Manufacture of Waterproof Fabrics.
Year: 1886

page_text: Manufacture of Waterproof Fabrics.
We ROBERT EASTHAM of Leyland, Engineer and JOHN HEALD of Chorley
Engineer both in the County of Lancaster do hereby declare the nature of our
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SPREADING AND DRYING MACHINES USED IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF WATERPROOF FABRICS 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 to that class of spreading and drying machines employed
for coating fabrics with india rubber composition wherein a steam drying cylinder
is employed for drying the india rubber composition between the spreading roller
and the taking up roller; the objects of our invention being to prevent undue
strain upon the cloth and also to prevent the impression upon the rubber surface
of the fabric, of the twill or pattern of the back of the cloth.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood we have hereunto
annexed two sheets of drawings illustrative thereof and have marked the same
with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof.
Sheet 1. represents a side elevation and Sheet 2. a plan view of our improved
spreading and drying machine, a, a being the main framing, b, b the spreading
roller, c, c. the steam drying cylinder and d, d the taking up roller.
In this class of spreading and drying machines it has been customary only to
drive the taking up roller. d, d and to cause the steam drying cylinder c, c and
other rollers to be driven merely by the "pull" of the cloth passing through the
machine and the consequence of this has been that a very great and unnecessary
strain has been put upon the cloth which has weakened it and also caused it to
become narrower in width and the great pressure upon the taking up roller d, d
has caused the india rubber surface to take an impression from the threads at the
back of the cloth whereby its polished appearance has been greatly injured.
According to our invention we drive the spreading roller b, b and the drying
cylinder c, c also at an equal surface speed by an adjustable positive mechanical
motion, and we drive the taking up roller d, d by means of a slack band e, e which
slips on the pulley f, f and thus causes this roller d, d only to keep the cloth tight
and to take up as much cloth as is given out by the drying cylinder c, c, and thus

page_text: no strain whatever is put upon the cloth, and as it is not wound too tightly upon
the taking up roller d, d no impression of the back of the cloth is made upon the
polished rubber surface.
We also further ensure this by passing the cloth over a chilling roller g, g
between the drying cylinder c, c and the taking up roller d, d which thoroughly
sets and hardens the rubber.
We employ a spreading roller b, b and adjustable guage h, h as usual the former
having fixed on one end of its axis i, i a spur wheel k, k driven by a spur pinion l, l
keyed on the driving shaft m, m
-
At the other end of this spreading roller axle i, i is a friction disc o, o driving a
small friction cone p, p mounted upon a key or feather on a longitudinal shaft q, q
so that the cone p, p will drive the shaft q, q but at the same time can be shifted
upon the face of the friction disc o, o nearer to or further from the centre thereof
by means of a screw r, r or otherwise so as to adjust the speed of the shaft q, q.
At the other end of the longitudinal shaft q, q is a worm 8, 8 gearing with a
worm wheel t, t keyed on the axis of the steam drying cylinder c, c and thus it
will be evident that by shifting the position of the friction cone p; p the revolution
of the steam drying cylinder c, c can be adjusted to the greatest nicety so as
exactly to take up as much cloth as is given out, by the spreading roller b, b and
not to put any undue strain upon the cloth.
In front of the steam drying cylinder we mount the cooling or chilling
roller g, g over which the cloth passes from the drying cylinder c, c to the taking
up roller d, d. This cooling roller g, g we mount close to the circumference of the
drying cylinder c, c and as high up as is practicable so as to keep the cloth in
contact with the latter as long as possible.
The cooling roller g, g is made of hollow metal and has a stream of cold water
constantly passing through its interior, so as to chill or harden the india rubber
coating.
This and the guide rollers are the only rollers in our improved machine which
are not driven.
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 in that class of spreading and drying machines (used in the manu-
facture of waterproof fabrics) which is provided with a revolving steam drying
cylinder between the spreading roller and the taking-up roller,
First, driving the spreading roller and drying cylinder at an equal surface speed
by means of positive adjustable gearing constructed and operating substantially as
shown and described, and at the same time driving the taking up roller by a slack
band so that it will only take up as much cloth as is delivered by the drying
cylinder and no undue strain is put upon the fabric, and
Secondly we claim the use in such machines of a cooling or chilling roller
between the drying cylinder and the taking up roller to set and harden the surface
of the india rubber coating before the fabric is wound onto the said roller..
Dated thin 7th day of Avonat 1886