinery heated by steam or other
convenient means, in order that the supply of matter or matters may
be constant. For this purpose, in place of employing a piston or
forcer, as heretofore, in a cylinder, to force forward the matter or matters
(kept plastic by heat) to and through the die or dies, whether for
making flexible tubes or bands, or for covering wire, a pair of rollers is
applied, which are caused to rotate constantly in a direction to take in
and to force the matter or matters to and through the die or dies; the
die or dics, apparatus and rollers, being kept heated by steam or other
suitable means, so as to retain the matter or matters plastic during the
process.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, we will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, shows a vertical section; Figure 2, a side elevation; and
Figure 3, a front view of a machine constructed according to our
Invention, suitable for the manufacture of flexible tubes; and Figure 4,
shows a section and front view of the die separately.
a, a, is the framing of the machine. b, b', are two rollers, the axes of
which are supported by and turn in bearings at each end of the machine,

page_text: h, is a chamber
the framing a, a.
contact with the
and the roller b', is capable of being moved towards and from the roller b,
by giving motion to the axis c, on which are fixed the bevil pinions c', c',
which take into and drive the bevil toothed wheels 6, 63, fixed on the
ends of the axes 6, 6, the other ends of the axes b', b, having a screw
formed thereon, which takes into a female screw formed in the sliding
pieces, and allow the bushes which support the axes of the roller b',
to move outwards by the pressure of the material passing between the
rollers. The rollers 6, b', receive motion in the following manner:-d, is
a pinion fixed on the axis d', supported in bearings at each end of the
machine; motion is communicated to the axis d', by a strap over the
pulley d, from a steam engine or other motive power. The pinion d.
takes into and drives the toothed wheel e, fixed on the axis of the
roller b, the toothed wheelf fixed on the axis of the roller b, taking
into the toothed wheel g, fixed on the axis of the roller b', and gives
motion thereto in the direction of the arrows.
surrounded by steam spaces he, fixed at each end to
The under side of the rollers b, ', revolve in close
hollow or curved surfaces h', there being adjustable packings h³, ha,
regulated by set screws, as shewn in the Drawings. Gutta percha or its
compounds or other material which is rendered and kept plastic by
heat, and suitable for making flexible tubes or bands, or for covering
wire, being placed on the upper surfaces of the rollers b, b', will be
conducted between the rollers by their rotation, and will be forced
down through the channel formed by the parts h', into the chamber h,
which is kept heated by steam, or it may be kept heated by other
means; and thence through the die or moulding orifice i, fixed to the
front of the chamber h. The moulding die or orifice is similar to those
in common use for these purposes. Figure 5, is a vertical section of a
machine suitably arranged for covering a series of wires with gutta
percha or other material retained in a plastic state by heat; and Figure 6,
is a section and front view of the die separately. And as the arrange-
ment of this machine is similar to that previously described for making
tubes and bands, with the exception of the die used, it will not be
necessary to enter into a further description thereof, more particularly
as the description above given applies equally to this machine, and the

page_text: corresponding parts in the Drawings are marked with the same letters
of reference. We have not thought it necessary to show a die for a
band, as it simply consists of an opening or passage of the form desired
as heretofore, and it separately forms no part of our Invention.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, we would have it understood that we are
aware that it is not new to employ rollers to force plastic clay or
matters kept plastic by fluids through moulding orifices or dies; we do
not, therefore, claim the use of rollers for such purposes when un-
combined with or used without means of rendering or retaining matters
plastic by heat; and we would state that we do not confine ourselves
to the precise details herein shown and described, so long as the
peculiar character of our Invention be retained. But what we claim
is, the combination or arrangement of rollers and parts herein described
for the manufacture of flexible tubes and bands, and for covering wire
when using gutta percha and its compounds, or other materials rendered
plastic by heat.
In witness whereof, we, the said Christopher Nickels and Ralph
Selby, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixteenth day
of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-four.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE.
CHRISTOPHER NICKELS. (L.S.)
RALPH SELBY.
(L.S.)